CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Journalists are invited to cover space shuttle Endeavour's move from the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, to Launch Pad 39A on Wednesday, March 9, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Six astronauts are targeted to launch aboard the shuttle on April 19. The STS-134 mission to the International Space Station is the final scheduled flight for Endeavour before it is retired.
Endeavour's first motion out of the VAB is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST. NASA Television will provide live coverage of the rollout. NASA TV's Video File will broadcast highlights of the move. The shuttle's 3.4-mile journey atop a giant crawler-transporter is expected to take approximately six hours.
Activities include an 8 p.m. photo opportunity of the move followed by an interview availability at 8:30 p.m. with Endeavour Flow Director Dana Hutcherson. Media representatives must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 7:30 p.m. for the rollout photo opportunity.
NASA also will provide a sunrise photo opportunity at the launch pad on March 10, following Endeavour's arrival. Reporters must be at the news center by 6 a.m. for transportation to the viewing area. Updates for events are available at 321-867-2525.
To attend rollout and the sunrise pad photo opportunity, U.S. media representatives must apply by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 7. Accreditation for international media representatives is closed. Reporters requesting accreditation must apply online at:
Thursday 3 March 2011
Leonardo attached to Space Station
After a flawless launch last Thursday and a textbook docking on Saturday, the Space Shuttle today delivered the European-built Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module to the International Space Station.
Read the whole article here: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMHGVHSBKG_index_0.html
Read the whole article here: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMHGVHSBKG_index_0.html
Permanent Multipurpose Module Successfully Grappled
Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:31:55 -0600
At 8:26 a.m. EST, Discovery Mission Specialists Mike Barratt and Nicole Stott inched the 58-foot-long space station robotic arm onto a grapple fixture on the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM). The arm will lift the fully-loaded 28,353 pound PMM from space shuttle Discovery's cargo bay and carry it to the Earth-facing port on the Unity node, where it will be permanently attached.
At 8:26 a.m. EST, Discovery Mission Specialists Mike Barratt and Nicole Stott inched the 58-foot-long space station robotic arm onto a grapple fixture on the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM). The arm will lift the fully-loaded 28,353 pound PMM from space shuttle Discovery's cargo bay and carry it to the Earth-facing port on the Unity node, where it will be permanently attached.
Thursday 24 February 2011
NASA Assessing New Launch Dates For The Glory Mission
NASA Assessing New Launch Dates For The Glory Mission
Wed, 23 Feb 2011 23:00:00 -0600
Preparations for the launch of NASA's Glory mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California have been suspended temporarily.
Spaceboosters Online Store
Wed, 23 Feb 2011 23:00:00 -0600
Preparations for the launch of NASA's Glory mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California have been suspended temporarily.
Spaceboosters Online Store
Crew Suits Up for Launch
Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:36:42 -0600
The crew of STS-133 is suiting up for launch. Commanded by Steve Lindsey, the team of six astronauts will head out to Launch Pad 39A after they get on their partial pressure suits. They are the familiar orange-colored ensembles that are also known as "pumpkin suits." Discovery's crew today is made up of all spaceflight veterans. Along with Lindsey are Pilot Eric Boe, and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. The countdown is continuing to go smoothly for the STS-133 mission today and liftoff remains on target for 4:50 p.m. EST. For continuous coverage of the countdown, check out NASA's launch blog at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
Crew change STS-133 Patch
The crew of STS-133 is suiting up for launch. Commanded by Steve Lindsey, the team of six astronauts will head out to Launch Pad 39A after they get on their partial pressure suits. They are the familiar orange-colored ensembles that are also known as "pumpkin suits." Discovery's crew today is made up of all spaceflight veterans. Along with Lindsey are Pilot Eric Boe, and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. The countdown is continuing to go smoothly for the STS-133 mission today and liftoff remains on target for 4:50 p.m. EST. For continuous coverage of the countdown, check out NASA's launch blog at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
Crew change STS-133 Patch
Countdown Resumes After Planned Hold
Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:56:57 -0600
It is T-3 hours and counting for space shuttle Discovery. Launch remains on track for 4:50 p.m. EST. There are periodic holds or pauses scheduled during the countdown. The astronauts, led by Commander Steve Lindsey, will head out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida shortly. For continuous coverage of the countdown, check out NASA's launch blog at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
It is T-3 hours and counting for space shuttle Discovery. Launch remains on track for 4:50 p.m. EST. There are periodic holds or pauses scheduled during the countdown. The astronauts, led by Commander Steve Lindsey, will head out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida shortly. For continuous coverage of the countdown, check out NASA's launch blog at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
Astronauts In Astrovan Heading to Launch Pad
Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:04:56 -0600
The six astronauts of STS-133 are riding in the Astrovan headed to Launch Pad 39A. The countdown is proceeding smoothly this afternoon for a liftoff at 4:50 p.m. EST. Weather forecasters call for a 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. For continuous coverage of the countdown, check out NASA's launch blog at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
The six astronauts of STS-133 are riding in the Astrovan headed to Launch Pad 39A. The countdown is proceeding smoothly this afternoon for a liftoff at 4:50 p.m. EST. Weather forecasters call for a 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. For continuous coverage of the countdown, check out NASA's launch blog at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
Europe's ATV supply ship docks safely with Space Station
Eight days after launch, ESA's latest Automated Transfer Vehicle, Johannes Kepler, completed a flawless rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station at 17:08 CET (16:08 GMT) to deliver essential supplies.
The approach and docking were achieved autonomously by its own computers, closely monitored by ESA and French space agency (CNES) teams at the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse, France, as well as the astronauts on the Station.
ATV's own second set of sensors and computers provided an independent check.
Although both ATV and the ISS orbit at 28 000 km/hr, the relative speed during final approach remained below 7 cm/s and the accuracy within a few centimetres.
Johannes Kepler closed in on the ISS from behind in order to dock with Russia's Zvezda module.
At close range, the 20-tonne unmanned spaceship computed its position through sensors pointed at laser reflectors on the Station to determine its distance and orientation relative to its target.
ATV's docking probe was captured by the docking cone inside Zvezda's aft end at 16:59 CET (15:59 GMT). The closure of hooks completed the docking sequence some seven minutes later.
"With this smooth docking, Johannes Kepler proves to be a great example of the wave of innovation 'made in Europe'. We are more ready than ever to head into an era of autonomy in space exploration," said Simonetta di Pippo, ESA's Director for Human Spaceflight.
"Thanks to its flexibility, we can think of a wide variety of new space vehicles. ATV could evolve into a future reentry spacecraft to support future orbital infrastructures and exploration missions, carrying people and supplies to lunar orbit," added Mrs Pippo.
"This is very important for us and for all our partners in the ISS programme since, after the withdrawal of the Space Shuttle, ATV will be the largest servicing vehicle left to support the Station and it is our responsibility to deliver a proper service."
"What is happening up there is a lot more than the combination of space agencies, the engagement of ESA Member States and the dedication and 'savoir faire' of European Industry," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's Director General.
"We are contributing to the largest international cooperation ever conducted in the field of science and technology.
"We have a lot to learn here, not only through scientific research conducted onboard, but also with the ongoing space operations, in order to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
"The succession of vehicles recently launched to the ISS gives an idea of the level of joint operations the Station generates now that it is fully operational."
ATV Johannes Kepler was launched by an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 16 February. It will remain docked to the Station until June, serving as an additional module, providing a shirtsleeve environment for the astronauts and reboosts to move the complex to a higher altitude.
In the coming hours, the Station crew will open the hatch and enter ATV's pressurised cargo module to unload some 1760 kg of dry cargo, including food, clothes and equipment. They will also pump 860 kg of propellant and 100 kg of oxygen into Zvezda's tanks. ATV can carry about three times as much payload as Russia's Progress cargo ships. However, most of this load on Johannes Kepler is propellant for its own thrusters for periodic Station reboosts to compensate for atmospheric drag.
If required, ATV will also provide Station attitude control or even move the outpost out of the way of potentially dangerous space debris.
The docking of Johannes Kepler will be followed by NASA's docking of Space Shuttle Discovery, carrying the European-built Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module. With Europe's ATV and Leonardo, the US Shuttle, Japan's HTV-2 and two Russian Soyuz and one Progress docked simultaneously to the Station, the orbital outpost will set a new record for a manned space vehicle: it will provide more than 1000 cubic metres of pressurised volume and total more than 500 tonnes.
The approach and docking were achieved autonomously by its own computers, closely monitored by ESA and French space agency (CNES) teams at the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse, France, as well as the astronauts on the Station.
ATV's own second set of sensors and computers provided an independent check.
Although both ATV and the ISS orbit at 28 000 km/hr, the relative speed during final approach remained below 7 cm/s and the accuracy within a few centimetres.
Johannes Kepler closed in on the ISS from behind in order to dock with Russia's Zvezda module.
At close range, the 20-tonne unmanned spaceship computed its position through sensors pointed at laser reflectors on the Station to determine its distance and orientation relative to its target.
ATV's docking probe was captured by the docking cone inside Zvezda's aft end at 16:59 CET (15:59 GMT). The closure of hooks completed the docking sequence some seven minutes later.
"With this smooth docking, Johannes Kepler proves to be a great example of the wave of innovation 'made in Europe'. We are more ready than ever to head into an era of autonomy in space exploration," said Simonetta di Pippo, ESA's Director for Human Spaceflight.
"Thanks to its flexibility, we can think of a wide variety of new space vehicles. ATV could evolve into a future reentry spacecraft to support future orbital infrastructures and exploration missions, carrying people and supplies to lunar orbit," added Mrs Pippo.
"This is very important for us and for all our partners in the ISS programme since, after the withdrawal of the Space Shuttle, ATV will be the largest servicing vehicle left to support the Station and it is our responsibility to deliver a proper service."
"What is happening up there is a lot more than the combination of space agencies, the engagement of ESA Member States and the dedication and 'savoir faire' of European Industry," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's Director General.
"We are contributing to the largest international cooperation ever conducted in the field of science and technology.
"We have a lot to learn here, not only through scientific research conducted onboard, but also with the ongoing space operations, in order to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
"The succession of vehicles recently launched to the ISS gives an idea of the level of joint operations the Station generates now that it is fully operational."
ATV Johannes Kepler was launched by an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 16 February. It will remain docked to the Station until June, serving as an additional module, providing a shirtsleeve environment for the astronauts and reboosts to move the complex to a higher altitude.
In the coming hours, the Station crew will open the hatch and enter ATV's pressurised cargo module to unload some 1760 kg of dry cargo, including food, clothes and equipment. They will also pump 860 kg of propellant and 100 kg of oxygen into Zvezda's tanks. ATV can carry about three times as much payload as Russia's Progress cargo ships. However, most of this load on Johannes Kepler is propellant for its own thrusters for periodic Station reboosts to compensate for atmospheric drag.
If required, ATV will also provide Station attitude control or even move the outpost out of the way of potentially dangerous space debris.
The docking of Johannes Kepler will be followed by NASA's docking of Space Shuttle Discovery, carrying the European-built Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module. With Europe's ATV and Leonardo, the US Shuttle, Japan's HTV-2 and two Russian Soyuz and one Progress docked simultaneously to the Station, the orbital outpost will set a new record for a manned space vehicle: it will provide more than 1000 cubic metres of pressurised volume and total more than 500 tonnes.
Ready for Launch
Ready for Launch
The space shuttle Discovery is seen shortly after the Rotating Service Structure was rolled back at launch pad 39A, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. Discovery, on its 39th and final flight, will carry the Italian-built Permanent Multipurpose Module, Express Logistics Carrier 4 and Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, to the International Space Station.
Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The space shuttle Discovery is seen shortly after the Rotating Service Structure was rolled back at launch pad 39A, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. Discovery, on its 39th and final flight, will carry the Italian-built Permanent Multipurpose Module, Express Logistics Carrier 4 and Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, to the International Space Station.
Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Countdown Progresses Toward Discovery's Launch
Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:10:08 -0600
Space shuttle Discovery continues to move toward launch Thursday, Feb. 24, as technicians put the finishing touches on the spacecraft and the launch team runs through the countdown checklist. Liftoff is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. EST. The weather forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time.
A minor problem came up when a regulator in the reactant storage system developed a slight leak, NASA Test Director Steve Payne said.
