Infrared Trifid

The Trifid Nebula, also known as Messier 20, is easy to find with a small telescope, a well known stop in the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. But where visible light pictures show the nebula divided into three parts by dark, obscuring dust lanes, this penetrating infrared image reveals filaments of glowing dust clouds and newborn stars. The spectacular false-color view is courtesy of the Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers have used the Spitzer infrared image data to count newborn and embryonic stars which otherwise can lie hidden in the natal dust and gas clouds of this intriguing stellar nursery. As seen here, the Trifid is about 30 light-years across and lies only 5,500 light-years away. via NASA http://ift.tt/2iolfKS

Spaceflight in 2017, part 2: Robots beyond Earth orbit

What's ahead for our intrepid space explorers in 2017? It'll be the end of Cassini, but not before the mission performs great science close to the rings. OSIRIS-REx will fly by Earth, and Chang'e 5 will launch to the Moon, as a host of other spacecraft continue their ongoing missions.

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Small Satellite Deployed From the Space Station

A satellite is ejected from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Small Satellite Orbital Deployer on the International Space Station on Dec. 19, 2016. The satellite is actually two small satellites that, once at a safe distance from the station, separated from each other, but were still connected by a 100-meter-long Kevlar tether. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hU5LNj

2017: Wait Just a Second

Will U.S. Sanctions On Russia Impact ISS Operations?

Obama orders Russia expulsions, sanctions for interference in 2016 election, Reuters

"President Barack Obama on Thursday ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and sanctioned Russian intelligence officials who Washington believes were involved in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election. The measures, taken during the last days of Obama's presidency, mark a new low in U.S.-Russian relations which have deteriorated over serious differences on Ukraine and Syria. "These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior," Obama said in a statement from vacation in Hawaii."

- Cold War Echoes On Earth And In Space, Earlier post
- How Long Will ISS Remain Isolated From Terrestrial Politics?, Earlier post

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Dealing With Orbital Traffic

Orbital Traffic Report Released

"The current Framework does not provide a holistic approach by leading in the combined development of technically informed "rules of the road" and the provision of value-driven, safety-based products and services used during spacecraft operations. Such "rules of the road", based on space traffic safety concerns, could lead to the maturation of international norms of behavior, which would greatly enhance the strategic stability of the space domain. Objectives for any space traffic safety governance framework were created by the study team that focus on mitigating space traffic safety-related risks, protecting and enhancing national security interests, and ensuring the economic vitality of the space domain and industry. Five Frameworks were created for consideration. Each Framework exists at a distinct point on a continuous spectrum of space traffic safety governance options in which the USG's prescriptive role ranges from low to high."

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Hubble Gazes at a Cosmic Megamaser

This galaxy acts as an astronomical laser, beaming out microwave emission rather than visible light. via NASA http://ift.tt/2ihOnTW

Amazing Illusion: Invisibility Cloak

ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/28/2016

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Prep: The crew reviewed procedures for the upcoming S4 Battery EVA.  During this session the crew reviewed the generic EVA prep, emergency and post EVA procedures along with the EVA specific procedures, detailed timelines, and EVA systems briefing. Earlier today ground teams tied Channel 3A to Channel 3B via Seamless Power Channel Handover prior to starting the process of completely discharge the Channel 3A batteries which is expected to be completed on Friday. Fluid Shifts Dilution Measurements: The third of three 49S subjects initiated their Flight Day 45 (FD45) Fluid Shifts Dilution Measurements activities. Beginning with wakeup the subject collected saliva, blood and urine and inserted them into Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) prior to ingesting a Sodium Bromide (NaBr) tracer. Throughout the day, the crew performed additional urine, blood, and saliva collections, inserting those samples into MELFI as well. Finally, the crew configured for tomorrow’s Baseline Imaging in the USOS.  Fluid Shifts is divided into three experiment portions – Dilution Measurements, Baseline Imaging, and Baseline Imaging with Chibis (Lower Body Negative Pressure).  The Fluid Shifts experiment investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut’s eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a lower body negative pressure device is investigated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and eye damage. Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) Depress: Following the successful installation of the J-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) #6 on the JEMAL slide table, the crew depressed the airlock in preparation for the mid-January deployment of the satellites. The J-SSOD facility provides a reliable, safe and economically viable means of deploying research small satellites into Earth orbit. Atmospheric and surface monitoring, radio communications testing, and small object and sample return to the ground for testing and analysis are all potential candidates for this facility.  Veg-03 Harvest and Stow: The crew performed the final harvest of the Outredgous Romaine Lettuce from the Veggie facility today.  Leaves were collected divided between those for consumption and those for return that were placed in the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). Following the harvest, the Veggie equipment was cleaned and stowed.  The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows using ‘Outregous’ Red Romaine lettuce. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and ISS made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members will soon use to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.  Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3008 Loop Scrub: Last Friday the crew began EMU 3008 loop scrub which could not be completed due to a leak at the Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Display and Control Module (DCM) interface.  Following yesterday’s installation of a new SCU, this morning the crew completed the activation and checkout of the new equipment followed by a nominal EMU 3008 loop scrub.  Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Fluid Shifts Saliva Baseline Collection Fluid Shifts MELFI Insertion Operations Fluid Shifts Urine Collection – Subject Fluid Shifts Blood Baseline Collection – Subject Fluid Shifts Galley Water Collection Tracer Ingestion Operations – Subject UIA Oxygen Valve Close Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Water Recharge Orlan No.4, No.6 checkout prep Fluid Shifts Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude Combustion Integrated Rack Hardware Gather Fluid Shifts MELFI Insertion JEM Airlock Depressurization Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Activation and Checkout Part 2 UDOD. Experiment Ops with DYKNANIYE-1 and SPRUT-2 Sets. Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Water Recharge SkinSuit H/W Retrieval and Height Measurement Setup БК-3М Oxygen Tank Pressure Check in DC1. SkinSuit Height Measurement Operator SkinSuit Height Measurement & Questionnaire Orlan No.6 Backup Bladder Leak Check. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance – Part 1 Fluid Shifts Urine Collection – Subject Orlan No.4 Backup Bladder Leak Check. Fluid Shifts MELFI Retrieve Insertion Operations Fluid Shifts Blood 3-Hour Collection – Subject Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification Water Recovery Management (WRM) Condensate Pumping Initiation Fluid Shifts Saliva 3-Hour Collection – Subject Fluid Shifts MELFI Retrieve Insertion Operations Spacesuit and БСС (Orlan Interface Unit) leak checks and Orlan valve test. Fluid Shifts Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude MERLIN Desiccant Pack Swap and Door Inspect Fluid Shifts MELFI Retrieve Insertion Operations Fluid Shifts Blood Collection Conclude Stow Water Recovery Management (WRM) Condensate Pumping Termination Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Post Scrub Cooling Loop Water (H2O) Sample JEM Airlock Vent Orlan No.4 and БСС (Orlan Interface Unit) leak checks and Orlan valve test. JEM Airlock Vent Confirmation ESA ACTIVE DOSIMETER MOBILE UNIT SWAP Fluid Shifts Saliva 5-Hour Collection – Subject Fluid Shifts MELFI Retrieve Insertion Operations Fluid Shifts Urine Collection End – Subject Combustion Integrated Rack Session Review Fluid Shifts MELFI Insertion Operations COSMOCARD. Setup. Starting 24-hr ECG Recording Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config LAB Setup SkinSuit Height Measurement Operator [Aborted] SkinSuit Height Measurement & Questionnaire Comm Config Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review PAO Preparation Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – Lab Telemetry check of Orlan No.4, No.6 systems, БСС, and comm system. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub Reconfiguration Perform comm reconfig for nominal ops EVA Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Scrub Termination Orlan No.4, No.6, and БСС storage mode operation. Equipment stowage after Orlan No.4, No.6 checkout. Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification Download Pille Dosimeter Readings BIMS. Experiment Ops VEG-03 MWA Preparation VEG-03 Harvest […]

December 29, 2016 at 12:00AM
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Spaceflight in 2017, part 1: Earth-centric edition

Our preview of spaceflight in 2017 starts with highlights of missions and events happening on and around our home planet.

