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July 2005

Space Watch
Week of July 4 - July 8, 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, NOAA to Conduct Studies on Hurricanes
NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will conduct a field study in July to test the extent to which remote sensing satellites can help in understanding the early phases of hurricanes. The two agencies will conduct the study in Costa Rica and will use NASA's ER-2 aircraft, which will fly at altitudes up to 21.3 kilometers high over the Pacific Ocean during the hurricane season to observe tropical air waves. The study is part of a wider effort to help predict the intensities of storms and hurricanes by observing them at all times and scrutinizing their development over time.
(Iannotta, Ben. Space News, Volume 16, Issue 26, 07/04/05, page 16).

NASA's Deep Impact Mission Successful
NASA's Deep Impact mission, in which a spacecraft fired a projectile into a comet to learn more about comets and the early solar system, was a magnificent success. The collision, which occurred at about 23,000 miles per hour, was photographed by the Deep Impact spacecraft, and the resulting images are what scientists hope will provide clues about comets and the early solar system. "This is the first time we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with an ancestor like this," said Richard Berendzen of American University. "Our experiment went very, very well," added Pete Schultz of Brown University. "We touched a comet and we touched it hard." The mission saw a heavy cloud of gas and debris form after the collision and it could be several weeks before scientists get a good look at the crater in the comet.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/05/deep.impact.ap/index.html, 07/05/05).

China Narrows List of Astronauts for Manned Mission
A Chinese newspaper reported that authorities in China have narrowed a list of potential astronauts for the nation's second manned mission into space to six candidates. The four or five day flight will take place in September or October of this year and will feature two astronauts who will be selected shortly before the flight. The Beijing Times quoted an official that said that Yang Liwei, the first Chinese astronaut to visit space, might be among the candidates.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/05/china.space.ap/index.html, 07/05/05).

Discovery Flight Big Step For NASA's Future Plans
The launch of the Discovery Space Shuttle, scheduled for July 13, is an important step along the path of NASA's future missions and plans. NASA has not flown a space shuttle since the Columbia accident, in which the space shuttle broke apart as it reentered earth's atmosphere. Though NASA acknowledges that a perfectly risk-free shuttle flight is an impossible task, it has worked extremely hard to reduce and minimize the risks to Discovery. President Bush, in early 2004, outlined an ambitious space program in which he called for manned missions to the moon and Mars, and, as NASA Administrator Michael Griffin noted, "Resuming flight operation is the first step in the vision for space exploration." The space shuttle flight will help to complete work on the International Space Station, which is important for research purposes for more ambitious missions.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-05zzj.html, 07/06/05).

Discovery Launch Brings Hope, Pain to Families of Columbia Victims
The expected launch of the Discovery Space Shuttle is bringing back difficult memories for the families of those who died aboard the Columbia space shuttle. Some family members are making it a point to be present at the launch, while others are sending gifts and mementoes to the Discovery crew. While expressing hope that the Discovery flight goes smoothly and that NASA can proceed on its missions to the moon and Mars, some family members also spoke of the difficulties that Discovery's impending launch brought with it. "There is also the pain of knowing that our loved ones didn't come back," said Dr. Jonathon Clark, whose wife died aboard Columbia. "So that leaves an emptiness that is somewhat reminded by the fact that there's another launch."
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/07/shuttle.families.ap/index.html, 07/07/05).

China Launches Experimental Satellite
China this week successfully launched a satellite whose purpose will be to observe its space environment and conduct scientific and technological experiments in space. The satellite was launched early in the morning, at 6:40 a.m. local time and started orbiting in 12 minutes. The launch is the 43rd consecutive successful launch of its kind by the Chinese Space Agency.
(XNA, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-05zzzzc.html, 07/07/05).

JAXA Announces Delay of Satellite Launch
The Japanese Space Agency JAXA announced that its launch of the Astro E-2 satellite, designed to study black holes, was delayed because of bad weather. This was the second time within a week that the launch was delayed - the first time saw its launch date pushed back to July 8 from July 6. The Japanese authorities now say the launch will take place no earlier than July 10 because of continued bad weather at the launch site.
(JAXA Press Release, http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2005/07/20050707_m-v-6_e.html, 07/07/05).

Hurricane Could Push Back Discovery Launch
Discovery, on its launch pad for its scheduled flight on July 13th, could be moved back to its hangar and have its launch postponed because of Hurricane Dennis. The hurricane, which is becoming stronger and is moving toward southern Florida, has forced engineers to consider moving Discovery off its launch pad. The Kennedy Space Center was hit by three hurricanes last year, which caused significant damage. A NASA spokesman said it was not yet clear what course NASA was going to take. "We're going to keep our options open," said George Diller. "We're still trying to protect the 13th."
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/08/shuttle.launch.ap/index.html, 07/08/05).

Japanese Astronaut Readies Himself for Discovery Launch
Soichi Noguchi is set to become Japan's sixth astronaut when Discovery finally launches later this month. Soichi was assigned to the mission four years ago and will work on the International Space Station when he gets into space. Soichi completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees in aeronautical engineering from the University of Tokyo and was selected in 1996 by the Japanese space agency to be an astronaut. Soichi, who now resides in Houston, is immensely popular back in Japan and is treated like a celebrity by the media and public.
(Chang, Kenneth. New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/08/science/08crew.html, 07/08/05).

Commercial

Galileo Contract to Be Signed By End of 2005; Questions on Funding Remain
The Galileo Joint Undertaking, the group in charge of negotiating a contract for European governments, said that a contract is expected to be signed by the end of this year and will feature a merging of two competing consortia for work on Galileo, the European global positioning system. However, questions remain about funding for the project, particularly over Galileo's In-Orbit Validation phase, which is behind schedule and has seen 400 million euros added to its cost. The European Space Agency and the European Commission have agreed to share the burden of the overrun, but have not yet received commitments of funding from their governments. "The governments are arguing about costs now, but the longer they argue, the higher the costs will be," said an industry official.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, Volume 16, Issue 26, 07/04/05, page 6).

