Search
June 2005
Space Watch
Week of June 6 - 10, 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
Spacecraft of the Future Set to Launch This Month
Cosmos 1 is set to launch with a Russian rocket on June 21st from a submarine in the Barents Sea. The launch is noteworthy because the spacecraft is solar sail-powered, using technology that many scientists hope will allow more expansive space missions in the future. The spacecraft will deploy eight triangular 15 meter sails when it reaches an altitude of 800 kilometers that will slowly be pushed by sunlight particles bouncing off them. The spacecraft will continue to gather momentum, increasing its speed from 100 miles an hour 24 hours after its launch up to 100,000 miles an hour after 3 years. Such high speeds will allow it to reach Pluto within 5 years. The technology will also reduce fuel loads atop spacecraft and thereby increase their mobility. NASA tested a solar sail in a vacuum chamber in Ohio while Japan has already deployed two solar sails in space.
(CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/07/solarsail.vision/index.html, 06/08/08).
Opportunity Finally Escapes From Dune
After nearly five weeks of painstakingly slow movement, the Mars rover Opportunity is on the move again. Now, its controllers on Earth have said, they will be more careful in the future to avoid getting trapped in dunes, which is what Opportunity did a little over a month ago. "When we hit the dune, we were doing what we call a ‘blind drive'," said Steve Squyres of Cornell University and the principal investigator for the science instruments on the Opportunity and Spirit rovers, referring to the process where ground controllers don't check for obstacles on the rover's path. Squyres noted that the controllers would now be more prudent. "We definitely will not be doing long blind drives in this terrain for awhile. Instead, we'll start turning back on many of the safety checks that we have in our driving software, proceeding much more cautiously," he said.
(David, Leonard. http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/050608_after_opportunity.html, 06/08/05).
Discovery Not Quite Ready for Launch, Says Panel
The Stafford-Covey "Return to Flight" Task Group, an independent panel chartered by NASA to investigate whether or not NASA has completed a "to-do" list of 15 items, said that the agency still has work to do on three of them. The panel, however, downplayed the concerns, which are over the possibility of ice damaging the spacecraft. "We don't see anything out there that we have big questions about, that are not the same questions that the program is looking at," said Richard Covey, co-chairman of the panel. Joseph Cuzzupoli, another panel member, supported those sentiments. "NASA has done a helluva good job on making this vehicle a very safe vehicle, and their continuing efforts to analyze what the risk is very important. As long as they stay on that track, we'll be OK," he said. The panel will not make a final decision on whether or not Discovery is set for launch; it is an advisory body that will report to NASA Administrator Michael Griffin at the end of this month.
(CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/09/space.shuttle/index.html, 06/09/05).
Aurora Seen on Mars for First Time
The spacecraft Mars Express observed an aurora on Mars, the first time such an occurrence has been observed. Aurorae are spectacular displays of light caused by the interaction of solar particles and a planet's magnetic field. Earth and all the giant planets have aurorae because they all possess active magnetic fields. "This discovery is so interesting," University of Arizona scientist Bill Sandel said, "[because] Mars has no internally generated, planetary-scale magnetic field. It has what are called ‘crustal magnetic anomalies' scattered around the martian surface, remnants of what presumably was Mars' planetary-scale magnetic field that was active when the planet was younger. These crustal pieces are the leftovers of that earlier field," Sandel said.
(ESA, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-atmosphere-05c.html, 06/09/05).
AGU Criticizes Budget Cuts
In a statement, the American Geophysical Union criticized budget cuts that will affect NASA. "For over a quarter century, NASA and its international partners have pioneered extraordinary scientific advances in understanding the Earth, the solar system, and the universe," the statement said. "There are indications that Earth and space sciences have become a lower priority at NASA. NASA's proposed 2006 budget reduces science research by $1.2 billion over the next five years, a dramatic change. These cuts are almost equally distributed between the Earth and space sciences." The AGU added that the budget cuts will "decimate effective programs designed to promote innovation [and] research and development" and will "affect our ability to understand natural hazards, map changes in Earth's surface, forecast space weather, understand Earth-Sun connections, and explore the solar system." The AGU called for the administration, Congress and NASA to "renew their commitment to Earth and space science research."
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nasa-05l.html, 06/09/05).
Deep Impact Team Details Process to Fix Blurry Vision
NASA's Deep Impact mission will use a mathematical process on the photographs it receives to clear up the blurry pictures. The team, in charge of a spacecraft that will collide with a comet and take pictures of it to provide greater information about comets, explained its idea at a press conference in Washington. The process is called deconvolution and it entails reversing the distortion created by a faulty lens. "The process is a purely mathematical manipulation that works extremely well," said Don Yoemans, a co-investigator for JPL, the firm that is in charge of the mission for NASA. "The process is sometimes time consuming, so the biggest effect on the science is a delay while you do all the processing to get the quality that you expected." The spacecraft is scheduled to collide with the comet on July 4th.
