Fwd: SpaceX may upset firm's monopoly in launching Air Force satellites

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: November 26, 2014 at 9:15:04 PM CST
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: SpaceX may upset firm's monopoly in launching Air Force satellites

SpaceX may upset firm's monopoly in launching Air Force satellites

By Melody Petersen contact the reporter

 

A decision on whether to certify SpaceX for satellite launches is expected next month, Air Force officials say

Boeing and Lockheed have faced no competition for rocket launches since they formed United Launch Alliance

Although rocket launches by a Boeing-Lockheed venture have been expensive, they have also been dependable

Entrepreneur Elon Musk and his upstart company SpaceX are on the verge of upsetting a cozy and pricey military deal that for years has given two aerospace giants the exclusive right to launch the Air Force's most crucial satellites into orbit.

In recent years, those satellite launches have become so expensive under the Air Force's controversial contract with a joint venture owned by Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. that the missions now rank as the nation's fourth-most-costly weapons program.

Musk has said his company can perform a satellite launch for less than $100 million — a fraction of the price charged by the Boeing-Lockheed joint venture. The average cost for each launch using rockets from Boeing and Lockheed has soared to $420 million, according to a recent analysis by the Government Accountability Office.

This is huge. It would break up a monopoly and has the potential to save the taxpayer an awful lot of money. - Marco Caceres, senior analyst and director of space studies at Teal Group

To get a share of the business, Hawthorne-based SpaceX — short for Space Exploration Technologies Corp. — must prove it can reliably launch the military satellites, which can take years to build and are crucial to national security.

Air Force officials are in the final stages of a years-long, detailed review of the rocket company's launches and operations. A decision on whether to certify SpaceX for the launches, they said, is expected next month.

"This is huge," said Marco Caceres, senior analyst and director of space studies at Teal Group. "It would break up a monopoly and has the potential to save the taxpayer an awful lot of money."

Boeing and Lockheed have faced no competition for the rocket launches since 2006 when they formed a joint venture called United Launch Alliance.

Before that, the two firms had competed against each other for the contracts. After they began working together, the bill for launching satellites skyrocketed, costing taxpayers billions of dollars and leaving less money for other military programs.

The Air Force's deal with the joint venture has been criticized for years on Capitol Hill. In April, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona demanded an investigation into whether the Air Force's Space Command was retreating from earlier promises by the Pentagon that other companies would be allowed to compete for the lucrative work.

The public denouncements of the deal have put pressure on Space Command officials, who operate from the Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, to make a decision on whether SpaceX should be certified as a reliable launch provider.

Although the launches by the Boeing-Lockheed venture have been expensive, they have also been dependable.

Tory Bruno, United Launch Alliance's chief executive, said about the firm's launch numbers, "We're now at 89 — a perfect record of mission success."

The risk involved in space missions became clear last month when two rockets crashed within four days of each other. On Oct. 28, an unmanned rocket bound for the International Space Station exploded in a fireball just seconds after liftoff. No one was hurt when the rocket owned by Dulles, Va.-based Orbital Sciences blew up, but 2 tons of supplies, experiments and equipment were destroyed.

Three days later, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo broke apart just after its rocket engines ignited during a test flight over the Mojave Desert. One of two pilots was killed.

The Air Force's decision on whether to certify SpaceX comes at the same time that Space Command officials are nearing a separate determination of which firm will win a contract to launch a spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. The Pentagon opened that contract to competitive bidding in June — the first true competition for the launches since 1998.

The Air Force said SpaceX was the only company working to be certified for launches, making the competition for the contract between it and United Launch Alliance. Officials said they would award the contract by Dec. 31.

A spokesman for SpaceX said the company does not talk about whether it has bid for a contract before the winner is announced.

Over the last two years, Musk has repeatedly slammed the government's deal with the Boeing-Lockheed venture. He filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims this year, claiming that the Air Force's block purchase of 36 launches from the joint venture last December was illegal. The case is still pending.

United Launch Alliance executives have defended the deal. They say that by purchasing 36 launches in advance, the Air Force got "stability and predictability" needed for national security, while also "saving the taxpayers money."

But in court, Musk's lawyers called the contract "dangerous, fiscally irresponsible, and offensive to American values of open competition and fairness."

SpaceX has been able to keep costs lower by manufacturing its own engines and rocket parts — including the Dragon capsule, which has been used to deliver supplies to the International Space Station for NASA, and the Falcon 9 rocket. Most of the work is done in a sprawling factory near Los Angeles International Airport.

