Happy Friday everyone. Have a safe and great weekend.
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Friday, February 21, 2014
JSC TODAY CATEGORIES
1. Headlines
- Spot the Orion Challenge - February Winner
- WSTF, WSC and JSC/WSTF Wide Area Network Outage
- JSC OSHA Log Summary of Work-Related Injuries
- Do You Sleep Shift? Help NASA's Latest Study
2. Organizations/Social
- Last Call: JSC State of the Center
- Human Systems Integration ERG February Meeting
- Tom Jones Book Signings - Today
- New Store Hours: Building 3 Starport Gift Shop
- Parent's Night Out at Starport - Feb. 21
- Starport: Free Youth Karate Class Feb. 22
3. Jobs and Training
- Correction: JSC Starport Manager Opening
4. Community
- How Do You Beat the Monday Blues?
- Tonight and Tomorrow: SpaceUp Houston CSF Panel
- Tomorrow: SpaceUp Houston Unconference
- Join the Space Center Houston Book Club
Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. With Mercury "Friendship 7" Spacecraft 
Headlines
1. Spot the Orion Challenge - February Winner
The winner of the Spot the Orion Challenge for February is: Christian Lupo
Christian spotted the fact titled "Beyond Earth Orbit" outside of Building 8, near the clinic.
Congratulations, Christian, on being the first to Spot the Orion fact for the month of February!
Have you spotted the fact yet? Stop by Building 8 to read the fact and learn more about Orion. The next fact will be posted in March. Keep your eyes open on the way to your next meeting, and you could be the next winner!
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2. WSTF, WSC and JSC/WSTF Wide Area Network Outage
The Information Resources Directorate (IRD) has scheduled maintenance for the Wide Area Network (WAN) at White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) and White Sands Complex (WSC) from 8 a.m. CST Saturday, March 1, through 11:59 p.m. CST Sunday, March 2.
Minimal user impact is expected during the maintenance activity.
Users at WSTF accessing resources external to WSTF may experience brief interruptions to Internet, email and resources at other NASA centers.
The WAN connection between WSTF and JSC will be down intermittently Saturday, March 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST. This will not impact JSC Internet or local network resources. It will impact the WSTF disaster recovery servers implemented by ITAMS and other organizations using WSTF as a backup site. All replication will be down during this period, and any JSC network resource accessible from WSTF will be down.
The WAN connection at WSC will be down intermittently Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. CST. This will not impact JSC or WSTF Internet or local network resources. It will impact JSC and WSTF users who access WSC-hosted servers and applications.
For issues related to the activity, please contact the Enterprise Service Desk at 281-483-4800.
JSC-IRD-Outreach x39515
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3. JSC OSHA Log Summary of Work-Related Injuries
As part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) recordkeeping requirement, 29 CFR 1904.43(b)(2)(ii), job sites are required to post a summary of their establishment's work-related injuries and illnesses. A summary of civil service injuries and illnesses from JSC, Ellington Field and Sonny Carter Training Facility for calendar year 2013 has been posted.
JSC continues to have injury/illness rates below industry average. Total Case Incident Rate is 34 percent below industry average. Compared to calendar year 2012, JSC civil service OSHA recordable cases have increased by 63 percent.
No one is immune from being injured. Please review and share with your organization the importance of identifying and correcting hazards and reporting near misses.
Sergio Leal x33548
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4. Do You Sleep Shift? Help NASA's Latest Study
Does your job or hobby require significant overseas travel or shift work? Here's an opportunity for you to learn more about sleep medications and how they could affect your performance while also informing NASA about the potential impacts of sleep medications on astronaut performance if there is a spacecraft issue that requires emergent awakening.
You can participate in this NASA-sponsored research study, concluding in the next six months, if you are a current or former flight controller, flight surgeon, flight director, cap com, astronaut or astronaut candidate, medical resident or medical student on NASA rotation, or a NASA/contractor-employed University of Texas Medical Branch physician. Now is the time to sign up for February through April!
Pam Baskin/Holly Patterson 281-212-1360/281-461-2691
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Organizations/Social
1. Last Call: JSC State of the Center
Registration has been extended for the upcoming JSC State of the Center event on Feb. 27, hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Houston Section and featuring a presentation by JSC Deputy Director Kirk Shireman. The section invites the entire JSC community to RSVP at the event website by close of business TODAY, Feb. 21.
As deputy center director, Shireman works with JSC Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa to manage the people, budget and activities of JSC. He also serves as the chair of the International Space Station Mission Management Team, where he is responsible for all aspects of on-orbit operations of the International Space Station.
The cost of this dinner meeting is $15 for AIAA members, $25 for non-members and $20 for non-member students. When you RSVP, please select your choice of either herb-seared chicken or tortellini and roasted portobello mushrooms.
Event Date: Thursday, February 27, 2014 Event Start Time:5:30 PM Event End Time:8:00 PM
Event Location: NASA JSC Gilruth Center, Alamo Ballroom
Add to Calendar
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2. Human Systems Integration ERG February Meeting
Human Systems Integration (HSI) Employee Resource Group (ERG) February Meeting - University Collaboration Opportunities
Join the HSI ERG for their February meeting, which focuses on opportunities for you to partner with Space Grant Consortia and universities. These relationships continue to provide critical infusions of technology and creativity to NASA's mission through academic research, student internships and the informal exchanges of ideas. The HSI ERG has created an opportunity for the JSC community to form new academic partnerships through the national network of Space Grant Consortia. Come to the meeting to find out more, and add your collaboration interest to the survey before Feb. 26.
Event Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Event Start Time:11:30 AM Event End Time:12:30 PM
Event Location: B1/220
Add to Calendar
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3. Tom Jones Book Signings - Today
Thomas D. Jones, Ph.D., holds a doctorate in planetary sciences and, in the more than 11 years with NASA, flew on four space shuttle missions to Earth orbit and led three spacewalks to install the centerpiece of the International Space Station, the American Destiny laboratory. His awards include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, four NASA Space Flight Medals, NASA Exceptional Service award, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional Public Service award, Phi Beta Kappa and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Kings College of Wilkes-Barre, Penn., awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2007. Main belt asteroid 1082 TomJones is named in his honor. Don't miss this opportunity to meet him personally!
Breakfast and book signing: Building 3 Collaboration Center, 8 to 10 a.m.