"In this case, we've seen it before," Payne said, adding that the system has numerous redundancies and the leak is so small. A waiver is to be completed soon and no impact to the countdown or launch is expected.
This is the last flight of Discovery, and with the shuttle program nearing retirement, Payne said crowds are growing to see the last launches.
"People are starting to realize they either see one now or they don’t get to see one," Payne said.
Space shuttle Discovery continues to move toward launch Thursday, Feb. 24, as technicians put the finishing touches on the spacecraft and the launch team runs through the countdown checklist. Liftoff is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. EST. The weather forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time.
A minor problem came up when a regulator in the reactant storage system developed a slight leak, NASA Test Director Steve Payne said.
"In this case, we've seen it before," Payne said, adding that the system has numerous redundancies and the leak is so small. A waiver is to be completed soon and no impact to the countdown or launch is expected.
This is the last flight of Discovery, and with the shuttle program nearing retirement, Payne said crowds are growing to see the last launches.
"People are starting to realize they either see one now or they don’t get to see one," Payne said.
Technicians Load Discovery's PRSD for Flight
Tue, 22 Feb 2011 08:07:10 -0600
Liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will be loaded into Discovery's Power Reactant Storage and Distribution system today as the countdown for the STS-133 mission continues. Discovery is to lift off Thursday, Feb. 24, at 4:50 p.m. EST.
The system, known by its initials PRSD, holds the chemicals for use in the shuttle's three fuel cells to produce electricity in space. The oxygen is also used to pressurize the shuttle's crew cabin. The combination of hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cells produces a beneficial byproduct for the shuttle: water. Shuttle crews visiting the International Space Station routinely fill up bags with the water for use by station residents.
The same two chemicals, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, are used by the space shuttle main engines at liftoff, but the propellants for that job go into the 15-story-tall external fuel tank and are not loaded until launch day.
STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe will practice landing approaches at the Shuttle Landing Facility in shuttle training aircraft, a Gulfstream II jet modified to simulate a shuttle's cockpit, motion and handling qualities. The rest of the crew will conduct a review of orbiter ingress procedures. A countdown status briefing will air on NASA TV at 10 a.m.
Liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will be loaded into Discovery's Power Reactant Storage and Distribution system today as the countdown for the STS-133 mission continues. Discovery is to lift off Thursday, Feb. 24, at 4:50 p.m. EST.
The system, known by its initials PRSD, holds the chemicals for use in the shuttle's three fuel cells to produce electricity in space. The oxygen is also used to pressurize the shuttle's crew cabin. The combination of hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cells produces a beneficial byproduct for the shuttle: water. Shuttle crews visiting the International Space Station routinely fill up bags with the water for use by station residents.
The same two chemicals, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, are used by the space shuttle main engines at liftoff, but the propellants for that job go into the 15-story-tall external fuel tank and are not loaded until launch day.
STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe will practice landing approaches at the Shuttle Landing Facility in shuttle training aircraft, a Gulfstream II jet modified to simulate a shuttle's cockpit, motion and handling qualities. The rest of the crew will conduct a review of orbiter ingress procedures. A countdown status briefing will air on NASA TV at 10 a.m.
Monday 21 February 2011
Discovery, Weather Look Good for Thursday Launch
Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:49:53 -0600
The launch team at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida continues to set up space shuttle Discovery for its last flight into orbit, scheduled to begin with a liftoff Thursday at 4:50 p.m. EST.
"She still has a few more miles before she sleeps," said Jeff Spaulding, NASA test director. Discovery has flown more than any other shuttle, including two return-to-flight missions and the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Launch day weather is also shaping up nicely, with the current forecast calling for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions.
"It's been really nice weather for prelaunch
Keep up to date with the front page Florida space news here!
STS-133 Patches, Pre Crew Change
The launch team at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida continues to set up space shuttle Discovery for its last flight into orbit, scheduled to begin with a liftoff Thursday at 4:50 p.m. EST.
"She still has a few more miles before she sleeps," said Jeff Spaulding, NASA test director. Discovery has flown more than any other shuttle, including two return-to-flight missions and the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Launch day weather is also shaping up nicely, with the current forecast calling for an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions.
"It's been really nice weather for prelaunch
Keep up to date with the front page Florida space news here!
STS-133 Patches, Pre Crew Change
Launch Week Begins at Kennedy for STS-133
Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:58:15 -0600
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A have completed pressurizing the tanks on space shuttle Discovery’s Orbital Maneuvering and Main Propulsion Systems. Crews now are removing quick disconnects used during the process and reinstalling flight caps in preparation for launch on Thursday, Feb. 24.
All six astronauts for Discovery's final mission, STS-133, are at Kennedy for prelaunch preparations. STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe will practice landing approaches at the Shuttle Landing Facility in shuttle training aircraft, a Gulfstream II jet modified to simulate a shuttle's cockpit, motion and handling qualities
The countdown for Thursday's 4:50 p.m. EST launch officially begins today at 3 p.m. A precountdown status briefing will air on NASA TV at 10 a.m.
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A have completed pressurizing the tanks on space shuttle Discovery’s Orbital Maneuvering and Main Propulsion Systems. Crews now are removing quick disconnects used during the process and reinstalling flight caps in preparation for launch on Thursday, Feb. 24.
All six astronauts for Discovery's final mission, STS-133, are at Kennedy for prelaunch preparations. STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe will practice landing approaches at the Shuttle Landing Facility in shuttle training aircraft, a Gulfstream II jet modified to simulate a shuttle's cockpit, motion and handling qualities
The countdown for Thursday's 4:50 p.m. EST launch officially begins today at 3 p.m. A precountdown status briefing will air on NASA TV at 10 a.m.
Saturday 19 February 2011
Still Time to Send Your Name to Mars
Follow this link and send your name to Mars. This offer has been on for quite a while now. Ideal to inspire individuals, your class or the whole school. Its also free and you can download a certificate of participation .
Space Exploration - Get Involved.
http://marsparticipate.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyourname/
Space Exploration - Get Involved.
http://marsparticipate.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyourname/
NASA Announces STS-133 Prelaunch Events and Countdown Details
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for the final scheduled launch of space shuttle Discovery. Lift off is targeted for 4:50 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 24, to begin the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.
A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 24. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to lift off.
During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's two spacewalks live. As Discovery's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 24. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to lift off.
During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's two spacewalks live. As Discovery's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
NASA And Partners Name Upcoming Space Station Crew Members
HOUSTON -- NASA and its International Space Station partners named crew members for missions aboard the complex that begin in 2013.
The crews include NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn of Statesville, N.C., who previously was announced as part of Expedition 34; Chris Cassidy, who was born in Salem, Mass., and considers York, Maine his hometown; Karen Nyberg, a native of Vining, Minn.; Michael Hopkins, who was born in Lebanon, Mo., and grew up in Richland, Mo.; and Rick Mastracchio of Waterbury, Conn.
The 35th crew to live and work aboard the station, Expedition 35, will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 32 in March 2013. Soyuz 34 is scheduled to launch later that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, station commander (Soyuz 33)
-- NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, flight engineer (Soyuz 33)
-- Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, flight engineer (Soyuz 33)
-- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
Expedition 36 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 33 in May 2013. Soyuz 35 is scheduled to launch that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, station commander (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
Expedition 37 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 34 in September 2013. Soyuz 36 is scheduled to launch that month with NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, station commander (Soyuz 35)
-- NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer (Soyuz 36)
Expedition 38 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 35 in November 2013. Soyuz 37 is scheduled to launch that month with the crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer (Soyuz 36)
-- NASA astronaut Richard Mastracchio, flight engineer (Soyuz 37)
-- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, flight engineer (Soyuz 37)
Expedition 39 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 36 in March 2014. At that time, Wakata will serve as station commander, and Mastracchio will be a flight engineer. The remainder of the Expedition 39 crew has yet to be assigned.
Additional Expeditions 37 and 38 crew members will be selected from the Russian cosmonaut corps and will be assigned at a later date.
The crews include NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn of Statesville, N.C., who previously was announced as part of Expedition 34; Chris Cassidy, who was born in Salem, Mass., and considers York, Maine his hometown; Karen Nyberg, a native of Vining, Minn.; Michael Hopkins, who was born in Lebanon, Mo., and grew up in Richland, Mo.; and Rick Mastracchio of Waterbury, Conn.
The 35th crew to live and work aboard the station, Expedition 35, will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 32 in March 2013. Soyuz 34 is scheduled to launch later that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, station commander (Soyuz 33)
-- NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, flight engineer (Soyuz 33)
-- Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, flight engineer (Soyuz 33)
-- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
Expedition 36 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 33 in May 2013. Soyuz 35 is scheduled to launch that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, station commander (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
Expedition 37 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 34 in September 2013. Soyuz 36 is scheduled to launch that month with NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, station commander (Soyuz 35)
-- NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer (Soyuz 36)
Expedition 38 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 35 in November 2013. Soyuz 37 is scheduled to launch that month with the crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.
-- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer (Soyuz 36)
-- NASA astronaut Richard Mastracchio, flight engineer (Soyuz 37)
-- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, flight engineer (Soyuz 37)
Expedition 39 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 36 in March 2014. At that time, Wakata will serve as station commander, and Mastracchio will be a flight engineer. The remainder of the Expedition 39 crew has yet to be assigned.
Additional Expeditions 37 and 38 crew members will be selected from the Russian cosmonaut corps and will be assigned at a later date.
Discovery Launch Set for Feb. 24
Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:08:59 -0600
After a day-long flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, senior NASA and contractor managers voted unanimously to set space shuttle Discovery’s STS-133 launch date for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST.NASA Television will air a news conference at 6 p.m. to discuss the meeting and preparations for Discovery’s mission to the International Space Station. Participants include Bill Gerstenmaier, assistant administrator for Space Operations, Mike Moses, Space Shuttle Program launch integration manager and Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director.
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
After a day-long flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, senior NASA and contractor managers voted unanimously to set space shuttle Discovery’s STS-133 launch date for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST.NASA Television will air a news conference at 6 p.m. to discuss the meeting and preparations for Discovery’s mission to the International Space Station. Participants include Bill Gerstenmaier, assistant administrator for Space Operations, Mike Moses, Space Shuttle Program launch integration manager and Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director.
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano assigned to 2013 Space Station mission
ESA PR 08-2011 - ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano has been assigned to fly on the International Space Station from May to November 2013, serving as a flight engineer for Expeditions 36 and 37.
Read the whole press release here: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM5J3PT1KG_index_0.html
Read the whole press release here: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM5J3PT1KG_index_0.html
Flight Readiness Review Today
Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:34:10 -0600
NASA managers will meet today at Kennedy Space Center for the STS-133 Flight Readiness Review, known as the FRR. Following the day-long session, managers will set space shuttle Discovery's official launch date. A news conference will be held live on NASA TV following the review. The proceedings inside the FRR will be periodically updated on NASA's twitter feed at www.twitter.com/nasa
At Launch Pad 39A, technicians removed the access arm to space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank and intertank door area. Installation of the aft flight door is expected late this evening.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 crew is reviewing its flight data file today before flying to the Kennedy on Sunday for final pre-launch preparations.
NASA managers will meet today at Kennedy Space Center for the STS-133 Flight Readiness Review, known as the FRR. Following the day-long session, managers will set space shuttle Discovery's official launch date. A news conference will be held live on NASA TV following the review. The proceedings inside the FRR will be periodically updated on NASA's twitter feed at www.twitter.com/nasa
At Launch Pad 39A, technicians removed the access arm to space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank and intertank door area. Installation of the aft flight door is expected late this evening.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 crew is reviewing its flight data file today before flying to the Kennedy on Sunday for final pre-launch preparations.
Tuesday 15 February 2011
Spacewalking Suits Check Out Today
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:31:52 -0600
At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams will continue preparations for next week's launch attempt. Technicians will check out the spacewalking suits, called extravehicular mobility units. The suits were installed into Discovery yesterday.
Liftoff for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe will conduct shuttle training aircraft landing practice runs today at the White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. while their crewmates review systems manuals.
At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams will continue preparations for next week's launch attempt. Technicians will check out the spacewalking suits, called extravehicular mobility units. The suits were installed into Discovery yesterday.
Liftoff for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe will conduct shuttle training aircraft landing practice runs today at the White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. while their crewmates review systems manuals.
