Royal Radio: Duchess Talks Space with ISS Astronaut! - YouTube - The Royal Family Channel

5 OCT 2024 HRH Sophie,Duchess of Edinburugh,engaged young Girl Guides members (Girl Scouts) in an amateur radio chat with NASA ISS Commander Sunita Williams.The event took place at the Brooklands Museum of motoring and aviaition.It was aimed at interesting girls in STEM careers.HRH Sophie is patron of the Girl Guides.As such,she encouraged the girls to consider a STEM career.Sophie is the wife of HRH Prince Edward the Duke of Edinburgh,youngest son of the late Quuen Elizabeth II.Report by Louis Etemadi and edited by Andrew Taylor

Stepping Stones to the Solar System:NASA Shares Details of its Deep Space Gateway Concept

Without fanfare,an article was posted on NASA's website a few days ago that crystallised the Orion Program more than had previously been done.The agency revealed its intentions for exploring cislunar space,the vicinity of the Moon,as a proving ground for missions to the Mars system and other solar system destinations:
1.The first phase of cislunar exploration will use current technologies and allow us to gain experience with extended operations farther from Earth than ever before.Such missions will enable NASA to develop new technologies and apply innovative approaches to solving problems in preparation for longer-duration missions far from Earth.Integral to this phase of the early Orion flights that will occur at a pace of one a year will be the construction of a relatively small orbiting spaceport,the gateway.The spaceport will have a power bus;a small habitat to expand mission length;docking capability;an airlock;and several logisitics modules to facilitate research.It will move among a family of orbits calibrated according to the requirements of various missions,such as close-in orbits for deploying lunar robotics or high orbits for support of long duration missions to other parts of the solar system.The gateway project is made possible by the expansive SLS cargo capacity plus the Orion spacecraft's crewed deep space capability.This spaceport will be developed,serviced and utilised in collaboration with commercial and international partners.*
2.The second phase will confirm that the agency's crewed capabilities can perform long duration missions beyond the Moon.For such missions,NASA plans a new deep space transport spacecraft that is reusable and runs on high power electric/chemical propulsion.This spacecraft will be specifically designed for crewed missions to Mars and other celestial bodies.It will take crews to their destinations and return to the gateway for servicing and eventual reuse.This transport,like the gateway spaceport itself,will take advantage of the large volumes and mass that that the SLS can launch,as well as the advanced exploration technologies now being developed and demonstrated on the ground and on ISS.
This second phase will culminate in the 2020s with a one year crewed mission in cislunar space to validate the readiness of the system to travel beyond the Moon and safely conduct missions independent of Earth.It will enable explorers to identify and pioneer solutions to technical and human challenges discovered or engineered in deep space,NASA explained.The agency states that it will look to partners for potential contributions of spaceflight hardware and the delivery of supplemental resources.The gateway and transport could potentially support multiple missions,representing several countries and agencies with partners from both government and private industry.NASA is open to both technical and programmatic ideas as it develops,matures and implements the Deep Space Gateway plan.*
In charge at NASA today:Robert Lightfoot is Acting Administrator pending President Donald Trump's permanent appointment;Dr.William Gerstenmeier is NASA's Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations;Astronaut Christopher Cassidy is Chief of the Astronaut Office;Julie Robinson is NASA Chief Scientist for the ISS.

Of Pressure and Risk:NASA Considers the Trump Proposal to Speed Up the Orion Program