Public access book signing: Gilruth Fitness Center, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Cyndi Kibby x47467
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4. New Store Hours: Building 3 Starport Gift Shop
Effective March 3, the Building 3 Starport Gift Shop will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for your shopping convenience. Store hours in Building 11 will not change (also Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). We look forward to serving you and thank you for your continued support!
Cyndi Kibby x47467
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5. Parent's Night Out at Starport - Feb. 21
Enjoy a night out on the town while your kids enjoy a night with Starport. We will entertain your children with a night of games, crafts, a bounce house, pizza, a movie, dessert and loads of fun!
When: Friday, Feb. 21, from 6 to 10 p.m.
Where: Gilruth Center
Ages: 5 to 12
Cost: $20/first child and $10/each additional sibling if registered by the Wednesday prior to event. If registered after Wednesday, the fee is $25/first child and $15/additional sibling.
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6. Starport: Free Youth Karate Class Feb. 22
Let Starport introduce your child to the exciting art of Youth Karate. Youth Karate will teach your child the skills of self-defense, self-discipline and self-confidence. The class will also focus on leadership, healthy competition and sportsmanship.
TRY A FREE CLASS ON FEB. 22!
Please call the Gilruth Center front desk to sign your child up for the free class (only 25 available spots).
Five-week session: March 1 to 29
Saturdays: 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Ages: 6 to 12
Cost: $75
Register online or at the Gilruth Center.
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Jobs and Training
1. Correction: JSC Starport Manager Opening
Kerri Knotts, manager of Starport, recently announced her intention to pursue an opportunity in private industry later this spring. As a result, we are seeking candidates for the JSC Starport manager job. This is a unique opportunity to build entrepreneurial business skills. As a non-appropriated fund instrumentality, Starport creatively generates revenue for the majority of its operating budget—funding a variety of employee morale, welfare and recreation initiatives—from the sale of food, merchandise and wellness services to JSC team members. Given the scope of the Starport manager role, we are seeking existing GS-15 candidates with supervisory and organizational leadership experience who can start a transition with Kerri Knotts soon.
If you are an existing GS-15 civil servant who wishes to apply for this opportunity, open: HR Portal [ https://hr.nasa.gov ] > Employees > Workforce Transition > Workforce Transition Tool. Brady Pyle x32012
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Community
1. How Do You Beat the Monday Blues?
By volunteering to be a science fair Judge, of course! The Mae Smythe Elementary School is in desperate need of judges on Monday, Feb. 24. Wouldn't you love to spend part of your Monday encouraging the next generation of innovators and scientists? Judging starts at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2:30 p.m. Any amount of time you can spend there -- 30 minutes, two hours, longer -- will be rewarding for you, enriching for them and, hey -- it's a great way to spend part of a Monday!
Navigate your way to the V-CORPs Web page to sign up for this event.
Questions? Contact your friendly, neighborhood V-CORPs coordinator.
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2. Tonight and Tomorrow: SpaceUp Houston CSF Panel
What is happening in commercial space? Find out tonight and tomorrow, 7 p.m., at the SpaceUp Houston Commercial Space Flight (CSF) Panel at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (3600 Bay Area Blvd.). NASA Acting Chief Technologist Jim Adams will moderates panels featuring speakers from Boeing, SpaceX, Orbital Sciences, XCOR Aerospace and more! Registration is *free*, so come join the conversation tonight! Register now.
Event Date: Friday, February 21, 2014 Event Start Time:7:00 PM Event End Time:9:00 PM
Event Location: 3600 Bay Area Blvd
Add to Calendar
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3. Tomorrow: SpaceUp Houston Unconference
Want to share your love of space exploration with a passionate community of professionals and fans? Join us tomorrow morning at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (3600 Bay Area Blvd.) for the SpaceUp Houston Unconference, where *you* decide what the topics are. Everybody is welcome, and the topics are decided on the spot. This is a great opportunity to reach out to a passionate network of space enthusiasts and space professionals. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and the event starts at 10 a.m. Registration is $15 (children under 18 are free!), and lunch and dinner will be provided. Register now and join us tomorrow for a day of exciting discussions.
Event Date: Friday, February 21, 2014 Event Start Time:7:00 PM Event End Time:9:00 PM
Event Location: 3600 Bay Area Blvd
Add to Calendar
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4. Join the Space Center Houston Book Club
Space Center Houston's Education Department hosts a book club meeting every three months for those who are interested in reading the newest bestsellers, lively conversation and meeting new people. The books are chosen from the New York Times' bestseller list, Amazon, Publishers Weekly and more.
The book club is free, the discussions are lively and the food is fantastic!
Come join us Thursday, March 13, from 12:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bring your thoughts, opinions, points of view -- and don't forget to bring a FRIEND!
To get this month's book, "The Astronauts' Wives Club," please contact Alice Walker or Bonnie Palsgrove.
Event Date: Thursday, March 13, 2014 Event Start Time:12:30 PM Event End Time:1:30 PM
Event Location: Space Center Houston
Add to Calendar
Alice Walker
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JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles.
Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.
NASA and Human Spaceflight News
Friday – Feb. 21, 2014
HEADLINES AND LEADS
Dale Gardner, jetpack-flying astronaut who salvaged satellites, dies at 65
| NASA astronaut Dale Gardner holds up a "For Sale" sign in a nod to the malfunctioning satellites he and Joe Allen salvaged during space shuttle Discovery's STS-51A mission in 1984. (NASA) |
February 21, 2014 — NASA astronaut Dale Gardner, who in 1984 achieved the world's first space salvage during his second shuttle mission, died on Wednesday (Feb. 19). He was 65. Gardner made history becoming the last of six astronauts to use the manned maneuvering unit (MMU) jetpack as he worked to return two malfunctioning satellites to Earth. He died Wednesday from a sudden brain aneurysm. News of his passing was shared via social media on Thursday, with the Association of Space Explorers and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida noting his death.
Russia Approves Its Crew for Next Space Mission
RIA Novosti
A state medical commission approved the Russian members Thursday of a new expedition to the International Space Station ahead of the launch on March 26, Russia's space agency Roscosmos said. The main crew of Expedition 39/40 comprises Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev as well as NASA astronaut Steven Swanson. The backup crew includes Russian cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyayev and Yelena Serova, and NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy.