Gregory Olsen, Millionaire Space Tourist, Signs Contract With Russian Space Agency
Gregory Olsen, a millionaire American scientist who wishes to visit space, signed a contract with the Russian Space Agency that will allow him to do so, possibly as early as October this year. Terms of the deal were publicized, but it is believed the ticket to space cost Olsen about $20 million. Olsen will travel on a Soyuz spaceship and will become just the third person to visit space as a tourist.
(Eckel, Mike. AP, http://www.space.com/news/ap_olson_tourist_050706.html, 07/06/05).

Op-Ed

Op-ed: Deep Impact Mission a Triumphant Success, Lesson in Humility
Writing in The Guardian, a British newspaper, Tim Radford said that NASA's Deep Impact Mission was a tremendous success but also provided a valuable lesson in humility. Radford wrote that the mission will help scientists answer some fundamental questions such as who are we, where did we come from and how did we get here? But, he wrote, the fact the comet's course was not slowed or changed by the tremendous force of the collision showed that if a comet is on course for earth, there will be precious little that we could do about it.
(Radford, Tim. http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1522061,00.html?gusrc=rss, 07/06/05).

Op-ed: Deep Impact a Remarkable Triumph
In an editorial, the New York Times labeled the Deep Impact mission a remarkable triumph. The paper explained the concept behind the mission and said that scientists hoped to learn more about comets and the primordial solar system by smashing a crater into the comet. Previously, the paper noted, scientists only had information on the surfaces of comets through flybys of comets and studies on the dust in comets' tails. Deep Impact, the paper hoped, will yield more valuable information. The paper also said that the mission would give scientists an opportunity to understand the interior structure of comets which would help them be better prepared for the day when a comet heads toward earth.
(Editorial, New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/opinion/06wed3.html, 07/06/05).

Op-ed: ESA, EU Should Move Ahead With Galileo
In an editorial, the weekly Space News noted that there is a cost overrun of 400 million euros on one phase of the Galileo project and that the two main players, the ESA and the European Union, have not yet agreed as to how they will pay for it. Space News recommended that the two parties face the fact that such cost overruns are almost inevitable and pay for it now. Otherwise, the paper warned, the project will only become more difficult and expensive in the long run. Space News said that the ESA should avail the opportunity to pay for half the overrun in a meeting the agency has scheduled in late July and that the European Union should do the same.
(Editorial, Space News. Volume 16, Issue 26, 07/04/05, page 18).

Oddly Enough

Not Everyone Happy With Deep Impact
A Russian astrologist is unhappy at NASA's Deep Impact mission and is planning on suing the agency. According to local media, astrologist Marina Bai is upset at having her horoscope altered due to NASA smashing a projectile into a comet. "It is obvious that elements of the comet's orbit, and correspondingly the ephemeris, will change after the explosion, which interferes with my astrology work and distorts my horoscope," Bai was quoted as saying. Bai is reportedly seeking $300 million in damages.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/04/deep.impact.sues.reut/index.html, 07/04/05).

Credits

Compiled by Ahsan Butt
Edited by Suzanne Vogel

Space Watch
Week of July 11- July 15, 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

Discovery Launch Delayed; Problems With Fuel Sensor
The highly anticipated launch of the space shuttle Discovery was delayed due to a defective fuel sensor on the shuttle. The space flight was scheduled for Wednesday and was to be NASA's first in space since the Columbia disaster in the spring of 2003. "We would not in any conceivable way be ready to launch before Saturday," said Wayne Hale, deputy shuttle manager. "We're going to go where the technical data leads us until we solve the problem." The problem with the fuel sensor was that it was showing low levels of fuel despite the tank having already been filled. "It will take some time to understand what to do to remedy the situation," said NASA spokesman George Diller. "There are long faces here in the control center and around the site. Everybody was looking forward to flying today."
(Patterson, Thom. CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/13/space.shuttle/index.html, 07/14/05).

Discovery to Launch, In All Likelihood, Next Week
NASA announced that the space shuttle Discovery, whose launch was delayed because a problem with a fuel sensor, could launch on Sunday but that it was more likely to do so next week. A Sunday launch date would be a "really optimistic good luck scenario" said Wayne Hale, deputy shuttle program manager. More likely is the scenario where after several days of troubleshooting, Discovery takes off next week. Hale said the mission cannot go on with only three sensors working because protocol required all four to be functional.
(CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/14/space.shuttle/index.html, 07/15/05).

Retire Shuttle Fleet Now, Says Private Group
The Space Frontier Foundation called for the space shuttle fleet to be retired, saying the shuttle program was too expensive. "If it were up to us, the shuttle never would have flown in the first place," said Rick Tumlinson of the Foundation. "Far from opening space to the American people, it weighed down our space program with its bloated budgets, massive support network and tragic cost in terms of human life. Its time has passed. We should kill that that program as soon as possible, before more money gets wasted." The group acknowledged that NASA needs to honor its commitments to the International Space Station - which require flying the shuttle fleet - but said that a precise date should be announced when the fleet will be retired so that the transition to other forms of transportation can be made smoother.
(Editorial statement of Space Frontier Foundation, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-05zp.html, 07/11/05).

Scientists Begin Unraveling the Secrets of Comets
As the dust settles on NASA's successful Deep Impact mission - figuratively speaking, that is, since the actual dust from the experiment will take a lot longer to dissipate - scientists have begun studying the results of the experiment in earnest. Among the first few questions that scientists hope to settle is the surface make-up of comets. It was previously thought that one of the main components of comets was ice, but the images and data from the experiment suggest otherwise and that the surface is made of softer material. "The major surprise was the opacity of the plume the impactor created and the light it gave off," said Michael A'Hearn of the University of Maryland. "This suggests the dust excavated from the comet's surface was extremely fine, more like talcum powder than beach sand." The flyby spacecraft of the mission also detected hot vapor containing water and carbon dioxide, and scientists continue to study the tremendous volume of data the experiment yielded.
(Schirber, Michael. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050712_deep_insight.html, 07/12/05).

