Yes, This Still Happens

help @AnoushehAnsari? My NASA security clearance was rejected b/c I'm a foreign national of a state that supports terrorism! I'm Canadian.

— Sara Mazrouei (@MazroueiSara) May 31, 2016

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Stars and Gas of the Running Chicken Nebula

To some, it looks like a giant chicken running across the sky. To others, it looks like a gaseous nebula where star formation takes place. Cataloged as IC 2944, the Running Chicken Nebula spans about 100 light years and lies about 6,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Centaur (Centaurus). The featured image, shown in scientifically assigned colors, was captured recently in an 11-hour exposure from a backyard near Melbourne, Australia. Two star clusters are visible: the Pearl Cluster seen on the far left, and Collinder 249 embedded in the nebula's glowing gas. Although difficult to discern here, several dark molecular clouds with distinct shapes can be found inside the nebula. via NASA http://ift.tt/1UapnIf

Orbital Startles Beach Goers With Loud Rocket Noises

Orbital ATK Conducts Test of Antares First Stage (with video)

"Orbital ATK today announced it conducted a full-power "hot fire" test of the upgraded first stage propulsion system of its Antares medium-class rocket using new RD-181 main engines. The 30-second test took place at 5:30 p.m. (EDT) on May 31, 2016 at Virginia Space's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) Pad 0A. Initial indications are that the test was fully successful. The Antares engineering team will review test data over the next several days to confirm that all test parameters were met. Assuming the success of the test is confirmed, it will clear the way for the resumption of Orbital ATK's cargo logistics missions to the International Space Station (ISS) from Wallops Island, Virginia, currently scheduled for July."

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Great Barrier Reef Near Whitsunday Islands

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station used a powerful lens to photograph these three reefs in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef on Oct. 12, 2015. Reefs are easy to spot from space because the iridescent blues of shallow lagoons contrast sharply with the dark blues of deep water. via NASA http://ift.tt/1P1a2Iu

Mammatus Mia!

Apollo On Sleeping Pills

Kennedy's vision for NASA inspired greatness, then stagnation, Ars Technica

"Perhaps the best insight into Kennedy's motives can be found in a recording of a November 21, 1962 meeting in the White House Cabinet Room. Kennedy had boasted of the lunar plan just a month earlier at Rice. The main participants that day were Kennedy and James Webb, administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. At issue was the true purpose of NASA and the Apollo program, and at the outset of the meeting Kennedy asked Webb, "Do you think this program is the top priority of the agency?" In hindsight, Webb's answer was surprising: "No sir, I do not. I think it is one of the top priority programs, but I think it is very important to recognize here, that as you have found out what you could do with a rocket, as you find out how you could get out beyond the Earth's atmosphere and into space to make measurements, several scientific disciplines that are very powerful have (begun) to converge on this area." To this Kennedy responds that Apollo is the top priority. That ought to be very clear, he explained. "This is important for political reasons, for international political reasons," Kennedy said. He told Webb he did not want to finish second to the Soviets in the "race" to the moon."

Keith's note: In other words had there been Twitter in 1960s we'd have heard nothing but #ManOnTheMoon on everything NASA PAO put out. In the case of Apollo in the 1960s NASA had a firm presidential mandate and a specific architecture in place in relatively short order - on a timeline what almost fit into a two-term Kennedy Administration. Flash forward: NASA is in no hurry to explain how it is going to send humans to Mars by a date that requires constant unwavering support from 4 to 5 presidential administrations - and a dozen Congresses. Most importantly, NASA now lacks that compelling reason to amass the requisite blood and treasure needed to mount an interplanetary project of geopolitical importance - because we're now competing with everyone (internally and externally) - each of whom is on their own timetable - each for their own purposes. Add in a lame duck Administration which has been disinterested - at best - for the past 7 years. Anyone with a reasonable grasp of history and current politics would be wise to ponder whether NASA and the U.S. government are no even capable of supporting a human missions to Mars in the ways needed for it to actually happen.

Its time to stop listening to the old professors, reading old advisory reports, and trying to find old historical resonances to justify or inspire future efforts. The world is as it is. Other nations are now starting to do interesting things in space because they see that it confers importance upon their nation, inspires their people, and offers access to new technologies. They also have their own reasons that have little resonance with America's. They learned both from our mistakes and successes and are now filling the vacuum created by our hesitance and lack of interest.

Others are seizing upon the opportunities presented by this American space malaise as well - and they are firmly established on American shores. The motivations may echo NASA's interests but they include many things that would not fit well on a NASA Powerpoint chart. Lets watch as SpaceX sends technology to Mars that NASA is incapable and/or unwilling of doing. There may well be an American #JourneyToMars - but mission control may be in Hawthorne - not Houston. And will the Americans who step out of a future human-rated Red Dragon be any less American?

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ISS Daily Summary Report – 05/30/16

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock (JEMAL) NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer #8 (NRCSD#8) Deployment Operations: NRCSD#8 was transferred to the JEM Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) and 1 of 8 Silos was successfully deployed this morning via ground commanding. Additional deploys are planned for tonight at 7:45 PM and 11:00 PM CDT. Today is the first of three consecutive days of deployment operations for NRCSD#8. The Silos contain two CubeSats for a total of 16 Doves. The Dove satellites are a fleet of nanosatellites that enables imagery of the entire changing planet to be taken on a frequent basis, with humanitarian and environmental applications ranging from monitoring deforestation and the ice caps to disaster relief and improving agriculture yields in developing nations. The NRCSD is a commercially operated small satellite deployer from the ISS, maximizing full capabilities of each airlock cycle [of deployments. The MPEP/NRCSD is put into position to be grasped by the robotic arm which then places the CubeSat deployer into the correct position to release the miniature satellites into proper orbit.   Vascular Echo Leg Doppler Operations: The crew continued Vascular Echo operations that began last week by setting up the Exercise Doppler Ultrasound protocol using the Cardiolab Portable Doppler (CDL PDOP), donning the PDOP femoral probe, and performing a 1-minute exercise followed by a resting period during which data is collected. The 1-minute exercise and data collection was performed a second time before the crew deactivated and stowed the hardware. This Canadian Space Agency (CSA) investigation examines changes in blood vessels and heart while crew members are in space, then follows their recovery on return to Earth. The results could provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crew member health, and quality of life for everyone.   Auxin Transport Run #3: Following last week’s completion of the second experiment run, today the crew conducted the first day of the third Auxin Transport experiment run by retrieving the samples from the Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) before preparing and installing the samples into the Cell Biology Experiment Unit (CBEF) for incubation. The incubation process takes 3 days and will be followed by fixation, sampling and closeout activities on day 4. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Auxin Transport investigation objective is to clarify the role of auxins in pea and corn seedlings grown in microgravity, leading to new insight into how gravity, or the lack of gravity, affects plant development. The data obtained from the second experiment run will provide evidence of spaceflight alterations in auxin polar transport and endogenous levels of auxin, resulting in automorphogenesis.   Biological Rhythms 48 Armband Activity Monitor Setup: In preparation for upcoming Biological Rhythms activities this week, the crew set up of the Armband monitor using the European Physiology Modules (EPM) Laptop. The objective of this investigation is to examine the circadian variation of an astronaut’s cardiac autonomic function during space flight using a digital electrocardiograph “Digital Walk Holter ECG”.   Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a walk-through video documenting observations of an area or activity providing insight related to human factors and habitability. The Habitability investigation collects observations about the relationship between crew members and their environment on the International Space Station. Observations can help spacecraft designers understand how much habitable volume is required, and whether a mission’s duration impacts how much volume crew members need.   External Wireless Communication (EWC) System Installation: The crew derouted the existing External Wireless Instrumentation System (EWIS) wire harness in the Lab. They then installed a new coaxial cable that restores current functionality and permits installation of 2 Wireless Access Points (WAPs) at the Lab Forward. The WAPs connect to the Joint Station Local Area Network (JSL) and external antennas already installed on the outside of the Lab.   Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM): Over the weekend, the crew and ground teams successfully inflated and pressurized BEAM. Manual inflation was completed with 67” of axial displacement and a full diameter of 127”, and full pressurization followed shortly thereafter. IMV/vestibule reconfiguration will begin Wednesday with ingress planned for Monday, June 6.   USOS Stowage Consolidation: In preparation for upcoming visiting vehicles, the crew started moving bags and hardware off PMM rack fronts, relocating SpX-9 return items to Node 2 (N2) Endcone and stowing future crew provisions bags in the crew provisions rack.   Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday, Robotics Ground Controllers manuevered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to pick up the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) and prepare for the Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) P1_2B_A Remove & Replace scheduled to start tomorrow.   Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. МО-8. Body Mass Measurement r/g 2381 BLR48 Monitor Setup МО-8. Closeout Ops BLR48 Monitor Installation (Operator) Filling (separation) of EDV (KOV) for Elektron or EDV-SV JEMRMS RLT2 Activation JEMAL Slide Table (ST) Extension to JEF Side Auxiliary Laptop Anti-Virus Update / r/g 8247 ELECTRONIC NOSE. Experiment Ops r/g 2384 MPCC  P2 Laptop Activation and Boot from USB Stick AUT Stowage Prepack 24-hour ECG Monitoring (start) / r/g 2382 СОЖ Maintenance AUT Sample Retrieval from MELFI JPM THC b Water Separator R&R Familiarization JEMRMS Small Fine Arm (SFA) Ungrapple HABIT Preparing for the experiment JPM THC b Water Separator R&R 24-hour BP monitoring (start) / r/g 2383 Preparing to monitor condition of RS structural surfaces using МВП-2К device r/g 2387 Scheduled maintenance of Central Post Laptop, Start Test 1 r/g 2380 JEMAL Slide Table Retraction AUT Sample Preparation Scheduled maintenance of Central Post Laptop, Terminating test 1 and starting Test 2 r/g 2380 External Wireless Communication (EWC) System, System installation, Big Picture Words AUT Meas Exp Unit B (MEU-B) (2) Attachment Gathering External Wireless Communication (EWC) System Equipment AUT Meas Exp Unit B (MEU-B) (3) Attachment Scheduled maintenance of Central Post Laptop, Start Test 3 r/g 2380 CubeSat Deployment Photos JPM THC b Water Separator R&R Life On The Station Photo and Video / r/g 2000 Scheduled maintenance of Central Post Laptop. […]

