10/30/12 news

Hope you can join us this Thursday for our monthly NASA Retirees luncheon at Hibachi Grill at 11:30.     Tuesday, October 30, 2012   JSC TODAY HEADLINES 1.      Watch the Launch and Docking of Russia's Progress Cargo Spacecraft 2.      ASIA ERG Happy 'Spider' Networking Tomorrow 3.      MCC Audio Will Be Shut Down on Friday, Nov. 16 4.      Did You Miss the IRD Expo and Forum? It's Not Too Late to Participate 5.      This Week at Starport 6.      Add it to the List -- Your Reading List, That is 7.      Don't Let Volunteering Spook You -- Sign Up Today 8.      SNS -- What is It? 9.      ISS Update Highlights Science Aboard the Station in a New Video 10.     Paying for College Without Going Broke 11.     Catch the First Part in 'A User's Guide to the Universe' on Nov. 15 12.     Recent JSC Announcements 13.     Engineer of the Year Award -- Deadline Tomorrow, Oct. 31 14.     AIAA Educator Achievement Award -- Deadline Tomorrow, Oct. 31 15.     Fire Warden Orientation Course (4 Hours) ________________________________________        QUOTE OF THE DAY “ If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. ”   -- Frank A. Clark ________________________________________ 1.      Watch the Launch and Docking of Russia's Progress Cargo Spacecraft NASA TV will broadcast the launch and same-day rendezvous and docking of a Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station. Coverage begins at 2:15 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Oct. 31. Progress 49 is scheduled to launch at 2:41 a.m. from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It will dock later that day at 8:40 a.m. in an abbreviated launch-to-rendezvous schedule designed to reduce the typical two-day flight between a launch and docking. NASA TV coverage of the Progress' arrival at the station will begin at 8 a.m. Russian flight controllers retain the option to revert to a normal two-day rendezvous if developments require. If that occurs, the craft will dock Friday, Nov. 2, and NASA TV will provide live coverage. JSC employees with wired computer network connections can view NASA TV using onsite IPTV on channels 404 (standard definition) or 4541 (HD). If you are having problems viewing the video using these systems, contact the Information Resources Directorate Customer Support Center at x46367. For more information about station, click here. JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs x35111   [top] 2.      ASIA ERG Happy 'Spider' Networking Tomorrow Don't miss out on the spooky-fun Halloween luncheon presented by the ASIA Employee Resource Group (ERG) on Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at East Star Restaurant (northeast corner of NASA Parkway and El Camino Real). East Star Chinese Buffet address and phone number: 1025 NASA Parkway, Houston, 77058 281-280-8822 There will be at least one officer in costume giving out opportunities to win a door prize and plenty of time to network with other ASIA ERG members. This event is open to both civil servants and contractors. You do not have to be an ASIA ERG member to participate in the fun and food. Krystine Bui x34186   [top] 3.      MCC Audio Will Be Shut Down on Friday, Nov. 16 The Mission Control Center (MCC) audio office tool functionality relies upon the legacy MCC DVIS headset communications system, which is slated for retirement in mid-November. Current users of the MCC audio system should migrate to the DICES tool prior to Nov. 16. Refer to the DICES website for installation instructions. Eric Gallagher x30170 https://apogee.jsc.nasa.gov/dices   [top] 4.      Did You Miss the IRD Expo and Forum? It's Not Too Late to Participate In case you missed the Information Resources Directorate (IRD) Expo and Forum on Oct. 25, there's still a chance to be a part of the action. By popular demand, IRD is providing you an opportunity to still participate and shape the future of Information Technology (IT) at JSC and the White Sands Test Facility via our survey. At the end of the survey you can enter into our drawing to be part of the "Office of the Future" Pathfinder Program, where you can help test products like iPads and external storage devices for IRD. Your last chance is just one click away! Take the IRD customer survey by close of business today. JSC IRD Outreach x41334   [top] 5.      This Week at Starport Stop by the Starport Gift Shops in Buildings 3 and 11 for our NASA youth hoodie closeout special! Youth hoodies are only $10 for a limited time. Several colors to choose from. Coming soon ... The Starport Gift Shops will once again be offering Sweetwater Pecans in plain pieces or halves; milk chocolate and white chocolate covered; crunchy praline; and roasted and salted; as well as pistachios in the shell for $11.50 per bag -- just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays. ETA is the second week of November. Watch JSC Today for news of arrival. The JSC Annual Holiday Bazaar is this Saturday at the Gilruth Center. Stop by for some holiday shopping! Save the date for Starport's Thanksgiving lunch. On Nov. 7 the Starport Cafés will be serving traditional Thanksgiving favorites with all the trimmings. Shelly Haralson x39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/   [top] 6.      Add it to the List -- Your Reading List, That is If you're hankering for an article or two that will go nicely with your morning cup of Joe, look to JSC Features. It's recently been populated with stories to fit anyone's fancy. Like history? Read how the City of Houston and NASA jointly honored two space pioneers in a very cool way. Looking for help or resources for someone affected by a disability? An article about the center's first panel discussion on community resources for individuals with disabilities might be a good place to start. (P.S. The speakers at the event happened to be very inspirational people, too.) Or, want to be freaked out a little right before Halloween? Real ghost stories courtesy of your fellow JSC team members are also on there. It just might be the thing to get your goose bumps building early. Move your "curse-r" on over to JSC Features for the full articles. JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs x33317   [top] 7.      Don't Let Volunteering Spook You -- Sign Up Today The JSC Contractor Environmental Partnership is hosting another electronic recycling and document-shredding event in the Space Center Houston parking lot on Nov. 10 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. We are looking for volunteers to help staff the event. There are three different shifts available, and volunteers can sign up for whenever and as many shifts as they would like. Sign up using the website link below. See you there! JSC Contractor Environmental Partnership x40878 http://www.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=jsc_ewaste   [top] 8.      SNS -- What is It? Have you heard about SNS? What does it mean? It means, simply, "Safe, Not Sorry." Have you ever thought, "I wish I had been more careful," "I wish I had noticed," or, "I wish I had prevented this?" If so, Safe, Not Sorry will have a special meaning for you. And, SNS has a special meaning at JSC, as a way of honoring those employees who make the extra effort to correct a hazard, clean up a potentially harmful area or come to the aid of a fellow employee who is or could be compromised. JSC awards attractive, antique-style SNS lapel pins for these actions. If you see someone perform an action worthy of this signal honor, you can report it to your supervisor or award the pin yourself. To obtain pins, call x45078. Let's all be Safe, Not Sorry. Rindy Carmichael x45078   [top] 9.      