December 2004

Space Watch
Week of December 6 - December 10, 2004

Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.

If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.

 

Civil Space

Astronaut John Young Announces his Retirement
NASA Astronaut John Young will retire this month at the age of seventy-four. Young is a veteran space explorer, considered a "legend" by many in the space industry. In 1965, he made his first trip to space, and by 1972 had walked on the moon as a member of the Apollo missions. He then made history again, in 1981, by commanding the first Space Shuttle flight. In Washington, D.C., the National Air and Space Museum held a ceremony to honor Young and his distinguished career.
(John Kelly, http://www.space.com/news/john_young_041204.html, 12/4/04)

Next ISS Crew Announced
The new International Space Station (ISS) crew set for launch in April 2005 for a six-month mission has been announced. NASA astronaut John Phillips and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev will take over for the current ISS crew. Both Phillips and Krikalev are experienced space explorers and have been to the ISS before on earlier missions. Krikalev will serve as Station Commander and Phillips will serve as Flight Engineer and ISS Science Officer. They are expected to board the ISS in May 2005, and their mission is titled Expedition 11.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04zzy.html, 11/24/04)

Food Shortage on ISS is a Growing Concern
The International Space Station (ISS) crew has been eating more than planned, which has caused a food shortage that may grow critical in the next few weeks. On December 23rd, Russian space officials will launch a space freighter, the Progress re-supply vehicle, to the ISS with extra containers of food. However, NASA is drafting an evacuation plan in case the Progress does not arrive as planned.
(John Kelly, http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/iss_supplies_041204.html, 12/4/04)

NASA Expects to Meet Safety Requirements for 2005 Launch
NASA officials say they are close to meeting all the return-to-flight safety requirements for launching the Shuttle, and expect to be able to launch in the spring of 2005. As a result of the 2003 Columbia Shuttle accident, NASA has been working to meet new stricter safety regulations for the Shuttle. New hardware, safety devices, and dynamic planning have been devised and tested to ensure the safety of the crew members and Shuttle.
(Tariq Malik, http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/rtf_update_041206.html, 12/6/04)

Kazakhstan to Get New Russian Launch Complex
Russian space officials announced plans to build a new rocket launch complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The complex, which is expected to be completed by 2008, will be designed for the new Russian heavy launch vehicles - "Angara" boosters. After the space agencies of Russia and Kazakhstan finish negotiating financial terms, construction of the launch site will start.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-04zzp.html, 12/6/04)

Russia Planning Mock Mars Mission
Russian scientists have designed a new mock mission, or experiment, directed toward putting man on Mars. The experiment will attempt to simulate the harsh conditions of a trip to Mars. A six-man team will be locked in a capsule for five hundred days without any outside contact. The capsule will consist of a bedroom, kitchen and laboratory. The capsule will also be able to make oxygen, recycle water for use, and grow food to add to the packed supplies. To date, the mock mission only has two volunteers. Russian scientists hope to start the experiment in 2006.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4076421.stm, 12/7/04)

Volcanoes on Other Planets?
Scientists have discovered what may be the first volcanic activity observed on any planet besides Earth. The object under observation is a mass close to Pluto that resides in the Kuiper Belt around Neptune and is known as "Quaoar." It is one of the many objects in the belt that consists of comets and "mini-planets." Signs of the presence of ammonia hydrate and crystalline water ice on the surface have led scientists to hypothesize that there has either been a recent collision or volcanic activity.
( Robert Britt, http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/kbo_volcano_041208.html 12/8/04)

Manned Servicing Mission to Hubble Recommended Over Robotic
The National Academy of Sciences' recommendation to NASA that they replace the planned robotic repair mission to Hubble with a manned Space Shuttle repair mission was met with varied reaction in Congress. This conclusion was opposite of what NASA had itself concluded. The House Science Committee will hold hearings to review the Academy panel's recommendations. Senators Barbara Mikulski (Md.) and Christopher Bond (Mo.) will also hold a hearing to review these recommendations.
(Brian Berger, http://www.space.com/news/hubble_reaction_041209.html 12/9/04)