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Curiosity Surveys Lower Mount Sharp on Mars

If you could stand on Mars -- what might you see? If you were the Curiosity rover, then just last month you would have contemplated the featured image -- a breathtaking panorama of the lower portion of Mount Sharp. The colors have been adjusted to mimic lighting familiar to Earthlings. Surveyed here was a rocky plain before increasingly high rolling hills. The rounded hills in the middle distance, called the Sulfate Unit, are Curiosity's highest currently planned destination. One reason these hills are interesting is because sulfates are an energy source for some micro-organisms. The immediate path forward, though, was toward the southeast on the left part of the image. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hosYXb

TrumpSpace Tidbit: #BackToTheMoon ?

Trump met with historian Douglas Brinkley. Brinkley said afterwards Trump "was very interested in a man going to the moon," per pool report.

— Alex Pappas (@AlexPappas) December 28, 2016

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NASA Preps for Space Station Power Upgrade Spacewalks; Live NASA TV Coverage

Expedition 50 astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station at 7 a.m. EST Jan. 6 and 13 to perform a complex upgrade to the orbital outpost’s power system. Coverage of the spacewalks will begin at 5:30 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

December 28, 2016
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Basking in Light

Sunlight truly has come to Saturn's north pole. The whole northern region is bathed in sunlight in this view from late 2016, feeble though the light may be at Saturn's distant domain in the solar system. via NASA http://ift.tt/2iqTKzS

On Cosmic Discovery and Human Significance

Jake Rosenthal takes us on a tour of the history of discovery of our place in the cosmos.

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Our Magnificent Moon

ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/27/2016

Fluid Shifts Dilution Measurements: The second of three 49S subjects completed their Flight Day 45 blood draw with assistance from a Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Operator in support of the first part of the Fluid Shift activities – Diultion Measurement. Upon wakeup the subject collected saliva, blood and urine and insert them into Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) prior to ingesting a Sodium Bromide (NaBr) tracer. Throughout the day, the subject completed additional urine, blood, and saliva collections and inserted the samples into MELFI. Fluid Shifts is divided into three experiment portions – Dilution Measurements, Baseline Imaging, and Baseline Imaging with Chibis (Lower Body Negative Pressure).  The experiment investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronauts’ eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a lower body negative pressure device is investigated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and eye damage. Japanese-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer-6 (J-SSOD-6) Installation: The crew completed the J-SSOD-6 installation activities on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table.  The four deployers, holding six satellites, will be grappled by the JEM Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) and deployed in January. The J-SSOD facility provides a reliable, safe and economically viable means of deploying research small satellites into Earth orbit. Atmospheric and surface monitoring, radio communications testing, and small object and sample return to the ground for testing and analysis are all potential candidates for this facility. Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) Troubleshooting: The crew performed investigative troubleshooting steps to aid in the removal of a stuck MDCA from the CIR Combustion Chamber. Using a boroscope and a feeler tool, the crew attempted to locate suspected Foreign Object Debris (FOD) along the guide rails. The crew was unable to locate any debris, and ground controllers are reviewing the video taken from the boroscope. Once removed, the MDCA will be replaced with the next planned experiment, Cool Flames Investigation (CFI).  CFI provides new insight into the phenomenon where some types of fuels initially burn very hot, then appear to go out but continue burning at a much lower temperature with no visible flames (cool flames). Understanding cool flame combustion helps scientists develop new engines and fuels that are more efficient and less harmful to the environment. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3008 Loop Scrub: Last Friday the crew attempted to perform the EMU 3008 loop scrub which could not be completed due to a leak at the Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Display and Control Module (DCM) interface.  Earlier today the crew removed the SCU however during the installation of the new SCU they encountered resistance while mating the SCU connection.  The SCU did not receive power upon activation. The crew reported finding damage to the connecter during an inspection of the connectors.  Based on ground specialist recommendations the crew used pliers to unbend the SCU connector back shell prior to them remating the SCU to the UIA.  The new SCU has been reinstalled and it powered up nominally.  The crew will complete the checkout of the new SCU and EMU 3008 Loop Scrub later this week.  Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Fluid Shifts Blood Collection Fluid Shifts Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration TIMER. Battery Charging Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Remove and Replace XF305 Camcorder Setup JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side Small Satellite Orbital Deployer Checkout Prep Part 1 Kazbek Fitcheck (Soyuz 732) Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) WSTA Fill [Aborted] Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Activation and Checkout Part 1 JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) Multi – 4 Deployers onto Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform Installation Part 2 BIMS. Assistance during the Experiment BIMS. Experiment Ops. Meteor Hard Disk Drive and Antivirus Update ESA PAO Recorded Message “SpaceUp France” CARDIOVECTOR. Experiment Ops. TIMER. Preparation and Video Recording (start) of the Experiment Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Setup CONTURE-2. Hardware Setup on Panel 418 (hardware location: МИМ2_Б2, bag #423-23 (00064228R)) Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) WSTA Fill Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Calibration Check Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Checkout Part 2 CONTURE-2. Experiment Session Prep and Execution. Fluid Shifts Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration VEG-03 Plant Photo Small Satellite Orbital Deployer Checkout Cleanup СОЖ Maintenance Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Activation and Checkout Part 2 [Deferred] JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) Multi – 4 Deployers onto Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform Installation Part 3 Vacuum Cleaning of BД1 and ВД2 Air Ducts in DC1 Countermeasures System (CMS) ЭСПАНДЕР Exercise session Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Activation and Checkout Part 3 [Deferred] TIMER. Video Recording of the Experiment (end) and Closeout Ops JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side Combustion Integrated Rack Hardware Troubleshooting Review Combustion Integrated Rack Rack Doors Open Hardware Prep for Spacesuits #4 and 6 Functionality Check. Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3 Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Open Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification Combustion Integrated Rack Hardware Troubleshooting Activation of Spacesuits #4 and 6. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance – Part 1[Deferred] Onboard Interface Unit (БСС) Checkout in DC1. Joint Separation of the Water System of Spacesuits #4 and 6 and the Onbaord Interface Unit (БСС) in DC1. Recording of Human Physiology and Microgravity Message Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config JEM Setup PAO Preparation Water System Scrubbing with БОС Purification and Degassing Unit in ПхО Transfer Compartument. [Deferred] Air Samples Collection with [АК-1М] in SM and FGB Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM Combustion Integrated Rack Hardware Troubleshooting Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Post Scrub Cooling Loop Water (H2O) Sample[Deferred] Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub Reconfiguration[Deferred] Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Calibration Check Data Record Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Water […]

December 28, 2016 at 12:00AM
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China outlines its space exploration ambitions

China released a new white paper on its policy and activities in space, outlining ambitious deep space exploration, human spaceflight and space science projects as major priorities for the years up to 2020 and beyond.

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SETI's Echo Chamber

Why Only Americans Are Interested in the Hunt for Alien Life, Seth Shostak, NBC

"Bottom line? Today, SETI is solely an American enterprise. And even then, it's pretty minimal. SETI is not on the back burner ... it's on the pilot light. The total number of researchers can be tallied on your extremities, and there's essentially no government funding. The effort is tiny, but at least there's effort. So what's going on here? If a dozen other countries have the telescopes, the money, and the research horsepower to search for cosmic company, why is this extraordinarily profound quest confined to the U.S.?"