ISS Update Highlights Science Aboard the Station in a New Video In this ISS Update video, Associate Program Scientist for the International Space Station Tara Rutley discusses some of the science experiments performed by the Expedition 33 crew members aboard the station throughout the week. In her role, Rutley helps to coordinate the research that happens on station and identifies the various impacts of the science experiments and research that is conducted. She also helps to prioritize the science, makes sure it is implemented and that the needs of the investigators are met. After the experiments are concluded, her team works to gather the results and communicates the results to the public. Some of the station experiments and research discussed were VO2Max, the Aquatic Habitat and Micro-6. JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs x35111   [top] 10.     Paying for College Without Going Broke The Employee Assistance Program is happy to present Kris Lloyd with The College Money Guys. Lloyd will provide information on paying for college without going broke. If you're the parent of a high school student who plans to attend college, you must attend this free workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 12 noon in the Building 30 Auditorium. Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program x36130   [top] 11.     Catch the First Part in 'A User's Guide to the Universe' on Nov. 15 Inquisitive adults are invited to attend the presentation "Big Bang Theory: The Three Pillars," by Dr. Dragan Huterer. This free, public presentation on Nov. 15 is part of the Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI). Huterer's presentation is the first in this year's series, "A User's Guide to the Universe: You Live Here. Here's What You Need to Know."  LPI's Cosmic Explorations presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by a light reception. No reservation is necessary. LPI is located in the USRA building (3600 Bay Area Blvd. - the entrance is on Middlebrook Drive). LPI is part of the Universities Space Research Association. For more information, click here or contact Andrew Shaner at 281-486-2163. Andrew Shaner 281-486-2163   [top] 12.     Recent JSC Announcements Please visit the JSC Announcements (JSCA) Web page to view the newly posted announcement: JSCA 12-034: Key Personnel Assignments Archived announcements are also available on the JSCA Web page. Linda Turnbough x36246 http://ird.jsc.nasa.gov/DocumentManagement/announcements/default.aspx   [top] 13.     Engineer of the Year Award -- Deadline Tomorrow, Oct. 31 The Engineer of the Year Award is presented to a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) who has made a recent (within the past two years) individual contribution in the application of scientific and mathematical principles leading to a significant accomplishment or event worthy of AIAA's national or international recognition. Nominations begin at the AIAA section level, or may be made by any AIAA member, and are submitted to the appropriate Regional Deputy Director -Honors and Awards and Regional Director, who select the one Regional Engineer of the Year. This annual award is generally presented at an appropriate AIAA technical conference selected by the recipient, subject to approval by the Honors and Awards Committee. Please submit the nominee's name and a bio of what they have accomplished by TOMORROW, Oct. 31, to me or Shirley Brandt. Jennifer Wells 281-336-6302   [top] 14.     AIAA Educator Achievement Award -- Deadline Tomorrow, Oct. 31 The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation Educator Achievement Awards are open for judging. Do you know a K-12 classroom teacher who deserves to be recognized for outstanding work with their students? Please make sure to nominate them by completing the nomination form and emailing it to Lisa Bacon with the subject line "NEA13" on it by TOMORROW, Oct. 31. Winners will be notified in early November. We are looking for representation from all sections at all grade levels, so make your region proud by nominating an outstanding teacher or two for this prestigious award. Please contact me or Lisa Bacon with any questions. Jennifer Wells 281-336-6302   [top] 15.     Fire Warden Orientation Course (4 Hours) This four-hour course will satisfy the JSC training requirement for newly assigned Fire Wardens from JSC, Sonny Carter Training Facility and Ellington Field. This course must be completed before assuming these duties. Topics covered include: duties and responsibilities of a Fire Warden; building evacuation techniques; recognizing and correcting fire hazards; and types and uses of portable fire extinguishers. Fire Wardens who have previously attended this four-hour orientation course and need to satisfy the three-year training requirements may attend the two-hour Fire Warden Refresher Course now available in SATERN for registration. Date/Time: Nov. 28 from 8 a.m. to noon Where: Safety Learning Center, Building 226N, Room 174 Registration via SATERN required: https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_... Aundrail Hill x36369   [top]   ________________________________________ 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.         NASA TV SCHEDULE October 31, Wednesday 2:15 a.m. CT - ISS Progress 49 Launch Coverage (Launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan scheduled at 2:41 a.m. CT) - JSC (All Channels) 8 a.m. CT - ISS Progress 49 Docking Coverage (Docking scheduled at 8:40 a.m. CT) - JSC (All Channels)   Human Spaceflight News Tuesday – October 30, 2012   HEADLINES AND LEADS     Thursday spacewalk to isolate station coolant leak   Bill Harwood – CBS News   NASA engineers are putting the finishing touches on plans for a spacewalk Nov. 1 to isolate a small leak in the ammonia cooling system used to carry away heat generated by the electrical gear that stores and distributes power from one of the International Space Station's eight huge solar panels. The leak is tiny, the equivalent to a hole about the diameter of a human hair. But if it is not bypassed or repaired, the coolant in the channel 2B solar array will drop below safety margins over the next few months, taking down a critical power channel.   NASA's Huge New SLS Rocket Could Power Missions Far Beyond Mars   Rob Coppinger – Space.com   NASA is contemplating space journeys far beyond a near-Earth asteroid, the moon or Mars for its new heavy-lift rocket in development. The Space Launch System (SLS), as it is called, could instead visit the moon of Pluto or return samples from other outer planets. An unmanned flyby mission to Pluto's Charon, sample return missions to Jupiter's moon Europa or Saturn's Titan, or a sample-gathering flight through Jupiter's atmosphere or the ice water jets of Saturn's Enceladus — all are said to be possible with the 286,000-pound (130,000 kilograms) launch capabilities of the Space Launch System.   NASA Unconcerned About Possible SpaceX Cargo Delivery Slip   Mark Carreau – Aviation Week   NASA says operations aboard the International Space Station should not be affected if the SpaceX CRS-2 cargo delivery mission currently slated for January slips as a result of the ongoing investigation into the first-stage engine loss that occurred on the Oct. 7 CRS-1 mission. The supply cache delivered to the station in early to mid-2011 by the now-retired space shuttle placed the six-person orbiting science lab on a firm footing well into 2013, according to Mike Suffredini, NASA’s space station program manager.   SpaceX Dragon Splashes Down With Cargo, Including … Frozen Blood?   Jason Paur – Wired Magazine   SpaceX successfully completed its second mission to the International Space Station on Sunday when the Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific with more than 1,600 pounds of cargo. The mission was the first of 12 scheduled flights to the ISS under a NASA contract that has SpaceX delivering cargo through 2016. The flight marked a major milestone as it was the first time since the retirement of the space shuttle that scientists have been able to return a significant amount of research samples, including frozen blood.   