Planet With Three Suns Discovered
In a remarkable discovery, scientists have found a planet which has three "suns" in its sky. It is the first extrasolar planet found in a three-star system and will challenge scientists to come up with explanations for how a planet formed with three gravitational forces acting on it. "The environment in which this planet exists is quite spectacular," said Maciej Konacki of the California Institute of Technology. "With three suns, the sky view must be out of this world - literally and figuratively." The system lies 149 light years away from earth and features the primary star resembling our sun and the other two stars acting as a closely bound pair.
(Schirber, Michael. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050713_triple_sun.html, 07/13/05).

Delayed Discovery Disappoints Many
People who had gathered near the Discovery launch site were immensely disappointed by the fact that it was delayed. "Oh my God! You're kidding right? It's not going?" asked Evette Rios, a mother who had brought her children along to watch the highly anticipated launch. "Oh I can't believe it! And they can't fix it?" Alan Luney, from Northern Ireland, also expressed dismay. "We're utterly disappointed," he said. Luney, who brought his children, said that he accepted why the shuttle was delayed. "The most important thing...is the safety of the crew. But still you'd like to see it happen."
(Pipher, Geneen. CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/13/delayed.spectators/index.html, 07/13/05).

Possibilities are "Endless" on Mars, Says Astronaut
In a recent interview, veteran astronaut John Olivas termed the possibilities on Mars as "endless" and described planned exploration of the red planet as "exciting". Responding to a question about the benefits of going to Mars, Olivas said that human exploration of Mars would be a new phenomenon and would satisfy many curious minds because of "what you might learn and what you might know, and what you'll find out in the future." Olivas added, "I think that aspect is probably even more exciting because the possibilities are endless." On other issues, Olivas said that NASA could probably do a better job as far as marketing its successes are concerned. In reference to the Discovery mission, Olivas said that while every mission is inherently dangerous, the rewards involved make it worth the risk.
(Pipher, Geneen. CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/12/danny.olivas/index.html, 07/13/05).

NASA Overreacted to Fuel Sensor Glitch, Says Russian Space Agency Chief
Anatoly Perminov, the chief of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, said that NASA overreacted to a defect on a fuel sensor on Discovery and could have flown the mission. "Failure of one of the four fuel tank's gauges is not a defect that should make people panic," Perminov was quoted as saying by Itar Tass. "In my opinion, the launch could be well performed with the defect." Perminov expressed confidence NASA would fly the shuttle this year, citing the expenses made for the mission. "I am sure the shuttle will fly, because enormous funds have been spent already."
(MosNews, http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/07/14/perminovcomment.shtml, 07/14/05).

Russian Government Approves 10-Year Space Program
The Russian government approved a 10-year space program, the budget for which is believed to be around $10.5 billion. Among the main plans for the Russian space agency is the replacement of the Soviet-era Soyuz rocket and to advance a mission to send astronauts to Mars. "(The Russian space industry) has come out of stagnation and is confidently advancing," said Anatoly Perminov, the chief of the Russian space agency. It is noteworthy that the Russian budget for the ten year period from 2006-2015 is just over half of the single year budget for NASA ($16 billion), a fact not lost on Moscow which has struggled to finance the International Space Station alone over a period of two years. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov expressed concern over the lack of new talent coming into the space industry. "If there is no inflow of young specialists, everything could be lost, regardless of the money invested," Fradkov was quoted as saying.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/15/russia.program.reut/index.html, 07/15/05).

China Wants Manned Launch In October
According to local reports, China wants to launch its second manned mission to space in October of this year. "The manned spacecraft will...preferably be launched in early October," Sun Weigang, director of the Space Department of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., was quoted as saying by the China Daily newspaper. The mission will feature two astronauts on a five-to six-day mission and astronaut training has intensified recently in anticipation of the flight.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/15/china.launch.reut/index.html, 07/15/05).

Commercial

Governments Not Honoring WTO Commitments to Satellites: OECD Report
A report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development criticized the fact that many governments are not honoring their commitments to deregulating satellite communications industries and allowing equal access to foreign competitors. The report said these governments were a hindrance to the spread of space-based telecommunications. Michael Oborne, director of OECD's International Futures Program said that "We need to emphasize the key role of public authorities" in optimizing the commercial benefits of space technology. He added, "Framework conditions - whether they are institutional, legal or regulatory - are less than ideal."
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, Volume 16, Issue 27, 07/11/05, page 11).

NASA Awards Contracts to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman-Boeing on CEV Work
NASA announced that it awarded study contracts to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman-Boeing for work on the Crew Exploration Vehicle. NASA wishes to replace the current shuttle fleet with the CEV. The contracts awarded - believed to be valued at about $28 million each - will cover design work. NASA will select a single company for work on the CEV in early 2006 but it is not clear if the selection will be made before or after a planned engineering review in July 2006.
(http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/2989, 07/13/05).

NASA Hires Northrop Grumman For Research on Sonic Boom
NASA selected a team led by Northrop Grumman to help with research on reducing the effects of aircrafts' sonic boom. Northrop Grumman has been doing research on sonic boom since 2000, and will help NASA define requirements for a new aircraft that will be used to test different theories about sonic boom. "This award represents a significant commitment by NASA to help unravel the mystery of how an aircraft's shape and flight characteristics affect the creation and intensity of sonic booms," said Charles Guthrie of Northrop Grumman. "If NASA decides to build a demonstration aircraft available to support critical flight testing, it would increase the chances that we'll make the breakthrough discovery that could lead to unrestricted supersonic flight over land."
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aerospace-05y.html, 07/14/05).

