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The European Space Agency (ESA) has reached an agreement with NASA to build a Service Module for the Orion spacecraft based on their Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which has been a workhorse in the resupply of the International Space Station (ISS) since 2008. |
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Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) has split the Energy and Environment subcommittee into two separate subcommittees, resulting in six subcommittees in the new session. The Space and Aeronautics subcommittee will continue to be chaired by Rep. Steve Palazzo (R-MS). The complete list of assignments is listed below. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) was reelected as the top Democrat (“Ranking Member”) on the full committee in December. Democratic subcommittee assignments have not been announced yet. Full Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) Vice-Chairman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) Chairman Emeritus Ralph Hall (R-Texas) Subcommittee on Energy Chairwoman Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) Vice-Chairman Randy Weber (R-Texas) Subcommittee on Environment Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) Vice-Chairman Chris Stewart (R-Utah) Subcommittee on Research Chairman Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) Vice-Chairman Steve Stockman (R-Texas) Subcommittee on Space Chairman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) Vice-Chairman Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) Subcommittee on Technology Chairman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) Vice-Chairman Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Paul Broun (R-Ga.) Vice-Chairman Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) |
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On Sol 150, the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity) used its Dust Removal Tool (DRT) to clean the surface of the rock target called “Ekwir_1.” The image was captured by Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). The DRT is a motorized wire-bristle brush on the turret at the end of the rover’s arm. |
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Ben Evans at AmericaSpace has a great two part series on the early Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 docking and crew transfer mission. Part One describes the events leading up to the dual flight. Early unmanned trials of the new Soyuz capsule had parachute problems. Docking experiments were conducted under the disguise of the Cosmos 186 and 188. They achieved only a soft dock, and Cosmos 186 suffered a steep reentry and hard landing, while Cosmos 188 suffered a ballistic reentry and was ordered to self destruct. Cosmos 212 and 213 succeeded with a hard docking, clearing the way for a manned rendezvous mission. Parachute problems persisted, however, and Vladimir Komarov was killed on Soyuz 1 when both the main chute and backup failed. Additional problems with spacesuits too big to fit through the exit/entry hatches used for the two crew transfer were resolved with news suits and a larger hatch design. Eventually, the mission got underway with with the launch of Vladimir Shatalov on 14 January 1969 at 10:30 AM Moscow time. Soyuz 5 was launched at 10:04 AM on 15 January with Boris Volynov, Alexei Yeliseyev and Yevgeni Khrunov. Part Two details the docking, exchange of crew members along with the trials of spacewalks by Khrunov and Yeliseyev, and return. The morning after docking and transfer, Shatalov, Yeliseyev, and Khrunov “descended through a wintry blizzard and thumped onto the snowy Kazakh steppe at 9:53 AM”. Volynov began his descent in Soyuz 5 the following day. It was a harrowing journey, and it would be three decades before the West learned any of the details. Volynov had just four words for the recovery team: “Is my hair gray?” |
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This Sunday, January 6, 2013, 12-1:30 PM PST (3-4:30 PM EST, 2-3:30 PM CST) Paul Damphousse, Executive Director of NSS, will be interviewed live on The Space Show. Listeners can talk with Lt. Col. Paul Damphouse or the host and express their views using toll free 1 (866) 687-7223, and by sending e-mail during the program using drspace@thespaceshow.com, thespaceshow@gmail.com, dmlivings@yahoo.com. You can also use Skype from your computer with a headset. The I. D. is thespaceshow. Please note that Skype is only available when announced as such at the beginning of each program. Please note the toll free number is only available during a live Space Show program. At all other times, it is disconnected. |
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By the middle of December, Curiosity had reached the Glenelg region of Gale Crater and descended into the Yellowknife Bay depression. Curiosity is now exploring for the first target rock for it’s hammering drill. After leaving Bradbury Landing, Curiosity spent extensive time at Rocknest (Sols 55-100), and followed this with investigations around Point Lake (Sols 102-124).
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BOULDER, CO. (January 3, 2013) – The Golden Spike Company announced today that it has entered into a contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation for the design of a new lunar lander that fits within Golden Spike’s “head start” commercial lunar architecture. Northrop Grumman’s participation brings heritage lunar engineering expertise to Golden Spike. Northrop Grumman is a major aerospace and defense contractor. Its legacy companies — Grumman and TRW — designed and built the Lunar Module and Lunar Module Descent Engines for the Apollo moon landing missions that between 1969 and 1972 ferried a crew of two astronauts from lunar orbit to the lunar surface and back again six times. Golden Spike debuted last month as the first commercial aerospace company planning to offer routine exploration expeditions to the surface of the Moon by the end of the decade. The company aims to use existing rockets and emerging commercial-crew spacecraft to allow nations, individuals and corporations to mount their own lunar expeditions. The lander is the only significant hardware that needs to be designed from the ground up. “This is a significant step forward in our plans,” said Golden Spike’s Board Chairman, Gerry Griffin. “Northrop Grumman brings Golden Spike a unique body of knowledge and skills as the only company to ever build a successful human-rated lunar lander, the Apollo Lunar Module.” Dr. S. Alan Stern, Golden Spike’s President and CEO, added: “We’re very proud to be working with Northrop Grumman, which has the most experience and successful performance record for human lunar lander designs in the world.” Among the tasks Northrop Grumman will perform for Golden Spike are:
“This study is one of a number of initial studies we’re undertaking to begin creating the design requirements and specs for the lander contract competition we expect to hold to select a Golden Spike lander for flight development,” said Golden Spike’s Lunar Lander Systems Study (LLaSS) engineering chief, James R. French. Golden Spike predicts its customers will want to explore the Moon for varying reasons—scientific exploration and discovery, national prestige, commercial development, marketing, entertainment, and even personal achievement. Market studies by the company show the possibility of 15-25 or more expeditions in the decade following a first landing. |
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Our Speaker: Dr. Peter Swan Space Elevator – A Ten-Year Update! This NSS lecture will focus on recent discoveries and inventions that are bringing the space elevator closer to reality. Dr. Peter Swan is a member of the NSS and has participated in many local, national and international activities. He has written two books* on the topic and is Vice President of the International Space Elevator Consortium. He is currently pulling together 28 world-renown authors, across multiple disciplines to produce a report for the International Academy of Astronautics. This study is an, “Assessment of the Technological Feasibility and Challenges of the Space Elevator Concept.” His talk will focus on recent realizations in many fields that will significantly raise the probability of a Space Elevator by 2032. The outline for this overview is:
The 19 January 2013 meeting of the Phoenix chapter of the National Space Society will be at HCC at 627 W Eighth Street, Mesa AZ 85201. The start time is 10:00 AM. |
Here is the current calendar of flight events for 2013 for International Space Station as listed on the Forum at NASASpaceFlight on 21 November 2012:
2013
2014
Updated 1 January 2013
Here is the current calendar for 2013 for Indian satellites and rocket launch vehicles as listed on the Forum at NASASpaceFlight on 21 December 2012:
2013
2014
Last Updated 1 January 2013
2012 launches
2011 Launches
National Space Society of Phoenix 
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