NASA scrubs spacecraft test off San Diego
Gary Robbins – U-T San Diego
A mission that was meant to restore the Navy's ability to recover spacecraft from the ocean was cancelled off San Clemente Island Thursday after a technical problem prevented the amphibious warship San Diego from moving the Orion capsule into the water. The crew discovered that the cable chosen to maneuver the capsule inside the ship's well deck wasn't strong enough for the job, said Brandi Dean, a spokeswoman for NASA, which scrubbed the test. The glitch arose even though the crew had selected a stronger cable after a similar problem developed on Tuesday. The San Diego was able to dispatch and recover the parachute and capsule covering that will be used on Orion missions.
Orbital Sciences signs satellite launch deal with Skybox Imaging
Irene Klotz – Rueters
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Feb 20 (Reuters) - Orbital Sciences Corp signed a contract to launch six small satellites for Skybox Imaging aboard a new commercial version of a rocket based on decommissioned missile components, the companies said on Thursday. Dulles, Va.-based Orbital Sciences intends to launch six of Skybox Imaging's planned 24-member satellite network in late 2015. The firm's first satellite, SkySat-1, was launched in November aboard a Russian Dnepr rocket. The satellites, which are designed to take high-resolution imagery and video of Earth, will fly together aboard a Minotaur-C rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the companies said.
ISS as a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee? Why Not?
Walter Peeters – Space News
When a number of my former students approached me with the idea to nominate the international space station for the Nobel Peace Prize, I must admit I initially waived it as an interesting but unrealistic idea. I have in many of my lectures told students about my earlier days, when I worked with astronauts in Star City in the early '90s, and explained to them the growing respect between Russians and Americans during that period. In my view, space is indeed a strong catalyst for peaceful international cooperation, but a potential Nobel Peace Prize winner?
ULA Delta 4 boosts GPS navsat into space
William Harwood – CBS
A towering United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket thundered to life and climbed into space Thursday evening, boosting an upgraded Global Positioning System navigation satellite into orbit. Under a clear, moonless sky, the 205-foot-tall rocket's hydrogen-fueled RS-68 main engine throttled up at 8:59 p.m. EDT (GMT-5), followed five seconds later by ignition of two strap-on solid-fuel boosters. Trailing a brilliant plume of fiery exhaust visible for miles around, the Delta 4 quickly vaulted away from launch complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, accelerating to the east with 1.2 million pounds of thrust.
Delta IV takes flight with GPS satellite
James Dean – Florida Today
A Global Positioning System satellite rocketed to space Thursday evening, the first of three in line to replace aging members of the Air Force's largest constellation in the coming months. A Delta IV rocket blasted off at 8:59 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on the mission's first launch attempt. It was expected to deploy the 3,600-pound spacecraft after midnight.
New Exhibit Highlights Life On The International Space Station
CBS LA
Curious about space?
Raphael A. Grau, Deputy Manager of the International Space Station Program External Integration, visited the KCAL9 studios Thursday to talk about the new NASA exhibit at the California Science Center. NASA astronauts are raising awareness about research conducted aboard the International Space Station through the exhibit, "Space Station at the CA Science Center".
The Best View of the Olympics Is From Space (Slideshow)
Betsy Mason - Wired
What's missing is a sense of the place itself: where the Olympic village is in relation to the city of Sochi; how far the ski slopes are from the bobsled track. For that, the best seat is on the International Space Station. Astronauts have taken some great shots of Sochi and the Caucuses Mountains for us during the games. So have several satellites.
Mid-Infrared Instrument Installed for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope
Mike Killian – America Space
It was not too long ago that the last set of gold-coated Beryllium-made mirrors (18 in all) were delivered to NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center for installation onto the agency's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and – although the mirrors are not installed onto the body of the telescope yet – work to install Webb's four fragile science instruments began some time ago, and today NASA released a time-lapse video of the installation of the telescope's most sophisticated and technically challenging instrument – the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).
Cadillac's ad references the moon landings
Mark Whittington – Examiner
A February 19, 2014 entry in a blog called Innerspace takes a look at an ad Cadillac has been running recently for its new ELR. While touting the can do spirit of America, the narrator made a reference to the moon landings. "When the White House announced its cancellation of Project Constellation at the Kennedy Space Center in April 2010, the reason cited was not for the very valid set of arguments that the program was outdated, behind, badly over budget and impossible to afford, but instead because 'we've been there before.'
Students to ride in 'vomit comet'
Christopher Bobo – Florida Today
This July, six UCF students will take a ride in NASA's reduced-gravity aircraft — nicknamed the Vomit Comet. They will fly in the plane out of Houston to experience zero-gravity conditions in the name of science. The goal is research into how Saturn's rings were formed, which remains a mystery to scientists. Their experiment involves re-creating the environment of Saturn by inserting a cloud of dust into the middle of a dozen tubes suspended in zero-gravity.
Martian Dune Buggy Curiosity Adopts New Driving Mode to Save Wheels from Rough Rocks
Ken Kremer – Universe Today
The team directing the epic trek of NASA's Curiosity rover across the floor of Gale Crater has adopted new driving strategies and a new way forward in response to the unexpected wheel damage caused by driving over fields of rough edged Red Planet rocks in recent months. This week, engineers directed dune buggy Curiosity to drive backwards for a lengthy distance over the Martian surface for the first time since landing.
COMPLETE STORIES
Dale Gardner, jetpack-flying astronaut who salvaged satellites, dies at 65
CollectSPACE
February 21, 2014 — NASA astronaut Dale Gardner, who in 1984 achieved the world's first space salvage during his second shuttle mission, died on Wednesday (Feb. 19). He was 65.
Gardner made history becoming the last of six astronauts to use the manned maneuvering unit (MMU) jetpack as he worked to return two malfunctioning satellites to Earth.
He died Wednesday from a sudden brain aneurysm. News of his passing was shared via social media on Thursday, with the Association of Space Explorers and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida noting his death.
One of the so-called "Thirty-Five New Guys" (or "TFNG") who NASA recruited in 1978 to train for its then-new space shuttle, Gardner flew twice as a mission specialist aboard the orbiters Challenger and Discovery in August 1983 and November 1984, respectively.
Gardner's first spaceflight blazed a new path through the black sky as the first shuttle mission to launch and land at night. The six-day STS-8 mission, which marked the third flight of space shuttle Challenger, deployed INSAT-1-B, a communications and weather satellite for India, while also testing the orbiter's robotic arm and, in a first, the space-to-ground communications using a new Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS).
| NASA portrait of STS-8 and -51A astronaut Dale Gardner. (NASA) |
Gardner's STS-8 crewmates included commander Richard Truly, who had piloted the shuttle's second test flight, pilot Dan Brandenstein, and fellow mission specialists William Thornton and Guy Bluford, the latter being the first African American in space. It was only the second mission to fly with a crew of five, the largest contingent launched aboard a spacecraft at the time.