Op-Ed

Op-ed: Congress Should Approve Proposed Amendment to INA
In an editorial, the weekly Space News called for adopting an amendment to the Iran Nonproliferation Act, a law that prevents the U.S. from paying Russia for its space station hardware and services. The proposed amendment would allow NASA to buy or barter Russian goods and services for the space station. As the editorial explains, Russia has agreed to fly its Soyuz rockets for free to the space station only until April 2006. The Soyuz rocket is important to the space station because it can be docked for up to six months and thus provides an escape vehicle for astronauts in case of an emergency. By contrast, the space shuttle can only be docked for two weeks. However, Space News acknowledged that an amendment is potentially difficult politically speaking because of Russia's suspected involvement in the Iranian nuclear weapons program.
(Editorial, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 27, 07/11/05, page 18).

Op-ed: NASA Should Set Up Moon, Mars Astronaut Corps
In an opinion piece, George Whitesides and Gary Bernhard of the National Space Society wrote that NASA should set up a Moon and Mars Astronaut Corps so that a connection is established between the NASA of today and the moon- and Mars-exploring NASA of tomorrow. The authors cited a number of advantages of such a move, among them the fact that such a move would be quite inexpensive, would put a human face on the space exploration program and thereby excite the public and that it would not take much time to put in place. The authors also pointed to the fact that such a move would inspire the next generation of astronauts and would create an environment in which astronauts could pursue research and development on their missions, among other activities.
(Whitesides, George and Bernhard, Gary. http://www.space.com/adastra/adastra_astronautcorps_050713.html, 07/13/05).

Op-ed: Risk of Shuttle Flight Worth It
Writing an opinion piece in the New York Times, Richard Blomberg wrote that although space flight is inherently risky, it is worth it if NASA has done what it can to maximize safety. The author wrote that NASA was perhaps too conservative in the two and a half years after the Columbia disaster by not flying the shuttle fleet and that its unique human resources were therefore not properly utilized. Blomberg wrote that NASA did not have to follow the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board so meticulously. He suggested that the recommendations were meant more as guidelines than specific instructions. The writer opined that the more NASA accepts the risks of flying the shuttle, the more it will reduce the risk of flying.
(Blomberg, Richard. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/13/opinion/13blomberg.html, 07/13/05).

Credits

Compiled by Ahsan Butt
Edited by Chad Kreikemeier

Space Watch
Week of July 18- July 22, 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 Authorization Bill Moves to House Floor
The NASA authorization bill passed markup in the House Science Committee on July 14th with a unanimous vote. The bill will go to the House floor for a final House vote sometime this week. Funds requested for NASA's return flight to the moon are authorized within this bill as well as Congress's approval for the mission, among others. Two years worth of appropriated funding has been sanctioned through markup, with NASA receiving $16.47 for fiscal year 2006 and $16.96 for fiscal year 2007. Because funding has been the topic of Congressional interest in recent years, the space agency has been asked to report finances kept within four accounts and is forbidden from transferring funds between accounts. Final passage of the bill out of Committee was seen as a bipartisan compromise after Democrats suspended support during the first markup hearing, hoping to introduce their version of the bill.
(Clark, Colin, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 28, 7/18/05, Page 13).

Plans for an Iranian Satellite in 2005
A source in the Iranian presidential administration said that Iran will launch its first communications satellite by the end of the year. The satellite, called Mesbah, was developed together with Iranian and Italian companies and will gather information on ground and water resources among other things. A second satellite is planned for launch in 2007. The Zohreh satellite's construction was agreed to in January 2005 between Iran and Russia. Iran has also looked into the possibility of developing a multi-purpose satellite with China and Thailand.
(Terekhov, Nikolai, RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/world/20050720/40938927.html, 7/18/05).

Longer International Space Station Visits for US Shuttle Crews
NASA is now installing new power transfer systems, known as Station-Shuttle Power Transfer Systems (SSPTS), on all three of its remaining space shuttles. The power transfer system will allow US space shuttles to dock three to six days longer at the international space station as the shuttle can now use solar power generated from the station. Currently, shuttle dockings are limited to six to seven days since they must rely exclusively on electricity produced in its own fuel cells. The new systems should be operational by October 2006 when space station assembly mission is launched to install the last of four US solar power modules on board the international space station. Boeing first started work on this system in September, 2003.
(Amburn, Brad, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 28, 7/18/05, Page 8).

As Questions on Shuttle Abound, U.S. Partners Worry About ISS
The United States' 15 partners in the International Space Station worry about the project in lieu of NASA's difficulties in launching the space shuttle Discovery last week. The shuttle, scheduled to take off on Wednesday, developed a problem with a fuel sensor that caused its delay. NASA has not flown a shuttle since the Columbia disaster of 2003, and now expects to launch 15 more shuttle missions until the shuttle's retirement in 2010. Shuttle flights are important because they aid in the construction of the ISS by carrying materials, supplies and engineers on board. "It is a concern," said Kuniaki Shiraki, Japan's space station program manager. Questions remain on how NASA intends to complete the shuttle missions and the ISS, especially in lieu of more stringent safety requirements after the Columbia tragedy more than two years ago.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/18/space.shuttle.reut/index.html, 07/18/05).

Undiscovered Glitch Baffles NASA
As of Monday, July 15th, NASA officials have not been able to set a new launch date for the space shuttle Discovery. The current window for launching Discovery closes on July 31 and will not reopen until September 9. The shuttle program manager has stated that NASA is "still looking for the problem."
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-05zzy.html, 7/19/05).

