Space Shuttle Program Completes New Plan for Next Launch
WASHINGTON -- NASA's Space Shuttle Program has established a plan that could support shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, tentatively targeted for March 12. An exact target launch date will be determined as work progresses with the shuttle's three gaseous hydrogen flow control valves. At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have started removing Discovery's three valves, two of which will undergo detailed inspection.
Approximately 4,000 images of each valve will be reviewed for evidence of cracks. Valves that have flown fewer times will be installed in Discovery. Engineering teams also will complete analysis and testing to understand the consequences if a valve piece were to break off and strike pressurization lines between the shuttle and external fuel tank. Hardware modifications may be made to the pressurization lines to add extra protection in the unlikely event debris is released.
NASA and contractor teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. After a thorough review of shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight on Feb. 20, NASA managers decided more understanding of the valve work was required before launching Discovery.
The Space Shuttle Program will hold a meeting March 4 to review new data and assess ongoing work. Managers then will determine whether to move forward with a flight readiness review March 6. If Discovery's tentative launch date holds, there will be no effect on the next two shuttle launches: STS-125 to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and STS-127 to the International Space Station. For STS-119 crew and mission information.
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Thursday, 26 February 2009
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory
NASA's Launch Of Carbon-Seeking Satellite is Unsuccessful
Feb. 24, 2009
WASHINGTON -- NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite failed to reach orbit after its 4:55 a.m. EST liftoff Tuesday from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. Preliminary indications are that the fairing on the Taurus XL launch vehicle failed to separate.
The fairing is a clamshell structure that encapsulates the satellite as it travels through the atmosphere. A Mishap Investigation Board will be immediately convened to determine the cause of the launch failure.
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Feb. 24, 2009
WASHINGTON -- NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite failed to reach orbit after its 4:55 a.m. EST liftoff Tuesday from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. Preliminary indications are that the fairing on the Taurus XL launch vehicle failed to separate.
The fairing is a clamshell structure that encapsulates the satellite as it travels through the atmosphere. A Mishap Investigation Board will be immediately convened to determine the cause of the launch failure.
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Monday, 23 February 2009
Hubble's Next Discovery
Hubble's Next Discovery -- You Decide
Put yourself behind the controls of modern astronomy's most famous telescope. Be a part of history and join astronomy fans around the globe in casting a vote for the next object the Hubble Space Telescope will view.
Put yourself behind the controls of modern astronomy's most famous telescope. Be a part of history and join astronomy fans around the globe in casting a vote for the next object the Hubble Space Telescope will view.
Choose from a selection of celestial views never seen before by Hubble, and earn a chance to enter a drawing for 100 copies of the winning picture. To participate in the contest, go to HubbleSite's You Decide page. Vote by March 1, 2009. Educators can visit Amazing Space for a classroom collage activity that engages students in the wonders of the universe.This event is part of the worldwide International Year of Astronomy (IYA), celebrating the 400th anniversary of the astronomer Galileo directing his telescope toward the night sky. The winning image will be released during the IYA's 100 Hours of Astronomy, an event geared toward encouraging as many people as possible to experience the night sky.
NASA Space Station Module
Be Part Of History -- Help NASA Name The Next Space Station Module
NASA is asking the public to help name the International Space Station's next module.
WASHINGTON -- NASA is asking the public to help name the International Space Station's next module - a control tower for robotics in space and the world's ultimate observation deck.
Eight refrigerator-sized racks in the Node 3 module will provide room for many of the station's life support systems. Attached to the node is the cupola, a one-of-a-kind work station with six windows around the sides and one on top. The cupola will offer astronauts a spectacular view of their home planet and their home in space.
In addition to providing a perfect location to observe and photograph Earth, the cupola also will contain a robotics workstation from which astronauts will be able to control the station's 57-foot robotic arm. Individuals can vote for the module's name online, choosing one of four NASA suggestions -- Earthrise, Legacy, Serenity or Venture -- or writing in a name. Submissions will be accepted Feb. 19 through March 20. The name should reflect the spirit of exploration and cooperation embodied by the space station and follow in the tradition set by Node 1, named "Unity," and Node 2, named "Harmony."
The winning name will be announced at the Node 3 unveiling April 28 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The node is scheduled to arrive at Kennedy April 20 and is targeted for launch in late 2009.
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Voting will be open until March 20th, 2009. NASA will announce the winning name in April 2009. http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html
NASA wants your opinion in naming the International Space Station’s Node 3 – a connecting module and its cupola – before the two segments travel to space and are installed on the orbiting laboratory. The name should reflect the spirit of exploration and cooperation embodied by the space station, and follow in the tradition set by Node 1- Unity- and Node 2- Harmony. Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the Node 3 components during the STS-130 mission targeted for December 2009. Once the cupola is attached to one of the module’s six ports, it will offer astronauts a spectacular view of both their home planet and their home in space.
The cupola’s six rectangular windows and one circular window overhead will show a panoramic view that will be unrivaled by any other spacecraft ever flown. Aside from providing a perfect location to observe and photograph the Earth, the cupola also will contain a robotics workstation, where astronauts will be able to control the station’s giant robotic arm. Node 3 will connect to the port side of the Unity Node and will provide room for many of the station’s life support systems, in the form of eight refrigerator-sized racks.
