Wednesday, October 31, 2012
10/31/12 news
Happy Halloween everyone, don’t eat too much trick or treat candy so you can join us tomorrow at Hibachi Grill for our monthly Retirees Luncheon at 11:30!
Thanks to Fred Haise and Gary Johnson for sharing the below link/article on the latest reported status of Enterprise and her collapsed enclosure:
Space Shuttle Enterprise Damaged by Superstorm Sandy [PICS]
Thanks to Teresa Sullivan for sharing the below link to a inflight video of Endeavour arrival into the California area, I think I had seen it from others of you too.
FA18 extended view of Space Shuttle Endeavour's flyover Southern California
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
JSC TODAY HEADLINES
1. JSC Child Care Children Trick or Treating This Morning
2. This is it (We Mean it) -- Last Day to Complete Your 2012 JLT Survey
3. Don't Just Give Candy This Halloween - Give a Little Something More
4. December 2012 Building 9S Clean Room Closing
5. Update Your Disability Status Quickly and Easily in Employee Express
6. JSC Structural Testing Partnership Opportunities
7. JSC Annual Holiday Bazaar This Saturday
8. Seasonal Entertaining Class
9. Starport Boot Camp -- Last Chance in 2012
10. Short-Term Child Care at the Gilruth Center
11. RSVP for the November National Management Association Luncheon
12. Latest International Space Station Research
13. NASA@work: There's Still Time to Submit Your Solution Today
14. Learn How Space Technology Improves Life on Earth -- Nov. 7
15. 'JSC Taxonomy News' Fall 2012
16. Shuttle Knowledge Console v2.0
17. Energy-Efficient Wireless In-Home
18. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training: Jan. 14 to 18
19. Fire Warden Refresher Course (2 Hours)
________________________________________ QUOTE OF THE DAY
“ There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.”
-- George Carlin
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1. JSC Child Care Children Trick or Treating This Morning
The JSC Child Care Center children that are 3 and 4 years old will be starting their trick-or-treating in costume at Building 1 by 9:45 a.m. They will continue down the mall area to Building 12, ending their adventure at Building 45.
We invite you and your co-workers to meet us on the pathway from Building 1 to Building 12 to show support and hand the children treats or candy.
Brooke Stephens x26031
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2. This is it (We Mean it) -- Last Day to Complete Your 2012 JLT Survey
Today is your last chance to give us your very important opinions and useful insights into the health of our civil service and contractor relationships at JSC and the White Sands Test Facility. The 2012 Joint Leadership Team (JLT) Survey is open to all contractors and civil servants, including the many offsite personnel. We'll use your feedback to identify themes and form action teams, as appropriate, made up of civil service and contractor manager and employee members that will focus on activities that can strengthen and enhance our community.
We appreciate your time and, most of all, your dedication to making JSC a successful team. To participate in the survey, click here. Time is of the essence!
Erin Misegades x40003
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3. Don't Just Give Candy This Halloween - Give a Little Something More
The 2012 Combined Federal Campaign has already kicked off at JSC! The CFC is the only federal workplace giving program for federal employees -- and as such, you can choose to give thousands of deserving organizations at the local, national and global levels. They include organizations to educate, shelter, feed, protect, volunteer, or any other number of charities and programs.
This year our center's monetary goal is $675,000. We'd like each and everyone to help us reach it.
1. Simply find the charity or charities you want to give to (online or in this book).
2. Federal employees can donate via payroll deductions at EmployeeExpress (EEx). (Instructions on How to Donate via EEx)
3. All JSC team members can make cash/check donations by using the paper pledge form. (Paper pledge forms may be dropped off with the organization coordinator.)
Donations of any amount are welcome, starting from $1 per pay period. Or, instead of that extra bag of sugary candy for the kids, donate an equivalent amount with cash/check. Give a little. Help A LOT.
Mirella Barron Lanmon x49796
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4. December 2012 Building 9S Clean Room Closing
The Building 9S Clean Room will be closed for annual recertification starting Dec. 17. We should be able to resume normal Clean Room operations by Dec. 28.
