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Month: June 2006
Thoughts From A Veteran

Review done, dissension noted: Shuttle is ready, Opinion (Bill Readdy), Houston Chronicle“It’s said, “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” It’s time for Discovery and her crew to weigh anchor and leave the safe harbor again. It’s time to move forward and complete laying the foundation for the decades of human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit to come.”

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
New Office in NASA HQ Strategic Communications

NASA Internal Memo: New Office of Communications Planning“Deputy Administrator Shana Dale today announced the formation of the new Office of Communications Planning (OCP). The OCP will focus on new and innovative ways to engage and inform a broader cross-section of the American public about NASA activities through the development of new technology and tools, enhanced outreach mechanisms and key partnerships, and will develop long-term communication strategies and plans for increasing […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
FRR Document Update

Editor’s note: From what I have learned, NASA PAO personnel are telling people that the FRR document decision was made “above PAO” and that senior NASA management is now seeking to “reverse” the precedent that was set with the release of STS-114 FRR documents – noting that PAO was railroaded into taking that action last year. Many people who have seen the FRR documents report that there is no overtly […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
No Shuttle Fans at the LA Times

Abort this space shuttle mission, opinion, LA Times“Instead of risking another tragic or humiliating setback Saturday, NASA should abandon the shuttle and focus on more productive missions.”Rep. Calvert Responds to Critics of Discovery Launch“Americans can only take cold comfort in the Los Angeles Times’ belief that “A six year gap in manned space flight shouldn’t be discouraging” mainly because it isn’t true. Human spaceflights will continue over the next six […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
Shuttle Support: Split Right Down the Middle

Public Divided Over Money Spent on Space Shuttle Program – Americans continue to rate NASA positively, Gallup“Forty-eight percent of Americans say the space shuttle program has been worth the money the government has spent on it. The same percentage, 48%, says that the money would have been better spent in some other way.”

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
IISTF To Examine ISS Worst Case Scenarios

NASA International Space Station Independent Safety Task Force Meeting“The agenda for the meeting includes the following topics: –Presentations related to the IISTF’s charter to assessing any vulnerabilities of the ISS that could lead to its destruction, compromise the health of its crew, or necessitate its premature abandonment.”ISS End of Life Disposal (7 April 1999)

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
Dantzler Steps Down at SMD

Editor’s 26 June note : Several sources report that Andy Dantzler has resigned his position as Director of the Science Mission Directorate’s Solar System Division at NASA HQ. No word as to who will replace him. Editor’s 30 June note : Dantzler is going to APL to become the Program Manager for “Living With A Star”.

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
NASA To Announce Launch Vehicle Names Today

Editor’s note: According to Rory Cooper, Director of Outreach and Intergovernmental Affairs at NASA’s Office of Legislative Affairs, at 2:30 pm this afternoon NASA will formally announce that the names of its new launch vehicles. The Crew Launch Vehicle will be called Ares 1 and the Cargo Launch Vehicle will be called Ares 5. The names are meant to honor the launch vehicles that sent astronauts on their way to […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
New Evidence of Internal Concerns Over Shuttle Safety

E-mails reveal doubts over safety of Discovery, Orlando Sentinel“Key officials responsible for overseeing NASA expressed serious concerns about launching space shuttle Discovery without additional work to prevent foam insulation from breaking off the ship’s fuel tank. Those concerns were voiced in e-mails sent from NASA’s Office of the Inspector General to agency Administrator Michael Griffin and the chairman of an advisory panel that monitors NASA safety. In the e-mails, copies […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006
Why Is NASA Afraid to Release FRR Documents?

NASA will not release FRR documents, Florida Today“The legal reason cited for not releasing the documents from this year’s FRR is that they are exempted from public release under a provision of the FOIA law that protects records that are part of a deliberative process.” Editor’s note: This decision by NASA is in clear, blatant contradiction to NASA’s own previous actions – most notably the public posting of FRR documentation […]

  • NASA Watch
  • June 30, 2006