Scientists discover enzyme that could slow part of the aging process in astronauts — and the elderly, FASEB Journal “New research published online in the FASEB Journal suggests that a specific enzyme, called 5-lipoxygenase, plays a key role in cell death induced by microgravity environments, and that inhibiting this enzyme will likely help prevent or lessen the severity of immune problems in astronauts caused by spaceflight. Additionally, since space conditions […]
NASA Simply Stopped Being a Priority, Huffington Post “For the past four decades, America’s budget made it clear that space was not a top priority. As we think of America over the span of centuries and not from budget cycle to budget cycle, will we look back and ask ourselves whether the decision to abandon space was a wise decision? Or will historians look back and identify this decision as […]
Ask an Expert: Explorer’s lessons for asteroid miners, USA Today “No dummies, the firm has some NASA funding already for their development, reports Keith Cowing of NASAWatch. And a recent Forbes pieces hints that they may be stalking the remote-sensing industry with these small telescopes, ones that might eyeball our planet with even more ease than they spot passing asteroids.” How Billionaire Asteroid Miners Make Money — Without Mining Asteroids, […]
Keith’s note: SpaceX had a short albeit successful hot fire of its Falcon 9 today. According to @elonmusk on Twitter: “Woohoo, rocket hold down firing completed and all looks good!!”
OIG: NASA’s Use of Research Announcement Awards for Aeronautics Research “Based on our sample results, we estimate that ARMD’s 447 NRA awards during this 5-year period contained $25.2 million in unallowable or unsupported costs. Moreover, we project that by addressing the deficiencies we identified NASA could avoid awarding approximately $3.6 million in unallowable and/or unsupported costs annually in ARMD NRA awards.”
Keith’s note: After being inert for a while NASA SpaceSmart.com is back and its official NASA Twitter account @SpaceSmart has suddenly become active again. Included are odd grammatically flawed tweets such as “[JOHN] I don’t think NASA-inspired inventions space propulsion technology.” and “[JOHN] I want a manned Mars mission should grow.”. I have asked Beth Beck what the purpose of this SpaceSmart thing is before (continue below) but she simply […]
House Appropriations Commitee FY 2013: CASIS and ISS (excerpt) “An important element in the decision making about the long term status of ISS is whether it can demonstrate sufficient research value to justify the continuation of its operating budget. Currently, the fraction of the overall ISS budget devoted to research is extremely small, and plans for leveraging outside funding through the ISS National Lab are moving slowly because the National […]
Keith’s note: Looks like the T-38 chase plane got some nice high altitude shots during the fly over of New York City this morning. Larger view. More images below – send in yours if you like.
BRPH: The Old and the New in Spacecraft Facilities, Commercial Space Watch “Switching out a spacecraft maintenance facility is definitely not an easy task. Besides the obvious requirements to contain toxic fuels and provide enough power, there is also the work of deciding what previous structures will be useful to new contractors.” Marc’s note: We hear a lot about the big commercial space companies or the some of the so […]
Photo: Space Shuttle Enterprise Arrives in New York “Space shuttle Enterprise, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), is seen off in the distance behind the Statue of Liberty, Friday, April 27, 2012, in New York. Enterprise was the first shuttle orbiter built for NASA performing test flights in the atmosphere and was incapable of spaceflight.”