SpaceX Wraps Up First Contracted Station Resupply Mission   Dan Leone – Space News   A commercially operated space capsule laden with 760 kilograms of return cargo from the international space station has been recovered in the Pacific Ocean and is now on its way to the U.S. mainland, NASA announced Oct. 28. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) recovered the capsule, which departed the space station the morning of Oct. 28, shortly after its same-day splashdown about 400 kilometers off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Dragon was carrying 760 kilograms of return cargo, including items belonging to NASA and its international space station partners.   First Outing for SpaceX   Editorial – The New York Times   The first commercial spacecraft to carry cargo to the International Space Station splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, completing a three-week mission that was mostly successful though far from flawless. A small California technology company, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, launched its cargo-carrying capsule atop its Falcon 9 rocket on Oct. 7 and almost immediately encountered a problem when one of the rocket’s nine engines shut down shortly after liftoff.   Volusia County officials should support spaceport   Editorial – The Daytona Beach News-Journal   Volusia County leaders need to get behind a plan by Space Florida to free up 150 acres near Oak Hill for a commercial spaceport. The proposal — still in the early stages — would put a launch site in Volusia County. It would be located on the northern end of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, south of Oak Hill between U.S. 1 and Kennedy Parkway.   Richardson Working for Calif. Spaceport   Mike Gallagher – Albuquerque Journal   Former Gov. Bill Richardson will be going to work for a California spaceport to help push lawmakers there for an expanded “informed consent” law protecting manufacturers and suppliers of private spacecraft from most civil lawsuits. Stuart Witt, executive director of the Mojave Air and Space Port, confirmed Monday that Richardson has been hired as a consultant. Terms of his deal will be made public Wednesday when the spaceport’s governing authority reviews the contract.   Ex-astronaut circling the world to share his love for science   The Star (Malaysia)   His days as an astronaut are over but Dr Daniel T. Barry is now circling the globe to share his love for science. The former Nasa astronaut is in Malaysia until Nov 3 to conduct workshops to instill a passion for the subject among students. At a workshop held yesterday, he told his young participants that they should always understand why mistakes happened.   Preparing an Ideal Astronaut   Alexander Kumar – The New York Times   Antarctica can be an overpowering and overwhelming continent, and spending winter in the Antarctic has been used as a comparable setting for long-term manned spaceflight and as a model for planetary exploration. So the question we face is: How can we produce the “perfect astronaut” — someone who, through honed selection and detailed and directed training, can operate under any degree of isolation, stress and sensory deprivation, both effectively at individual tasks and as a sociable, skilled and appropriate crew member, for a manned mission to Mars?   SpaceShipTwo Powered Flights Set for 2013   Doug Messier – ParabolicArc.com   In a story on Saturday, Allison Gatlin of the Antelope Valley Press quotes Scaled Composites Executive Vice President Kevin Mickey as saying that powered flights of SpaceShipTwo will begin next year. Virgin Galactic officials have said they hoped to begin powered flights by the end of this year. The powered flights will be preceded by un-powered glide tests of SpaceShipTwo that will begin later this year. These will be the first flights of the eight-person space plane after it has been fully fitted with its hybrid propulsion system. Next year should be a busy one at the Mojave Air and Space Port where SpaceShipTwo is being tested. XCOR is set to make the first powered flights of its two-person Lynx space plane during the first quarter of 2013. (NO FURTHER TEXT) __________   COMPLETE STORIES   Thursday spacewalk to isolate station coolant leak   Bill Harwood – CBS News   NASA engineers are putting the finishing touches on plans for a spacewalk Nov. 1 to isolate a small leak in the ammonia cooling system used to carry away heat generated by the electrical gear that stores and distributes power from one of the International Space Station's eight huge solar panels.   The leak is tiny, the equivalent to a hole about the diameter of a human hair. But if it is not bypassed or repaired, the coolant in the channel 2B solar array will drop below safety margins over the next few months, taking down a critical power channel.   In a bid to locate the leak, Expedition 34 commander Sunita Williams and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide will suit up and venture outside the station to operate a valve and reconfigure coolant lines, isolating the part of the channel 2B coolant loop that snakes through a large folding radiator.   Then they will deploy a spare radiator used during the early stages of space station assembly and route the channel 2B coolant through the older panel. If the leak ultimately goes away -- and it likely will take several weeks to find out -- engineers will know the problem was in the original radiator, most likely the result of a space debris impact.   In that case, station managers could opt to use the older radiator indefinitely, solving the problem.   If the leak continues, however, they would have to consider replacing a pump module or taking more extensive steps in a future spacewalk. But they will have more time to consider their options. The old radiator has ammonia of its own to contribute and using it will effectively top off the system, keeping the coolant equipment operating for another year or so, assuming no other problems, while engineers consider their options.   Mike Lammers, the flight director for the spacewalk, said engineers believe the leak is either in the photo-voltaic radiator -- PVR -- or in the pump flow control system, or PFCS, that pushes ammonia through the coolant loop.   "We're real suspicious of the radiator, just because it kind of stretches out there and its susceptible to micrometeoroid impacts," he said. "The goal of this EVA is to isolate the PVR from the system by closing (a) disconnect. By doing that and watching the quantity that's in the radiator that's cut off from the rest of the system, we can kind of determine if that leak is in the PVR or the PFCS side."   The lion's share of the International Space Station's electrical power comes from four sets of dual-panel solar arrays, two on the right side of a 357-foot-long truss and two on the left side. Each set of solar arrays features two 115-foot-long panels that extended in opposite directions. The Russian segment of the station taps into the U.S. power grid to supplement electricity generated by two relatively small solar panels on the Zvezda command module.   The two U.S. arrays at the far left end of the station's integrated power truss -- the port 6, or P6 arrays -- feed power to electrical channels 2B and 4B. The P6 set of arrays, like its three counterparts, routes power from the solar panels directly into the station's electrical grid during daylight passes, at the same time charging dual sets of batteries that take over during orbital darkness.   Each power channel generates between 150 and 160 volts of direct current, but downstream equipment near the center of the power truss -- equipment that uses a separate cooling system -- steps that down to 125 volts DC for use by the station's internal systems.   