We will be able to perform the following tasks during the shutdown:
• Passivation
• Pickling
• GC clean
We will not be able to perform the following tasks during the shutdown:
• Particle counts
• NVRs
• Water samples
• VC clean
Hopefully this early notice will help with any upcoming cleaning operations that you may be planning to schedule during the month of December.
Bill Holmes x32598
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5. Update Your Disability Status Quickly and Easily in Employee Express
Please take a moment to update your disability status quickly and easily in Employee Express. NASA uses aggregate information about individuals with disabilities for reporting purposes and to determine how to provide assistive resources that can benefit the entire workforce.
Ensuring accurate information takes a matter of minutes. Log into Employee Express, and from the main menu, click on "Disability Update" to identify current disability status.
Disability status is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. Data entered into Employee Express is secure and will be uploaded directly into NASA's Federal Personnel and Payroll System. It can be accessed only by NASA officials with a "need to know," such as Equal Employment Opportunity staff.
Questions regarding data-collection requirements can be directed to the Disability Program Manager, Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, at 281-483-7504.
Janelle Holt x37504
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6. JSC Structural Testing Partnership Opportunities
JSC is using Request For Information (RFI) notices as a method to seek out potential partnerships. Our intent is to engage with potential partners to make available, on a reimbursable basis, NASA JSC's structural facilities and expert NASA science and engineering staff. Recently, an RFI was posted on FedBizOpps.gov to assess interest by commercial industries, universities and other government agencies regarding JSC's unique combination of expertise, labs, tools and facilities in the area of structures testing.
You can view the full RFI. If you know of an external organization that might be interested, please send them the link.
Brought to you by the JSC Strategic Opportunities and Partnership Office.
Shirley Holland-Hunt x33254
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7. JSC Annual Holiday Bazaar This Saturday
Come out to the Gilruth Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for some holiday shopping! We'll have the gymnasium and ballroom packed with local craftspeople and vendors selling crafts, jewelry, bath and beauty products, home and holiday décor, candles, baked goods and more. This event is free and open to the public, so invite your family and friends to come browse through the more than 60 vendors who are ready to spread some holiday cheer.
For more information and a list of vendors, click here.
Shelly Haralson x39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/
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8. Seasonal Entertaining Class
Learn how to host an elegant party for 12 for under $100! Join us for a fun, interactive evening of cooking demonstrations, and learn the basics of party planning -- stress-free and on a budget. From decorations and menus to guest lists, we will show you how to plan the perfect party.
Class takes place Thursday, Nov. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Gilruth Center Discovery Room. The cost is $32 per person and includes a sample meal, cookbook, tips and a gift. Reservation is required by tomorrow, Nov. 1, and seating is limited. Register in the Building 3 café, or contact Marquis Edwards at x30240. Click here for the menu and more information.
Marquis Edwards x30240 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/
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9. Starport Boot Camp -- Last Chance in 2012
Starport's last Boot Camp of 2012 registration opens today! Don't miss a chance to be part of Starport's incredibly popular program. The class WILL fill up, so register now.
Early Registration (ends Nov. 7):
- $90 per person (just $5 per class!)
Regular Registration (Nov. 8 to 13):
- $110 per person
The workout begins on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
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. 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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10. Short-Term Child Care at the Gilruth Center
Let the Starport staff watch your child while you work out! Short-term child care for kids ages 4 and up will be offered at the Gilruth Center for those attending group fitness classes or using the fitness center/gymnasium. This will be offered on Saturdays only, starting Nov. 10, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. The fee is $3 per child.
For more, click here.
Shericka Phillips x35563 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/
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11. RSVP for the November National Management Association Luncheon
Please join us for the November JSC National Management Association (NMA) Chapter luncheon presentation, "All Behaviors Count," with guest speakers from the Holocaust Museum Houston: Dr. Mary Lee Webeck, director of Education; and Cynthia Capers, associate director of Education and Changing Exhibitions.
Date: Nov. 13
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom
Please RSVP by close of business Nov. 7 here. For RSVP technical assistance, please contact Lorraine Guerra at 281-483-4262.
Cassandra Miranda x38618
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12. Latest International Space Station Research
Last week, the final on-orbit session of the Human Research Program (HRP) experiment - Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake (VO2max) and Submaximal Estimates of VO2max Before, During and After Long-Duration International Space Station Missions [VO2max] - was completed.