Japan to Make Another Attempt to Launch its Own H-2A Rocket
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced Thursday that after an aborted launch intended to send two spy satellites over North Korea last year, Japan will make its seventh launch of the H-2A in January or February. The rocket, which is domestically developed and key to Japan's space program will carry a weather satellite. The H-2A, which cost Japan 1.2 billion dollars to develop, was first launched in 2001. Japan has been under pressure to complete another successful satellite launch since China this year became only the third country to launch a manned space flight.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-04zzr.html 12/9/04)

Two Dozen Young Women to Test Mars Mission Conditions
Scientists at the European Space Agency are taking volunteers to conduct a study of the effects of extended space travel on the human body. They will take twenty-four female volunteers who will spend sixty days in a horizontal position, as scientists evaluate the roles that nutrition and exercise play in countering the physiological effects of extended space travel. The study is aimed at women to further develop methods of countering specific negative effects on female astronauts. The implications of this study are to further prepare scientists to successfully engineer a mission to Mars.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04zzq.html 12/10/04)

NASA's Spitzer and Hubble Telescopes Make Key Discoveries
The Spitzer and Hubble telescopes made exciting discoveries of stars with planets and dust rings similar to our solar system that experts are calling critical to unlocking the secrets to the formation of our solar system. Together the telescopes found seven sun-like stars with dust rings around them typical of those found in our solar system. Until now scientists have only been able to observe brief moments of planet formation around stars very different from the Sun. The discovery also provides clues as to where to look for possible planets similar to Earth.
(http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2587810,00.html 12/10/04)

Geminid Meteor Shower on Monday Night May Be the Best This Year!
The meteor shower scheduled to peak on Monday December 13th may produce several meteors every minute. The peak activity is expected to be visible to North America, Europe and Africa. The Geminid shower, named after the constellation Gemini, will appear to fall from the spot in the sky near the bright star "Castor" in the Gemini constellation. Typically the Geminid shower is varied with slow bright meteors and fireballs as well as faint meteors. This year promises to be a better show than other years because of the Moon's position. Just after twilight some shooting stars will be visible, but the shower will pick up at 10:00 pm local time and be at its best at 2:00 am Tuesday December 14th.
(Joe Rao, http://www.space.com/spacewatch/041210_geminid_meteors.html 12/10/04)

Commercial Space

Boeing to Demonstrate New Heavy Lifting Booster
Boeing is set to demonstrate its new heavy-lift Delta 4 rocket, which has three core stages, giving it the ability to loft 13,000 kilograms to geosynchronous orbit. The lift achieved by the three side-by-side stages of the Delta 4 is twice that of previous similar rockets. The demonstration will consist of a booster separation and an engine burn, that will demonstrate throttling the engine up, then down, and then back up again. This launch is preceded by three launches of the medium-lift version of the Delta 4.
(Jason Bates, http://www.space.com/spacenews/businessmonday_041206.html 12/8/04)

Senate Passes the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004
The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act, passed this week by the Senate, clarifies the legal framework for firms who seek to fly paying passengers to space. The amendment act follows a 1998 Commercial Space Launch Act that was put in place to encourage the development of the commercial space launch industry, but did not specifically address private citizens purchasing space trips. The controversy over this newest legislation centers on regulation of the inherent risk involved in experimental space travel. Advocates of cutting edge space firms have voiced their view that space exploration is inherently dangerous and the legislation must allow for some risks to be taken, without catastrophic legal ramifications. The Act passed Wednesday is a compromise between those who want stricter safety measures and those who want to ensure that development is not hampered by overly strict risk reduction measures. Authority for regulation rests with the Department of Transportation.
(Robert Zimmerman, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/tourism-04j.html 12/9/04)

