6/14/12 news

 
 
 
 
Thursday, June 14, 2012
 
JSC TODAY HEADLINES
1.            ISS Expedition Special Event: Space Center Houston - Tonight
2.            Still Registering for Starport Summer Camp
3.            For Parents of College Bound Students
4.            Welding and Cutting ViTS: June 29 - 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
5.            Material Handling, Storage, Use & Disposal ViTS: June 29 - Noon to 3 p.m.
6.            Just for the Guys
7.            Starport Boot Camp - Last Chance for Amazing Savings
8.            NASA Night at the Houston Dynamo - Time Change and More Seats Opened Up
9.            Thrift Savings Plan - Class Openings
10.          Registration Deadline: APPEL - Project Planning, Analysis and Control
11.          SWME Development and Testing for the Advanced Spacesuit
12.          Seats Available - From Tactical to Strategic Thinking Course
13.          JSC Radio Control Club Meeting
14.          Exploration Wellness Class - Top 10 Nutrition Mistakes
15.          The Explorers Club 50th Anniversary of Scott Carpenters Aurora 7 Flight
________________________________________     QUOTE OF THE DAY
“ You learn something every day if you pay attention. ”
 
-- Ray LeBlond
________________________________________
1.            ISS Expedition Special Event: Space Center Houston - Tonight
The ISS Expedition Special Event featuring Dan Burbank, Exp. 29 Flight Engineer and Exp. 30 Commander; will be held tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Space Center Houston Theater. The event will consist of awards, slides and video presentation, and question-and-answer session. This event is free and open to JSC employees, contractors, friends, family members and public guests.
 
Jessica Ocampo 281-792-7804
 
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2.            Still Registering for Starport Summer Camp
Some sessions have filled up, but some sessions still have spots available! If you are still looking for fun and exciting activities to keep your children active and entertained for the summer, it's not too late to register for Starport Summer Camp at the Gilruth Center! To check availability, call the Gilruth front desk at x30304. Visit http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/camp/index.cfm for more details on the session themes and planned activities.
 
Shelly Haralson x39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/
 
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3.            For Parents of College Bound Students
Come gain the knowledge to teach your college-bound students how to be safe on their campus as well as at off-campus activities. Heather Kerbow, Violence Prevention Coordinator of the Bay Area Turning Point will present " Safety Information for Parents of College Bound Students" on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 12:00 in the Building 30 Auditorium.
 
JSC Employee Assistance Program x36130
 
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4.            Welding and Cutting ViTS: June 29 - 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
SMA-SAFE-NSTC-006:This three-hour course is based on OSHA CFR 1926.350 - Requirements for Working with Gas Welding and Cutting; 1926.351 - Arc Welding and Cutting; 1926.352 - Fire prevention; Ventilation and Protection in Welding Cutting and Heating; 1926.354 - Welding Cutting and Heating in way of Preservation Coating in the Construction Industry. During the course, the student will receive an overview of those topics needed to work safely in welding and cutting operations.
 
Use this link to register. https://satern.nasa.gov/plateau/user/deeplink.do?linkId=SCHEDULED_OFFERING_DE...
 
Shirley Robinson x41284
 
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5.            Material Handling, Storage, Use & Disposal ViTS: June 29 - Noon to 3 p.m.
SMA-SAFE-NSTC-0063: This three-hour course is based on OSHA CFR 1926.250 - General Requirements for Storage; OSHA CFR 1926.251 - Rigging Equipment for Material Handling; and OSHA CFR 1926.252 - Disposal of Waste Materials for the Construction Industry. During the course, the student will receive an overview of these topics, which are needed in handling materials to meet the requirements of the OSHA 200 Construction Safety and Health Standards.
Use this direct link for registration. https://satern.nasa.gov/plateau/user/deeplink.do?linkId=SCHEDULED_OFFERING_DE...
 
Shirley Robinson x41284
 
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6.            Just for the Guys
This is a meeting for the male population at JSC to discuss ideas and suggestions on issues related to male stereotypes. Today, June 14, in Building 32, Room 132, at noon, Takis Bogdanos, LPC, of the JSC Employee Assistance Program will facilitate the meeting and offer tools. Through discussion and feedback, we can expand our view of the male role on how to manage life more resourcefully. Some of the "men's issues" we discuss include work and responsibility, relationships and parenting.
 
Takis Bogdanos x36130
 
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7.            Starport Boot Camp - Last Chance for Amazing Savings
Only two days left to register at the discounted rate for Starport's incredibly popular Boot Camp!
 
Early Registration (Ends tomorrow, June 15):
- $90 per person (Just $5 per class!)
Regular Registration (June 16 to 24):
- $110 per person
 
The workout begins on June 25! Are you ready for 18 hours of intense workouts with an amazing personal trainer to get you to your fitness goal? DON'T WAIT! Sign up today and take advantage of this EXTREME discount while it lasts!
 
Class size is limited to 30 participants, so register now at the Gilruth Center Information Desk or call 281-483-0304 for more information.
 
Steve Schade x30304 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/Fitness/RecreationClasses/RecreationProgram...
 
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8.            NASA Night at the Houston Dynamo - Time Change and More Seats Opened Up
The Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas game on Saturday, June 16, time has changed from 4 to 6:30 p.m. After selling out, 300 more seats have been opened up for NASA fans, so get your discount tickets while they last!
 
To purchase discounted tickets, go to http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/Events/ Click the link for the Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas game, and follow the remaining instructions to purchase tickets with the pass code: nasa.
 
JSC team members, family and friends are encouraged to wear NASA shirts to the game.
 
Shelly Haralson x39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/
 
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9.            Thrift Savings Plan - Class Openings
Thrift Savings Plan - Class Openings
 
Thrift Saving Plan is a retirement savings plan for civilians who are employed by the United States Government and members of the uniformed services. The TSP is part of the Federal Employees Retirement System and is designed to closely resemble the dynamics of private sector 401(k) plans.
 
What You'll Learn: This is an overview of the Federal Investment Program and covers the nuts and bolts of the Thrift Savings Plan.
 
Topics Covered:
The basics of the TSP
Defined Contribution Plan
Tax-Savings Features
Investment Options
Loan Program
Withdrawal Options
Open Seasons and Inter-fund Transfers
 
Who Should Attend: Federal Employees interested in learning more about the TSP. It is also open to employees covered under the older Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).
 