To keep the power generation components cool, each of the four sets of arrays uses two independent coolant loops that circulate ammonia through cold plates to carry heat out to a single shared radiator that extends from each module. The photo-voltaic radiator weighs 1,650 pounds and is made up of seven panels measuring 6 feet by 11 feet.   A slight 1.5-pound-per-year leak in the channel 2B cooling system has been present since 2007 and during a shuttle visit last year, two spacewalking astronauts added eight pounds of ammonia to the reservoir to boost it back up to a full 55 pounds. The plan at that time was to top off the system every four years or so to "feed the leak," replacing the lost ammonia as required.   But over the past few months, engineers saw the leak rate suddenly quadruple, either because something changed at the original leak site or, more likely, because another leak developed somewhere else in the system.   Whether the leakage was caused by space debris or a component failure of some sort is not yet known. But the result is: If the leak continues at its current rate, the coolant will drop below a 40-pound safety limit and the system will shut down by the end of the year or shortly thereafter, taking power channel 2B down with it.   While the space station can operate without the full complement of power channels, the loss of channel 2B would force flight controllers to power down equipment, eliminating redundancy and reducing the amount of research the crews could carry out.   In a lucky break for NASA, the P6 truss segment was the first installed on the station and it came equipped with a separate cooling system used early in the station's construction. That early external thermal control system, or EETCS, was shut down, and its two radiators retracted, when the P6 segment was moved to the port side of the integrated power truss and tied into the station's main power system.   To isolate the P6 coolant system leak, Williams and Hoshide will divert ammonia coolant into the old system by operating a valve and reconfiguring jumpers at a panel of quick-disconnect fittings. One of the old radiators then will be re-extended to provide cooling to the channel 2B components.   That will buy time for engineers to track down the leak and figure out what might be done about it. If the leak is in the P6 radiator, managers could decide to simply let it leak out and use the old coolant system indefinitely. If necessary, a spare radiator could be installed during a future spacewalk.   Likewise, if the leak is in the channel 2B pump module, a replacement unit could be installed later. But the simplest solution is to isolate the PVR in the upcoming spacewalk.   "What this (spacewalk) will tell us is whether the radiator is the cause of the leak," said space station Program Manager Mike Suffredini. "If it turns out the leak continues, we have a little time. When we filled this system a year ago, the result of that fill was to also fill the early ammonia system as well, so we have extra ammonia in that loop.   "So it buys us a little time. It lets us isolate the PVR to see if that's the cause. if that turns out not to be the cause, then we have to think about the next steps."   NASA's Huge New SLS Rocket Could Power Missions Far Beyond Mars   Rob Coppinger – Space.com   NASA is contemplating space journeys far beyond a near-Earth asteroid, the moon or Mars for its new heavy-lift rocket in development. The Space Launch System (SLS), as it is called, could instead visit the moon of Pluto or return samples from other outer planets.   An unmanned flyby mission to Pluto's Charon, sample return missions to Jupiter's moon Europa or Saturn's Titan, or a sample-gathering flight through Jupiter's atmosphere or the ice water jets of Saturn's Enceladus — all are said to be possible with the 286,000-pound (130,000 kilograms) launch capabilities of the Space Launch System.   The first launch of SLS is planned for 2017, but it will not have an upper stage and will be able to put only 154,000 pounds (70,000 kg) into low-Earth orbit. Beginning in 2022, however, the rocket is expected to have more powerful boosters and an upper stage to give it an ability to deliver 286,000 pounds to Earth orbit.   Such large cargos will be transported under a nose-cone fairing that will have a diameter of about 30 feet (10 meters), giving the Space Launch System a useful payload volume of about 38,846 cubic feet (1,100 cubic meters). The rocket itself has a diameter of about 25 feet (8.4 meters). [Photos: NASA's Space Launch System for Deep Space Flights]   Science possibilities   It is this combination of a very large lift capability and nose-cone volume that is expected to enable ambitious missions such as sample return from the outer planets.   "Most of the science community hasn't thought beyond current lift capability. Scientists haven't thought about what mass and volume they need to use," Kenneth Bruce Morris, a Booz Allen Hamilton senior associate, said at the 63rd annual International Astronautical Congress in Naples, Italy, on Oct 5. Morris' presentation was co-authored with the Marshall Space Flight Center. Before joining Booz Allen Hamilton, Morris was NASA's lead for Ares V utilization planning under the now-canceled Constellation program.   Because of the SLS payload capability, future science spacecraft will be able to carry large propulsion systems and more fuel, enabling them to reduce their mission time and carry more instruments. To reach the outer planets, previous spacecraft have had to make multiple gravity-assist maneuvers around the inner planets to reach the velocity needed, costing valuable time. The SLS could increase mission time by years, since its larger propulsion systems would enable more direct trajectories.   Another advantage of SLS is the potential to reduce the number of separate launches complex missions will require. For example, with existing boosters, an outer planet sample mission would require many launches to assemble the spacecraft. With SLS, however, the mission could be achieved with fewer launches, or even just one, reducing complexity.   In addition to sample return, such large scientific spacecraft could deliver multiple rovers to the surface of Venus or carry the substantial shielding needed for operating long term in the harsh radiation environment of the Jupiter system.   "We've been talking with the science community. Most of our focus has been on targeted one-on-one interactions between SLS and high-priority science missions in the coming decades, discussing mutually beneficial options," Stephen Creech, SLS strategic development manager for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, told SPACE.com.   Design milestones   On July 25, the SLS program passed two key reviews, for combined system definition and system requirements, to move toward its preliminary design review, scheduled for late 2013. The SLS critical design review is scheduled for early 2014. These various checkpoints pave the way for the finished design of SLS to begin construction in earnest.   As well as missions to the outer planets, the SLS could launch space telescopes that operate at the thermally stable second sun-Earth Lagrange point, a spot in space where gravity from the sun and Earth balance each other out. Designed to observe ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared light, these space telescopes would use huge mirrors with diameters from about 24 feet to 52 feet (16 meters). A 52-foot mirror telescope could find and characterize alien planets around other stars.   