Gardner returned to space with the second flight of shuttle Discovery as a member of the STS-51A crew. The eight-day mission first launched two Canadian communication satellites and then, in a move that made history, retrieved two malfunctioning satellites for their return to Earth. The Wester 6 satellite for Western Union and Indonesian Palpa B2 satellite were deployed on a previous shuttle flight but had failed to reach their proper orbits due to failed motors.
As commander Frederick Hauck, pilot David Walker, and mission specialist Anna Fisher looked on from inside, Joe Allen and Gardner embarked on a pair of spacewalks to capture and secure the wayward satellites. The twice-done feat, which required the spacewalkers to manually hold the satellites in the orbiter's payload bay, included Allen, and then Gardner donning the MMU jetpack, marking the last times to date that astronauts flew untethered through open space.
On the successful completion of their salvage work and in a humorous nod to the malfunctioning satellites, Gardner revealed a hand-drawn "For Sale" sign, posing for a photo that would become one of the most iconic shots of the 30-year space shuttle program.
Landing Nov. 16, 1984, Gardner logged a two-mission total of 14 days and 52 minutes orbiting the Earth, including 12 hours and 14 minutes performing two spacewalks.
Dale Allan Gardner was born Nov. 8, 1948, in Fairmount, Minnesota, but was raised in Clinton, Iowa. Graduating in 1970 from the University of Illinois, Gardner entered active duty in the United States Navy and was assigned to flight officer training in Florida and Georgia.
Awarded his officer wings in May 1971, Gardner reported to the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland where he was involved in the initial tests and evaluations of the F-14 "Tomcat" fighter jet. He then served with the Navy's first operational F-14 squadron during two tours of the Pacific aboard the USS Enterprise.
From December 1976 until his selection as a member of NASA's eighth class of astronauts in 1978, Gardner was assigned to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron at Pt. Mugu, California. After reporting to Johnson Space Center in Houston and finishing a year of basic training, Gardner served as the astronaut project manager for the shuttle's flight software prior to the vehicle's first flight in 1981.
Following his two spaceflights, Gardner was training to fly a third time to space when the shuttle Challenger was lost in January 1986. Assigned to the first crew to launch into a polar orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the mission — and West Coast shuttle launch capability — was canceled in the wake of the tragedy.
In October 1986, Gardner retired from the astronaut corps and was assigned by the Navy to U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs. For two years he acted as the deputy chief of Space Control Operations in Cheyenne Mountain before being promoted to Captain and becoming deputy director for Space Control at Peterson Air Force Base. In that position, Gardner's responsibilities included surveilling and tracking all man-made objects in Earth orbit and the protection of U.S. and friendly space systems.
In October 1990, Gardner departed the Navy to accept a position with TRW, Inc. in Colorado Springs as a program manager involved in the development of both civilian and military space and defense high technology programs. In December 2003 he joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, where until 2013 he was managing the applied research and development activities for biofuels, fuel cells and advanced transportation within the laboratory.
A recipient of the NASA Space Flight Medal, Gardner was also awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross, among other honors.
Gardner had two children with his wife Sue Grace Ticusan, who he divorced in 1992.
Russia Approves Its Crew for Next Space Mission
RIA Novosti
A state medical commission approved the Russian members Thursday of a new expedition to the International Space Station ahead of the launch on March 26, Russia's space agency Roscosmos said.
The main crew of Expedition 39/40 comprises Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev as well as NASA astronaut Steven Swanson. The backup crew includes Russian cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyayev and Yelena Serova, and NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy.
Roscosmos said the commission had found the Russian members of both crews physically fit and ready to carry out the six-month mission on board the ISS.
The new crew will replace members of Expedition 37/38 – Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov, Sergei Ryazansky and NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins – who are expected to return to Earth on March 12.
NASA scrubs spacecraft test off San Diego
Gary Robbins – U-T San Diego
A mission that was meant to restore the Navy's ability to recover spacecraft from the ocean was cancelled off San Clemente Island Thursday after a technical problem prevented the amphibious warship San Diego from moving the Orion capsule into the water.
The crew discovered that the cable chosen to maneuver the capsule inside the ship's well deck wasn't strong enough for the job, said Brandi Dean, a spokeswoman for NASA, which scrubbed the test. The glitch arose even though the crew had selected a stronger cable after a similar problem developed on Tuesday. The San Diego was able to dispatch and recover the parachute and capsule covering that will be used on Orion missions.
Dean says NASA has yet to decided whether to reschedule the capsule test, which was to be a rehearsal for a mission in September in which an unmanned Orion will be shot into space, then return to Earth, parachuting into the ocean off Baja California, 800 miles south of San Diego. The same technique was used to bring astronauts home during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. NASA says is it is going back to the old method because it is the safest way to handle high speed re-entrys from deep space.
The first manned Orion missions won't occur until 2020 or 2021. And NASA has yet to choose a specific mission, although the space agency is considering sending astronauts on a round trip mission to an asteroid.
Orbital Sciences signs satellite launch deal with Skybox Imaging
Irene Klotz – Rueters
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Feb 20 (Reuters) - Orbital Sciences Corp signed a contract to launch six small satellites for Skybox Imaging aboard a new commercial version of a rocket based on decommissioned missile components, the companies said on Thursday.
Dulles, Va.-based Orbital Sciences intends to launch six of Skybox Imaging's planned 24-member satellite network in late 2015. The firm's first satellite, SkySat-1, was launched in November aboard a Russian Dnepr rocket.
The satellites, which are designed to take high-resolution imagery and video of Earth, will fly together aboard a Minotaur-C rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the companies said.
Previous Minotaur rockets incorporated decommissioned U.S. Peacekeeper and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile components. In exchange, Orbital Sciences could only sell Minotaur launch services to the U.S. government.
The commercial version will replace the government-provided missile motors with four solid fuel rocket motors built by ATK , Orbital Sciences spokesman Barry Beneski said.
The configuration is the same as what Orbital Sciences uses in its Taurus rocket and is similar to what is flown on the firm's Pegasus booster and two upper stages of the Minotaur 1, Beneski said.
"We mix and match a lot," Beneski said in an email.
"It is the Minotaur engineering and launch team that is developing, testing and will be launching the rocket," he added.