Monday 14 February 2011
Watch the launch of ATV Johannes Kepler live
14 February 2011
ESA's second Automated Transfer Vehicle will be launched tomorrow, 15 February, at 22:13:27 GMT (23:13:27 CET) by an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou to deliver essential supplies and reboost the International Space Station.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM7VVLTRJG_0.html
ESA's second Automated Transfer Vehicle will be launched tomorrow, 15 February, at 22:13:27 GMT (23:13:27 CET) by an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou to deliver essential supplies and reboost the International Space Station.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM7VVLTRJG_0.html
Launch Preps for Shuttle and Crew
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:32:29 -0600
At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams have begun preparations for next week's launch attempt. Liftoff for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 crew will conduct a final integrated entry simulation today in the motion base simulator and receive their L-10 day physicals.
At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams have begun preparations for next week's launch attempt. Liftoff for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 crew will conduct a final integrated entry simulation today in the motion base simulator and receive their L-10 day physicals.
Mars500: Walking on 'Mars'
Three crewmembers of the virtual flight to Mars have 'landed' on their destination planet and two of them today took their first steps on the simulated martian terrain. The highlight of the Mars500 mission lasted for one hour and 12 minutes, starting at 13:00 Moscow time.
Read the whole article here: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMRCFOT1KG_index_0.html
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store for Space Collectables and Souvenirs
Read the whole article here: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMRCFOT1KG_index_0.html
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store for Space Collectables and Souvenirs
ESA tracks Ariane and ATV Johannes Kepler
14 February 2011
Two ESA ground stations in Europe and Australia will provide crucial tracking support for the flight of Ariane 5, set for liftoff on 15 February with ATV-2 .Three more stations plus a central control team will stand by to provide back-up telecommanding during ATV's mission.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMOWDOT1KG_0.html
Two ESA ground stations in Europe and Australia will provide crucial tracking support for the flight of Ariane 5, set for liftoff on 15 February with ATV-2 .Three more stations plus a central control team will stand by to provide back-up telecommanding during ATV's mission.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMOWDOT1KG_0.html
Sunday 13 February 2011
NASA Schedules News Conference About Next Space Shuttle Launch
NASA managers will hold a news conference on Friday, Feb. 18, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the status of the next space shuttle launch.
Space Shuttle Program FRR Concluded
NASA managers, at the conclusion of The Space Shuttle Program Flight Readiness Review (FRR) this afternoon, unanimously recommended proceeding to the agency-level FRR Friday, Feb. 18.
The main topics discussed today included briefings from all elements updating any changes or issues that surfaced since the Nov. 5, 2010 launch attempt. Items included repair of the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank; investigation, testing and repair of the tank’s support beams, called stringers; and a debris risk assessment if foam insulation comes loose in the stringer area because of a crack in the first two minutes and 15 seconds of flight.
Managers also received a crew update following Mission Specialist Steve Bowen's addition to the STS-133 crew.
At the agency-level FRR, NASA officials will discuss the readiness of flight crew and hardware and announce a launch date for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, now targeted for 4:50 p.m. EST Feb. 24.
The main topics discussed today included briefings from all elements updating any changes or issues that surfaced since the Nov. 5, 2010 launch attempt. Items included repair of the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank; investigation, testing and repair of the tank’s support beams, called stringers; and a debris risk assessment if foam insulation comes loose in the stringer area because of a crack in the first two minutes and 15 seconds of flight.
Managers also received a crew update following Mission Specialist Steve Bowen's addition to the STS-133 crew.
At the agency-level FRR, NASA officials will discuss the readiness of flight crew and hardware and announce a launch date for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, now targeted for 4:50 p.m. EST Feb. 24.
@Astro_Paolo and views from space: "It's amazing!"
Paolo Nespoli, ESA's astronaut working and living on the Space Station, is sharing his experience with the world via a constant flow of beautiful photos and tweets. Let's hear from Paolo what he thinks about the photos, Twitter and being in space.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMH53MTRJG_index_0.html
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMH53MTRJG_index_0.html
A Nebula by Any Other Name
Nebulae are enormous clouds of dust and gas occupying the space between the stars. Some have pretty names to match their good looks, for example the Rose nebula, while others have much more utilitarian names. Such is the case with LBN 114.55+00.22, seen here in an image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE.
Named after the astronomer who published a catalogue of nebulae in 1965, LBN stands for "Lynds Bright nebula." The numbers 114.55+00.22 refer to nebula's coordinates in our Milky Way galaxy, serving as a sort of galactic home address.
Astronomers classify LBN 114.55+00.22 as an emission nebula. Unlike a reflection nebula, which reflects light from nearby stars, an emission nebula emits light. Emission nebulae are usually found in the disks of spiral galaxies, and are places where new stars are forming.
The colors used in this image represent specific wavelengths of infrared light. Blue and cyan represent light emitted at wavelengths of 3.4 and 4.6 microns, which is predominantly from stars. Green and red represent light from 12 and 22 microns, respectively, which is mostly emitted by dust.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
Named after the astronomer who published a catalogue of nebulae in 1965, LBN stands for "Lynds Bright nebula." The numbers 114.55+00.22 refer to nebula's coordinates in our Milky Way galaxy, serving as a sort of galactic home address.
Astronomers classify LBN 114.55+00.22 as an emission nebula. Unlike a reflection nebula, which reflects light from nearby stars, an emission nebula emits light. Emission nebulae are usually found in the disks of spiral galaxies, and are places where new stars are forming.
The colors used in this image represent specific wavelengths of infrared light. Blue and cyan represent light emitted at wavelengths of 3.4 and 4.6 microns, which is predominantly from stars. Green and red represent light from 12 and 22 microns, respectively, which is mostly emitted by dust.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
Program FRR Today; GUCP Seal Changed
Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:01:32 -0600
At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams have completed changing a seal at the ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. There is no work planned for the weekend.
The Space Shuttle Program will hold its Flight Readiness Review today to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew will rehearse procedures for the mission's first spacewalk today in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams have completed changing a seal at the ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. There is no work planned for the weekend.
The Space Shuttle Program will hold its Flight Readiness Review today to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew will rehearse procedures for the mission's first spacewalk today in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
Be My Valentine - Earth from Space: 'Lover's Island'
The small heart-shaped island of Galešnjak is featured in this image acquired by ALOS – Japan's four-tonne Earth observation satellite. The 500 m-wide island is situated off the Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea.
More at:
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMG50MTRJG_index_0.html
More at:
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMG50MTRJG_index_0.html
Dextre Gets to Work
Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency's robotic "handyman", is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 26 crew member aboard the International Space Station on Feb. 3, 2011. Dextre completed its first real job since the robot passed its final exam in December 2010, unpacking two critical pieces of equipment delivered by the unpiloted Japanese Kounotori2 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) spacecraft - the space equivalent of a moving van. HTV2 is the second unpiloted cargo ship launched by JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency, to the station and delivered more than four tons of food and supplies to the station and its crew members.
Image Credit: NASA
Image Credit: NASA
GUCP Seal Change Continues
Today at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, teams will continue changing a seal at the ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank.
Technicians completed a walk down yesterday of the launch pad to evaluate potential damage after a feeler gauge, which came apart last night, fell from the work area. A feeler gauge is a tool technicians use that consist of 13 pieces of metal about the thickness of a piece of paper held together by a retainer screw. It was being used by a technician to take measurements on the GUCP.
Engineers have identified minor foam damage to the backside of the external tank, which will not need repair. All components from the gauge have been located.
Inclement weather delayed Marshall Space Flight Center's opening, so the Space Shuttle Program will hold its Flight Readiness Review tomorrow to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.
Technicians completed a walk down yesterday of the launch pad to evaluate potential damage after a feeler gauge, which came apart last night, fell from the work area. A feeler gauge is a tool technicians use that consist of 13 pieces of metal about the thickness of a piece of paper held together by a retainer screw. It was being used by a technician to take measurements on the GUCP.
Engineers have identified minor foam damage to the backside of the external tank, which will not need repair. All components from the gauge have been located.
Inclement weather delayed Marshall Space Flight Center's opening, so the Space Shuttle Program will hold its Flight Readiness Review tomorrow to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.
Wednesday 9 February 2011
Spacewalk From International Space Station Will Air On NASA TV
HOUSTON -- Two Russian cosmonauts will step outside the International Space Station on Wednesday, Feb. 16. They will install and retrieve experiments on the Russian segment of the complex and deploy a small ham radio satellite. NASA Television coverage of the spacewalk will begin at 6:45 a.m. CST.
Expedition 26 Flight Engineers Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka, wearing their Russian Orlan spacesuits, will emerge from the Pirs Docking Compartment airlock for the second time in four weeks at about 7:15 a.m.
During the nearly six-hour spacewalk, they will install two experiments. One will collect information useful in seismic forecasts and earthquake predictions, and the second will look at gamma splashes and optical radiation during terrestrial lightning and thunderstorms. The spacewalkers also will retrieve a pair of panels exposed to space as part of an experiment to identify the best materials for building long-duration spacecraft.
The cosmonauts also will deploy an experiment called ARISSat-1, or Radioskaf-V, a boxy 57-pound nanosatellite that houses congratulatory messages commemorating the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's launch to become the first human in space. The ham radio transmitter will enable communications with amateur radio operators around the world for three to six months. It is the first of a series of educational satellites being developed in a partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.; the NASA Office of Education International Space Station National Lab Project; the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station working group; and RSC-Energia.
The spacewalk will be the second for Kondratyev, who will wear the spacesuit marked with red stripes, and the third for Skripochka, who will wear the suit with blue stripes.
For more information about the International Space Station and its crew members, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about ham radio on the space station, visit:
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio
Expedition 26 Flight Engineers Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka, wearing their Russian Orlan spacesuits, will emerge from the Pirs Docking Compartment airlock for the second time in four weeks at about 7:15 a.m.
During the nearly six-hour spacewalk, they will install two experiments. One will collect information useful in seismic forecasts and earthquake predictions, and the second will look at gamma splashes and optical radiation during terrestrial lightning and thunderstorms. The spacewalkers also will retrieve a pair of panels exposed to space as part of an experiment to identify the best materials for building long-duration spacecraft.
The cosmonauts also will deploy an experiment called ARISSat-1, or Radioskaf-V, a boxy 57-pound nanosatellite that houses congratulatory messages commemorating the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's launch to become the first human in space. The ham radio transmitter will enable communications with amateur radio operators around the world for three to six months. It is the first of a series of educational satellites being developed in a partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.; the NASA Office of Education International Space Station National Lab Project; the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station working group; and RSC-Energia.
The spacewalk will be the second for Kondratyev, who will wear the spacesuit marked with red stripes, and the third for Skripochka, who will wear the suit with blue stripes.
For more information about the International Space Station and its crew members, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about ham radio on the space station, visit:
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio
GUCP Seal Replacement Today
Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:31:33 -0600
At NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A, technicians today will replace the 7-inch quick disconnect seal on space shuttle Discovery’s ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP).
Last night, while measurements were being taken on the GUCP, a feeler gauge came apart and some components of the gauge fell from the work area. Feeler gauges consist of 13 pieces of metal about the thickness of a piece of paper held together by a retainer screw.
Overnight, technicians performed a walk down of the pad to assess any impact from the fall and collect the gauge components prior to resuming work on the GUCP. Additional walk downs began at daylight. Engineers will identify, evaluate, and address any damage to the space shuttle and its external tank and solid rocket boosters.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the STS-133 crew is will brush up on robotics training today and review contingency abort procedures.
The Space Shuttle Program plans to hold its Flight Readiness Review Thursday as scheduled to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.
At NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A, technicians today will replace the 7-inch quick disconnect seal on space shuttle Discovery’s ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP).
Last night, while measurements were being taken on the GUCP, a feeler gauge came apart and some components of the gauge fell from the work area. Feeler gauges consist of 13 pieces of metal about the thickness of a piece of paper held together by a retainer screw.
Overnight, technicians performed a walk down of the pad to assess any impact from the fall and collect the gauge components prior to resuming work on the GUCP. Additional walk downs began at daylight. Engineers will identify, evaluate, and address any damage to the space shuttle and its external tank and solid rocket boosters.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the STS-133 crew is will brush up on robotics training today and review contingency abort procedures.