Date/Time:
Session 1: June 27, 9 a.m. to noon
Session 2: June 27, 1 to 4 p.m.
 
Where: Building 2, Teague Auditorium
Register: Via SATERN:
 
Morning: https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=REGISTRATI...
 
Afternoon:
https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=REGISTRATI...
 
Nicole Kem x37894
 
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10.          Registration Deadline: APPEL - Project Planning, Analysis and Control
This five-day course offers a foundation in program planning, analysis and control and provides intensive instruction in project management fundamentals across the entire project life cycle. Course content covers the areas of technical integration of project elements, design and discipline functions and their associated interactions to balance performance, cost, schedule, reliability and operability. Proven strategies and practical tools for planning, executing and controlling a variety of projects are presented.
 
This course is available for self-registration in SATERN until 10:59 p.m. today is open to civil servants and contractors on a space-available basis.
 
Dates: Monday-Friday, July 9 to 13
Location: Gilruth Center - Lone Star Room
 
Zeeaa Quadri x39723 https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHED...
 
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11.          SWME Development and Testing for the Advanced Spacesuit
Join us as Janice Makinen and Grant Bue, engineers from the Crew and Thermal Systems Division, discuss the recent design, hardware development and testing on the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) Suit Water Membrane Evaporator (SWME). SWME provides cooling to the spacesuit liquid cooling garment and PLSS electronics by evaporating water across a membrane into the vacuum of space. As the water turns to vapor and is vented into space, the liquid is cooled and re-circulated through the cooling loop.
 
Date: Tuesday, June 19
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Building 5 South, Room 3102 (corner of Gamma Link/5th Street/third floor).
SATERN Registration is encouraged. Click: https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_... **
(**NOTE: event description may be inaccurate due to bugs with new SATERN system. Rely on date info.)
 
For additional information, contact any EC5 Spacesuit Knowledge Capture point of contact: Cinda
Chullen (x38384), Juniper Jairala (281-461-5794) or Rose Bitterly (281-461-5795).
 
Juniper Jairala 281-461-5794
 
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12.          Seats Available - From Tactical to Strategic Thinking Course
This highly experiential and interactive course puts leaders in the driver's seat from the beginning of the course with a detailed case study of a leader who has an opportunity to move from a tactical to a strategic perspective. The course is coupled with hands-on and pragmatic exercises that encourage participants to utilize a strategic framework and their own workplace experiences to identify strategic interests of their organization. Participants will apply their learning to a number of real life situations before planning ways to move from a tactical to a strategic perspective in their own roles as leaders.
 
The class is scheduled for July 24 to 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Springhill Suites -- Seabrook hotel.
 
Space is limited, and you must register for this course through SATERN by clicking the link below. https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=REGISTRATI...
 
Christine Eagleton x27838
 
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13.          JSC Radio Control Club Meeting
The Johnson Space Center Radio Control Club will have its monthly meeting at the Clear Lake Park building (5001 Nasa Parkway, Lake side) on Thursday, June 14, at 7 p.m. The JSCRCC is a radio control model aviation club that flies behind Building 14. Come and enjoy some fellowship with like-minded aviation buffs.
 
Mike Laible 281-226-4192 http://www.jscrcc.com/
 
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14.          Exploration Wellness Class - Top 10 Nutrition Mistakes
Grab your lunch, and spend an hour with the JSC Wellness Program Dietitian as she unveils some of the hidden secrets of many of the foods we eat.
 
Class Description:
You read all the books and know what phrases to look for on the food packages at the store. You're certain your nutrition report card should be filled with straight A's! However, before you start pasting gold stars onto your refrigerator door, come join us for this informative class. Studies show that most of us think we are eating a lot better than we actually are. It is easy to buy into some popular misconceptions, some that might mean we aren't eating as healthy as we thought. This class will help you identify common nutrition mistakes and offer ways to avoid them.
 
Date/Time/Location: June 19, 11 a.m., Building 29, Room 115
 
Enroll at the link below.
 
Jessica Vos x41383 http://www.explorationwellness.com/rd/AE104.aspx?June_Signup.pdf
 
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15.          The Explorers Club 50th Anniversary of Scott Carpenters Aurora 7 Flight
The Spring meeting of the Texas Chapter of The Explorers Club will be on Saturday, June 23, at the Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake, near the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Houston, Texas.
 
The Texas Chapter of The Explorers Club is proud to host an event honoring Commander Scott Carpenter, USN (Ret) and the 50th anniversary of his historic flight of MA-7.
 
The cost of the dinner is $100.00 per person. The attire for the evening is black tie optional (Military Uniform, Unique Attire or Native Fashion encouraged). There will be an open bar prior to dinner with libations available for all from 6 to 7p.m.
 
Use the following contact information for questions and reservations:
 
Texas Chapter of
The Explorers Club, to:
John Holder, Program Chairman
11502 Pradera Dr.
Austin, TX 78759-4524
Holder contact information: Telephone: 512-331-1011
Cell (for June 22, 23, 24): 512-699-9642
email: john@oceanicexpeditions.org
 
Donald Barker x39823 http://www.explorers.org/index.php/events/detail/chapter_event_texas
 
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________________________________________
JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles. To see an archive of previous JSC Today announcements, go to http://www6.jsc.nasa.gov/pao/news/jsctoday/archives.
 
 
 
 
Human Spaceflight News
Thursday, June 14, 2012
 
HEADLINES AND LEADS
 
NASA chief views history-making SpaceX capsule
 
Angela Brown - Associated Press
 
Marred by just a few scorch marks from its re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere, the world's first commercial supply spacecraft to visit the International Space Station weathered its maiden voyage well, NASA and SpaceX officials said Wednesday. "It's almost untouched," SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said as he looked at the Dragon capsule, which was on display at the company's rocket factory in McGregor. The large, bell-shaped craft is more than 14 feet high and 12 feet in diameter.
 
SpaceX Delivers Space Station Cargo to NASA in McGreggor
 
Sophia Stamas - KCEN TV (Central Texas)
 
Two weeks ago it made history, and today SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft made its way to central Texas. Dragon was the first commercial vehicle to dock with the International Space Station, bringing  back cargo for NASA. From deep space to deep in the heart of Texas, the Dragon did what it was meant to do today, as NASA Administrator Charles Bolden took possession of the 1,000 pounds of cargo it brought back from the International Space Station.
 