VO2max is the standard measure of aerobic capacity and is directly related to the physical working capacity of an individual. Decreased VO2max may represent a safety concern in the event of an emergency during spaceflight.
The Principal Investigator is JSC's own Alan D. Moore Jr., Ph.D.
Read more about the investigation here.
Liz Warren x35548
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13. NASA@work: There's Still Time to Submit Your Solution Today
There are two active challenges on the NASA@work platform right now: Seeking Inflight Calcium Isotope Measurement Device Challenge #1422 and A Durable/ Permanent Anti-Fog for the EMU Helmet Challenge #1467. To view the challenge details and submit your solution today, simply to go the NASA@work site.
Are you new to NASA@work? NASA@work is an agencywide collaborative, problem-solving platform that connects the collective knowledge of experts (like YOU) from all centers across NASA. Challenge owners post problems, and members of the NASA@work community participate by responding with their solutions to posted problems. Anyone can participate! Check it out and submit your solution today.
Kathryn Keeton 281-204-1519 http://nasa.innocentive.com/
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14. Learn How Space Technology Improves Life on Earth -- Nov. 7
You are invited to JSC's SAIC/Safety and Mission Assurance Speaker Forum featuring Fitz G. Walker Jr., founder of Bartron Medical Imaging, Inc.
Subject: NASA Technology Transfer and Spinoffs -- How Space Technology Improves Life on Earth
Date/Time: Wednesday, Nov. 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Building 1, Room 360
Bartron Medical Imaging, Inc. (BMI) is a Maryland corporation founded in 2000 by Walker. BMI is a biotech medical device manufacturer with software development and research and design facilities in Maryland, and manufacturing in New Haven, Conn.
Della Cardona/Juan Traslavina 281-335-2074/281-335-2272
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15. 'JSC Taxonomy News' Fall 2012
The semantic system, a.k.a. the JSC Taxonomy, is a combination of automation and human interaction that provides the structure, or the scaffolding, on which to build the system for adding context and value beyond keyword search. Content owners and creators can best define the accurate representation of their information, and your input is the most important part of the continuing development of the semantic system.
Check out the fall 2012 edition of the "JSC Taxonomy News" for more.
Brent Fontenot x36456 http://knowledge.jsc.nasa.gov
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16. Shuttle Knowledge Console v2.0
As part of JSC's ongoing space shuttle knowledge capture process, the JSC Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) and the JSC Engineering Directorate are pleased to announce the second release of the Shuttle Knowledge Console. New content added is Orbital Maneuvering System/Reaction Control System added to the Subsystem Manager page; Integrated Hazard Analysis added to the Shuttle Information System Archive page; and additional shuttle records content added to the Shuttle Records page. Also, an export control warning was added on all pages. Questions about the new website can be directed to Howard Wagner in the JSC Engineering Directorate or Brent Fontenot in the CKO office. We would love your feedback on this new site. Click the "Submit Feedback" button located on the top of the site navigation and give us your comments.
Brent J. Fontenot x36456 https://skc.jsc.nasa.gov/Home.aspx
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17. Energy-Efficient Wireless In-Home
This presentation will introduce machine-to-machine (M2M) systems, mainly in the context of smart homes. Capillary M2M for real-time data gathering in homes will focus on IEEE 802.15.4e, IETF 6LoWPAN, ROLL and COAP networking designs. Cellular M2M for data gathering and multimedia will focus on M2M standardization. The talk will also discuss open technical challenges and smart home developments.
Dr. Mischa Dohler is the head of Intelligent Energy Centre Tecnologic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, and is an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Communications Society distinguished speaker.
The presentation will start at noon and finish by 1 p.m. on Nov. 20 in the Gilruth Center Discovery Room. We will offer lunch at 11:30 a.m. for $8; there is no charge for the presentation. Please RSVP to Stew O'Dell by Tuesday, Nov. 13, and specify whether you are ordering lunch. Lunch is free for unemployed IEEE members; advise when reserving.