May 31, 2016 at 12:45AM
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ExoMars Domino Effect

A difficult but necessary decision by ESA and Roskosmos to postpone the launch of the ExoMars rover from 2018 to 2020 raises a question about the fate of other planetary exploration programs in the pipelines of both space agencies.

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Lies Trump Reality

Valles Marineris: The Grand Canyon of Mars

Mars will look good in Earth's skies over the next few days -- but not this good. To get a view this amazing, a spacecraft had to actually visit the red planet. Running across the image center, though, is one the largest canyons in the Solar System. Named Valles Marineris, the grand valley extends over 3,000 kilometers long, spans as much as 600 kilometers across, and delves as much as 8 kilometers deep. By comparison, the Earth's Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA is 800 kilometers long, 30 kilometers across, and 1.8 kilometers deep. The origin of the Valles Marineris remains unknown, although a leading hypothesis holds that it started as a crack billions of years ago as the planet cooled. Several geologic processes have been identified in the canyon. The featured mosaic was created from over 100 images of Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s. Tomorrow, Mars and Earth will pass the closest in 11 years, resulting in the red planet being quite noticeable toward the southeast after sunset. via NASA http://ift.tt/24eIt5s

Ride Along With a SpaceX Rocket Back to Earth

BEAM expanded and pressurized: Your news, commentary and tweet roundup

BEAM is expanded and pressurized! The International Space Station's newest module, which will serve as a technology demonstrator for in-space expandable habitats, was fully filled with air this afternoon.

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Cat s Eye Wide and Deep

The Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is one of the best known planetary nebulae in the sky. Its more familiar outlines are seen in the brighter central region of the nebula in this impressive wide-angle view. But the composite image combines many short and long exposures to also reveal an extremely faint outer halo. At an estimated distance of 3,000 light-years, the faint outer halo is over 5 light-years across. Planetary nebulae have long been appreciated as a final phase in the life of a sun-like star. More recently, some planetary nebulae are found to have halos like this one, likely formed of material shrugged off during earlier episodes in the star's evolution. While the planetary nebula phase is thought to last for around 10,000 years, astronomers estimate the age of the outer filamentary portions of this halo to be 50,000 to 90,000 years. Visible on the left, some 50 million light-years beyond the watchful planetary nebula, lies spiral galaxy NGC 6552. via NASA http://ift.tt/1XXfRhn

NASA Inflates BEAM

Another look at what #BEAM will look like on the ISS once fully inflated by #NASA http://pic.twitter.com/3mKgqv4Bs2

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) May 28, 2016

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Come See Me at Star Trek: Mission New York

The Great Carina Nebula

A jewel of the southern sky, the Great Carina Nebula, also known as NGC 3372, spans over 300 light-years, one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the unaided eye, though at a distance of 7,500 light-years it is some 5 times farther away. This gorgeous telescopic close-up reveals remarkable details of the region's central glowing filaments of interstellar gas and obscuring cosmic dust clouds. The field of view is over 50 light-years across. The Carina Nebula is home to young, extremely massive stars, including the stars of open cluster Trumpler 14 (below and right of center) and the still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, a star with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinae is the brightest star, seen here just above the dusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324). While Eta Carinae itself maybe on the verge of a supernova explosion, X-ray images indicate that the Great Carina Nebula has been a veritable supernova factory. via NASA http://ift.tt/1ORra3a

Sped-Up Video of Falcon 9 First Stage Landing

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THAICOM 8 Mission in Photos

Falcon 9 successfully delivered THAICOM 8 to a Super Synchronous Transfer Orbit, with a high orbit of 91,000km, and the first stage landed on our Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Atlantic.

More info on the mission is available in the press kit, watch the archived webcast here, and see below or visit our Flickr site for photos from the mission.

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Three-peat! SpaceX sticks another drone ship landing

SpaceX continued its impressive string of first stage recoveries today, sticking a Falcon 9 drone ship landing during the successful launch of THAICOM 8, a communications satellite.

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Rocket Scientists Are More Interesting Than PAO Talking Heads

Refreshing to watch @SpaceX people who actually build spaceships do webcasts instead of middle aged PR ppl at #NASA http://pic.twitter.com/SM7vxWc4gh

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) May 27, 2016

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SpaceX Brings Yet Another First Stage Back To Earth

FWIW @SpaceX missed center of the bullseye AGAIN. They'll just have to launch this rocket again and try once more. http://pic.twitter.com/6A2QxqjH7J

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) May 27, 2016

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NASA to Televise Expansion Operations for Bigelow Expandable Activity Module

NASA and Bigelow Aerospace will make a second attempt at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 28, to expand the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), currently attached to the International Space Station. NASA Television coverage will begin at 8:45 a.m.

May 27, 2016
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With retry scheduled tomorrow, NASA and Bigelow say BEAM will work—it's just a question of when

NASA will try again tomorrow to expand BEAM, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module. During a press teleconference this afternoon, officials said they were confident the module was going to expand—it's just a question of when.

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NASA Updates Time for Today’s Media Briefing on Status of Bigelow Expandable Activity Module

NASA has rescheduled today’s media teleconference, originally scheduled for noon EDT, to 2 p.m. for a discussion on the status of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) installed on the International Space Station. The teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website.

May 27, 2016
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Scott Kelly's Post-Flight Visit to Washington

Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly speaks about his historic mission aboard the International Space Station during an event at the United States Capitol Visitor Center, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Washington. via NASA http://ift.tt/1sfuKiW

Mark Zuckerberg to Connect with Space Station Astronauts via Facebook Live

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and chief executive officer, will speak with three astronauts currently living and working aboard the International Space Station at 12:55 p.m. EDT Wednesday, June 1. The Earth-to-space call will be seen live on NASA’s Facebook page.

May 27, 2016
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A Physics Outsider Says NASA Asteroid Scientists Are All Wrong. Is He Right? (Spoiler: No)

Lunar Farside Landing Plans

Phil Stooke describes a research trip to the Regional Planetary Image Facility at the USGS in Flagstaff, where he discovered Jack Schmitt's proposed plans for a farside landing site for Apollo 17.

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ISS Daily Summary Report – 05/26/16

Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM) Inflation: The crew began inflation operations this morning. During the course of two hours, the crew slowly pressurized BEAM using ISS cabin air, but BEAM only moved ~5 inches compared to the expected 72 inches in displacement and increased from 12 inches compared to the expected ~34 inches of increase in diameter. Once the pressure rose above the maximum planned levels, teams agreed to stand down on operations to discuss the forward plan and analyze the situation. There will be no inflation attempts tomorrow. BEAM pressures will be checked overnight and tomorrow morning. The ISS and BEAM are in safe configuration.   Auxin Transport Run #2: Following a three day incubation of samples in the Cell Biology Experiment Unit (CBEF), the crew completed fixation of those samples, which closes out the Auxin Transport experiment run. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Auxin Transport investigation clarifies the role of auxins in pea and maize (corn) seedlings grown in microgravity, leading to new insight into how gravity, or the lack of gravity, affects plant development. This study is expected to contribute to increasing efficiency of plant cultivation in plant factories. The data obtained from the second experiment run will provide evidence of spaceflight‐alterations in auxin polar transport and endogenous levels of auxin, resulting in automorphogenesis.   Human Research Facility (HRF) Resupply: The crew removed expired limited life items and resupplied with fresh items with coordination from the ground. Photos of the new items and their location were downlinked for review and verification by ground teams.   Treadmill 2 (T2) Inspection: The crew completed this monthly maintenance to inspect the bungee shackle key mount witness marks, Y-Axis isolators, 2 bottom snubbers and all 4 snubber arms for signs of free play. No issues were reported.   Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Maintenance: The crew completed this regularly scheduled maintenance to zero calibrate and replace battery packs in all CSA-CPs. Following these activities the units were deactivated. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MORZE. Evaluation using SPRUT-2 MAGVEC Disconnection of MagVector Umbilicals from COL1F2 UIP Folding ARED Platform BEAM Extended Leak Check MAGVEC Hardware Connection SEISMOPROGNOZ. Downlink data from Control and Data Acquisition Module (МКСД) HDD (start) r/g 2224 HRF2 Supply Kit Resupply Surface samples from FGB equipment and structures / r/g 2354 MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Tsentrovka Node3 Camera Setup BEAM Preparation for Manual Inflation BEAM. Deployment Controller Run 1 BAR. Experiment Ops / r/g 2361 BEAM NSI (NASA Standard Initiator, aka pyro) Circuit Check MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Cattell’s Test BEAM. Deployment Controller,  Activation and charge monitoring MAGVEC MagVector umbilicals re-mating to COL1F2 UIP BEAM. Deployment Controller Run 2 BEAM Manual Inflation [Aborted] MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Strelau Test Scheduled Maintenance of Compound Specific Analyzer- Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Cygnus Cargo Operations Verification of ИП-1 Flow Sensor Position BEAM Preparation for auto pressurization [Deferred] BEAM. Deployment Controller Run 3 [Deferred] MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: SUPOS Test BEAM. Deployment Controller, deactivation and stowage [Deferred] SEISMOPROGNOZ. Download data from Control and Data Acquisition Module (МКСД) HDD (end) and start backup r/g 2224 BEAM Pressure and Temperature Reading [Deferred] Download of log-files from БСПН P/L Server and БЗУ memory storage device / r/g 2364 BEAM Vestibule reconfiguration after completion of BEAM deployment [Deferred] MORZE. Closeout Ops СОЖ Maintenance AUT Hardware Gather ARED Footplate Unfold to Nominal Position RWS Power Down MELFI Ice Brick Insertion Crew OBT, Crew Medical Officer (CMO), Computer based training XF305 Camcorder Settings Adjustment AUT R2 Hardware Removal AUT R2 Sample fixation ALGOMETRIA. Experiment Ops / r/g 1808 BRI service data download from RSS1 laptop / r/g 2052 Cleaning fan screens on FGB interior panels (116, 316, 231, 431) Cygnus Cargo Operations GREAT START. Video Script Review r/g 2353 GREAT START. Preparation for the Experiment / r/g 2353 OTKLIK. Equipment Check / r/g 1588 GREAT START. EPO session and video recording of Regeneratsiya experiment / r/g 2353 Cygnus Cargo Operations Conference MELFI 2 Ice Brick Insertion AUT Sample Insertion into MELFI AUT R2 Hardware Removal AUT R2 Sample fixation GREAT START. Closeout Ops / r/g 2353 Monthly Inspection of T2 Treadmill System INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2350 SAMS-CU CREW Space Acceleration Measurement System Control Unit Activation Health Maintenance System (HMS) Fundoscope Setup IMS Delta File Prep INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2351 AUT Sample Insertion into MELFI AUT R2 Closeout Ops Fundoscope Eye Exam Inspection and photos of space behind SM panels / r/g 2334 Health Maintenance System (HMS) Fundoscope Setup Hematocrit  Hardware Setup r/g 2362 Fundoscope Eye Exam Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Fundoscope Teardown and Stowage   Completed Task List Items None   Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. BEAM activities Nominal ground commanding   Three-Day Look Ahead: Friday, 05/27: Vascular Echo ultrasound, Ocular Health, Cygnus cargo transfer Saturday, 05/28: Crew off duty, housekeeping Sunday, 05/29: Crew off duty   QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:                               Component Status Elektron On Vozdukh Manual [СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) Off [СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) On Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up  

May 27, 2016 at 01:33AM
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IC 5067 in the Pelican Nebula

The prominent ridge of emission featured in this sharp, colorful skyscape is cataloged as IC 5067. Part of a larger emission nebula with a distinctive shape, popularly called The Pelican Nebula, the ridge spans about 10 light-years following the curve of the cosmic pelican's head and neck. This false-color view also translates the pervasive glow of narrow emission lines from atoms in the nebula to a color palette made popular in Hubble Space Telescope images of star forming regions. Fantastic, dark shapes inhabiting the 1/2 degree wide field are clouds of cool gas and dust sculpted by the winds and radiation from hot, massive stars. Close-ups of some of the sculpted clouds show clear signs of newly forming stars. The Pelican Nebula, itself cataloged as IC 5070, is about 2,000 light-years away. To find it, look northeast of bright star Deneb in the high flying constellation Cygnus. via NASA http://ift.tt/1qLt7rO

Sorry Gay People: Rep. Gohmert Says No Space Colonies For You

Louie Gohmert: No Gay Space Colonies!, RightWing Watch (with video)

"[Rep. Louie Gohmert R-TX] said that if lawmakers had to decide "whether humanity would go forward or not" in case of an imminent asteroid collision by putting people in a "space ship that can go, as Matt Damon did in the movie, plant a colony somewhere, we can have humans survive this terrible disaster about to befall, if you could decide what 40 people you put on the spacecraft that would save humanity, how many of those would be same-sex couples? You're wanting to save humankind for posterity, basically a modern-day Noah, you have that ability to be a modern day Noah, you can preserve life. How many same-sex couples would you take from the animal kingdom and from humans to put on a spacecraft to perpetuate humanity and the wildlife kingdom?"

Keith's note: Yes, Congress is where smart people work in the 18th 21st Century to make life better for all some Americans.

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NASA to Brief Media on Status of Bigelow Expandable Activity Module

NASA will host a media teleconference at noon EDT Friday, May 27 to provide an update on the expansion operations for the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) installed on the International Space Station. The teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website.

May 26, 2016
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NASA Selects Contractor for Safety, Mission Assurance Services

NASA has selected Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. of Columbia, Maryland, to provide safety and mission assurance, audits and assessments support services for the agency’s Safety Center in Cleveland.

May 26, 2016
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Three bright planets: Portraits from the Pyrenees

It's a great time to go outdoors and look at planets. I have three glorious planetary portraits to share today, sent to me by amateur astronomer Jean-Luc Dauvergne.

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Chasma Boreale and North Polar Ice Cap of Mars

Mars has bright polar caps of ice that are easily visible from telescopes on Earth. A seasonal cover of carbon-dioxide ice and snow is observed to advance and retreat over the poles during the Martian year. Scientists using radar data have found a record of the most recent Martian ice age recorded in the north polar ice cap. via NASA http://ift.tt/1sdb3bv

Space station module expansion called off after BEAM doesn't budge

NASA and Bigelow Aerospace weren't able to get the space station's newest module up and running this morning. Another attempt could come as early as Friday.

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Bigelow BEAM Fails To Inflate, Expand, Etc.

Bigelow Module Fails First Expansion Attempt

"NASA is working closely with Bigelow Aerospace to understand why its module did not fully expand today as planned. Engineers are meeting at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss a path forward for the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). They are evaluating data from the expansion that has occurred thus far. If the data supports a resumption of operations, another attempt to complete the module's expansion could come as early tomorrow."

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NEOWISE Asteroid Named After A True Heroine

Asteroid Named for Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai, NASA

"An asteroid discovered by NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft has been given the formal designation 316201 Malala, in honor of Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. The asteroid's previous appellation was 2010 ML48. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) renamed the asteroid as the request of Amy Mainzer of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Mainzer is the principal investigator of NASA's NEOWISE space telescope."

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A Silhouette of Cold, Dusty Galactic Fingers