The Boeing-Lockheed venture relies on subcontractors, including to build its rocket engines. It has bought dozens of engines made at a Russian factory — a purchasing decision that has become increasingly contentious with the new tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the West.

The news agency Reuters recently obtained a 2011 audit by the Pentagon's Defense Contract Audit Agency, showing that the joint venture had proposed paying $303 million for a dozen of the Russian engines, known as the RD-180, or about $25 million each.

The auditors said the subcontract for the purchase of the engines was "not acceptable" because it had failed to negotiate "a fair and reasonable price."

Jessica Rye, a spokeswoman for the joint venture, said the Russian engines' price "was thoroughly reviewed and accepted" by the government. She said the engine was "competitively priced" compared with alternatives.

Rye also disputed the GAO's estimated average launch cost of $420 million. She said the company estimates that each launch costs an average of $225 million.

The threat of competition from SpaceX already has spurred executives at United Launch Alliance's Denver headquarters to take action.

Bruno, a former Lockheed executive, was unexpectedly named the joint venture's top leader in August, replacing Michael Gass, who had headed the firm since its creation in 2006.

At a public forum sponsored by the Atlantic Council, a nonprofit think tank, this month, Bruno vowed to slash United Launch Alliance's costs "by half." He said the firm was also making plans to eventually stop using the Russian rocket engines.

"ULA is America's ride to space," Bruno said, "and it will continue."

melody.petersen@latimes.com

 

Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times 

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Fwd: 25 Years Since STS-33

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: November 26, 2014 at 9:14:02 PM CST
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: 25 Years Since STS-33

 

 

AmericaSpace

For a nation that explores
November 25th, 2014

Shuttle on the Night Shift: 25 Years Since STS-33

By Ben Evans

 

STS-33 was the first nocturnal shuttle launch and landing of the post-Challenger era; entirely appropriate, perhaps, in light of the shroud of darkness which covered its primary payload. Photo Credit: NASA

A quarter-century ago, this week, in November 1989, the shuttle embarked on its first launch and landing in the hours of darkness since before the Challenger disaster. And "darkness" was an appropriate metaphor for STS-33, which marked one of the quietest flights in the reusable spacecraft's 30-year operational history. Dedicated to the Department of Defense, the exact nature of its payload remains classified to this day, but the mission was notable in that its crew featured the first African-American shuttle commander, the first (and only) woman ever to participate in a military spaceflight and rebounded from tragedy, following the untimely death of one of the astronauts during training.

When the STS-33 crew—Commander Fred Gregory, Pilot Dave Griggs, and Mission Specialists Manley "Sonny" Carter, Story Musgrave, and Kathy Thornton—were announced in November 1988, they were expected to launch aboard Discovery in August of the following year. In doing so, Gregory would become the first African-American commander of a space mission, although years later he applied refreshingly little significance to what he described as "these little parochial issues." In all honesty, he told the NASA oral historian, he had not considered it as anything "vaguely important" and did not even recall much interest from the media over his place on the crew.

Then, just six months into their training cycle, an unexpected and shocking event took place. On 17 June 1989, Griggs was preparing for his role in a weekend air show, flying alone in a single-engine, 1940s-era aircraft, just to the south of the town of Earle, Ark. Shortly after 9 a.m. local time, according to eyewitnesses, he was performing aileron rolls, when one wing inadvertently touched the ground and the aircraft cartwheeled into a wheat field. Dave Griggs—a test pilot, Vietnam War veteran, accomplished astronaut, experienced spacewalker, and Rear Admiral in the Navy Reserve—was killed instantly. He was just 49 years old. His death occurred whilst he was off duty and not in a NASA aircraft, but it sent shockwaves through the astronaut corps, which was still in the process of recovering from the trauma of Challenger.

After the funeral, fellow astronaut Mike Mullane remembered the wake at the Outpost tavern in Houston, Texas, and saw Griggs' crewmate, Kathy Thornton, her checks soaked with tears, walk in and place one of the wreaths of flowers onto the bar. Although several groups of Air Force Manned Spaceflight Engineers (MSE), selected in the pre-Challenger era, included females in their ranks, Thornton secured a record on STS-33 as the first and only woman to fly aboard a classified shuttle mission. Many have speculated that her assignment came about because, in her pre-NASA career, she served as a research physicist at the Army's Foreign Science and Technology Center and worked on a NATO-awarded post-doctoral fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, West Germany. Although a spacewalk was not planned on STS-33, Gregory appeared to ruffle a few feathers by insisting that the petite Thornton should be one of the contingency EVA crew members. "I absolutely insisted that she be the EVA person," he told the NASA oral historian, "over great protest … If we had not insisted, probably a person of her size would never have done something like this. We really had to force the issue."