After Node 3 is installed, the station’s crew will transfer over many of the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) currently stored in various places around the station, including:
Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which takes the station’s water and splits it apart into hydrogen, which gets vented into space, and oxygen, which is returned into the cabin for the crew to breathe
Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS), which controls the station’s carbon dioxide levels and maintains the temperature and atmospheric pressure at comfortable levels
Water Recovery System (WRS) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), which take waste water from the station’s shower and toilets and purify it, separating any contaminants and making it safe for the crew to drink
Waste and hygiene compartment, which provides a place for the crew to shower and use the bathroom in a way that allows the station to process the majority of the water used onboard so that it may be used again, greatly lessening the need for resupply flights from Earth.
NASA and its station partners traditionally have named each habitable part of the station, including its three laboratories (the U.S lab- Destiny, the European lab- Columbus, and the Japanese lab- Kibo or Hope), two airlocks (Quest and Pirs or Pier), and two Russian-built modules (Zvezda or Star, and Zarya or Dawn). http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html
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NASA is asking the public to help name the International Space Station's next module.
WASHINGTON -- NASA is asking the public to help name the International Space Station's next module - a control tower for robotics in space and the world's ultimate observation deck.
Eight refrigerator-sized racks in the Node 3 module will provide room for many of the station's life support systems. Attached to the node is the cupola, a one-of-a-kind work station with six windows around the sides and one on top. The cupola will offer astronauts a spectacular view of their home planet and their home in space.
In addition to providing a perfect location to observe and photograph Earth, the cupola also will contain a robotics workstation from which astronauts will be able to control the station's 57-foot robotic arm. Individuals can vote for the module's name online, choosing one of four NASA suggestions -- Earthrise, Legacy, Serenity or Venture -- or writing in a name. Submissions will be accepted Feb. 19 through March 20. The name should reflect the spirit of exploration and cooperation embodied by the space station and follow in the tradition set by Node 1, named "Unity," and Node 2, named "Harmony."
The winning name will be announced at the Node 3 unveiling April 28 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The node is scheduled to arrive at Kennedy April 20 and is targeted for launch in late 2009.
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Voting will be open until March 20th, 2009. NASA will announce the winning name in April 2009. http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html
NASA wants your opinion in naming the International Space Station’s Node 3 – a connecting module and its cupola – before the two segments travel to space and are installed on the orbiting laboratory. The name should reflect the spirit of exploration and cooperation embodied by the space station, and follow in the tradition set by Node 1- Unity- and Node 2- Harmony. Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver the Node 3 components during the STS-130 mission targeted for December 2009. Once the cupola is attached to one of the module’s six ports, it will offer astronauts a spectacular view of both their home planet and their home in space.
The cupola’s six rectangular windows and one circular window overhead will show a panoramic view that will be unrivaled by any other spacecraft ever flown. Aside from providing a perfect location to observe and photograph the Earth, the cupola also will contain a robotics workstation, where astronauts will be able to control the station’s giant robotic arm. Node 3 will connect to the port side of the Unity Node and will provide room for many of the station’s life support systems, in the form of eight refrigerator-sized racks.
After Node 3 is installed, the station’s crew will transfer over many of the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) currently stored in various places around the station, including:
Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which takes the station’s water and splits it apart into hydrogen, which gets vented into space, and oxygen, which is returned into the cabin for the crew to breathe
Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS), which controls the station’s carbon dioxide levels and maintains the temperature and atmospheric pressure at comfortable levels
Water Recovery System (WRS) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), which take waste water from the station’s shower and toilets and purify it, separating any contaminants and making it safe for the crew to drink
Waste and hygiene compartment, which provides a place for the crew to shower and use the bathroom in a way that allows the station to process the majority of the water used onboard so that it may be used again, greatly lessening the need for resupply flights from Earth.
NASA and its station partners traditionally have named each habitable part of the station, including its three laboratories (the U.S lab- Destiny, the European lab- Columbus, and the Japanese lab- Kibo or Hope), two airlocks (Quest and Pirs or Pier), and two Russian-built modules (Zvezda or Star, and Zarya or Dawn). http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/name_ISS/index.html
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NASA - Ares 1 Launch Vehicle News
Segment of Ares I-X Test Rocket Arrives at Kennedy
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The last newly manufactured section of the Ares I-X test rocket arrived at the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility of NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Friday. Called the frustum, the section resembles a giant funnel. Its function is to transition the primary flight loads from the rocket's upper stage to the first stage. The frustum is located between the forward skirt extension and the upper stage of the Ares I-X. “It is always great to get the hardware to the launch site, and once the motors arrive in just a few weeks, the entire launch vehicle can begin final processing prior to stacking operations in the Vehicle Assembly Building,” said Jon Cowart, the Ares I-X deputy mission manager at Kennedy. The Ares I-X is targeted to launch in the summer of 2009. The flight will provide NASA with an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I launch vehicle. The flight test also will bring NASA a step closer to its exploration goals of sending humans to the moon and destinations beyond. The frustum is manufactured by Major Tool and Machine Inc. in Indiana under a subcontract with Alliant Techsystems Inc., or ATK, the Ares first stage prime contractor. Weighing in at approximately 13,000 pounds, the 10-foot-long section is composed of two aluminum rings attached to a truncated conic section. The large diameter of the cone is 18 feet and the small diameter is 12 feet. The cone is 1.25 inches thick. “We are thrilled to deliver this final segment to the ground processing team at Kennedy,” said Bob Herman, ATK’s Florida site director. “The arrival of the frustum is a significant milestone. Much rigorous design, development and testing had to be accomplished prior to manufacturing all of the new segments that make up the Ares I-X first stage.” The frustum will be integrated with the forward skirt and forward skirt extension, which already are in the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility. That will complete the forward assembly. The assembly then will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for stacking operations, which are scheduled to begin in April.