Spacewalkers Drew Feustel (left) and John Grunsfeld participate in the third Hubble repair spacewalk of STS-125. Photo Credit: NASA
NASA MISSION UPDATE
STS-125 mission specialists John Grunsfeld and Drew Feustel finished the mission’s third spacewalk Saturday at 4:11 p.m. EDT. The spacewalk lasted 6 hours, 36 minutes.
Jeff Krukin has some thoughts about the role of government funding in spurring on space development over at the Space Commercial Gateway:
Remember Lockheed Martin’s ill-fated VentureStar, cancelled in early 2001 after $1.5 Billion was spent over five years in a government-directed (rather than free-market) effort to build a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) Reusable Launch Vehicle?
NewSpace has learned from that debacle. Can NewSpace lead America’s innovative edge?
Altair
NASA TECH UPDATE
Have you ever wondered how you’d make your morning cup of java if you lived on another planet, or perhaps the moon? That steaming beverage would be a must on a cold lunar morning.
But with rare sunlight, no coal or wood to burn, and no flowing water for hydro-electrical power, how would you make that cup of coffee, much less cook breakfast, heat your abode, and power the life support equipment and tools you needed to live and work up there?
NASA, planning for a future lunar outpost, has been asking those same questions lately.
Dr. John P. Holdren, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, testified before the House Committee on Science and Technology on Thursday concerning the Obama Administration’s proposed research and development budget.
Below are excerpts of the statement covering NASA, NOAA, climate change, energy, environment and STEM education.
Students performe an experiment in microgravity aboard the Airbus A300 Zero-G plane.
Richard Mains has a report from the Emerging Commercial Suborbital Science Workshop held in Los Angeles on May 3. He says that commercial suborbital spaceflight is a potential game changer on micro gravity research:
In this tightly cropped image, the NASA space shuttle Atlantis is seen in silhouette during solar transit, Tuesday, May 12, 2009, from Florida. This image was made before Atlantis and the crew of STS-125 had grappled the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/Thierry Legault
JAA said Thursday’s meeting was another step in the process of bringing commercial space flights to Cecil Field. Officials were able to get input from the public, much of which was opposed plans to bring the Navy back to Cecil Field a few years ago.
However, residents who live nearby showed up at the meeting with a different perspective on Cecil Field becoming a spaceport.
PARAMOUNT PICTURES PRESS RELEASE
Moviegoers likely will sit in crowded theaters to watch the new “Star Trek” movie, which premiered on May 8, but not NASA astronaut Michael Barratt. He will have the opportunity to watch the film aboard the International Space Station, while he and two crewmates fly 220 miles above Earth. The only thing missing will be the popcorn.
Atlantis astronauts completed their second of five spacewalks to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.
Organizers unveil Spaceport Sheboygan strategic plan
Sheboygan Press
A vision of Spaceport Sheboygan as the Midwest’s hub for aerospace development, education and — eventually — travel was unveiled Friday by the task force organized to pilot the ideas to touch down.
Charlie Bolden on his nomination as NASA chief: That’s news to me.
During a Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership round table on Saturday, Oceaneering vice president Mark Gittleman said he is concerned about whether the Obama Administration is providing enough funding to allow his company to build NASA’s new spacesuit. Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin shared the concern:
Griffin said Gittleman’s concerns are well placed in light of the proposed $3 billion-plus cut in the budget for the manned space program.
