Mountaineering and Space Exploration

Astronaut Scott Parazynski Everest Podcasts 16 May 2008

"Hi again, this is Scott. Just wanted to make a few comments about the tools that are required to scale a mountain as it compared with going outside on a spacewalk. It's actually quite similar, in many regards... We're at great heights, of course gravity affects us in space a little bit differently as we're in a free fall around the earth but here on Mt. Everest if you're to slip and fall, it could mean a long ride, of several thousand feet...with a pretty bad outcome."

Mountaineering and Climbing on Mars

"Initial human missions to Mars will be a precious commodity wherein a maximum amount of information is gathered by each crew. As was the case during innumerable terrestrial missions of exploration, the Martian terrain that visiting crews must traverse in order to gain an understanding will often be difficult."

Congress Pushes Participatory Exploration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 (Introduced in House) H.R.6063

"SEC. 407. PARTICIPATORY EXPLORATION. (a) In General- The Administrator shall develop a technology plan to enable dissemination of information to the public to allow the public to experience missions to the Moon, Mars, or other bodies within our solar system by leveraging advanced exploration technologies.

Giant Ravenous Ants Threaten JSC

NASA moves to save computers from swarming ants, ComputerWorld

"A flood of voracious ants is heading straight for Houston, taking out computers, radios and even vehicles in their path. Even the Johnson Space Center has called in extermination experts to keep the pests out of their sensitive and critical systems. The ants have been causing all kinds of trouble in five Texas counties in the Gulf Coast area.

Because of their sheer numbers, the ants are short-circuiting computers in homes and offices, and knocking systems offline in major businesses. When IT personnel pry the affected computers open, they find the machines loaded with thousands of ant bodies."

InsideNASA, NASAWatch, and NASAsphere

Editor's note: I got a Twitter note an hour or so ago from someone@arc.nasa.gov: "reference to nasawatch at the all-hands - how folks use that more than insidenasa." Interesting. I am curious to see how the new inside-the-firewall NASAsphere system works. Does anyone have a screen grab they can send me of NASAsphere that they can share? This is what InsideNASA looks like today.

Editor's update: this is a screen grab from NASAsphere. I have learned that this is not a permanent NASA feature - at least not yet. It is undergoing an evaluation period for the next month or so. At that point a decision will be made whether to go ahead - and what software platform to use.

That's Many Small Steps For Scott

Astronaut Scott Parazynski: Many Small Steps to the Summit of Mt. Everest

"For Scott, the plan is to get to the summit, take some photos, and then head back down. Too much dawdling can be life threatening. Low on oxygen, sapped of strength, he will have only moments to savor the experience.

We'll all stand atop Everest with Scott. Dig it."

Send your thoughts to the summit of Mt. Everest

Editor's 16 May update: I spoke with Scott at midnight tonight. Full story online in a few hours. I sent a bunch of your postings to him and he was thrilled to get them. Keep it up! Suffice it to say, Scott is totally psyched, lucid, focused and "1000% ready to go". Summit window is still 21/22 May local Nepal time. Stay tuned.

We'll all stand atop Everest with Scott. Dig it.

Editor's 15 May note: Astronaut and mountaineer Scott Parazynski is resting at Everest Base Camp for a few days after a series of climbs up and down Mt. Everest designed to acclimatize his body - and hone his climbing skills. Scott called me several times on Tuesday - as he has since he arrived a month ago to update me on his progress. I expect several more phone calls in the next several days.

The current thinking is that the summit window is centered on 22 May. Weather and human traffic are the main factors affecting his progress to the summit. Given that it takes a week to do the trek up the mountain, summit, and then head back down, we expect that he'll be heading off this weekend for his "summit push".

Our original plan did not work out in terms of comms and updates from Base Camp. So here is the back up plan: post your comments below. If you simply want to wish Scott "good luck, best wishes, etc." post that and I will do a head count. If, however, you have something a bit more expansive to say - please post it. Please try and make it simple so that I can condense it down to something I can efficiently convey to Scott and that he can keep in his oxygen-starved brain. Longer comments will be left online for Scott to read when he gets back home.