Orbital Sciences also is designing a dispenser that will be flown aboard Minotaur-C and used to put the satellites into 311-mile (500-km) high orbits. From that altitude, the satellites will be able to image objects less than 32 inches (80 cm) in diameter, Skybox Imaging said in a statement.
The privately-owned firm, based in Mountain View, Calif., is among a handful startups looking to build businesses selling Earth imagery and related information services. Last week, privately-owned Planet Labs, based in San Francisco, began using a commercially operated small satellite launcher aboard the International Space Station to deploy its 28-member network into orbit.
In December, a pair of spacewalking Russian cosmonauts installed two cameras owned by Vancouver-based UrtheCast outside the station, which flies about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. The company intends to provide a continuous, high-definition video stream of the planet, as well as digital pictures.
Skybox Imaging and Orbital Sciences did not release terms of the contract.
ISS as a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee? Why Not?
Walter Peeters – Space News
When a number of my former students approached me with the idea to nominate the international space station for the Nobel Peace Prize, I must admit I initially waived it as an interesting but unrealistic idea. I have in many of my lectures told students about my earlier days, when I worked with astronauts in Star City in the early '90s, and explained to them the growing respect between Russians and Americans during that period. In my view, space is indeed a strong catalyst for peaceful international cooperation, but a potential Nobel Peace Prize winner?
Still, the more I thought about it, the more I started to see the logic behind this thought. In order to be sure that there was no basic obstacle I looked into the roots of the Nobel Prize and the original thoughts behind it.
Alfred Nobel established in his (third) testament, signed on Nov. 27, 1895, five prizes each year. When his will became public, this came as a shock to his family and a legal fight ensued, certainly fueled by the considerable amount of the heritage. It took in fact several years before the first Nobel Prize was awarded, in 1901.
In his last will and testament, Alfred Nobel describes one of these prizes, now generally known as the Nobel Peace Prize, as follows: "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."
Although the original text specifies "person," the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 25 times to collectivities, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which has received the Nobel Peace Prize twice, in 1954 and 1981, and the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has been honored three times, in 1917, 1944 and 1963.
More recently, in 2013 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. From this perspective and in view of the precedents, it seems clear that ISS could be a viable candidate.
This being clarified, the second step is to reflect on why ISS would be a potential competitor for the prize.
Space activities have been used at a number of occasions as a visible show of international cooperation. The very first example, right in the middle of the Cold War, was the docking in 1975 between an American (Apollo) and a Russian (Soyuz) spacecraft in 1975.
I have had the privilege to know both commanders of this mission, Alexei Leonov from the Russian side and Thomas Stafford from the American side. We shall not forget that both of them were military pilots and rather trained to fight each other than to cooperate with each other. Fate forced them to work together in a joint mission where their lives depended on each other. This creates a bond for the rest of one's life. And indeed, when I met them again in 2011, I met two very close friends, friends for life.
Technically speaking, one could argue that such docking required only a good interface control document with limited knowledge of both systems. The same cannot be said about the cooperation at ISS, though.
Let us go back to the history of ISS. As early as Jan. 25, 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in his State to the Union address, directed NASA to develop a permanently occupied space station, with the specific instruction to invite other countries to participate in the project. On Sept. 29, 1988, a multinational governmental agreement was signed between the United States, the European Space Agency, Japan and Canada for the building of the Space Station Freedom.
On Jan. 25, 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton invited the Russians to join the project, noting in his State of the Union address, "Instead of building weapons in space, Russian scientists will help us to build the international space station." At that moment, a historical step was made to build the most impressive and complex international project ever undertaken with such a diverse number of partners.
On Nov. 20, 1998, the first element of ISS, Zarya (Russian for "dawn") was launched by a Proton rocket, and two weeks later Unity (Node 1) was attached to the station after delivery by the Space Shuttle Endeavour. This was the start of a very complex and successful multinational building program.
It also represented a completely new way of international cooperation, as the elements composing the station are interdependent. Hence, thousands of engineers had to work together all over the world and learn to trust each other fully.
An important aspect of this is the ultimate human factor in such an endeavor: namely, the astronauts. In order to prepare for joint missions, the so-called Phase One was introduced, involving a number of U.S. astronauts in missions to the Russian space station Mir, as well as having a number of Russian cosmonauts as part of the U.S. shuttle crews.
Seven U.S. astronauts were involved in long-duration missions onboard Mir. These are the real roots of closer interpersonal contacts, via astronauts and cosmonauts but also via the hundreds of supporting people around them. The U.S. astronauts were received with skepticism by the Russian space specialists, but I have witnessed the rapid change when both sides started increasingly to appreciate the skills of the other side. It was a clash of cultures, technical as well as social.
One of the events I still think made a considerable breakthrough was the flight of Shannon Lucid in 1996. This remarkable astronaut spent 179 days onboard Mir together with two relatively young cosmonauts with such a serenity and sense of good mood that it really impressed the seasoned Russian space community.
It is this mutual respect that is the indirect key of the important contribution of these joint space programs. Not only astronauts but also thousands of other specialists learned to work together in the ISS era all over the world, requiring common standards and agreements on a common time and language. Since 2000 multinational crews have been onboard permanently, doing excellent scientific work in microgravity conditions.
There is, however, another dimension to this. ISS can be seen at night with the naked eye, and millions of people have been looking at this platform, a symbol of international and peaceful cooperation, over more than 13 years now.
This physical link with the station from all around the world is giving hope that humanity will be able, on a broader scale, to peacefully undertake bigger and bigger projects.
In analogy how, no doubt, space cooperation worked as a catalyst in the Cold War period, ISS could become a steppingstone to even more global cooperation. Exploration to other celestial bodies such as Mars will be too expensive, even for the present ISS partners, and will require including new partners such as China and India. We can but hope that this next step will lead to such global cooperation, giving humanity a new source of inspiration toward a more peaceful global society.
What more arguments are needed for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination?
ULA Delta 4 boosts GPS navsat into space
William Harwood – CBS
A towering United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket thundered to life and climbed into space Thursday evening, boosting an upgraded Global Positioning System navigation satellite into orbit.
Under a clear, moonless sky, the 205-foot-tall rocket's hydrogen-fueled RS-68 main engine throttled up at 8:59 p.m. EDT (GMT-5), followed five seconds later by ignition of two strap-on solid-fuel boosters.
Trailing a brilliant plume of fiery exhaust visible for miles around, the Delta 4 quickly vaulted away from launch complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, accelerating to the east with 1.2 million pounds of thrust.