(Than, Ker. http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/050609_impact_camera.html, 06/09/05).
ESA To Cooperate with Russia on Spacecraft
The European Space Agency promised to back Russian plans for the Kliper manned spacecraft. The issue was discussed in a meeting between Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian Space Agency, and Jean-Jacques Dordain, chief of ESA. The Kliper spacecraft is the concept of the Russian space company RKK Energia and was conceived as a replacement for the Soyuz spacecraft, the staple of Russian spaceflight through and since the Cold War.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/050610154540.ovuosxmh.html, 06/10/05).
Commercial
NASA Awards Boeing Contracts Worth $316 million
In a statement this week, NASA said it had awarded the Boeing Company two contract options worth $316 million. Both contracts are for continued work on the International Space Station. With the additional contract options taken by NASA, the sum total of the Boeing contract is now $12.6 billion, and it now extends the work through September 30, 2007.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-05zzp.html, 06/09/05).
China to Participate in European Navigation System
China is set to sign seven contracts with the European Union dealing with work on the European satellite navigation system called Galileo. Zhang Guocheng, acting director of the National Remote Sensing Center of China, said the contracts will be signed at the end of July. "We have many other countries which expressed interest to take part in the Galileo program, but as far as I can see, none of these potential partners is ready to contribute as much as China does," said Rainer Grohe, executive director of Galileo Joint Undertaking. China will help finance the project, and has pledged 200 million euros for the 3.5 billion euro project.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-05j.html, 06/09/05).
Military Space
EADS Signs Agreement With French Military
EADS Space Services has signed an agreement with the French Defense Ministry and will provide it with satellite telecommunications services. The agreement is aimed at land-based, naval and airborne activities as well as communication services such as video-conferencing, the Internet and data exchange. "We are honored by the confidence that the French Ministry of Defense has shown in our ability to provide a complete range of satellite telecommunication services," said Eric Béranger, CEO of EADS Space Services. "Following the contract signed in mid-2004 with the Portuguese armed forces and NATO's decision for its European solution to include Paradigm [a British subsidiary of EADS], this new contract marks an important step in France for EADS Space Services." (SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/milspace-comms-05y.html, 06/09/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Space Will Likely Be Weaponized
Writing in the Weekly Standard, Michael Goldfarb discusses the idea of weapons in space and concludes that it is likely space will be weaponized-the only question is whether it will be done so by the U.S. Air Force or by other nations, such as China. Goldfarb discusses in detail "rods from god", a space weapon on the drawing board that would strike targets on Earth at tremendous speeds to destroy underground facilities that Iran and Iraq have used to violate the NPT. Goldfarb notes that opposition to the "rods from god" and other space weapons stems both from practical and ideological concerns. He writes that the decision to weaponize space should not be taken lightly but believes that space will likely be weaponized eventually, despite the considerable obstacles in the way.
(Goldfarb, Michael. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/weeklystandard/20050608/cm_weeklystandard/therodsfromgod_1, 06/08/05).
Op-Ed: Just Say No to Weapons in Space
In an opinion piece in the Financial Times, Hui Zhang writes about the possibility of the U.S putting weapons in space. The author argues that putting weapons in space will not be conducive to international security, and that the best measure to ensure the safety of American satellites is to agree on a ban on the weaponization of space. The author also argues that China believes that the U.S. drive for weapons in space is not for defensive but for offensive purposes, and that China would push for space weapons, along with Russia, if the U.S would do so, thus triggering an arms race in space. The author writes that the world's experience with nuclear weapons tells us that it is easier to ban weapons at the outset than attempting disarmament and non-proliferation after they have been introduced. The author also believes that the drive for weapons in space damages the reputation of the U.S. and causes other countries to treat America with suspicion.
(Hui Zhang. Financial Times, pg. 13, 06/10/05).
Credits
Compiled by Ahsan Butt
Edited by Suzanne Vogel
Space Watch
Week of June 13 - 17, 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
Astronomers Find Earth's "Bigger Cousin"
A team of astronomers said this week that they have detected the smallest extrasolar planet ever found by scientists. The planet is about 7 times as heavy as Earth and about twice its size. Though the number of planets discovered has continually risen for the last decade, it is only very recently that scientists have been able to detect planets smaller than Jupiter. "This is the smallest extrasolar planet yet detected and the first of a new class of rocky terrestrial planets," said team member Paul Butler. "It's like Earth's bigger cousin." Added Steven Vogt, his fellow team member, "We keep pushing the limits of what we can detect, and we're getting closer and closer to finding Earths." (Schirber, Michael. http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/13/extrasolar.planet/index.html, 06/13/05).