Twelfth Country Joins the Aurora Exploration Program
Germany has joined the European Space Agency's European Space Exploration Program Aurora with the unanimous support of the other eleven member countries. The ESA hopes that Germany's new membership will convince other ESA countries to join the Aurora program as well. The program, started in 2001, seeks to create a European framework for future space exploration of Mars and to build a strong European Space Program. As of yet, all efforts remain in a preparatory phase. The ExoMars mission, set to launch in 2011, will be the first space mission for the program.
(ESA, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-future-05r.html, 7/19/05).

European Students Build Spacecraft, Await Liftoff
The launch date for the SSETI Express has been set for August 25 when it will be sent 686 km above the Earth into low-Earth orbit. The spacecraft was fully designed and built by European students at ESA's European Space Research and Technology Center in the Netherlands. The team of 15 students from 10 universities across Europe took only 18 months to complete the project. Their design is small, no larger than a washing machine, but it has big plans. Once launched, the spacecraft will deploy three small satellites, which will take pictures of Earth. European students do not plan to stop with the SSETI Express. A European Student Earth Orbiter will be launched in 2008 and a European Student Moon Orbiter will follow sometime after 2010.
(ESA, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/microsat-05i.html, 7/19/05).

Will Deep Impact Retire to Space Junk Status?
The Deep Impact spacecraft, which crashed into a targeted comet earlier this month, may get a shot at performing a second NASA mission. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena was given clearance to direct Deep Impact closer to Earth in case its proposed second mission was approved. Scientists who worked on the first mission hope to gather detailed images of a comet called 85P/Boethin when it passes Deep Impact in 2008. If NASA does not approve this assignment, then the Deep Impact spacecraft will retire in space as space junk.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/20/comet.buster.ap/index.html, 7/20/05).

NASA Sets Discovery Launch for July 26th
Managers for the launch of the Discovery shuttle now say that they have tracked down the cause of the recent sensor glitch that indefinitely postponed the shuttle's launch last week. Having solved the problems, NASA is now scheduling a launch on Tuesday, July 26th at 10:39 am EDT. Even if the sensor fails again, managers are ready to proceed with the count. The current launch window closes at the end of the month.
(Harwood, William. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts114/050720newdate/, 7/20/05).

New Evidence Suggests Life on Mars Unlikely
New studies presented in the journal Science suggest that Mars has been frozen for much of all of the past 4 billion years. The findings seem to conflict with hopes that the Red Planet had periods of wet times where life could have at one time flourished. The findings don't rule out completely the chance for life. However, in order for life to have been a possibility, it would have to have come in the first 500 million years of the planet's 4.5 billion year existence. Life, as we currently know it, would require liquid water, and the idea that Mars was warmer and wetter in recent history lent credence to the possibility of life. This study is building a strong case to suggest that Mars has always been inhospitable for life.
(Britt, Robert Roy. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8659379/, 7/21/05).

NASA Cancels Mars Orbiter Mission
According to reports, NASA has decided to cancel a satellite mission that would have served as a relay for future missions to Mars. The $500 million Mars orbiter spacecraft would have launched in 2009 and was set to orbit Mars and allow high-bandwidth communications between Earth and Mars. Lockheed Martin had been negotiating for the spacecraft's contract. In place of this mission, NASA is expecting to use the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, set to launch this year, as a relay between the two planets.
(Erickson, Jim. http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_3944768,00.html, 7/22/05).

Commercial

Space Adventures Probing Niche in US Tourism Industry
The Kennedy Space Center in Florida is now home to the Development Office for Space Adventures, a company hoping to bring space tourism to the US. Right now, Space Adventures is coordinating and confirming its suborbital spaceflight program for space tourists. The company hopes to offer tourists a chance to experience at least five minutes of weightlessness from an altitude of 62 miles while on board a suborbital spaceflight. Each flight follows a four-day preparation period in which passengers train for their zero-experience. Space Adventures hopes to build a successful foundation for the future of the space tourism industry.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spaceport-05g.html, 7/20/05).

Military

Lockheed-Boeing Venture May Burden Taxpayers
Upon encouragement from the Air Force, Lockheed-Martin and Boeing Co. have proposed a joint venture, a single company called United Launch Alliance. The announcement for the joint venture was made in early May and the Federal Trade Commission will decide whether or not to approve the plans by late 2005 or early 2006. The Pentagon gave the two companies contracts in the 1990s to build Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV). When the global telecommunications market crashed in 1999, the US Air Force was forced to expand funding in order to keep Lockheed and Boeing producing the EELVs. The Air Force recently suggested the joint venture as a way of reducing the budget for the projects. Critics say that the new company will monopolize the contracts, driving the price up without any competition. The watchdog group, Project on Government Oversight, has stated, "There isn't a single weapon system being produced by a consolidated business that is cheaper than it was a decade ago." Critics also suggest that the merger will make the Air Force unable to punish the new United Launch Alliance if it violates federal acquisition laws. With one entity providing the government with EELVs, it would be near impossible to place sanctions on the venture without interrupting manufacturing.
(Singer, Jeremy, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 28, 7/18/05, Page 4A.)

Op-Ed

Op-Ed: Is There Life After Deep Impact?
In an editorial, the weekly Space News raised the issue of what happens to a functioning spacecraft after its mission is accomplished. The competition for funding is tight, so NASA cannot afford to keep operating spacecraft until they simply break down. What happens to unneeded spacecrafts? The question is raised with regard to the Deep Impact space mission whose success cannot be overstated. What will become of its craft now that the mission is over? The scientists from the Deep Impact project already have their sights set on studying a new comet, Comet 85P/Boethin, which will come close to Earth in 2008. While the spacecraft would be perfectly capable of getting into position by 2008 to take on this new comet, the Deep Impact team must reapply for NASA funding and compete against other ambitious projects. Without funding, the Deep Impact spacecraft will simply run out of fuel and breakdown.
(Editorial, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 28, 7/18/05, Page 20).