Such large imaging systems would also be useful for the U.S. government's National Reconnaissance Office satellites and other Department of Defense spacecraft. Launching large robotic spacecraft capable of traveling to geostationary orbit to service telecommunication satellites is another possible use for SLS. [Video: SLS — Leaving Low-Earth Orbit Behind]   Because the Space Launch System would be able to deliver very large structures with a few launches, it could also put into orbit, for assembly, the component parts of a space-based solar power system. Such a solar satellite could be a commercial venture.   Private space stations   Another commercial venture the SLS could help launch is a Bigelow Aerospace space station. NASA's Creech has confirmed to SPACE.com that the space agency has spoken to Bigelow.   The company has proposed a private space station, leased by governments and corporations for research, which would consist of four of Bigelow's inflatable BA330 modules, a docking node and a propulsion unit. Each BA330 has a total volume of 11,653 cubic feet (330 cubic meters). The first BA330 is to be launched on a Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket in 2015.   The SLS could also enable Lagrange point gateway architecture for manned exploration, said Jim Chilton, Boeing's space exploration vice president and Space Launch System stages program manager. Speaking at the astronautical congress, Chilton's presentation showed how two SLS launches, using 15-foot-long nose cones capable of fitting 154,000 pounds inside, would be able to deliver the modules for a Lagrange point platform. Located at the Earth-moon L2 Lagrange point, beyond our natural satellite's orbit, the platform would be a waypoint for refueling.   Under NASA's exploration plans, the manned Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, launching atop an SLS rocket, would go to an asteroid after a trip around the moon and back in 2021. The asteroid mission would be a deep-space trip for the astronauts; an intermediate test mission could see the crew go to such a platform at the L2 Lagrange point.   Lockheed, the primary Orion contractor, is also considering alternate missions for the space capsule. Josh Hopkins, Lockheed Martin Space Systems' space exploration architect, described to SPACE.com an in-orbit experiment to create a centrifugal force onboard Orion that would give astronauts a gravity-like experience.   "We've been looking at an artificial gravity test where you put an Orion in a tether with a mass and spin them up and Orion is not designed to be spun up and so we're working on that, we're interested in it," he told SPACE.com.   NASA Unconcerned About Possible SpaceX Cargo Delivery Slip   Mark Carreau – Aviation Week   NASA says operations aboard the International Space Station should not be affected if the SpaceX CRS-2 cargo delivery mission currently slated for January slips as a result of the ongoing investigation into the first-stage engine loss that occurred on the Oct. 7 CRS-1 mission.   The supply cache delivered to the station in early to mid-2011 by the now-retired space shuttle placed the six-person orbiting science lab on a firm footing well into 2013, according to Mike Suffredini, NASA’s space station program manager.   “The launch date itself, in January, is not really critical to the program from a supply standpoint,” Suffredini told an Oct. 26 news briefing. “So we have some flexibility.”   The CRS-1 Dragon capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean 250 mi. west of Baja, Calif., on Oct.  28 at 3:22 p.m. EDT, providing a U.S. commercial cargo supply option to help replace the capability lost with the July 2011 shuttle retirement.   Dragon and its nearly 1,700-lb. return cargo headed for port near Los Angeles aboard a SpaceX recovery vessel. After offloading, the reusable capsule and much of the return cargo will be transported to SpaceX facilities in McGregor, Texas, for processing.   About 500 frozen medical specimens, collected since the departure of the final shuttle mission, were headed for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for distribution to researchers. The blood and urine specimens should provide a record of metabolic changes that astronauts undergo during long periods of weightlessness.   The CRS-1 mission was the first carried out by the Hawthorne, Calif.-based company under a $1.6 billion, 12-mission NASA Commercial Resupply Services contract awarded in December 2008.   The CRS-2 Falcon 9 first stage, also in McGregor, will remain at the Central Texas test site until the investigation into the Merlin engine anomaly is resolved.   “We have agreed together to leave the stage in McGregor for a little while, while the team tries to get to the root cause of the anomaly,” Suffredini says. “My understanding is we probably have another week or so before we start to push the launch date.”   SpaceX Dragon Splashes Down With Cargo, Including … Frozen Blood?   Jason Paur – Wired Magazine   SpaceX successfully completed its second mission to the International Space Station on Sunday when the Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific with more than 1,600 pounds of cargo. The mission was the first of 12 scheduled flights to the ISS under a NASA contract that has SpaceX delivering cargo through 2016. The flight marked a major milestone as it was the first time since the retirement of the space shuttle that scientists have been able to return a significant amount of research samples, including frozen blood.   “This historic mission signifies the restoration of America’s ability to deliver and return critical space station cargo,” SpaceX CEO and Chief Technical Officer Elon Musk said in a statement. “The reliability of SpaceX’s technology and the strength of our partnership with NASA provide a strong foundation for future missions and achievements to come.”   Yesterday’s return flight began in the morning when astronauts aboard the ISS used the station’s robotic arm to detach the Dragon and release it a few hours later. Following a series of short pulses from its Draco thrusters, the spacecraft entered a free-fly orbit as the SpaceX team in California waited until Dragon was in position for re-entry. At 2:28 p.m. EDT Dragon performed its longest burn of the thrusters in order to significantly slow it down so it would begin to fall back to Earth. A little less than an hour later the capsule splashed into the Pacific Ocean about 250 miles off the coast of southern California.   The spacecraft is on its way back to Los Angeles by boat where the time critical cargo will be delivered to NASA. Dragon will then be transported to McGregor, Texas, where it will be processed and inspected, similar to the last Dragon spacecraft we saw being taken apart at SpaceX’s rocket testing facility this summer.   This mission was the longest for SpaceX to date. After the Oct. 7 launch, Dragon spent 18 days berthed to the ISS. After an “off-nominal” ascent in which an engine had to be shut down, the Dragon successfully delivered 883 pounds of cargo to the ISS. After unloading the supplies – including some tasty ice cream – the astronauts then reloaded Dragon with 1,673 pounds of cargo for the flight back to Earth. Currently the Dragon is the only spacecraft capable of returning this much cargo.   The other transfer vehicles from Europe and Japan can be filled with cargo, but only items considered to be trash, as both vehicles burn up during re-entry. The Soyuz capsule can carry a small amount of supplies during its return flight, but almost all of the volume and mass carrying capability is reserved for human passengers.   In addition to the frozen blood samples, frozen urine samples are also being returned to researchers who hope to better understand the effects of long-term micro-gravity on the human body. Numerous other research samples are being returned, including plant seedlings grown in space, making up more than half of the total mass inside Dragon.   The next resupply mission is currently scheduled for January, but because of the engine issue during the launch of CRS-1, that date may slip as SpaceX and NASA investigate the issue.   “Analysis to date supports initial findings: the engine experienced a rapid loss of pressure and Falcon 9’s flight computer immediately commanded shutdown, as it is designed to do in such cases,” the company said in its statement.   SpaceX and NASA have agreed to delay the shipment of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle from its hangar in Texas where we saw it being assembled back in August, to the launch pad in Florida while the investigation continues.   At the same time Orbital Sciences delayed its planned resupply missions to the ISS until spring. The company hopes to make the first of its two NASA demonstration flights with the Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft by the end of the year. That date could also be postponed as Orbital Sciences had to stop all testing this week while hurricane Sandy makes an almost direct hit on its facilities at Wallops Island on the Virginia Coast.   SpaceX Wraps Up First Contracted Station Resupply Mission   Dan Leone – Space News   A commercially operated space capsule laden with 760 kilograms of return cargo from the international space station has been recovered in the Pacific Ocean and is now on its way to the U.S. mainland, NASA announced Oct. 28.   Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) recovered the capsule, which departed the space station the morning of Oct. 28, shortly after its same-day splashdown about 400 kilometers off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Dragon was carrying 760 kilograms of return cargo, including items belonging to NASA and its international space station partners.   “We expect Dragon at port sometime in the next 24 hours, SpaceX spokeswoman Katherine Nelson said via email Oct. 29. The ship carrying Dragon will dock at San Pedro, Calif., Nelson said.   Some of the items Dragon is carrying have been designated as early return cargo. These items will be removed as soon as the spacecraft reaches land. Dragon, along with the rest of its cargo, will then be trucked to SpaceX’s engine-test facility in McGregor, Texas, for post-flight processing.   Dragon’s return is a milestone in NASA’s effort to turn space station cargo logistics over to private operators. The craft’s splashdown marked the completion of the first mission under Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX’s $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services contract signed with NASA in 2008. SpaceX has 11 more missions to fly under that contract.   Dragon launched Oct. 7 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying 400 kilograms of cargo including crew supplies and research hardware. Despite the loss of one of the rocket’s nine first-stage engines 79 seconds after liftoff, Dragon reached the international space station Oct. 10, as planned. However, the engine anomaly, which is still under investigation by a joint NASA-SpaceX team, forced SpaceX to jettison a secondary commercial payload into a lower-than-intended orbit. The payload, an experimental satellite that belonged to Fort Lee, N.J.-based Orbcomm, subsequently fell out of orbit, that company announced Oct. 11.   SpaceX is one of two companies with contracts to fly cargo to the international space station. The other, Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., is now expected to begin routine delivery missions sometime in 2013.   Orbital still has two demonstration flights to complete before it can begin fulfilling its own $1.9 billion delivery contract with NASA. The first of those flights, a test of the company’s Antares medium-lift rocket, without the Cygnus cargo capsule, is supposed to take place this year.   First Outing for SpaceX   Editorial – The New York Times   The first commercial spacecraft to carry cargo to the International Space Station splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, completing a three-week mission that was mostly successful though far from flawless. A small California technology company, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, launched its cargo-carrying capsule atop its Falcon 9 rocket on Oct. 7 and almost immediately encountered a problem when one of the rocket’s nine engines shut down shortly after liftoff.   That mishap did not prevent the cargo from reaching the station, but it did make it impossible to place a secondary payload, a prototype communications satellite, into the proper orbit. The satellite’s owner, Orbcomm, said it had achieved some useful test results before the satellite fell out of orbit and burned up in the atmosphere, so it was not a total failure. The company says it plans to launch more satellites aboard SpaceX rockets in the future.   NASA was clearly pleased with the mission. Since the retirement of the space shuttle fleet last year, the agency has relied primarily on Russia to send cargo and astronauts up the space station and back. Now NASA is trying to turn over the routine tasks of carrying cargo — and eventually, astronauts — to the space station while it focuses its human spaceflight program on exploration of the inner solar system.   SpaceX currently has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to carry out at least 11 more cargo resupply missions through 2016. Another company, the Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Va., has built a new cargo spacecraft under NASA contract and is preparing for a test flight next year. The best news from this first commercial flight is that the Falcon 9 rocket was able to complete its cargo delivery mission despite the loss of an engine. Although it was not perfect, the outing shows that private companies can carry out relatively mundane tasks like space cargo transport.   Volusia County officials should support spaceport   Editorial – The Daytona Beach News-Journal   Volusia County leaders need to get behind a plan by Space Florida to free up 150 acres near Oak Hill for a commercial spaceport.   The proposal — still in the early stages — would put a launch site in Volusia County. It would be located on the northern end of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, south of Oak Hill between U.S. 1 and Kennedy Parkway.   The plan could boost Volusia County's space tourism business. It would provide valuable aerospace employment in a region known for it — and one hurt by the retirement of NASA's space shuttle program.   With the end of that vaunted program, there is little time for local and state officials to dawdle as big opportunities arise. The state and region must focus on replacing the thousands of space-related jobs lost when the shuttle program got shuttered. That means focusing on the transformation of space exploration as private companies assume an ever larger role.   Space Florida, the state's space-related economic development agency, has stepped up its efforts to capture a share of the growing private-sector launch market. Space Florida is eyeing with enthusiasm the market signals of SpaceX, a private space company seeking a commercial launch facility. SpaceX is looking at sites in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico.   SpaceX, which has a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, has already delivered cargo to the International Space Station via an unmanned vehicle. That was through a federal contract.   But doing private launches from federal property requires a lot of paperwork and patience. Federal officials can bump private-sector launches in favor of public launches — and delays cost businesses much. The feds also have a more rigorous application process if foreign nationals want to launch a vehicle from federal land.   Frank Dibello, president of Space Florida, notes $280 billion a year, worldwide, is spent on the space industry. And when space businesses face delays in the United States, they are likely to launch from French Guiana, China or Russia.   