Stew O'Dell x31855 http://ewh.ieee.org/r5/galveston_bay/events/events.html
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18. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training: Jan. 14 to 18
Lean Six Sigma is one of the continuous improvement tools and methods used to help achieve operational excellence. The Lean Six Sigma approach helps identify process deficiencies, eliminate redundant or ineffective steps, and overcome barriers that inhibit the rapid and smooth flow of work. The overall purpose of Lean Six Sigma is to improve process quality, which ultimately helps reduce operational costs and schedules.
Green Belt Training provides both the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively identify improvement opportunities, confidently participate on the Lean Six Sigma teams and apply Lean principles and Six Sigma methodology to respective NASA/JSC projects and work areas.
Training will be held from Jan. 14 to 18 in Building 12, Room 152/154. Registration can be done through SATERN. https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=REGISTRATI...
Open to civil servants and a limited number of contractors. Prerequisites and approval required. Registration and more information on certification requirements are in SATERN.
Nicole Kem x37894
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19. Fire Warden Refresher Course (2 Hours)
This two-hour course is for previously trained Fire Wardens from JSC, Sonny Carter Training Facility and Ellington Field. It is required to satisfy the JSC three-year refresher training requirement for building Fire Wardens who have previously completed the initial 4-hour Fire Warden Orientation Training.
This course reviews the duties and responsibilities of a Fire Warden during an emergency evacuation of their assigned building and goes over how to conduct the required monthly walk-around inspection of the Fire Warden's assigned area.
Newly assigned Fire Wardens must attend the four-hour initial Fire Warden Orientation course available in SATERN for registration.
Date/Time: Nov. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m.
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
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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.
NASA TV SCHEDULE
October 31, Wednesday
8 a.m. CT - ISS Progress 49 Docking Coverage (Docking scheduled at 8:40 a.m. CT) - JSC (All Channels)
Human Spaceflight News
Wednesday – October 31, 2012
HEADLINES AND LEADS
Progress supply ship launched on station flight
Bill Harwood – CBS News
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday and set off on an abbreviated six-hour Halloween flight to the International Space Station. Loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment, the Progress M-17M spacecraft climbed away from its launching stand at 3:41:19 a.m. EDT (GMT-4; 1:41 p.m. local time) and accelerated smoothly toward orbit atop a jet of fiery exhaust.
Russian Cargo Ship Launches on Halloween Mission to Space Station
Mike Wall – Space.com
A robotic Russian cargo vessel blasted off today (Oct. 31), carrying nearly 3 tons of supplies on a Halloween delivery mission to the International Space Station. The unmanned Progress 49 spacecraft launched from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:41 a.m. EDT (0741 GMT) today and is slated to arrive at the orbiting lab six hours later. You can watch the rendezvous and docking activities live here on NASA TV, beginning at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT).
Recovered SpaceX Capsule Arrives at California Port
Dan Leone – SpaceNews.com
About two days after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, a commercially operated space capsule laden with 760 kilograms of return cargo from the international space station arrived at port in San Pedro, Calif., in the early morning hours of Oct. 30. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) recovered its Dragon space capsule Oct. 28, the same day the craft departed the space station. Dragon splashed down about 400 kilometers off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, with a cache of cargo including items belonging to NASA and its international space station partners.
Superstorm deflates Intrepid’s Space Shuttle Pavilion after ‘unprecedented’ water levels
Associated Press
The superstorm has caused the Space Shuttle Pavilion at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to deflate. A statement from museum president Susan Marenoff-Zausner says unprecedented levels of water on the Hudson River flooded both the museum’s main power source and backup generators Monday.
Sandy Causes Space Shuttle Pavilion To Deflate
CBS New York
Superstorm Sandy has caused the pavilion that houses the Space Shuttle Enterprise to deflate at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to deflate. Record levels of water rushing up from the Hudson River flooded both the main power source and backup generators at the museum Monday, according to a statement from museum president Susan Marenoff-Zausner.
Space Shuttle Enterprise Damaged by Hurricane Sandy
Robert Pearlman – Space.com
Space shuttle Enterprise, NASA's original prototype orbiter, is sitting exposed and appears to have been partially damaged by Hurricane Sandy after the severe storm passed over New York City on Monday night (Oct. 29). On display on board the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, a converted aircraft carrier, since July, Enterprise had been protected from the elements inside a pressurized pavilion. Based on photos posted online, the inflatable structure appears to have first deflated and then torn by the winds of the now post-tropical storm cyclone.