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The last newly manufactured section of the Ares I-X test rocket arrived at the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility of NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Friday. Called the frustum, the section resembles a giant funnel. Its function is to transition the primary flight loads from the rocket's upper stage to the first stage. The frustum is located between the forward skirt extension and the upper stage of the Ares I-X. “It is always great to get the hardware to the launch site, and once the motors arrive in just a few weeks, the entire launch vehicle can begin final processing prior to stacking operations in the Vehicle Assembly Building,” said Jon Cowart, the Ares I-X deputy mission manager at Kennedy. The Ares I-X is targeted to launch in the summer of 2009. The flight will provide NASA with an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I launch vehicle. The flight test also will bring NASA a step closer to its exploration goals of sending humans to the moon and destinations beyond. The frustum is manufactured by Major Tool and Machine Inc. in Indiana under a subcontract with Alliant Techsystems Inc., or ATK, the Ares first stage prime contractor. Weighing in at approximately 13,000 pounds, the 10-foot-long section is composed of two aluminum rings attached to a truncated conic section. The large diameter of the cone is 18 feet and the small diameter is 12 feet. The cone is 1.25 inches thick. “We are thrilled to deliver this final segment to the ground processing team at Kennedy,” said Bob Herman, ATK’s Florida site director. “The arrival of the frustum is a significant milestone. Much rigorous design, development and testing had to be accomplished prior to manufacturing all of the new segments that make up the Ares I-X first stage.” The frustum will be integrated with the forward skirt and forward skirt extension, which already are in the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility. That will complete the forward assembly. The assembly then will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for stacking operations, which are scheduled to begin in April.
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Discovery NASA Launch Date Delay
NASA Defers Setting Next Shuttle Launch Date
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During a thorough review of space shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight, NASA managers decided Friday that more data and possible testing are required before launching the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station.
Engineering teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight.
"We need to complete more work to have a better understanding before flying," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington who chaired Friday's Flight Readiness Review. "We were not driven by schedule pressure and did the right thing. When we fly, we want to do so with full confidence.
"The shuttle has three flow control valves that channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external fuel tank. Teams also have tried to determine the consequences if a valve piece were to break off and strike part of the shuttle and external fuel tank.
The Space Shuttle Program has been asked to develop a plan to inspect additional valves similar to those installed on Discovery. This plan will be reviewed during a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Afterward, the program may consider setting a new target launch date.
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store - STS-119 Collectables
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During a thorough review of space shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight, NASA managers decided Friday that more data and possible testing are required before launching the STS-119 mission to the International Space Station.
Engineering teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight.
"We need to complete more work to have a better understanding before flying," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington who chaired Friday's Flight Readiness Review. "We were not driven by schedule pressure and did the right thing. When we fly, we want to do so with full confidence.
"The shuttle has three flow control valves that channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external fuel tank. Teams also have tried to determine the consequences if a valve piece were to break off and strike part of the shuttle and external fuel tank.
The Space Shuttle Program has been asked to develop a plan to inspect additional valves similar to those installed on Discovery. This plan will be reviewed during a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Afterward, the program may consider setting a new target launch date.
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store - STS-119 Collectables
Science Teachers Turned Spacewalkers for the STS-119 Mission
Science Teachers Turned Spacewalkers for the STS-119 Mission
Two educators who are now fully trained NASA astronauts will make their first journey into orbit on space shuttle Discovery's upcoming mission to the International Space Station. During the STS-119 mission, Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold will step outside the station to conduct critical spacewalking tasks. Acaba taught at Melbourne High School and Dunnellon Middle School in Florida. Arnold taught science and mathematics at several schools in the U.S. and overseas, including John Hanson Middle School in Waldorf, Md.
Discovery is targeted to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than Feb. 25, 2009. The shuttle will deliver the space station's fourth and final set of solar arrays, thus completing the complex's backbone, or truss.
Joseph Acaba (left) and Richard Arnold will be making their first spaceflights on STS-119. Image Credit: NASA
Meet the STS-119 Crew
Meet the STS-119 Crew
Image above: Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, these seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-119 crew portrait. From the right (front row) are NASA astronauts Lee Archambault, commander, and Tony Antonelli, pilot. From the left (back row) are NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, all mission specialists. Image credit: NASAAir Force Col. Lee Archambault will lead the crew of STS-119, and Navy Cmdr. Tony Antonelli will serve as the pilot. The mission specialists for the flight will be NASA astronauts Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will remain on the station, replacing Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus, who returns to Earth with the STS-119 crew. He will serve as a flight engineer for Expeditions 18 and 19, and he will return to Earth on shuttle mission STS-127. STS-119 is the 28th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Discovery also will carry the S6 truss segment to the orbital outpost.