Scott will be the first human to both fly in space and summit the highest peak on our planet. What does this mean in terms of personal determination and endurance? In terms of exploration and pushing frontiers? As a preview of things to come - and of risks to be taken - on other worlds?

We won't see a similar combination and alignment of first accomplishments again until someone summits the highest lunar peak - or Olympus Mons on Mars.

Send your thoughts to the summit of Mt. Everest. Give Scott something to think about. Be a part of this unique climb.

Further updates and fresh images from Mt. Everest at Everest On Orbit

NASA Authorization Act of 2008 Introduced

Subcommittee Chairman Udall's Statement on the NASA Authorization Act of 2008

"Finally, the NASA Authorization Act of 2008 recognizes that America's human space flight activities are not, and should not, be an end in themselves. We need a results-oriented human space flight program that serves the nation's geopolitical goals in addition to advancing America's exploration of outer space. I believe that we provide the foundation for such a results-oriented approach in the bill I am introducing today. Thus, the bill includes provisions to ensure that the International Space Station--a unique orbiting R&D facility that represents a significant investment of resources by both American citizens and those of a host of other nations--will be utilized in as productive manner as possible."

Full Bill Text

Constellation Update

NASA Media Update About Constellation Program Progress

"NASA will host a media teleconference on Thursday, May 15, at 2 p.m. EDT, to provide an overview of progress made in the last few months and work ahead for NASA's Constellation Program. Constellation will build the spacecraft to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and return humans to the moon by 2020. Following the update, NASA managers will answer media questions."

The teleconference also will be audiocast live on NASA's Web site at:
http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Editor's note: When I asked Steve Cook if any of his employees were working on the "Direct" or "Jupiter" project he said that he was not aware of that anyone was. When asked if this would be allowed during or after hours, he said that it would not and that this would be "unapproved" work.

Alas, despite my pointed questions, and Steve Cook's very straightforward and unambiguous answers, the Direct Fan Boy community is now off posting their interpretations and parsing words they did not even hear and distilling alternate messages - messages that Cook clearly was not making.

Live Blog below

Aerospace Industry Closes Ranks In Support of NASA Budget Increase

Letter From Aerospace and Technology Company Leaders to Congressional Leaders Regarding NASA's FY 2009 Budget

"As leaders of our nation's largest aerospace and technology companies, we employ hundreds of thousands of Americans and know first hand the formidable challenges in today's global marketplace. We write to thank you for your past support of NASA and to urge you to enact a top-line increase for NASA's FY 2009 budget. Without this increase, our nation faces the very real risk of losing our uniquely critical industrial base and human space access capability."

JSC Gets Its Own Bush Politico - Update

Editor's 14 May note: Ellen now has an email account at Code AD and is listed in the X.500 directory. Soon all of that Lame Duck goodness will start working its magic at JSC!

Editor's 11 May note: Great news: consumate Bush loyalist and overt politico Ellen Engleman Conners has accepted the position of Director of External Relations at JSC replacing Eileen Hawley.

Ellen Engelman Conners has been at JSC for the past week getting to know her way around and starts full time just after Memorial Day.

Eileen Hawley's last day was last Friday. She will be missed.

Just What JSC PAO Needs - An Overt Bush Politico, previous post

ISS Freon Spill Clean-up

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 14 May 2008

"Afterwards, Kononenko collected air samples in the SM & FGB using the AK-1M sampler kit, recording date, time & location and restowing the kits and pouches. Special AK-1M samples for Freon-218 were also taken in the SM. ... ANITA is now back up again and running in support of the on-going Freon-218 scrubbing from the cabin air, collecting data every six seconds and downlinking the data daily to the ground team."