It is unacceptable to lose space business to our European and Asian competitors when such commercial launches can feasibly and safely be launched in the United States — and particularly, in Volusia and Brevard counties.   So what the state and Space Florida would like is 150 acres — out of 140,000 acres NASA owns in Brevard and Volusia counties — for a commercial spaceport. This would be a spot for vertical launches of unmanned vehicles. It would potentially attract many private-sector space companies, not just one.   In late September, Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll asked NASA and the U.S. Department of Transportation for this property — mostly in Volusia County — and the shuttle-landing facility.   But the request has been met with some nervousness. County Manager Jim Dinneen said the state had bypassed the county and public. Dinneen would rather see local officials and businesspersons sell the idea to NASA through the congressional delegation.   There are also environmental concerns to be met, although these concerns are likely small and can be effectively addressed. The land eyed is but 150 acres. Edgewater Mayor Mike Thomas noted the wildlife refuge already has plenty of land and that the commercial spaceport would be a job creator.   This is an opportunity in a county that is slowly generating new jobs to replace jobs lost as NASA's manned space program evolves over the next decade or two.   Volusia County has Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's research park on 140 acres that will likely attract all kinds of aviation and aerospace companies. Embry-Riddle is also developing NextGen, the new air-traffic technology, at the Daytona Beach International Airport. The technology will replace current land-based technology with satellite-based navigation systems. Involved are the Federal Aviation Administration and a number of aerospace and high-tech companies, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin and GE Aviation.   So the commercial port that Space Florida envisions is an opportunity to expand the aerospace business in Volusia County, and to increase related employment in Central Florida. Local officials, the congressional delegation and the business community need to get behind the proposal.   The time has come for Volusia County to have an even larger role in the space industry. It's time to launch, not time to hesitate.   Richardson Working for Calif. Spaceport   Mike Gallagher – Albuquerque Journal   Former Gov. Bill Richardson will be going to work for a California spaceport to help push lawmakers there for an expanded “informed consent” law protecting manufacturers and suppliers of private spacecraft from most civil lawsuits.   Stuart Witt, executive director of the Mojave Air and Space Port, confirmed Monday that Richardson has been hired as a consultant. Terms of his deal will be made public Wednesday when the spaceport’s governing authority reviews the contract.   Mojave is seeking expanded protection in California similar to the kind the Martinez administration is pushing the New Mexico Legislature to adopt for Spaceport America – a $209 million project near Truth or Consequences that was one of Richardson’s signature initiatives.   New Mexico trial lawyers oppose the legislation, which died in this year’s session. Industry experts, the governor and business leaders say the legislation is crucial to New Mexico growing a commercial space industry.   Witt said Richardson has provided insights into how to get the law passed in California.   “We’ve tried unsuccessfully three times in the last eight years,” Witt said in a telephone interview. “He (Richardson) has been helpful in refining our approach to getting the legislation passed.”   Richardson did not respond to emails seeking a comment on his role with the Mojave spaceport.   The informed consent law currently on the books in New Mexico applies only to the operator of the space flight. California recently enacted a similar law, but like the New Mexico legislation the industry says it doesn’t go far enough.   The spaceport business nationally has become increasingly competitive. Texas, Florida, Colorado and Virginia have informed consent laws in place that also provide lawsuit protection to protect manufacturers and suppliers.   Richardson supported New Mexico’s current law.   Scott Darnell, a spokesman for Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, said, “Richardson is certainly free to consult or help with the spaceport activities of another state, but in New Mexico, this just highlights how important it is for us to ensure that we continue to lead in this industry by passing legislation in the upcoming session that prevents lawsuit abuse.”   Darnell said the legislation is “common sense, it means jobs and economic development, and it would protect the significant investment that taxpayers have already made in Spaceport America.”   He said the industry is an incredibly competitive industry – not just with regard to manned space flight, but with regard to manufacturing and research and development as well.   Witt said the Mojave Air and Space Port isn’t competing with Spaceport America.   “I know the media likes to play this up as a competition between our spaceports but it’s not,” Witt said. “We’re trying to launch an entire worldwide industry.”   Witt said he and others from the Mojave spaceport consulted extensively on the design of the New Mexico spaceport.   There are more than 40 companies at the Mojave spaceport involved in manufacturing, research and development of manned and unmanned space flight.   “Our focus is on research and development, and manufacturing,” Witt said. “New Mexico is a commercial spaceport. We want to build the craft launched in New Mexico.”   Christine Anderson, executive director of Spaceport America, said Witt’s description of the relationship between the two space ports “is currently true.”   But Anderson said she is concerned that New Mexico will fail to attract tenants to its spaceport because of the lack of a more encompassing informed consent law and will fall behind states that have such laws.   “Increasingly the operators are the manufacturers,” Anderson said. “That’s why an emerging industry needs these protections.”   Meanwhile, Mark Butler of Virgin Galactic said during an industry roundtable at Albuquerque’s Sunport last week that New Mexico used to top the list of states for aerospace development because of its Spaceport. But he said the state is falling to the bottom because the Legislature has not passed the informed consent legislation.   Virgin Galactic has received deposits of $67.5 million for the $200,000 ticket to the edge of space. Spaceport America also stands to benefit from non-tourist commercial space launches once that business gets established.   Anderson said the spaceport and Martinez intend to introduce legislation extending the informed consent law to manufacturers and suppliers in next year’s legislative session.   “We can’t attract manufacturers to New Mexico without it,” Anderson said.   Ex-astronaut circling the world to share his love for science   The Star (Malaysia)   His days as an astronaut are over but Dr Daniel T. Barry is now circling the globe to share his love for science.   The former Nasa astronaut is in Malaysia until Nov 3 to conduct workshops to instill a passion for the subject among students.   At a workshop held yesterday, he told his young participants that they should always understand why mistakes happened.   “If everything always works, what do you learn from that? When unexpected stuff comes up, you have a new puzzle to solve and you get to test your understanding,” he said.   