The Space Shuttle Program plans to hold its Flight Readiness Review Thursday as scheduled to assess the readiness of Discovery, the crew, flight and launch control teams, to proceed toward the target launch date of Thursday, Feb. 24. The meeting typically concludes with a recommendation to proceed to the agency Flight Readiness Review scheduled at Kennedy on Friday, Feb. 18.
NASA TV Airs Second European Cargo Craft Flight To Space Station
HOUSTON -- NASA Television plans live coverage of the launch and automated docking of the second unpiloted European cargo ship that will deliver approximately seven tons of fuel, food and supplies to the International Space Station.
NASA TV coverage of the launch from the northern coast of South America will begin at 3:45 p.m. CST on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The European Space Agency and its launch services provider, Arianespace, are scheduled to launch the Johannes Kepler Automated Transfer Vehicle-2, or ATV2, on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:13 p.m. (7:13 p.m. in Kourou). NASA TV coverage will continue through the deployment of the cargo ship's solar arrays about 90 minutes after launch.
After an eight-day journey, the spacecraft will rendezvous and dock to the aft port of the station's Zvezda service module.
If the ATV2 launches Feb. 15 as scheduled, NASA TV will broadcast the final rendezvous and docking beginning at 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 23. Docking is scheduled at approximately 9:20 a.m. ATV2 will remain attached to Zvezda until early June, when it will undock and deorbit for a destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.
For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the ATV2, visit:
http://blogs.esa.int/atv
For more information about the International Space Station and its crew members, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Space Station Souvenirs Available from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
NASA TV coverage of the launch from the northern coast of South America will begin at 3:45 p.m. CST on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The European Space Agency and its launch services provider, Arianespace, are scheduled to launch the Johannes Kepler Automated Transfer Vehicle-2, or ATV2, on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:13 p.m. (7:13 p.m. in Kourou). NASA TV coverage will continue through the deployment of the cargo ship's solar arrays about 90 minutes after launch.
After an eight-day journey, the spacecraft will rendezvous and dock to the aft port of the station's Zvezda service module.
If the ATV2 launches Feb. 15 as scheduled, NASA TV will broadcast the final rendezvous and docking beginning at 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 23. Docking is scheduled at approximately 9:20 a.m. ATV2 will remain attached to Zvezda until early June, when it will undock and deorbit for a destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.
For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the ATV2, visit:
http://blogs.esa.int/atv
For more information about the International Space Station and its crew members, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Space Station Souvenirs Available from the SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
ESA's sharp eyes on coastal waters
9 February 2011
Our growing reliance on coastal waters for food, trade and tourism means that these delicate ecosystems need to be more closely monitored to guarantee their future sustainability.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXTLLTRJG_Protecting_0.html
Our growing reliance on coastal waters for food, trade and tourism means that these delicate ecosystems need to be more closely monitored to guarantee their future sustainability.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXTLLTRJG_Protecting_0.html
NASA Announces Candidates For CubeSat Space Missions
WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected 20 small satellites to fly as auxiliary cargo aboard rockets planned to launch in 2011 and 2012. The proposed CubeSats come from a high school in Virginia, universities across the country, NASA field centers and Department of Defense organizations.
CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart and weigh 2.2 pounds or less.
The selections are from the second round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative. The satellites are expected to conduct technology demonstrations, educational research or science missions. The selected spacecraft are eligible for flight after final negotiations when an opportunity arises. The satellites come from the following organizations, which include the first high school proposal selected for a CubeSat flight:
-- Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
-- Drexel University, Philadelphia
-- NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (two CubeSats)
-- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. (two CubeSats)
-- Naval Research Lab, Washington (two CubeSats)
-- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
-- Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky.
-- The Planetary Society, Pasadena, in partnership with NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
-- Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala.
-- St. Louis University, St. Louis, Miss.
-- Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Va.
-- University of Colorado
-- University of Hawaii
-- University of Louisiana, Lafayette
-- University of New Mexico
-- U.S. Military Academy
-- U.S. Naval Academy
The first CubeSats to be carried on an expendable vehicle for the agency's Launch Services Program will comprise NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellite, or ELaNa, mission. ELaNa will fly on the Glory mission scheduled to lift off on Feb. 23. The 12 CubeSat payloads selected from the first round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative will have launch opportunities beginning later this year.
For information about NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/home/CubeSats_initiative.html
CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart and weigh 2.2 pounds or less.
The selections are from the second round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative. The satellites are expected to conduct technology demonstrations, educational research or science missions. The selected spacecraft are eligible for flight after final negotiations when an opportunity arises. The satellites come from the following organizations, which include the first high school proposal selected for a CubeSat flight:
-- Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
-- Drexel University, Philadelphia
-- NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (two CubeSats)
-- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. (two CubeSats)
-- Naval Research Lab, Washington (two CubeSats)
-- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
-- Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky.
-- The Planetary Society, Pasadena, in partnership with NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
-- Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala.
-- St. Louis University, St. Louis, Miss.
-- Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Va.
-- University of Colorado
-- University of Hawaii
-- University of Louisiana, Lafayette
-- University of New Mexico
-- U.S. Military Academy
-- U.S. Naval Academy
The first CubeSats to be carried on an expendable vehicle for the agency's Launch Services Program will comprise NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellite, or ELaNa, mission. ELaNa will fly on the Glory mission scheduled to lift off on Feb. 23. The 12 CubeSat payloads selected from the first round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative will have launch opportunities beginning later this year.
For information about NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/home/CubeSats_initiative.html
Azorean station to track Ariane launch
When ATV Johannes Kepler is lofted into space on 15 February, an ESA tracking station on Portugal's Santa Maria island will watch closely, gathering crucial data as Ariane 5 streaks overhead.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXTOLTRJG_index_0.html
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXTOLTRJG_index_0.html
Techs to Inspect, replace GUCP Seal
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A will begin work this morning to inspect and replace the 7-inch quick disconnect seal at space shuttle Discovery’s ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, to ensure its connection to the vent line, which carries hydrogen gas away from the pad.
Following a recently reviewed analysis of the vent line weight distribution (loads), engineers decided to replace the seal with the same enhanced process used prior to the successful tanking test in December 2010.
Once the seal has been replaced and the GUCP reconnected, technicians will perform additional leak checks on the system. Work is not expected to delay Discovery’s targeted launch on Feb. 24.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew are in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory today rehearsing procedures for the mission's second spacewalk.
Following a recently reviewed analysis of the vent line weight distribution (loads), engineers decided to replace the seal with the same enhanced process used prior to the successful tanking test in December 2010.
Once the seal has been replaced and the GUCP reconnected, technicians will perform additional leak checks on the system. Work is not expected to delay Discovery’s targeted launch on Feb. 24.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, STS-133 Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew are in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory today rehearsing procedures for the mission's second spacewalk.
Test Firing the First Aerojet AJ26 Engine
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden (left) and Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann view a test firing of the first Aerojet AJ26 flight engine. Once flight acceptance is achieved, the engine will power the first stage of Orbital’s Taurus II space launch vehicle on commercial cargo missions to the International Space Station. NASA has partnered with Orbital to provide eight cargo missions to the space station, with the first scheduled for early 2012.
Image Credit: NASA/Danny Nowlin
Image Credit: NASA/Danny Nowlin
Techs to Replace GUCP
Technicians on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida will inspect and replace the 7-inch quick disconnect seal at space shuttle Discovery's ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP). This is being done to ensure its connection to the vent line which carries hydrogen gas away from the pad.
Following a recently reviewed analysis of the vent line weight distribution (loads), engineers decided to replace the seal with the same enhanced process used prior to the successful tanking test in December 2010.
Once the seal has been replaced and the GUCP reconnected, technicians will perform additional leak checks on the system.
The current work being conducted is not expected to impact Discovery's targeted launch on Feb. 24.
Following a recently reviewed analysis of the vent line weight distribution (loads), engineers decided to replace the seal with the same enhanced process used prior to the successful tanking test in December 2010.
Once the seal has been replaced and the GUCP reconnected, technicians will perform additional leak checks on the system.
The current work being conducted is not expected to impact Discovery's targeted launch on Feb. 24.
Hydrazine Loading at Launch Pad Today
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will load hydrazine into space shuttle Discovery's hydraulic power units this morning.
Discovery is targeted to launch on its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station on Feb. 24, 2011.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, the STS-133 crew is reviewing robotics tasks for the mission's apacewalks in the Virtual Reality Lab today and brushing up on the stowage configuration for cargo being taken to the station in the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module.
Discovery is targeted to launch on its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station on Feb. 24, 2011.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, the STS-133 crew is reviewing robotics tasks for the mission's apacewalks in the Virtual Reality Lab today and brushing up on the stowage configuration for cargo being taken to the station in the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module.
Kepler Mission Manager Update Week Commencing 07/02/2011
The Kepler project team has recovered spacecraft from its Safe Mode event that occurred on Feb. 1, 2011. The spacecraft returned to science data collection after an outage of 64 hours. The likely cause was corrupt star tracker data that resulted in a false momentum alarm on the spacecraft. Fault protection software reacted properly in making the spacecraft safe until the project engineers could contact the spacecraft and review telemetry. An anomaly response team will continue to evaluate the telemetry to understand the root cause of the corrupt star tracker data and develop further mitigations.
While conducting recovery of the spacecraft from the Safe Mode event, the project downloaded science data from the spacecraft's solid state recorder that was collected since Jan. 6. That data is now being routed to the Kepler Science Operations Center where it will be processed for the science team's evaluation. The team is making plans for the next science data collection download and spacecraft quarterly roll.
While conducting recovery of the spacecraft from the Safe Mode event, the project downloaded science data from the spacecraft's solid state recorder that was collected since Jan. 6. That data is now being routed to the Kepler Science Operations Center where it will be processed for the science team's evaluation. The team is making plans for the next science data collection download and spacecraft quarterly roll.
An Explosion of Infrared Color - Jellyfish Nebula
This oddly colorful nebula is the supernova remnant IC 443 as seen by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. Also known as the Jellyfish Nebula, IC 443 is particularly interesting because it provides a look into how stellar explosions interact with their environment.
Like other living creatures, stars have a life cycle -- they are born, mature and eventually die. The manner in which stars die depends on their mass. Stars with mass similar to the sun typically become planetary nebulae at the end of their lives, whereas stars with many times the sun's mass explode as supernovae. IC 443 is the remains of a star that went supernova between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. The blast from the supernova sent out shock waves that traveled through space, sweeping up and heating the surrounding gas and dust in the interstellar medium, and creating the supernova remnant seen in this image.
What is unusual about the IC 443 is that its shell-like form has two halves that have different radii, structures and emissions. The larger northeastern shell, seen here as the violet-colored semi-circle on the top left of the supernova remnant, is composed of sheet-like filaments that are emitting light from iron, neon, silicon and oxygen gas atoms, in addition to dust particles, all heated by the blast from the supernova. The smaller southern shell, seen here in a bright cyan color on the bottom half of the image, is constructed of denser clumps and knots primarily emitting light from hydrogen gas and heated dust. These clumps are part of a molecular cloud, which can be seen in this image as the greenish cloud cutting across IC 443 from the northwest to southeast. The color differences seen in this image represent different wavelengths of infrared emission.
The differences in color are also the result of differences in the energies of the shock waves hitting the interstellar medium. The northeastern shell was probably created by a fast shock wave (223,700 miles per hour), whereas the southern shell was probably created by a slow shock wave (67,100 miles per hour).
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
Like other living creatures, stars have a life cycle -- they are born, mature and eventually die. The manner in which stars die depends on their mass. Stars with mass similar to the sun typically become planetary nebulae at the end of their lives, whereas stars with many times the sun's mass explode as supernovae. IC 443 is the remains of a star that went supernova between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. The blast from the supernova sent out shock waves that traveled through space, sweeping up and heating the surrounding gas and dust in the interstellar medium, and creating the supernova remnant seen in this image.
What is unusual about the IC 443 is that its shell-like form has two halves that have different radii, structures and emissions. The larger northeastern shell, seen here as the violet-colored semi-circle on the top left of the supernova remnant, is composed of sheet-like filaments that are emitting light from iron, neon, silicon and oxygen gas atoms, in addition to dust particles, all heated by the blast from the supernova. The smaller southern shell, seen here in a bright cyan color on the bottom half of the image, is constructed of denser clumps and knots primarily emitting light from hydrogen gas and heated dust. These clumps are part of a molecular cloud, which can be seen in this image as the greenish cloud cutting across IC 443 from the northwest to southeast. The color differences seen in this image represent different wavelengths of infrared emission.