How To Beat Mike Griffin's Orion to ISS

SpaceX Claims Crew Transfer Ability By 2011, Aviation Week

"If NASA decides by this summer to proceed with the development of crew transfer capability under the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk says his company could be ready to conduct crew flights to the space station by early 2011. NASA is funding SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corp. to develop cargo capability for the International Space Station (ISS) under COTS, but so far has held off on greenlighting the crew transfer portion of the program, known as "COTS D." Only SpaceX has been actively working on a COTS D concept, with Orbital focused exclusively on cargo at this point."

NASA Gen Y Influence Spreads to Canada

NASA Gen Y Presentation Inspires Canadian Space Exploration Presentation

Reader Note: "The Gen Y presentation that you posted on your website has influenced three young Canadian engineers in a presentation to the government Industry, Science, and Technology Committee."

KBH You're Our Last Hope

Hutchison may be key to extra NASA funds, Houston Chronicle

"Members of Houston's congressional delegation, having failed to galvanize House support for additional NASA funding, said Tuesday that Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was their last best hope for adding $2 billion in emergency aid. Houston-area lawmakers -- including Reps. John Culberson, R-Houston, Gene Green, D-Houston, and Nick Lampson, D-Stafford -- told the Chronicle that they were counting on the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Hutchison serves, after the House leadership spurned their request."

Competition for Moon Trips

Russia and Europe may team up for moon flights, Reuters

"Russia and Europe are teaming up to build a spaceship which will fly astronauts to the moon, Russia said on Wednesday, although the European Space Agency struck a more cautious note. The first test flight is set for 2015 and the first manned flight is planned for 2018, Russian space agency Roskosmos said."

When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

Reader note: "In conjunction with the NASA 50th anniversary show When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions, which airs on Discovery Channel beginning next month, we'd love to hear any short stories you may wish to share about missions from the agency's early days or from the shuttle program. Here's a link:
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/nasa/audio-messages/audio-messages.html 

1) for the early missions- Mercury, Gemini, Apollo  866-947-6272
2) for crews and anyone involved with the space program  866-948-6272
3) for Shuttle stories  866-949-6272"

NASA's Head Is In The Sand

The Sky Is Falling, The Atlantic

"After the presentation, NASA's administrator, Michael Griffin, came into the room. I asked him why there had been no discussion of space rocks. He said, "We don't make up our goals. Congress has not instructed us to provide Earth defense. I administer the policy set by Congress and the White House, and that policy calls for a focus on return to the moon. Congress and the White House do not ask me what I think."

Actually, Congress has asked NASA to pay more attention to space rocks."

- Blinding Asteroid Scientists From Seeing Threats To Earth, earlier post
- Planetary Defense - Just Send Money, earlier post
- NASA Strategic Management Council Meeting: 2006 Near-Earth Object Survey and Deflection Study, earlier post
- NASA NEO Report Update, earlier post

NASA Future Forum Live in Second Life

Join the NASA Future Forum in San Jose in Second Life!

"You're invited to join NASA leadership, astronauts, scientists, and engineers along with local business, technology and academic leaders and local, state and federal officials discuss the role of space exploration in advancing science, engineering, technology, education and the economy that benefits your community and the nation. The program features an exciting preview of NASA's Constellation Program - America's return to the Moon and beyond."

14 May 2008 8:30 am PDT

Googling The Moon

Reaching for the moon: Interview with Robert Richards, CNN

"Robert Richards is CEO of Odyssey Moon Ltd, the first contenders for the Google Lunar X Prize, a $30 million prize fund for the first commercial team to land a craft on the moon and send back video footage. CNN spoke to him about his inspiration, his career and the potential of the moon as a resource for Earth."

Everest Update

Scott Parazynski Everest Update: 13 May 2008 - Back at Base Camp - Again

"Keith Cowing 13 May 2008 5:00 pm EDT: I arrived home today to find a voice mail from Scott Parazynski who called by satellite phone from Everest Base Camp (5,380 meters - 17,700 feet) - it was morning here when he called, nighttime there."

Scott Parazynski Everest Update: 14 May 2008 - Back at Base Camp - Again

"Keith Cowing 14 May 2008 12:20 am EDT: Just got another call from Scott. Coordinating media issues. The summit window now looks a bit firmer for 22 May. That would put him back at Everest Base Camp on 24 May."

