“Dream. Innovate. Build. Discover.” The final frontier might not be so final after all–When an organization like NASA sees the smoke and fire of engines of the Space Launch System, they direct their eyes skyward toward orbital reconnaissance, advanced propulsion technologies in space travel, recovering satellites and next-gen communications, the …
Read More »NASA, Russian Counterpart Form Deep Space Gateway Partnership
NASA and Russia’s space agency Roscosmos have signed a joint statement during the 68th International Astronautical Congress to collaborate on the formulation of a deep space gateway concept. The joint statement represents a common human exploration vision between the two agencies and gateway concept studies under the partnership will help decision …
Read More »Report: NASA Explores Cost Reduction Strategies for Jupiter Moon Lander Mission
NASA has started to examine multiple options to reduce the cost of a lander mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa after the agency postponed a call for spacecraft instruments, SpaceNews reported Wednesday. Curt Niebur, a program scientist at NASA’s planetary science division, said at a meeting of the Outer Planets Assessment Group …
Read More »GAO: NASA Executes Acquisition Projects Within Cost, Schedule Estimates
The Government Accountability Office has found that most of NASA’s projects are being implemented within their schedule and cost baselines and that the space agency continues to build up its project management platforms to handle acquisition-related risks. GAO said in a report published Tuesday that eight of NASA’s programs are in the …
Read More »NASA to Pursue Unmanned Mission for 1st SLS/Orion Flight Test
NASA has decided to pursue its original plan to conduct the first integrated flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft without crew. The agency said Saturday it is “technically capable” of launching astronauts aboard the Exploration Mission-1 flight test, but it would be difficult to modify plans to make way for a crewed …
Read More »Bill Gerstenmaier: NASA Plans to Move Exploration Mission-1 Launch to 2019
An official with NASA has said the agency plans to push back the initial launch of the Space Launch System from November 2018 to a new target date in 2019 due to development issues with SLS and the Orion spacecraft, Space News reported Thursday. Jeff Foust writes Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator …
Read More »Bill Gerstenmaier: NASA Examines Pros, Cons of Crewed SLS/Orion Mission
NASA has launched a study of the potential advantages and disadvantages of having a flight crew on the Space Launch System‘s first deployment with the Orion spacecraft in 2019, Space News reported Friday. Jeff Foust writes that agency researchers are examining the feasibility of a two-person flight crew for Exploration Mission 1 that would be flown on a trajectory …
Read More »Senate Approves 2017 NASA Authorization Bill
The Senate on Friday unanimously approved a new NASA authorization bill that would require the agency to study the feasibility of sending astronauts to the International Space Station aboard the Orion spacecraft, SpaceNews reported Tuesday. Jeff Foust writes the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 directs the space agency to submit a report that will …
Read More »NASA Eyes Potential Astronaut Deployment on 1st SLS-Orion Flight; Lockheed’s Allison Miller Comments
NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot wants the space agency to examine the feasibility of including astronauts on the Space Launch System rocket’s first integrated flight with the Orion spacecraft, SpaceNews reported Wednesday. Jeff Foust writes Lightfoot directed Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for human exploration and operations at NASA, to launch a study into potential technical and …
Read More »NASA Starts Wind Tunnel Tests for Scale Models of 2nd-Gen Space Launch System; John Blevins Comments
NASA engineers have begun to conduct a series of wind tunnel tests on scale crew and cargo models of the second-generation Space Launch System in an effort to collect data for use in the design of the upgraded rocket as well as its ground and control platforms. The upgraded SLS …
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