SpaceX celebrates mission, plans for more
 
Tara Merrigan - Austin American-Statesman
 
Space Exploration Technologies, the first private company to ferry cargo to and from the International Space Station, celebrated the company's accomplishment Wednesday and discussed plans for the future. SpaceX CEO and chief designer Elon Musk said that SpaceX, with this success behind it, plans to expand its operation by adding more jobs to the McGregor facility, just southwest of Waco, and by creating its own launch facility, which could be place on the Texas coast. Musk said he planned to meet with Gov. Rick Perry later in the day discuss a possible launch site.
 
NASA chief visits the Dragon's lair
 
Alan Boyle - MsNBC.com's Cosmic Log
 
In the wake of a history-making commercial space mission, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and SpaceX's billionaire founder, Elon Musk, met up in Texas today for a close-up look at the company's recently returned Dragon space capsule and the official handover of more than a half-ton of cargo that came back to Earth on the craft. Musk also got in a little Texas-style politicking on the side. The SpaceX Dragon's trip to the International Space Station last month marked the first time a privately built craft made an orbital stopover. The Dragon is currently the only type of spaceship on the planet capable of bringing significant amounts of cargo back from the station — up to 3 tons' worth. This time around, it returned 1,367 pounds (621 kilograms) of non-critical cargo, including scientific experiments as well as equipment and spacewalk gear that was no longer needed.
 
NASA Chief Visits History-Making Private Space Capsule
 
Space.com
 
NASA chief Charlie Bolden got an up-close look Wednesday (June 13) at SpaceX's unmanned Dragon space capsule, the first private vehicle ever to dock with the International Space Station. Bolden viewed the Dragon capsule at SpaceX's Rocket Development Facility in McGregor, Texas, where he joined company CEO and chief designer Elon Musk. The two men thanked the more than 150 SpaceX employees who work at the facility for helping make Dragon's groundbreaking flight possible.
 
Perry, SpaceX chief discuss spaceport in Texas
 
Associated Press
 
Texas is interested in a company's plans to build a space launch site in the state. A spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry says Wednesday's meeting went well with Perry and SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk. She says they discussed Perry's commitment to finding a suitable launch site in Texas.
 
Overheard on CNN: New shuttle needs space plane 'coolness'
 
Thom Patterson - CNN
 
They call it the "coolness factor." CNN commenters -- clearly energized about the promise of a new, privately developed space shuttle -- are buzzing about winged spacecraft versus capsule-based vehicles like Dragon, which SpaceX used for its historic visit to the space station last month. A commenter called "gregory" points out the Skylon space plane project in the UK. The theory behind space planes is they would be able to take off from a runway, rocket into low orbit, and then fly to a landing on a runway. Gregory suggests that space planes are preferable because their engines would be designed to "breathe air like a jet at lower speeds" and then "switch to rocket mode in the high atmosphere."
 
Last fuelling drill for Shenzhou-9's approaching launch
 
Xinhua News Agency
 
The last fuelling drill began on Wednesday. Technicians say they have to cool down the propeller for safety, as the launch is taking place during some of the year's hottest months. Meanwhile, the center's meteorological observatory is sending out two hydrogen balloons each day for the latest weather data. With a 2 metres diameter, the balloon can reach up to 30 kilometres above the ground.
 
Meet China’s First Female Astronaut—Maybe
 
Josh Chin - Wall Street Journal
 
China is getting ready to send a woman into space for the first time in a mission that will also represent the country’s first manned docking mission with its Tiangong-1 space station. The mission, announced just a few days ago, is moving forward rapidly: The Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft to be used in the mission has already been strapped to its carrier rocket and the rocket already moved to the launch pad at a satellite launch center in northwest China. All that remains is to choose the woman who will be on board when spacecraft shoots skyward.
 
NB man plays role in new space era   Barbeques Galore
 
Jill Fales - Orange County Register
 
Many men in Newport Beach leave town for business on a regular basis, but few have to kiss the wife and kids good-bye before helping to launch a rocket into outer space. Newport Beach resident Bill Fitzpatrick does just that. As a systems engineer, he was at Cape Canaveral last month and played a role in the historic SpaceX launch of the Dragon. His job was created in 2003 as a result of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, which disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry. Debris from Columbia fell to earth in both states.
 
Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane May Land Friday
 
Tariq Malik - Space.com
 
The U.S. Air Force is standing ready for this week's much anticipated return to Earth of a robotic space plane that has spent more than a year in orbit on a secret mission. Air Force officials say landing day for the unmanned X-37B space plane is imminent, and could occur on Friday (June 15). But weather conditions at its intended landing site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, as well as other factors, will determine when the spacecraft's will ultimately land.
 
Kennedy Space Center's New Launch Control Center Tour
 
Brevard Times
 
For the first time in over 30 years, NASA is allowing Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex guests inside the Launch Control Center – where NASA directors and engineers supervised all of the 152 launches for the space shuttle and Apollo programs - according to a Kennedy Space Center news release. The KSC Up-Close: Launch Control Center (LCC) Tour, the second in Kennedy Space Center’s special 50th anniversary series of rare-access tours, takes visitors inside Firing Room 4, one of the LCC’s four firing rooms and the one from which all 21 space shuttle launches since 2006 were controlled.
 
Space pioneer's career spanned history of NASA
Career spanned Mercury, shuttle programs
 
Scott Gunnerson - Florida Today
 
Space industry pioneer Sam Beddingfield, whose career spanned from Project Mercury to the shuttle program, died Wednesday. He was 78. Beddingfield, who lived in Titusville, joined NASA in 1959 at the urging of Gus Grissom, whom he’d flown with at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Grissom became one of the seven original Mercury astronauts, and he thought Beddingfield, an aeronautical engineer, should work in the space industry, too. As the story goes, Beddingfield said, “I don’t know anything about space,” recalled Charlie Mars, president of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation. Grissom apparently replied: “Nobody else does, either.”
__________
 
COMPLETE STORIES
 
NASA chief views history-making SpaceX capsule
 
Angela Brown - Associated Press
 
Marred by just a few scorch marks from its re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere, the world's first commercial supply spacecraft to visit the International Space Station weathered its maiden voyage well, NASA and SpaceX officials said Wednesday.
 
