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Year: 2009
Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference Update

List of Speakers Announced for the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in February, Commercial Spaceflight Federation “Astronauts, researchers, educators, senior government officials including the director of NASA’s Ames Research Center, Dr. Pete Worden, and the head of the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Dr. George Nield, and representatives from commercial space companies and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, will be among the speakers at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference on February […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 31, 2009
When Does a New Year Start On-orbit?

New Year’s Eve in Space, Slate “Last week a Russian spacecraft ferried three astronauts to the International Space Station to join the two who had been manning it since October. The crew took Christmas Day off to share meals together. What about celebrating New Year’s–how do you pick the right moment when you’re hurtling through time zones at 17,500 miles per hour?”

  • NASA Watch
  • December 30, 2009
Russian Asteroid Mission Needs Better Data

Space head: Russia may send spacecraft to asteroid “Without mentioning NASA findings, Perminov said that he heard from a scientist that Apophis is getting closer and may hit the planet. “I don’t remember exactly, but it seems to me it could hit the Earth by 2032,” Perminov said.” 99942 Apophis, Wikipedia “On Friday, April 13, 2029, Apophis will pass Earth within the orbits of geosynchronous communication satellites. It will return […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 30, 2009
Good Things In Small Packages

CU Students to Build Tiny Spacecraft to Observe ‘Space Weather’ Environment “The University of Colorado at Boulder has been awarded $840,000 from the National Science Foundation for students to build a tiny spacecraft to observe energetic particles in space that should give scientists a better understanding of solar flares and their interaction with Earth’s atmosphere. Known as the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment, or CSSWE, the instruments package is expected […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 29, 2009
Sudden Management Change at IV&V

Keith’s 23 Dec note: IV&V had an unexpected visit from NASA’s Chief of Safety and Mission Assurance Officer Bryan O’Connor today. He relieved Butch Caffall immediately of his duties as Facility Director of NASA IV&V and re-assigned him to NASA HQ “to work some technical issues for NASA starting early in January” according to an internal memo. Greg Blaney is acting IV&V Program Manager and IV&V Facility Director. IV&V employees […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 28, 2009
Sen. Cornyn Was For NASA Before He Was Against It

Cornyn’s fight to cut debt carries political price, Houston Chronicle “When Texas Sen. John Cornyn recently voted against legislation funding NASA, with its thousands of jobs at Houston’s Johnson’s Space Center, it caused a bit of a stir back home. After all, the Republican senator always prided himself on being a champion of home-state interests. Even Cornyn readily admits that his vote is an about-face. But there’s a clear explanation […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 28, 2009
OSTP Launch Vehicle Report Quietly Released

White House science office reports United States rocket propulsion work lagging “According to the report released this week: “Despite the importance of space to government and commercial activities the U.S. space launch industry has seen a decline in launch services over the past decade . . . From 2004-2008 the U.S. shared of commercial launches was about 17 percent, compared with 42 percent for Russia, 21 percent for Europe and […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 28, 2009
NASA TV – Time For an Upgrade?

Ground control to NASA TV: liven up, LA Times “The man in charge of Washington, D.C.-based NASA Television, executive producer Fred Brown, acknowledges that the network is light-years from where it could be if it had the money and a mandate to properly entertain the masses. But that was never the point, he said. The network was launched in the early 1970s strictly to provide “real-time mission coverage” for NASA’s […]

  • NASA Watch
  • December 27, 2009
Everest: Beyond The Limit To Air 27 & 30 Dec
Everest: Beyond The Limit To Air 27 & 30 Dec

Keith’s note: Now in its third season, the Discovery Channel’s Everest: Beyond The Limit is taking a new approach to filming this year and will feature both International Mountain Guides and Himalayan Experience in a five-part series.

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  • NASA Watch
  • December 26, 2009
S. Neil Hosenball

Neil Hosenball NASA General Counsel, Washington Post “S. Neil Hosenball, 84, the general counsel of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 1975 until his retirement in 1985, died Dec. 23 at his home in Arlington County. He had cancer. Mr. Hosenball was a 25-year veteran of the space agency, where he became the chief lawyer. He worked on treaties for the peaceful use of outer space, among other issues.”

  • NASA Watch
  • December 26, 2009