Keith's note: First of all, Project Breakthrough is being funded to the tune of $100 billion by Russian businessman Yuri Milner. Milner is renting time to do SETI scans on the largest radio telescope on Earth which is located in China. So this claim about the U.S. being the only country that is interested in SETI is simply untrue. Follow the money. Second, there's Shostak's suggestion that America's special frontier mentality is behind all of this. No mention of the other nations of similar age who confronted - and still confront - real frontiers. A gross oversimplification to say the least. Lastly and most importantly: How can Shostak possibly know what people in every nation on Earth are or are not interested in? He seems to equate writing checks to the SETI Institute and renting telescope time as being the only way to measure "interest" in SETI. Could it be that limited budgets and other priorities that he is unaware of drive these decisions - just as they halted Congressional support for SETI in the U.S.?

Let me suggest that it is Shostak and his clan of SETI enthusiasts who have a problem understanding how to communicate with large portions of humanity about SETI. It may well be that there is a vast amount of public interest in astrobiology and searching for intelligent life - interest that does not show up on the radar screen of Shostak et al because they do not know how - or care - to search for it. Until the SETI community takes the time and creativity to understand humanity's stance on life in the universe with the same methodology that they apply to aliens, this situation is not going to change.

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A Fog Dome Rises in the Night

Lights in the Darkness

Just hours after the winter solstice, a mass of energetic particles from the Sun smashed into the magnetic field around Earth. The strong solar wind stream stirred up a display of northern lights over northern Canada. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hkyREI

Vera Rubin, Discoverer of Dark Matter, Has Died

Vera Rubin

Vera Rubin Who Confirmed "Dark Matter" Dies, Carnegie Institution

"Renowned astrophysicist and National Medal of Science awardee Vera Rubin passed away in Princeton, N.J., the evening of December 25, 2016, at the age of 88. Rubin confirmed the existence of dark matter -- the invisible material that makes up more than 90% of the mass in the universe. She was a retired staff astronomer at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism in Washington, D.C. "Vera Rubin was a national treasure as an accomplished astronomer and a wonderful role model for young scientists," remarked Carnegie president Matthew Scott. "We are very saddened by this loss."

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What Is Ahead For NASA In Congress?

Q&A: Key legislator disses White House science office, Science

"[Rep. John] Culberson whose House of Representatives subcommittee oversees the budgets for NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has never been a fan of John Holdren, Obama's science adviser. And his latest comments are likely to further heighten anxiety among scientific leaders about how the U.S. research enterprise will fare under President-elect Donald Trump."

"Q: Some have suggested reviving the National Space Council. Would that be useful?

A: I'd have to see what the new administration proposes. But I think there are too many layers of government and advisory committees. A simplified and unified chain of command at NASA that is less political would help the agency immensely. And I will continue to try to make the NASA administrator more like the FBI director [in serving a 10-year term], so it can focus on its mission and worry less about changes in administration. The agency needs stability and certainty and adequate funding to accomplish everything on its plate.

Q: There's been talk of moving earth sciences out of NASA.

A: At this point that is very speculative. There's strong support in Congress for keeping a close eye on planet Earth and understanding our complex planet. And the future level of funding and who's responsible for earth science will be an ongoing debate with the new administration and the incoming Congress. I'm quite confident there will continue to be strong support for the earth sciences as well as planetary sciences and the human space flight program throughout Congress and in the new administration."

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Video Preview of Cassini's Saturn Endgame

By the Light of the Silvery Lunar Fogbow

The Photons Came Down the Chimney With Care

Fox Fur, a Unicorn, and a Christmas Tree

Clouds of glowing hydrogen gas fill this colorful skyscape in the faint but fanciful constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn. A star forming region cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes reddish emission nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars with dark interstellar dust clouds. Where the otherwise obscuring dust clouds lie close to the hot, young stars they also reflect starlight, forming blue reflection nebulae. The tall, telescopic mosaic image stands up about 3/4 degree or nearly 1.5 full moons, covering 40 light-years at the distance of NGC 2264. Its cast of cosmic characters includes the the Fox Fur Nebula, whose dusty, convoluted pelt lies just left of center, bright variable star S Monocerotis immersed in the blue-tinted haze right of the Fox Fur, and the Cone Nebula pointing down from the top of the frame. Of course, the stars of NGC 2264 are also known as the Christmas Tree star cluster. The triangular tree shape traced by the stars has its apex at the Cone Nebula. The tree's broader base is centered near S Monocerotis. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hBANte

Venus Commands the Sky Over Frozen Waves

Once Upon a Solstice Eve

Once upon a solstice eve a little prince gazed across a frozen little planet at the edge of a large galaxy. The little planet was planet Earth of course, seen in this horizon to horizon, nadir to zenith projection, a digitally stitched mosaic from the shores of the Sec reservoir in the Czech Republic. So the large galaxy must be the Milky Way, and the brightest beacon on the planet's horizon Venus, visible around the globe as this season's brilliant evening star. Celestial treasures in surrounding dark skies include the Pleiades star cluster, and the North America nebula found along a dusty galactic rift. Embracing Venus, Zodiacal light traces a faint band across the night, but the more colorful pillars of light shine above streets a little closer to home. via NASA http://ift.tt/2ik6RWz

Harriett Jenkins

Dr. Harriett G. Jenkins, has passed away. Funeral Services and other details forthcoming.

Harriet Jenkins, The History Makers

"From 1974 until 1992, Jenkins worked as the assistant administrator for equal opportunity programs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ... From 1992 until 1996, she worked with the U.S. Congress and served as the director at the Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices in the U.S. Senate. ... Jenkins retired from the federal government in 1996. In 2000, NASA established a fellowship program in her name, awarding doctoral fellowships to qualifying minority students. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including placing her retirement in the Congressional Record."

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GOES-R: What’s Next?

After a series of maneuvers in-orbit, GOES-R—now known as GOES-16—has reached its designated location in space. What happens next?

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NASA Administrator Remembers NASA Scientist, Astronaut Piers Sellers

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on Piers Sellers, who passed away Friday in Houston of pancreatic cancer:

December 23, 2016
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Piers Sellers

Keith's note: This note was sent out earlier today by Colleen Hartman, Director, Sciences and Exploration Directorate NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: "All, I am so very sad and bereft to tell you that Piers passed away this morning. He was not in pain and his family was with him. A light has left our world. We will miss him so very much. He asked that Tucker and I arrange a celebration of his life here in Washington DC. in the Spring time. Piers knew your work was the most important in the world. Please continue fighting the good fight and remembering the great times we had with the most amazing man in this world. We will never forget him. With deep sadness, Colleen"

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Astronaut Peggy Whitson in the Festive Spirit

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 50 Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson of NASA sent holiday greetings and festive imagery from the cupola on Dec. 18. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hk5FCF

The Expanse Expanded

An Airplane Glory

Looking out the window of an airplane, you might be lucky enough to see "the glory" in the direction directly opposite the Sun. Before airplanes, the phenomenon, known to some as the heiligenschein or the Specter of the Brocken, was sometimes seen from mountaintops. There, when conditions were right, one could look away from the Sun and see what appeared to be the shadow of a giant surrounded by a bright halo. The giant turns out to be the observer, as in the modern version a silhouette of an plane frequently occupies the glory's center. This bright glory was photographed two weeks ago over Michigan from an airplane on approach to O'Hare International Airport. The cause of the glory is still being researched and is relatively complex. Surely, small droplets of water in some way reflect, refract, and diffract sunlight backwards towards the Sun. The phenomenon has similar counterparts in other branches of science including astronomy, where looking out from the Earth in the direction opposite the Sun yields a bright spot called the gegenschein. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hVAYR2

Is This The New Way To Do Aerospace Procurement?

