Moon Rocket Gets Shout Out at RNC

In announcing delegate counts Jeff Sessions mentions that Alabama is "home Of the Saturn V rocket that sent us to the Moon" #RNCinCLE

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) July 19, 2016

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NASA Has A New Chief Information Security Officer

NASA hires cyber mainstay as CISO, FedScoop

"NASA CIO Renee Wynn selected [Jeanette] Hanna-Ruiz to officially begin on Aug. 8 after spending 20 years in public sector information security positions, according to an official release Tuesday. Hanna-Ruiz helped write the Cyberspace Policy Review that outlined the country's cyber strategy when President Barack Obama took office in 2009. She also worked at the Department of Homeland Security-National Security Agency Joint Cyber Coordination Group, and helped develop the DHS' cyber missions and capabilities. ... NASA received an F in May on a Government Accountability Office-issued FITARA scorecard, which compiled scores based on agencies' achievements in four categories: data center consolidation, IT portfolio review savings, incremental development and risk assessment transparency."

NASA Totally Flunks FITARA Scorecard 2 Years In A Row, earlier post

- @jhannaruiz 0 TWEETS - 0 FOLLOWING - 30 FOLLOWERS
- Jeanette Hanna-Ruiz, LinkedIn

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Melt Water Over Arctic Sea Ice

Sea ice across the Arctic Ocean is shrinking to below-average levels this summer. NASA’s Operation IceBridge, an airborne survey of polar ice, just completed its first flights studying the aquamarine pools of melt water on the ice surface that may be accelerating the overall sea ice retreat. via NASA http://ift.tt/29RigKX

Hubble Takes a Long Look Into the Heart of the Crab

ISS Daily Summary Report – 07/18/16

64 Progress (64P) Launch: 64P launched successfully from Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Saturday at 4:41PM CDT with nominal ascent. Docking is scheduled for this evening at 7:22PM CDT. SpaceX (SpX)-9 Launch: SpX-9 launched successfully on Sunday at 11:45PM CDT. Capture is scheduled on Wednesday, July 20 at 6:00AM CDT with berthing approximately 3.5 hours later. Ingress will occur on Thursday, July 21. EarthKAM Service Module (SM) De-activation Removal: Over the weekend, Russian crewmembers shut down the EarthKAM payload components before disconnecting and stowing the equipment, concluding a week of imagery sessions in the SM. The objective of Sally Ride EarthKAM is to integrate Earth images with inquiry-based learning to enhance curricula in support of national and state education standards; to provide students and educators the opportunity to participate in a space mission and to develop teamwork, communication, and problem solving skills; to engage teams of students, educators, and researchers in collaborative investigations using remotely-sensed data; and to incorporate the active use of Web-based tools and resources in support of the learning process. Marrow Blood, Breath, and Ambient Air Sample Collection: The crew completed the blood collection double spin overviews this weekend to prepare for scheduled Marrow activities today and tomorrow. Upon waking this morning, the crew measured the effects of microgravity-induced marrow fat accumulation on red and white blood cell metabolism using breath and ambient air samples to measure carbon monoxide concentration. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Marrow experiment 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. Human Research Program (HRP) Blood and Urine Collection: The crew collected blood and urine samples and stowed them into the Minus Eighty-degree Freezer for ISS (MELFI).  The samples will be used to support the HRP: Biochem Profile, Repository, and Cardio Ox investigations.  Cardio Ox Overview: In preparation for Cardio Ox operations planned for tomorrow, the crew will review reference material for ultrasound scanning activities and blood pressure measurements. 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. Mouse Epigenetics Setup Operations: The crew continued setup activities for the Mouse Epigenetics experiment by replacing MSPR VRU SSD installed in Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Video Compression and Recording Unit (VRU). The Mouse Epigenetics investigation studies altered gene expression patterns in the organs of male mice that spend one month in space, and also examines changes in the DNA of their offspring. Results from the investigation identify genetic alterations that happen after exposure to the microgravity environment of space. Strata-1 Card Change-out: Four Strata secure digital (SD) cards were replaced and the data was downlinked.  The Strata-1 experiment investigates the properties and behavior of regolith on small, airless bodies.  Regolith is the impact-shattered “soil” found on asteroids, comets, the Moon, and other airless worlds, but it is different from soil here on Earth in that it contains no living material. Strata-1’s goal is to give us answers about how regolith behaves and moves in microgravity, how easy or difficult it is to anchor a spacecraft in regolith, how it interacts with spacecraft and spacesuit materials, and other important properties.  Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a walk-through video documenting observations of life onboard ISS 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 space crew members need.  Fine Motor Skills: A series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet were completed over the weekend for the Fine Motor Skills investigation. This investigation is critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with technologies required in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. Crew fine motor skills are also necessary for performing tasks in transit or on a planetary surface, such as information access, just-in-time training, subsystem maintenance, and medical treatment. Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Separator Plumbing Assembly (SPA) Samples: Last week the crew configured the system with the SPA output disconnected to obtain distillate samples for return to ground to better understand the recent UPA high conductivity. The UPA will continue to process in this configuration for at least a week. A longer term configuration to connect a CWC-I to the SPA output is in work. Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pump Separator Remove & Replace (R&R): On July 11, the WHC Check Separator fault light illuminated. Subsequent troubleshooting steps led ground teams to conclude that the separator, which has been in operation since January of this year, was at its end of life. Today the Check Separator fault light illuminated again and the crew was directed to R&R the unit.  After completion of that activity, the WHC was successfully recovered and is go for nominal use. Today’s Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MARROW –  Air Samples Collection  REMINDER2 –  Reading Reminder МО-8. Body Mass Measurement. H/W set up Body Mass Measurement.  / R/G 2809 HRF. Centrifuge activation and Blood Samples Collection   FE-5 МО-8.  Close-out Ops HRF- Blood Sample Collection (assistance)  CETNTRIFUGE1 CONFIGURATION WSTA Fill KORREKTSIA. Taking food and liquids (medicine) registration in flight log / R/G 2811 HRF – Centrifuge 2 Configuration HRF- Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations HRF. Urine Samples Collection HRF- Blood Samples Removal and Stowage in Preparation for Cold Stowage Insertion HRF- Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations PRODUTSENT. ТБУ-[В] No. 02 Thermostat Setup / R/G 2804 HRF- Close-out Ops […]