Future Nuclear Mission to Neptune Could Unlock Secrets of Solar System
A team of experts led by Boeing Satellite Systems will conduct a twelve-month NASA-funded planning study to consider a future nuclear-powered space exploration mission to explore Neptune and beyond to the outer fringes of our solar system. This study is one of fifteen studies - the "Vision Mission" studies - aimed at developing long-term space exploration plans for the United States. Scientists believe that exploration of planets at the edges of our solar system, like Neptune and Uranus, holds keys to understanding the origins of our solar system and its planets. Because of their great distance from the Sun they are believed to be made of more original material from the origin of the planets and the solar system.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/outerplanets-04m.html 12/10/04)

Military Space

Expensive Spy Program Openly Criticized by Democrats in the Senate
Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, openly criticized a classified program tucked in Congress' newly passed legislation to overhaul the US intelligence community on Wednesday. The program which is widely believed to be a spy satellite program was cited as being "stunningly expensive." Furthermore, some speculate that due to the high price and the claim made by Senator Rockefeller that it is a danger to national security, the spy satellite could contain technology to counter an attack on it in space. Experts who have studied the potential ramifications of the possible future presence of space weapons claim this to be a dangerous move that could spark an arms race in space, further jeopardizing our space assets. All of this, however, is speculation as the details of the program are classified.
(Katherine Pfleger Shrader, http://www.space.com/news/spy_spending_041209.html 12/9/04)

Credits

Compiled by Katie Gordon and Priscilla Wong and

 

 

 

Space Watch
Week of December 13 - 17, 2004

Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.

If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.

 

Civil Space

Russia Begins Contingency Planning for ISS Crew Evacuation
Since the Columbia accident in 2003, the ISS has been dependent on smaller cargo capacity Russian craft, Soyuz and Progress, for supply. With food supplies now dwindling, the ISS crew is counting on a December 24th Progress delivery to the station. Sources say the food will run out in a matter of weeks if not re-supplied. This worst case scenario has prompted Russian space authorities to begin planning for a Soyuz evacuation of the crew. The contingency evacuation date has been set for December 30th.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04zzzd.html, 12/10/04)

EU Transport Ministers Approve Galileo Satellite Navigation System
The decision of the EU transport ministers on Friday kicks off the three year design and development phase of the Galileo positioning system. This phase, consisting of building and launching the satellites and building the ground receiving stations will cost $1.45 billion. Galileo - the first satellite global tracking system designed purely for civilian use - is a compliment to the US Global Positioning System, which was developed for military applications and then extended to civilian use. The US and EU agreed on common operating standards in June of this year.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-04k.html, 12/10/04)

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe Resigns
Having served as the head of NASA since December 2001, Sean O'Keefe announced Monday that he is stepping down. O'Keefe was appointed by President Bush from within the administration, where he served as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. As NASA chief, O'Keefe has faced a restless time in NASA's history. Most recently he has been engaged in the debate over repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, which he decided not to do with a manned shuttle mission, in favor of exploring robotic options. Despite the timing of his resignation in conjunction with the controversy surrounding the Hubble repair mission, the White House says O'Keefe's resignation was not unexpected.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nasa-04zw.html, 12/13/04)

Japan Plans to Launch Rocket In February
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency hopes to launch its H2-A rocket as early as February. The rocket would place the Multifunctional Transport Satellite-1R (MTSTAT-1R) into orbit. The MTSTAT-1R would be used for weather forecasting and air traffic management and communications. The Agency has stopped using the H-2A since the November 2003 launch attempt, in which two national security imaging satellites were destroyed. The failure, the first in a series of six flights, is believed to be caused by a solid-rocket booster design flaw. (SpaceNews, 12/13/04)

The Ballute Opens Doors for Future Space Endeavors
NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate has selected Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. to begin working on the ballute. The ballute, which is part parachute and part balloon, is an inflatable, thin-film device shaped like a doughnut. It is one of the first systems to help NASA prepare for future missions to the moon and Mars. Through a concept called aerocapture, the ballute would create enough atmospheric drag to slow down an incoming spacecraft so it can enter orbit around a planetary body more efficiently. Due to this process, spacecrafts would not need as much propellant, lightening its load and allowing for lower launch costs or more room for sensors and other payload gear. Many in the space field are excited by the new possibilities the ballute presents. It may even enable astronauts to travel beyond Mars. (Leonard David, SpaceNews, 12/13/04)