BREAKING: Lockheed Martin shares fall 1.7% after Trump tweet about F-35 and F-18 programs; Boeing shares climb 0.6% https://t.co/ySV4w1Dx1b https://t.co/UKpj0AJtnk — CNBC (@CNBC) December 22, 2016

Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016

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TrumpSpace: #JourneyToMars Or #BackToTheMoon For NASA?

NASA's next stop--Mars or the Moon? John Grunsfeld and Paul Spudis argue for and against Mars and the Moon, Ars Technica

"Both men agree on one point: with NASA's limited funds, even before possible cuts under a Trump administration, the space agency can't do both. Sending astronauts to the Moon and establishing a colony would push human exploration of Mars into the second half of this century. Alternatively, making a direct push toward Mars would preclude any meaningful human exploration of the Moon. A choice must be made. For the last six years, NASA has continued developing a deep space capsule, Orion, as well as begun construction on a large new rocket, the Space Launch System, as the foundation of an exploration program. NASA has promoted a "Journey to Mars," but in reality the space agency has taken no definitive steps to preclude either a Moon or Mars pathway. That decision will have to be made soon. Within the next four years or so, the space agency must start designing and building specific hardware, for landing and living on either the Moon or Mars."

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Seth Statler Prepares To Re-enter The Real World

"Please join NASA's Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in celebrating Seth's departure on a new journey. Thursday, January 12, 2017 4 - 7 p.m., Room 2E39, NASA Headquarters $15 suggested contribution RSVP: congressionalevents@nasa.gov"

Keith's note: Best wishes, Seth, as you return to the real world ;-)

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NASA Future In-Space Operations: Supersynchronous Earth Orbits for Lunar Missions

NASA Future In-Space Operations: MOBIUS - Supersynchronous Earth Orbits for Lunar Missions

Now available is the November 16, 2016 NASA Future In-Space Operations (FISO) telecon material. The speaker was Madhu Thangavelu (USC) who presented "MOBIUS - Supersynchronous Earth Orbits for Lunar Missions."

Note: The audio file and presentation are online and available to download.

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Pandora Up Close

This image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft is one of the highest-resolution views ever taken of Saturn's moon Pandora. Pandora (84 kilometers, or 52 miles across) orbits Saturn just outside the narrow F ring. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hKYWR9

ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/21/2016

Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight Sarcolab-3: Today’s second operational day for the Sarcolab-3 experiment began with converting the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) from the ankle measurement configuration to the knee measurement configuration. The subject donned Percutaneus Electrical Muscle Stimulator (PEMS) and Electromyography (EMG) electrodes to stimulate and measure calf muscle and tendon response at the back of the knee (calf muscle origin). During the knee joint evaluation, the subject sat on the MARES dynamometer with the chair and pantograph set to obtain knee flexion and extension from 90 degree knee angle to full extension with the knee torque adapter securely fixed to the shin. The inflight data will be compared to pre and post flight measurements to measure the impact of a hypothesized microgravity induced muscle loss. Sarcolab investigates the adaptation and deterioration of the soleus, or calf muscle, where it joins the Achilles tendon which links it to the heel and carries loads from the entire body. Muscle fiber samples are taken from crew members before and after flight and analyzed for changes in structural and chemical properties. MRI and ultrasound tests and electrode stimulation are conducted to help assess muscle and tendon changes caused by microgravity exposure. Packed Bed Reactor Experiment (PBRE) Module Exchange: The crew exchanged PBRE modules, removing Test Module/Wetting and installing the Test Module/Non-Wetting into the PBRE located in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Work Volume (WV).  The activity, originally scheduled for two days was successfully completed in one day. The PBRE investigation studies the behavior of gases and liquids when they flow simultaneously through a column filled with fixed porous media. The porous media or “packing” can be made of different shapes and materials and are used widely in chemical engineering as a means to enhance the contact between two immiscible fluid phases (e.g., liquid-gas, water-oil, etc.). Packed columns can serve as reactors, scrubbers, strippers, etc. in systems where efficient interphase contact is desired, both on Earth and in space.  Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF): During yesterday’s cartridge exchange, a bolt floated away. It was subsequently found and the exchange activities were rescheduled for today. The crew successfully removed the calibration cartridge and installed the test cartridge in the ELF. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) ELF is located in Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR)-2. It is an experimental facility designed to levitate/melt/solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the Electrostatic Levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured, and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved. Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Inter Module Ventilation (IMV) Cleaning: The crew cleaned the JEM Pressurized Module (JPM) starboard forward fan and IMV grille. The fan and grille were temporarily removed during the cleaning process.  Medical Emergency On-Board Training (OBT): The 49S crew reviewed medical emergency procedures and rescuer roles during a medical event requiring Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) as follows: Review emergency medical hardware configuration and determine desired deployed locations. Determine individual preference for performing chest compressions in microgravity. Discuss crew communication and coordination of care during an emergency medical event. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Crew Evaluation of New Food Items Calf Volume Measurement Personal CO2 Monitor iPad Application Restart HMS PHS Evaluation Setup HMS PHS – Subject HMS PHS – CMO XF305 Camcorder Setup MSPR2 ELF Retrieve SARCOLAB. MARES knee configuration installation MSPR2 ELF Retrieve Sub JEM Airlock Press Combustion Integrated Rack Hardware Return Cleaning of TV System LIV voltage converter vent grille MARES Knee Shaving Preparation Study of veins in lower extremities MRM2 comm config to support the P/L Ops JEM Airlock Leak Check Kulonovskiy Kristall Experiment Run Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Ground Connection EMG electrodes installation and Sarcolab knee protocol execution SARCOLAB. subject electrodes equipment assistance Electrostatic Levitation Photodetector(PD) Amplifier setting MRM2 Comm Reconfig for Nominal Ops Inspection of SM space behind panels for contamination Study of veins in lower extremities MSPR2 ELF Install MSPR2 ELF Install Sub KULONOVSKYI KRISTALL. Copying data to removable hard drive Verification of ИП-1 Flow Sensor Position SARCOLAB. MARES Laptop and Hardware Powerdown TIMER.  Battery Charge Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Stow Hardware Personal CO2 Monitor Power Cycle ISS HAM Service Module Pass Packed Bed Reactor Experiment Test Module Exchange Greetings Video Footage ESA ACTIVE DOSIMETER MOBILE UNIT SWAP CheCS OBT ТМ168-04 Sensor Inspection and Photography Nikon D3 Camera Digital Image Sensor Cleaning TIMER. Setup and Initiate Experiment Ops Video Packed Bed Reactor Experiment Test Module Exchange Perform SSC Server-1 Primary Hard Drive Reseat VIZIR. Experiment Ops JEM Inter Module Ventilation (IMV) Cleaning Tightening QD Screw Clamps on MRM2-Soyuz 732 Docking Mechanism Interface TIMER. Experiment Ops Video Termination and Cleanup MOTOCARD. Experiment Ops MOTOCARD. Operator Assistance with the Experiment IMS Update Early Mission Debrief Conference Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB) Charge Initiate Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment Personal CO2 Monitor Power Cycle Completed Task List Items EHS Dosimeter stow SLM data transfer TOCA WRS analysis VEG03 pillow water Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MSS powerdown Three-Day Look Ahead: Thursday, 12/22: EVA Tool Config, PBRE Module Exchange, J-SSOC Removal, EVA C&W OBT, Sarcolab Friday, 12/23: EVA loop scrub, VEG03, Galley rack data cable install, Fluid Shifts Saturday, 12/24: Crew off duty, housekeeping QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:     Component Status Elektron Off 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 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Idle Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Process Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up  

December 22, 2016 at 12:00AM
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Antimatter Is Starting to Yield Its Secrets

Review: ‘Rogue One’ is Star Wars comfort food

In a review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Jason Davis says you're more likely to enjoy the film if you embrace it as comfort food—a story line that fits into a larger sequence of Star Wars events you already know.