Manned Moon Mission Between 2015 and 2020, Says NASA Chief
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin says that the agency plans to return humans to the moon between 2015 and 2020. "I don't have a specific date, but some time between 2015, which is the earliest we can do it, and 2020, which would be the latest," Griffin said. "We have enough money to put people back on the moon in that timeframe." Griffin also spoke about the possibility of a space station on the moon. "The model that I have is that we should build a lunar outpost similar to the kinds of multinational outposts we have in Antarctica," he said. The last manned mission to the moon was the Apollo 17 mission undertaken in 1972. (Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/14/moon.mission.reut/index.html, 6/14/05).
In Effort to Meet President's Vision, Griffin Shapes New Team
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced that Doug Cooke, formerly a deputy in the exploration systems office, will be taking over the department from Craig Steidle, who is resigning effective June 24th. In other changes, NASA's human spaceflight chief Bill Readdy and space science program chief Al Diaz also said they will be resigning their positions soon. The changes are seen as part of a broad strategy to move towards fulfilling President Bush's plan to retire the three remaining space shuttles by 2010 and replace them with a new crew exploration vehicle that will carry crews to the International Space Station and beyond. "This is just part of the bigger picture of implementing the vision for space exploration and going back to the moon, Mars and beyond," said NASA spokesman Dean Acosta. "Ultimately, the folks that Mike's going to surround himself with are the folks that he wants in implementing the vision." (Dunn, Marcia. AP, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/14/AR2005061400952.html, 06/14/05).
Discovery Returns to Launch Site
The Space Shuttle Discovery returned to its launch site, about three weeks after being removed to have safety measures installed. Discovery was taken back to its hangar on May 26th to replace its fuel tank with one that would prevent dangerous ice buildup. Engineers installed a heater on the fuel tank to fix the problem so that Discovery could slowly make its way back to its launch pad. "Today was not quite the excitement of the first time, but still, what a great thrill to be back on track, moving in the right direction, getting ready for launch, getting back out to the pad," said vehicle manager Stephanie Stilson. NASA is hoping for a shuttle liftoff as early as July 13th. (AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/15/space.shuttle.ap/index.html, 6/15/05).
Watchdog Group Questions Mars, Moon Missions
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a nonprofit, nonpartisan group criticized NASA's plans to go ahead with manned missions to the moon and Mars in the face of large deficits and doubts about the missions' cost. "A manned mission to Mars is of questionable scientific value and could cost up to $1 trillion," said Tom Schatz, President of CAGW. "The immense technological challenges involved are expected to be overcome by an agency that currently lacks the ability to launch a shuttle beyond low-earth orbit." Schatz added that the future of space exploration lay away from publicly-funded agencies. "Mankind's future in space no longer depends on politicized bureaucracies and tax-funded boondoggles. The success of SpaceShipOne, startup space companies, and the advent of space tourism have opened the door to an exciting future of private enterprise in space. Such endeavors are economical, realistic, and more likely to yield tangible benefits for mankind and taxpayers." (SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nasa-05n.html, 6/16/05).
Ukraine Joins Galileo Project
Ukraine signed an agreement with the European Union to cooperate on Galileo, the European global navigation system. Ukrainian companies will participate in the development of Galileo and will receive EU financing. "The agreement can serve as base for subsequent specific agreements in this field," said a statement given by the National Space Agency of Ukraine. Galileo is expected to be fully operational by 2008. (UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-05l.html, 06/16/05).
Griffin Discusses Shuttle Schedule, Changes at NASA
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said in an interview that the agency would not meet its schedule of space shuttle flights. Of the 28 planned between now and the fleet's planned retirement in 2010, Griffin said that the fleet would undertake between 15 and 23 missions, citing the time taken to process and fly missions. "I'll be very strong on this," he said. Commenting on the changes at the top brass of NASA, Griffin said he wanted a team with "expertise, energy, integrity, the ability to see and grasp the big picture" and one that would be "willing to stand up to me. I don't want to issue edicts that people salute, say ‘Yes, sir!' and go off and implement." (Leary, Warren and Schwartz, John. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/17/national/17nasa.html, 06/17/05).
Commercial
NASA Awards Contracts to Two Companies For Work on CEV
NASA awarded contracts to Lockheed Martin and a joint partnership between Northrop Grumann and Boeing to work on designs for the Crew Exploration Vehicle, which NASA hopes will replace the space shuttle fleet by 2010. NASA did not divulge details of the contract, such as value and length, but said a winner will be selected between the two competitors by 2006, a date brought forward by two years to minimize the lag between the retirement of the space shuttle fleet in 2010 and an operational CEV. (Berger, Brian. http://www.space.com/news/050614_cev_nasa.html, 06/14/05).