The launching was delayed 19 minutes because of concern about higher-than-allowable levels of solar radiation. But the readings dropped back within limits before the launch window closed, and mission managers cleared the rocket for flight.
The climb out went smoothly, and the solid-fuel boosters burned out and fell away about a minute and 40 seconds after liftoff. The first stage followed suit two-and-a-half-minutes later and the rocket continued toward space under the power of a single hydrogen-fueled Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10B-2 engine.
The second stage engine shut down as expected about 12 minutes and 14 seconds after launch, putting the rocket and its GPS payload into an initial orbit with a high point of around 215 miles and a low point of just 100 miles or so.
Two subsequent engine firings were planned to boost the satellite into the desired 12,500-mile-high circular orbit tilted 55 degrees to the equator.
The Boeing-built Global Positioning System 2F-5 satellite was expected to be released from the Delta 4 second stage three hours and 33 minutes into the mission.
The satellite is the first of three GPS navigation beacons scheduled for launch through July to replace older spacecraft in the constellation. The 2F-5 satellite is the fifth of 12 planned "block 2" spacecraft that make up the core of the current GPS fleet.
Equipped with ultra-accurate atomic clocks, Global Positioning System satellites circle the globe in six orbital planes. Using an active constellation of more than two dozen satellites, at least four GPS spacecraft are visible in the sky from any point on the Earth's surface, transmitting location and timing signals that allow compact receivers to compute position, altitude and velocity.
An encrypted band gives miliary users position accuracy to within a few feet while an unencrypted public channel provides slightly less precise data to a wide variety of devices, from smart phones to automobile-mounted GPS mapping units.
The block 2F satellites are more accurate than earlier spacecraft and feature new channels to support commercial and civil aviation, more easily upgradeable flight computers and beefed up anti-jamming hardware.
The satellite being replaced by the GPS 2F-5 spacecraft was launched in 1997 and is well past its design life.
"The satellite we are replacing is over 16 years old and its design life was 7.5 years," " Col. William Cooley, Global Positioning Systems director, told reporters before launch.
"Sometimes we joke those are getting old enough to vote and some are old enough to drink, and they're well past their design life. The oldest is 23 years. We've gotten remarkable performance out of them, but they are aging."
Delta IV takes flight with GPS satellite
James Dean – Florida Today
A Global Positioning System satellite rocketed to space Thursday evening, the first of three in line to replace aging members of the Air Force's largest constellation in the coming months.
A Delta IV rocket blasted off at 8:59 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on the mission's first launch attempt. It was expected to deploy the 3,600-pound spacecraft after midnight.
Delayed briefly by high solar radiation levels that could have damaged the rocket's electronics, the 20-story United Launch Alliance booster bolted from its Launch Complex 37 pad and blazed into the night sky, reaching 10 times the speed of sound within a few minutes.
Two solid rocket motors burned out and separated early in the flight, flashing like fire flies as they tumbled to the ocean. The rocket disappeared from view when its main engine cut off more than four minutes into flight, and the upper stage continued on.
The satellite is the fifth of 12 in the new generation called Block IIF, or 2F, built by Boeing.
It was on course to become one of 31 GPS satellites circling Earth twice a day more than 11,000 miles high, providing precision navigation and timing information upon which the military and civilians depend.
The systems guide troops, vehicles and weapons, and are deeply integrated into everyday life and business, from providing your location on a phone to time-stamping financial transactions, running electric grids and helping farmers apply fertilizer more precisely.
Should the system ever encounter a serious disruption, "I actually think that the civil community would probably be pounding on our doorstep first and foremost," Col. William Cooley, Global Positioning Systems director at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center, said before the launch.
"What I'm surprised at in this job, probably more than other satellite systems, is the tremendous reliance and success of how GPS is being used worldwide for so many other things that we don't even think about and we kind of take for granted," he added.
The new, more capable GPS satellite was slated to replace a 16-year-old veteran that will remain available as a backup, along with five others, just in case.
Two more GPS satellites are targeted for launch from the Cape in May and July on ULA's Delta IV and Atlas V rockets, respectively.
Thursday's launch was postponed from October by an ongoing investigation into an upper stage engine problem during a successful 2012 launch. ULA said additional analysis confirmed it had already taken appropriate steps to improve engine inspections and performance.
The launch was the third from the Cape this year, and ULA's second. It was the 25th by a Delta IV rocket since it began flying in 2002.
New Exhibit Highlights Life On The International Space Station
CBS LA
Curious about space?
Raphael A. Grau, Deputy Manager of the International Space Station Program External Integration, visited the KCAL9 studios Thursday to talk about the new NASA exhibit at the California Science Center.
NASA astronauts are raising awareness about research conducted aboard the International Space Station through the exhibit, "Space Station at the CA Science Center".
The display gives visitors a firsthand look at some of the foods astronauts eat in space, how they walk in space, some of the exercises they do to stay in shape and more!
"Space Station" runs through April 7.
The Best View of the Olympics Is From Space (Slideshow)
Betsy Mason - Wired
What's missing is a sense of the place itself: where the Olympic village is in relation to the city of Sochi; how far the ski slopes are from the bobsled track. For that, the best seat is on the International Space Station. Astronauts have taken some great shots of Sochi and the Caucuses Mountains for us during the games. So have several satellites.
The gallery above contains shots of the Olympic venues on the Black Sea coast, the ski slopes, and the broader area, and ends with a sequence of images showing the building of the Olympic Village from scratch starting in 2005. You can almost see Putin's buddies enjoying their fat government contracts.
Mid-Infrared Instrument Installed for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope
Mike Killian – America Space
It was not too long ago that the last set of gold-coated Beryllium-made mirrors (18 in all) were delivered to NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center for installation onto the agency's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and – although the mirrors are not installed onto the body of the telescope yet – work to install Webb's four fragile science instruments began some time ago, and today NASA released a time-lapse video of the installation of the telescope's most sophisticated and technically challenging instrument – the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).
Workers in Goddard's 1.3-million-cubic-foot clean room recently installed the state-of-the-art infrared instrument into a large component of the telescope known as the science instrument payload – or Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), which acts like a chassis in a car to provide support and house all four of Webb's science instruments. Integration of MIRI to ISIM, a process which requires a surgical installation for precision and accuracy, took four hours to complete, and the folks at Goddard made a time-lapse video of the install that was released to the public today (Feb. 20, 2014).