Op-Ed: Will It Be the Moon or Mars for the Russian Space Program?
In an opinion piece in the RIA Novosti, political commentator Andrei Kislyakov wrote that the Russian government has approved the Russian space program for 2006-2015, but some questions have still been left unanswered. Although Russia plans to launch a probe to Mars in 2009, some scientists wonder if space missions should not first look at studying the moon. US counterparts have brought up the same concerns in the Moon over Mars matter. The laboratory director at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute said, "We know more about far-away Mars than we do about our planet's attendant satellite... We should remember that the Moon is a potential source of various chemical elements." If Russia were to probe the Moon before Mars, it would take little time to develop a new probe suitable for mapping chemical deposits with gamma spectroscopy technology, like the probes Eisenhower Institute Fellow Roald Sagdeev states would be needed for the mission. Another issue plaguing the Russian space program plan regards the future of the International Space Station (ISS) and its funding. Since the station was designed for US Space Shuttles, Russia is inclined to not spend annual funding on ISS until manned US missions meet their launch deadlines.
(Kislyakov, Andrei, RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20050720/40938440.html, 7/20/05).

Oddly Enough

When Pigs Fly... in Space
As China's Shenzhou 6 mission launch approaches, new information regarding the purpose of the mission is revealed and it includes "space pigs." One of the experiments to be carried out by the mission has the spacecraft carrying samples of pig spermatozoa. During the flight, two samples of pig spermatozoa will be kept on board exposed to different levels of cosmic rays. Following the return of the spacecraft to Earth, the samples will be used in an in-vitro fertilization program aimed at breeding "space pigs" for the purpose of studying any genetic mutations associated with exposure to cosmic rays. China' pork industry hopes to benefit from this experiment.
(Jones, Morris. http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-05zzzd.html, 7/19/05).

Actor's Ashes to Be Launched Into Space
The ashes of Star Trek actor James Doohan, who died this week, are to be sent into space on board a Falcon I rocket. Doohan, who played Scotty in the original Star Trek series, died at the age of 85 due to pneumonia and Alzheimer's. Doohan's character in the series, Scotty, helped man the Starship Enterprise with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. The ashes of Star Trek writer John Meredyth Lucas, who died in 2002, are also set to be on the Falcon I rocket set to launch in September from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
(BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4702503.stm, 7/21/05).

Credits

Compiled by Ahsan Butt and Mary Holloway
Edited by Chad Kreikemeier

Space Watch
Week of July 25- July 29, 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.

Return to Space: Discovery

The Odds Game
Before the safe launch of the space shuttle Discovery this week, NASA placed the odds of success during liftoff as 1 in 100. This projected risk has risen in recent years due to an increased understanding of the space shuttle fleet and shuttle limitations. NASA's two shuttle disasters, Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003, illustrate the danger associated with the two most at risk points in a space shuttle mission, the ascent and the descent. Prior to the Challenger explosion, NASA had said the odds of catastrophe were 1 in 100,000. Following the explosion, however, the chance of disaster was placed at 1 in 50 and slowly decreased over the years to 1 in 254. The odds once again jumped after the unsuccessful descent of Columbia in 2003, placing the projection at 1 in 100. The private sector notes that today's greater chance of disaster is associated with the aging shuttle fleet and NASA's cancelled plans for safety upgrades due to the fleet's impending retirement.
(Broad, William J., New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/26/science/space/26risk.html, 7/26/05).

Discovery Launch Ends NASA's Two and A Half Year Wait
The successful launch of the space shuttle Discovery on July 26, 2005 at 10:39 am ET ended a two and half year period in which no shuttles were sent into space following the 2003 space shuttle Columbia disaster. Discovery was last set to launch on July 13, but was delayed due to a faulty fuel sensor. Now that the space mission is underway, the crew will rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) in order to make repairs and deliver supplies. In addition to docking at ISS, the mission will test NASA's latest tools and techniques to examine the shuttle's exterior for any damage sustained during the launch. The Columbia disaster was attributed to a piece of debris that fell off the shuttle during liftoff and damaged heat resistant tiles needed for reentry to Earth. The current mission is planned to last 12 days.
(Peterson, Thom, CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/26/space.shuttle/index.html, 7/26/05).

Mystery Debris From Discovery Ascent Yet to be Analyzed by NASA
In an effort to prevent another space shuttle tragedy in the wake of the space shuttle Columbia disaster, NASA observed the Discovery launch using 107 ground and aircraft cameras. Sometime after takeoff NASA reported that a spacecraft mounted camera recorded a piece of debris falling off of the space shuttle. NASA authorities could not at once determine the nature of the debris. The video did not show signs of the debris hitting the spacecraft as it fell. The space shuttle Columbia disaster was a direct result of falling debris that damaged the outside of the craft during its ascent. Since that incident, NASA has attempted to reduce the chances of debris falling off of the exterior tank and hitting the shuttle. The mission management team stated that they should know by Sunday whether or not the debris inflicted any damage to the shuttle.
(Peterson, Thom, CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/26/space.shuttle/index.html, 7/26/05).

Discovery Launch Could Save Hubble
The Hubble Space Telescope, last repaired in 2002, is one step closer to extending its life thanks to the launch of space shuttle Discovery. NASA chief Michael Griffin has said that a mission to repair Hubble will be not be assessed until two more shuttle missions have been completed successfully. The space telescope needs new batteries for power and new gyroscopes for steady directional pointing. The fate of Hubble has been inconclusive after President Bush's Vision for Space Exploration failed to ensure the future of the telescope. Many supporters, including members of Congress, have begun a campaign to save Hubble. Four service missions have worked on repairing Hubble; they were completed in 1993, 1997, 1999, and 2002. A fifth repair mission would allow it to continue working until 2010, but without a fifth repair mission, Hubble could be out of commission by 2007.
(Zabarenko, Deborah, Reuters, http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2005-07-26T153806Z_01_N26159345_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-SPACE-SHUTTLE-HUBBLE-DC.XML, 7/26/05).