Boeing Airbus Rivalry Threatens EADS Entry Into U.S. Market
The rivalry between Boeing and Airbus is rendering the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company's hope of supplying the U.S. military with hardware ever more improbable. EADS was hoping to cooperate with U.S. firm Northrop Grumman to supply aerial refueling tankers to the U.S. Air Force. But a dispute between Airbus, whose parent is EADS, and Boeing over subsidies that each receives is threatening to derail those ambitions. In May, the House of Representatives asked the Pentagon to deny contracts to any company that received a subsidy from a country that is a member of the WTO, a move that was largely seen as one aimed at Airbus. "Boeing is trying to stop us from entering the American market, because they know we are coming with an interesting product," said Thomas Enders, the future chief executive of EADS. Denying those claims, Boeing chairman Lew Platt said, "What I'm really looking for is a level playing field. I think part of that means they should be able to compete for business in the United States." (AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/aerospace-05q.html, 06/15/05).
Military Space
Russia, China Call For Talks on Prevention of Space Arms Race
Russia and China urged the United Nations' main disarmament body, the UN Disarmament Conference, to open talks on preventing an arms race in space. Last week, the representatives of the two nations issued a paper that called for negotiations for a legal document banning weapons in space and attempted to define terms such as "space", "space object" and "space-based arms". "The recent developments concerning outer space are worrisome and require more urgent efforts to start work on preventing an arms race in outer space," Hu Xiaodi, China's permanent representative at the UN, told a session of the Conference on Disarmament. "We hope that this thematic non-paper will help people pay more attention and give more thoughts to the issue of prevention of an arms race in outer space and serve as food for thought for our negotiation of a relevant future legal instrument in the Disarmament Conference." (Blagov, Sergei. http://jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2369880, 06/15/05).
Perspectives Differ on Weaponization of Space
The Bush administration is seeking to form a new space policy for the United States and Theresa Hitchens, Vice President of the Center for Defense Information, believes it will call for a bolstering of military capabilities in space. "The new policy will be more military-oriented, rather than the heavily civil-oriented predecessor," Hitchens said, in reference to Bill Clinton's space policy. She added that she expects the space policy advocate the weaponization of space but will do so in a subtle way because the "White House knows that the idea of space weaponization is publicly controversial." On the other end of the spectrum is Everett Dolman of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. "The time to weaponize and administer space for the good of global commerce is now," said Dolman. He added that fears of an arms race in space are unfounded, as there is no nation capable of matching the U.S and would therefore not bother competing with it. (David, Leonard. http://www.space.com/news/050617_space_warfare.html, 06/17/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Space Weapons Bear Significant Costs
In an editorial last week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discussed the issue of space weapons. The paper outlined the historical resemblance the current drive for space weapons bears to the Missile Defense System, or Star Wars program, that cost the U.S. $130 billion. The editorial said that the technical obstacles to deploying space weapons are significant, and that the cost of such a venture would be exorbitant. The paper said that deploying space weapons would also carry diplomatic costs in the form of protests from the European Union, Canada, Russia and China and that deploying weapons in space would provoke an arms race, as well as reinforce America's image as a belligerent nation. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Editorial, page B6, 06/08/2005).
Op-Ed: American Media, Lobby Groups Fuelling Hype About Space Weapons
In an op-ed piece in USA Today, James Oberg wrote that the American media and various lobby groups with agendas were fuelling unfounded concern over the deployment of space weapons. The author wrote that it is unlikely that the U.S. will deploy offensive weapons and that stories in the media to the contrary only serve to heighten tension in countries such as China and Russia. Oberg wrote that raising fears of the U.S. deploying space weapons could result in an arms race in space - the very outcome the media wishes to avoid - because countries can react to supposed threats, not just actual ones. (Oberg, James. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-06-13-space-weapons-edit_x.htm, 06/13/05).
Credits
Compiled by Ahsan Butt
Edited by Suzanne Vogel
Space Watch
Week of June 20 - 24, 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
Russia to Send Two Unmanned Missions to Mars
Russia plans on sending two unmanned missions to Mars by 2015, according to Russian space officials. The first of the missions - scheduled for October 2009 - will see a research craft orbit Mars and then a drop a rover to one of Mars' moons, Phobos, to collect soil samples. "The spacecraft will work on Phobos for three years," said Georgy Polischuk, director general and designer general of the Lavochkin Production and Science Association. The second of the missions will land on Mars to conduct various experiments, though it is not known exactly when the second mission will be undertaken. "The exact date...has not been set, but it is planned for 2015 at the latest," said Polischuk.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-future-05o.html,%2006/20/05).
Griffin Questions U.S. Technology Transfer Laws
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin expressed his concern over U.S. technology transfer laws, which he said hinder international cooperation in space and defense programs. Communication satellites and other space technologies were brought under arms-exports laws in 1999, and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) makes it more difficult for U.S. and non-U.S. companies to share information. "ITAR is an impediment to international cooperation," said Griffin. "It is an issue...we need to look carefully at whether or not ITAR is seeking the greater good."