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ULA Pays U.S. Government To Settle Kickback Allegations

Denver aerospace company pays $100,000 to settle kickback allegations, Denver Post

"United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing Corp. formed to provide cost-efficient spacecraft launch services to the federal government, has paid the United States $100,000 to settle allegations that a subcontractor paid its employees kickbacks in order to win contracts. As a result of the preferential treatment, Centennial-based ULA, and by extension, the U.S. government, paid higher costs for certain contracts to subcontractor Apriori Technologies between 2011 and 2015, acting U.S. Attorney Robert Troyer said in a news release Wednesday. According to Troyer, Apriori Technologies paid gratuities to certain ULA employees in order to induce ULA to award the consulting company contracts related to technology, compliance and project management."

- ULA VP Quits Over Controversial Remarks, earlier post
- DOD Inspector General: Investigation Regarding Assertions Made By Former United Launch Alliance Executive, earlier post

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Will Trump Try And Get A Better Deal On SLS?

Trump meets with U.S. defense contractors he criticized for costs, Reuters

"U.S. President-elect Donald Trump met on Wednesday with the chief executives of two major defense companies to pressure them to reduce project costs, part of his push to save taxpayer money on high-profile contracts. ... "Trying to get the costs down, costs. Primarily the (Lockheed Martin) F-35, we're trying to get the cost down. It's a program that's very, very expensive," Trump told reporters after meeting with the CEOs and a dozen Pentagon officials involved with defense acquisition programs who he said were "good negotiators." ... Trump has said Boeing's costs to build replacements for Air Force One planes - one of the most visible symbols of the U.S. presidency - are too high and urged the federal government in a tweet to "Cancel order!"

Keith's note: I wonder what Trump's reaction will be when his Transition Team tells him about costs/delays in the Boeing/Lockheed Martin SLS program. WIll he haul the CEOs back in for another deal making session?

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Cold War Echoes On Earth And In Space

Sources: Russia tests anti-satellite weapon, CNN

"Russia has recently tested what is believed to be an anti-satellite weapon, US sources with knowledge of the test told CNN. The US tracked the weapon and it did not create debris, indicating it did not destroy a target, the source said. The Russian test, coming as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to enter the White House next month, could be seen as a provocative demonstration of Moscow's capability in space."

Kremlin says almost all dialogue with U.S. is frozen, Reuters

"The Kremlin said on Wednesday almost all communications channels between Russia and the United States have been frozen but the U.S. State Department disputed the statement."

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 December 2016

"The six Expedition 50 crew members from France, Russia and the United States are heading into the final holidays of the year with a muscle study and Earth observations today. The astronauts also checked out fluids and combustion science gear and practiced an emergency escape drill."

How Long Will ISS Remain Isolated From Terrestrial Politics?, Earlier post

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This Week in NASA History: First Crewed Saturn V Mission Launches -- Dec. 21, 1968

This week in 1968, Apollo 8, the first crewed Saturn V launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 21, 1968. Here, the S-IC stage is being erected for final assembly of the Saturn V launch vehicle in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building. via NASA http://ift.tt/2i1MytA

This Week in NASA History: First Crewed Apollo Mission Launches -- Dec. 21, 1968

This week in 1968, Apollo 8, the first crewed Apollo mission, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 21, 1968. Here, the S-IC stage is being erected for final assembly of the Saturn V launch vehicle in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building. via NASA http://ift.tt/2haJE7x

Sharpless 308: Star Bubble

Blown by fast winds from a hot, massive star, this cosmic bubble is huge. Cataloged as Sharpless 2-308 it lies some 5,200 light-years away toward the constellation of the Big Dog (Canis Major) and covers slightly more of the sky than a full moon. That corresponds to a diameter of 60 light-years at its estimated distance. The massive star that created the bubble, a Wolf-Rayet star, is the bright one near the center of the nebula. Wolf-Rayet stars have over 20 times the mass of the Sun and are thought to be in a brief, pre-supernova phase of massive star evolution. Fast winds from this Wolf-Rayet star create the bubble-shaped nebula as they sweep up slower moving material from an earlier phase of evolution. The windblown nebula has an age of about 70,000 years. Relatively faint emission captured in the expansive image is dominated by the glow of ionized oxygen atoms mapped to a blue hue. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gXLXYn

What Happens When the Camera Faces the Other Way During a SpaceX Landing?

NASA Asks For Comments About Seeking Comments About Comments

NASA Notice of Information Collection, NASA HQ

"The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections. ...

Comments are invited on--(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of NASA, including whether the information collected has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of NASA's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection. They will also become a matter of public record."

Keith's note: In case you have been thinking that NASA might be wasting everyone's time with all of their paperwork, consider this NASA "Notice of Information Collection" which seeks to collect comments - as to whether it should seek comments - on whether comments need to be sought - about what NASA does. I sense yet another bureaucratic Möbius or DO-loop in the making.

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ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/20/2016

Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab)-3: Yesterday, the crew configured the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) in the Columbus module.  Today they completed the second of three in-flight sessions of joint-NASA-ESA-Russia Sarcolab experiment. The subject ingressed MARES, followed by the operator performing ultrasound measurements of the right calf muscle with remote guidance and direction assistance from ground specialists. Subject then donned Percutaneus Electrical Muscle Stimulator (PEMS) for electrical stimulation at rest and during voluntary muscle contraction, and Electromyography (EMG) electrodes to measure calf muscle and tendon response at the ankle (calf muscle insertion). The MARES equipment and software is used to measure calf strength during spaceflight. The inflight data will then be compared to preflight and postflight measurements to measure the impact of a hypothesized microgravity induced muscle loss. The goal of the Sarcolab investigation is to advance the understanding of muscle function and atrophy in space. Results will contribute to further improvement of countermeasures for long duration spaceflight. Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) Image Processing and Storage Unit (IPSU) Remove and Replace (R&R): The crew removed the degraded IPSU from the FIR and replaced it with a spare unit.  Next week, the ACE-T-1 module delivered on HTV-6 will be installed and will run for 6 weeks.  SpaceX-10 will deliver the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Biophysics experiment which requires full IPSU capabilities, however, based on scheduling constraints, the IPSU was replaced prior to the ACE-T-1 exchange.  The Effect of Macromolecular Transport of Microgravity Protein Crystallization (LMM Biophysics-1) studies why Proteins crystallized in microgravity are often higher quality than those grown on Earth, examining the movement of single protein molecules in microgravity. Advanced Colloids Experiment-Temperature control-1 (ACE-T-1) studies tiny suspended particles which were designed by scientists to connect themselves in a specific way to form organized structures within water. Materials having complex structures and unique properties potentially can be made with more knowledge of how these particles are joined together and the conditions which control their behaviors. FIR is a complementary fluid physics research facility designed to host investigations in areas such as colloids, gels, bubbles, wetting and capillary action, and phase changes, including boiling and cooling. Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Operations: The crew performed planned maintenance and troubleshooting on the CIR.  In preparation for installation of the Cool Flames Investigation (CFI), the crew replaced a failed Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) IPSU and removed the CIR Low Light Level – Ultraviolet (LLL-UV) Imaging Package which was replaced with a CIR Intensived Camera Package. Results from the inspection were provided to ground teams for further troubleshooting procedure development.  CFI provides new insight into the phenomenon where some types of fuels initially burn very hot, then appear to go out but they continue burning at a much lower temperature with no visible flames (cool flames). Understanding cool flame combustion assists scientists in developing new engines and fuels that are more efficient and less harmful to the environment. Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Cartridge Exchange: The crew attempted to perform the first of two days of cartridge exchange operations in Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) ELF located in Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR)-2. During the activity a bolt required for operations floated away.  The bolt was recovered, however, due to scheduling constraints, remaining activities will require being rescheduled.  ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate/melt/solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the Electrostatic Levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved.  48S Emergency Egress On-Board Training (OBT): The 48S crew completed this OBT to practice exiting the ISS in case of an emergency. The training is scheduled for 12-14 weeks aboard the ISS and every 2.5 months thereafter. Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Overnight, ground teams removed the failed Camera Light and Pan Assembly (CLPA) from the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Tip Elbow (Boom B) and installed it onto the Mobile Transporter Relay Assembly (MTRA) wedge interface located on the Mobile Base System (MBS). A spare CLPA was flown on H-II Transfer Vehicle 6 (HTV-6) and installation on the SSRMS is scheduled as a get ahead task during the second Lithium Ion Battery replacement EVA in January. Following CLPA removal, the SSRMS and SPDM were configured in a park configuration. H-2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Cargo Operations: The crew has completed ~29 hours of cargo transfer. There are ~13 hours of transfer remaining to be completed. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. ESA PAO Recorded Message St.Exupery Writing Contest Crew Evaluation of New Food Items Video Footage of Greetings Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media URAGAN. Observation and photography EKON-M. Observations and photography Reminder HRF Generic Urine Collection End Reminder ESA Nutritional Assessment Measuring Hematocrit Number. Hematocrit Hardware Stowage Virus Definition File Update on Auxiliary Computer System (ВКС) Laptops Personal CO2 Monitor iPad Application Restart Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject Fluids Integrated Rack Hardware Gather XF305 Camcorder Setup Electrostatic Levitation Furnace(ELF) Cartridge exchange [Aborted] Human Research Facility Ultrasound 2 set up and power on COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops MARES Ankle Shaving Preparation MARES Ultrasound Session Assistance Recharging Soyuz 733 Samsung PC Battery (if charge level drops below 80%) MARES Ultrasound session Recharging Soyuz 732 Samsung PC Battery (if charge level drops below 80%) Inspection of FGB space behind panels for contamination Ultrasound 2 Guided Data Export MARES subject electrodes equipment and start of Crew Guided Procedure MARES subject electrodes equipment assistance Photography of SM Windows No.01, No.12 Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification Fluids Integrated Rack Session Review Fluids Integrated Rack Rack Doors Open Replacement of СО2 Filter Unit (БФ) ИК0501 Fluids Integrated Rack Hardware Replacement MRM2 comm config to support the P/L Ops Kulonovskiy Kristall Experiment Run HRF Generic Urine Collection Male – Subject HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations MSPR Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Deactivation Fluids Integrated Rack Rack Doors Close HRF Generic Urine Collection Stow Private Medical Conference (PMC) Kulonovskiy Kristall Experiment […]

December 21, 2016 at 12:00AM
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Happy December Solstice!

Winter Solstice: A look at the solar system's north poles

Today is the solstice, the longest winter night at Earth's north pole, the longest day of summer in the south. To give a little light to northerners in darkness today, please enjoy this gallery of images of (mostly) sunlit north poles across our solar system.

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Sharpless 308: Star Bubble

Blown by fast winds from a hot, massive star, this cosmic bubble is huge. Cataloged as Sharpless 2-308 it lies some 5,200 light-years away toward the constellation of the Big Dog (Canis Major) and covers slightly more of the sky than a full moon. That corresponds to a diameter of 60 light-years at its estimated distance. The massive star that created the bubble, a Wolf-Rayet star, is the bright one near the center of the nebula. Wolf-Rayet stars have over 20 times the mass of the Sun and are thought to be in a brief, pre-supernova phase of massive star evolution. Fast winds from this Wolf-Rayet star create the bubble-shaped nebula as they sweep up slower moving material from an earlier phase of evolution. The windblown nebula has an age of about 70,000 years. Relatively faint emission captured in the expansive image is dominated by the glow of ionized oxygen atoms mapped to a blue hue. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gXLXYn

Space Laser Reveals Boom-and-Bust Cycle of Polar Ocean Plants

A new study using a NASA satellite instrument orbiting Earth has found that small, environmental changes in polar food webs significantly influence the boom-and-bust, or peak and decline, cycles of phytoplankton.

December 20, 2016
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Planetary discovery over the past quarter century

2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of what has become one of the primary venues for the publication of research in planetary science: the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. This occasion is a good opportunity to look back at what we have learned in this era of expanded exploration and to try to take a peek at the future.

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Connecting with Carl Sagan at the Library of Congress

Whether you explore The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive online or at the Library of Congress during a visit to Washington, D.C., you’ll learn something new and have a deeper understanding of Carl Sagan.

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International Space Station Solar Transit

This composite image, made from ten frames, shows the International Space Station, with a crew of six onboard, in silhouette as it transits the sun at roughly five miles per second, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, from Newbury Park, California. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hn2rKs