"It's almost untouched," SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said as he looked at the Dragon capsule, which was on display at the company's rocket factory in McGregor. The large, bell-shaped craft is more than 14 feet high and 12 feet in diameter.
 
Last month, the unmanned SpaceX Dragon delivered 1,000 pounds of provisions _ mostly food _ to the space station and returned with nearly 1,400 pounds of old equipment and a handful of experiments. Because it was a nine-day test flight, NASA did not load it with anything valuable.
 
The California-based SpaceX _ formally named Space Exploration Technologies Corp. _ is the first private business to send a cargo ship to the space station. The company hopes to launch another capsule in September.
 
Musk said that a site near Brownsville in South Texas is the leading candidate for SpaceX's latest spaceport. He and Texas Gov. Rick Perry met later Wednesday to discuss incentives and other issues.
 
Musk said other launch sites under consideration - in Florida and Puerto Rico - had made stronger cases than Texas, "but that may be changing."
 
Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said the meeting went well. Perry and Musk discussed Texas' interest in the project and commitment to working with SpaceX to find a good location for the spaceport in the state, Nashed said.
 
"Locating this new facility in Texas would be a natural fit," Nashed said in a statement.
 
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden praised SpaceX and the Dragon, saying last month's flight was a success that had taken much time and hard work. Bolden said the capsule was "beaten up" during re-entry but is robust.
 
"Sometimes, something bad is going to happen, but when it does ... they will bounce back," Bolden said, referring to SpaceX. "NASA is with you."
 
President Barack Obama is leading the move to commercial spaceflight. He wants routine orbital flights turned over to private businesses so the federal space agency can work on sending astronauts to Mars and asteroids.
 
NASA has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in seed money to vying companies, including SpaceX. It received nearly $400 million as part of its contract with NASA to develop the capability to carry cargo to the space station and back, including the recently completed Dragon flight, said company spokeswoman Kirstin Brost Grantham.
 
SpaceX Delivers Space Station Cargo to NASA in McGreggor
 
Sophia Stamas - KCEN TV (Central Texas)
 
Two weeks ago it made history, and today SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft made its way to central Texas.
 
Dragon was the first commercial vehicle to dock with the International Space Station, bringing  back cargo for NASA.
 
From deep space to deep in the heart of Texas, the Dragon did what it was meant to do today, as NASA Administrator Charles Bolden took possession of the 1,000 pounds of cargo it brought back from the International Space Station.
 
"What we did as a team was historic. It's the first time that private company has ever done what you all did, and that's a big, big deal," Bolden said to SpaceX employees Wednesday morning.
 
With NASA missions grounded, commercial space travel is starting to take off, and thanks to a special heat shield, it's the first cargo vehicle not to burn up, giving SpaceX CEO Elon Musk high hopes of upgrading Dragon to carry astronauts and maybe someday civilians.
 
"The fact that it's demonstrated this robustness is, I think, pretty helpful in preparing for future crew missions and that kind of thing," said Musk.
 
Already another rocket is ready to go at Cape Canaveral, and a new space craft could be launched some time this year.
 
"We're just working with NASA to figure out what the exact right timing is for the next launch, but we're ready to go within months," said Musk.
 
First NASA will review the success of the Dragon's mission.
 
If all goes well, Bolden says the sky is the limit for the exploding commercial space industry.
 
"The President has given us an opportunity, in the face of a lot of adversity to be quite honest, He's given us an opportunity to blaze a new trail in terms of space exploration," said Bolden.
 
The Dragon may be sent up again, or it might tour the country to educate kids about its science.
 
Wherever this battered beacon of ingenuity goes, Bolden hopes it inspires the next generation to shoot for the moon.
 
"As we sit with our grand kids in the rocking chair, you will be able to tell them about what happened over the last few weeks and you're going to tell them, I was there, and this is what we did," said Bolden.
 
And as SpaceX launches into the future, it's expected to bring several hundred new jobs to central Texas.
 
SpaceX celebrates mission, plans for more
 
Tara Merrigan - Austin American-Statesman
 
Space Exploration Technologies, the first private company to ferry cargo to and from the International Space Station, celebrated the company's accomplishment Wednesday and discussed plans for the future.
 
SpaceX CEO and chief designer Elon Musk said that SpaceX, with this success behind it, plans to expand its operation by adding more jobs to the McGregor facility, just southwest of Waco, and by creating its own launch facility, which could be place on the Texas coast. Musk said he planned to meet with Gov. Rick Perry later in the day discuss a possible launch site.
 
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr. came to the celebration bearing greetings and praise from administration headquarters in Washington. At a gathering at SpaceX's test facility, Bolden commended the company for bucking detractors of the White House's decision to gradually shift space travel to the private sector.
 
"What we did, as a team, is historic," Bolden told the 50 or so technicians. "You flung the door wide open when you completed this successful Dragon mission."
 
On May 31, SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule returned to Earth, splashing into the Pacific Ocean several hundred miles off the coast of Baja California after spending nine days in space.
 
The craft, which was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., delivered more than a half-ton of food, clothing and other necessities to the space station. It brought back almost 1,400 pounds of used equipment and scientific samples.
 
"This is our baby, back from space. I feel like a proud father," Musk said, gesturing to the imposing capsule, its white façade scarred with burn marks from its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
 
He cast Dragon's success in contrast with the company's failed attempts to launch crafts into orbit, including unsuccessful launches of Falcon 1 rockets in 2006 and 2007, saying that SpaceX's outlook a few years ago was "kind of grim."
 
"There's a reason there are idiomatic expressions about the toughness of rocket science," Musk said.
 
Holden emphasized NASA's commitment to SpaceX and the privatization of the space industry.
 
"This is risky stuff we do. It's hard. ... I have lived through triumph and tragedy," said Holden, a former astronaut. "NASA is in this for the long run. We are not going to give up on you."
 
For Zenon Mercado, a SpaceX propulsion test technician, the company's achievement was "very exciting" and signified that SpaceX is "going in a really good direction."
 
NASA chief visits the Dragon's lair
 
Alan Boyle - MsNBC.com's Cosmic Log
 
In the wake of a history-making commercial space mission, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and SpaceX's billionaire founder, Elon Musk, met up in Texas today for a close-up look at the company's recently returned Dragon space capsule and the official handover of more than a half-ton of cargo that came back to Earth on the craft. Musk also got in a little Texas-style politicking on the side.
 