CNES Announces Four Space Expeditions
The Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the French Space Agency, announced its involvement in four important space exploration missions that will begin development in 2005 and be launched between 2008 and 2012. The four missions are: the Bepi Colombo mission to Mercury and the LISA Pathfinder mission, planned to test new technologies in gravitational wave observation, both developed in collaboration with ESA; the Mars Science Laboratory mission led by NASA; and the Picard mission to study solar activity, led by CNES.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04zzr.html, 12/13/04)

Despite Delays, Russians Continue Work on "Space Parachute"
Russian space engineers funded by the European Space Agency had been planning a test flight of a new shield system for space-to-earth transportation involving an inflatable garbage-can-sized "ballute" or "balloon parachute." The first test of the project in February 2000 was a partial success as the balloon ring deployed, but the object appeared somewhat scorched after landing. If this project is successful, a larger version could be used to return large, heavy payloads from the International Space Station instead of using the Shuttle.
(James Oberg, http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6714639/, 12/14/04)

Israel and India to Collaborate on Telescope Launch
Israel intends to launch a space telescope aboard an Indian GSAT 4 launcher by the end of 2005. This cooperation is made possible by an agreement on scientific cooperation in astronomy between the two countries in December 2003. The space camera/telescope, TAUVEX II, is made up of three telescopes that will observe the universe in the ultra-violet spectrum.
(http://www.ptinews.com/pti/ptisite.nsf/0/91BD9A5FD16C444B65256F6A00157BE9?OpenDocument, 12/14/04)

China Completes Construction of Small Satellite Center
China has finished building a "national engineering and research center" dedicated to the design and construction of small satellites. The facility has the capacity to produce six to eight small satellites at once, and an official with the center states that it is the "largest small satellite development and experiment base in the world." The center contains facilities for design, assembly, experimentation and testing. China has launched small satellites in the past for a variety of scientific and sustainable development reasons.
(Xinhua News Agency, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/microsat-04z.html, 12/15/04)

December Progress Re-supply to Bring Robot to ISS
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station will receive a German made robot, Rokviss (Robotic Components Verification on ISS), on December 24th. The robot will be mounted on the outside of the station and assist the crew with tasks on ISS. The goal of upcoming tests will be to prove that the robot can be controlled from Earth in real time. If successful the robot will take on dangerous and difficult tasks previously carried out by the crew and will save time and money.
(Alexander Kovalev, http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5212892&startrow=1&find=space,12/15/04)

Retiring Astronaut Encourages Return to Flight As Soon As Possible
John Young, a former Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle commander, has commented that, although he does not believe that NASA has changed its safety culture since Columbia, the Shuttle design has been improved and its return to flight should not be delayed any longer. He believes that NASA is too large a bureaucracy to be able to change its culture in significant ways, but that the rewards of space exploration are worth the risk of the Shuttle's current 1-in-57 failure rate. Young also encouraged NASA to pursue more avenues such as hypersonic transportation, heavy lift rockets for travel to the moon, and a system for intercepting asteroids that could endanger Earth. (Marcia Dunn, AP, http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=624&e=2&u=/ap/20041216/ap_on_sc/spaceman_s_advice, 12/16/04)

Ireland Joins European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS)
Ireland is inaugurating its new Ranging and Integrity Monitoring Station as a part of the EGNOS system, which is Europe's first venture into satellite navigation. This new facility not only offers coverage for all of Ireland; it also offers coverage for a large part of the Atlantic region, which helps fulfill the goal of providing increased coverage and accuracy. The goal is to have the system integrated into air traffic control systems by 2006. EGNOS was launched by the European Space Agency, the European Commission and Eurocontrol. EGNOS will be made up of 47 elements on 41 sites in 22 countries.
(http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM8YQ2AR2E_index_0.html 12/16/04)