Another Day, Another Anti-Science Trump Pick For Federal Office

ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/19/2016

Lighting Effects Meter Reading: The crew set up and configured the Light Meter hardware and took readings in the Node 1 and Crew Quarters (CQ). The Node 1 light is the legacy General Luminaire Assembly (GLA), while the CQ light has been upgraded to the newly installed Solid State Lighting Assemblies (SSLAs). The Lighting Effects experiment aims to better quantify and qualify how lighting can effect habitability of spacecraft. The light bulbs on the ISS are being replaced with a new system designed for improved crew health and wellness. The investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance. Results from this investigation also have major implications for people on Earth who use electric lights.  Sarcolab-3: Over the next four days (setup, two days of operations, tear-down), the crew will perform the second session (Flight Day 30-60 timeframe) of the joint-NASA-ESA-Russia Sarcolab experiment. Today, the crew deployed and configured the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) in Columbus. Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab) investigates the adaptation and deterioration of the soleus, or calf muscle, where it joins the Achilles tendon which links it to the heel and carries loads from the entire body. Muscle fiber samples are taken from crew members before and after flight and are analyzed for changes in structural and chemical properties. MRI and ultrasound tests and electrode stimulation are conducted to assess muscle and tendon changes caused by microgravity exposure. Japanese-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) Release: Using the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), ground controllers grappled the J-SSOD from the Slide Table and maneuvered it to the deployment position. The crew successfully commanded the deploy of the satellite, then ground controllers returned the deployer back to the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) on the slide table. J-SSOD #5 contains one Cubesat, STARS-C(2U) which will conduct a technical demonstration of a tether extending system using a mother and daughter satellite. J-SSOD #5 will be removed and J-SSOD #6 will be installed on Thursday, December 22. NanoRacks modules 63 and 72 (CubeRider) Status: On Friday, the crew installed the two modules into the NanoRacks Platform-1 facility. Ground teams did not receive telemetry from Module 72, however they did receive data from Module 63 (a radiation-tolerant computer). Ground controllers performed a power cycle of CubeRider, but were unable to recover. The Payload Developer is working on further troubleshooting steps, including possibly reseating the connections. CubeRider is an Australian educational module utilizing a Raspberry Pi, internal camera, sensors that monitors internal environment variables, some radiation, ISS dynamics and movement, and runs computer code written by 9th and 10th graders. Camera Light Pan & Tilt Assembly (CLPA) Operations: Robotics ground controllers are in the process of relocating the failed Boom B CLPA from the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the wedge interface on the Mobile Transporter Relay Assembly (MTRA). This activity is advance of the HTV-6 battery EVAs, during which the CLPA will be swapped for a new unit at that location. This will allow the SSRMS to install the new CLPA in the future. SSRMS Troubleshooting: On Saturday, Robotics ground controllers resumed troubleshooting of the anomaly (Aborted SSRMS and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Transitions to Operational Due to Binary Data Transfer (BDT) Load Fail), focusing on testing the current power configuration where SSRMS is based on Mobile Base System (MBS). After releasing Node 2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF), the SSRMS was tested in a variety of power configurations with Latch End Effector (LEE) B unloaded. Tests consisted of SSRMS power cycle on both strings commanded on Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Local Bus A and B while both SSRMS payload power feed channels were on and all power up sequences completed nominally. ROBOs then maneuvered SSRMS to grapple SPDM. When SPDM was based on SSRMS (based on MBS PDGF1) but still grappled to Lab PDGF, tests were performed where all SPDM units were powered on with multiple power configurations (Prime and Redundant, MSS LB A and B). As no anomalies occurred throughout the troubleshooting, SPDM LEE released Lab PDGF and SSRMS holding SPDM and SPDM Arm2 was configured for translation. Finally, Mobile Transporter (MT) was translated from Worksite #5 (WS5) to WS2, in position for today’s SSRMS CLPA operations and Battery R&R operations later this month.  On Board Training (OBT) ISS Emergency Simulation: All crew members, with support from ground teams, completed a training exercise and completed the following objectives: Practiced ISS emergency response with crew and ground roles based on information provided by simulator displays. Physically translated through ISS to the appropriate response locations to visualize the use of Station equipment and interfaces. Practiced procedure execution and associated decision making based on cues provided by simulator. Practiced communication and coordination with Houston and Moscow Control Centers as required for a given emergency scenario. Upon completion of the training session, the crew and ground teams completed a debrief to discuss results.  H-2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Cargo Operations: The crew has completed ~25.5 hours of cargo transfer. There are ~10 hours of transfer remaining to be completed. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Measuring Hematocrit Number. Hematocrit equipment stowage Personal CO2 Monitor iPad Application Restart ВКС Laptops Antivirus software checkout Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject Fluids Integrated Rack Hardware Gather XF305 Camcorder Setup Electrostatic Levitation Furnace(ELF) Cartridge exchange HRF Generic Urine Collection Male – Subject Human Research Facility Ultrasound 2 set up and power on KOSMOKARD. Closeout MARES Ankle Shaving Preparation HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations MARES Ultrasound Session Assistance Recharging Samsung tablet in 49S MARES Ultrasound session Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) /Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Deactivation Recharging Samsung tablet in 48S FGB-ПАНЕЛИ-VIEW Ultrasound 2 Guided Data Export MARES subject electrodes equipment and start of Crew Guided Procedure MARES subject electrodes equipment assistance Inspection and photo […]

December 20, 2016 at 12:00AM
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Cosmic ‘Winter’ Wonderland

Although there are no seasons in space, this cosmic vista invokes thoughts of a frosty winter landscape. It is, in fact, a region called NGC 6357 where radiation from hot, young stars is energizing the cooler gas in the cloud that surrounds them. via NASA http://ift.tt/2h4q8v8

These are not my Martians

Mat Kaplan explains his beef with the National Geographic Mars documentary-drama series.

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The Protoplanet Ceres: Water, Water, Everywhere

The Cartwheel Galaxy from Hubble

To some, it looks like the wheel of a cart. In fact, because of its outward oval appearance, the presence of a central galaxy, and their connection with what looks like the spokes of a wheel, the galaxy on the right is known as the Cartwheel Galaxy. To others, however, it looks like a complicated interaction between galaxies awaiting explanation. Along with the two galaxies on the left, the Cartwheel is part of a group of galaxies about 400 million light years away in the constellation Sculptor. The large galaxy's rim spans over 100,000 light years and is composed of star forming regions filled with extremely bright and massive stars. Pictured, the Cartwheel's ring-like shape is the result of gravitational disruption caused by a smaller galaxy passing through a large one, compressing the interstellar gas and dust and causing a star formation wave to move out like a ripple across the surface of a pond. via NASA http://ift.tt/2heYLKP

Southern Jupiter from Perijove 3

Southern Jupiter looms some 37,000 kilometers away in this JunoCam image from December 11. The image data was captured near Juno's third perijove or closest approach to Jupiter, the spacecraft still in its 53 day long looping orbit. With the south polar region on the left, the large whitish oval toward the right is massive, counterclockwise rotating storm system. Smaller than the more famous Great Red Spot, the oval storm is only about half the diameter of planet Earth, one of a string of white ovals currently in the southern hemisphere of the Solar System's, ruling gas giant. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hZSClv

NASA Administrator Apprentice Update

Trump Landing Team will soon go on holiday hiatus but there's a disturbance in the Force over the whole @NASA Administrator Apprentice thing http://pic.twitter.com/96i2GPsJgW

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) December 16, 2016

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Someone Who Should Be Job Hunting Is Recruiting Staff

Looking for exceptional advocates to join our @NASA Legislative Affairs Team -- apply today at https://t.co/DD806td3lg — Seth Statler (@SethStatler) December 16, 2016

FWIW @SethStatler Trump Landing Team probably not interested in having Obama political appointee recruit their new legislative affairs staff https://t.co/sAltnL81Hp — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) December 16, 2016

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Watching Turmoil On Earth From Serene Vantage of Space

U.S. and Russian ISS crew members watching the Obama press conference right now as he bashes Russia and accuses Putin of cyber attacks. http://pic.twitter.com/YQ9ZwcpfxE

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) December 16, 2016

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NASA Television to Air Programs Celebrating Space Pioneer John Glenn

NASA Television will air two programs live from Ohio celebrating the life of U.S. Marine, NASA astronaut and Ohio senator John Glenn today and Saturday, Dec. 17.

December 16, 2016
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New NASA Hurricane Tracking Mission on Track

NASA confirmed Friday morning that all eight spacecraft of its latest Earth science mission are in good shape. The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) will provide scientists with advanced technology to see inside tropical storms and hurricanes like never before.

December 15, 2016
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Hubble "Crane-s" in for a Closer Look at a Galaxy

Spiral galaxy IC 5201 sits 40 million light-years from us in the Crane constellation. As with most spirals we see, it has a bar of stars slicing through its center. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gSlccM

Trump Advisor Turns the Anti-Science Up to 11

Future fear, loathing and predjudice: Star Trek VI turns 25

On the 25th anniversary of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Jason Davis says the societal topics the film explores are still relevant today.

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Trump Landing Team Holiday Hiatus

Keith's note: The Trump Landing Team will be halting work at NASA Headquarters in a few days and then coming back after New Year's. As such, I doubt that there will be any movement from Trump Tower in terms of naming an Administrator.

Then again there may be a few interesting developments prior to the Landing Team's vacation ...

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Seagull to Sirius

This broad, beautiful mosaic spans almost 20 degrees across planet Earth's sky. The nebula-rich region lies near the edge of the Orion-Eridanus superbubble, filled with looping, expanding shells of gas and dust embedded in molecular clouds near the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. Recognizable at the left is the expansive Seagull Nebula, composed of emission nebula NGC 2327, seen as the seagull's head, with the more diffuse IC 2177 as the wings and body. Some 3,800 light-years away, the wings of the Seagull Nebula spread about 240 light-years, still within our local spiral arm. The bluish light of Sirius, alpha star of Canis Major and brightest star in the night, easily dominates the scene at right but shines from a distance of only 8.6 light-years. Study the big picture and you should also be rewarded with star cluster Messier 41, also known as NGC 2287, not to mention the mighty Thor's Helmet. via NASA http://ift.tt/2hRIH1m

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter takes in a rarely-imaged view of Phobos

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter's science team enjoyed the opportunity in November to test out their science instruments on Mars. One of the tests involved imaging Phobos from an unusual angle.