(Space News, Vol. 16, Issue 24, 06/20/2005, page 12).
Europe, Japan Worry About NASA's Shuttle Plans
Officials from the European and Japanese space agencies expressed their concern over NASA's plans to retire its space shuttle fleet by 2010 - a "firm date" in NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's words - and what the retirement will mean for them. The officials, who met Griffin at a Paris air show last week, were wary of components already built for the International Space Station, including space laboratories, going to waste without having the transportation afforded by the shuttle fleet available. The U.S.'s partners now anxiously await a report due in early July that will detail the continued development of the ISS and the shape it will take. "I get along quite well with Mr. Griffin," said Sigmar Wittig, chairman of the executive committee of the German Aerospace Center. "I think we can all understand the pressure he is under. But I don't like to see changes to agreements at half-year frequencies. We need to settle on common goals for the station, even if it's true that the U.S. has every right to determine its own priorities for space."
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, Vol. 16, Issue 24, 06/20/2005, page 4).
House Approves $16.5 Billion Budget for NASA, Urges Review of Export Controls
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill appropriating $16.5 billion to NASA. The bill, passed by a strong majority of 418-7, also directed the State Department to look into export control processes. "America is being hampered in the international marketplace by the lack of clear-cut, well-understood and responsive export-control policy," the report noted. It urged the State Department, along with the Commerce Department, to come up with a plan that would "help effectuate a more timely and accurate export-licensing process."
(Clark, Colin. Space News, Vol. 16, Issue 24, 06/20/2005, page 7).
NASA Creates New Office to Analyze Space Programs
The creation of a new NASA office was announced this week. The Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation was established on April 29 and will direct its attention to how existing space programs are faring and what is the best way to get Americans back to the moon and to Mars. The new office's chief, Scott Pace, commented that the office would attempt to answer some basic questions. "What is it we need? How much does it cost? Can we afford it? Are we in fact ready to use these investments? How are we doing on the investments that we have made?" The office will largely be an advisory body and will not have the authority to hire, fire, or pay but instead will make recommendations to NASA chief Michael Griffin.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/21/nasa.new.office.reut/index.html, 06/21/05).
Russia Mulls U.S. Proposal on Moon Program
The Russian Space Agency is thinking about a U.S. proposal to take part in its moon program. "We have received an official invitation from NASA to join the moon program and are now considering it," said the Russian Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov. Perminov stressed the need for international partnership in such ventures. "The safety and reliability of flights requires international cooperation."
(Interfax, http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes.html, 06/21/05).
Russia's Space Laboratory, Scorpions and All, Returns to Earth
Russia's Photon M-2 laboratory returned safely to Earth along with its crew, which included lizards, scorpions, snails and other animals. The animals were in orbit for 16 days and were subjected to tests that scientists hope will lead to cures for various diseases, including cancer. It was not immediately known whether or not scientists considered the experiment successful.
(CNN, Associated Press. http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/17/space.scorpions/index.html, 06/21/05).
NASA Chief Puts Future of Space Station in Doubt
In an interview with USA Today, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin clouded the future of the International Space Station with doubt, saying he could not guarantee that it would be completed. Griffin said that the agency had a team working on a plan for what the space station will look like given the space shuttle fleet's retirement in 2010, and that, until that plan was complete, he was unsure which pieces of the space station would remain on the ground. "We're trying to develop a station plan," Griffin said. "We don't have it yet." Griffin also commented on the U.S. space program, which he believed is trailing other nations'. "Our shuttle is grounded. Two nations have flown people in space since we last did it. We're at least five years away from having a replacement vehicle...we (NASA) and America need to work hard to regain our preeminence in space."
(Watson, Traci and Vergano, Dan. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2005-06-21-space-station_x.htm, 06/21/05).
Cosmos 1 All But Lost, Organizers Say "No Regrets"
The Planetary Society, a privately funded group that attempted to fly the world's first solar sail spacecraft, said that it doesn't regret the fact that the launch ended in failure and that others can learn from the experience. The spacecraft, which was launched from a Russian submarine, never made it into orbit and the Russian space agency said with "some definitiveness" that its booster failed almost immediately after launch. However, Bruce Murray, co-founder of the group said, "We have no regrets over what happened. We've learned a lot and I think we've shown what can be possible and what might be able to be done." Scientists on the ground are still holding out on the slim chance that the spacecraft made it into orbit but it is highly unlikely. "We all rate it as a 1 percent probability of something like that, but stranger things have happened," said project director Louis D. Friedman.
(AP, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/23/vision.cosmos.ap/index.html, 06/23/05).
