Tea Party in Space (TPIS), a non-partisan organization, today strongly condemned a letter being circulated in the US Senate that advocates a sole-source bailout for the Solid Rocket Motor industry.
The letter, addressed to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and OMB Director Jack Lew, demands that the Administration ignore recent bipartisan calls for competing major elements of the proposed Space Launch System and instead use existing Solid Rocket Boosters made by only one company, Alliant Techsystems (ATK), in Utah.
The letter makes clear that the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 was designed to earmark several billion dollars for existing Shuttle and Ares contractors such as ATK. In fact, at the time the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation reported out the authorization bill, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) declared:
“…the Commerce Committee’s bill has established certain requirements which the [Space Launch] System must meet. After speaking with experts in Utah, it is their conclusion that these requirements can only be realistically accomplished by using solid rocket motors.”
This comment is echoed in the letter circulating in the Senate:
“These same experts also determined these legal requirements could only be realistically met through the use of solid rocket motors.”
“Senator Hatch should publicly disown this letter immediately if he is not involved,” said Tea Party in Space President Andrew Gasser, “and any Senator who signs this letter should be ashamed for trying to force this multi-billion dollar bailout earmark down taxpayers throats when the US government is facing a financial crisis over the national debt.”
“Solid Rocket Boosters are one choice available to NASA, but they are not the only choice” stated Isaac Mooers, TPIS Director of Operations. “The existing, flight-proven Atlas V and Falcon 9 could both serve as boosters for initial SLS flights while more advanced liquid rockets are commercially developed. Competition is the only fiscally responsible way to buy boosters for the SLS.”
TPIS and its volunteer network will be reaching out nationwide to candidates and elected officials of all parties, to ensure that this sole-source earmark is terminated.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Ares I Launch Vehicle
Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program.
Ares I was originally known as the "Crew Launch Vehicle" (CLV).
NASA planned to use Ares I to launch Orion, the spacecraft intended for NASA human spaceflight missions after the Space Shuttle is retired in 2011. Ares I was to complement the larger, unmanned Ares V, which was the cargo launch vehicle for Constellation. NASA selected the Ares designs for their anticipated overall safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness.
However, the Constellation program, including Ares I was canceled in October 2010 by the passage of the 2010 NASA authorization bill. Existing Constellation contracts remain in place until Congress passes a new funding bill for 2012.
Ares I was originally known as the "Crew Launch Vehicle" (CLV).
NASA planned to use Ares I to launch Orion, the spacecraft intended for NASA human spaceflight missions after the Space Shuttle is retired in 2011. Ares I was to complement the larger, unmanned Ares V, which was the cargo launch vehicle for Constellation. NASA selected the Ares designs for their anticipated overall safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness.
However, the Constellation program, including Ares I was canceled in October 2010 by the passage of the 2010 NASA authorization bill. Existing Constellation contracts remain in place until Congress passes a new funding bill for 2012.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
NASA's Constellation Program - Progress Before It Was Cancelled
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Space Shuttle Discovery's Final Launch
February 24, 2011
NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery will make its last trip into low Earth orbit today. Discovery will be traveling to the International Space Station, carrying a large module packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as a robotic assistant named Robonaut 2.
With the entire Space Shuttle program scheduled for mandatory retirement this year, Discovery is the most-flown spacecraft in history, traveling 143 million miles (230 million kilometers) over the course of its 39 missions since 1984, and spending nearly a full year in orbit. This mission, STS-133, is scheduled for liftoff at 4:50 p.m Eastern Time.
Gathered here are images of Discovery, its crew, and support staff from the past several months, while the spacecraft was being prepared for today's launch.
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Discovery pauses in between Orbiter Processing Facility-3 and the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) during a move called "rollover" on September 9th, 2010. Once inside the VAB, the shuttle will be joined to its solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank. Later, Discovery was scheduled to "rollout" to Launch Pad 39A for its launch to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)
The underside of space shuttle Discovery is visible in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station soon after the shuttle and station began their post-undocking relative separation on April 17th, 2010. Undocking ended a stay of 10 days, 5 hours and 8 minutes.The recognizable feature on Earth below is the south end of Isla de Providencia, about 150 miles off the coast of Nicaragua near 13.3 degrees north latitude 81.4 degrees west longitude. (NASA)
The space shuttle Discovery lands on Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33 Tuesday, April 20, 2010, in (AP Photo/NASA, Bill Ingalls)
Space Shuttle Discovery is towed from the shuttle landing facility to the orbiter processing facility at Kennedy Space Center on April 20, 2010. (Matt Stroshane/Getty Images)
NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery will make its last trip into low Earth orbit today. Discovery will be traveling to the International Space Station, carrying a large module packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as a robotic assistant named Robonaut 2.
