NASA Watch

ISS Captures Dragon

2012-05-25T13:59:51Z

Keith's note: The International Space Station crewsuccessfully captured the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at 9:56 am EDT.

Dragon Heads For ISS Arrival

2012-05-25T12:02:48Z

SpaceX Dragon Scehdule for Friday

"Around 2:00 AM Pacific/5:00 AM Eastern NASA will decide if Dragon is GO to move into the approach ellipsoid 1.4 kilometers around the space station. If Dragon is GO, after approximately one hour Dragon will move to a location 250 meters directly below the station. Dragon will then perform a series of maneuvers to show systems are operating as expected. If NASA is satisfied with the results of these many tests, Dragon will be allowed to perform the final approach to the space station. Sometime around 6:00 AM Pacific/9:00 AM Eastern, astronauts on the space station will grapple Dragon with the space station's robotic arm and the spacecraft will attach to the station."

Watch Live

Follow progress via @NASAWatch : Dragon is now within 100 m of ISS . Projected Capture time is 9:10 am ED . ISS crew now has abort authority if anything does wrong

Official NASA Langley Cold Fusion Video Now Online

2012-05-24T23:03:58Z

Keith's note: NASA LaRC now has its official cold fusion video online titled "Abundant Clean/Green Energy" which refers to a new form of "nuclear energy". How do NASA's Chief Technologist and Chief Scientist allow this stuff to be funded with taxpayer dollars without going through any of the agency's standard peer review processes? Or do Rich Antcliff and Lesa Roe just fund this stuff with local center director's discretionary slush funds and not tell HQ what they are doing?

- Quack Science: Why Are NASA Glenn and Langley Funding Cold Fusion Research?, earlier Post
- Why is NASA Langley Wasting Time on Cold Fusion Research?, earlier Post

Obama to Romney: Will You Fire Mike Griffin?

2012-05-24T21:06:08Z

Will Mitt Romney Fire Space Advisor Michael Griffin For Proposing Permanent Moon Base?, BarackObama.com

"While speaking to Global Space Exploration Conference in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Romney Space Advisor Michael Griffin renewed his calls for a "permanent base on the moon." Given Romney's promise to fire anyone who proposed putting a colony on the moon, will Romney keep his promise by firing Griffin?"

Keith's note: Mr. Romney has said next to nothing about space policy thus far. But on the one notable instance where he did say something, Romney stated that he'd fire anyone who took the position of supporting moonbases - the stance that Romney campaign space advisor Mike Griffin has taken. You have to wonder whether Mike Griffin actually knows what his candidate's positions are with regard to space policy - or is this an indication that Romney's positionon moonbases has changed? Stay tuned.

- Partisan Romney Space Advisor To Call For Non-Partisan Space Policy, earlier post
- Obama Campaign Issues Space Policy Fact Sheet, earlier post

Dragon Mission Is Nominal

2012-05-24T16:11:31Z

SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Completes Key Tests In Quest to Visit Space Station Most Difficult Challenges Still Ahead, SpaceX

"Today, Space Exploration Technologies' (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft completed key on-orbit tests as part of a historic attempt to be the first commercial company in history to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station. In the days since SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the vehicle has steadily completed one task after another as it prepares to berth with the International Space Station. Only minutes after the spacecraft separated from the Falcon 9 rocket's second stage, its solar arrays successfully deployed, providing power to the spacecraft. The door that had been covering sensors needed for proximity operations opened successfully. "

Track ISS and Dragon

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 23 May 2012

"SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon: According to this morning's IMMT (ISS Mission Management Team) meeting, "the vehicle is performing nominally and all planned demonstration objectives have been successfully completed to date. There are currently no known issues that would prevent proceeding with the planned ISS fly-under demonstration, currently scheduled for early tomorrow morning. During the fly-under, Dragon will briefly approach to within 2.5 km of the ISS to perform another series of demonstration objectives."