Dr Barry is here under the invitation of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology. His visit is also in conjunction with the Second Inter Sessional Meeting of The Global Science and Innovation Advisory Council to be chaired by the Prime Minister on Thursday.   One of the participants was Shafique Abdul Razak, 16, who was delighted with the lessons learnt.   “This is more fun than learning in school because we get to play with a toy,” he said, referring to the chance to learn how to programme a robotic helicopter to fly.   In GEORGE TOWN, about 15,000 space buffs thronged the inaugural Penang Space Festival with Nasa 2012 at SAINS@USM, Persiaran Bukit Jambul to learn more about astronomy, space science and technology.   The two-day event which ends today is organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia and the Northern Skills Development Centre (NSDC).   It features exhibitions, planetarium shows, talks and competitions.   Two scientists from Nasa - programme executive for operating missions and physics of the cosmos programme (astrophysics division) Jaya Bajpaye and globe instructor jet propulsion laboratory Peter Falcon - also delivered a talk to inspire Malaysians, especially students, to develop an interest in space science.   Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry deputy secretary-general (Science) Prof Datin Paduka Dr Khatijah Mohd Yusoff, who launched the event, said Malaysia had always maintained good working relationships with agencies such as Nasa, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the European Space Agency.   At the event, USM exchanged a memorandum of agreement with NSDC to explore opportunities in astronomy and space science.   NSDC managing director Dr Gunabalan Nadarajah said they were planning to organise the festival annually and establish an astronomy course for the community.   Among the highlights are activities such as star gazing, telescope clinic, amateur telescope making, talks and space art workshop. Admission is free.   Preparing an Ideal Astronaut   Alexander Kumar – The New York Times   Antarctica can be an overpowering and overwhelming continent, and spending winter in the Antarctic has been used as a comparable setting for long-term manned spaceflight and as a model for planetary exploration.   So the question we face is: How can we produce the “perfect astronaut” — someone who, through honed selection and detailed and directed training, can operate under any degree of isolation, stress and sensory deprivation, both effectively at individual tasks and as a sociable, skilled and appropriate crew member, for a manned mission to Mars?   To answer this question we first have to think about how a person interacts with and is challenged by extreme environments. Broadly speaking, the major stresses and challenges affecting human life, which in turn affect performance within extreme environments ranging from space to the Antarctic winter, can be divided into these five categories:   1. Physiological (physical) — from radiation to altered circadian rhythm; in space, this includes adaptation to microgravity and Space Adaptation Sickness (S.A.S.), whereas in high-altitude areas of Antarctica, it includes exposure to low oxygen levels and chronic hypobaric pressure.   2. Psychological — living within a hostile or alien extreme environment “away from the norm,” isolation, confinement, high risk or potential for loss of life and limited sensory stimuli.   3. Psychosocial — forced, close-quarters interpersonal contact, crew factors (culture, sex, size, personalities, etc.) and conflict and resolution.   4. Human factors — limited communications, fluctuating workload levels, risk, dealing with equipment failure, use of equipment within extreme environments, and increased reliance on technology for survival.   5. Habitability — hygiene limitations, a relative lack of privacy, artificial lighting, noise exposure and unusual sleep facilities.   I will concentrate today on human factors and ergonomics, a field that incorporates psychology, industrial and graphic design, anthropometry and psychology, and is an important area of study, essentially because the science behind safety in extreme environments has become an area of focus on many fronts, from space agencies to airlines to operating theaters.   In Antarctica risk runs high as human error, and less commonly machine breakdown, can cost lives. It is interesting to note that the majority of accidents don’t occur at the beginning or even the middle of an expedition; they occur at the end, when human factors are exaggerated.   Expert knowledge and training help, but in the end human survival within such extreme and risk-filled environments relies upon effective performance, problem-solving, vigilance and fine motor skills, as well as the ability to make and take good decisions and continually assess and reassess risk and system performance to prevent the occurrence or worsening of any unexpected problems. But we know no human is infallible, no human is perfec and mistakes are still made regardless of risk assessment, precise planning and implemented health and safety measures.   Human factors research in Antarctica involves studying ways to enable humans to operate safely and effectively, despite the difficulties put upon us by working in such an extreme environment. Areas of interest and study include crew selection and training, habitat architecture and design, human-machine interactions, alongside biological, psychological and behavioral studies of how humans operate within such an extreme, remote and isolated environment. This is the science of designing and balancing workplace conditions and job demands with the capabilities of the working population.   It is interesting to scientists and for spaceflight planning to study the behavioral characteristics of populations in Antarctica — looking out for symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia and hostility, and also studying group dynamics and interpersonal relationships.   There are different elements to human factors and ergonomics research. One element relevant to Antarctic and spaceflight science that I study at Concordia is “cognitive ergonomics” — looking at mental processes ranging from memory to perception to reasoning and response. All of these have been shown to be affected by the Antarctic winter — for example, winter-over members suffer short-term memory difficulties, slowness processing tasks and changes in reasoning.   Our crew has suffered all of these and more over the winter, which has affected our interpersonal interaction and our bodies’ systems. My research included testing areas of cognitive performance over our long winter to see if we could find ways to curb and prevent the expected decline. Interventions include exercise.   Other factors that can easily affect performance in the workplace include sleep quality, diet, outside stresses and mood. Through such study, we can try to find ways to optimize crew well-being and, in turn, help to ensure long-term performance.   With an increased number of people overwintering in Antarctica and traveling to space for longer periods, personnel selection has improved and ideal characteristics have been summarized in the term “professional isolates” — those who seem most able and ideal to survive the isolation and monotony while completing their tasks working and living in unison with fellow crew members.   Life support systems are being tested and technology built to withstand the remotest and most extreme environments.   In time, these lessons will not only help in developing safety in aviation and your local operating theater, but also in spaceflight and a future mission to Mars. You will see its impact everywhere — from designing the inside of spacecraft, to the selection and training of an appropriate team and the development of technology to be able to voyage into the beyond and safely return.     END