With the entire Space Shuttle program scheduled for mandatory retirement this year, Discovery is the most-flown spacecraft in history, traveling 143 million miles (230 million kilometers) over the course of its 39 missions since 1984, and spending nearly a full year in orbit. This mission, STS-133, is scheduled for liftoff at 4:50 p.m Eastern Time.
Gathered here are images of Discovery, its crew, and support staff from the past several months, while the spacecraft was being prepared for today's launch.
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Discovery pauses in between Orbiter Processing Facility-3 and the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) during a move called "rollover" on September 9th, 2010. Once inside the VAB, the shuttle will be joined to its solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank. Later, Discovery was scheduled to "rollout" to Launch Pad 39A for its launch to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. (NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)
The underside of space shuttle Discovery is visible in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station soon after the shuttle and station began their post-undocking relative separation on April 17th, 2010. Undocking ended a stay of 10 days, 5 hours and 8 minutes.The recognizable feature on Earth below is the south end of Isla de Providencia, about 150 miles off the coast of Nicaragua near 13.3 degrees north latitude 81.4 degrees west longitude. (NASA)
The space shuttle Discovery lands on Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33 Tuesday, April 20, 2010, in (AP Photo/NASA, Bill Ingalls)
Space Shuttle Discovery is towed from the shuttle landing facility to the orbiter processing facility at Kennedy Space Center on April 20, 2010. (Matt Stroshane/Getty Images)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Looking Back Solid Rocket Booster Segments in Train Accident
Looking back to May of 2007
Four Solid Rocket Booster Segments in Train Accident
Four of the Solid Rocket Booster segments were assessed by NASA and ATK after being involved in a train accident.
More details about the accident have emerged, following an initial assessment of the what occurred during the incident and the recovery plan, along with a batch of photos from personnel at the scene.
The booster segments involved were en-route to join flight sets for STS-120 and STS-122. Given the availability of booster segments at the time, the long-term concern was mainly related to the time it would take to reopen the route used by the ATK train, and production at the Utah facility.
The segments involved in the accident can't simply be mixed and matched due to potential of causing thrust imbalance issues in the stacked boosters.
‘At about 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, just entering Alabama heading east, just after the train passed the Tom Bigby Waterway east of Pennington, the train went onto a 650 foot long raised roadbed over a depression in a swampy area,’ noted the Standup report. ‘The lead locomotive was about 550 feet onto the roadbed when it collapsed.
‘The train has two locomotives with a Pullman business car directly behind it containing our escort personnel and a couple of business car representatives, buffer cars, four segments, another buffer car, aft exit cone car, and four more segments.
‘Four of the segments between the buffer car and aft exit cone car were actually over the bridge and involved in the collapse. The aft exit cone car and the four other segments at the end of the train were up on the solid roadbed directly before the approach. The front end of the aft exit cone was at the bridge approach where the raised roadbed started. The two locomotives rolled over onto their side, carrying the business car with them.’
Fortunately, all the workers involved in the accident are on the road to a full recovery, with the most seriously injured worker – who suffered broken bones – also reported to be recovering well. Mr Hale broke away from speaking about the hardware on several occasions, asking the workforce to ‘keep the injured people and their families in their thoughts and prayers.’
‘We had three persons in the business car, business car representatives and the engineer. These individuals were injured but are okay at this point as we understand,’ added the Standup report. ‘One individual was released from the hospital and one was kept overnight and should be released this morning. Believe the engineer was also kept overnight and may be released today.
‘The remainder of the individuals had more serious injuries with some broken bones, but they are in fair or better condition based on the reports received.’
Mr Hale also went on to note that four of the cars with SRB segments inside have now been rolled back away from the accident, and are now housed at a nearby rail yard.
‘The wheels of the remainder of the cars are still on the tracks, even in the collapsed area. The only wheel in the remaining part of the train (including eight segments, aft exit cone and four buffer cars) that is off the track is on the aft exit cone car. The four segments that were on firm ground were decoupled and rolled back three miles into the rail yard.
‘Rail personnel are working this morning on unpinning the aft exit cone car; will do a simple re-wheel of the front wheel set and roll the car back. Worked on clearing debris at front of train last night and will start to build new track this morning parallel to the locomotives and escort car. Plan to have equipment there today righting the locomotives, putting them on the new track and getting them out of there.
‘Have not come up with firm plans yet on getting the four segments out of the crushed track area, including the one deck that rolled off. NASA has teams in place in the area of the accident and chartered a jet to bring family members to be with those involved in the accident.’
The Federal Railroad Administration is leading the investigation, which will include reports of engineering work being conducted on the stretch of rail track prior to the accident. NASA and ATK will continue to assess the status of the segments, which will return to ATK before – hopefully – being cleared to head to Florida.
‘Flight hardware may have been damaged; this must be assessed,’ added Friday’s Launch Operations report. ‘The Program does have plenty of Solid Rocket Motors, so this should not affect the flights in the near term, but there may be long-range consequences.
