Guy Laliberte (first row, far right) aboard the International Space Station.

NASA Television will rebroadcast the Oct. 9 global event International Space Station resident Guy Laliberte designed to raise awareness about the need for clean water. Laliberte, who founded Cirque du Soleil, hosts the event from aboard the station.

The re-broadcasts of “Moving Stars and Earth for Water” will occurr on Oct. 11 and 12. The schedule is:

Sunday, October 11 – 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. EDT
Monday, October 12 – 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. EDT

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/ntv

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NASA MISSION UPDATE

During a symbolic change of command ceremony Friday, Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka handed control of the station over to European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne.

De Winne will officially become the Expedition 21 commander Saturday when Padalka and Flight Engineer Michael Barratt undock from the station aboard the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft to conclude a six-month stay.

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India’s rocket man
The Times of India

And the question all scientists are asked: Is he a man of god? There is a lot of science in him, but is there spirituality? “I think there is a spirit embedded in everyone,” he says. “The feeling is that everything in a given situation can’t be explained by a physical or chemical process, that there is something beyond our comprehension despite doing everything humanly possible. That arena is what we call destiny – sacred forces that define your destiny. At least that’s how I can explain and understand the turning points of my life.”

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An artist's conception of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Florida.

Panel downplays risks of launch; NASA manager calls finding ‘a cop-out’
Florida Today

A presidential panel studying options for the nation’s human space program downplayed launch risk as a significant factor Thursday in evaluating the dangers astronauts will face on future flights.

Doing so — for the purposes of the group’s report to President Barack Obama — means that all NASA, military and commercial rockets rate the same in terms of relative risk despite differing levels of maturity, complexity and crew safety.

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Video highlights from space tourism Guy Laliberte’s global space show regarding the need for clean water.

Masten's Xombie in flight (credit: William Pomerantz)

MASTEN PRESS RELEASE
October 8, 2009

Masten Space Systems successfully completed level one of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge X Prize Wednesday. The 715lb vehicle originally named XA0.1B – referred to as “Xombie” – completed two flights to qualify for the $150,000 Level One prize of the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge.

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Bolden Talk Yields Insights More Personal than Political
Space News

Faced with making a critical recommendation to U.S. President Barack Obama in the coming weeks that will shape human spaceflight for decades, the retired Marine Corps general and former astronaut admitted he is averse to Washington’s political climate, implied he does not trust Beltway insiders and insisted he never wanted to be NASA’s top official.

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The Yonhap News Agency reports that South Korea has set an ambitious goal for catching up with the world’s leading space powers:

South Korea aims to bridge the gap in rocket and satellite technology with leading countries in the field of space exploration over the next decade by ramping up research and development and expanding cooperation with foreign agencies, the head of a state aerospace institute said Friday.

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XCOR's Lynx suborbital vehicle

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ESA's Exo Mars Rover

Dordain Wins Backing for Joint Mars Program with NASA
Space News

European Space Agency (ESA) governments on Oct. 8 tentatively backed a proposal to join NASA in a two-step Mars exploration program that retains Europe’s goal of perfecting atmospheric entry, descent and landing technology, as well as developing a Mars lander and rover, ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain said.

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Guy Laliberte (first row, far right) aboard the International Space Station.

Cirque du Soleil founder leads out of this world broadcast for water
Montreal Gazette

Canadian space tourist Guy Laliberte’s “Poetic Social Mission” into space was transmitted live to the world Friday night, with help from an international, star-studded cast preaching the value of one of our planet’s most precious resources — water.

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