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Month: November 2011
There is Something Amiss with MSL's Drill After All

NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity Had Planetary Protection Slip-Up, Space.com “The issue involves a set of drill bits carried by the Curiosity rover, which launched Nov. 26 to Mars. When project developers made an internal decision not to send the equipment through a final ultra-cleanliness step, it marked a deviation from the planetary protection plans scripted for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.” Is Something Wrong With the Drill on MSL?, earlier […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 30, 2011
NASA's Inconsistent Policy Regarding The Sale Of Apollo Era Items

Apollo 13 checklist brings $388,375 at Heritage Auctions in Dallas “The Apollo 13 Lunar Module Systems Activation Checklist upon which Commander James Lovell made his handwritten calculations to guide his wounded spacecraft and crew home – scant two hours after uttering the famous words, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” – consigned by Commander Lovell himself, brought $388,375 today as the centerpiece of Heritage Auctions’ Nov. 30 Space Signature(R) Auction.” NASA […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 30, 2011
MAC IV&V Follow-on contract

NASA Awards Software Services Contract “NASA has selected TASC Inc., of Andover, Mass., to provide software services to the agency’s Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Facility in Fairmont, W.Va. The services and support include independent verification and validation; software assurance; research and development and technical quality monitoring.”

  • NASA Watch
  • November 30, 2011
TEDxNASAJSC Women: Another Stealth Event You Will Never See (Update)

TEDxNASAJSC Women “Starting at 9a, Speakers from around the center will talk about inspiring students, innovation, and new scientific discoveries. Astronauts Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger and Cadie Coleman will share their perspectives about Earth and space.” Keith’s note: You would think that an event like this would be something that NASA would want to share across the entire agency – indeed, with the general public as well. How hard would it be […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 30, 2011
NASA Hands Out Hand Sterilizers at an Education Conference.

Keith’s note: This pointless hand sterilizer swag [video] was given out at the NASA Educational Stakeholders Conference. Go figure. Cost? Relevance to space exploration?. You lost me on this. Here’s a thought: what if NASA gave out credits to students on Amazon.com for ebooks relevant to space … Lanco (the commercial vendor for these things) charges a dollar for this product. Fair enough. That’s what these products cost. No big […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 30, 2011
Lynn Cline is Retiring From NASA

NASA Internal Memo: Lynn Cline Is Retiring From NASA “Dear Colleagues: When I came to NASA for what was supposed to be a 3-month student internship, I had no idea NASA would become my life’s work. I look back with great appreciation for all of the opportunities I have had. I have worked with many wonderful and dedicated people — my NASA colleagues, partners in industry and academia, and international […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 29, 2011
Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference Abstract Deadline

Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference Abstract Deadline is Fast Approaching “Session topics range from planetary science, atmospheric science, microgravity sciences (fundamental biology and physics), earth science, and astro/solar physics applications to talks on integration, launch and funding for scientific payloads.”

  • NASA Watch
  • November 28, 2011
Apollo 13's RTGs: Houston, Do We Really Have A Problem?

Will NASA Ever Recover Apollo 13s Plutonium From the Sea?, Txchnologist “I don’t think that anyone has seriously considered that,” said Leonard Dudzinski, a NASA program executive who deals with radioisotope power systems. The plutonium was in an oxide form contained in fuel capsule, which itself was inside a graphite and ceramic fuel cask. “The cladding would not be compromised over time by the seawater,” Dudzinski said. The current expectation […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 28, 2011
Mike Leinbach Is Leaving NASA

NASA Shuttle Launch Director Resigns, WMFE “In an email to colleagues, Leinbach said he is going to work for (quote) “a major aerospace company.” He did not name the company but said the job will allow him to stay on the Space Coast. Leinbach’s resignation is effective Wednesday.” – Where You Stand Depends On Where You Sit, earlier post – Mike Leinbach Looks Back, earlier post

  • NASA Watch
  • November 28, 2011
apps@NASA Now Online

NASA Launches apps@NASA “NASA launched apps@NASA, a website where NASA employees and contractors can download mobile apps that securely access NASA systems. These apps enable our users to perform critical job functions at anytime from anywhere via personal and NASA mobile devices.” NASA Launches Mobile Apps Store, Information Week “The agency was at the forefront of the feds’ adoption of cloud computing, building its own cloud infrastructure, Nebula, that it […]

  • NASA Watch
  • November 28, 2011