Russia to Contribute Technology to Next Mars Rover
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, due to land on Mars' surface in 2009, will contain several devices supplied by the Russian Federal Space Agency. Among the Russian devices are a neutron pulse source and a hydrogen detector. MSL will continue the search for life on Mars and is planned to operate for about 2 years after landing.
(http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/12/16/marsrover.shtml, 12/16/04)

Spring Shuttle Flight Looks Hopeful
Thursday the Shuttle return-to-flight task force announced that NASA's proposals to meet 8 of the 15 return-to-flight requirements have been approved and the others are expected to be met. There is some question as to what will be deemed satisfactory compliance with the requirement to have the capability to repair damage to the heat shield. A capability for repairing the heat tiles on orbit has posed significant difficulty for NASA. However, the panel is confident that a repair capability of some sort will be achieved.
(Warren E. Leary, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/science/17shuttle.html?oref=login&oref=login 12/17/04)

 

Commercial Space

Much Criticism over Astrium's Decision to Use Ariane Rockets
Astrium UK has decided to use Ariane 5 vehicles to launch Britain's Skynet 5A and 5B, two military communications satellites. The contract with Europe's Arainespace launch-services consortium is valued at $75 million per satellite. Many believe the bidding process was not handled well. EADS Astrium, owned by EADS Space -a prime contractor of the Ariane 5 rocket and a 29 percent shareholder of Arianespace - said that the competition was a fair and competitive bid based on merits. Leonard Dest, executive vice president of International Launch Services, stated that his company's bid "was coordinated with both the US government and the Russian government. We feel it was a waste of time, and that Astrium had made up its mind before the competition even started." Astrium UK spokesman Alistair Scott said the company would not comment on the competition but is expected to make a formal announcement of its decision this month when the contract should be signed. (Peter B. de Selding, SpaceNews, 12/13/04)

US Space Industry Sales Increased This Year
US space industry sales increased by about $2 billion in 2004, to reach $38 billion in total, according to the Aerospace Industries Association. Out of the $2 billion, $1.4 was due to military commercial sales and the other $600 million to NASA and other civil agency sales. The statistics, based on data provided by the US Departments of Commerce and Defense and NASA, showed that US space technology exports increased from $192 million in 2003 to $410 million. Military satellites and spare parts made up $360 million of that new total. (SpaceNews, 12/13/04)

 

Military Space

Cost of Advanced EHF Satellites to Rise
The Air Force believes that the cost of building and launching three Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) communications satellites will be $750 million more than the previous $5 billion estimate given in February. The Cost Analysis Improvement Group, an independent body within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, believes that the rise in costs is closer to $2.5 billion. Independent experts believe that this estimate is probably more accurate than that of the Air Force. The Air Force, under the Nunn-McCurdy provision, will have to formally notify Congress of the 15 percent cost increase. This hike in price, due to a glitch in the encryption equipment, will likely draw much scrutiny from Congress. If the cost growth reaches 25 percent or more, the program would go under review -and unless proven essential to national security, the program would be cut. The Advanced EHF system is meant to replace the Air Force's aging Milstar satellites, which provide highly secure, jam-proof communications under even the harshest conditions. The first EHF satellite is expected to launch in 2008, a year later than earlier estimates due to the encryption glitch. (Jeremy Singer, SpaceNews, 12/13/04)

EU Determining the Logistics of a Consolidated Space Security and Defense Program
The European Union is interested in using space assets for security and defense, but does not know how all 25 countries should pay to gain access for individual nations programs. EU and other officials have come to the consensus that the European Commission and the newly founded European Defense Agency should not spend money creating systems similar to that of member nations, in particular France, Germany and Italy. These three countries already have, or are working on, various surveillance and communication spacecrafts. Italy and Germany have agreed to build ground stations that could be used by both nations for radar observation satellites. Germany and France have a similar program, as do France and Italy, in which reciprocal access to each others satellites will be granted. Although the EU governments recognize space technology as a strategic priority, no effort to consolidate a defense system is in process. Some say that such agreements between two or three nations are the starting point, in which the process can be opened to more and more countries. But to start with, 25 nations would be take too long and would be too costly. Others think the current situation is self-defeating. There are low funds for such programs, yet duplication still exists -EU countries need to work together. For the time being, defense programs will be left up to individual member states. (Peter B. de Selding, 12/13/04)