"Actual total time to install the MIRI was just over four hours," said Jason Hylan, lead mechanical systems, mechanical integration and test, and opto-mechanical engineer for the ISIM at Goddard. "The MIRI had to be positioned to a tolerance of 25 microns, or one one-thousandth of an inch, which is less than the width of a human hair."
Once the JWST is in space and MIRI goes operational it will open up the cosmos to astronomers by giving them views of colder, more distant objects than has ever been seen before. MIRI's camera and spectrograph will observe light with wavelengths in the mid-infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum of 5 microns to 28 microns - longer wavelengths than a human eye can detect and even beyond the 0.6 micron to 5 micron wavelength range of Webb's other three instruments.
"Using this mid-infrared instrument we will be able to view the Universe at unprecedented sensitivity, which will help us to solve the mysteries of galaxy birth as well as the formation of solar systems – a key to understanding our own origins," said Professor Martin Ward, UK Science Co-Investigator on the MIRI project from the University of Arizona Department of Physics and Astronomy.
"MIRI presents great challenges but fantastic technological and scientific opportunities," adds Dr Gillian Wright, European Consortium Principal Investigator for MIRI. "The sensitive spectroscopy provided by MIRI is especially important as it contains many unique spectral and diagnostic features that will enable us to study the properties and materials around forming stars in extreme detail. With MIRI onboard the JWST will continue the legacy of Hubble and become the world's benchmark for imaging the wonders of deep space."
MIRI's camera will provide wide-field, broadband imaging that will undoubtedly continue to impress humanity with incredible views of the universe same as its predecessor – NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. However, unlike Hubble's cameras, MIRI will see objects 10 to 100 times fainter than Hubble's cameras can see, and its spectrograph will enable medium-resolution spectroscopy, providing new physical details of the distant objects it will observe. Regions of obscured star formation, molecular hydrogen emission from previously unthinkable distances, the physics of protostars, and the sizes of Kuiper Belt objects and faint comets are all fair game to the power of the MIRI instrument.
Having the capability of both a spectrometer and an imager, basically being two instruments in one, gives MIRI the ability to point at an object in space to record both its image and spectrum. MIRI's capabilities will also allow it to see light emitted by molecules that reveal a wealth of physical information and can reveal the presence of life on other planets, in addition to seeing through dust which obscures key phenomena such as star formation. Physical properties of objects across the universe, including temperature, mass, and chemical composition of those objects will all be studied by the giant telescope thanks to MIRI – which will hopefully answer long-standing questions that Hubble and the other great observatories alone cannot answer themselves.
"The MIRI instrument and the Webb's large telescope mirror will enable the highest resolution mid-infrared imagery ever achieved in space astronomy," said Matt Greenhouse, project scientist for the Webb instrument payload at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
The Mid-Infrared Instrument undergoing alignment testing at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space in Oxfordshire, U.K. Photo Credit: RAL
The instrument will need to be cold, VERY cold in order to operate correctly. MIRI will operate at a temperature of minus 270 degrees Celsius, and it will take approximately 200 days after launch to reach its optimal operating temperature. To ensure MIRI is protected from excess heat it is housed in a thermal shield, which basically resembles foil. To obtain images and spectra in infrared light that is invisible to the human eye the JWST must be cooled to a very low temperature (-383 F or -230 C) in order to avoid being blinded by their own infrared emission, and since MIRI will operate over longer infrared wavelengths than the other three instruments it must be made approximately 35 degrees colder than the rest of the ISIM.
"MIRI will enable Webb to distinguish the oldest galaxies from more evolved objects that have undergone several cycles of star birth and death," said Matt Greenhouse, ISIM project scientist at Goddard. "MIRI also will provide a unique window into the birth places of stars which are typically enshrouded by dust that shorter wavelength light cannot penetrate."
Developed by a consortium of 10 European institutions in partnership with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., MIRI's mid-infrared coverage will complement the near-infrared capabilities of the other three science instruments on the JWST, including observations of the most distant objects to help determine whether or not they are among the first ones that formed in the universe.
Once complete, Webb—with its 69.5 ft x 46.5 ft instruments-protecting sunshield deployed—will be the size of a Boeing 737 airplane. Hubble, in comparison, is about the size of a large tractor-trailer truck or bus. Webb's 6.5-meter diameter primary mirror will also be bigger, much bigger. The telescope will have nearly seven times more light collecting area than Hubble, allowing for unprecedented infrared observations of distant objects from the dawn of the universe some 14 billion years ago.
A joint project between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Webb will have been in planning, design, and development for over 20 years when it is launched atop an Ariane-5 rocket from Arianespace's ELA-3 launch complex at the European Spaceport located near Kourou, French Guiana, in 2018.
Cadillac's ad references the moon landings
Mark Whittington – Examiner
A February 19, 2014 entry in a blog called Innerspace takes a look at an ad Cadillac has been running recently for its new ELR. While touting the can do spirit of America, the narrator made a reference to the moon landings.
"When the White House announced its cancellation of Project Constellation at the Kennedy Space Center in April 2010, the reason cited was not for the very valid set of arguments that the program was outdated, behind, badly over budget and impossible to afford, but instead because 'we've been there before.'
"General Motors appears to agree, or does it? Americans are so hardworking the ad asserts, we left the Moon because we were bored. Not to worry though, we left the keys in the (rover) because 'we're the only ones going back up there.'"
Innerspace's assessment of the "valid" reasons for canceling Constellation is debatable. When faced with what it saw as a similar situation concerning the Space Station Freedom project, the Clinton administration declined to cancel it entirely, but rather restructured it and called it the International Space Station, which currently orbits the Earth as a venue of research and development and as a magnet for commercial spacecraft. The Obama administration had the same option concerning Constellation, indeed the Augustine Committee suggested a way to do so. It declined because it is clearly uninterested in space exploration.
Getting back to the rover on the moon, with the keys in it waiting for the next astronaut to show up, there is a certain way of looking at the moon landing reference in the ad. To be sure Apollo has been an iconic metaphor for innovation and the spirit of achievement ever since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the lunar surface and had been used countless times in commercials. But the reference to going back is a new one, something that bears examination.
Good ad men know that their copy, in order to resonate, has to touch something in the psyche of the customers being pitched to. The later day Don Draper who wrote the Cadillac ad must have seen something, either in a survey or in his own gut, when he made the reference to going back to the moon. In the ad, it is not a case of "been there, done that." Rather it is a case of, "time to do it again." The yearning to do great things again is clearly there, otherwise why refer to it?
