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Month: December 2013
NASA JSC's Expensive Custom Trailer For Val the Robot

Reader note:“I was at the DRC all week. NASA showed up with the most awesome/expensive looking tracker/trailer.  It had a custom paint job, new custom “pelican” cases for all equipment, a fold out tent on the side, and a $15K Cadillac golf cart (image). The team, if you view their videos had 50+ workers, a high-bay work area, a specialize sewing team and a seemingly unlimited tax payer funded budget. […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 31, 2013
NASA JSC's Valkyrie Robot Tied For Last Place in DARPA Competition

Handicapping the 2013 DARPA Robotics Challenge, Gizmodo “NASA JSC Team Valkyrie (7/1): Johnson Space Center has a 20-year legacy in humanoid robot development, and the six-foot-two, 286 lb Valkyrie, “inspired by a female first responder wearing body armor” brings 44 degrees of American freedom to the fight. Team Valkyrie is playing the long game, claiming they’re focused on next year’s final challenge rather than victory today. Is it sandbagging? We’ll […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 31, 2013
Why Does Space Florida Need Its Own Spaceport?

FAA Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement: Shiloh Launch Complex “Based on comments received during the scoping period, the FAA may analyze additional alternatives. However, at this time, the alternatives under consideration include the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not issue a Launch Site Operator License to Space Florida.” Federal review set for Fla. plan to build […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 30, 2013
Beyoncé: Sampling The Sounds of Tragedy For Pop Music

Beyonce Slammed for Sampling Shuttle Tragedy on New Album, ABC “Retired NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson told ABC News, “For the words to be used in the video is simply insensitive, at the very least.” Anderson knows NASA tragedy firsthand. In 2003, he was assisting shuttle Columbia family members the moment news came that all seven had died when the craft disintegrated re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. But Anderson, who flew twice on […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 30, 2013
Beyoncé and the Challenger Accident: What Lesson Has Been Learned (if any)?

Thanks @Beyonce cuz I'm now watching a #Challenger documentary. #xo #Beyoncé #nasa — HMVG (@hector_mvg) December 31, 2013 @Beyonce uses the #Challenger tragedy to sell her music. Rude, insensitive and obnoxious only begin to describe it. http://t.co/XWBsXONXes — John O'Neill (@RedHandNYCity) December 30, 2013 Beyoncé: Sampling The Sounds of Tragedy For Pop Music, Earlier post

  • NASA Watch
  • December 30, 2013
The Vision for Space Exploration at T+10

A Decade of the Vision for Space Exploration: An Alternative Retrospective, Paul Spudis “Reflecting on the last decade of U.S. space accomplishment, it is apparent that the strategic direction of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) first outlined by President Bush on January 14, 2004 has dramatically transformed the civil space program of the United States. Instead of drifting aimlessly, as had been our wont, we are now poised to […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 29, 2013
NAS Report on NASA Human Health Issues To Be Issued in January

“Review of NASA’s Evidence Reports on Human Health Risks — Letter Report [Institute of Medicine]: NASA has asked the Institute of Medicine to provide independent reviews of more than 30 publicly available evidence reports on human health risks for long-duration and exploration space flight. This letter report examines evidence reports on the risk of injury from dynamic loads, the risk of therapeutic failure due to ineffective medication, and the risk […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 24, 2013
ISS EVA Update

Space Station Crew Removes Ammonia Pump, Next Spacewalk Set for Tuesday “NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins completed a 5 hour and 28 minute spacewalk Saturday to remove a faulty ammonia pump on the International Space Station. A second spacewalk to install a new unit now is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 24.”

  • NASA Watch
  • December 21, 2013
Exit Wolf, Enter Culberson?

Love planetary science? Dying to explore Europa’s oceans? Meet the man who can make it happen., Houston Chronicle “This week U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, a Republican from Virginia, announced he would not run for reelection in 2014. This move makes Houston Republican John Culberson the odds-on favorite to replace Wolf and become chairman of an appropriations subcommittee that oversees NASA. I have a story in today’s paper that outlines why […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 20, 2013
Is China Really Winning a Space Race with Us?

Wolf and Rogers Want Answers from Clapper on Implications of China’s Space Program, Space Policy Online “Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) wrote to Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper today asking five questions about the implications for U.S. leadership in space and U.S. national security of China’s recent accomplishments in space, including landing a rover on the Moon last weekend.” Lost in Space, John Logsdon, […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 20, 2013