STS-119 Discovery Mission News
Astronauts' Diverse Backgrounds Reflected in Orbital Souvenirs
From a NASCAR driver’s flag to a purple stuffed duck, the collection of orbital mementoes chosen by the astronauts of space shuttle Discovery’s STS-119 mission highlight a diverse set of influences and interests.The stuffed duck, one of several toy animals making the trip, represents the Japanese city of Saitama, which is the hometown of Koichi Wakata. He will fly to the International Space Station and stay as a new member of its three-person crew. The duck will return to Earth with Discovery. STS-119 spacewalkers Richard Arnold and Joseph Acaba, both former teachers, will fly mementos, such as small flags, from some of the schools where they taught. Among the assortment of flags being flown is a National Guard design from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s racing team. Earnhardt races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series in the No. 88 car sponsored in part by the National Guard.Pilot and first-time flier Tony Antonelli arranged for Discovery to carry a green flag for Andretti Green Racing, the team of IndyCar racer Danica Patrick. Antonelli is expected to serve as official starter for an IndyCar race after Discovery’s flight.
The astronauts of STS-119 will take objects into orbit that mean a lot to themselves, but also many that are symbolic of larger causes, goals and expectations. Most of the items will remain tucked in lockers inside Discovery while the crew goes about its tasks, including installing a new set of solar arrays on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett.
The shuttle also will carry an extra spacesuit of sorts, although it would be too small for any of the crew members. The astronauts are taking the child-size garment into orbit for the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore. The suit is orange and resembles the pressure suits crew members wear during the climb toward space and the return to Earth.All the items are expected to be displayed prominently after they are returned to their owners following the flight. They serve as inspirational objects for people who have never been into space or children who may set out on a scientific career in hopes of one day reaching orbit themselves.There are at least eight items that are not expected to survive long enough to make the flight home, however. They are eight chocolate bars made by a company in India that gives part of its profits to conservation groups protecting endangered species throughout the world. Steve Swanson, a mission specialist who will make several spacewalks during STS-119, asked for the dark chocolate bars to be packed aboard and eaten as dessert during one of the meals with the shuttle and space station crews. Scores of objects are on display all over the world from previous space missions, and space shuttles typically carry a number of tokens that are handed out in recognition of employees and others.
Courtesy: Steven Siceloff: NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center
From a NASCAR driver’s flag to a purple stuffed duck, the collection of orbital mementoes chosen by the astronauts of space shuttle Discovery’s STS-119 mission highlight a diverse set of influences and interests.The stuffed duck, one of several toy animals making the trip, represents the Japanese city of Saitama, which is the hometown of Koichi Wakata. He will fly to the International Space Station and stay as a new member of its three-person crew. The duck will return to Earth with Discovery. STS-119 spacewalkers Richard Arnold and Joseph Acaba, both former teachers, will fly mementos, such as small flags, from some of the schools where they taught. Among the assortment of flags being flown is a National Guard design from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s racing team. Earnhardt races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series in the No. 88 car sponsored in part by the National Guard.Pilot and first-time flier Tony Antonelli arranged for Discovery to carry a green flag for Andretti Green Racing, the team of IndyCar racer Danica Patrick. Antonelli is expected to serve as official starter for an IndyCar race after Discovery’s flight.
The astronauts of STS-119 will take objects into orbit that mean a lot to themselves, but also many that are symbolic of larger causes, goals and expectations. Most of the items will remain tucked in lockers inside Discovery while the crew goes about its tasks, including installing a new set of solar arrays on the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett.
The shuttle also will carry an extra spacesuit of sorts, although it would be too small for any of the crew members. The astronauts are taking the child-size garment into orbit for the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore. The suit is orange and resembles the pressure suits crew members wear during the climb toward space and the return to Earth.All the items are expected to be displayed prominently after they are returned to their owners following the flight. They serve as inspirational objects for people who have never been into space or children who may set out on a scientific career in hopes of one day reaching orbit themselves.There are at least eight items that are not expected to survive long enough to make the flight home, however. They are eight chocolate bars made by a company in India that gives part of its profits to conservation groups protecting endangered species throughout the world. Steve Swanson, a mission specialist who will make several spacewalks during STS-119, asked for the dark chocolate bars to be packed aboard and eaten as dessert during one of the meals with the shuttle and space station crews. Scores of objects are on display all over the world from previous space missions, and space shuttles typically carry a number of tokens that are handed out in recognition of employees and others.
Courtesy: Steven Siceloff: NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center
Visit the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store for Space Memorabilia and Collectables
Friday, 13 February 2009
Astronaut Joe Allen Appearance
Astronaut Joe Allen & Janice Voss Appearances
February 26, 2009Crawfordsville, Indiana 7:00pm -
Joseph Allen (STS-5, STS-51A)
Janice Voss (STS-57, STS-63, STS-83, STS-94, STS-99)
Experience Indiana Speakers & Artists Series College Chapel, Wabash College
Astronaut Susan Still-Kilrain
Astronaut Susan Still Kilrain Appearances
April 17 - 18, 2009Kennedy Space Center, Florida
TBA -
Susan Still-Kilrain (STS-83, STS-94)
Astronaut EncounterKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
April 25 - 26, 2009Kennedy Space Center, Florida
TBA -
Susan Still-Kilrain (STS-83, STS-94)
Astronaut EncounterKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
April 17 - 18, 2009Kennedy Space Center, Florida
TBA -
Susan Still-Kilrain (STS-83, STS-94)
Astronaut EncounterKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
April 25 - 26, 2009Kennedy Space Center, Florida
TBA -
Susan Still-Kilrain (STS-83, STS-94)
Astronaut EncounterKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
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Thursday, 12 February 2009
NASA Astronaut Charlie Duke back in the U.K.