‘MSFC’s RSRM Chief Engineer, the MSFC RSRM S&MA representative, and several other folks are all currently at the railroad accident site to understand the motor segments better and assess the risk of moving them.’
Four Solid Rocket Booster Segments in Train Accident
Four of the Solid Rocket Booster segments were assessed by NASA and ATK after being involved in a train accident. More details about the accident have emerged, following an initial assessment of the what occurred during the incident and the recovery plan, along with a batch of photos from personnel at the scene.
The booster segments involved were en-route to join flight sets for STS-120 and STS-122. Given the availability of booster segments at the time, the long-term concern was mainly related to the time it would take to reopen the route used by the ATK train, and production at the Utah facility.
The segments involved in the accident can't simply be mixed and matched due to potential of causing thrust imbalance issues in the stacked boosters.‘At about 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, just entering Alabama heading east, just after the train passed the Tom Bigby Waterway east of Pennington, the train went onto a 650 foot long raised roadbed over a depression in a swampy area,’ noted the Standup report. ‘The lead locomotive was about 550 feet onto the roadbed when it collapsed.
‘The train has two locomotives with a Pullman business car directly behind it containing our escort personnel and a couple of business car representatives, buffer cars, four segments, another buffer car, aft exit cone car, and four more segments.
‘Four of the segments between the buffer car and aft exit cone car were actually over the bridge and involved in the collapse. The aft exit cone car and the four other segments at the end of the train were up on the solid roadbed directly before the approach. The front end of the aft exit cone was at the bridge approach where the raised roadbed started. The two locomotives rolled over onto their side, carrying the business car with them.’Fortunately, all the workers involved in the accident are on the road to a full recovery, with the most seriously injured worker – who suffered broken bones – also reported to be recovering well. Mr Hale broke away from speaking about the hardware on several occasions, asking the workforce to ‘keep the injured people and their families in their thoughts and prayers.’
‘We had three persons in the business car, business car representatives and the engineer. These individuals were injured but are okay at this point as we understand,’ added the Standup report. ‘One individual was released from the hospital and one was kept overnight and should be released this morning. Believe the engineer was also kept overnight and may be released today.
‘The remainder of the individuals had more serious injuries with some broken bones, but they are in fair or better condition based on the reports received.’
Mr Hale also went on to note that four of the cars with SRB segments inside have now been rolled back away from the accident, and are now housed at a nearby rail yard.
‘The wheels of the remainder of the cars are still on the tracks, even in the collapsed area. The only wheel in the remaining part of the train (including eight segments, aft exit cone and four buffer cars) that is off the track is on the aft exit cone car. The four segments that were on firm ground were decoupled and rolled back three miles into the rail yard.
‘Rail personnel are working this morning on unpinning the aft exit cone car; will do a simple re-wheel of the front wheel set and roll the car back. Worked on clearing debris at front of train last night and will start to build new track this morning parallel to the locomotives and escort car. Plan to have equipment there today righting the locomotives, putting them on the new track and getting them out of there.
‘Have not come up with firm plans yet on getting the four segments out of the crushed track area, including the one deck that rolled off. NASA has teams in place in the area of the accident and chartered a jet to bring family members to be with those involved in the accident.’
The Federal Railroad Administration is leading the investigation, which will include reports of engineering work being conducted on the stretch of rail track prior to the accident. NASA and ATK will continue to assess the status of the segments, which will return to ATK before – hopefully – being cleared to head to Florida.
‘Flight hardware may have been damaged; this must be assessed,’ added Friday’s Launch Operations report. ‘The Program does have plenty of Solid Rocket Motors, so this should not affect the flights in the near term, but there may be long-range consequences.
‘MSFC’s RSRM Chief Engineer, the MSFC RSRM S&MA representative, and several other folks are all currently at the railroad accident site to understand the motor segments better and assess the risk of moving them.’
Monday, January 17, 2011
NASA's Chances for Extra Space Shuttle Flight in Doubt
The most recent delay of the space shuttle Discovery's mission over issues with its fuel tank has raised some questions over whether NASA will be able to fly an extra shuttle mission later this year as planned.
NASA has two more shuttle trips planned before the aging three-orbiter fleet is retired. A third, final mission was approved last year by Congress in a NASA authorization bill signed by President Barack Obama.
Yet, funding for that bill has not been appropriated. Instead, the country is working under a continuing resolution – a stopgap measure put in place until lawmakers can agree on a formal budget – that freezes NASA and the rest of the government at 2010 funding levels.
Now some say the issues with the shuttle Discovery's fuel tank, which include numerous cracks discovered on some support beams, don't bode well for the extra mission, dubbed STS-135, said Florida's Senator Bill Nelson.