The official mission patch for STS-33. Image Credit: NASA

Aside from the tragedy of Dave Griggs' death, the reality was that by June 1989 STS-33 was only months from launch. By this stage, the mission had shifted within the shuttle manifest and been rescheduled for no sooner than mid-November, giving the replacement pilot a considerably shorter period than was ideal to prepare for the flight. A "rookie" astronaut was not advisable and many of the experienced pilots—including Guy Gardner, John Blaha, and Ron Grabe—had already been assigned to other missions or were expected to upgrade to the commander's seat.

At length, in discussion with Don Puddy, then-head of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate (FCOD) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, it was Fred Gregory who requested that Blaha be reassigned to STS-33. "I liked John," he told an interviewer for CollectSpace.com in September 2011, and felt that Blaha's prior experience as pilot on STS-29 in March 1989 would benefit his crew. Puddy agreed. Blaha had already been named as pilot of STS-40, but that mission was far enough ahead into the future for a first-timer to be assigned instead. By the end of June, just days after Dave Griggs' death, Blaha was formally appointed to STS-33 and Sid Gutierrez took his place on STS-40. When the crew produced their official mission patch, a small gold star was added, close to Blaha's name. It paid tribute to Rear Admiral Stanley David Griggs, who flew STS-33 in spirit.

As their launch neared, it provided some time to reflect on a difficult three years since the loss of Challenger. Fred Gregory had not only lost his pilot in a horrific accident, but he had also been sitting in Mission Control on the day that Challenger exploded and had worked closely with the two teacher observers, Christa McAuliffe and Barbara Morgan. "I had spent a lot of time with Christa and Barbara," he told the NASA oral historian, "because I had teachers in my family." Gregory spent many hours with them, talking through the planned lessons and the importance of the Teacher in Space Project (TISP).

His assignment to command STS-33 came in a late-evening telephone call from Don Puddy, after he had returned from a T-38 flight. "I don't believe that I told my wife immediately," Gregory recalled. "I wanted to really milk it a little bit … and I did!" Years later, he would remember the crew in its two incarnations—with both Dave Griggs and John Blaha aboard—as the best ever assembled, with the entire team performing like a flawless symphony. "We would get in the simulator," he reflected, "and our training crew, I'm sure, was attempting to kill us, and we were trying to make absolute fools of them."

Launch was originally set for 20 November 1989, but was delayed due to problems with the integrated electronics which controlled the ignition and separation of Discovery's twin Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). NASA rescheduled the attempt for the evening of 22 November, and Gregory's crew remained at the Cape. By this time, Story Musgrave had already flown two shuttle missions and was preparing for his third and his completion of a master's degree in literature at the University of Houston in 1987 had imbued him with new skills as a poet and wordsmith. On the day of launch, at 3:00 a.m. EST, he took "rookie" astronauts Carter and Thornton to Pad 39B, surprising the guards and technicians, who greeted them with enthusiasm. "A primitive, primal experience to never be forgotten," was how Musgrave described it, "welcomed by everybody. That machine looming in the lights, Jupiter overhead, a crescent Moon on the ocean horizon, the fog moving in and out over Discovery … What exuberant exhilaration! What beauty and power." That power was unleashed at 7:23 p.m. EST that same evening, when STS-33 speared for the heavens in only the third nocturnal launch in shuttle history.