NASA Astronaut Charles Duke in the U.K.
Following his successful presentations at Norwich in February 2009, Charles Duke is once again returnuing to the U.K. This time as part of a business motivation seminar hosted by Olympic athelete Roger Black.
See this link for details. TalkPerformance 25th March 2009 at Lords Cricket Ground, NW8
If you know of astronaut/cosmonaut visits to the U.K that we have not yet featured please drop us a line.
Many thanks,
Spaceman
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Following his successful presentations at Norwich in February 2009, Charles Duke is once again returnuing to the U.K. This time as part of a business motivation seminar hosted by Olympic athelete Roger Black.
See this link for details. TalkPerformance 25th March 2009 at Lords Cricket Ground, NW8
If you know of astronaut/cosmonaut visits to the U.K that we have not yet featured please drop us a line.
Many thanks,
Spaceman
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Sunday, 1 February 2009
NASA Astronaut Buzz Aldrin 40th Anniversary Events
Buzz Aldrin undertakes hectic schedule in the 40th Anniversary Year of the Apollo 11 Moonlandings.
Official Portrait Astronaut 'Buzz' Aldrin. Photo Credit: NASA
Royal Carribbean Cruise
Greater Chattanooga Area Chapter of the American Red Cross Hometown Heroes Luncheon
Star Scholar Awards
Regent Seven Seas' Ring of Fire Cruise
Newkirk Center for Science and Society lecture: "People in Space? Science and Society at the 40th Anniversary of Man on the Moon"
Official NASA Portrait of Astronaut Buzz Aldrin
National Space Society's International Space Development Conference
Boston Pops' "Giant Leaps" performance
Book signing: "Magnificent Desolation: The Long Road Home from the Moon"
Apollo Anniversary Celebration
Apollo Splashdown Celebration
As always, these events can be subject to late changes, always contact the official organisers via the websites listed above for up-to-the-minute news,
Buzz Aldrin Portrait
Buzz Aldrin Autographed Items
Apollo 11 Mission Patch
Spaceman
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Official Portrait Astronaut 'Buzz' Aldrin. Photo Credit: NASARoyal Carribbean Cruise
Greater Chattanooga Area Chapter of the American Red Cross Hometown Heroes Luncheon
Star Scholar Awards
Regent Seven Seas' Ring of Fire Cruise
Newkirk Center for Science and Society lecture: "People in Space? Science and Society at the 40th Anniversary of Man on the Moon"
Official NASA Portrait of Astronaut Buzz Aldrin
National Space Society's International Space Development Conference
Boston Pops' "Giant Leaps" performance
Book signing: "Magnificent Desolation: The Long Road Home from the Moon"
Apollo Anniversary Celebration
Apollo Splashdown Celebration
As always, these events can be subject to late changes, always contact the official organisers via the websites listed above for up-to-the-minute news,
Buzz Aldrin Portrait
Buzz Aldrin Autographed Items
Apollo 11 Mission Patch
Spaceman
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Fantastic Astronaut Lineup at SPACEFEST
Fantastic Astronaut Event - Spacefest
Please visit the official Spacefest website for up-to-the-minute news!
February 19 - 22, 2009 San Diego, California.
Buzz Aldrin (Gemini 12, Apollo 11)
Alan Bean (Apollo 12, Skylab 2)
Vance Brand (Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35)
Scott Carpenter (Mercury 7)
Eugene Cernan (Gemini 9, Apollo 10, Apollo 17)
Michael Collins* (Gemini 10, Apollo 11)
Albert Crews (former MOL astronaut)
Charles Duke (Apollo 16)
Richard Gordon (Gemini 11, Apollo 12)
Hank Hartsfield (STS-4, STS-41D, STS-61A)
Jack Lousma (Skylab 2, STS-3)
Donald Mallick (LLRV test pilot)
Bruce McCandless (STS-41B, STS-31)
James McDivitt (Gemini 4, Apollo 9)
Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14)
Russell Schweickart (Apollo 9)
David Scott (Gemini 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 15)
Richard Searfoss (STS-58, STS-76, STS-90)
Charles Walker (STS-41D, STS-51D, STS-61B)
* Friday and Saturday only
A wide range of souvenir space collectables available from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Please visit the official Spacefest website for up-to-the-minute news!
February 19 - 22, 2009 San Diego, California.
Buzz Aldrin (Gemini 12, Apollo 11)
Alan Bean (Apollo 12, Skylab 2)
Vance Brand (Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35)
Scott Carpenter (Mercury 7)
Eugene Cernan (Gemini 9, Apollo 10, Apollo 17)
Michael Collins* (Gemini 10, Apollo 11)
Albert Crews (former MOL astronaut)
Charles Duke (Apollo 16)
Richard Gordon (Gemini 11, Apollo 12)
Hank Hartsfield (STS-4, STS-41D, STS-61A)
Jack Lousma (Skylab 2, STS-3)
Donald Mallick (LLRV test pilot)
Bruce McCandless (STS-41B, STS-31)
James McDivitt (Gemini 4, Apollo 9)
Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14)
Russell Schweickart (Apollo 9)
David Scott (Gemini 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 15)
Richard Searfoss (STS-58, STS-76, STS-90)
Charles Walker (STS-41D, STS-51D, STS-61B)
* Friday and Saturday only
A wide range of souvenir space collectables available from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
Former Astronaut Charles Duke in U.K Visit
Astronaut Charles Duke in U.K Visit
Only six days to go to the Charles Duke Lecture; Friday February 6th 2009. Please see official website for up to the minute details.