The SpaceX Dragon's trip to the International Space Station last month marked the first time a privately built craft made an orbital stopover. The Dragon is currently the only type of spaceship on the planet capable of bringing significant amounts of cargo back from the station — up to 3 tons' worth. This time around, it returned 1,367 pounds (621 kilograms) of non-critical cargo, including scientific experiments as well as equipment and spacewalk gear that was no longer needed.
 
The handover at SpaceX's rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas, meant that the space agency and the 10-year-old company could check off the last major milestone on their list for the demonstration mission. And that, in turn, opens the way for SpaceX to start ferrying cargo to the station on a regular basis under the terms of a $1.6 billion contract with NASA. The first of 12 missions is tentatively planned for September.
 
Wednesday's meeting gave Bolden and Musk an opportunity to thank the more than 150 SpaceX employees working at the McGregor facility — and get a good look at the Dragon. The Associated Press quoted Musk as saying the craft looked "almost untouched," while Bolden said the capsule was "beaten up" during re-entry.
 
"The Dragon capsule is a tangible example of the new era of exploration unfolding right now," Bolden was quoted as saying in a NASA report about the Texas meet-up. "Commercial space is becoming a reality as SpaceX looks ahead to future missions to the space station and other destinations. All of NASA's partners in the commercial crew and cargo programs continue to meet milestones designing the next generation of innovative U.S. spacecraft destined for low Earth orbit. In addition, NASA centers across the country are making exciting progress on the vehicles that will take astronauts to farther destinations like an asteroid and Mars. I congratulate Elon Musk and the SpaceX team again for this historic milestone."
 
Musk similarly expressed his thanks to the space agency and to SpaceX's employees — and also referred to the company's plans to build a new launch site in South Texas. SpaceX is using its current pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida primarily for NASA resupply missions. Another pad that's under construction at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California may eventually take on military launches. The third launch site, in contrast, would be devoted exclusively to commercial launches.
 
In the past, Musk has said that he was considering several locales around the country, but this morning he told the crowd in McGregor that "the south coast of Texas is the lead candidate for that third launch site."
 
"I'm actually flying to meet with the governor later today and a number of people on the Texas Legislature side to talk about that, as well as any potential questions in the future about flying astronauts, if we’re successful in winning future NASA business in that regard," Musk said.
 
SpaceX and three other companies — Blue Origin, the Boeing Co. and Sierra Nevada Corp. — are currently receiving millions of dollars from NASA to support the development of spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to the station. In SpaceX's case, that would involve building and testing a launch escape system for the Dragon craft. Musk has said that the first tests of such a thruster system could begin this year, and that astronauts could conceivably fly on the Dragon as early as 2015. NASA's projections, however, lean more toward the 2017 time frame.
 
During the next phase of the commercial crew development program, NASA has indicated that it will provide significant support for two spaceship teams, plus a smaller backup grant. This compromise plan, which I like to think of as a "Two and a Half Spacemen," was worked out with Rep. Frank Wolf, the Virginia Republican who chairs the House Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations subcommittee. In light of SpaceX's success so far, the company is virtually a shoo-in to win continued support.
 
This afternoon, Musk and Texas Gov. Rick Perry reviewed the status of the South Texas spaceport project, which is now in the midst of a federal environmental review. Texas state officials have said they'd consider all of their options for supporting the project, including economic incentives. The one-on-one went well, judging by Perry's Twitter update: "Great meeting with SpaceX's Elon Musk — a true space pioneer!"
 
In a statement, Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said Texas would be "a natural fit" for SpaceX's future launch facility.
 
After the talks with the politicians, Musk is due to meet up again with Bolden on Thursday at SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. They'll take a look at another scorched Dragon — the one that flew the first NASA demonstration mission in December 2010 — as well as the prototype Dragon being designed for crew flights. And they'll probably also face a cheering crowd of hundreds of SpaceX employees, similar to this one.
 
NASA Chief Visits History-Making Private Space Capsule
 
Space.com
 
NASA chief Charlie Bolden got an up-close look Wednesday (June 13) at SpaceX's unmanned Dragon space capsule, the first private vehicle ever to dock with the International Space Station.
 
Bolden viewed the Dragon capsule at SpaceX's Rocket Development Facility in McGregor, Texas, where he joined company CEO and chief designer Elon Musk. The two men thanked the more than 150 SpaceX employees who work at the facility for helping make Dragon's groundbreaking flight possible.
 
"The Dragon capsule is a tangible example of the new era of exploration unfolding right now," Bolden said. "I congratulate Elon Musk and the SpaceX team again for this historic milestone."
 
Dragon launched May 22 on a demonstration mission to see if the spacecraft and SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket are ready to begin a series of contracted supply runs to the orbiting lab for NASA. Dragon docked with the station on May 25 and capped its successful flight with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California six days later.
 
Dragon is the only robotic cargo craft currently available that can survive the return trip to Earth. Other supply ships burn up in our planet's atmosphere after leaving the station.
 
After splashdown and recovery, the capsule was shipped to McGregor, where SpaceX personnel offloaded the 1,367 pounds (620 kilograms) of gear Dragon brought back down to Earth. Bolden had the chance to view this cargo during his tour as well.
 
Dragon's recent flight was SpaceX's second demonstration mission under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program (COTS), which aims to spur the development of private cargo-carrying craft to fill the void left by the retirement of NASA's space shuttle.
 
SpaceX holds a $1.6 billion COTS contract to make 12 unmanned supply flights to the station, and the first of these bona fide cargo runs could blast off as early as September, NASA officials have said.
 
The company is also working to develop a crew-carrying version of Dragon, which it hopes will be carrying NASA astronauts to and from the station within three years or so. Musk has said a crewed Dragon could eventually transport astronauts to Mars and other destinations in deep space.
 
The success of SpaceX and other private spaceflight companies is key to NASA's long-range human-spaceflight plans. The space agency has given money to four American firms — SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing and Sierra Nevada Corp. — in the hope that at least two of them will have vehicles flying to and from the space station by 2017. Until then, American astronauts will ride aboard Russian Soyuz vehicles, at about $62 million per seat.
 
NASA, meanwhile, is concentrating on developing a deep-space transportation system. In 2010, President Barack Obama directed the space agency to work toward getting astronauts to an asteroid by 2025, then on to the vicinity of Mars by the mid-2030s.
 
