Lunar News Network

India Orbits Moon

The Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan 1 has achieved lunar orbit according to this BBC News report:

The mission will compile a 3D atlas of the lunar surface and map the distribution of elements and minerals. [...] The Indian experiments include a 30kg probe that will be released from the mothership to slam into the lunar surface. The Moon Impact Probe (MIP) will record video footage on the way down and measure the composition of the Moon's tenuous atmosphere. It will also drop the Indian flag on the surface of the Moon.

I don't think it counts though unless the flag is right side up and unfurled. I'm kidding, this is a great accomplishment for India and it's a much better national investment than building nuclear missiles to aim at Pakistan.

Happy Election Day 2008

Happy Election Day to all the readers of Lunar News Network. I voted last month by mail, so now I'm just sitting back and waiting for the ballots to be counted. Since the polls have not closed there is time for one more election report, this one from the Orlando Sentinel:

The two men's policies, however, are more similar than they are different. Both say they will consider postponing the shuttle's retirement date and try to accelerate the development of its replacement, the troubled Ares 1 rocket that won't be ready for launch before 2015. Both also want to boost scientific research aboard the $100 billion international space station, and both question the Bush administration's decision to stop supporting the space station in 2016.

The report moves on from those points of agreement to note some of the more nuanced details of their respective space plans. I'm satisfied that both candidates have expressed support for NASA and the manned space program, whether the economic crisis and subsequent budget cuts will allow them to act on support that remains to be seen.

Good News for Ares

Here is some good news about the development of the Ares rocket and the potential gap between the shuttle and the next gen craft (AP - NASA may be able to speed up launch of moonship):

NASA officials said Wednesday it might be possible to try out its new moon rocketship a year earlier than its current target date of 2015.

That would mean just a four-year gap between the last space shuttle flight and the next-generation spacecraft, instead of five years. Many in Congress, including the two presidential candidates, are troubled by the prospect of the United States having to rely on Russia for trips to the international space station during that time.

NASA is midway through a study looking at ways to move up its March 2015 test launch of the new Ares rocketship with a crew, in case the next president wants that. The new rocket would ultimately return the United States to the moon, but the initial flights would be to the space station.

I think it's clear that for now at least, we can say that both McCain and Obama do want that, though how they act after looking at the budget deficit and their desire to cut spending remains to be seen.

Obamanauts Rally Space Coast

According to this report in Wired News, Obama layalists are busy building support for their candidate along Florida's Space Coast:

Sen. Barack Obama's support for space exploration has earned him the support of advocates on Florida's "Space Coast" who call themselves Obamanauts. [...] The Obamanauts have compiled a head-to-head comparison of the candidates' stances on space, and are also encouraging pro-space voters to make calls to undecided Florida voters to encourage them to vote for Obama. [...] The biggest difference between the two campaigns when it comes to space may be their contrasting tones. Obama talks about restoring NASA as a source of inspiration and innovation for the nation and the world, while McCain talks more about power and dominance while hearkening back to the U.S. "victory over the Soviets" in the race to the moon.

I think it's interesting that many in the space community initially had an unfavorable impression of Obama because of his comments about funding education over the space program (as if the space program doesn't have an educational component) and that now these Obama supporters are actively trying to change that.

India Launches Lunar Mission

The race to the moon has a new contestant (AFP - India launches first moon mission):

India successfully launched its first lunar mission Wednesday, marking a major boost for the country's space programme and a new step in the fast-developing Asian space race. [...] ISRO is sending the Chandrayaan-1 on a two-year orbital mission to provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface. It is expected to reach lunar orbit in 15 days. The mission, which will also include the sending of a probe onto the lunar surface, will cost India 80 million dollars.

Additional coverage can be found here:

• The New York Times - India Launches Unmanned Orbiter to Moon
• Time - India Gains on China in Asia's Space Race

McCain Supports Space Program

Senator McCain has promised more funding for NASA and expressed support for the manned space program (Wall Street Journal - McCain Promises $2 Billion to Help NASA):

Sen. John McCain came to the space coast today and promised $2 billion to help NASA transition from the space shuttle to a new space vehicle. “I’ve always been a strong supporter of manned space flight and NASA,” he said in a community that is home to many in the field. “If I’m elected president I won’t cut NASA funds like Sen. Obama.” McCain aides noted that Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, had promised to pay for education programs by delaying the Constellation space program, which is meant to fill the gap to the next space vehicle, only to backtrack later. “My friends, we just saw the Chinese. We saw them in space,” McCain told an afternoon rally of about 2,000 people. “We’ve got competition. We’ve got to stay ahead. We will be the first nation to Mars.”

This report notes that McCain didn't mention how this would work with the across-the-board funding freeze he has also proposed. Still, the report is very encouraging, as is their evenhanded acknowledgment that Obama has promised $2 billion for the Constellation program. Could it be that both candidates will be kind to NASA?

Looking Back

The Voice of America is offering a series of reports looking at the history and future of NASA (NASA Remembers First 50 Years of Manned Space Flight):

On October 1, 1958, the U.S. space agency NASA first opened its doors. Fifty years later it still has its sights on space exploration, new worlds and distant frontiers. In part one of a series, VOA's Paul Sisco takes a look back at NASA's manned space flight program.

I'm really enjoying all of these anniversary retrospectives.