Report Criticizes U.S. Space Policy
A paper written by George Abbey, former director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Dr. Neal Lane, White House science advisor under former President Bill Clinton, has leveled a series of criticisms at U.S. space policy. In a call for greater funding, they wrote, "current U.S. space policy presents a paradoxical picture of high ambition and diminishing commitment," in reference to President Bush's space plan which they called "bold by any measure." The paper outlined four key failures of U.S. policy which threaten future advances in space: inadequate planning for NASA's future, declining cooperation with other nations in space, restrictions on transfer of space technology, and a projected shortfall in the American science and engineering work force. Though some other experts agree with the paper's analysis, they also say that NASA Administrator Michael Griffin - who the authors are hopeful about - is working effectively to solve some of the problems outlined.
(Schwartz, John. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/23/science/space/23nasa.html, 06/23/05).
Advisory Group Warns NASA to Test for Life on Mars Before Manned Mission
An advisory group warned NASA to test for potentially dangerous life forms on Mars before proceeding with a manned mission to the red planet. The Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) established to help in the planning for a Mars mission, said in a report that astronauts could carry potentially dangerous microbial life back on to Earth. "The most significant risk identified is that associated with the possibility of transporting a replicating life form to Earth, where it is found to have a negative effect on some aspect of the Earth's ecosystem," the report said. "Most scientists would agree that the probability of negative consequence is very low, but the consequences could potentially be very large." The report added that there was also a risk posed to potential life on Mars by contamination from Earth carried by astronauts.
(CNN, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/23/mars.report/index.html, 06/23/05).
Commercial
ESA, EC Officials Say Some Work on Galileo to be Contracted to China
European officials said that the European Space Agency and the European Commission will decide to award some work on Galileo to Chinese companies. The work will involve building the search and rescue payloads on the satellite navigation constellation. The move is seen as one that will ease fiscal pressure on the ESA and EC - the Chinese work will reduce the cost of Galileo by about 40 million euros. The development comes at a time when European officials are thought to be eager to outsource some of the work on Galileo that does not involve strategically or militarily sensitive technology to countries that have invested in the project.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, Vol. 16, Issue 24, 06/20/2005, page 1).
With Worries Over Contracts, Germany Threatens Cut in Galileo Funding
According to agency reports, Germany expressed its displeasure at the lack of involvement of German companies in the European satellite navigation system called Galileo and threatened to cut its funding to it. With a 100 million euros already committed, and a further 80 million to be allocated soon, Germany is the biggest contributor to the project. That may change, according to a German minister, if German companies don't feature more prominently in the project. "If an agreement to bring more business back to Germany isn't found, the entire Galileo project will be threatened," said Transport Minister Manfred Stolpe. (SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-euro-05o.html, 06/21/05).
Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Bush Administration Should Authorize Space Weapons
Writing in The Space Review, Taylor Dinerman opined that the current controversy over the weaponization of space has more to do with fundraising at liberal think tanks than on ground realities. The author wrote that in lieu of an expected change in formal American policy on space, think tanks opposed to the weaponization of space have helped sparked a controversy to aid their funding. Dinerman wrote that he believes there will be weapons and wars in space in the future and that any decision on weapons in space should be made only with military utility in mind. He wrote that Preisdent Bush should authorize the pursuit of space weapons and that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should encourage the Air Force to improve the design and build of its space systems.
(Dinerman, Taylor. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/394/1, 06/20/05).
Credits
Compiled by Ahsan Butt
Edited by Suzanne Voge
Space Watch
Week of June 26- July 1, 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
Senate Committee Wants CEV to Fly Before Shuttle Fleet Retires
The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill that calls for the proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle to fly before the space shuttle fleet is retired. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has repeatedly stated that the space shuttle fleet will be shelved in 2010, at the latest, and has said he wants to speed up the development of the CEV, NASA's proposed replacement vehicle. Though Griffin wants the CEV ready before 2010, he has not made it a condition for the retirement of the fleet. Legislators, however, feel differently and want NASA to demonstrate it can take humans into space by other means before retiring the fleet. "The possibility of a gap in spaceflight must be eliminated if the U.S. wants to be a leader in space exploration," said Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican of Texas.
(Berger, Brian, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 25, 06/27/05, page 6).
Europe to Russia: Not Now, Maybe Later
European governments ruled out cooperation with Russia on the latter's Clipper space exploration vehicle for now but said they might be involved in the future. According to European officials, the program is not yet clearly defined, and they will make a decision on future cooperation at a meeting of European Space Agency governments in December. The Clipper spacecraft would be used for manned missions to space and would be capable of carrying six astronauts into space - as opposed to three by the Soyuz capsules currently used by Russia - as well as remain at the International Space Station for a year, compared to six months for the Soyuz.
(de Selding, Peter. Space News, Volume 16, Issue 25, 06/27/05, page 4).