Perry, SpaceX chief discuss spaceport in Texas
 
Associated Press
 
Texas is interested in a company's plans to build a space launch site in the state.
 
A spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry says Wednesday's meeting went well with Perry and SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk. She says they discussed Perry's commitment to finding a suitable launch site in Texas.
 
Spokeswoman Lucy Nashed says having a site in Texas would be a natural fit since SpaceX already has its rocket factory near Waco.
 
Musk said earlier Wednesday that South Texas is the leading candidate for a launch site for the company that sent the world's first commercial supply ship to the International Space Station.
 
Last month, the SpaceX Dragon delivered 1,000 pounds of provisions to the space station and returned with 1,400 pounds of old equipment.
 
Overheard on CNN: New shuttle needs space plane 'coolness'
 
Thom Patterson - CNN
 
They call it the "coolness factor."
 
CNN commenters -- clearly energized about the promise of a new, privately developed space shuttle -- are buzzing about winged spacecraft versus capsule-based vehicles like Dragon, which SpaceX used for its historic visit to the space station last month.
 
A commenter called "gregory" points out the Skylon space plane project in the UK. The theory behind space planes is they would be able to take off from a runway, rocket into low orbit, and then fly to a landing on a runway.
 
Gregory suggests that space planes are preferable because their engines would be designed to "breathe air like a jet at lower speeds" and then "switch to rocket mode in the high atmosphere."
 
CNN reported on Skylon last year and one insider estimated development cost to be around $10 billion. NASA's program to fund private spacecraft development offers only a fraction of that amount -- less than $400 million awarded so far.
 
Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser orbiter, which passed an aerodynamics flight test last month, would launch atop an Atlas V rocket and uses wings to fly back to a runway landing on earth.
 
"As far as coolness factor -- Skylon wins over Dream Chaser hands down," gregory writes.
 
Well, yes, experts say privately developed space planes that take off and land independently from runways would be great.
 
If they existed.
 
But they don't right now. Why not? It costs a lot of money to develop new technology. For Skylon, a crucial engine test still stands in the way of success, according to reports. Then, down the road, suborbital test flights reportedly could happen as soon as 2016, if all goes well. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo isn't designed to take off from a runway independently, it has to be launched in flight from a mothership aircraft. It is not intended to achieve orbit.
 
Dream Chaser -- which aims to reach the space station -- is expected to have its first autonomous flight test in August or September. It's based on well-known design concepts, which saves money on development costs.
 
Coolness? Aerospace engineers will never choose style over substance.
 
But the sweeping, sleek design of a winged spacecraft like the Dream Chaser does catch the fancy of a lot of aerospace aficionados who still hold a place in their hearts for NASA's retired shuttle program.
 
Let's not forget capsules -- such as the Apollo command module -- which traveled to the moon and back.
 
Yes, they were gumdrop-shaped with less "coolness factor," but they got the job done. More reliable than wings, say supporters, because they're simple and more proven.
 
As one aerospace insider put it: Sometimes the argument about winged versus capsules "can be almost a religious debate among engineers."
 
A downside of most capsules: They splashdown in the water, creating water damage, although Russia's Soyuz capsule's system allows it to land safely on solid ground.
 
As CNN commenter "Dem in Nebraska" points out, "Spashdown requires manpower and equipment to lift the capsule out of the ocean, which requires" lots of expensive logistics and infrastructure. Landing on a runway costs a lot less, Dem suggests.
 
Right now, the SpaceX Dragon is designed to return to Earth by splashing down.
 
But the company has plans to develop the Dragon for on-target propulsive landing on solid ground.
 
All this talk about wings versus capsules goes to a larger point: What's the ultimate goal behind spacecraft like Dream Chaser, Dragon and Boeing's capsule, the CST-100?
 
Is it to build a vehicle that will take astronauts into low orbit? Or does the design goal take a longer view?
 
A longer view may be to develop a spacecraft that can travel to low orbit and travel to the moon -- or beyond. This is what SpaceX is looking to do -- develop spacecraft that can be used for different kinds of missions.
 
Last fuelling drill for Shenzhou-9's approaching launch
 
Xinhua News Agency
 
The last fuelling drill began on Wednesday. Technicians say they have to cool down the propeller for safety, as the launch is taking place during some of the year's hottest months.
 
Meanwhile, the center's meteorological observatory is sending out two hydrogen balloons each day for the latest weather data. With a 2 metres diameter, the balloon can reach up to 30 kilometres above the ground.
 
The balloon's monitor box collects temperatures and air pressure figures, sending the data to ground radars every 2 seconds.
 
In addition, there are 7 weather monitoring stations on the ground, tracking any approaching abnormal weather. The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre holds two weather consultation meetings each day.
 
The latest numbers show that cooler temperatures are headed towards the area, good news for Shenzhou-9's fast approaching launch.
 
Meet China’s First Female Astronaut—Maybe
 
Josh Chin - Wall Street Journal
 
China is getting ready to send a woman into space for the first time in a mission that will also represent the country’s first manned docking mission with its Tiangong-1 space station.
 
The mission, announced just a few days ago, is moving forward rapidly: The Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft to be used in the mission has already been strapped to its carrier rocket and the rocket already moved to the launch pad at a satellite launch center in northwest China.
 
All that remains is to choose the woman who will be on board when spacecraft shoots skyward.
 
On Tuesday, in what may or may not be a sign that the decision has been made, the state-run China Daily published a profile of 34-year-old fighter pilot Liu Yang, one of the two candidates tipped as the most likely to go where no Chinese woman has gone before.
 
Based on the story, it sounds like Ms. Liu will make a reliable and pleasant, if not particularly entertaining, travel partner:
 
Liu’s uncle Niu Zhenxi told China Daily on Tuesday that she has long set the example for children in her relatives’ families since she was very devoted and obedient to her parents.
 
“We all believe that she could make a difference because she is good at overcoming various difficulties,” he said.
 
Wang Xufeng, one of Liu’s high school classmates, said she was not talkative in high school but very friendly to the other classmates.
 
“I remember that she was a quiet girl who was shy to talk in public,” Wang told China Daily. “She always smiled while talking with her friends, and I can still remember her sweet smile.”
 
She was very diligent in her studies and always ranked in the top 10 of the class in exams, Wang said.
 