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NASA Reveals the Unknown in 2016

In 2016, NASA drove advances in technology, science, aeronautics and space exploration that enhanced the world’s knowledge, innovation, and stewardship of Earth.

December 15, 2016
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View of NASA's CYGNSS Hurricane Mission Launch From Chase Plane

Hurricane forecasters will soon have a new tool to better understand and forecast storm intensity. A constellation of eight microsatellites, called NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System mission, or CYGNSS, got a boost into Earth orbit aboard an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket, deployed from an L-1011 aircraft. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gNzyLp

ISS Daily Summary Report – 12/14/2016

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations:  Last night, the Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to extract the External Platform (EP) from the HTV-6 Unpressurized Logistics Carrier (ULC) and install it on the Payload and ORU Accommodation (POA).  Initially the SSRMS would not mode to Operational on either the Prime or Redundant strings. The team narrowed the problem down to SSRMS local bus interference being caused when payload power was being applied to the EP.  ROBO unpowered the EP and the SSRMS operated nominally.  The EP was successfully extracted from the EP and installed on the POA, where payload power was reapplied to the EP.  SSRMS released the EP and backed away. Robotics Ground Controllers then unstowed the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) from MBS 2 and maneuvered to a park position. Position Sensitive-Tissue Equivalent Proportional Chamber (PS-TEPC) Installation: The crew installed Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA’s) PS-TEPC in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), connecting power and data cables between the detectors, control unit, and power supply. The crew powered on the PS-TEPC and ground teams performed necessary activation and checkout steps. The PS-TEPC is a radiation measuring instrument that measures absorbed doses and path length of space radiation particles simultaneously, and determines the real time Liner Energy Transfer (LET), and equivalent doses, to assess radiation risk to crew members during space flight. Dose management for space radiation exposure is extremely important for crew members, because the dose rates resulting from radiation sources (galactic cosmic rays, solar particle events, and protons trapped in Earth’s radiation belts) and secondary particles (such as neutrons) in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are a few hundred times greater than those on the ground. The detector of PS-TEPC is a time projection chamber (TPC) made of biological tissue-equivalent materials where a micro-pixel chamber (m-PIC) is used as a 2-dimensional position sensor, which can acquires 3-dimensional tracks and the energy of each particle, as well as its energy, that contributes to dose distributions occurring in the human body. Water Monitoring Suite (WMS) and Aquapad Sampling: In coordination with regular Environmental Health System (EHS) water sampling, the crew performed the ESA sponsored Aquapad (Paper Analytical Device) technological demonstration and sampling using the Microbial Monitoring System (MMS) subset of the WMS experiment. By using the same water collected for the EHS sample, ground teams can evaluate the capabilities of the new hardware. For the MMS experiment, the crew configured the Maintenance Work Area (MWA) and setup the MMS to sample a low and high DNA concentration sample using the Razor Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Microbial Monitoring System. The WMS is a set of hardware that monitors microbes, silica and organic material in the water supply on the ISS. The hardware ensures crew members can test and monitor the safety of their water supplies on future space missions, especially on long-duration missions to Mars, asteroids or other destinations where Earth-based testing would be difficult or impossible. Aquapad is a new approach developed by France’s CNES space agency: paper impregnated with powdered growth medium creates a 3D petri dish. When water is added, the microbes form colored spots revealing their locations. Using a tablet computer application the crew will photograph the dots to calculate precisely how many bacteria are present.  Personal CO2 (PCO2) Monitor: While performing HTV6 cargo transfer a crewmember’s PCO2 Monitor was dislodged and misplaced.  Ground teams will schedule time later this week to retrieve and calibrate another PCO2 Monitor to resume the week-long data collection session. The Personal CO2 Monitor demonstrates a system capable of unobtrusively collecting and downlinking individual crew members’ CO2 exposure for weeks to months. The Personal CO2 Monitor also demonstrates Modular Wearable Architecture Base Board, allowing rapid certification of future wearable devices. Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Emergency Book Pen and Ink Update:  The crew made updates to the EMER-1a procedures, 1.6 USOS VOLUME ISOLATION FOR KNOWN LEAK LOCATION, 1.7 USOS AFT LEAK PINPOINT, and 2.2 FIRE IN USOS – FIRE SOURCE LOCATION, to account for new hardware that arrived on HTV-6. EMU Resize:  The crew completed the resize of the EMUs for Shane, Peggy and Thomas in preparation for the upcoming Battery EVAs.  EMU 3008 was sized for Shane, EMU 3006 was sized for Thomas and a CTB was created for Peggy’s EMU suit parts. The crew completed this task, which was scheduled for Friday 16-December, off the tasklist. Zero-G Storage Rack (ZSR) Door Replacement: This morning the crew replaced the Node 1 overhead ZSR rack door panel.   The original door had gotten discolored and stained over time.  The new doors are made such that they can be easily cleaned.    HII Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-6 Cargo Transfer:  The crew completed 10 hours 30 minutes of HTV-6 Cargo transfer operations today. Ground specialist estimate it will take the crew a total of 31 hours to unload and load the vehicle.  Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.  ПТАБ-1М unit working capacity check (А302) – part 1. PELIKAN  НА ФСС Battery charge (start) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (O-OHA) with EarQ Software Setup and Test Personal CO2 Monitor iPad Application Restart СОЖ Maintenance Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing Aquapad Double Water Sampling Microbial Monitoring System MWA Preparation PELIKAN Observation and Photography using [НА ФСС Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Test Restow Node 2 Nadir Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK) Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Questionnaire Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations – Subject Multi Omics Item Gathering Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Test Microbial Monitoring System Sample Setup Transfer JEM TEPC Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Questionnaire HTV Emergency Procedure Review Microbial Monitoring System Sample ПТАБ-1М unit operability check-out (Item А302) – part 2. Soyuz 732 Samsung Tablet computer recharge (when battery charge level is below 80%) JEM System Laptop Terminal […]

December 15, 2016 at 12:00AM
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Three News Stories About Humans in Space

NASA, 4-H Launch Expeditionary Skills For Life

Being an astronaut takes teamwork, resiliency, a strong awareness of self and others, and perseverance – skills that also are necessary to succeed in life. So, NASA and 4-H are teaming up to help students develop these life skills.

December 14, 2016
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NASA, 4-H Launch Expeditionary Skils For Life

Being an astronaut takes teamwork, resiliency, a strong awareness of self and others, and perseverance – skills that also are necessary to succeed in life. So, NASA and 4-H are teaming up to help students develop these life skills.

December 14, 2016
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NASA/NOAA Climate Scientists Fear Their Data Is At Risk

Scientists are frantically copying U.S. climate data, fearing it might vanish under Trump, Washington Post

"Climate data from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have been politically vulnerable. When Tom Karl, director of the National Centers for Environmental Information, and his colleagues published a study in 2015 seeking to challenge the idea that there had been a global warming "slowdown" or "pause" during the 2000s, they relied, in significant part, on updates to NOAA's ocean temperature data set, saying the data "do not support the notion of a global warming 'hiatus.'" In response, the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee chair, Rep. Lamar S. Smith (R-Tex.), tried to subpoena the scientists and their records."

Keith's note: Lamar Smith's policy director throughout this period of subpoenas was Chris Shank who currently leads the Trump Transition Team effort at NASA.

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