Scientists Say Titan May Feature Lake
Using images taken by the Cassini spacecraft, scientists think that it is possible that they have spotted a lake on the surface of Titan, one of Saturn's moons. The image in question shows a dark spot that measures about 145 miles by 45 miles, roughly the size of Lake Ontario. "This feature is unique in our exploration of Titan so far," said Elizabeth Turtle of the University of Arizona. "Its perimeter is intriguingly reminiscent of the shorelines of lakes on Earth that are smoothed by water erosion and deposition." Scientists believe that the possible lake could be filled with liquid methane, which takes a long time to evaporate given the extremely cold temperatures on Titan. "It's possible that some of the storms in this region are strong enough to make methane rain that reaches the surface," said Tony DelGenio of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies in New York.
(Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/28/titan.lake.reut/index.html, 06/28/05).
Indian Rocket to Carry European Instruments
Officials from the Indian and European space agencies signed an agreement that would put European scientific instruments on an Indian rocket that will orbit that moon in 2007 or 2008. A statement from the Indian Space Research Organization said that G. Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO, and Jean Jacques Dordain, ESA Director-General signed the agreement which will put a British X-ray camera, a German infrared camera and equipment from Sweden on board the spacecraft. The Indian space agency is also in discussions with officials at NASA over similar cooperation some time in the future.
(AP, http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes.html, 06/28/05).
Russia, China to Further Cooperation in Space
Interfax reported this week that Russian Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov said Russia and China were increasing their cooperation in space. "A transition is visible in Russian-Chinese space relations to a qualitatively new standard of planning and implementing joint projects," Perminov said. According to Perminov, the increased cooperation was reflected in the fact that 29 new projects were added to the cooperation program for 2004-2006. The two sides are considering cooperating on the International Space Station and the Chinese project on studying the moon, among other issues.
(Interfax, http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes.html, 06/29/05).
Cosmic Fireworks Set for July 4th
NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft is set to hit Comet Tempel 1 with a projectile on July 4th, and the resulting photographs taken by cameras on board the spacecraft, scientists hope, will provide information about comets and the origin of the universe. Astronomers on earth will closely watch the collision with their telescopes but it is unlikely the unaided eye will be able to catch the "fireworks". The collision is scheduled for 1:52 am Eastern Daylight Time on July 4th, by which time the comet will unfortunately be below the horizon for much of the eastern United States and Canada. "Anyone west of the Mississippi river has a chance of seeing the comet when Deep Impact slams into it," said Kelly Beatty, executive editor of Sky & Telescope Magazine. "People in southwestern Canada, Mexico and Central America will have good seats too." For those with binoculars or a telescope, the comet will be somewhat close to Jupiter in the southwest sky.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/comet-05zb.html, 06/29/05).
Deep Impact Might Help Against Future Disasters, Say Scientists
Scientists say that the current Deep Impact mission, in which a spacecraft will crash a projectile into a comet to learn more about its structure, can help humankind if it ever faced a doomsday scenario of a comet or asteroid on course for a collision with earth. "The more we know the better, and there might be some surprises in this mission," said David Harris, chairman of an advisory panel for the European Space Agency. Currently, two options exist for the extremely unlikely event that the earth is in the path of a comet or asteroid - blowing it up or changing its trajectory. These options, however, depend on humankind gathering more information on comets, which scientists hope the Deep Impact mission will deliver. "We don't really know whether most asteroids are mostly solid, riddled with cracks or voids, or made up of lots of loose rubble," the British magazine New Scientist said. "Any attempt to push one out of the way, whether with rocket blasts or bombs, might shatter it instead and just lead to even more impacts."
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact-05c.html, 06/30/05).
Despite Panel Report, Griffin Sets July 13 as Launch Date
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin expressed confidence that the Space Shuttle Discovery was set to launch and set July 13 as the date it would do so, despite concerns of a task force panel assigned to assess Discovery's readiness. The panel, formed after the Columbia disaster in 2003, said that NASA had still not met 3 of the toughest recommendations made by investigators of the Columbia crash. However, the group admitted that delaying the launch by a few months would not change significantly the risks of space flight. Griffin announced the news after a two-day review by NASA of Discovery's preparedness to launch. "Based on a very thorough and very successful flight readiness review, we're currently ‘go' for launch of Discovery on July 13," he said.
(AP, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002350224_shuttle28.html, 06/30/05).
NASA Ready to Go With Launch, Says Columbia Investigator
The chief investigator of the Columbia disaster said that he feels NASA is prepared for the launch of Discovery despite it not meeting 3 of the 15 recommendations made to it. "It sounds to me like they're ready to go," said retired Navy Adm. Harold Gehman Jr. "As far as what I know, they have taken all the steps necessary to be ready to fly in July." Gehman played down the fact that NASA did not meet all the recommendations made to it. "We didn't want it to be a poison pill," he said of the recommendations. Gehman clarified that spaceflight was inherently risky business. "I would not use the word ‘safe'" to describe spaceflight, he said, adding that "the American people and I think most of Congress do not realize how risky these flights are."