The differences in color are also the result of differences in the energies of the shock waves hitting the interstellar medium. The northeastern shell was probably created by a fast shock wave (223,700 miles per hour), whereas the southern shell was probably created by a slow shock wave (67,100 miles per hour).
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
Saturday 5 February 2011
Earthlight DVD (Special Edition)
Recommend this DVD to space fans and Earth fans alike. Its years old because it still refers to Windows 95. The copy I just picked up is dated 1998. Do not let that put you off. Its a timeless fantastic blend of NASA Earth View video with music. They have gone to a lot of trouble to obtain the excellent film quality and sound. Its relaxing (and educational if you want it to be) highly recommended and available here:
Earthlight DVD
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
NASA Space
Earthlight DVD
SPACEBOOSTERS Online Store
NASA Space
Date with a Comet - Valentine's Day 2011
View Now
Stardust-NExT is a mission to reuse the Stardust spacecraft to further the exploration of comet Tempel 1.
Tempel 1 was the target of Deep Impact. Deep Impact discovered that this is a most interesting comet.
We want to see more of the surface and we also want to see what changes have occurred since Deep Impact was there five years ago. The primary purpose is to observe how the comet has changed;how the nucleus has changed, to compare to what it was like back in 2005 with the previous pass near the sun. We call them perihelion passes. We also would want to extend the mapping and the observation of the nucleus to see new areas of the nucleus that we haven’t seen before.
So that it would help complete the mapping of the nucleus of this comet. And then, if possible, we would like to be able to image the crater that was left behind. The key challenges for an extended mission like this are one, dealing with the age of the spacecraft.
The spacecraft is almost 12 years old. Very little fuel is left; we’ve used most of it already. And then the third challenge, for a comet mission, is the navigation. One of the navigation challenges with getting close to a comet is predicting its trajectory.
We know that, as they get close to the sun, comets generate a lot of activity. The jets, the outbursts, all of those change the trajectory somewhat of the comet. We have a navigation camera and we photograph where the comet is on approach, and then we take that information, turn it into trajectory corrections, to put us in the right place at the right time.
One of the challenges of designing a spacecraft to go to a comet is, how do you protect it? There’s a coma that goes out in front of the comet. And that coma contains particles that could be large.
We’re flying by at a little over ten kilometers per second. That’s somewhat on the order of25,000 miles per hour. It doesn’t take much of a particle to cause damage.
The Stardust spacecraft is a very unique spacecraft. It was built for a comet flyby. So, it was built to fly close to a comet. And because of that, it has some very robust shields on the front of the spacecraft that will be able to stop a centimeter-sized particle traveling six kilometers per second and not damage the spacecraft.
These are exciting things. They’re all different. Every time we go near one we find something new, and the opportunity for discovery is absolutely momentous.
View Now
Stardust-NExT is a mission to reuse the Stardust spacecraft to further the exploration of comet Tempel 1.
Tempel 1 was the target of Deep Impact. Deep Impact discovered that this is a most interesting comet.
We want to see more of the surface and we also want to see what changes have occurred since Deep Impact was there five years ago. The primary purpose is to observe how the comet has changed;how the nucleus has changed, to compare to what it was like back in 2005 with the previous pass near the sun. We call them perihelion passes. We also would want to extend the mapping and the observation of the nucleus to see new areas of the nucleus that we haven’t seen before.
So that it would help complete the mapping of the nucleus of this comet. And then, if possible, we would like to be able to image the crater that was left behind. The key challenges for an extended mission like this are one, dealing with the age of the spacecraft.
The spacecraft is almost 12 years old. Very little fuel is left; we’ve used most of it already. And then the third challenge, for a comet mission, is the navigation. One of the navigation challenges with getting close to a comet is predicting its trajectory.
We know that, as they get close to the sun, comets generate a lot of activity. The jets, the outbursts, all of those change the trajectory somewhat of the comet. We have a navigation camera and we photograph where the comet is on approach, and then we take that information, turn it into trajectory corrections, to put us in the right place at the right time.
One of the challenges of designing a spacecraft to go to a comet is, how do you protect it? There’s a coma that goes out in front of the comet. And that coma contains particles that could be large.
We’re flying by at a little over ten kilometers per second. That’s somewhat on the order of25,000 miles per hour. It doesn’t take much of a particle to cause damage.
The Stardust spacecraft is a very unique spacecraft. It was built for a comet flyby. So, it was built to fly close to a comet. And because of that, it has some very robust shields on the front of the spacecraft that will be able to stop a centimeter-sized particle traveling six kilometers per second and not damage the spacecraft.
These are exciting things. They’re all different. Every time we go near one we find something new, and the opportunity for discovery is absolutely momentous.
View Now
Friday 4 February 2011
Astronaut Richard Gordon Visits the U.K
Astronaut Richard Gordon Events
Ken Willoughby has managed to organise another fantastic event in Pontefract. This time its Gemini 11 and Apollo 12 Astronaut Richard 'Dick' Gordon. Entry to both events requires a ticket. Dont delay...book yours today.
March 31, 2011
Pontefract, England
7:30pm - Richard Gordon (Gemini 11, Apollo 12)
Dinner (tickets required)
Wentbridge House Hotel
Tickets for the dinner £60 and cheques made payable to K. Willoughby. Please send payment and SAE to: Ken Willoughby, 11 Hardistry Drive, Pontefract WF8 4BU. Please include e-mail address and telephone number.
April 1, 2011
Pontefract, England (United Kingdom)
TBA - Richard Gordon (Gemini 11, Apollo 12)
Public presentation (tickets required)
St. Wilfrid's Catholic High School
Tickets for the public lecture made payable to "Apollo 13", please send payment and SAE to: Ken Willoughby, 11 Hardistry Drive, Pontefract WF8 4BU. Please include e-mail address and telephone number.
Apollo 12 Mission Embroidered Patch
Apollo 12 Mission Medallion with flown material
Apollo 12 Pin Badge
Apollo 12 Portrait: Richard Gordon: NASA
Ken Willoughby has managed to organise another fantastic event in Pontefract. This time its Gemini 11 and Apollo 12 Astronaut Richard 'Dick' Gordon. Entry to both events requires a ticket. Dont delay...book yours today.
March 31, 2011
Pontefract, England
7:30pm - Richard Gordon (Gemini 11, Apollo 12)
Dinner (tickets required)
Wentbridge House Hotel
Tickets for the dinner £60 and cheques made payable to K. Willoughby. Please send payment and SAE to: Ken Willoughby, 11 Hardistry Drive, Pontefract WF8 4BU. Please include e-mail address and telephone number.
April 1, 2011
Pontefract, England (United Kingdom)
TBA - Richard Gordon (Gemini 11, Apollo 12)
Public presentation (tickets required)
St. Wilfrid's Catholic High School
Tickets for the public lecture made payable to "Apollo 13", please send payment and SAE to: Ken Willoughby, 11 Hardistry Drive, Pontefract WF8 4BU. Please include e-mail address and telephone number.
Apollo 12 Mission Embroidered Patch
Apollo 12 Mission Medallion with flown material
Apollo 12 Pin Badge
Apollo 12 Mission Insignia: NASA
Mark Kelly Confident of Decision to Command STS-134
Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:25:01 -0600
Astronaut Mark Kelly made the decision to rejoin the crew of STS-134 as its commander after he was convinced that his wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was improving consistently after being critically wounded in a Tucson, Ariz. shooting, the astronaut said Friday.
"Things fell into place and she improved very fast, so the decision became easier over time," Kelly said. "I know my wife very well and I know what she would want, so that makes the decision easier."
Kelly had been on personal leave since the Jan. 8 shooting to care for his wife. Before announcing the decision, Kelly returned to training for a week, including taking a check-out flight in a T-38 jet trainer and running through an ascent/entry simulation.
Astronauts Brent Jett and Peggy Whitson, who as director of Flight Crew Operations and chief astronaut, respectively, are in charge of flight assignments, said they are certain Kelly is ready to handle the training and the spaceflight. Endeavour is targeted for launch April 19 on a mission to the International Space Station.
"I'm very glad to have Mark back as commander of STS-134," Jett said.
Astronaut Mark Kelly made the decision to rejoin the crew of STS-134 as its commander after he was convinced that his wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was improving consistently after being critically wounded in a Tucson, Ariz. shooting, the astronaut said Friday.
"Things fell into place and she improved very fast, so the decision became easier over time," Kelly said. "I know my wife very well and I know what she would want, so that makes the decision easier."
Kelly had been on personal leave since the Jan. 8 shooting to care for his wife. Before announcing the decision, Kelly returned to training for a week, including taking a check-out flight in a T-38 jet trainer and running through an ascent/entry simulation.
Astronauts Brent Jett and Peggy Whitson, who as director of Flight Crew Operations and chief astronaut, respectively, are in charge of flight assignments, said they are certain Kelly is ready to handle the training and the spaceflight. Endeavour is targeted for launch April 19 on a mission to the International Space Station.
"I'm very glad to have Mark back as commander of STS-134," Jett said.
STS-133 Sunrise at Pad 39A
The sun begins to rise in the east overlooking Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with newly arrived space shuttle Discovery. Discovery arrived at the launch pad on Feb. 1, 2011 for its next launch opportunity to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission, currently targeted for liftoff on Feb. 24.
Image credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
Image credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
NASA Astronaut Mark Kelly Resumes Training For STS-134 Mission
HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Mark Kelly will resume training as commander of the STS-134 space shuttle mission on Monday, Feb. 7. With the exception of some proficiency training, Kelly has been on personal leave since Jan. 8 to care for his wife, congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was critically wounded in a Tucson, Ariz. shooting.
"I am looking forward to rejoining my STS-134 crew members and finishing our training for the mission," Kelly said. "We have been preparing for more than 18 months, and we will be ready to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station and complete the other objectives of the flight. I appreciate the confidence that my NASA management has in me and the rest of my space shuttle crew."
"We are glad to have Mark back," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "He is a veteran shuttle commander and knows well the demands of the job. We are confident in his ability to successfully lead this mission, and I know I speak for all of NASA in saying 'welcome back'.
A news briefing will be held at 2 p.m. CST today at Johnson to discuss Kelly's return. The briefing will be broadcast on NASA Television.
Questions will be taken from reporters at Johnson, NASA Headquarters and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Participants will include:
-- Mark Kelly, commander, STS-134
-- Peggy Whitson, chief, Astronaut Office
-- Brent Jett, chief, Flight Crew Operations Directorate
Because of winter weather conditions, Johnson will be closed until noon. However, the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 is staffed to receive calls from journalists requesting credentials.
On Monday, Feb. 7, NASA TV will broadcast video b-roll of Kelly's first training session with his crew at 11:30 a.m. CST. Additional b-roll of his first day of training will air at 3 p.m. The training sessions will not be available for filming by news media.
Astronaut Rick Sturckow, the backup commander for the mission, will resume his role as the deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. For more information about the STS-134 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Kelly's biography can be found at:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/kellyme.html
STS-134 Embroidered Mission Patch
STS-134 Mission Lapel Pin
"I am looking forward to rejoining my STS-134 crew members and finishing our training for the mission," Kelly said. "We have been preparing for more than 18 months, and we will be ready to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station and complete the other objectives of the flight. I appreciate the confidence that my NASA management has in me and the rest of my space shuttle crew."
"We are glad to have Mark back," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "He is a veteran shuttle commander and knows well the demands of the job. We are confident in his ability to successfully lead this mission, and I know I speak for all of NASA in saying 'welcome back'.
A news briefing will be held at 2 p.m. CST today at Johnson to discuss Kelly's return. The briefing will be broadcast on NASA Television.
Questions will be taken from reporters at Johnson, NASA Headquarters and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Participants will include:
-- Mark Kelly, commander, STS-134
-- Peggy Whitson, chief, Astronaut Office
-- Brent Jett, chief, Flight Crew Operations Directorate
Because of winter weather conditions, Johnson will be closed until noon. However, the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 is staffed to receive calls from journalists requesting credentials.