ISS Daily Summary Report – 05/25/16

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) High Definition (HD) Video Drawer Checkout: Following yesterday’s installation of the new HD video drawer and two HD video monitors, the crew continued the upgrade process for the MSG video equipment by completing checkout activities. After the hardware was set up and powered, the video signals were routed using the HD Video Drawer Graphical User Interface (GUI) located as a remote desktop application on the MSG Laptop Computer. The MSG HD video hardware was stowed following completion of the checkout activities.   Fine Motor Skills: A series of interactive tasks were completed for the Fine Motor Skills investigation.  This investigation is the first fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth’s gravity.   Dose Tracker: The crew completed entries for medication tracking. This investigation documents the medication usage of crew members before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data is expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.   Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a walk-through video documenting observations of an area or activity providing insight related to human factors and habitability. The investigation collects information about the relationship between crew members and their environment on the ISS. Observations can help spacecraft designers understand how much habitable volume is required and whether a mission’s duration impacts how much space crew members need.   Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM) Vestibule Outfitting: The crew completed Node 3 (N3) Aft vestibule pressurization and leak check, opened the hatch, and completed installation and hardware deployment in N3 Aft BEAM Vestibule for all of the equipment required to support tomorrow’s planned BEAM deployment. Completed tasks were: Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Control Panel Assembly (CPA) and Center Disc Cover (CDC) removal, ground strap installation, deployment of BEAM deployment controller with associated cables except for power cable, deployment of multimeter with BEAM Resistive Thermal Device (RTD) jumper, installation of BEAM Vestibule data cable. BEAM ingress is scheduled for June 2.   OA-6 Cargo Transfer Operations: Today the crew completed OA-6 unpack. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MORZE. Evaluation using SPRUT-2 Calf Volume Measurement / r/g 2338 FINEMOTR  Operator Assistance with the Experiment Folding ARED Platform Node 3 Aft Pressurization and Leak Check RR-HAB BAG Rodent Research Habitat Stowage Bag Retrieval Sample Insertion into bags COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops / r/g 2335 Node 3 Aft Hatch Opening Rodent Research (RR) Camcorder Setup FINEMOTR Experiment Ops Stowage of Rodent Research Habitat Module Removal and transfer of CBM disk cover MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Tsentrovka, SENSOR Tests Removal of Node 3 Nadir CBM Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Study of veins in lower extremities / r/g 2337 Rodent Research (RR) Module Stowage OCT Hardware Setup СОЖ Maintenance WRS Sample Collection BEAM Ground Strap Installation HABIT Habitability Walk-Through Video Inspection and Photos of space behind SM panels / r/g 2334 DOSETRK Data Input MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: SUPOS Test BEAM Vestibule Outfitting Part 1 VIZIR. Experiment Ops with СКПФУ Hardware r/g 2352 MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Cattell’s Test Health Management System (HMS) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Subject Health Management System (HMS) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Operator MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Strelau Test OCT Hardware Stowage Rodent Research (RR) Camcorder Setup BEAM Deployment Dynamic Sensors (DDS) Setup MORZE. Closeout Ops Robotic Work Station (RWS) Setup ARED Footplate Unfold to Nominal Position Potable Water Collection in SM for In-Flight Chemical and Microbial Analysis HMS Defibrillator Inspection MSG Video Recording Stowage of Rodent Research Habitat Module TOCA Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis DOSETRK Data Input JEM Remote Sensor Unit Battery R&R Rodent Research (RR) Module Stowage HABIT Preparing for the experiment PK4 HD Data Download Life On The Station Photo and Video / r/g 2000 PK4- Preparation for Data Download Water Processing using MCD Inspection and Cleaning of Laptops RS2, RS3 СТТС comm system switchover to the primary set On MCC Go Inspection and Cleaning of RS1 Laptop Inspection and Photos of space behind SM panels / r/g 2334 AUT Sample Retrieval from MELFI AUT R2 Sample fixative application TOCA Data Recording MSG Video Recording Countermeasures System (CMS) Sprint Exercise, Optional IMS Delta File Prep INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2349 MORZE. Experiment setup / r/g 2348 MSG  Hardware Deactivation USOS High Definition (HD) Video setup for PAO Crew Prep for PAO/ r/g 2356 TV Greetings to the Participants of Pressa-2016 Festival r/g 2356   Completed Task List Items WHC KTO R&R   Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. BEAM activities SPDM OTCM checkout Nominal ground commanding   Three-Day Look Ahead: Thursday, 05/26: BEAM leak check, inflation, deploy, EMCS water pump tube install, Cygnus cargo transfer Friday, 05/27: Vascular Echo ultrasound, Ocular Health, Cygnus cargo transfer Saturday, 05/28: Crew off duty, housekeeping   QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:                               Component Status Elektron On Vozdukh Manual [СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) Off [СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) Off Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Standby Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Standby Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up  

May 26, 2016 at 01:42AM
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NGC 5078 and Friends

This sharp telescopic field of view holds two bright galaxies. Barred spiral NGC 5101 (top right) and nearly edge-on system NGC 5078 are separated on the sky by about 0.5 degrees or about the apparent width of a full moon. Found within the boundaries of the serpentine constellation Hydra, both are estimated to be around 90 million light-years away and similar in size to our own large Milky Way galaxy. In fact, if they both lie at the same distance their projected separation would be only 800,000 light-years or so. That's easily less than half the distance between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. NGC 5078 is interacting with a smaller companion galaxy, cataloged as IC 879, seen just left of the larger galaxy's bright core. Even more distant background galaxies are scattered around the colorful field. Some are even visible right through the face-on disk of NGC 5101. But the prominent spiky stars are in the foreground, well within our own Milky Way. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WOiTos

Another Space Movie For Neil Tyson To Hate

Keith's note: Uh oh. There's a spacecraft going the wrong way in this movie trailer. Neil Tyson will therefore hate all over it. Too bad. Although the plot seems to be pretty simplistic it might well resonate with a certain demographic - you know the young people who might grow up and actually go on the #JourneyToMars. There are NASA logos in the movie, so one would assume some level of cross-promotion by NASA.

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New work with 35-year-old data: Voyagers at Ganymede and Saturn

The Voyager data set is a gift to Earth that keeps on giving. This week, I've seen three great new images processed from this old data set.

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CASIS Ignores More Cool News That It Paid For With NASA Money

Proud to enable the first successful DNA amplification in space!https://t.co/if4DEQS32W

— miniPCR (@miniPCR) May 25, 2016

miniPCR announces first DNA amplification in space

"miniPCR announced the first successful DNA amplification on the International Space Station (ISS). Using a miniPCR thermal cycler, astronauts performed Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) on DNA samples on April 19th. Analysis performed today on Earth confirms that DNA amplification done in microgravity was successful, ushering in a new era in space exploration."

miniPCR, GenesInSpace

Keith's note: This is really cool news. But does CASIS make any mention of this major accomplishment on their website or @ISS_CASIS? Of course not.

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Both Rocket Fights - and Rocket Flights - Continue

Senate Schism on Russian Rocket Engines Continues, Space Policy Online

"The Senate Appropriations Committee's Defense Subcommittee approved its version of the FY2017 defense appropriations bill today. Few details have been released, but in at least one area -- Russian RD-180 rocket engines -- the schism between Senate appropriators and authorizers seems destined to continue. The full appropriations committee will mark up the bill on Thursday."

As rocket wars wage in DC, a cautious move towards competition makes sense

"To ULA's credit, the company has successfully launched over 100 rockets without incident. But they've also been given vast resources to do so. For example, McCain refers to ULA's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch capability contract as "$800 million to do nothing." That's not exactly fair since the contract gives the Air Force tremendous launch flexibility, but $800 million a year to effectively be ready to launch seems tremendously generous."

SpaceX is about to attempt another extremely difficult landing, Business Insider

"SpaceX will once again attempt to land the first stage of the rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic. SpaceX's track record for launches has been nearly flawless this year, with four successful launches and three successful landings (and retrievals!) of the first stage of the rockets. One of those successes took place on land in December; two more happened in April and May at sea. SpaceX will once again attempt to land the first stage of the rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic."

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NASA Awards Financial and Business Management Services Contract

NASA has selected Logical Innovations, Inc., of Houston to provide financial and business management services for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Procurement and other entities at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

May 25, 2016
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Tomorrow morning, watch a new space module inflate—er, expand

NASA is set to fill a new space station module called BEAM with air Thursday morning. But does BEAM inflate, or expand?

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NASA's OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Prepared for Mission to an Asteroid

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is revealed after its protective cover is removed inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, on May 21, 2016. OSIRIS-REx, targeted for a Sept. 8 launch, will be the first U.S. mission to sample an asteroid, retrieve at least two ounces of surface material and return it to Earth for study. via NASA http://ift.tt/1OWSkLu

