Testimony of Dr. Sara Seager, Hearing on Astrobiology “We stand on a great threshold in the human history of space exploration. On the one side of this threshold, we know with certainty that planets orbiting stars other than the Sun exist and are common. … On the other side of this great threshold lies the robust identification of Earth-like exoplanets with habitable conditions, and with signs of life inferred by […]

JPL workers seek federal probe into stolen NASA laptop, Pasadena Star-News “Rep. Schiff, who oversees NASA funding through the Appropriations Subcommittee and whose district includes JPL, issued a statement criticizing NASA security. “I will be calling on the agency to report on and accelerate its efforts to maintain data Advertisement security,” he said. “The low-tech theft of a laptop is troubling enough, but it only scratches the surface of potentially […]

Keith’s note: Not everyone is happy with the proposed merger of ESMD (Exploration Systems Mission Directorate) and SOMD (Space Operations Mission Directorate). Sources report that the White House is not sold on the idea and Congress is not exactly keen on it either. One concern is that the merger would make it harder to see how Constellation cancellation is being handled (paid for), how Shuttle is being phased out, how […]

Letter from Sen. Nelson to President Obama Regarding An Additional Space Shuttle Mission, (PDF) “As we begin work on the NASA reauthorization bill for fiscal year 2011, I write to inform you of my intention to include language authorizing an additional space shuttle flight… this new mission. STS-135, would be flown with a minimum crew of four astronauts and would provide critical spare parts and logistics for long-term ISS operations”