Space Budgets, Policy, Missions, Benefits, International Updates

Human Space Exploration Update (July 10-28, 2017) US-Russian, Space and Sanctions:  Russia sanctions bill clears Congress  NASA activities with Russia and space launches conducted for NASA are exempted from Senate legislation imposing sanctions against Russia. The measure matches legislation approved by the House. The legislation, if signed by the president, will impose sanctions against Russian individuals… [Continue Reading]

Commercial Space Transportation

Human Space Exploration Update (July 10-28, 2017) Commercial Crew Progress: NASA and companies express growing confidence in commercial crew schedules The latest scheduling from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and its contract partners Boeing and SpaceX shows both companies conducting uncrewed and crewed test flights in 2018. If the planning holds, the U.S. would be launching astronauts into… [Continue Reading]

Orion and Space Launch System

Human Space Exploration Update (July 10-28, 2017) Orion Space Suit:  Orion spacesuits put to a vacuum test at NASA  At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, engineers test an advanced version of the agency’s space shuttle space suit for use by astronauts assigned to flights aboard the Orion crew exploration capsule. Engineers shared photos as the suits were… [Continue Reading]

Executive Branch

Human Space Exploration Update (July 10-28, 2017) Space Council:  Space groups hailing appointment of Scott Pace as National Space Council executive  Exploration advocates back the Trump Administration’s choice of Scott Pace to lead the recently re-established White House National Space Council. The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration and Commercial Spaceflight Federation are among those applauding the choice…. [Continue Reading]

Space Budgets, Policy, Missions, Benefits, International Updates

Human Space Exploration Update (June 26 – July 7, 2017) Deep Space Gateway:  ASAP on board with NASA’s DSG as stepping stone to Mars  NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has expressed support for the agency’s Deep Space Gateway,  a lunar orbiting, human tended space station planned for the 2020s.  The gateway would help to prepare astronauts… [Continue Reading]

Commercial Space Transportation

Human Space Exploration Update (June 26 – July 7, 2017) Commercial Crew Progress:  Commercial Crew providers making “significant progress” toward first flights  NASA’s Commercial Crew Program partners, Boeing and the CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX and the Crewed Dragon, are progressing toward unpiloted test flights in late 2017 and 2018. Updates on the Commercial Crew program development efforts… [Continue Reading]

Orion and Space Launch System

Human Space Exploration Update (June 26 – July 7, 2017) Orion EM-1 Vehicle Progress:  Orion deep in processing for EM-1, planning for following missions  As Vice President Mike Pence visited the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), one of the welcoming party, the Orion crew module, is fast taking shape ahead of its Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) flight. With… [Continue Reading]

International Space Station

Human Space Exploration Update (July 10-28, 2017) Tour ISS:  Tour the International Space Station with Google Street View  Google Street View has expanded its visual services from Earth to the International Space Station. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured Street View imagery to share what it looks like from the inside, and what it’s like to… [Continue Reading]

NASA Budget

Human Space Exploration Update (July 10-28, 2017) SAC Markup:  Proposed budget gives KSC a boost toward Mars  The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $19.5 billion in spending for NASA in 2018, a measure that includes $640 million in upgrades to launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center involved in launches of the Space Launch System and… [Continue Reading]