On Monday, Feb. 7, NASA TV will broadcast video b-roll of Kelly's first training session with his crew at 11:30 a.m. CST. Additional b-roll of his first day of training will air at 3 p.m. The training sessions will not be available for filming by news media.
Astronaut Rick Sturckow, the backup commander for the mission, will resume his role as the deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. For more information about the STS-134 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Kelly's biography can be found at:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/kellyme.html
STS-134 Embroidered Mission Patch
STS-134 Mission Lapel Pin
Mars Express puts craters on a pedestal
4 February 2011
ESA's Mars Express has returned new views of pedestal craters in the Red Planet's eastern Arabia Terra.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMM9RY1LJG_0.html
ESA's Mars Express has returned new views of pedestal craters in the Red Planet's eastern Arabia Terra.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMM9RY1LJG_0.html
European Commissioner: Space is a must to tackle climate change
4 February 2011
At a Hearing held this week at the European Parliament, Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for DG Climate Action, stated that observations from space are absolutely essential on the road to monitoring, combating and adapting to climate change.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_for_our_climate/SEMXURY1LJG_0.html
At a Hearing held this week at the European Parliament, Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for DG Climate Action, stated that observations from space are absolutely essential on the road to monitoring, combating and adapting to climate change.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_for_our_climate/SEMXURY1LJG_0.html
GUCP Leak Checks Scheduled Today
Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:42:49 -0600
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will perform leak checks on space shuttle Discovery's ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, today. A gaseous hydrogen leak at the GUCP scrubbed Discovery's first launch attempt on Nov. 5, 2010.
Discovery is targeted to launch on its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station on Feb. 24, 2011.
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will perform leak checks on space shuttle Discovery's ground umbilical carrier plate, or GUCP, today. A gaseous hydrogen leak at the GUCP scrubbed Discovery's first launch attempt on Nov. 5, 2010.
Discovery is targeted to launch on its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station on Feb. 24, 2011.
Envisat captures volcanic eruptions in Japan today - ESA
Acquired today by ESA's Envisat satellite, this image shows smoke pouring from Mount Shinmoedake, a volcano in the Kirishima mountain range on Japan's southern island of Kyushu.
Read more at:
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMD6QY1LJG_index_0.html
Read more at:
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMD6QY1LJG_index_0.html
XMM-Newton technology on new telescopes
4 February 2011
Astronomers gazing deep into the night sky to uncover the Universe's secrets will soon be able to discover even more star-births and planets thanks to new telescopes being built in Chile and Mexico drawing on space technology.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/TTP2/SEMVIKY1LJG_0.html
Astronomers gazing deep into the night sky to uncover the Universe's secrets will soon be able to discover even more star-births and planets thanks to new telescopes being built in Chile and Mexico drawing on space technology.
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/TTP2/SEMVIKY1LJG_0.html
NASA To Hold Briefing On The Shuttle Commander For April Flight
HOUSTON -- NASA will hold a news conference to discuss command of the STS-134 space shuttle mission at 2 p.m. CST Friday, Feb. 4, at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The briefing participants are:
-- Mark Kelly, commander, STS-134
-- Peggy Whitson, chief, Astronaut Office
-- Brent Jett, chief, Flight Crew Operations Directorate
The news conference will be broadcast on NASA Television and the agency's website. Reporters may ask questions from Johnson, NASA Headquarters in Washington and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
U.S. media representatives planning to attend the briefing must contact the NASA newsroom at one of the three facilities listed above by 1 p.m.
Because of expected winter weather conditions, Johnson will be closed until noon Friday. However, the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 will be staffed beginning at 9 a.m. to receive calls from journalists requesting credentials.
For more information on the STS-134 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Complete astronaut biographies are available at:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Space Shuttle STS-134 Embroidered Mission Patch
Space Shuttle STS-134
Crew Photo
The briefing participants are:
-- Mark Kelly, commander, STS-134
-- Peggy Whitson, chief, Astronaut Office
-- Brent Jett, chief, Flight Crew Operations Directorate
The news conference will be broadcast on NASA Television and the agency's website. Reporters may ask questions from Johnson, NASA Headquarters in Washington and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
U.S. media representatives planning to attend the briefing must contact the NASA newsroom at one of the three facilities listed above by 1 p.m.
Because of expected winter weather conditions, Johnson will be closed until noon Friday. However, the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 will be staffed beginning at 9 a.m. to receive calls from journalists requesting credentials.
For more information on the STS-134 mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Complete astronaut biographies are available at:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Space Shuttle STS-134 Embroidered Mission Patch
Space Shuttle STS-134
Crew Photo
Thursday 3 February 2011
Astronaut/Cosmonaut Websites/Blogs
Astronaut/Cosmonaut Websites/Blogs
Buzz Aldrin
William Anders
Jay Apt
Alan Bean
Roberta Bondar
Walter Cunningham
Charlie Duke
Richard Gordon
Umberto Guidoni
Chris Hadfield
Terence 'Tom' Henricks
Scott J. “Doc” Horowitz
Mae Jemison
James Lovell
Ed Lu
Franco Malerba
Edgar Mitchell
Mike Mullane
Talget Musabayev
Story Musgrave
William 'Bill' Oefelein
Dorin Prunariu
Walter Schirra
Russell Schweickart
Rick Searfoss
Al Worden
John Young
Spaceflight Participants Websites/Blogs
Anousheh Ansari
Richard Garriott
Gregory Olsen
Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
Mark Shuttleworth
Charles Simonyi
Buzz Aldrin
William Anders
Jay Apt
Alan Bean
Roberta Bondar
Walter Cunningham
Charlie Duke
Richard Gordon
Umberto Guidoni
Chris Hadfield
Terence 'Tom' Henricks
Scott J. “Doc” Horowitz
Mae Jemison
James Lovell
Ed Lu
Franco Malerba
Edgar Mitchell
Mike Mullane
Talget Musabayev
Story Musgrave
William 'Bill' Oefelein
Dorin Prunariu
Walter Schirra
Russell Schweickart
Rick Searfoss
Al Worden
John Young
Spaceflight Participants Websites/Blogs
Anousheh Ansari
Richard Garriott
Gregory Olsen
Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
Mark Shuttleworth
Charles Simonyi
The Jets of Enceladus
On Jan. 31, 2011, NASA's Cassini spacecraft passed by several of Saturn's intriguing moons, snapping images along the way. Cassini passed within about 37,282 miles of Enceladus and 17,398 miles of Helene. It also caught a glimpse of Mimas in front of Saturn's rings. In this image, Cassini snapped a picture of the famous jets erupting from the south polar terrain of Enceladus.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/SSI
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/SSI
STS-133 Hydraulic Systems Testing Today
Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:54:44 -0600
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will perform a final test on space shuttle Discovery's hydraulic system today.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery's astronauts will review computer network manuals and robotic procedures today.
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will perform a final test on space shuttle Discovery's hydraulic system today.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery's astronauts will review computer network manuals and robotic procedures today.
ESA's latest Automated Transfer Vehicle is ready for launch
ESA's latest Automated Transfer Vehicle is ready for launch to the International Space Station on Tuesday, 15 February at 22:08 GMT from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The unmanned spaceship will deliver essential supplies and reboost the Station during its mission lasting three and half months.
The launch will be covered live from Kourou for broadcasters and on the Web, and celebrated at a launch event in Bremen, Germany.
Europe's second ATV
Johannes Kepler is the first operational ATV, following the highly successful Jules Verne qualification flight in 2008. With a total mass of over 20 tonnes, it is the heaviest payload ever launched by Europe.
ATV is a highly sophisticated spacecraft, combining an autonomous free-flying platform, a manoeuvrable space vehicle and - when docked - a space station module.
To achieve an automated docking under the very tight safety constraints imposed by human spaceflight rules, ATV carries high-precision navigation systems, highly redundant flight software and a fully autonomous collision-avoidance system with its own independent power supplies, control and thrusters.
About 10 m high with a diameter of 4.5 m, ATV includes a 45-cubic m pressurised module and a Russian docking system, similar to those used on the Soyuz manned ferries and the Progress resupply ships.
With its solar wings deployed, ATV spans 22 m. Almost three times larger than Russia's Progress, it can also deliver about three times the cargo load.
Propellant and cargo for the ISS
On this first operational mission, ATV-2 is carrying over 7 tonnes of payload, including 4534 kg of propellant for International Space Station (ISS) reboost and attitude control.
Once docked to the ISS, this propellant will be used by ATV's own thrusters to raise the Station's orbit periodically in order to compensate for the natural decay caused by atmospheric drag.
It may also be used to move the ISS out of the way of potentially dangerous space debris that comes too close to the manned space complex.
ATV's payload includes almost 1600 kg of dry cargo, 850 kg of propellant for Russia's Zvezda module and 100 kg of oxygen.
Before leaving the ISS, in June, Johannes Kepler will be filled with waste bags and unwanted hardware by the crew. It will then be deorbited over the Southern Pacific Ocean and perform a controlled reentry to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.
Exceptionally, no drinking water will be delivered because there is already plenty aboard the ISS. The water tanks will, though, be filled with liquid waste from the Station before departure.
ATV Johannes Kepler is named after the famous German astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries. He first depicted the movement of planetary bodies in elliptical orbits, thus paving the way for Isaac Newton's theory of gravitation.
It is the second in a series of five spaceships developed as Europe's contribution to the operational costs of the ISS. Astrium Space Transportation is prime industrial contractor, leading a team of more than 30 contractors in 10 European countries.
Covering the launch
ESA TV is providing extensive coverage of the ATV mission. Several stories featuring the latest images and interviews from Kourou will be released on ESA TV's FTP server and via satellite on the Europe by Satellite (EbS) service. Already available are two Video News Releases covering the ATV-2 mission, with shots of the launch campaign in Kourou, and interviews in English, German, French and Swedish. The launch will be transmitted live from Kourou in cooperation with Arianespace. Later in the month, the docking with the ISS will also be available live via satellite. All details will be found on ESA TV's site: http://television.esa.int/
The latest high-resolution images can be found by registering on ESA's Photo Library for Professionals: http://www.esa-photolibrary.com/
Questions on images for media can be directed to esa.photolibrary@esa.int
Attending the launch event in Bremen
In cooperation with EADS Astrium, a media event for the launch will take place in Bremen, Germany. The briefing will begin at 17:00 and include visits to the ATV-3 and ATV-4 cleanrooms.
Media wanting to attend the event must register at visits.bremen@astrium.eads.net More information about the event can be obtained by contacting EADS Astrium Communication, Ms Caroline Strothmann at +49 4215 394301.
For further information, please contact:
ESA Media Relations Office
Communication Department
Tel: + 33 1 53 69 72 99
Fax: + 33 1 53 69 76 90
Email: media@esa.int
The launch will be covered live from Kourou for broadcasters and on the Web, and celebrated at a launch event in Bremen, Germany.
Europe's second ATV
Johannes Kepler is the first operational ATV, following the highly successful Jules Verne qualification flight in 2008. With a total mass of over 20 tonnes, it is the heaviest payload ever launched by Europe.
ATV is a highly sophisticated spacecraft, combining an autonomous free-flying platform, a manoeuvrable space vehicle and - when docked - a space station module.
To achieve an automated docking under the very tight safety constraints imposed by human spaceflight rules, ATV carries high-precision navigation systems, highly redundant flight software and a fully autonomous collision-avoidance system with its own independent power supplies, control and thrusters.
About 10 m high with a diameter of 4.5 m, ATV includes a 45-cubic m pressurised module and a Russian docking system, similar to those used on the Soyuz manned ferries and the Progress resupply ships.
With its solar wings deployed, ATV spans 22 m. Almost three times larger than Russia's Progress, it can also deliver about three times the cargo load.
Propellant and cargo for the ISS
On this first operational mission, ATV-2 is carrying over 7 tonnes of payload, including 4534 kg of propellant for International Space Station (ISS) reboost and attitude control.
Once docked to the ISS, this propellant will be used by ATV's own thrusters to raise the Station's orbit periodically in order to compensate for the natural decay caused by atmospheric drag.
It may also be used to move the ISS out of the way of potentially dangerous space debris that comes too close to the manned space complex.
ATV's payload includes almost 1600 kg of dry cargo, 850 kg of propellant for Russia's Zvezda module and 100 kg of oxygen.
