India’s Launch of GSAT-5P Telecommunications Satellite Fails, SpaceRef “ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organization, saw its GSLV Mark 1 rocket begin to disintegrate about a minute after launch today. It was carrying the GSAT-5P telecommunications satellite. The launch was at 5:34 a.m. EST (10:34 GMT). The launch started off well but just a minute after launch the rocket appeared to begin veer off course before it disintegrated. The problem appears […]

Movies: A Martian Sunset and a Solar Transit by Phobos “A new Mars movie clip gives us a rover’s-eye view of a bluish Martian sunset, while another clip shows the silhouette of the moon Phobos passing in front of the sun. America’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, carefully guided by researchers with an artistic sense, has recorded images used in the simulated movies.”

ESA Unable To Secure Commitment to Station Extension, Space News “The European Space Agency (ESA) was unable to win its member governments’ approval of NASA’s proposed five-year extension of operations of the international space station because of an unrelated dispute over financial support for Europe’s Arianespace commercial launch services consortium, ESA and European government officials said. As a result, no decision approving the station’s extension to 2020 will be made […]

Kepler Goes Into Safe Mode “On Dec. 22, 2010, Kepler experienced a safe mode event. A safe mode is a self-protective measure that the spacecraft takes when something unexpected occurs. During safe mode, the spacecraft points the solar panels directly at the sun and begins to slowly rotate about a sun-aligned axis. This safe mode orientation provides the vehicle with the maximum power, and limits the buildup of momentum from […]

Exclusive Interview: Discoverer of Arsenic Bacteria, in the Eye of the Storm, Science Now “Q: So, NASA approached you about doing a press conference, and you thought that was a good idea? F.W.-S.: I wouldn’t say I thought it was a good or bad idea. I’d never been to a press conference, but it made good sense to me that my mom should know what I’d been up to, and […]

NASA Spinoff Reveals Benefits of Space Technology in Our Daily Lives “Curious how a device designed to produce fuel and oxygen on Mars transformed into a source of clean energy right here on Earth? The 2010 edition of NASA’s annual Spinoff publication is now available online, highlighting new innovations and notable examples of NASA technology improving everyday life on our home planet.”

Can we afford to return to the Moon?, Paul Spudis “One of the biggest problems with NASA’s implementation of the VSE was that they never understood why we were going to the Moon. I base this assertion on their own statements, actions and publications. Early workshops were held by the agency to develop a rationale for lunar return. The Exploration Directorate issued a poster showing six “themes” for lunar return, […]

Keith’s note: Word has it that the next round of layoffs at USA are coming on 7 January 2011. This will be a smaller personnel layoff than the subsequent 3 rounds of layoffs being planned in 2011. Employees have heard from management that there will probably be much larger layoffs in April, July, and September 2011. Upwards of 80% of the employees at JSC and KSC may well be gone […]

Senate Appropriations Committee: Summary of Continuing Resolution through March 4, 2011 “Under the CR, funding would continue at FY 2010 enacted levels for most programs.” Senate Nears Deal on Funding Bill, WS Journal “Under the Senate deal set on Sunday, funding for most federal agencies and departments would continue at levels authorized for fiscal year 2010, though some programs would see slight increases. Overall, funding would be about $1.2 billion […]

NASA Seeks Proposals For Technology Flight Demonstrations And Information About Suborbital Flight Services “NASA is seeking proposals from researchers interested in testing new technologies during suborbital flights. The agency also is requesting information from commercial suborbital reusable launch vehicle providers and commercial payload integrators about carrying the technology payloads. The selected payloads will fly on aircraft that provide parabolic flight trajectories and on suborbital reusable launch vehicles capable of flying […]