It is now too late to obtain tickets through the post but they will be available on the door while places remain. Don't delay reserve yours today.
See you there - portraits, Apollo 16 patches and pins will be available from our trade stand at the event.
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Former NASA Astronaut Joe Engle Visits the U.K April 2009
Former NASA Astronaut to Visit the U.K in April 2009
PERSONAL DATA:
Born August 26, 1932, Dickinson County, Kansas; home - Chapman, Kansas. Married to the former Mary Catherine Lawrence of Mission Hills, Kansas. Two grown children. Recreational interests include flying (including World War II fighter aircraft), big game hunting, back-packing, and athletics.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Engle was one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966.He was back-up lunar module pilot for the Apollo 14 mission.He was commander of one of the two crews that flew the Space Shuttle approach and landing test flights from June through October 1977. The Space Shuttle Enterprise was carried to 25,000 feet on top of the Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, and then released for its two minute glide flight to landing. In this series of flight tests, he evaluated the Orbiter handling qualities and landing characteristics, and obtained the stability and control, and performance data in the subsonic flight envelope for the Space Shuttle. Engle and Dick Truly flew the first flight of the Space Shuttle in the orbital configuration. He was the back-up commander for STS-1, the first orbital test flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. He was spacecraft commander on STS-2 and STS-51I, and has logged over 225 hours in spaceHe served as Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight at NASA Headquarters from March 1982 to December 1982. He retained his flight astronaut status and returned to the Johnson Space Center in January 1983.Joe Engle retired from the United States Air Force on November 30, 1986. On December 1, 1986 he was appointed to the Kansas Air National Guard and subsequently promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. He is currently an Aerospace and Sporting Goods Consultant, and continues an active flying career in high performance aircraft.
Photo Credit: NASA Apollo Era Portrait of Astronaut Joe Engle
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE:
STS-2 (November 12-14, 1981), the second orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Engle's pilot for this flight was Dick Truly. Despite a mission shortened from 5 days to 2 days because of a failed fuel cell, the crew accomplished more than 90% of the objectives set for STS-2 before returning to a landing on the dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Major test objectives included the first tests in space of the 50-foot remote manipulator arm. Also, twenty-nine flight test maneuvers were performed during the entry profile at speeds from Mach 24 (18,500 mph) to subsonic. These maneuvers were designed to extract aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic data during hypersonic entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Mission duration was 36 earth orbits in 54 hours, 13 minutes, 12 seconds.
Photo Credit: NASA Official Portrait of Astronaut Joe Engle
STS-51I (August 27 to September 3, 1985) launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The crew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery included the pilot, Dick Covey, and three mission specialists, Bill Fisher, Mike Lounge, and Ox van Hoften. STS-51I was acknowledged as the most successful Space Shuttle mission yet flown. The crew deployed three communications satellites, the Navy SYNCOM IV-4, the Australian AUSSAT, and American Satellite Company's ASC-1. The crew also performed the successful on-orbit rendezvous and repair of the ailing 15,000 lb SYNCOM IV-3 satellite. This repair activity saw the first manual grapple and manual deployment of a satellite by a crew member. STS-51I completed 112 earth orbits in 171 hours, 17 minutes, 42 seconds before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California
Photo Credit: NASA
I'm not sure when this photograph was taken; is that an early prototype space shuttle Joe is holding?
Joe Engle Astronaut Bio
Joe Henry Engle (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) NASA Astronaut (former)PERSONAL DATA:
Born August 26, 1932, Dickinson County, Kansas; home - Chapman, Kansas. Married to the former Mary Catherine Lawrence of Mission Hills, Kansas. Two grown children. Recreational interests include flying (including World War II fighter aircraft), big game hunting, back-packing, and athletics.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Engle was one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966.He was back-up lunar module pilot for the Apollo 14 mission.He was commander of one of the two crews that flew the Space Shuttle approach and landing test flights from June through October 1977. The Space Shuttle Enterprise was carried to 25,000 feet on top of the Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, and then released for its two minute glide flight to landing. In this series of flight tests, he evaluated the Orbiter handling qualities and landing characteristics, and obtained the stability and control, and performance data in the subsonic flight envelope for the Space Shuttle. Engle and Dick Truly flew the first flight of the Space Shuttle in the orbital configuration. He was the back-up commander for STS-1, the first orbital test flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. He was spacecraft commander on STS-2 and STS-51I, and has logged over 225 hours in spaceHe served as Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight at NASA Headquarters from March 1982 to December 1982. He retained his flight astronaut status and returned to the Johnson Space Center in January 1983.Joe Engle retired from the United States Air Force on November 30, 1986. On December 1, 1986 he was appointed to the Kansas Air National Guard and subsequently promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. He is currently an Aerospace and Sporting Goods Consultant, and continues an active flying career in high performance aircraft.