Hopefully when the next astronaut does return to the moon and turns the keys in that lunar rover, he will actually be an American and not Chinese.
Students to ride in 'vomit comet'
Christopher Bobo – Florida Today
This July, six UCF students will take a ride in NASA's reduced-gravity aircraft — nicknamed the Vomit Comet. They will fly in the plane out of Houston to experience zero-gravity conditions in the name of science.
The goal is research into how Saturn's rings were formed, which remains a mystery to scienitsts.
Their experiment involves re-creating the environment of Saturn by inserting a cloud of dust into the middle of a dozen tubes suspended in zero-gravity.
From there, the team would launch large marbles through the tubes to see how the dust reacts to the introduced solid. Their hope: it might give an idea into how dust and debris around Saturn's moons react.
"You can draw the parallels between solar system formations and you can think of a comet moving through a cloud of dust," said aerospace engineering major Brad Hoover.
Aerospace engineering senior Kelly Lai first wrote up the idea for a reserach paper assignment, and the team submitted the proposal to NASA for funding. Considerable time passed before they were notified their proposal had been accepted.
That got the team back to work. In addition to Hoover and Lai, team members include aerospace engineering junior Allyson Whitaker; junior physics major Christopher Tiller; junior photonic science and engineering major Sam Benjamin; and marketing junior Sara Lane.
"We redesigned it; Brad actually machined all the parts. The process took five months to get here," Lai said.
Benjamin said that the experiment represents a larger, recurring theme in astrophysics of how moons are formed and how space bodies may be formed from dust.
To further simulate bodies in space, they also are creating a vacuum within the tubes.
Lai said the significance of dust sticking to marbles in zero gravity can't be re-created in a lab.
The team works under its principal investigator Josh Colwell, a UCF physics professor.
Before this project, Whitaker, Lai, Tiller and Hoover worked in the lab with Colwell.
Benjamin's first experience with the team came after the president of the astronomy society on campus told him about the opportunity and said he should apply.
Lane was added to the group at Colwell's request as the group's marketing and communications manager.
Because her major doesn't touch on the mechanics of being in zero gravity, she asks a lot of questions.
"Josh once said that sometimes my questions make them think a little more, so they have to break it down," Lane said.
In response to whether any of them fear the Vomit Comet will prompt them to, well, vomit, Hoover immediately responded yes. Kelly is nearly equally sure due to her fear of roller coasters.
But Benjamin, who is a self-proclaimed "roller coaster guy," is ready.
"They say 50 percent of first-time flyers throw up," Hoover said.
The team will be making the microgravity trip 40 times in four days, for 30 seconds each time.
Martian Dune Buggy Curiosity Adopts New Driving Mode to Save Wheels from Rough Rocks
Ken Kremer – Universe Today
The team directing the epic trek of NASA's Curiosity rover across the floor of Gale Crater has adopted new driving strategies and a new way forward in response to the unexpected wheel damage caused by driving over fields of rough edged Red Planet rocks in recent months.
This week, engineers directed dune buggy Curiosity to drive backwards for a lengthy distance over the Martian surface for the first time since landing.
The SUV sized vehicle apparently passed the reverse driving test with flying colors and is now well on the way to the path ahead aiming for the sedimentary layers at the base of towering Mount Sharp – the primary mission destination – which reaches 3.4 miles (5.5 km) into the Martian sky.
"We wanted to have backwards driving in our validated toolkit because there will be parts of our route that will be more challenging," said Curiosity Project Manager Jim Erickson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif, in a statement.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Curiosity not only drove in reverse, but the 329 feet (100.3 meters) distance covered marked her farthest one-day advance in over three months.
And she is also now roving over the sought after smoother Martian terrain, as hoped, when the team decided to alter the traverse route based on high resolution imaging observations collected by the telescopic camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) circling overhead.
The goal is to minimize wear and tear on the 20 inch diameter wheels.
Engineers were forced to devise new driving techniques and consider a new route forward after the aluminum wheels accumulated significant punctures and rips during the past few months of driving over fields strewn with sharp edged Martian rocks.
"We have changed our focus to look at the big picture for getting to the slopes of Mount Sharp, assessing different potential routes and different entry points to the destination area," Erickson said. "No route will be perfect; we need to figure out the best of the imperfect ones."
But to reach the smooth terrain and the science rich targets located on the pathway ahead, the six wheeled rover first had to pass through a gateway known as the 'Dingo Gap' sand dune.
Curiosity crossed through the 3 foot (1 meter) tall Dingo Gap sand dune with ease on Feb. 9 and roved on to targets in the "Moonlight Valley" and the region beyond.
"Moonlight Valley has got lots of veins cutting through it," Grotzinger told me.
"We're seeing recessive bedrock."
Since passing thorough the Dingo Gap gateway, Curiosity has moved another 937 feet (285.5 meters) for a total mission odometry of 3.24 miles (5.21 kilometers) since the nail biting landing on Aug. 6, 2012. landing.
"After we got over the dune, we began driving in terrain that looks like what we expected based on the orbital data. There are fewer sharp rocks, many of them are loose, and in most places there's a little bit of sand cushioning the vehicle," Erickson said.
Remove this adCuriosity's near term goal is to reach her next science waypoint, named Kimberly (formerly called KMS-9) which lies about two-thirds of a mile (about 1.1 kilometers) ahead.
Kimberly is of interest to the science team because it sits at an the intersection of different rock layers.
The 1 ton robot may be directed to drill into another rock at Kimberly.
If approved, Kimberly would be her first since drilling operation since boring into Cumberland rock target last spring and since departing the Yellowknife Bay region in July 2013 where she discovered a habitable zone.
To date Curiosity's odometer stands at nearly 5 kilometers and she has taken over 118,000 images. The robot has about another 5 km to go to reach Mount Sharp.
Meanwhile, NASA's sister Opportunity rover was just imaged from orbit by MRO while exploring clay mineral outcrops by the summit of Solander Point on the opposite side of Mars at the start of her 2nd Decade investigating the Red Planet's mysteries.
And a pair of new orbiters are streaking to the Red Planet to fortify Earth's invasion fleet- NASA's MAVEN and India's MOM.
END
More detailed space news can be found at:
He does not want a strong USA in military, manufacturing, business, space, health, energy, secure borders, strong families, strong work ethic, etc. He & libs are liars & BAD for this Great Country!!!
http://m.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/a-bold-new-course-nasa