Before leaving the ISS, in June, Johannes Kepler will be filled with waste bags and unwanted hardware by the crew. It will then be deorbited over the Southern Pacific Ocean and perform a controlled reentry to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.
Exceptionally, no drinking water will be delivered because there is already plenty aboard the ISS. The water tanks will, though, be filled with liquid waste from the Station before departure.
ATV Johannes Kepler is named after the famous German astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries. He first depicted the movement of planetary bodies in elliptical orbits, thus paving the way for Isaac Newton's theory of gravitation.
It is the second in a series of five spaceships developed as Europe's contribution to the operational costs of the ISS. Astrium Space Transportation is prime industrial contractor, leading a team of more than 30 contractors in 10 European countries.
Covering the launch
ESA TV is providing extensive coverage of the ATV mission. Several stories featuring the latest images and interviews from Kourou will be released on ESA TV's FTP server and via satellite on the Europe by Satellite (EbS) service. Already available are two Video News Releases covering the ATV-2 mission, with shots of the launch campaign in Kourou, and interviews in English, German, French and Swedish. The launch will be transmitted live from Kourou in cooperation with Arianespace. Later in the month, the docking with the ISS will also be available live via satellite. All details will be found on ESA TV's site: http://television.esa.int/
The latest high-resolution images can be found by registering on ESA's Photo Library for Professionals: http://www.esa-photolibrary.com/
Questions on images for media can be directed to esa.photolibrary@esa.int
Attending the launch event in Bremen
In cooperation with EADS Astrium, a media event for the launch will take place in Bremen, Germany. The briefing will begin at 17:00 and include visits to the ATV-3 and ATV-4 cleanrooms.
Media wanting to attend the event must register at visits.bremen@astrium.eads.net More information about the event can be obtained by contacting EADS Astrium Communication, Ms Caroline Strothmann at +49 4215 394301.
For further information, please contact:
ESA Media Relations Office
Communication Department
Tel: + 33 1 53 69 72 99
Fax: + 33 1 53 69 76 90
Email: media@esa.int
Wednesday 2 February 2011
Mars500 'arrives' in orbit around Mars
The first full-duration simulation of a manned voyage to Mars has reached a major milestone: the 'spacecraft' yesterday 'arrived' at Mars after 244 days of virtual interplanetary flight. Three crewmembers will 'land' on Mars on 12 February and make three sorties onto simulated martian terrain.
Read more at: http://www.esa.int/export/esaHS/SEMWYEY1LJG_index_0.html
Read more at: http://www.esa.int/export/esaHS/SEMWYEY1LJG_index_0.html
Propellant System Tests Scheduled for Discovery
Wed, 02 Feb 2011 07:56:38 -0600
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will perform a liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen system functional and check today for space shuttle Discovery following its arrival at the pad yesterday morning. LH2 and LOX are used to fuel Discovery's three main engines during the trip to orbit.
Techs attached the ground umbilical carrier plate and hydrogen gas vent line to Discovery's external fuel tank yesterday. Alignment measurements were taken and are being evaluated by engineers to make sure there's a proper fit and won't leak, as happened Nov. 5 which caused Discovery's first launch attempt to be scrubbed. Leak tests are scheduled for Friday.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery's astronauts are conducting an integrated deorbit prep sim today in the fixed base simulator.
Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A will perform a liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen system functional and check today for space shuttle Discovery following its arrival at the pad yesterday morning. LH2 and LOX are used to fuel Discovery's three main engines during the trip to orbit.
Techs attached the ground umbilical carrier plate and hydrogen gas vent line to Discovery's external fuel tank yesterday. Alignment measurements were taken and are being evaluated by engineers to make sure there's a proper fit and won't leak, as happened Nov. 5 which caused Discovery's first launch attempt to be scrubbed. Leak tests are scheduled for Friday.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery's astronauts are conducting an integrated deorbit prep sim today in the fixed base simulator.
NASA Finds Earth-Size Planet Candidates In Habitable Zone, Six Planet System
WASHINGTON -- NASA's Kepler mission has discovered its first Earth-size planet candidates and its first candidates in the habitable zone, a region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Five of the potential planets are near Earth-size and orbit in the habitable zone of smaller, cooler stars than our sun.
Candidates require follow-up observations to verify they are actual planets. Kepler also found six confirmed planets orbiting a sun-like star, Kepler-11. This is the largest group of transiting planets orbiting a single star yet discovered outside our solar system.
"In one generation we have gone from extraterrestrial planets being a mainstay of science fiction, to the present, where Kepler has helped turn science fiction into today's reality," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "These discoveries underscore the importance of NASA's science missions, which consistently increase understanding of our place in the cosmos."
The discoveries are part of several hundred new planet candidates identified in new Kepler mission science data, released on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The findings increase the number of planet candidates identified by Kepler to-date to 1,235. Of these, 68 are approximately Earth-size; 288 are super-Earth-size; 662 are Neptune-size; 165 are the size of Jupiter and 19 are larger than Jupiter.
Of the 54 new planet candidates found in the habitable zone, five are near Earth-sized. The remaining 49 habitable zone candidates range from super-Earth size -- up to twice the size of Earth -- to larger than Jupiter.
The findings are based on the results of observations conducted May 12 to Sept. 17, 2009, of more than 156,000 stars in Kepler's field of view, which covers approximately 1/400 of the sky.
"The fact that we've found so many planet candidates in such a tiny fraction of the sky suggests there are countless planets orbiting sun-like stars in our galaxy," said William Borucki of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., the mission's science principal investigator. "We went from zero to 68 Earth-sized planet candidates and zero to 54 candidates in the habitable zone, some of which could have moons with liquid water."
Among the stars with planetary candidates, 170 show evidence of multiple planetary candidates. Kepler-11, located approximately 2,000 light years from Earth, is the most tightly packed planetary system yet discovered. All six of its confirmed planets have orbits smaller than Venus, and five of the six have orbits smaller than Mercury's. The only other star with more than one confirmed transiting planet is Kepler-9, which has three. The Kepler-11 findings will be published in the Feb. 3 issue of the journal Nature.
"Kepler-11 is a remarkable system whose architecture and dynamics provide clues about its formation," said Jack Lissauer, a planetary scientist and Kepler science team member at Ames. "These six planets are mixtures of rock and gases, possibly including water. The rocky material accounts for most of the planets' mass, while the gas takes up most of their volume. By measuring the sizes and masses of the five inner planets, we determined they are among the lowest mass confirmed planets beyond our solar system."
All of the planets orbiting Kepler-11 are larger than Earth, with the largest ones being comparable in size to Uranus and Neptune. The innermost planet, Kepler-11b, is ten times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun. Moving outward, the other planets are Kepler-11c, Kepler-11d, Kepler-11e, Kepler-11f, and the outermost planet, Kepler-11g, which is half as far from its star as Earth is from the sun.
The planets Kepler-11d, Kepler-11e and Kepler-11f have a significant amount of light gas, which indicates that they formed within a few million years of the system's formation.
"The historic milestones Kepler makes with each new discovery will determine the course of every exoplanet mission to follow," said Douglas Hudgins, Kepler program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Kepler, a space telescope, looks for planet signatures by measuring tiny decreases in the brightness of stars caused by planets crossing in front of them. This is known as a transit.
Since transits of planets in the habitable zone of sun-like stars occur about once a year and require three transits for verification, it is expected to take three years to locate and verify Earth-size planets orbiting sun-like stars.
The Kepler science team uses ground-based telescopes and the Spitzer Space Telescope to review observations on planetary candidates and other objects of interest the spacecraft finds.
The star field that Kepler observes in the constellations Cygnus and Lyra can only be seen from ground-based observatories in spring through early fall. The data from these other observations help determine which candidates can be validated as planets.
For more information about the Kepler mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/kepler
Candidates require follow-up observations to verify they are actual planets. Kepler also found six confirmed planets orbiting a sun-like star, Kepler-11. This is the largest group of transiting planets orbiting a single star yet discovered outside our solar system.
"In one generation we have gone from extraterrestrial planets being a mainstay of science fiction, to the present, where Kepler has helped turn science fiction into today's reality," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "These discoveries underscore the importance of NASA's science missions, which consistently increase understanding of our place in the cosmos."
The discoveries are part of several hundred new planet candidates identified in new Kepler mission science data, released on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The findings increase the number of planet candidates identified by Kepler to-date to 1,235. Of these, 68 are approximately Earth-size; 288 are super-Earth-size; 662 are Neptune-size; 165 are the size of Jupiter and 19 are larger than Jupiter.
Of the 54 new planet candidates found in the habitable zone, five are near Earth-sized. The remaining 49 habitable zone candidates range from super-Earth size -- up to twice the size of Earth -- to larger than Jupiter.
The findings are based on the results of observations conducted May 12 to Sept. 17, 2009, of more than 156,000 stars in Kepler's field of view, which covers approximately 1/400 of the sky.
"The fact that we've found so many planet candidates in such a tiny fraction of the sky suggests there are countless planets orbiting sun-like stars in our galaxy," said William Borucki of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., the mission's science principal investigator. "We went from zero to 68 Earth-sized planet candidates and zero to 54 candidates in the habitable zone, some of which could have moons with liquid water."
Among the stars with planetary candidates, 170 show evidence of multiple planetary candidates. Kepler-11, located approximately 2,000 light years from Earth, is the most tightly packed planetary system yet discovered. All six of its confirmed planets have orbits smaller than Venus, and five of the six have orbits smaller than Mercury's. The only other star with more than one confirmed transiting planet is Kepler-9, which has three. The Kepler-11 findings will be published in the Feb. 3 issue of the journal Nature.
"Kepler-11 is a remarkable system whose architecture and dynamics provide clues about its formation," said Jack Lissauer, a planetary scientist and Kepler science team member at Ames. "These six planets are mixtures of rock and gases, possibly including water. The rocky material accounts for most of the planets' mass, while the gas takes up most of their volume. By measuring the sizes and masses of the five inner planets, we determined they are among the lowest mass confirmed planets beyond our solar system."
All of the planets orbiting Kepler-11 are larger than Earth, with the largest ones being comparable in size to Uranus and Neptune. The innermost planet, Kepler-11b, is ten times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun. Moving outward, the other planets are Kepler-11c, Kepler-11d, Kepler-11e, Kepler-11f, and the outermost planet, Kepler-11g, which is half as far from its star as Earth is from the sun.
The planets Kepler-11d, Kepler-11e and Kepler-11f have a significant amount of light gas, which indicates that they formed within a few million years of the system's formation.
"The historic milestones Kepler makes with each new discovery will determine the course of every exoplanet mission to follow," said Douglas Hudgins, Kepler program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Kepler, a space telescope, looks for planet signatures by measuring tiny decreases in the brightness of stars caused by planets crossing in front of them. This is known as a transit.
Since transits of planets in the habitable zone of sun-like stars occur about once a year and require three transits for verification, it is expected to take three years to locate and verify Earth-size planets orbiting sun-like stars.
The Kepler science team uses ground-based telescopes and the Spitzer Space Telescope to review observations on planetary candidates and other objects of interest the spacecraft finds.
The star field that Kepler observes in the constellations Cygnus and Lyra can only be seen from ground-based observatories in spring through early fall. The data from these other observations help determine which candidates can be validated as planets.
For more information about the Kepler mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/kepler
Tuesday 1 February 2011
NASA'S Neowise Completes Scan For Asteroids And Comets
WASHINGTON -- NASA's NEOWISE mission has completed its survey of small bodies, asteroids and comets, in our solar system. The mission's discoveries of previously unknown objects include 20 comets, more than 33,000 asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter, and 134 near-Earth objects (NEOs). The NEOs are asteroids and comets with orbits that come within 28 million miles of Earth's path around the sun.
NEOWISE is an enhancement of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, mission that launched in December 2009. WISE scanned the entire celestial sky in infrared light about 1.5 times. It captured more than 2.7 million images of objects in space, ranging from faraway galaxies to asteroids and comets close to Earth.
In early October 2010, after completing its prime science mission, the spacecraft ran out of frozen coolant that keeps its instrumentation cold. However, two of its four infrared cameras remained operational. These two channels were still useful for asteroid hunting, so NASA extended the NEOWISE portion of the WISE mission by four months, with the primary purpose of hunting for more asteroids and comets, and to finish one complete scan of the main asteroid belt.