NASA Detects Second Piece of Debris from Discovery
As the space shuttle Discovery astronauts began their first day in space, NASA announced that a second piece of debris was recorded, this time falling off the underside of the orbiter. NASA officials said that the debris might be from a tile door covering the landing gear at the nose of the shuttle. They hope to determine the extent and nature of any damage that may have been caused during an inspection the astronauts plan to complete. The astronauts will use a 50-foot robotic arm to examine the shuttle's nose cap and wings during a seven-hour inspection. This announcement comes after yesterday's video feed showed a piece of debris falling off of the external fuel tank, but did not appear to hit Discovery.
(Patterson, Thom, CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/27/space.shuttle/index.html, 7/27/05).

ESA Says Shuttle Grounding is Not a Major Problem
The European Space Agency has come out on the record to say that the US decision to ground additional shuttle flights is "not a catastrophe." The ESA has maintained that the operations concerning the ISS will continue at a slower rate, but that they will indeed continue. "Certainly, the program will continue," said Dieter Isakeit, a member of the ESA board. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) mentioned that it was concerned that the flight in September, to be boarded by German astronaut Thomas Reiter, might be postponed.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/050728171230.3idvpt0i.html, 7/28/05).

Russia Willing to Bring Discovery and ISS Crews Back to Earth
Russia's Energia Space Corporation is willing and able to loan three of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft in order to rescue current crew members in space in January or February of 2006. They have left all decisions up to the US space agency but are standing by, ready to offer assistance if the need arises. Russia is, however, worried about future ISS missions. Russian Space Agency official Alexei Krasnov said, "If the space shuttle flights are delayed for a long time, the heads of the space agencies of countries-members of the ISS project will have to meet to coordinate their plans."
(RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/science/20050728/41050404.html, 7/28/05).

NASA Prepared to Send Atlantis for Rescue
Considering the possible damage to the Discovery shuttle, NASA must now determine whether or not it is willing to send up its Atlantis shuttle for rescue operations, knowing that the very same problems might manifest themselves on the rescue mission. "It hasn't changed," shuttle program manager Bill Parsons said. "It will still be a difficult decision. But the fact is, we make a lot of hard decisions in this business, and we would be prepared to make that decision if we needed to." According to most, the shuttle has not been damaged to the point of strong concern. "We think the need for a rescue flight is very remote," said mission management team leader Wayne Hale. "I don't know how much risk we're willing to take on the rescue flight," commander of the possible rescue mission Steve Lindsey said. "But one thing I can tell you that most of the people in our office would feel is if we had crewmates in danger, we would do just about anything if we could bring them back. That's human nature, and that's the way our office feels."
(Kridler, Chris. http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050729/NEWS02/507290327/1007/news02, 7/29/05).

Discovery Commander Surprised that Tile Problem Not Fixed
Discovery Commander Eileen Collins said that she was surprised that a piece of foam fell off one of the tanks on lift-off. She had thought that they had the problem "licked," but says that she is confident her crew will return home safely without any further problem. Crewmate, Andy Thomas, said that they "were surprised that it had happened after so many good people worked so hard to mitigate the problems...and to make sure that it wouldn't happen again." Collins also said that the problem must and can be fixed. The crew started transferring 15 tons of supplies to the space station on Friday and began to do checks on the shuttle's heat shield to make absolutely sure that they will be safe upon return. "I would say that there is no significant damage to the shuttle," Collins said.
(MSNBC, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8749988/, 7/29/05).

Civil Space

US Space Shuttles Head to Retirement
NASA's fleet of space shuttles is scheduled to retire in 2010 upon completion of the International Space Station. The Crew Exploration Vehicle will replace the space shuttle as NASA's next means of manned space exploration. Astronauts are scheduled to return to the moon in 2020 using this new spacecraft, which has yet to be designed. The space shuttle, officially named the Space Transportation System, was developed in the 1970s and was first launched into orbit on April 12, 1981. Since its inception, the US space shuttle fleet has launched over 113 missions.
(AFP, Space Daily, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-05zzze.html, 7/25/05).

Big Bang Surprise...
At the Relativistic Heavy Ion Laboratory, Long Island, New York, physicists created what they believe is the state of matter that existed only split seconds after the Big Bang. Previous speculation as to the state of the matter had pinned it as something like steam, but the consistency of the quarks and gluons ended up being more like a liquid. Professor John Nelson who heads the British involvement in this multinational collaboration commented, "No one predicted that it would be like a liquid. This aspect was totally unexpected." The created liquid has an extremely low viscosity making it "the most perfect fluid ever created." By crafting a collision of the central cores of gold atoms almost at the speed of light, scientists were able to simulate the conditions in the Universe after the Big Bang. They had expected to see a free-for-all of particles, but instead discovered a liquid as the particles had collective movement.
(SPX, Space Daily, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/bigbang-05a.html, 7/25/05).

House Passes NASA Reauthorization Bill
On Friday, July 22, the House of Representatives voted 383 to 15 to approve the bill, HR 3070, known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005. The bill sanctions Presidents Bush's Vision for Space Exploration, which calls for the development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle, the spacecraft named to replace the aging space shuttle, and the return of a manned mission to the moon. NASA must also provide Congress with an increased amount of information in order for future policy decisions to be made effectively. The bill institutes an awards program through which members of the private sector can work to create solutions to NASA's proposed technical challenges. Funding is also ensured through this authorization act.
(SPX, Space Daily, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nasa-05u.html, 7/22/05)

China to Send First Woman into Space by 2010
China's state media reported Tuesday that China's manned space program will send a woman into space by 2010. Thirty women pilots have already been chosen to train as astronauts and the group will be reduced to four women when the final selection process begins next year. The Deputy Chief Commander of the manned space program, Hu Shixiang commented that China is not only looking for female pilots, but also women scientists who have studied medicine and biology in order for research to be carried out in space.
(AFP, Sino Daily, http://www.sinodaily.com/news/china-05zzzzzb.html, 7/26/05).