Delays Allow For More Planning On US Military Space Programs
Many US military space programs have experienced delays, allowing Defense Department planners more time to make difficult program decisions. While this small benefit may not offset the cost growth and deferral of capability, it does give officials time to advance capabilities that they would not have been otherwise able to do. The US Air Force's Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) and its Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) and Transformational Satellite programs are using this time to consider more advanced technologies, which may include an advanced processing system that would enable the SBIRS satellites to deliver better information more quickly. It would also give the Air Force more to decide whether a fourth Advanced EHF satellite, which Congress is pushing for, is truly necessary. (Jeremy Singer, SpaceNews, 12/13/04)

Russia and US Agree to Cooperate on Satellite Navigation Systems
The United States and Russia have released a joint statement agreeing to cooperate on civil navigational satellite system issues. The two parties agreed to both continue to provide their own systems worldwide (US GPS and Russian GLONASS) and free of charge and pledged to continue these talks in the future.
(http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5212226&startrow=1&date=2004-12-15&do_alert=0, 12/15/04)

US Releases New GPS Policy
In a new policy statement on GPS, President Bush has instructed that the US must prepare for temporary shutdown of GPS communications to prevent terrorists from utilizing it for navigation. The Pentagon has been further charged with planning for the limited disruption of both GPS and other similar navigation systems (Europe's Galileo and Russia's GLONASS). The White House stated that its policies were intended to improve the stability and operation of the system and promised it would continue to be available to the world free of charge.
(AP, http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gps16dec16,1,3918662.story?coll=la-headlines-nation, 12/16/04)

 

Credits

Compiled by Suzanne Vogel, Katie Gordon and Kavitha Giridhar
Edited by Suzanne Vogel

 

Space Watch
Week of December 20, 2004- January 7, 2005

Welcome to Space Watch. This is a weekly update compiled by The Eisenhower Institute of the most significant news items in civil, military and commercial space.

If you are interested in receiving a weekly email update version of Space Watch, please send an email to spacewatch@eisenhowerinstitute.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Space Watch will be sent out every Friday.

 

Civil Space

NASA Chooses Investigations for First Segment of Moon-Mars Vision
NASA has announced the selection of six proposals for instrumentation and associated experiments to be carried on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), scheduled for launch in the fall of 2008. LRO will orbit the moon very closely, with an eye towards locating potential robotic and manned landing sites and locating possible lunar resources. See the link below for a complete listing of the selected investigations.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/lunar-04zzn.html, 12/22/04)

Asteroid to Pass Near Earth in 2029
Scientists have discovered an asteroid they predict to pass extremely close to Earth on April 13, 2029, with odds of impact currently set at 1 in 300. Although the odds will most probably change as the asteroid continues along its path, the object is the first to reach a level 2 (out of a possible 10) on the Torino Scale. The assignment of 2 means "a discovery, which may become routine with expanded searches, of an object making a somewhat close but not highly unusual pass near the Earth."
(Don Yeomans, Steve Chesley and Paul Chodas, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact-04u.html, 12/23/04)

Russia to Prioritize Russian ISS Research in 2005, No More Free Rides in 2006
Anatoly Perminov, Director of the Russian Space Agency, announced that Russia's focus in space will be the International Space Station (ISS) in the coming year. They plan to develop the Russian segment of the ISS and provide research work for the Russian crew. Perminov also commented that Russia did not want to continue shouldering the burden of all transportation to and from the ISS, as they have been since the Columbia disaster in February 2003. Although the US and Russia have arranged a barter scheme for 2005, he announced that as of 2006, US astronauts will only be taken to the ISS on a Soyuz if they pay for it.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-05b.html, 1/4/05)
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/041230102255.jzqrpfv5.html, 12/30/04)