“Even just one year of observations from the NEOWISE project has significantly increased our catalog of data on NEOs and the other small bodies of the solar systems,” said Lindley Johnson, NASA’s program executive for the NEO Observation Program.
Now that NEOWISE has successfully completed a full sweep of the main asteroid belt, the WISE spacecraft will go into hibernation mode and remain in polar orbit around the Earth, where it could be called back into service in the future.
In addition to discovering new asteroids and comets, NEOWISE also confirmed the presence of objects in the main belt that already had been detected. In just one year, it observed about 153,000 rocky bodies out of approximately 500,000 known objects. Those include the 33,000 that NEOWISE discovered.
NEOWISE also observed known objects closer and farther to us than the main belt, including roughly 2,000 asteroids that orbit along with Jupiter, hundreds of NEOs and more than 100 comets.
These observations will be key to determining the objects' sizes and compositions. Visible-light data alone reveals how much sunlight reflects off an asteroid, whereas infrared data is much more directly related to the object's size. By combining visible and infrared measurements, astronomers also can learn about the compositions of the rocky bodies -- for example, whether they are solid or crumbly. The findings will lead to a much-improved picture of the various asteroid populations.
NEOWISE took longer to survey the whole asteroid belt than WISE took to scan the entire sky because most of the asteroids are moving in the same direction around the sun as the spacecraft moves while it orbits the Earth. The spacecraft field of view had to catch up to, and lap, the movement of the asteroids in order to see them all.
"You can think of Earth and the asteroids as racehorses moving along in a track," said Amy Mainzer, the principal investigator of NEOWISE at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "We're moving along together around the sun, but the main belt asteroids are like horses on the outer part of the track. They take longer to orbit than us, so we eventually lap them."
NEOWISE data on the asteroid and comet orbits are catalogued at the NASA-funded International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, a clearinghouse for information about all solar system bodies at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. The science team is analyzing the infrared observations now and will publish new findings in the coming months.
When combined with WISE observations, NEOWISE data will aid in the discovery of the closest dim stars, called brown dwarfs. These observations have the potential to reveal a brown dwarf even closer to us than our closest known star, Proxima Centauri, if such an object does exist. Likewise, if there is a hidden gas-giant planet in the outer reaches of our solar system, data from WISE and NEO-WISE could detect it.
The first batch of observations from the WISE mission will be available to the public and astronomical community in April.
"WISE has unearthed a mother lode of amazing sources, and we're having a great time figuring out their nature," said Edward (Ned) Wright, the principal investigator of WISE at UCLA.
JPL manages WISE for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington. The mission was competitively selected under NASA's Explorers Program, which NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages. The Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah, built the science instrument, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colo., built the spacecraft. Science operations and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JPL manages NEOWISE for NASA's Planetary Sciences Division. The mission's data processing also takes place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center.
For more information about WISE, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/wise
NEOWISE is an enhancement of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, mission that launched in December 2009. WISE scanned the entire celestial sky in infrared light about 1.5 times. It captured more than 2.7 million images of objects in space, ranging from faraway galaxies to asteroids and comets close to Earth.
In early October 2010, after completing its prime science mission, the spacecraft ran out of frozen coolant that keeps its instrumentation cold. However, two of its four infrared cameras remained operational. These two channels were still useful for asteroid hunting, so NASA extended the NEOWISE portion of the WISE mission by four months, with the primary purpose of hunting for more asteroids and comets, and to finish one complete scan of the main asteroid belt.
“Even just one year of observations from the NEOWISE project has significantly increased our catalog of data on NEOs and the other small bodies of the solar systems,” said Lindley Johnson, NASA’s program executive for the NEO Observation Program.
Now that NEOWISE has successfully completed a full sweep of the main asteroid belt, the WISE spacecraft will go into hibernation mode and remain in polar orbit around the Earth, where it could be called back into service in the future.
In addition to discovering new asteroids and comets, NEOWISE also confirmed the presence of objects in the main belt that already had been detected. In just one year, it observed about 153,000 rocky bodies out of approximately 500,000 known objects. Those include the 33,000 that NEOWISE discovered.
NEOWISE also observed known objects closer and farther to us than the main belt, including roughly 2,000 asteroids that orbit along with Jupiter, hundreds of NEOs and more than 100 comets.
These observations will be key to determining the objects' sizes and compositions. Visible-light data alone reveals how much sunlight reflects off an asteroid, whereas infrared data is much more directly related to the object's size. By combining visible and infrared measurements, astronomers also can learn about the compositions of the rocky bodies -- for example, whether they are solid or crumbly. The findings will lead to a much-improved picture of the various asteroid populations.
NEOWISE took longer to survey the whole asteroid belt than WISE took to scan the entire sky because most of the asteroids are moving in the same direction around the sun as the spacecraft moves while it orbits the Earth. The spacecraft field of view had to catch up to, and lap, the movement of the asteroids in order to see them all.
"You can think of Earth and the asteroids as racehorses moving along in a track," said Amy Mainzer, the principal investigator of NEOWISE at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "We're moving along together around the sun, but the main belt asteroids are like horses on the outer part of the track. They take longer to orbit than us, so we eventually lap them."
NEOWISE data on the asteroid and comet orbits are catalogued at the NASA-funded International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, a clearinghouse for information about all solar system bodies at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. The science team is analyzing the infrared observations now and will publish new findings in the coming months.
When combined with WISE observations, NEOWISE data will aid in the discovery of the closest dim stars, called brown dwarfs. These observations have the potential to reveal a brown dwarf even closer to us than our closest known star, Proxima Centauri, if such an object does exist. Likewise, if there is a hidden gas-giant planet in the outer reaches of our solar system, data from WISE and NEO-WISE could detect it.
The first batch of observations from the WISE mission will be available to the public and astronomical community in April.
"WISE has unearthed a mother lode of amazing sources, and we're having a great time figuring out their nature," said Edward (Ned) Wright, the principal investigator of WISE at UCLA.
JPL manages WISE for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington. The mission was competitively selected under NASA's Explorers Program, which NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages. The Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah, built the science instrument, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colo., built the spacecraft. Science operations and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JPL manages NEOWISE for NASA's Planetary Sciences Division. The mission's data processing also takes place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center.
For more information about WISE, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/wise
Israel signs Cooperation Agreement
Israel signed a Cooperation Agreement with ESA on 30 January 2011. The objective of this agreement is to allow Israel and ESA to create the framework for more-intensive cooperation in ESA projects in the future.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMKE3Y1LJG_index_0.html
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMKE3Y1LJG_index_0.html
Looking back - Columbia, Maiden Voyage
On the craft's maiden voyage, the crew of space shuttle Columbia took this image that showcases the blackness of space and a blue and white Earth, as well as the cargo bay and aft section of the shuttle. The image was photographed through the flight deck's aft windows. In the lower right corner is one of the vehicle's radiator panels. The pentagon-shaped object in the upper left is glare caused by window reflection. STS-1, Columbia's maiden voyage, launched on April 12, 1981, and was the inaugural flight in the Space Shuttle Program. Columbia and its crew were lost during STS-107 mission in 2003. As the shuttle lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 16, a small portion of foam broke away from the external fuel tank and struck the orbiter's left wing. The resulting damage created a hole in the wing's leading edge, which caused the vehicle to break apart during reentry on Feb. 1.
Image Credit: NASA
Image Credit: NASA
Technicians Connecting GUCP to Discovery at Pad
Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:33:05 -0600
Shuttle Discovery reached Launch Pad 39A at 2:55 a.m. EST following its 3.4 mile trek on the crawler-transporter from the Vehicle Assembly Building. First motion began at 7:58 p.m. EST Monday.
The rotating service structure was closed around Discovery a little before 6 a.m. EST. Technicians now are working on connecting the ground umbilical carrier plate or GUCP. Leak checks are scheduled for Friday. The shuttle was powered up this morning as part of the initial check out of systems.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery’s STS-133 astronauts are reviewing photo/TV operations today before Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe conduct Shuttle Training Aircraft training runs around the White Sands Space Harbor, N.M.
Shuttle Discovery reached Launch Pad 39A at 2:55 a.m. EST following its 3.4 mile trek on the crawler-transporter from the Vehicle Assembly Building. First motion began at 7:58 p.m. EST Monday.
The rotating service structure was closed around Discovery a little before 6 a.m. EST. Technicians now are working on connecting the ground umbilical carrier plate or GUCP. Leak checks are scheduled for Friday. The shuttle was powered up this morning as part of the initial check out of systems.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Discovery’s STS-133 astronauts are reviewing photo/TV operations today before Commander Steve Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe conduct Shuttle Training Aircraft training runs around the White Sands Space Harbor, N.M.
CryoSat ice data now open to all
1 February 2011
Scientists can now tap into a flow of new data that will help to determine exactly how Earth's ice is changing. This information from ESA's CryoSat mission is set to make a step change in our understanding of the complex relationship between ice and climate.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM660Y1LJG_index_0.html
Scientists can now tap into a flow of new data that will help to determine exactly how Earth's ice is changing. This information from ESA's CryoSat mission is set to make a step change in our understanding of the complex relationship between ice and climate.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM660Y1LJG_index_0.html
Discovery Begins Move to Launch Pad
Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:51:01 -0600
Shuttle Discovery now is on its way from the Vehicle Assembly Building to
Launch Pad 39A. First motion began at 7:58 p.m. EST. The move will take
approximately 7 hours.
Shuttle Discovery now is on its way from the Vehicle Assembly Building to
Launch Pad 39A. First motion began at 7:58 p.m. EST. The move will take
approximately 7 hours.
Monday 31 January 2011
Lena De Winne at Flanders House, London
Lena De Winne hosted a book signing and reception at Flanders House in London on Friday 28th January. Also in attendance was her husband European Astronaut Frank De Winne.
Author Lena De Winne
My Countdown: The Story Behind My Husband's Spaceflight
My Countdown: The Story Behind My Husband's Spaceflight
Review
"Heart touching and passionate." -- Sir Patrick Stewart "A much needed new perspective." -- Charles Simonyi "When I was a kid and I saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon, the thing it left me with was the sense of possibility for the human race. If we can put a man in space think about what we can do on earth. The men and women in this book symbolise our human creativity and ingenuity." --Bono
Product Description
The author has the distinction of being the only wife of a European astronaut who has also worked in the area of human spaceflight. Her story is told from a unique perspective. Lena De Winne provides a first-hand account of the ins and outs of the complex astronaut spaceflight system. This book captures the individual stories of crewmembers Roman Romanenko, Bob Thirsk, Frank De Winne and their spouses Julia, Brenda and Lena, as they prepare and embark on a unique spaceflight mission. Delivered with raw emotional intensity, it reads like a novel, sharing the aspirations, anguish, surprises and disappointments of its subjects. Yet it is resolutely biographical, offering a vivid recollection of events as they happened. An easy but precise overview of space science and technology is also provided. Readers will not only become familiarised with the human space flight program, they will also be left with an exhilarating sense of having been a part of the adventure. The book is suffused with an intimacy and honesty that renders the lives of the crew and their spouses in an unprecedented light.
My wife Bryar and I attended the event. Bryar photographed with Frank De Winne.
STS-133 Discovery Rolls to Pad Tonight
Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:06:13 -0600
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery will be moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A, with first motion scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.
Meanwhile, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the STS-133 crew is in the virtual reality lab today rehearsing robotic techniques that will be conducted during the second spacewalk by Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew.
Discovery and its six astronauts are targeted to launch on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station on Feb. 24.
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery will be moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A, with first motion scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.
Meanwhile, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the STS-133 crew is in the virtual reality lab today rehearsing robotic techniques that will be conducted during the second spacewalk by Mission Specialists Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew.
Discovery and its six astronauts are targeted to launch on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station on Feb. 24.
The Glare of the Sun - Apollo 14 at Fra Mauro
This view of Antares, the Apollo 14 Lunar Module as it sat on the moon's Fra Mauro Highlands, reflects a circular flare caused by the brilliant sun. The unusual ball of light was said by the astronauts to have a jewel-like appearance. At extreme left, the lower slope of Cone Crater can be seen.
Image Credit: NASA
Image Credit: NASA
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