Updated Coverage for NASA/SpaceX Mission to Station

"Thursday, May 24 (Flight Day 3): Live NASA Television coverage from NASA's Johnson Space Center mission control in Houston as the Dragon spacecraft performs its flyby of the International Space Station to test its systems begins at 2:30 a.m. EDT and will continue until the Dragon passes the vicinity of the station. A news briefing will be held at 10 a.m. following the activities."

Preserving History on The Moon

2012-05-24T15:43:16Z

NASA Offers Guidelines To Protect Historic Sites On The Moon

"NASA and the X Prize Foundation of Playa Vista, Calif., announced Thursday the Google Lunar X Prize is recognizing guidelines established by NASA to protect lunar historic sites and preserve ongoing and future science on the moon. The foundation will take the guidelines into account as it judges mobility plans submitted by 26 teams vying to be the first privately-funded entity to visit the moon."

Crater Copernicus In All Its Glory

2012-05-24T14:01:22Z

Iconic Lunar Orbiter Image of Copernicus Re-released, LOIRP

"Today an iconic image from the initial exploration of the Moon is being re-released showing detail that could not have been seen using technology available at the time the photo was taken. This image features a dramatic view inside the majestic crater Copernicus - a view that left millions in awe when it was first released. This image is being announced at the First Global Space Exploration Conference, co-sponsored by the AIAA and IAF, in Washington, DC."

More NASA Network Break-ins

2012-05-22T23:10:10Z

Iranian 'Cyber Warriors Team' takes credit for NASA hack, MSNBC

"A group of Iranian student hackers known as the Cyber Warriors Team claims to have stolen the personal information of thousands of NASA researchers. The Cyber Warriors Team boasted in a May 16 Pastebin post that it exploited a secure sockets layer (or SSL) vulnerability in the space agency's website to swipe "information for thousands of NASA researcher[s] with emails and accounts of other users." In the hackers' poorly worded English message, "How and reasons to Hack NASA SSL Certificate," the group said the security glitch still exists, and leaves the agency open to more malicious attacks."

Obama Campaign Issues Space Policy Fact Sheet

2012-05-22T21:13:21Z

FACT SHEET: President Obamas Accomplishments for NASA and Floridas Space Coast

"On the heels of the first successful launch of a private spacecraft to the International Space Station ushering in a new era of space exploration, Obama for America-Florida released the following fact sheet on President Obama's space policy and accomplishments: "I am 100 percent committed to the mission of NASA and its future. Because broadening our capabilities in space will continue to serve our society in ways that we can scarcely imagine. Because exploration will once more inspire wonder in a new generation sparking passions and launching careers. And because, ultimately, if we fail to press forward in the pursuit of discovery, we are ceding our future and we are ceding that essential element of the American character." -President Barack Obama"

Keith's note:Of course, we'll be more than happy to post space policy statements from the Romney campaign - as soon as they issue them.

Satellite Industry Association Industry Report Released

2012-05-22T18:24:48Z

Satellite Industry Association Report Shows Modest Growth in 2011 Satellite Industry Revenues, Commercial Space Watch

"The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today released its annual State of the Satellite Industry Report which showed a modest growth of 5% in world satellite industry revenues which totalled $177.3 billion in 2011. The report was completed by Futron Corporation for the SIA."

Sneak a Peek Inside the Dragon (updated)

2012-05-22T18:19:15Z

First Look Inside the SpaceX Dragon, SpaceRef

"SpaceX has released this first look inside the Dragon spacecraft in orbit preparing for its attempted rendezvous with the International Space Station three days from now. The Dragon spacecraft has 306 kilograms of non-critical food and crew provisions headed to the ISS. The Dragon spacecraft also has another 154 kilograms of non-critical utilization payloads including a NanoRacks Module student experiments and ice bricks."

Marc's note: Watch this video of the reaction of the SpaceX employees on hearing Dragon was in orbit and the solar panels had deployed.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Success (Updated)

2012-05-22T11:31:46Z

SpaceX Falcon 9 on Historic Journey Begins with Successful Launch, SpaceRef (With video of launch)

"At 3:44 a.m. EDT a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon spacecraft successfully lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Space Station launch complex 40 for its maiden voyage to the International Space Station on its second demonstration flight as part of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program."