As much as STS-33 would be cloaked in secrecy, so its crew was touched by tragedy. In June 1989, John Blaha (left) was assigned as pilot to replace the late Dave Griggs. Less than 18 months after the mission, in April 1991, Sonny Carter (second from the left) was killed in a commercial air crash. Photo Credit: NASA

"It was one of those exceptionally clear nights down in Florida," Gregory remembered in the STS-33 post-mission press conference. "We had a little hold as we were counting down, but essentially we launched right on time. When those main engines started, it felt like some electric motors back there, but when those solid rockets ignited there was no doubt this thing was going to space." For Musgrave, seated in the center flight engineer's position, a suitably positioned mirror on the wrist of his Launch and Entry Suit (LES) provided a spectacular "backwards" view of the receding Pad 39B through Discovery's overhead windows. "You could see the whole of Florida," he recalled, "lit up like a flashbulb." For Sonny Carter, seated to his right side on the flight deck, the first two minutes on the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) reminded him of a rumbling freight train, which quickly smoothed out after their separation. None of the crew had flown a night launch before, but for Gregory the sight of the boosters departing and their separation motors firing—and flooding the entire cabin with light—reminded him of looking straight into the throat of a furnace. For poor Kathy Thornton, seated alone in the darkened middeck, her only view was of the shuttle's galley and a row of lockers in front of her face.

Deployment of their classified payload followed on Discovery's seventh orbit, approximately 10.5 hours after launch. The Air Force would later admit that the satellite was boosted into orbit atop an Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) and it is today generally believed that it was an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) platform, possibly codenamed either "Magnum" or "Orion." It was a successor to the earlier Rhyolite-Aquacade spacecraft and represented the latest in an era of satellites developed under the auspices of the National Reconnaissance Office, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. With a total mass of around 5,700 pounds (2,600 kg), the STS-33 satellite it is thought to have featured a large, gold-colored mesh antenna, measuring perhaps 256 feet (78 meters) in diameter when fully unfurled, and was physically similar to the payload deployed on Mission 51C in January 1985. This antenna "farm" was so large that it was presumably attached to a gimbal mechanism for steering, which permitted it to monitor specific points of interest, such as ballistic missile flight test telemetry and observers have speculated that the rear of the Magnum-Orion comprised a pair of solar arrays and a downlink communications antenna. Other objectives included electronic, radio communications, and radar emissions intelligence, and the Magnum was apparently boosted to geostationary orbit by its IUS.

Since the Department of Defense had openly admitted that only the payloads which could not be reconfigured for an expendable launch were kept aboard the shuttle in the post-Challenger period, the physical size of the satellite was immense … as was its cost, with some estimates placing Magnum-Orions at around $750 million per unit. Sketches of the satellite, attached to the IUS, indicate that it virtually filled the shuttle's cavernous payload bay. Perhaps, someday, images may be released and the eventual declassification of DoD documents from these years may shine a light on this mysterious payload and upon STS-33 itself.

Backdropped by a Californian sunset, Discovery is approached by recovery vehicles shortly after landing. Photo Credit: NASA

Launched on the day before Thanksgiving, STS-33 became only the second team of shuttle astronauts—after Mission 61B in November 1985—to spend the holidays in orbit, and only the third group of U.S. spacefarers in history to do so, when one includes the crew of Skylab 4 in November 1973 on the list. In spite of having to contend with 16 orbital sunrises and sunsets during each 24-hour period, the astronauts enjoyed turkey, potatoes, and broccoli, which Gregory described as the sole meal that they enjoyed together during their five days in orbit. Touchdown of Discovery occurred in the late afternoon gloom at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., a day late due to strong winds, at 4:30 p.m. PST (7:30 p.m. EST) on 27 November 1989. For the first time, the reusable shuttle returned from space to alight on Edwards' concrete Runway 04, a feat which would be repeated by only one other mission (STS-64 in September 1994).

Returning to their families brought joy to the five astronauts, but all had been bitten by the bug and were keen to fly again. "We're ready to go again," remarked John Blaha at the post-mission press conference, to which Sonny Carter concurred with a clipped "Absolutely!" Sadly, Carter would be killed in an aircraft accident just 17 months later, before having the chance to fly another shuttle mission, but Gregory, Blaha, Musgrave, and Thornton would go on to chalk up a further ten flights between them and a cumulative 230 days in orbit. It was fitting for the crew of what Gregory described as an ideal mission. "I think it's the best crew that ever went through there," he reflected later. "Every time it assembled, people would just come watch it, because it was like a ballet and we had so much fun."

 

Copyright © 2014 AmericaSpace - All Rights Reserved

 

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Fwd: Delta 4-Heavy ready for Orion flight test

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: November 26, 2014 at 9:16:48 PM CST
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Delta 4-Heavy ready for Orion flight test

 

 

Photos: Delta 4-Heavy ready for Orion flight test

November 26, 2014 by Justin Ray

Launch will occur from Cape Canaveral's Complex 37 launch pad. Credit: ULA

The Orion spacecraft stands 73 feet tall. Credit: ULA

Launch is set to occur at 7:05 a.m. EST on Dec. 4. Credit: ULA

 

The first flight test of Orion will be a two-orbit, four-hour shakedown cruise to check critical systems of the crew capsule. Credit: ULA

Delta 369
EFT-1

 

© 2014 Spaceflight Now Inc.