(Dunn, Marcia. AP, http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ap_050630_gehman_caib.html, 06/30/05).
Russian Spacecraft Helps ISS Fix Orbit for Discovery
Progress, a Russian spacecraft, helped the International Space Station adjust its orbit so that it would be ready for the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery in July. The ISS was raised by 2.3 kilometers in a five-minute maneuver that the astronauts on board, Russian Sergei Krikalyov and American John Phillips, hardly noticed. The unmanned Progress also brought on board 2.5 tons of food, water and fuel.
(AFP, http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/050630025203.7mxk2h7m.html, 06/30/05).
Astronomers Discover Extrasolar Planet; Largest Solid Core Ever Seen
A team of American, Japanese and Chilean scientists found a new extrasolar planet this week, one that features the largest solid core ever discovered. The discovery gives backing to a theory of planet formation forwarded by scientists. "For theorists, the discovery of planet with such a large core is as important as the discovery of the first extrasolar planet...in 1995," said Shigeru Ida of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Scientists say the solid core of the planet is roughly 70 times the earth's mass and that the entire planet is about the mass of Saturn. The discovery of the planet lends support to the theory of core accretion, by which scientists say planets form as small rock-ice cores that become bigger by gravitationally attracting more mass. "This is a confirmation of the core accretion theory for planet formation and evidence that planets of this kind should exist in abundance," said Greg Henry of Tennessee State University.
(SPX, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/extrasolar-05zj.html, 07/01/05).
Commercial
NASA Wants Private Sector to Provide Transportation to ISS
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said that NASA would like to use the private sector to fulfill a part of its transportation needs. Griffin was speaking in reference to the International Space Station, to which crew and supplies are currently transported by the space shuttle fleet or the Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. Griffin said he would like to see the private sector contribute toward NASA's transportation needs and that the best way to do so would be for NASA to buy services from the private sector, rather than contract work. Griffin was careful, though, to mention that NASA must maintain its ability to send crews and supplies to the station. "We cannot be hostage to an individual provider that can stop or go out of business," he said.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-05zzza.html, 06/28/05).
Yushchenko Wants Ukraine Space Industry to Grow
The NSAU, or National Space Agency of Ukraine, reported that President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree to develop the Ukrainian space industry and that the use of space technologies for economic and national security reasons is one of the country's main goals. Yushchenko also urged his cabinet to appropriate financial support to Ukraine's National Space Program for 2007-2011. The Ukrainian space industry has enjoyed considerable growth recently; the industry grew by 16 percent and earnings increased by 12 percent last year.
(UPI, http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ukraine-05a.html, 06/29/05).
Military
GAO Report Criticizes Air Force
In a report titled "Defense Acquisitions: Incentives and Pressures that Drive Problems Affecting Satellite and Related Acquisitions" the Government Accountability Office criticized the U.S. Air Force for putting too much on its plate as far as space is concerned. The report said that the space acquisition programs of the Air Force do not follow a coherent investment strategy, usually in the form of initiating a program before a "sound business case" has been established. The report also said that the Air Force invested too heavily in communications and reconnaissance technologies after 9/11, that it was too eager to take technological leaps on new programs, and that it hid damaging news on programs in an effort to better market their success.
(Singer, Jeremy. Space News, Volume 16, Issue 25, 06/27/05, page 12).
Op-Ed
Op-ed: Despite Best Intentions, Senate Bill a Bad Idea
In its editorial, the weekly Space News has called a bill in Congress calling for the Crew Exploration Vehicle to fly before the space shuttle fleet is retired a bad idea. The editorial says that while on the surface the idea of maintaining a means to and from space for astronauts may seem sound, in reality the precondition applied to NASA's retirement of the space shuttle fleet will mean the diverting of funds away from the CEV to the ageing fleet. The result would be that the CEV is pushed back further as the shuttle fleet is employed for more missions. Space News commends some parts of the proposed bill, but said that Congress must revise it so as to not tie NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's hands.
(Editorial, Space News, Volume 16, Issue 25, 06/27/05, page 18).
Op-ed: ISS Solely Russian Project
In an opinion piece for the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Andrei Kislyakov, a political commentator for the newspaper, wrote that the International Space Station was becoming a solely Russian project. Kislyakov was reacting to statements given by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin to USA Today, in which Griffin made no promises about NASA's mission to the ISS. Kislyakov wrote that he expects the U.S. to withdraw gradually from the ISS, leaving Russia to fly missions to the ISS alone, with possible cooperation from the Europeans.
(RIA Novosti, http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20050630/40820016.html, 06/30/05).
Credits
Compiled by Ahsan Butt
Edited by Suzanne Vogel
l