Lest anyone assume that having a sweet smile and obeying her parents as a child means Ms. Liu is soft, the story makes sure to point out that she flies with ice in her veins, citing as evidence an incident in 2003 when a plane she was flying collided in mid-air with a flock of pigeons.
 
According to China Daily, the plane tore through 18 of the unfortunate birds, destroying one of its engines and splattering blood on the windshield. Despite the carnage, the report says, Ms. Liu managed to keep the plane steady, safely executing an emergency landing minutes later.
 
The newspaper didn’t mention the woman widely believed to be Ms. Liu’s chief rival for a seat on the Shenzhou-9, Wang Yaping, a fighter pilot said to have flown relief flights during the Sichuan earthquake.
 
The Guardian has photos of both women here.
 
It’s unlikely, though by no means impossible, that propaganda authorities would choose to profile Ms. Liu in the country’s main state-run English-language newspaper if she weren’t considered the front-runner.
 
In any case, we won’t know for sure who won until just before the Shenzhou-9 lifts off, an event authorities have said will happen “in mid-June.”
 
NB man plays role in new space era   Barbeques Galore
 
Jill Fales - Orange County Register
 
Many men in Newport Beach leave town for business on a regular basis, but few have to kiss the wife and kids good-bye before helping to launch a rocket into outer space. Newport Beach resident Bill Fitzpatrick does just that. As a systems engineer, he was at Cape Canaveral last month and played a role in the historic SpaceX launch of the Dragon.
 
His job was created in 2003 as a result of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, which disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry. Debris from Columbia fell to earth in both states.
 
In response, NASA decided to invest more money into safety. The company that Fitzpatrick works for was hired to be part of the newly developed team that would use radars to track the space shuttle from lift-off into orbit and any debris, both naturally occurring during launch, and in the case of a disaster. Fitzpatrick became part of this team in January 2010.
 
Putting a complex job into simple terms, he says one big aspect is to "be able to track the shuttle, diagnose problems and analyze some of the pieces."
 
Another objective is studying the debris from blast off, such as ice, foam and slag. "Sometimes we'll find a metal piece that isn't supposed to be there."
 
Although the shuttle has retired, Fitzpatrick's work continues. "It's important for people to realize it's the dawn of a new era. Commercial industry has entered the field of space exploration and travel," Fitzpatrick said. SpaceX is just one of the avenues to do it. Although the government still plays a role in regulation and testing on every aspect of the projects, SpaceX is a privately owned company, not a branch of the government that is in the business of space.
 
Last month's mission was extraordinary because the Dragon carried supplies to the International Space Station. It was the first time a commercial organization accomplished this feat.
 
Fitzpatrick's job is not only driven by safety, but also performance. "We can get really good estimates of the trajectory from the launch off the site, until we lose it over the horizon," he said.
 
When asked if he would travel to space in his lifetime, Fitzpatrick quickly replied, "I hope not. I don't even go on roller coasters." His passion, he explains, is for math, applied math and solving math problems.
 
"When I was a kid, I loved figuring out how things work. I used to take things apart." His curiosity, analytical and math skills led him to earning a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of Illinois. A job in the defense industry brought him to California where he met his wife, Lynne. They have two kids, Blake and Corrie who attend Eastbluff Elementary.
 
SpaceX must complete 20 successful missions before the government deems it safe for tourist travel.
 
Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane May Land Friday
 
Tariq Malik - Space.com
 
The U.S. Air Force is standing ready for this week's much anticipated return to Earth of a robotic space plane that has spent more than a year in orbit on a secret mission.
 
Air Force officials say landing day for the unmanned X-37B space plane is imminent, and could occur on Friday (June 15). But weather conditions at its intended landing site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, as well as other factors, will determine when the spacecraft's will ultimately land.
 
"Team Vandenberg is prepared to safely receive the X-37B at a moment's notice," Air Force Lt. Austin Fallin told SPACE.com in an email this week. "Exact landing date and time depend on weather and technical considerations."
 
The X-37B spacecraft's landing window opened on June 11 and runs through June 18, with Friday being the next opportunity, Fallin said. The exact nature of the space plane's mission is classified, so aside from a brief May 30 statement announcing the upcoming landing in the mid-June timeframe, Air Force officials have remained mum on re-entry details.
 
"More information will be released as it becomes available," Fallin said.
 
The X-37B space plane set to land this week is known as the Orbital Test Vehicle 2 (OTV-2) and looks much like a smaller version of NASA's reusable space shuttles. Unlike NASA's shuttles, the OTV-2 is completely unmanned and is powered by a solar panel that allows it to stay in orbit for months at a time.
 
Air Force officials have said the estimated mission length for its X-37B space planes (there are currently two) is about 270 days, but the OTV-2 mission has far outlasted that timeframe. The OTV-2 mission launched into orbit on March 5, 2011 and has racked up more than 460 days in orbit so far.
 
The Air Force's X-37B space planes are built by Boeing and originally began as a NASA test program that shifted into the U.S military's control in 2006, first to DARPA and then to the Air Force, due to funding issues. Each X-37B spacecraft is about 29 feet long (8.8 meters) 15 feet wide (4.5 m), and has a payload bay about the size of a pickup truck bed.
 
The spacecraft are launched into orbit atop unmanned Atlas 5 rockets and are designed to guide themselves back to Earth on autopilot by re-entering the atmosphere and landing on a runway at Vandenberg. The OTV-2 mission and its predecessor were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
 
The first X-37B space plane, OTV-1, launched in 2010 and spent 225 days in space. This OTV-2 mission has more than doubled the duration of that debut flight. Air Force officials have said they intend to launch the OTV-1 vehicle on another test flight soon, possibly as soon as this fall.
 
Kennedy Space Center's New Launch Control Center Tour
 
Brevard Times
 
For the first time in over 30 years, NASA is allowing Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex guests inside the Launch Control Center – where NASA directors and engineers supervised all of the 152 launches for the space shuttle and Apollo programs - according to a Kennedy Space Center news release. 
 
The KSC Up-Close: Launch Control Center (LCC) Tour, the second in Kennedy Space Center’s special 50th anniversary series of rare-access tours, takes visitors inside Firing Room 4, one of the LCC’s four firing rooms and the one from which all 21 space shuttle launches since 2006 were controlled.
 