The Space Shuttle Gets a New External Tank
The newly designed external tank for the Space Shuttle made its way by barge from NASA's Michoud Space Systems Assembly Facility near New Orleans, Louisiana to Kennedy Space Center. It departed New Orleans just before New Years and took several days to make the trip. The new external tank marks a critical "Return to Flight" milestone for NASA, which hopes to launch the Shuttle again by late spring 2005.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-05a.html, 1/1/05)

Rovers Celebrate First Birthday
On January 3rd, NASA had a birthday party for Spirit and Opportunity, its twin rovers that have had a very successful year on Mars. Both rovers finished a primary three-month mission in April and have astonished their creators with how well they have maintained operation. NASA has used the anniversary to reflect on the anxiety associated with the rovers' initial landing, as well as the great discoveries they have both made over the past year.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mers-05a.html, 1/3/05)

Cassini Celebrates New Year with Closest Pass by Iapetus
On New Year's Eve, Cassini made its closest approach yet to one of Saturn's small icy moons, Iapetus. The next scheduled flyby of the moon will not happen until 2007. The program manager of the Cassini mission, Robert Mitchell, remarked that this was an especially symbolic way to begin the year as, "2005 will be the year of the icy satellites." Scientists hope the flyby will shed some light on the source of Iapetus' extreme appearance. The leading hemisphere is extremely dark, while the trailing hemisphere appears as white as snow.
(http://www.spacedaily.com/news/cassini-05b.html, 1/3/05)

Satellite Images Aiding in Tsunami Relief Effort
Images from satellites are providing relief workers in the regions of South Asia affected by the devastating tsunami with timely images are areas in need of assistance. The French space agency, CNES, took charge of coordinating images from a number of satellites from France, Canada, India, and the European Space Agency. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency of the United States has been supporting US aid agencies involved with tsunami relief with satellite images as well.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/disaster-management-05a.html, 1/4/05)

Commercial Space

Hubble Robot to Be Built by Canadian Firm
The Canadian firm responsible for the Canadarm robotic arm technology, MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, has been awarded a contract with NASA to come up with potential robotic solutions to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA has been trying to determine the feasibility of using a robot to repair and upgrade Hubble without a visit from the Space Shuttle so it can continue to provide astronomers with groundbreaking images of deep space.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/01/05/mda.hubble.reut/index.html, 1/5/05)

US Releases New Space Transportation Policy, Plans to Increase Role of Private Industry
The new US Space Transportation Policy released by the White House addressed the falling market for commercial launches in the US and stated that government's role in this industry must adjust to ensure the country's continued access to space. The government is called upon in the policy to employ American-made launch vehicles when possible and limits the use of surplus military missiles for space launches. Furthermore, the White House instructed the Departments of Commerce and Transportation to "encourage, facilitate and promote" private space transportation industry, including manned spaceflight.
(Adam Entous and Caren Bohan, http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=649962, 1/7/05)

Link to the New US Space Transportation Policy -http://www.ostp.gov/html/SpaceTransFactSheetJan2005.pdf

Military Space

Russian Navigation System Adds Three New Satellites
GLONASS, the Russian version of the US Global Positioning System (GPS), added three new satellites to its constellation. Two of the satellites were standard GLONASS technology and one satellite represents the next generation called GLONASS-M. There are now 24 satellites in the GLONASS system.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-04zzzzza.html, 12/26/04)

Air Force Promotes Concept of "Space Superiority"
The heavy involvement of military satellites for targeting, command and control, communications and reconnaissance have made US space assets even more important to safeguard, and demonstrate the importance of US dominance in space, say USAF Space Command (AFSPC) officials. Gen. Lance W. Lord, AFSPC commander, remarked that, "The war for control of space has ‘already started,' . . . and the United States can no longer assume that space will be a benign operating environment."
(Adam J. Hebert, http://www.afa.org/magazine/Jan2005/0105space.asp, 1/05)

 

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Edited by Suzanne Vogel