 

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How Orion Capsule's First Flight Test Works (Infographic)

2014, November, 25 12:03

The capsule will travel about 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) from Earth, then zoom back again at high speeds in order to test various systems, including its heat shielding and resistance to radiation.

http://www.space.com/27833-nasa-orion-capsule-first-test-flight-infographic.html

 

Copyright © 2014 TechMediaNetwork.com All rights reserved. 

 

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DC idiots use x37c , stop paying Russia!

Boeing presentation in2011 makes strong case for expanding x37B (x37C)---idiot potus can't understand!

X37B Boeing proposal

The X-37B: Exploring expanded capabilities for ISS missions March 12, 2013 by Chris Gebhardt As NASA and its new commercial partners continue to push toward the era of realized commercial crew transportation to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Boeing has released a paper detailing the potentiality of expanding the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force's X-37B reusable space plane for cargo and crewed missions to LEO – a proposal, which for unknown reasons, appears to have been pushed aside by NASA's commercial space division. What could have been – A reusable space plane for the commercial era: As stated a Boeing presentation (acquired by L2), the concept of utilizing the X-37B as part of NASA's COTS and CCDev programs stemmed from the idea that the program would be able to "realize cost savings and acceleration of technology developmental timelines by focusing on the payload. See Also Commercial Space Section L2 Commercial Section Click here to Join L2 "Non- recurring costs [would be] substantially reduced by taking advantage of a mature spacecraft bus with well defined bus-to-payload interfaces and a ground station supported by seasoned mission operations staff using flight validated operational products." Given that this presentation came after the first successful test flight of the X-37B, Boeing also noted that "Several key technologies for reusable spacecraft were successfully demonstrated in the areas of aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, reusable solar arrays, Thermal Protection Systems (TPS), and autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC)." Development of a mini-Shuttle – The X-37B comes to life: Birthed from the NASA Future-X (1998-2001) and Space Launch Initiatives (2001-2006) campaigns, the X-37B was developed to help lower the cost of LEO transport for post-Shuttle and replacement EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) eras. In addition to testing next generation TPS system materials, the X-37B was envisioned as a platform capable of testing autonomous deorbit, entry, and landing GNC; fault tolerant architecture for autonomous on-orbit and entry flight; GPS and dGPS for landing with minimal airfield infrastructure; electro-mechanical flight actuation and brakes; and Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) batteries for high cycle life and high current capabilities. Moreover, the X-37B would be able to test reusable, deployable and stowable solar arrays; advanced Gr/BMI composite airframes; complex Carbon-Carbon control surfaces; advanced high temperature wing leading edge tiles; hypersonic aeroheating prediction methods; and integrated systems designed for aircraft-like turnaround operations for post-mission processing. Launched on its first test flight on 22 April 2010 by an Atlas V 501-configured rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first mission of the X-37B spent 224 days in orbit before returning to Earth on 3 December of that year. During entry on 3 December, the X-37B successfully managed its energy, position, altitude, and descent profile using bank angle, pitch angle, and S-turns across a 5,500 nm reentry flight path. More impressively, the craft successfully, and for the first time ever for a spacecraft, "assessed its energy to go and [autonomously] moved the HAC (Heading Alignment Circle) away from the runway threshold to adjust for high altitude tailwinds." As related by the Boeing presentation, "The capability to autonomously adjust for winds and energy by moving the HAC is just one of the guidance algorithm advancements over the Shuttle Orbiter approach and landing methods." Adapting the X-37 design to the age of commercial space endeavours: Noting the reluctance of the American space industry to fly anything in space that isn't in some way connected to the heritage of Shuttle, Atlas, Delta, Ariane, any number of Russian engine technologies, or even the Saturn V, Boeing makes the case that the X-37B is an excellent example of space heritage – while providing the added benefit of incorporating new and evolving space technologies (like solar cell technology for reusable solar arrays) into its design. Specifically, though, the presentation makes note of NASA's burgeoning ISS COTS cargo and CCDev crew transport initiatives, noting a need "to qualify a new generation of autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking sensors and software." The presentation notes that the X-37B has the capability to perform attitude control maneuvers that are well in-line with NASA baseline standards for ISS and satellite rendezvous operations, and the vehicle's subsystem fault tolerance for automated aborts from Station and satellites is also well within NASA