Photo Credit: NASA Apollo Era Portrait of Astronaut Joe Engle
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE:
STS-2 (November 12-14, 1981), the second orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Engle's pilot for this flight was Dick Truly. Despite a mission shortened from 5 days to 2 days because of a failed fuel cell, the crew accomplished more than 90% of the objectives set for STS-2 before returning to a landing on the dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Major test objectives included the first tests in space of the 50-foot remote manipulator arm. Also, twenty-nine flight test maneuvers were performed during the entry profile at speeds from Mach 24 (18,500 mph) to subsonic. These maneuvers were designed to extract aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic data during hypersonic entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Mission duration was 36 earth orbits in 54 hours, 13 minutes, 12 seconds.
Photo Credit: NASA Official Portrait of Astronaut Joe Engle
STS-51I (August 27 to September 3, 1985) launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The crew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery included the pilot, Dick Covey, and three mission specialists, Bill Fisher, Mike Lounge, and Ox van Hoften. STS-51I was acknowledged as the most successful Space Shuttle mission yet flown. The crew deployed three communications satellites, the Navy SYNCOM IV-4, the Australian AUSSAT, and American Satellite Company's ASC-1. The crew also performed the successful on-orbit rendezvous and repair of the ailing 15,000 lb SYNCOM IV-3 satellite. This repair activity saw the first manual grapple and manual deployment of a satellite by a crew member. STS-51I completed 112 earth orbits in 171 hours, 17 minutes, 42 seconds before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California
For up-to-date details of the visit please see UKSC - UK Space Conference 2009 Website
Former NASA Astronaut Rick Searfoss in the U.K
Former NASA Astronaut Rick Searfoss Visits the U.K
SPACEBOOSTERS, as always, will have a trade stand (offline presence) at the event. Please drop by and introduce yourself.
Rick Searfoss Bio
RICHARD A. SEARFOSS (COLONEL, USAF, RET.)NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 5, 1956, in Mount Clemens, Michigan, but considers Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to be his hometown. Married; three children. He enjoys running, soccer, radio-controlled model aircraft, Scouting, backpacking, and classical music.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in January 1990, Searfoss became an astronaut in July 1991. Initially assigned to the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch, Searfoss was part of a team responsible for crew ingress/strap-in prior to launch and crew egress after landing. He was subsequently assigned to flight software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). Additionally, he served as the Astronaut Office representative for both flight crew procedures and Shuttle computer software development. He also served as the Astronaut Office Vehicle System and Operations Branch Chief, leading a team of several astronauts and support engineers working on Shuttle and International Space Station systems development, rendezvous and landing/rollout operations, and advanced projects initiatives. A veteran of three space flights, Searfoss has logged over 39 days in space. He served as pilot on STS-58 (October 18 to November 1, 1993) and STS-76 (March 22-31, 1996), and was the mission commander on STS-90 (April 17, to May 3, 1998). Searfoss retired from the Air Force and left NASA in 1998. For the next few years he worked in private industry and, more recently, was a research test pilot at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center. In February 2003, Searfoss left Dryden to pursue private business interests.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Searfoss served as STS-58 pilot on the seven-person life science research mission aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, launching from the Kennedy Space Center on October 18, 1993, and landing at Edwards Air Force Base on November 1, 1993. The crew performed neurovestibular, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal medical experiments on themselves and 48 rats, expanding our knowledge of human and animal physiology both on earth and in space flight. In addition, the crew performed 16 engineering tests aboard the Orbiter Columbia and 20 Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project experiments. The mission was accomplished in 225 orbits of the Earth.
Launching March 22, 1996, Searfoss flew his second mission as pilot of STS-76 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. During this 9-day mission the STS-76 crew performed the third docking of an American spacecraft with the Russian space station Mir. In support of a joint U.S./Russian program, the crew transported to Mir nearly two tons of water, food, supplies, and scientific equipment, as well as U.S. Astronaut Shannon Lucid to begin her six-month stay in space. STS-76 included the first ever spacewalk on a combined Space Shuttle-Space Station complex. The flight crew also conducted scientific investigations, including European Space Agency sponsored biology experiments, the Kidsat earth observations project, and several engineering flight tests. Completed in 145 orbits, STS-76 landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 31, 1996.
Searfoss commanded a seven person crew on the STS-90 Neurolab mission which launched on April 17, 1998. During the 16-day Spacelab flight the crew served as both experiment subjects and operators for 26 individual life science experiments focusing on the effects of microgravity on the brain and nervous system. STS-90 was the last and most complex of the twenty-five Spacelab missions NASA has flown. Neurolab's scientific results will have broad applicability both in preparing for future long duration human space missions and in clinical applications on Earth. Completed in 256 orbits, STS-90 landed at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on May 3, 1998.
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Rick Searfoss Officuial NASA Portrait: Photo Credit:NASA
Former NASA Astronaut Rick Searfoss will be visiting the U.K in April 2009
Please see the Autographica 13 website for up-to-date details: Autographica 13SPACEBOOSTERS, as always, will have a trade stand (offline presence) at the event. Please drop by and introduce yourself.