July 19, 2016 at 12:00AM
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The Orion Nebula in Infrared from HAWK I

The deepest infrared image of the Orion Nebula has uncovered a bonanza of previously unknown low-mass stars and -- quite possibly -- free floating planets. The picturesque nebula is best known in visible light where it shows a many bright stars and bright glowing gas. Catalogued as M42, the Orion Nebula at a distance of 1300 light years is the closest major star forming region to Earth. One can peer into Orion's pervasive dust in infrared light, as was done again recently with the sophisticated HAWK-I camera attached to one of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescopes in the high mountains of Chile. High resolution versions of the featured infrared deep image show many points of light, many of which are surely brown dwarf stars but some of which are best fit by an unexpectedly high abundance of free-floating planets. Understanding how these low mass objects formed is important to understanding star formation generally and may even help humanity to better understand the early years of our Solar System. via NASA http://ift.tt/29OAIA0

Did Republicans Just Endorse The Obama Commercial Space Policy?

Republican Platform

"The public-private partnerships between NASA, the Department of Defense, and commercial companies have given us technological progress that has reduced the cost of accessing space and extended America's space leadership in the commercial, civil, and national security spheres. The entrepreneurship and innovation culture of the free market is revitalizing the nation's space capabilities, saving taxpayer money, and advancing technology critical to maintain America's edge in space and in other fields. To protect our national security interests and foster innovation and competitiveness, we must sustain our preeminence in space by launching more scientific missions, guaranteeing unfettered access, and ensuring that our space-related industries remain a source of scientific leadership and education."

- Newt Gingrich and Bob Walker Endorse Obama's New NASA Plan, Urge Bipartisan Support, CSF (2010)
- Is Gingrich's Pro-Obama Space Policy Stance About to Flip Flop ... (2012)

Keith's note: Looks like the RNC just endorsed the Obama Administration's commercial space policy - just like New Gingrich and Bob Walker did. Then again Newt was against it before he was for it (or was it the other way around?). Of course, Mike Griffin was moving in this direction before Obama - and Sean O'Keefe before Griffin. Either way, its deja vu all over again.

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