US scientists boycott Nasa conference over China ban, Guardian “Nasa officials rejected applications from Chinese nationals who hoped to attend the meeting at the agency’s Ames research centre in California next month citing a law, passed in March, which prohibits anyone from China setting foot in a Nasa building. The law is part of a broad and aggressive move initiated by congressman Frank Wolf, chair of the House appropriations committee, […]

LADEE is Heading For The Moon with One Small Glitch (with video) “NASA has confirmed that the reaction wheels of its Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) were successfully brought back on-line and the spacecraft has acquired its safe-mode attitude profile.” Mission updates will be carried on NASA TV. You can also track mission status by following @NASALADEE or at the mission website. Space Laser: Testing an Interplanetary Internet […]

Wolf says NASA prompted hiring of person linked to Chinese espionage; may be dozens more in agency, Washington Examiner “Today, Wolf said he has not received a response from Pete Worden, the retired Air Force general who is director of the Ames facility.” NASA ARC Centerwide Announcement: Ames and National Security (12 Feb 2013) “I have offered to talk to the news reporter, meet with the US representatives and/or testify […]

Congresswoman Eshoo Announces Plan for Hangar One and Moffett Federal Airfield “Following a meeting with Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), GSA, NASA, and the White House at the Capitol on Tuesday, February 26, the General Services Administration will issue a Notice of Intent regarding Hangar One and Moffett Federal Airfield, which reflects the following: 1. Moffett Federal Airfield will NOT be excessed. It will remain a restricted Federal Airfield […]

House Chairmen Say NASA May Have Released DOD Secrets To China, Aviation Week “According to sources at Ames and on Capitol Hill, the case involves Ames Center Director Simon P. “Pete” Worden and members of the center’s staff who are not U.S. citizens. … Among the charges mentioned in the congressional letters are allegations that the protected technology information has been disseminated in public conferences overseas “with Chinese and other […]

NASA ARC Memo: Management Appointments: Details and Appointments Keith’s note: ARC Center Director Pete Worden made a series of standard personnel announcements yesterday including his chief scientist. In what has to be one of the goofiest things I have ever heard a union rep claim, it would seem that the Union wants to have a vote or a popularity contest in the routine filling of these positions. Is this civil […]

Keith’s note: Mino Freund from NASA Ames has died after a lengthy battle with brain tumors. You can read about Mino’s challenges on his blog “A Little Detour“. Of all the things I could say about Mino, I guess the most important is that he was always fun to talk to and he was curious about absolutely everything. I really can’t say that about everyone.

NASA OIG Final Report: NASA’s Hangar One Re-Siding Project “NASA Inspector General Paul Martin today released a report that examines the $32.8 million re-siding project for Hangar One – one of the world’s largest freestanding structures – at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. Hangar One, built in the 1930s to house the naval airship the USS Macon, covers approximately 8 acres and is listed on the National […]

Keith’s note: I had a rather special guest visit me today at the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project (LOIRP) at Building 596 (aka “McMoon’s”) at NASA Ames Research Center. Dan Goldin. Having Dan visit was really cool. It was great to have him stop by and visit our rebel operation. I really enjoyed showing him around. Dan asked a string of very sharp, cogent questions and offered us some valuable […]

NASA Names New Director for Lunar Science Institute “Yvonne Pendleton has been named director of the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) headquartered at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Pendleton has served as the NASA Ames deputy associate center director, chief of the Space Science and Astrobiology Division and as a research astrophysicist for 31 years, including nearly two years at NASA headquarters.”