A NASA official,Dr.William Gerstenmaier,Associate Administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate,has spoken to the media via teleconference about the White House request that NASA consider making Exploration Mission-1 of the Orion Program,currently slated to be an unmanned mission in 2018,to be the first crewed mission as well as a test mission for the integrated Orion spacecraft and new Space Launch System rocket,in order to speed the development process up and preserve American leadership in space exploration:
We don't need the full capability of the Exploration Upper Stage to do this revised mission EM-1.What changes do we need to make?We think we can still protect the crew.We didn't do a test of the cargo flights to International Space Station.We might add micrometeorite protection for the high Earth orbit.The mission would be in 2019.We're going to do an altitude abort test to make sure it works.
Does this really advance our ability to get to the Moon?It will be a risks analysis.We can notionally pull the altitude abort test forward to early in 2019,ahead of revised EM-1.
We recognise this is an increased risk,and we have to decide whether it's worth it with astronauts included in the discussion.What do I really gain from putting a crew on board?When you look at STS-1,the first Space Shuttle mission,which also added crew to a test flight,it's not as big a step as what we did with Shuttle technology.*
From my perspective,I don't see this as pressure.It's better if I don't have a preconceived notion.They gave us freedom to delay EM-1 and extra funding.I think it's great if we have a chance to look at this.We make some changes to give us a better system overall,even if we don't add crew to EM-1.It's going to take a significant amount of money-and pretty quickly-to do what we have to do.We will still have a pretty exciting mission without a crew on EM-1;but a very successful Exploration Flight Test-1 helps give us confidence in adding new things to EM-1.We hit 85 of 87 flight tests successfully on EFT-1,except for the crew uprighting at splashdown.We were looking at this on our own to see what we could do.We added crew seats and dummies and radiation testing.To make this faster,the carbon dioxide removal has been tested on ISS.The waste management system will be going to ISS.*
I don't consider this a ton of extra work for us.I've picked team members for this evaluation not directly associated with Orion so the Orion team could stay focused on EM-1/EM-2.We don't have a specific schedule about getting information.If we go beyond 2019,we might as well go fly EM-2 instead.In the next month or so,we hope to have some of our preliminary findings briefed within the agency.We want to have a pretty polished format in about a month,Dr.Bill Gerstenmaier explained to the media.*
Priniciple contractors for the Orion Program include Lockheed Martin (LMT);Boeing (BA);United Launch Alliance (LMT/BA partnership);and Aerojet Rocketdyne (AJRD).

NASA and ESA:Orion Program Draws Them Even Closer

On 30 November,several NASA officials,plus Orion Program prime contractor Lockheed Martin and their European partners held a press conference to mark the start of testing of the European Service Module for the Orion spacecraft.The ESM test article was recently flown to the US on a huge Russian Antonov aircraft and trucked to the NASA Glenn Research Center in Clevelend and Sandusky,Ohio.The ESM will be certified for flight on Exploration Mission 1 in 2018,an unmanned mission that will be the first flight of Orion on the new Space Launch System rocket,which will take the spacecraft to the Moon and back.*
This is another step along that journey of designing a vehicle that's going to take us farther than human beings have gone ever,said GRC director Jim Free.It's really about ensuring the success of EM-1.GRC is the only place you can test a vehicle this size in its launch configuration.The huge vibration table here shakes the vehicle and the vacuum chamber simulates what space is like for the vehicle.At GRC's multiple locations for testing and getting qualified for flight,there will be ESM solar array deployment and firing pyrotechnics.It's all about ensuring mission success,meeting the flight and mission requirements here on the ground.
With the ESM Orion Service Module,we're building on the international partnership of the ISS.*
This is a significant milestone,said Greg Williams of NASA headquarters in Washingon,DC.What's more important is,we don't want to go it alone.We want exploration to be together.Orion and the Exploration Systems program will be the same as ISS.
We're building hardware,testing hardware,testing software.All the pieces are coming together.In the SLS program,tanks are being welded together;there is fabrication and testing.The huge Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center is being recertified;pads are being refurbished.It's really exciting to see we're on this march to EM-1.*
The vibration table and acoustic chamber here at GRC are unique in the world,said Mark Kirasich,Orion Program Manager,Johnson Space Center,Houston.We have to make sure we can survive that and the thermal extremes.We welcomed the ESA three years ago.Their ESM will provide Orion with propulsion,attitude control and abort capability.Its large solar arrays power the equipment and its radiators keep the equipment and astronauts comfortable.Its water and gas tanks are for drinking and breathing.
Down in Louisiana,the EM-1 crew module is almost complete;in early January,it will be shipped to KSC for the production and outfitting phase.*
This Saturday will be the first anniversary of EFT-1,the first test flight of Orion,said Dr.Mike Hawes,Orion Program Manager at Lockheed Martin.Five of the seven EM-1 crew module welds are complete.We are delivering computer boards to the ESA.We all believe exploration has to be an international venture.We work day in and day out with the Airbus team.The service module has to be totally interactive with the crew module.The crew module is the brains,directing the ESM's solar arrays and firing.The ISS proves that these partnerships can work on a vast scale.ESM is really building on that.We're testing Orion components on the ISS.*
It's a real team achievement,said Nico Dettman,head of the ESA's Development Department.I've seen a tremendous development in cooperation of the teams,a continuation of the ISS program.It's the first time ESA is embarking on a human mission beyond low earth orbit.*
On this programme,we are the partner of Lockheed Martin,building for the agencies,said Dr.Oliver Jukenhoefel,ESM Program Manager for Airbus Defence&Space.Our ESM couldn't fly alone;there is no onboard computer.The whole mission control is done by the crew module and NASA.Collaboration on a daily basis is not easy.The ESM test article is the majority of the mechanical.Space is in our DNA.The Orion Program is the best place we can be and we want to be in it for a very long period.*
The whole reason we're going to the Moon is for practice and as a staging area for equipment going to Mars,added NASA's Greg Williams.We need to develop equipment for deep space habitation;deep space propulsion ( needed first for the Asteroid Redirect Mission);and a landing capability for the Martian atmosphere.We are thinking ahead.Development and testing activities are underway.A lot is being tested on the ISS.Many componenets are either being designed or developed.It's a long,expensive proposition.We would love to see astronauts from several nations involved when we first set foot on the red planet.
All of our avionics and electronics have to be radiation-hardened.We,re building places to protect astronauts if we experience a solar flare,a place where they can hide.*