A Second Solar Sail by the End of 2006
While the Planetary Society still tries to solve the mystery of why the Cosmos-1 solar sail spacecraft failed, its director, Louis Friedman, announced that the group plans to launch a second solar sail by the end of 2006. He commented, "We have a lot of ground spares and we could probably build a spacecraft fairly quickly." The first solar sail failed when its Volna rocket was unsuccessful following launch on June 21. The group plans to use another non-US rocket and has looked at the Russian Dnepr as a possibility. The failed solar sail launch cost $4 million, paid for by Cosmos Studios, and was not insured although they did receive some reimbursement.
(Morris, Jefferson. Aviation Now, http://aviationnow.ecnext.com/free-scripts/comsite2.pl?page=aw_document&article=PLAN07255, 7/25/05).

China Signs Pact With EU for Galileo
Destined to agitate members of the US Defense Department, the European Union recently signed contracts with a number of Chinese companies to help develop a range of applications for use with Europe's Galileo system, a European-sponsored version of the US GPS. Resembling the EU's recent lifting of the Chinese arms embargo, this move will be opposed by the US as it gives China a prominent role in the new Galileo system.
(Knight, Victoria. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8BKSDBO0.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db, 7/29/05)

Commercial

Land Launch Gets First Buyer
According to sources, PanAmSat will be the first customer for Land Launch Industries, the land-based variant of the Sea Launch system. Land Launch uses a version of the Zenit-3SL booster used by Sea Launch, but is set to launch instead from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. It is a joint venture of the Boeing Company and Space International Services, a Russo-Ukrainian venture.
(Boeing news release, http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2005/q3/nr_050728t.html, 7/28/05).

Military

Space Weapons Bill Voted Down in House
On July 20, the House voted 302 to 124 to defeat a proposed bill that would require the US to begin the process of negotiating a global treaty that would effectively ban the use of weapons in space. Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) brought forth the bill, commented, "Moving forward with (US) plans to weaponize space would create an arms race in space."
(Roll Call, http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/12211663.htm, 7/24/05).

Yearly DoD Report Says China is Working on Anti-Satellite Systems
The Department of Defense released an annual report entitled, The Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2005, on July 19. The report is an effort to convey and analyze China's current and future military strategies. One highlighted point states that China's space launch vehicle industry is expanding in order to accommodate the government's support of increased satellite launch capabilities and its manned spaceflight program. According to the release, "China is working on, and plans to field, ASAT (anti-satellite) systems." China is currently conducting research to develop ground-based laser ASAT weapons. This research could lead to Chinese laser weapons capable of damaging and destroying satellites. Jeffery Lewis, a Research Fellow at the Center for International Security Studies at the University of Maryland, is cynical of DoD's claims, stating, "the 2005 [report] omits most of the evidence cited in previous reports, including discredited claims about the development of a parasite microsatellite and a ground based direct ascent ASAT that was supposed to be fielded as early as this year... It's pretty clear they don't have any evidence." The annual report goes on to detail China's other counterspace efforts.
(David, Leonard, Space, http://www.space.com/news/050727_china_military.html, 7/27/05).

Op-Ed

Op-Ed: Oppose House Passage of the NASA Authorization Act of 2005 or Kill the CEV
In an opinion piece written for Space News, Dr. Wesley T. Huntress, Jr., President of The Planetary Society voiced his group's opposition to possible passage of HR 3070, known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005. The Planetary Society has been drumming up support for a new vision for human space flight and is pleased by President Bush's Vision for Space Exploration and its goals for manned missions to the Moon and to Mars. While the bill endorses the Vision for Space Exploration, the Planetary Society finds fault with a clause within the bill. The seemingly inoffensive clause states that until the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is flying, the space shuttle fleet may not be retired. Huntress and his group are concerned that extending the life of the fleet will only divert funds from the development of the CEV and take away the incentive to produce a new space vehicle. He states that shuttle retirement in 2010 "is the single most important near-term step to move forward with human exploration beyond Earth Orbit."
(Huntress, Jr., Dr. Wesley T., Space News, Volume 16, Issue 29, 7/25/05, Page 19).

Oddly Enough

Vacation of A Lifetime May Cost A Lifetime to Pay For
The Russian Space Agency announced that together with its space rocket manufacturer, Energia, it is developing a new space tourism package aimed at those would be space travelers who are less strapped for cash than the average tourist. The cost of the proposed two-week space vacation has been tagged at $100 million. One is guaranteed to get their money's worth, however, as this retreat includes a trip to the International Space Station and a trip around the moon.
(MosNews, http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/07/26/moontravel.shtml, 7/26/05).

Saturn Sounds Scary...
Findings reported in the Geophysical Research Letters on July 23, investigate the eerie sounds of Saturn according to data received by the Cassini spacecraft radio. The study finds that the sounds are worthy of a horror movie or Halloween spook sound track. On the scientific side, the sounds fall into patterns of Earth's aurora borealis. Dr. Bill Kurth, deputy principal investigator who helped make the discovery, stated, "We believe that the changing frequencies are related to sources moving up and down along Saturn's magnetic field lines." Scientists are using these radio emissions to try to figure out what is above Saturn's auroras and creating these frequencies. In mid-2008, Cassini will fly closer to Saturn, and maybe even through the source region, in order to unravel the mystery of the radio emissions source. A sample of the sounds of Saturn can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/cassini.
(NASA, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2005-119, 7/25/05).

Credits

Compiled by Mary Holloway
Edited by Chad Kreikemeier