standards. Thus, the X-37B spacecraft design would provide an excellent way to "demonstrate, refine, and validate competing technologies and operational concepts without having to build a unique demonstration spacecraft." Moreover, Boeing notes that the X-37B design would also provide a valuable test platform for "multiple competing technologies [that] can be integrated onto a single OTV (Orbiter Test Vehicle, the official name for the X-37B vehicle) as independent subsystems." The X-37B vehicle would then be able to independently test these "multiple competing technologies" during a single demonstration flight to the ISS or orbiting satellite, thus eliminating the need to conduct separate flights for each independent technology. Making the case for X-37 ISS operations: With the retirement of the Space Shuttle orbiter fleet in 2011 came the elimination of the capability to return sensitive cargo, requiring a soft landing, from the ISS. Enter the X-37, the only vehicle currently in operation that is capable of providing a soft, 1.5g class return landing. Making use of the X-37 design would allow sensitive cargo of the biological and material science variety (the science that forms the core of microgravity research aboard the ISS) to be safely and softly returned to Earth inside the X-37B's payload bay. Following a runway landing, any time sensitive cargo could be safely and quickly removed from the vehicle. Additionally, Boeing states that "At the X-37B's current size, upmass cargo would be carried internally and externally while downmass cargo would be entirely within the payload bay. "The considerable excess launch capability of the EELV class launch vehicles and unused volume within the 5m fairing [would] enable the X-37 to carry several large ISS LRUs (Line Replaceable Units) or other items externally on the service module," notes the Boeing AIAA presentation. Under this proposal, using the X-37B itself with an attached service module, the craft would be launched into a 51.6 degree inclination orbit for rendezvous with the ISS. After arriving at ISS, the X-37B would maneuver itself within the berthing box of the ISS's Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) arm. The ISS crew would then use the SSRMS to reach out and grapple the X-37B and then attach it (dock it) to one of the Common Berthing Mechanisms (CBMs) on one of the nodes of the Station. During the course of docked operations, the X-37B would require no support from the ISS, less the physical CBM attachment, as all power and electricity would come from the deployed solar array and onboard batteries. The crew of the ISS would then be able to use the SSRMS to remove all external cargo from the outside attachment points on the X-37B itself. Internal cargo for ISS would be stowed within containers in the X-37B's payload bay to make transfer of materials to and from ISS easier for the Station's crew or any robot that might be tasked with moving the internal cargo. All downmass cargo would then be loaded into these containers before the containers would be returned to the X-37B's payload bay. After completion of docked operations, the SSRMS would unberth the X-37B, and the spacecraft would then maneuver itself away from the Station. The service module would be jettisoned prior to the initiation of deorbit, entry, descent, and landing operations. Evolving the X-37B for crew transportation: For the consideration of expanding the X-37B baseline design for the inclusion of crew launch and return capability, the Boeing presentation notes that an increase in size of approximately 160-180 percent would be needed to meet a 5-7 crew-size capability. Under this design, the X-37 would nominally be able to accommodate 5-6 astronauts with enough provisions and space for one injured astronaut requiring a stretcher-like return configuration for reentry and landing. The launch and entry seats for the crew would be aligned along one side of the pressurized volume within the X-37, leaving a clear access path for launch pad climbing and zero-G operations. The crew would enter the spacecraft via a hatch on the top of the X-37. The same hatch would provide emergency launch pad egress capability. For in-flight abort scenarios, a "pusher-style abort system between the Atlas V's Centaur upper stage and the X-37 [would] provide the appropriate acceleration and Delta-V for the required abort scenarios." Completely autonomous, the crewed X-37 would be capable of launching, aborting, rendezvousing, docking, undocking, deorbiting, and landing itself without any input from the crew. Cross-range capabilities of the X-37 design would allow for multiple deorbit opportunities per day to the Kennedy Space Center, FL, White Sands Space Harbor, NM, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. While the Boeing presentation – created in 2011 for the AIAA – makes a fairly convincing case for the evolving capabilities of the X-37B, there is no indication at this time that pursuit of this option is ongoing or even under the slightest consideration from NASA. (Images: Via Boeing and ULA). (Click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/ – to view how you can support NSF and access the best space flight content on the entire internet). Related Articles X-37B lands successfully following 220 days in space Share This Article Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on gmail More Sharing Services

Sent from my iPad

Fwd: Greta , YOU could SAVE our space effort using the fox platform!!