Career Opportunity:NASA Astronaut

Today NASA announced it will soon be recruiting US citizens again for a new astronaut candidate class.More human spacecraft are in development now than at any time in NASA history,and future astronauts will soon be launching from the Florida Space Coast on US-made commercial spacecraft and deep space missions to advance a future mission to Mars,the agency said.Applications will be accepted from 14 December to mid-February.NASA will announce the selectees in mid-2017.You can apply at http://www.usajobs.gov.The class of 2017 will be flying on either the International Space Station;the Boeing CST-100 Starliner;the SpaceX Crew Dragon;or the Orion deep-space exploration vehicle.*
NASA selects from a diverse pool of US citizens with a variety of backgrounds such as pilots,engineers,scientists and medical doctors.*
The next group of American space explorers will inspire the Mars generation to reach for new heights,and help us reach the goal of putting boot prints on the Red Planet,said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.Those selected for this service will fly on US-made spacecraft from American soil;advance critical science and research aboard the ISS;and help push the boundaries of technology in the proving ground of deep space.*
There are 47 astronauts currently in the active astronaut corps and more will be needed to crew future missions to the ISS and destinations in deep space.In its history,NASA has recruited more than 300 astronauts.
Requirements include a bachelor's degree in engineering,biological science,physical science or mathematics.Advanced degrees are desirable.Candidates must also have at least three years of related,progressively responsible professional experience,or at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft.They must also pass the NASA long duration spaceflight physical.*
For more information about this career and the requirements,please visit http://www.nasa.gov.astronauts.

Commentary:The Future of Commercial Spaceflight

Last week's devastating blows to commercial spaceflight raise the question of just how viable these enterprises really are,and whether too much confidence has been placed in them.Perhaps it is too early the history of space exploration to rely on commercial vendors to provide cargo flights to the International Space Station,let alone astronaut or civilian transport.It must be realised,however,that many of the engineers at these companies came from NASA itself and are fully qualified to do such work.It is just that we forget how complex and dangerous space exploration is after a good run of successful missions.*
These disruptive accidents are bound to occur,delaying the programs involved until full investigations are completed and reforms carried out.Look at our personal experiences with technology as comparatively primitive as pcs or mobile phones.Even such simple appliances have their aggravating failures.Space technology is much more complicated than these everyday devices.As in the past with the Apollo and space shuttle accidents,the Ariane rocket problems or Russian mishaps,the Orbital Sciences and Virgin Atlantic space programs will eventually regain their footing.Their leadership and staffs,bolstered by previous achievement,are committed to commercial space enough to do this,although the fallen personnel will never be forgotten.*
Orbital Sciences(ORB)

Shop Talk:Recommended Photo

Dear Readers,
A link to an excellent photo of the ESA cargo module docking with the International Space Station is provided in the previous post.I hope you will avail yourselves of this opportunity.Manned spaceflight is very much alive,despite the end of the space shuttle program.
Sincerely,
Andrew Taylor