The Actual Cost of Mars Phoenix is $520 Million

Editor's note: According to NASA PAO: "Phoenix leveraged the 2001 lander investment to produce a polar lander for a mission cost of $420M. The Mars 2001 Lander was approximately 71% complete at cancellation and the sunk costs were estimated to be $100M. It is difficult to determine the exact costs since the lander was being developed along side the orbiter, Mars Odyssey, and both spacecraft were treated as one project. However, here's what we have:

2001 Lander = $100M
Storage = $250K
Phoenix = $420M (Full cost LCC $419.6M, Launch vehicle $90.3M, Spacecraft $295.7M, Phase E $33.6M)"

As such, the total cost for Mars Phoenix is $100 million spent on the original 2001 lander, plus $250K to store it, and then $420 million for the Mars Phoenix project or a total of $520 million.

Are NASA Employees Freelancing on Another Launch System?

Editor's note: The following posting was made by someone who posts as "Kraisee" at nasaspaceflight.com. His real name is Ross Tierney. Tierney is a foreign national (U.K. citizen) and is one of the chief propagandists behind the "Direct" proposal - an alternate launch system some feel would be better than the Ares 1/V rockets NASA is developing. Their "Jupiter" concept was mentioned in a Senate hearing last week.

Have a look at this posting. Not only does Tierney publicly claim that he and his "team" have access to ITAR sensitive information, he proclaims that he has people on his team who actually work at MSFC and MAF who are doing detailed structural analysis for him. If this is true, then NASA civil servants and/or contractors are using their access to NASA resources that they are given by virtue of their jobs to work on a project that directly undermines NASA's official Ares program. Questions for Steve Cook: Who is paying for this? Who approved this freelancing at NASA? Is anyone in charge?

"You ever heard about this funny thing called ITAR? Discussing the size and dimensions of the Stiffening Blades and Membranes on the 3rd barrel section of the LH2 tank would most definitely be covered under that, which is why we won't ever talk about such details on any public forum.

While I have steered myself personally away from such information, there are people in the team - specifically a group at at MSFC & MAF - who do have that specific data already. When we have talked previously about changing setting on the milling machines, I'm not kidding - that team have analyzed the current tanking and manufacturing equipment, and have all the STS load data references, and they have calculated loads for Jupiter using NASA's tools, NLS data references, LV-24/25 references and Ares-I and Ares-V references as well. Then they have taken that data and added appropriate margins as defined by regular NASA standards for GR&A and such things as FS 1.4 and a host of other things I'm admittedly not very familiar with myself. This has determined the loadings which the structure will actually require in the worst-possible-case scenario. We then requested a 20% additional arbitrary load on top for the first (SWT) structure variant. With this, they re-calculated the structural requirements of both the expected (LWT) and the early-flight version (SWT). "

Soyuz Landing Injuries

Perilous Landings by Soyuz Worry NASA, Washington Post

"None of the astronauts was injured, including American Peggy A. Whitson, who was returning after six months of weightlessness on the space station. But the spacecraft lost communication during reentry and remained out of radio contact with Russian mission control for an hour, raising the specter of a crash landing."

South Korea's first astronaut hospitalized with back pain, AP

"Yi So-yeon was taken to a hospital Tuesday due to the pain after she canceled a meeting with President Lee Myung-bak, according to the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute, where she works as a bioengineer.
The Science Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that preliminary tests showed Yi suffered a minor injury to her neck muscles and bruised her spinal column."

Internal NASA Documents Give Clues to Scary Soyuz Return Flight, IEEE Spectrum

"Although the technical investigation will take weeks to resolve, NASA and Russian engineers have come to several credible preliminary conclusions. And internal NASA documents, such as "15S Ballistic Entry Outbrief" by George Kafka, chief of the Safety & Mission Assurance Directorate for the ISS program, reveal a plausible idea of what probably happened."

Editor's note: If "none of the astronauts was injured" why did Yi So-Yeon spend a week in the hospital