ISS Daily Summary Report – 05/24/16

Marrow: Upon waking this morning, the crew took breath and ambient air samples for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Marrow experiment which investigates the effect of microgravity on human bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on bone marrow and the blood cells that are produced in the marrow. The extent of this effect and its recovery are of interest to space research and healthcare providers on Earth.   Rodent Research (RR-3) Inventory Audit: The crew continued auditing the remaining RR-3 equipment and supplies. The audit follows the completion of RR-3 operations last week.   Ocular Health (OH) Cardiac Operations: The crew began the first of two Ocular Health sessions planned for the week by using a Tonometer on an eye simulator before conducting Tonometry exams. They also performed blood pressure measurements using the Cardiolab (CDL) Holter Arterial Blood Pressure (BP) Unit with guidance from the Ocular Health ground team. Crew members’ bodies change in a variety of ways during space flight, and some experience impaired vision. The Ocular Health investigation gathers data on crew members’ visual health during and after long-duration space station missions. Tests monitor microgravity-induced visual impairment, as well as changes believed to result from elevated intracranial pressure. The investigation will measure how long it takes for crew members to return to normal after they return to Earth.   Cardio Ox Ultrasound Operations: With remote guidance from the Cardio Ox ground teams, the crew conducted an ultrasound scan after attaching the Electro Cardiogram (ECG) Electrodes and marking the arteries followed by blood pressure measurements using the Cardiolab Holter Arterial Blood Pressure Unit. The goal of the Cardio Ox investigation is to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an increased, long-term risk of atherosclerosis risk in astronauts. Twelve crewmembers provide blood and urine samples to assess biomarkers before launch, 15 and 60 days after launch, 15 days before returning to Earth, and within days after landing. Ultrasound scans of the carotid and brachial arteries are obtained at the same time points as well as through 5 years after landing as an indicator of cardiovascular health.   Micro-Gravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Video Upgrade Equipment (VUE) Setup: The crew upgraded MSG video equipment by replacing the current MSG video drawer with the new High Definition (HD) video drawer before installing two HD video monitors that will be used with the new video drawers.   Dose Tracker: The crew completed entries for medication tracking. This investigation documents the medication usage of crew members before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data is expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.   Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM) Preparations: The crew removed the Node 3 (N3) Aft Hatch Positive Pressure Relief Valve (PPRV) Sample Port Cap and pressurized N3 to BEAM vestibule to 5psi. An 8-hour leak check is currently in work. The crew also reviewed updates to emergency procedures and key points that were emphasized during BEAM training. In preparation for BEAM viewing, Robotics Ground Controllers walked off the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the Lab Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF). External robotics:  Today, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) was walked off from Node2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) to Lab PDGF, and manuevered to the BEAM viewing position in preparation for BEAM deployment later this week.   Cygnus cargo operations:  36 hours and 50 minutes of cargo work have been completed, with an estimate of 8 hours and 20 minutes remaining to complete all Cygnus (OA-6) cargo operations.     Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MARROW – Air Samples Collection MORZE. Examination using SPRUT-2 device HMS – equipment config before intraocular test COSMOCARD. Closeout ops / r/g 2311 VIZIR. СКПИ battery charge / r/g 2320 HMS – vision test COSMOCARD. Preparing for and Starting 24-hr ECG Recording / r/g 2335 HMS – vision test HMS – vision questionnaire OH – blood pressure measurement EDV (KOV) fill (separation) for ELEKTRON or EDV-SV. Fill from Progress 432 Water Tank r/g 2129 MORZE. Psychophysiological survey: testing, centering, SENSOR HMS – vision questionnaire RR- samples retrieval from MELFI OH – blood pressure measurement Soyuz #720 Samsung Tablets Charging – init HMS Tonometry CMO – assist CARDIOVECTOR. Experiment ops r/g 2333 USND2 – hardware activation HMS Tonometry Test – subject SOZh Maintenance CARDOX – prep ops CARDOX- ultrasonic survey Progress #432 АСН-К deinstall, data download to Laptop r/g 2272 DOSETRK- data download CARDOX-ultrasonic survey – assist RR – Habitat Stow Review RR- hardware inventory GREAT START. Experiment prep / r/g 2322 Health Maintenance System (HMS) Tonometry Test Stow GREAT START. Educational Session and Video Shooting on DUBRAVA Experiment  r/g 2322 Checking of Camcorder Setup for Photo/TV CARDOX- blood pressure measurement MORZE. Psychophysiological Survey: Strelau Test USND2- hardware deactivation GREAT START. Concluding Ops / / r/g 2322 VIZIR. Charging СКПИ Infrared Receiver (ИКП) battery – terminate / r/g 2320 COL Ethernet Cable Disconnect Checking Camcorder Setup for Photo/TV MPCC Laptop Power Connect BEAM Deployment OBT MPCC – Р2 Laptop Activation to LAN Network УРАГАН. Observation and Photography Using Photo Hardware r/g 2336 ESA – weekly crew conference Soyuz #720 Samsung Tablets Charging – terminate USOS window shutters closing PAO – crew prep PAO Event Soyuz #719 Samsung Tablet Charging – init MORZE. Psychophysiological Survey: Kettle Test WRM – water balance placeholder Countermeasures System (CMS) Sprint Exercise Optional MSG- hardware stow after video shooting Sync RS Photo Cameras with on-board time / / r/g 1594 ВОЛ Fan Test Activation – noise level control. […]

May 25, 2016 at 01:16AM
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Update: Mysterious Martian Plumes May Be from a Solar Storm and Not an Impending Invasion

Why Does Brad Summey Hate On Elon Musk So Much?

Keith's note: I was reading an article on the The Hill tonight when this add popped up that sent me to http://ift.tt/1WNAVHm which is an anonymous attack website dedicated to the notion that Elon Musk is the spawn of Satan or awful or something. At the bottom of the page the site says that it is paid for by "The Center for Business and Responsible Government (CBRG) is a non-partisan organization dedicated to highlighting cronyism and its effect on American taxpayers and policy. We believe public officials should establish an even playing field for all businesses to compete in the marketplace, not just those special interests who line their pockets." Of course no such group actually exists and and the domain registration information for whoiselonmusk.com is hidden.

So I did an old-fashioned "view Source" and looked around and found http://ift.tt/1WNAwon near the bottom which redirects to http://ift.tt/1WNAVHm. But http://sladedev.com goes to a holding page for Slade Technologies. The domain registration for sladedev.com with a contact name of Brad Summey - brad@savagejerky.com. If you go to the domain registration details for Savage Jerky there is a contact name of Kenneth Summey - support@savagejerky.com. Both domains list a contact address of Savage Jerky Co., LLC 2133 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suite 12-405 Suwanee Georgia 30043.

If you Google "Brad Summey" (picture on the right) you see a linked in page http://ift.tt/1szwjZ3 - "Kb" Summey - I guess that's where "Kenneth" and "Brad" comes from. Brad Summey is CTO for Orange Hat Group, LLC - http://ift.tt/1WNAyfX located at 950 N. Washington St #319 Alexandria, VA 22314. Looks like these guys do lots of political and issue-oriented stuff. Indeed if you go to this page at OpenSecrets.org you will see that Kline for Congress Cmte (Rep. Kline R-MN) paid them $11,550 in 2014 and Friends of Erik Paulsen (R-MN) paid them $101,650 in 2013/2014. Hmm ... two members of Congress - both from Minnesota.

Oh yes, if you go to If you go to http://ift.tt/1WNAPzF you will see that he retweets "RT @SavageJerky: Today's the day. We're giving a 6 month supply of jerky to a lucky follower on #SuperBowl Sunday. #jerky #giveaway http://@OrangeHatGroup 06:55pm, 01 Feb". So Orange Hat is into beef jerky too. You can also follow Brad on Twitter at @kbsummey.

So ... what does a guy who runs a beef jerky company in Georgia and is a CTO at an inside-the-beltway Internet/issues company (whose company does stuff for Minnesota republicans) have against Elon Musk? Maybe Brad will explain all of this to us - and who is paying for his website - because why not?

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Milky Way Over the Spanish Peaks

That's not lightning, and it did not strike between those mountains. The diagonal band is actually the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy, while the twin peaks are actually called the Spanish Peaks -- but located in Colorado, USA. Although each Spanish peak is composed of a slightly different type of rock, both are approximately 25 million years old. This serene yet spirited image composite was meticulously created by merging a series of images all taken from the same location on one night and early last month. In the first series of exposures, the background sky was built up, with great detail being revealed in the Milky Way dust lanes as well as the large colorful region surrounding the star Rho Ophiuchus just right of center. One sky image, though, was taken using a fogging filter so that brighter stars would appear more spread out and so more prominent. As a bonus, the planets Mars and Saturn are placed right above peaks and make an orange triangle with the bright star Antares. Later that night, after the moonrise, the Moon itself naturally illuminated the snow covered mountain tops. via NASA http://ift.tt/1TwOTI0

Bolden Wants Congress To Change Law On U.S./China Space Cooperation

NASA Chief: Congress Should Revise US-China Space Cooperation Law, VOA

"Responding to questions Monday at an event hosted by the Mitchell Institute on Capitol Hill, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the U.S. should pursue such a relationship with China in human space exploration. "We were in an incredible Cold War with the Soviets at the time we flew Apollo-Soyuz; it was because leaders in both nations felt it was time," he said. "That represented a great use of soft power, if you will. Look where we are today. I think we will get there [with China]. And I think it is necessary." Current law prohibits NASA from engaging with its Chinese counterparts on such projects. But Bolden, who will travel to Beijing later this year, says Congress should consider revising the law."

Previous China posts

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Pluto Has A Stamp But It's Not Sold With "Our Planets" Stamps

New stamps honoring #NASA planetary discoveries, including #PlutoFlyby, debut May 31. https://t.co/JOwgt1Wa00 http://pic.twitter.com/tHeKQ1EYJd

— NASA New Horizons (@NASANewHorizons) May 24, 2016

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Space Budget Action In The House Today

Kilmer, Bridenstine Get Full Funding for FAA Space Office, Space Policy Online

"During markup of the FY2017 Transportation-HUD (T-HUD) appropriations bill today, the House Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment to fully fund the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) at the requested level of $19.8 million. That is $1 million more than the T-HUD subcommittee recommended."

Full Committee Markup - FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, and Science Bill, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Bill, and Report on the Revised Interim Suballocation of Budget Allocations

- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Approriations Bill 2007 (draft bill)
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Approriations Bill 2007 (draft report)

The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Applauds House NASA Funding Bill, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration

"The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration (Coalition) applauds House Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee (CJS) Chairman John Culberson, Ranking Member Mike Honda and the entire Appropriations Committee for its exceptional support for NASA's human and science exploration programs in its FY 2017 Appropriations bill, which boosts NASA funding to $19.5 billion. Like their counterparts in the Senate, the CJS Subcommittee has worked across the aisle to produce a bipartisan bill that ensures our space program receives the necessary funding to continue America's leadership in space."