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: Bobby G Martin <bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com>
Date: November 26, 2014 at 1:51:20 PM CST
To: bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com
Subject: Greta , YOU could SAVE our space effort using the fox platform!!

It is as simple as Establishing moon bases & maintaining shuttle equivalent capabilities.
Point this out to the public & make clear what happens to this Country if this doesn't happen!
Plenty of former nasa people to provide assistance to you.

Bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com

Sent from my iPad

Fwd: JSC Today - Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: November 26, 2014 at 9:34:02 AM CST
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: JSC Today - Wednesday, November 26, 2014

 

 

From: JSC Today
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2014 6:00 AM
To: JSC-Today
Subject: JSC Today - Wednesday, November 26, 2014

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

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JSC TODAY CATEGORIES Headlines -  Green Globs on the Space Station -  Gilruth Center to Reopen Today, Nov. 26 -  Badging Offices Closed for Thanksgiving Organizations/Social -  Money, Parenting and the Holidays -  JSC NMA Holiday Social -  The History of the Space Program Through Music -  ShopNASA Stores Holiday Sale -  ShopNASA Stores - Starport Member Discount -  Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge -  Breakfast With Santa - Registration Now Open Jobs and Training -  JSC Risk Management Workshop - Dec. 9 Community -  Space Center Houston Camp-ins

Supercomputer Simulation of Magnetic Field Loops on the Sun

 