Inside Firing Room 4, visitors will pass by the computer consoles at which engineers monitored the computerized launch control system’s thousands of system checks every minute leading up to launch.  They’ll see the main launch countdown clock and many large video monitors on the walls, and enter the “bubble room,” with its wall of interior windows through which the Kennedy Space Center management team viewed all of the proceedings below.
 
The most important person in Firing Room 4 was the launch director, who oversaw the entire process and made the final call on whether a launch was a “Go” or “No go.”
 
“With so much on the line, the people who worked in this room were under tremendous pressure not only in daily operations but particularly as the countdown proceeded,” said Bob Sieck, former launch director, Kennedy Space Center.  “They had to handle the tension and their emotions as the tests became faster, the astronauts took their place in the shuttle and thousands of people and news media were gathered outside to watch the launch.”
 
The LCC Tour opens Friday, June 15, 2012 and will run through the end of 2012 with a limited number of daily tours.  NASA and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex recently extended another behind-the-scenes tour through the end of the year.  That tour, which began in November, takes visitors inside the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the massive building adjacent to the LCC where the Apollo Saturn V rockets and space shuttles were assembled.
 
As with the VAB, visitors have not had access to the LCC since the 1970s, during the period after the Apollo and Skylab programs ended and before the first space shuttle launch in 1981.
 
“This is another very rare opportunity that NASA has worked with us to provide – access to the Launch Control Center,” said Bill Moore, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.  “It might be another 30 years before guests will receive a behind-the-scenes opportunity like this again.”
 
The LCC will continue to operate in guiding the next generation of rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center for NASA and potentially for commercial space programs.  Future launches of SpaceX, whose recent launch from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station resulted in the first mission by a commercial company to travel to and dock with the International Space Station, could take place from Kennedy Space Center beginning in 2013.
 
The LCC Tour is led by a trained space expert, giving visitors an insider’s view of the space program from launch preparation to liftoff.  The tour also includes drive-by views of Launch Pad 39 and culminates at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where visitors can resume the regular tour.   Price is $25 for adults and $19 for children ages 3-11 plus tax, in addition to admission.
 
The tour will also showcase the LCC’s lobby, which features 152 wall plaques – one for every mission guided there since the first, the unmanned Apollo 4 in 1967.  Included are the manned Apollo moon missions, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975, the Saturn V launches for Skylab in the mid-1970s, and the launches for the 30-year Space Shuttle Program.
 
The LCC is also listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and won an architectural award for industrial design from the American Institute of Architecture in 1965.  The lead architect, Martin Stein, said the building’s prominent windows overlooking the launch pads of Launch Complex 39, where all of the shuttles and Saturn V rockets were launched, made a statement as windows “through which you could see mankind’s future.”
 
In celebration of Kennedy Space Center’s 50th anniversary, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is offering guests two special offers that can save up to 30 percent on admission, food and merchandise, as well as secure access to view rocket launches.  Details of Kennedy Space Center’s 50th Gold Admission Package and a $50 Annual Pass are available at http://kennedyspacecenter.com/annual-pass-offer.aspx
 
From the earliest days of America’s storied space program, Kennedy Space Center has captured the world’s attention and fed its imagination as the epicenter of mankind’s greatest adventure.  Its remarkable collection of rockets, launch pads, NASA aerospace technology components and rocket launch viewing opportunities offer authenticity and access unlike any other Central Florida destination.
 
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex features many attractions and year-round interactive programs, including meeting real astronauts.  The regular bus tour, included with admission, explores the history of the Apollo moon and space shuttle programs with panoramic views of launch pads and the VAB’s exterior and stops at the LC-39 Observation Gantry and the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where visitors see a fully restored, 363-foot Saturn V moon rocket and relive the historic Apollo missions that saw man land on the moon.
 
Other Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex attractions and activities include Shuttle Launch Experience, an incredible simulated journey of vertically launching into space and orbiting Earth aboard the space shuttle, as well as the Astronaut Training Experience ® (ATX®), Rocket Garden, two IMAX® theaters, Astronaut Encounter, Lunch With an Astronaut, U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted, and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
 
In addition, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the future home of the space shuttle Atlantis, with a multimillion-dollar exhibit expected to open in July 2013.
 
Space pioneer's career spanned history of NASA
Career spanned Mercury, shuttle programs
 
Scott Gunnerson - Florida Today
 
Space industry pioneer Sam Beddingfield, whose career spanned from Project Mercury to the shuttle program, died Wednesday. He was 78.
 
Beddingfield, who lived in Titusville, joined NASA in 1959 at the urging of Gus Grissom, whom he’d flown with at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Grissom became one of the seven original Mercury astronauts, and he thought Beddingfield, an aeronautical engineer, should work in the space industry, too. As the story goes, Beddingfield said, “I don’t know anything about space,” recalled Charlie Mars, president of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation. Grissom apparently replied: “Nobody else does, either.”
 
Beddingfield came to Florida, starting work at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 1959. At the time, NASA had 33 employees. All were assigned ID numbers. Beddingfield’s: No. 4.
 
It was Beddingfield who strapped Alan Shepard, the first American in space, into his capsule.
 
“Sam was an icon of the space industry,” Mars said. “He was here in the very beginning.”
 
Beddingfield’s engineering career took him through the Mercury program and the Apollo launches. When NASA embarked on a new program, Beddingfield was one of the engineers to design the shuttle. He left the program as deputy director of shuttle operations in 1985.
 
“I had worked through 23 launches and decided enough was enough,” Beddingfield was quoted as saying in a NASA story about him being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Space Club in 2006.
 
After the Columbia accident, Beddingfield became one of many engineers to immediately point to foam damage on the orbiter’s tiles as the likely culprit.
 
He was active in the Valiant Air Command, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Space Walk of Fame Museum.
 
“He was an outstanding gentleman, and he will be missed,” said Lloyd Morris, commander of the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville. “He was a man of honor, integrity, always smiling, loved his country, loved his family.”
 
Beddingfield was a tour guide at the museum . He also was one of the first members of the Space Walk of Fame.
 
Beddingfield flew more than 27 types of aircraft while serving as an aeronautical engineer in the Air Force. His love of flying continued late into his life. Jim Garrison, president of Garrison Construction Design Build Inc. and a pilot, said Beddingfield had been active in the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 866 at Dunn Airport in Titusville.
 
“He was an avid pilot and was flying for many, many years,” Garrison said.
 
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Titusville.
 
END
 
 


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