Committee approves the CJS spending bill on a voice vote; no major changes to NASA provisions. All clear to send out the press releases. — Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) May 24, 2016

Industry group thanks House appropriators for approving NASA spending billbut the bill is still being debated. https://t.co/iD2OGJpYj7 — Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) May 24, 2016

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NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins Available for Interviews Before Space Station Launch

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins will be available for live satellite interviews from Moscow on Wednesday, June 1, before her launch to the International Space Station. She will answer questions about her upcoming mission aboard the world’s only orbiting laboratory from 9-10 a.m. EDT, airing live on NASA Television and streaming on the agency’s website.

May 24, 2016
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The House Makes its Counteroffer on NASA’s Budget

Commerce, Justice, and Science—the House of Representatives’ subcommittee that oversees NASA spending—just released details on how they would fund the space agency in 2017. Overall, the news for the space program is very good.

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NASA Telescopes Find Clues For How Giant Black Holes Formed So Quickly

Using data from NASA’s Great Observatories, astronomers have found the best evidence yet for cosmic seeds in the early universe that should grow into supermassive black holes.

May 24, 2016
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Fjord and Glacier in East-Central Greenland

On May 19, 2016, NASA's IceBridge, an airborne survey of polar ice, crossed Greenland to fly central glacier flowlines in the east-central region of the country. This photo captures the fjord of Violin Glacier, with Nord Glacier at the upper left corner. This is IceBridge's eighth spring campaign of science flights over Arctic sea and land. via NASA http://ift.tt/1s7jaq6

A Cold Ribbon Where Future Stars Are Born

ISS Daily Summary Report – 05/23/16

Marrow: Upon waking this morning, the crew took breath and ambient air samples for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Marrow experiment which investigates the effect of microgravity on human bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on bone marrow and the blood cells that are produced in the marrow. The extent of this effect and its recovery are of interest to space research and healthcare providers on Earth.   Auxin Transport Run #2: The crew conducted the first day of the second Auxin Transport experiment run by gathering hardware and retrieving the samples from the Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) before preparing and installing the samples into the Cell Biology Experiment Unit (CBEF) for incubation. The incubation process takes 3 days and will be followed by fixation, sampling and closeout on day 4. This Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) investigation clarifies the role of auxins in pea and corn seedlings grown in microgravity, leading to new insight into how gravity, or the lack of gravity, affects plant development. This study may contribute to increasing the efficiency of plant cultivation in plant factories. The data obtained from the second experiment run will provide evidence of spaceflight alterations in auxin polar transport and endogenous levels of auxin, resulting in automorphogenesis.   Rodent Research (RR-3) Audit and Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Cleanup: Following the completion of RR-3 operations last week, the crew audited the remaining RR-3 equipment and supplies. They also removed the hardware and cleaned the Life Science Ancillary Hardware (LSAH) in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG).   MSG Video Upgrade Equipment (VUE) Hardware Gather and Overview: In preparation for upcoming MSG Video Upgrade Equipment (VUE) setup, the crew gathered and powered the hardware and routed video signals using the HD Video Drawer Graphical User Interface (GUI). Ground teams then successfully performed a two hour checkout of the recording functions of the drawer.   Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) Hardware Set Up: Today the crew set up the TREK Demonstration hardware, but was unable to install the flight demonstration software load due to communication issues with the network attached storage (NAS) at the planned rack location. After changing the Ethernet routing to the WORF rack; connectivity was verified but subsequent file transfer attempts resulted in a series of errors on the laptop. The crew took photos of the errors and was asked to stand down for the day.  The ground teams are assessing the error messages. TReK is a suite of software applications and libraries that can be used to monitor and control assets in space or on the ground.   Material Science Laboratory (MSL) Calibration Cartridge Insertion: The crew inserted the calibration cartridge of MSL Batch 2B for calibration. The MSL can accommodate one Furnace Insert (FI) at a time for experiment processing. Two ESA-developed FIs are presently available: the Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) and the Solidification and Quenching Furnace (SQF). Sample-Cartridge Assemblies (SCAs) for science programs.   Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM) Preparations: In preparation for vestibule outfitting activities and inflation, today the crew completed the following: Installation of N3 BEAM laptop cable to allow BEAM laptop connection to N3 Aft bulkhead and BEAM sensor systems, Verification that the BEAM Deployment Controller passes BIT check prior to deployment, Emergency procedure refresher On-Board Training (OBT) session (all 6 crewmembers).   Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Last Friday, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and performed Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Latch End Effector (LEE) checkouts. They then maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to stow SPDM on Mobile Base System (MBS) Power Data Grapple Fixture 2 (PDGF2). While SPDM LEE was capturing MBS PDGF2, SSRMS Force and Moment Sensor (FMS) Coarse Characterization was performed. SSRMS was maneuvered to translate configuration and the Mobile Transporter (MT) was translated to Worksite 6 (WS6).   Cygnus Cargo Operations: The crew has completed approximately 31.5 hours of cargo transfer operations with approximately 15 hours of transfer remaining.   62 Progress (62P): On Sunday, the crew reported seeing flakes of a substance floating away from 62P and provided photographs of the small white particles.  Moscow worked with the crew over the course of the day to check the pressure of the air reserve section of Rodnik tank БВ-2. Since Thursday evening, Moscow has observed lower than expected readings from this section of the tank. The Russian crew took readings from that tank with a manual pressure gauge and confirmed that it is at a lower pressure and the telemetry is accurate. The main section of the tank is currently full of urine for disposal and is in an unpressurized section of 62P.  No change in operations is being recommended at this time. Moscow will continue to monitor tank telemetry and will ask the crew to check occasionally with the manual gauge. Undock is planned for July 5.   Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. HRF – urine sampling HRF – sample insertion into MELFI HRF – blood sampling (subject) HRF – blood sampling (assistant) HRF – centrifuge config 1 HRF – centrifuge config 2 AUT – hardware prep for stowage HRF – sample insertion into MELFI AUT – samples extraction from MELFI [СРВ-К2М] reactor filter R&R / r/g 2316 MSG – hardware prep for stowage ARED photo/video setup RR – camcorder install KOSMOKARD. 24hr electrocardiogram recording prep + init / r/g 2311 RR – equipment inventory VIZIR. ИКП СКПИ battery charge init / r/g 2320 HRF – blood samples extraction and refrigeration prep HRF – sample insertion into MELFI Record [БРИ] service data from RSS1 / r/g 2052 [АК-1М] air sampling in SM and FGB r/g 2312 On MCC Go Post-deactivation ELEKTRON purge Photo-TV camcorder setting c/o HRF – urine sampling AUT R2 – water sampling HRF – sample insertion into MELFI Equipment transfer for removal to DC1 Progress #431, IMS updates / r/g 2234, 2315 Rodent access unit retrieval Rodent access unit cleanup HRF – post-sampling equipment […]

May 24, 2016 at 01:40AM
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Smooth sailing in San Luis Obispo: LightSail 2 completes day-in-the-life test

The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 spacecraft breezed through a major systems test today, demonstrating the CubeSat can successfully deploy its antenna and solar panels, communicate with the ground unfurl its 32-square-meter solar sails in space.

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Inside a Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector

Why is there more matter than antimatter in the Universe? To better understand this facet of basic physics, energy departments in China and the USA led in the creation of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. Located under thick rock about 50 kilometers northeast of Hong Kong, China, eight Daya Bay detectors monitor antineutrinos emitted by six nearby nuclear reactors. Featured here, a camera looks along one of the Daya Bay detectors, imaging photon sensors that pick up faint light emitted by antineutrinos interacting with fluids in the detector. Early results indicate an unexpectedly high rate of one type of antineutrino changing into another, a rate which, if confirmed, could imply the existence of a previously undetected type of neutrino as well as impact humanity's comprehension of fundamental particle reactions that occurred within the first few seconds of the Big Bang. via NASA http://ift.tt/25bsp6Q

OSIRIS-REx shipped to Florida for September launch

OSIRIS-REx's long journey to an asteroid has begun. The spacecraft departed Colorado on Friday, May 20, travelling aboard an Air Force C-17 to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center.

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Former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold Challenges NEOWISE Data

Asteroid thermal modeling in the presence of reflected sunlight with an application to WISE/NEOWISE observational data

"As a result, the new analysis finds asteroid diameter and other physical properties that have large differences from published NEOWISE results, with greatly increased error estimates. NEOWISE results have a claimed ±10% accuracy for diameter estimates, but this is unsupported by any calculations and undermined by irregularities in the NEOWISE results. Diameter estimates from bootstrap calculations appears to be no more than ±29.5% accurate when compared to diameters from radar, stellar occultations and spacecraft. NEOWISE errors for parameters like visible band albedo p_v and near-IR albedo p_IR1 and p_IR2 are even higher, calling into question their utility."

Repurposed NEOWISE Spacecraft Observes and Discovers Asteroids, earlier post

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Congress Asks NASA To Consider Interstellar Travel Research

U.S. lawmaker orders NASA to plan for trip to Alpha Centauri by 100th anniversary of moon landing, Science

"Representative John Culberson (R-TX), a self-professed space fan who chairs the House appropriations subpanel that oversees NASA, included the call for the ambitious voyage in a committee report released today. The report accompanies a bill setting NASA's budget for the 2017 fiscal year, which begins 1 October; the full House appropriations panel is set to consider the bill on Tuesday. In the report, Culberson's panel "encourages NASA to study and develop propulsion concepts that could enable an interstellar scientific probe with the capability of achieving a cruise velocity of 0.1c [10% of the speed of light]." The report language doesn't mandate any additional funding, but calls on NASA to draw up a technology assessment report and conceptual road map within 1 year."

- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Approriations Bill 2007 (draft report)
- Announcing "Breakthrough Starshot": Building Earth's First Starships, earlier post

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Next SpaceX Commercial Cargo Launch Targeted for Mid-July, NASA Opens Media Accreditation

Media accreditation now is open for the next SpaceX commercial cargo resupply services mission to the International Space Station, targeted for launch no earlier than approximately 1:32 a.m. EDT Saturday, July 16.

May 23, 2016
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House Appropriators Seek To Defund Asteroid Mission - Push NASA To The Moon & Mars

Full Committee Markup - FY 2017 Commerce, Justice, and Science Bill, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Bill, and Report on the Revised Interim Suballocation of Budget Allocations

"Tuesday, May 24, 2016 10:30 AM in 2359 Rayburn"

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Approriations Bill 2007 (draft bill)

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Approriations Bill 2007 (draft report)

NASA begins on Page 54. On page 61 the report says:

"Mission to Mars. While the Committee recognizes the benefits of some of the technology that is under development as part of the asteroid redirect and retrieval missions, namely advanced propulsion technology research, asteroid deflection, and grappling technologies, the Committee believes that neither a robotic nor a crewed mission to an asteroid appreciably contribute to the over-arching mission to Mars. Further, the long-term costs of launching a robotic craft to the asteroid, followed by a crewed mission, are unknown and will divert scarce resources away from developing technology and equipment necessary for missions to Mars, namely deep space habitats, accessing and utilizing space resources, and developing entry, descent, landing, and ascent technologies.

Toward that end, no funds are included in this bill for NASA to continue planning efforts to conduct either robotic or crewed missions to an asteroid. Instead, NASA is encouraged to develop plans to return to the Moon to test capabilities that will be needed for Mars, including habitation modules, lunar prospecting, and landing and ascent vehicles.

Further, the Committee is supportive of NASA's efforts to use the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct research necessary to enable long-term human spaceflight, or ''Earth-reliant'' technology development; cis-lunar space activities, or ''proving ground'' efforts such as Orion flights on SLS in the vicinity of the Moon, and deployment and testing of deep space habitation modules; and finally, NASA's ''Earth independent'' activities which include using cis-lunar space as a staging area, mapping potential human exploration zones and caching samples on Mars as part of the Mars Rover 2020 mission."

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These Dunes Are the Pits. Or Vice Versa.

Up and Over

Cassini orbited in Saturn's ring plane -- around the planet's equator -- for most of 2015. via NASA http://ift.tt/1WcJKuB

Jupiter May Be Hit by a Half-Dozen Visible Asteroid Impacts Every Year

LL Orionis: When Cosmic Winds Collide

What created this great arc in space? This arcing, graceful structure is actually a bow shock about half a light-year across, created as the wind from young star LL Orionis collides with the Orion Nebula flow. Adrift in Orion's stellar nursery and still in its formative years, variable star LL Orionis produces a wind more energetic than the wind from our own middle-aged sun. As the fast stellar wind runs into slow moving gas a shock front is formed, analogous to the bow wave of a boat moving through water or a plane traveling at supersonic speed. The slower gas is flowing away from the Orion Nebula's hot central star cluster, the Trapezium, located off the lower right hand edge of the picture. In three dimensions, LL Ori's wrap-around shock front is shaped like a bowl that appears brightest when viewed along the "bottom" edge. The complex stellar nursery in Orion shows a myriad of similar fluid shapes associated with star formation, including the bow shock surrounding a faint star at the upper right. Part of a mosaic covering the Great Nebula in Orion, this composite color image was recorded in 1995 by the Hubble Space Telescope. via NASA http://ift.tt/25g4UwZ

Shuttle tank caps 41-day journey with trip through streets of Los Angeles

After a 41-day journey marked by stormy seas, a trip through the Panama Canal and a rescue off the Baja California coast, the last unflown space shuttle external fuel tank has arrived at its new home here in Los Angeles.

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While U.S. Ponders Closing Arecibo China Builds Something Much Bigger

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Initiate Section 106 Consultation for Proposed Changes to Arecibo Observatory Operations, Arecibo, Puerto Rico and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Comment Period, NSF

"Through a series of academic community-based reviews, NSF has identified the need to divest several facilities from its portfolio in order to retain the balance of capabilities needed to deliver the best performance on the key science of the present decade and beyond. In 2012, NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences' (AST's) portfolio review committee recommended that ``continued AST involvement in Arecibo . . . be re-evaluated later in the decade in light of the science opportunities and budget forecasts at that time.'' In 2016, NSF's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences' (AGS') portfolio review committee recommended significantly decreasing funding for the Space and Atmospheric Sciences portion of the Arecibo mission. In response to these evolving recommendations, in 2016, NSF completed a feasibility study to inform and define options for the observatory's future disposition that would involve significantly decreasing or eliminating NSF funding of Arecibo."

World's largest radio telescope nears completion

"China's gigantic Five hundred meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) is nearing completion in China's southwestern Guizhou Province and will soon begin searching the skies for phenomena including signs of extraterrestrial life. Construction of 500m diameter, 1.2 billion yuan (US$185mln) radio telescope began in 2011 and is on course to come online in September, when it will become the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope."

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A Dozen (Or So) Ways to Die in Space

Macabre? Sure. But my sense of humor runs dark sometimes, and I love science fiction, so this (very) short animation (very) briefly depicting a bunch of ways hapless space explorers can undergo Death in Space cracked me up.

I could nitpick the science — you won’t explode if you crack your helmet, but it won’t exactly be fun either — but that’s not really in the spirit of the thing. And that’s coming from a guy who literally wrote the book on this subject.

Tip o’ the spacesuit helmet to io9.

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Milky Way and Planets Near Opposition

In this early May night skyscape, a mountain road near Bursa, Turkey seems to lead toward bright planets Mars and Saturn and the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, a direction nearly opposite the Sun in planet Earth's sky. The brightest celestial beacon on the scene, Mars, reaches its opposition tonight and Saturn in early June. Both will remain nearly opposite the Sun, up all night and close to Earth for the coming weeks, so the time is right for good telescopic viewing. Mars and Saturn form the tight celestial triangle with red giant star Antares just right of the Milky Way's central bulge. But tonight the Moon is also at opposition. Easy to see near bright Mars and Saturn, the Full Moon's light will wash out the central Milky Way's fainter starlight though, even in dark mountain skies. via NASA http://ift.tt/257Pojj

Yet Another Stunning Promotional Opportunity That NASA Ignores

NASA misses a chance to promote the best-ever ad for the space station, Ars Technica

"Why doesn't NASA promote the film more? It's impossible to come away from A Beautiful Planet without being impressed by the orbiting laboratory and the international collaboration that constructed it. But where is the audience? My home is Houston - Space City - where astronauts live and the space station program is managed. But when the movie played here, it did so in one theater, on one screen, for a single week. When I attended, just a few astronauts and their friends and families were in the audience. As of last Sunday, A Beautiful Planet had grossed less than $1 million in box office sales across the country."

Keith's note: NASA never even bothered to issue a media advisory here in Washington. NASM did not send out one either. The plan apparently seems to be that word of mouth is the preferred mode of advertising. That said, the film did cost NASA money. Camera upmass, crew time, etc. When you calculate cost per hour of crew time, upmass, downmass, etc. it is not insignificant. You'd think that someone would be mounting a much more intense PR campaign - especially one that enlisted NASA. As best I can tell they had invitation-only premiere parties with lots of blue-suited astronauts (pictures) a few hand-picked media - and that's it. This webpage for A Beautiful Planet has a CASIS logo at the bottom. But there is zero mention of this film on the CASIS website. Nor did CASIS even bother to issue any media advisories or press release. I used to be baffled by this indifference on the part of NASA when it came to things that were clearly worth promoting only to see them do little - or nothing. Now I'm used to seeing missed opportunities for NASA to be relevant and explanatory in terms of public events happening once a week. As for CASIS - they are just clueless - and always have been. So no surprise there.

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Now's a Good Time to Look Up As Mars Looks Back At You With Its Red, Baleful Eye

3D Mercury Transit

On May 9, innermost planet Mercury crossed IN FRONT of the Sun. Though pictures project the event in only two dimensions, a remarkable three dimensional perspective on the transit is possible by free viewing this stereo pair. The images were made 23 minutes apart and rotated so that Mercury's position shifts horizontally between the two. As a result, Mercury's orbital motion produced an exaggerated parallax simulating binocular vision. Between the two exposures, the appropriately named planet's speedy 47.4 kilometer per second orbital velocity actually carried it over 65,000 kilometers. Taken first, the left image is intended for the right eye, so a cross-eyed view is needed to see Mercury's tiny silhouette suspended in the foreground. Try it. Merging the text below the images helps. via NASA http://ift.tt/20eTfaS

NASA Televises, Hosts Events for Deployment of First Expandable Habitat on International Space Station

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) will be deployed to its full size Thursday, May 26, and begin its two-year technology demonstration attached to the International Space Station. NASA Television will provide coverage of the expansion beginning at 5:30 a.m. EDT.