NASA At 50

Come on people, let's keep focused on the future (AP - Is the Right Stuff Now List in Space?):

In some ways, the future is reminiscent of the moonshot days of the 1960s. The new rocket would have an Apollo-like capsule on top. Astronauts would first fly in that ship in 2015 but stay in Earth's orbit, with a moon landing by 2020. Once there, astronauts would build a base camp and eventually journey to Mars.

But, sadly, most of this AP report is rather disparaging, it's not a hatchet job, but it does paint NASA as old, tired, a bit lacking in focus. Let's hope they're wrong. The only thing in this report that has me really worried is this part about the current and soon-to-be budget environment:

The two presidential nominees and many in Congress say they want to keep the shuttle flying past the 2010 retirement date mandated by the Bush administration. But doing so would be costly, and given the current financial meltdown, big spending on NASA in the future doesn't seem likely.

I'm worried about that as well as funding for the rest of the Moon, Mars and Beyond program. In last week's presidential debate there was a telling moment when the moderator challenged both candidates to explain how the credit crisis would change their priorities, and neither of them had an answer. I'm worried that whoever wins in November, NASA may be part of that answer.

Obama Supports NASA

Here is some breaking news on the election front (Wired News - Obama Urges Support for NASA):

Sen. Barack Obama condemned the current administration's handling of NASA and called on Congress to take action before next Friday to protect the United States' access to the International Space Station. [..] Obama's letter is an important display of space leadership and judgment at a critical time for NASA. Let's just hope that Congress heeds the warning and gets the waiver through before recess.

Yes, let's hope.

Candidates Positions on Science

Science Debate 2008 sent a series of questions to the candidates to find out where they stand on issues of science and technology. McCain's answers can be found here, and Obama's answers can be found here. HT: A Vote for Science

NASA Fights Bone-Loss

Living in space is dangerous to your health. Bone loss is one of the many health threats that astronauts face and NASA is working on the problem (CNN - NASA bone-loss test sends man to bed for 84 days):

Doctors working with NASA scientists believe that they may have a way to combat one of the greatest health dangers of space travel: bone loss. "We know that bone loss in space is an extremely significant problem. Astronauts lose about 10 times more bone every month than a postmenopausal woman on Earth loses," says Dr. Peter Cavanagh, former director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Space Medicine. Bone loss occurs presumably because astronauts don't get enough load-bearing exercise in zero gravity. Cavanagh says that their findings may later contribute to new treatments for the millions of Americans who suffer from osteoporosis.

I wanted to highlight the above text because it underscores the civilian and commercial benefits of this line of research. NASA will probably solve the bone loss problem with a combination of exercise regimens and drug treatments that help the body maintain strong bones. Longer-term treatments may focus on genetic manipulation to enhance how the body absorbs and stores calcium in bones. All of these treatments will have spin-offs that will benefit society at large.

Remembering 9-11

I wasn't going to make a post today, but then I thought, what better day to celebrate the spirit of discovery that the space program represents than 9-11? Our advanced technological civilization gave us man on the Moon and space probes that are now outside our solar system. We are expanding the reach of humanity as far as we possibly can. Our enemies are steeped in a fanatical movement that looks to the past instead of the future, they are fearful and challenged by modernity. Our intellectual openness expands the frontiers of knowledge and our engineering genius gives us the tools to exploit that knowledge, and it's by using these strengths that we will ultimately prevail in the fight against the cave-dwellers of al-Qaeda.

Ares Milestone

The Ares rocket was in the news today (AP - NASA new moon rocket passes early design test):

NASA's new moon rocket passed a key design milestone late Wednesday. Senior NASA management unanimously approved the preliminary design review of the planned Ares I rocket that would launch astronauts into space by 2015 and back to the moon by 2020. But next year there will be another narrowly focused "delta" preliminary design review for one pending engineering issue - too much shaking after launch.

Nice to see the news media taking notice of some good news out of NASA.

NASA Politics

Things seem to be getting tense between NASA and the White House, private e-mails are being leaked to the press (TMCnet - NASA administrator decries White House 'jihad' to end shuttle program):

In a remarkably candid internal e-mail to top advisers obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, Griffin lashed out last month at the White House for what he called a "jihad" to shut down the space shuttle, expressed frustration at the lack of funding for a new moon rocket _ and despaired about the future of America's human space flight program. [...] NASA on Friday confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail, which offers a rare insight into Griffin's views as the agency faces its greatest challenge since the end of the Apollo era and perhaps in its 50-year history. Griffin wrote his e-mail in response to messages from advisers encouraging him to call off the retirement of the shuttle. In the e-mail, Griffin says he fully expects the next president to order NASA to continue flying the shuttle, even though he considers the aging orbiter unsafe and consuming money needed to design and build his Ares moon rocket and Orion crew capsule. He acknowledges that the shuttle will remain _ for the foreseeable future _ the only means to transport U.S. astronauts to the international space station.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I do hope that the next occupant of the White House will be able to preserve both the shuttle program and Ares/Orion funding.

NASA Group Photo

Take a look at this photo of past and present astronauts who recently gathered to celebrate NASA (NASA - Astronauts: Past and Present):

An all-star gathering of legendary American astronauts appeared in Cleveland Aug. 29, 2008 to celebrate NASA's 50th anniversary. John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, Jim Lovell, veteran of two Apollo missions, and Kathryn Sullivan, the first woman to walk in space joined 15 other astronauts from Ohio.

That's quite an impressive gathering, I think they still have the right stuff.