Headlines Green Globs on the Space Station Watch this short video about an ingenious smart materials experiment on the space station that is in use to earthquake-proof some structures in Japan. Liz Warren x35548 [top] Gilruth Center to Reopen Today, Nov. 26 The Gilruth Center will be reopening with limited hours earlier than anticipated today, Nov. 26. Thanksgiving Week Information Today, Nov. 26 - Gilruth OPEN (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only). No Group Ex classes. Tomorrow, Nov. 27 - Gilruth CLOSED Friday, Nov. 28 - Gilruth OPEN (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). No Group Ex classes. Saturday, Nov. 29 - Gilruth OPEN standard weekend hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Group exercise classes resume as scheduled. Sunday, Nov. 30 - Gilruth back to normal schedule for all programs. For updates, please continue to check the Starport website. Starport Fitness x30304 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov [top] Badging Offices Closed for Thanksgiving All badging offices will be closed tomorrow, Nov. 27, in observance of Thanksgiving Day. Normal working operations will resume Friday, Nov. 28, as listed below. Building 110 - 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Building 111 - 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ellington Field - 7 to 11 a.m. Sonny Carter Training Facility - 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tifanny Sowell x37447 [top]    Organizations/Social Money, Parenting and the Holidays Worrying about money is one of the major parenting stressors all year round, but it deals a double whammy around the holidays. The temptation is huge to ignore your present reality and just put everything on a credit card … and worry about it later. Discover how to begin steps to resolve to plan, save and spend differently during the holidays to improve your money-management habits. Despite the temptations of spending to feel better, come learn what actions to take that will keep your financial situation from getting worse or continuing to put it off. Discover the importance of changing how you look at money and the lessons you can teach your children about money and values during the holiday season. Please join Anika Isaac, LPC, LMFT, NCC, CEAP, LCDC, for a presentation on "Money, Parenting and the Holidays." Event Date: Thursday, December 4, 2014   Event Start Time:12:00 PM   Event End Time:1:00 PM Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium Add to Calendar Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch x36130 [top] JSC NMA Holiday Social You're invited to the JSC National Management Association (NMA) Holiday Social on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Gilruth Alamo Ballroom. The entrance fee is an unwrapped toy donation for Toys for Tots. Each toy donated equals a ticket for a chance to win a door prize! The JSC Child Care Center kids will also entertain with Christmas carols. Appetizers will be served in instead of a full meal. Please RSVP no later than 3 p.m. today, Nov. 26, online. For RSVP technical assistance, please contact Leslie N. Smith at x46752. Event Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2014   Event Start Time:11:00 AM   Event End Time:12:30 PM Event Location: Gilruth - Alamo Ballroom Add to Calendar Leslie N. Smith x46752 [top] The History of the Space Program Through Music The SAIC/Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) technical speaker forum presents: The History of the Space Program Through Music This event is free and open to the public. Bring the family! Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 7 to 9 p.m. Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom From Mercury to the International Space Station, music has been used to wake up astronauts. As they travel to space, music continues to keep astronauts connected to their family, friends and faith. Hear selections of songs played for astronauts: Norma Williams and her flute ensemble will perform music from the Gemini Program Sparky Koerner's (College of the Mainland) jazz combo will perform standards heard from Gemini through the Space Shuttle Program Janie Macchiaroli's Sweet Adeline Quartet will perform patriotic and holiday songs The S&MA Choir will perform Christmas and other songs played in each program Juan Manuel & Friends will perform popular songs from each decade of the space program Event Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2014   Event Start Time:7:00 PM   Event End Time:9:00 PM Event Location: Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom Add to Calendar Della Cardona/Juan Traslavina 281-335-2074/281-335-2272 [top] ShopNASA Stores Holiday Sale Visit the ShopNASA stores adjacent to the cafés in Buildings 3 and 11. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Starting Dec. 1, enjoy: 20 percent off all apparel (includes shirts, hats/caps, as well as shorts and jackets in adult, child and infant sizes) 20 percent off James Avery astronaut charm (regular price - $90/sale price - $72) 50 percent off rocket pens (regular price - $9/sale price - $4.50) Assorted mission pins (regular price - $1/sale price - 50 cents) Select T-shirts and polo styles (not all sizes in stock) 20 percent off select books Sale Dates: Promotion beings Monday, Dec. 1, and ends Friday, Dec. 12. No other discounts can be added to promotional prices. Prices apply to stock on hand; no special orders, please. Kayla Davis 281-792-7796 http://shopnasa.com/ [top] ShopNASA Stores – Starport Member Discount Effective Dec. 1, all Starport members will receive a 10 percent discount off all regularly priced items in the ShopNASA stores adjacent to the cafés in Buildings 3 and 11. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Members must present their Starport membership badge at checkout to receive their discount. If you have not activated your Starport membership, stop by the Gilruth information desk to get yours today. Not sure if your company is a Starport Partner? Click here for details. Bob Milligan 281-792-7947 http://shopnasa.com/ [top] Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge Welcome to the start of the Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge! Starport would like to invite you to participate in our FREE Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge. Rather than focusing on trying to lose weight, Starport's experts will arm you with tactics, tips and tricks to guide you through the next 30 days for a healthy holiday season. Visit the Starport NASA-JSC Facebook page every day for our workout and wellness tip of the day. Let Starport's experts help you take charge this holiday season by giving you the gift of health. Evan Thoman x42769 [top] Breakfast With Santa - Registration Now Open Santa Claus is coming to town and making a stop at the Gilruth Center! Enjoy breakfast with Santa in the Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. Your child will have the opportunity to sit on Santa's lap to give him their wish list, have their picture taken and receive a special gift. The fees are $10/child and $15/adult if purchased on or before Dec. 1. Register for this event at the Gilruth Center or online. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Don't miss out on this special event. Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/special-events/breakfast-with-... [top]    Jobs and Training JSC Risk Management Workshop - Dec. 9 JSC Risk Management Workshop (JSC-NA-SAIC-RISKWKSP) includes risk management concepts, a risk-identification workshop tailored for JSC personnel participating in institutional risk management and hands-on JSC-IRMA training. Class participants include managers, leads and risk management focal points. The workshop addresses JSC's requirements for risk identification, tracking, reporting and making risk-informed decisions. Topics include understanding the potential health, safety, environmental, technical, infrastructure or workforce capabilities, schedule and cost risks associated with successfully meeting JSC directorate objectives.   Location: Building 12/Room 144   Direct Link: https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_...   Russell Hartlieb/Paula Gothreaux russell.j.hartlieb@nasa.gov> 281-335-2443/281-335-2441 Event Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2014   Event Start Time:9:00 AM   Event End Time:4:00 PM Event Location: Building 12/Room 144 Add to Calendar Russell Hartlieb 281-335-2443 [top]    Community Space Center Houston Camp-ins Is there a Scout in your family? Space Center Houston camp-ins are an out-of-this-world way to earn badges. Each camp is tailored to the individual age and merit requirements, with hands-on activities that engage and inspire! Dates for 2014 and 2015 camp-in dates are available online. Learn more. Space Center Houston 281-244-2100 [top]

 

JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles. Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.