May 20, 2016
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Launch of First U.S. Spacecraft to Sample Asteroid Set for September, NASA Media Accreditation Open

NASA has opened accreditation for media to attend the September launch of the first U.S. mission to sample an asteroid. NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft will travel to and collect surface material from the asteroid Bennu, and return it to Earth for study.

May 20, 2016
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CubeSats Deployed From the International Space Station

CubeSats fly free after leaving the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer on the International Space Station on May 17, 2016. Seen here are two Dove satellites. The satellites are part of a constellation designed, built and operated by Planet Labs Inc. to take images of Earth from space. via NASA http://ift.tt/27I2gi7

Of Course Trump Chose a Global Warming Denier As His Energy Advisor

On LightSail 1 launch anniversary, team prepares successor craft for day-in-the-life test

One year ago today, LightSail 1 rode an Atlas V rocket into space. Now, the program stands on the brink of another major milestone, as engineers prepare for a full systems test of LightSail 2, a successor CubeSat that will attempt the first controlled solar sail flight in low-Earth orbit.

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ISS Daily Summary Report – 05/19/16

Rodent Research-3 (RR-3) Operations: The crew has completed operations on 15 rodents. They are scheduled to perform operations on 5 rodents today and 5 more tomorrow which will conclude this session of RR activities.  The crew will perform bone densitometry measurements and then transfer the rodents to the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) for sample processing. This investigation studies the molecular and physical changes to the musculoskeletal system that occur in space. Results will expand scientists’ understanding of muscle atrophy and bone loss in space while testing an antibody that has been known to prevent muscle wasting in mice on Earth.   Sprint Ultrasound 2 Operations: The crew set up a camera and video, configured Ultrasound 2, placed reference marks on the calf and thigh of the right leg, donned Sprint (Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study) thigh and calf guides, and performed thigh and calf ultrasound scans with guidance from the Sprint ground team. Ultrasound scans are used to evaluate spaceflight-induced changes in the muscle volume. The Sprint investigation evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in ISS crewmembers during long-duration missions.   Thermolab Deinstrumentation for Circadian Rhythms: Following completion of a 36-hour measurement, the crew removed the double sensors and the Thermolab Unit before cleaning and stowing the equipment for European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) Circadian Rhythm experiment. The objective of the experiment is to get a better understanding of alterations in circadian rhythms in humans during long-term space flights. Such knowledge will provide important insights into the adaptations of the human autonomic nervous system in space over time as well as significant practical implications by helping to improve physical exercise, rest and work shifts and ensuring adequate workplace illumination.   Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a walk-through video documenting observations of an area or activity providing insight related to human factors and habitability. The Habitability investigation collects observations about the relationship between crew members and their environment on the ISS. Observations will help spacecraft designers understand how much habitable volume is required, and whether a mission’s duration impacts how much space crew members need.   Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Status: Yesterday, 2 attempts to start the Distillation Assembly (DA) faulted out due to DA belt slippage. A subsequent attempt resulted in completion of a successful UPA process run. Another process run is now in progress.   Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Status: Following yesterday’s crew report of a loud noise during cable exercise, the ARED remains no-go for cable exercise but is go for bar exercise. Engineering teams met today and will recommend actions to restore full functionality.   Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Later today Robotics ground controllers will use the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to unstow the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) and perform a video survey of the RapidScat payload.   Cygnus Cargo Transfer Status: The crew has completed approximately 26 hours of cargo transfer with approximately 21.5 hours remaining to be completed.   Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. NEUROIMMUNITET. Saliva Sampling.  Stress-Test (Session 1) r/g 2294 SPLANH. Preparation and Initiate EGEG Recording r/g 2288 CORRECTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Blood Sample / r/g 2294 USND2 Hardware Activation NEUROIMMUNITET. Venous blood sample processing (smear) r/g 2294 CORRECTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Venous blood sample processing r/g 2294 CORRECTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Handover to USOS for MELFI Insertion / r/g 2294 RUEXP  Blood Sample Insertion into MELFI CORRECTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Closeout Ops / r/g 2294 SPRINT Ultrasound Scan Operations Monitoring Progress 432 (Aft) АСН-К exchange from the Laptop during the test / r/g 2272 SPRINT Assistance for the test Rodent Research (RR) Node 2 Camcorder Settings Adjustment CORRECTSIYA. Logging Liquid and Food (Medication) Intake / r/g 2291 Circadian Rhythms Thermolab Deinstrumentation CIR Hardware Setup Soyuz 719 IRIDIUM phone charge, setup, start charge Rodent Research Animal transfer to MSG and back High Definition (HD) Config JEM Setup Rodent Research Rodent Dissection and Bone Densitometer Ops Soyuz 719 IRIDIUM phone charge, battery charge status Rodent Research Refrigerated Centrifuge Adjustment Soyuz 719 IRIDIUM phone charge, terminate charge Rodent Research (RR) Bone Densitometer Scan Crew Prep for PAO/ r/g 2293 Rodent Research MELFI Sample Insertion TV Session with Ivanovo Schoolchildren r/g 2293 Rodent Research (RR) Bone Densitometer Scan Rodent Research MELFI Sample Insertion Rodent Research Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration BRI data download to RSS1 laptop / r/g 2052 Rodent Research Rodent Dissection and Bone Densitometer Ops Soyus 720 IRIDIUM phone charge, start charge Monitoring Progress 432 (Aft) АСН-К exchange on the Laptop during the test / r/g 2272 Soyuz 720 IRIDIUM phone charge, battery charge status SPLANH. Termination of EGEG Recording and Closeout Ops r/g 2288 Soyuz 720 IRIDIUM Phone charge, terminate charge, teardown the setup, closeout ops WRS. Recycle Tank Fill from EDV Installation of METEOR flashcard drive SPLANH. Photography of the Experiment Ops / r/g 2289 Rodent Research Closeout Ops Rodent Research MELFI Sample Insertion USND2 Hardware Deactivation NEUROIMMUNITET. Psychological Testing / r/g 2294 Cygnus Cargo Operations ESA Weekly Crew Conference NEUROIMMUNITET. Hair Sample / r/g 2294 Circadian Rhythms, Data Downlink Circadian Rhythms, Close-out Ops and Stowage On-orbit hearing assessment using EARQ Soyuz 720 Kazbek Fit Check Rodent Research Animal transfer to MSG and back СОЖ Maintenance CORRECTSIYA. Logging Liquid and Food (Medication) Intake / r/g 2291 Monitoring Progress 432 (Aft) АСН-К exchange on the Laptop during the test  r/g 2272 Rodent Research Rodent Dissection and Bone Densitometer Ops Rodent Research (RR) Bone Densitometer Scan OTKLIK. Sensor functional test and point of impact coordinate accuracy check r/g 2281 Rodent Research MELFI Sample Insertion WRS, Recycle Tank Fill from EDV Rodent Research (RR) Bone Densitometer Scan IMS Delta File Prep Food Frequency Questionnaire Rodent Research MELFI Sample Insertion PAO Hardware Setup Rodent Research (RR) Bone Densitometer Scan Crew Prep for PAO Rodent Research MELFI Sample Insertion PAO Event Rodent Research Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration Rodent ResearchRodent Dissection and Bone Densitometer Ops Cygnus Cargo Operations Rodent Research Animal transfer to MSG and back Rodent Research Closeout Ops […]

May 20, 2016 at 01:01AM
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The Surface of Europa

An enhanced-color view, this image covers a 350 by 750 kilometer swath across the surface of Jupiter's tantalizing moon Europa. The close-up combines high-resolution image data with lower resolution color data from observations made in 1998 by the Galileo spacecraft. Smooth ice plains, long fractures, and jumbled blocks of chaos terrain are thought to hide a deep ocean of salty liquid water beneath. Though the ice-covered alien ocean world is outside the Solar System's habitable zone, new studies show the potential chemistry driving its oxygen and hydrogen production, a key indicator of the energy available for life, could produce amounts comparable in scale to planet Earth. Hydrogen would be generated by chemical reactions of the salty water in contact with the rocky ocean floor. Oxygen and other compounds that react with hydrogen would come from Europa's surface. There water ice molecules would be split apart by the intense flux of high-energy radiation from Jupiter and cycled into the Europan ocean from above. via NASA http://ift.tt/1U1G3kW

Congress Just Ordered NASA To Go To Europa - Twice

House tells NASA to stop messing around, start planning two Europa missions

"As part of the mission to Europa, Culberson would also like to send a lander to the surface of the heaving, ice-encrusted world. This would allow scientists to better characterize the oceans below and, if the lander touches down near a fissure, possibly even sample the ocean. However, there has been some concern that having both an orbital spacecraft and a lander in a single mission would prove too challenging for a single rocket to deliver. So as part of the new House bill, the Europa mission is broken into two parts: an orbiter and, two years later, a lander."

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