NASA engineers have been working to repair the cracks for the last several weeks.
"If worst came to worst and they felt like this tank was not safe, they would stand down and at that point would only fly two more shuttle flights instead of the three that are authorized," Nelson told Florida's WFTV.
If NASA decides Discovery's tank is unusable, there are no spares. There are only the two remaining tanks reserved for the other two missions in the queue. If Discovery's tank cannot be fixed, Nelson suggested that NASA could cancel the STS-135 mission and use the tank allocated for it on the upcoming launch of Discovery.
However, since the tank set aside for the possible STS-135 shuttle mission was manufactured and assembled from the same batch of material as Discovery's tank, it would probably suffer the same problems and need similar fixes.
"I expect it to have exactly the same issues that this tank had," said NASA's shuttle program manager John Shannon during a Tuesday (Jan. 11) press conference. "Of course, we're going to continue to do testing. I'm going to say it's likely we'll do the exact same repair" on the tank for the extra mission.
Discovery's upcoming STS-133 flight has been delayed repeatedlyfrom an initial launch target of November 2010. It is now slated to launch Feb. 24on its mission to deliver spare supplies and a robot helper to the International Space Station. After that, NASA is aiming to launch the shuttle Endeavour on its final voyage in mid-April to carry an astrophysics experiment to the space station.
NASA is retiring the shuttle fleet after 30 years of servive to make way. The first space shuttle flight launched on. To date, 132 shuttle missions have flown.
If the extra STS-135 mission goes forward, it will be flown by the space shuttle Atlantis. That flight would also haul spare parts to help outfit the orbiting laboratory for life after NASA retires its space shuttle program.
Another issue threatening this flight is funding. While the mission was authorized, the money for it has not yet been granted to NASA, and the agency is stuck in limbo until a final budget is approved.
"We have the budget to get through the April flight and can get close to the June flight," said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations. "We will need to see what happens with Congress and continuing resolution."
The current continuing resolution holds until March.
"We would need to get a new plan for the rest of the fiscal year," Gerstenmaier said. "It becomes tough for us to speculate what funding we have" beyond the scheduled April flight of Endeavour.
NASA has two more shuttle trips planned before the aging three-orbiter fleet is retired. A third, final mission was approved last year by Congress in a NASA authorization bill signed by President Barack Obama.
Yet, funding for that bill has not been appropriated. Instead, the country is working under a continuing resolution – a stopgap measure put in place until lawmakers can agree on a formal budget – that freezes NASA and the rest of the government at 2010 funding levels.
Now some say the issues with the shuttle Discovery's fuel tank, which include numerous cracks discovered on some support beams, don't bode well for the extra mission, dubbed STS-135, said Florida's Senator Bill Nelson.
NASA engineers have been working to repair the cracks for the last several weeks.
"If worst came to worst and they felt like this tank was not safe, they would stand down and at that point would only fly two more shuttle flights instead of the three that are authorized," Nelson told Florida's WFTV.
If NASA decides Discovery's tank is unusable, there are no spares. There are only the two remaining tanks reserved for the other two missions in the queue. If Discovery's tank cannot be fixed, Nelson suggested that NASA could cancel the STS-135 mission and use the tank allocated for it on the upcoming launch of Discovery.
However, since the tank set aside for the possible STS-135 shuttle mission was manufactured and assembled from the same batch of material as Discovery's tank, it would probably suffer the same problems and need similar fixes.
"I expect it to have exactly the same issues that this tank had," said NASA's shuttle program manager John Shannon during a Tuesday (Jan. 11) press conference. "Of course, we're going to continue to do testing. I'm going to say it's likely we'll do the exact same repair" on the tank for the extra mission.
Discovery's upcoming STS-133 flight has been delayed repeatedlyfrom an initial launch target of November 2010. It is now slated to launch Feb. 24on its mission to deliver spare supplies and a robot helper to the International Space Station. After that, NASA is aiming to launch the shuttle Endeavour on its final voyage in mid-April to carry an astrophysics experiment to the space station.
NASA is retiring the shuttle fleet after 30 years of servive to make way. The first space shuttle flight launched on. To date, 132 shuttle missions have flown.
If the extra STS-135 mission goes forward, it will be flown by the space shuttle Atlantis. That flight would also haul spare parts to help outfit the orbiting laboratory for life after NASA retires its space shuttle program.
Another issue threatening this flight is funding. While the mission was authorized, the money for it has not yet been granted to NASA, and the agency is stuck in limbo until a final budget is approved.
"We have the budget to get through the April flight and can get close to the June flight," said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations. "We will need to see what happens with Congress and continuing resolution."
The current continuing resolution holds until March.
"We would need to get a new plan for the rest of the fiscal year," Gerstenmaier said. "It becomes tough for us to speculate what funding we have" beyond the scheduled April flight of Endeavour.
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