Statement by John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, on Launch of Falcon 9 Rocket and Dragon Spacecraft

Successful Launch Kicks off SpaceX's Historic Mission, SpaceX

"At a press conference held after the launch, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk began, "I would like to start off by saying what a tremendous honor it has been to work with NASA. And to acknowledge the fact that we could not have started SpaceX, nor could we have reached this point without the help of NASA... It's really been an honor to work with such great people."

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation Congratulates SpaceX and NASA on the Successful Launch and Orbital Insertion of the Dragon Capsule, Commercial Spaceflight Federation

"The Commercial Spaceflight Federation congratulates Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and NASA for a successful launch and orbital insertion of the Dragon spacecraft this morning. Dragon was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL and will continue to perform maneuvers and system checks, while maintaining communications at a fly-under distance of 1.5 miles from the International Space Station as part of a demonstration mission under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program."

SpaceX Launches NASA Demonstration Mission to Space Station, NASA

"I want to congratulate SpaceX for its successful launch and salute the NASA team that worked alongside them to make it happen," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "Today marks the beginning of a new era in exploration; a private company has launched a spacecraft to the International Space Station that will attempt to dock there for the first time. And while there is a lot of work ahead to successfully complete this mission, we are certainly off to good start. Under President Obama's leadership, the nation is embarking upon an ambitious exploration program that will take us farther into space than we have ever traveled before, while helping create good-paying jobs right here in the United States of America."

Statement from Robert T. Bigelow of Biegelow Aerospace

"Three consecutive successful launches of the Falcon 9 rocket is an unprecedented accomplishment. Regardless of what happens during the remainder of the upcoming mission, the Falcon 9 has clearly arrived and proven itself as a reliable and affordable launch system for NASA, the Air Force, and commercial payloads. This rocket will create a paradigm shift within the global launch industry and I want to congratulate Elon Musk, Gwynne Shotwell and the entire SpaceX team on today's success. This launch also represents a victory for the commercial crew program as a whole, and validates their approach of supporting multiple, competing entities. The challenges that the U.S. space industry faces are dire, and at least two domestic launch vehicles produced by independent companies are necessary to ensure that America regains its preeminence in the space arena."

Successful SpaceX Launch Leads Way for Future ISS Opportunities CASIS

"The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the nonprofit organization managing research on the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory, would like to congratulate SpaceX on the achieving a significant milestone today with the successful launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, both heading to the ISS to attempt a docking demonstration for NASA."

NASA Administrator Bolden Comments on SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch

Confusing Membership System at CASIS

2012-05-22T09:55:21Z

Keith's note: Last Friday I joined CASIS as a member. Ever since then, when I attempt to login all I get is "Authorization Failed! You are not authorized to view this page. You must either login or you do not have sufficient privileges to access this information ..." But the page that tells me this has a link that says "logout" so I guess I am both logged in and logged out simultaneously. I am not certain how CASIS is going to build the online community it seems to desire when they cannot get something as simple as this figured out.

Keith's update: OK, now when I log in I get sent back to the membership page. Do they still want money from me?

Previous CASIS posts

Icon Updates Needed on ISS

2012-05-21T23:25:13Z

"NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, plays a guitar, while Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, flight engineer, plays a musical keyboard during off-time in the Unity node of the International Space Station." ISS030-E-267658 (21 April 2012) --- high res (1.4 M) low res (109 K)

Keith's note: There are several labels in this photo of the ISS that need updating. With Dragon and other crewed spacecraft soon to be visiting ISS, the evacuation spacecraft pointers need to be updated - including the deletion of the shuttle icon too - as well as the "HAB" pointer.

SpaceX Launch Set For Tomorrow

2012-05-21T16:36:45Z

SpaceX Launch Attempt Set for 3:44 AM Eastern on Tuesday, May 22nd

"Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 22nd, at 3:44 AM Eastern, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will attempt to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft to orbit in an exciting start to the mission that will make SpaceX the first commercial company in history to try to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station. Sending a spacecraft to the space station has only ever been accomplished by four entities - the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Union."