Rick Searfoss Bio
RICHARD A. SEARFOSS (COLONEL, USAF, RET.)NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 5, 1956, in Mount Clemens, Michigan, but considers Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to be his hometown. Married; three children. He enjoys running, soccer, radio-controlled model aircraft, Scouting, backpacking, and classical music.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in January 1990, Searfoss became an astronaut in July 1991. Initially assigned to the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch, Searfoss was part of a team responsible for crew ingress/strap-in prior to launch and crew egress after landing. He was subsequently assigned to flight software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). Additionally, he served as the Astronaut Office representative for both flight crew procedures and Shuttle computer software development. He also served as the Astronaut Office Vehicle System and Operations Branch Chief, leading a team of several astronauts and support engineers working on Shuttle and International Space Station systems development, rendezvous and landing/rollout operations, and advanced projects initiatives. A veteran of three space flights, Searfoss has logged over 39 days in space. He served as pilot on STS-58 (October 18 to November 1, 1993) and STS-76 (March 22-31, 1996), and was the mission commander on STS-90 (April 17, to May 3, 1998). Searfoss retired from the Air Force and left NASA in 1998. For the next few years he worked in private industry and, more recently, was a research test pilot at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center. In February 2003, Searfoss left Dryden to pursue private business interests.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Searfoss served as STS-58 pilot on the seven-person life science research mission aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, launching from the Kennedy Space Center on October 18, 1993, and landing at Edwards Air Force Base on November 1, 1993. The crew performed neurovestibular, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal medical experiments on themselves and 48 rats, expanding our knowledge of human and animal physiology both on earth and in space flight. In addition, the crew performed 16 engineering tests aboard the Orbiter Columbia and 20 Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project experiments. The mission was accomplished in 225 orbits of the Earth.
Launching March 22, 1996, Searfoss flew his second mission as pilot of STS-76 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. During this 9-day mission the STS-76 crew performed the third docking of an American spacecraft with the Russian space station Mir. In support of a joint U.S./Russian program, the crew transported to Mir nearly two tons of water, food, supplies, and scientific equipment, as well as U.S. Astronaut Shannon Lucid to begin her six-month stay in space. STS-76 included the first ever spacewalk on a combined Space Shuttle-Space Station complex. The flight crew also conducted scientific investigations, including European Space Agency sponsored biology experiments, the Kidsat earth observations project, and several engineering flight tests. Completed in 145 orbits, STS-76 landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 31, 1996.
Searfoss commanded a seven person crew on the STS-90 Neurolab mission which launched on April 17, 1998. During the 16-day Spacelab flight the crew served as both experiment subjects and operators for 26 individual life science experiments focusing on the effects of microgravity on the brain and nervous system. STS-90 was the last and most complex of the twenty-five Spacelab missions NASA has flown. Neurolab's scientific results will have broad applicability both in preparing for future long duration human space missions and in clinical applications on Earth. Completed in 256 orbits, STS-90 landed at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on May 3, 1998.
Spaceboosters Online Store - Visit us today!
Helen Sharman - First Briton in Space
Helen Sharman in Birmingham
Helen Sharman OBE, Britains first lady of spaceflight will be attending Autographica 13.
Helen Patricia Sharman, OBE, is a British chemist. She was the first Briton in space, visiting the Mir space station aboard Soyuz TM-12 in 1991.
She worked as an engineer for GEC in London and later as a chemist for Mars Incorporated working with flavourant properties of chocolate. She worked with chocolate because she liked chocolate and wanted to explore the further flavours and scents of pure alpine chocolate.
Sharman was selected to travel in space on 25 November 1989, beating 13,000 applicants, after responding to a radio advertisement asking for applicants to be the first British astronaut. The programme was known as Project Juno and was a cooperative arrangement between the Soviet Union and a group of British companies.
Sharman currently works as a broadcaster and lecturer specialising in science education.
Visit the Autographica website for more details and up-to-date information.
Visit our space fan appreciation website for Helen.
Visit the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store for space related collectables and memorabilia
Wikipedia Article
Bye for now,
Spaceman
Space souvenirs and collectables from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
http://www.nasa-space.co.uk/
http://www.nasa-collectables.com/
http://www.unofficial-michaelfoale.com/
http://www.unofficial-pierssellers.com/
http://www.unofficial-helensharman.com/
http://www.unofficial-nicholaspatrick.com/
http://space-patches.blogspot.com/
http://spaceboosterscouk.blogspot.com/
http://nasa-photos.blogspot.com/
Helen Sharman OBE, Britains first lady of spaceflight will be attending Autographica 13.
Helen Patricia Sharman, OBE, is a British chemist. She was the first Briton in space, visiting the Mir space station aboard Soyuz TM-12 in 1991.
She worked as an engineer for GEC in London and later as a chemist for Mars Incorporated working with flavourant properties of chocolate. She worked with chocolate because she liked chocolate and wanted to explore the further flavours and scents of pure alpine chocolate.
Sharman was selected to travel in space on 25 November 1989, beating 13,000 applicants, after responding to a radio advertisement asking for applicants to be the first British astronaut. The programme was known as Project Juno and was a cooperative arrangement between the Soviet Union and a group of British companies.
Sharman currently works as a broadcaster and lecturer specialising in science education.
Visit the Autographica website for more details and up-to-date information.
Visit our space fan appreciation website for Helen.
Visit the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store for space related collectables and memorabilia
Wikipedia Article
Bye for now,
Spaceman
Space souvenirs and collectables from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
http://www.nasa-space.co.uk/
http://www.nasa-collectables.com/
http://www.unofficial-michaelfoale.com/
http://www.unofficial-pierssellers.com/
http://www.unofficial-helensharman.com/
http://www.unofficial-nicholaspatrick.com/
http://space-patches.blogspot.com/
http://spaceboosterscouk.blogspot.com/
http://nasa-photos.blogspot.com/
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