Thanks, New York, for taking care of the shuttle
Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle
Look, I know it’s really a terrible thing to be struck by a hurricane, and I know the northeast is a mess right now. The last thing they’re worried about is some damage to a space shuttle. And I’m honestly very sorry for the people affected by Sandy. I grok hurricane misery. But for Houston, this photo really stings. You may recall that Houston lost out on a bid to house a retired space shuttle some 18 months ago. Most of us understood that Florida, Washington D.C. (Smithsonian) and the West Coast were going to get a shuttle in the interests of geographical considerations.
Space shuttle Endeavour exhibit officially opens to public
Kate Mather – Los Angeles Times
The children filed into the building two by two, holding hands with their classmates so they wouldn't get lost in the crowd. Some pointed and grinned. Others stared in silence, their necks craned back as they eyed the 57-foot-tall space shuttle. "On TV it's very small," 6-year-old Elaine McNeil said. "When I see it in real life, it's really big and humongous. I don't know how they fit it in here."
Space shuttle Endeavour goes on public display
Associated Press
The final home of space shuttle Endeavour is opening its doors to the public. Astronauts and schoolkids will be on hand Tuesday at the California Science Center in Los Angeles at the grand opening of its new shuttle display. Visitors to the free display can't go inside Endeavour but they can use virtual exhibits, including touch-screen computer displays with information about the shuttle's flight deck. Also on display is Endeavour's zero-gravity toilet. Thousands of people watched as the giant spacecraft made its final journey through the streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood two weeks ago. The shuttle will be on display in a special 18,000-square-foot building until the downtown museum builds a new air and space wing that should open in about five years. (NO FURTHER TEXT)
30 astronauts to be on hand for shuttle Atlantis' move to Visitor Complex
Dave Berman – Florida Today
About 30 astronauts will lead the space shuttle Atlantis on the homestretch of its 9.8-mile journey Friday to its new home at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, which operates the Visitor Complex, said the astronaut appearance was just added to Friday’s event schedule.
The Space Race Is On
Zac Unger – The Atlantic
The Space Shuttle may have taken its final, valedictory tour across the United States, but that's no reason to think that our exploration of the heavens is over. The Space Race -- both in terms of manned travel and remote sensing expeditions -- is as competitive now as during the days of Sputnik. Some new astronauts never leave the ground, but their remote probes travel hundreds of thousands of miles, sending back hi-res images and collecting terabytes of data.
Obama failed space program; Romney would revitalize it
Eugene A. Cernan – Orlando Sentinel (Guest Column)
"We now leave as we once came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind." With these words, I left the moon on Dec. 14, 1972, completing the final manned mission in the Apollo space program. Those words still resonate in my heart four decades later. But in light of the abdication of leadership over the past four years under President Obama, I'm concerned that the peace and hope the crew of Apollo XVII expressed are more elusive than ever.
Meanwhile On Mars…
NASA Curiosity rover takes a bite of Martian soil
Associated Press
Scientists say the Martian soil at the rover Curiosity's landing site contains minerals similar to what's found on Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano.The finding released Tuesday is the latest step in trying to better understand whether the environment could have been hospitable to microbial life.
Curiosity recently ingested its first soil sample and used one of its instruments to tease out the minerals present. An analysis revealed it contained feldspar and olivine, minerals typically associated with volcanic eruptions. Mission scientists say the Martian soil is similar to volcanic soil on the flanks of Mauna Kea. Curiosity landed near the Martian equator in August on a two-year mission. It'll be another month before it drills into its first rock. Then it's expected to head toward a mountain by year's end. (NO FURTHER TEXT)
Curiosity Rover’s First X-Ray Analysis Reveals Volcanic Martian Soil
Adam Mann – Wired Magazine
NASA’s Curiosity rover has completed the first-ever detailed X-ray analysis of Martian sand, determining that it contains minerals similar to volcanic soil found at places like the Mauna Kea shield volcano in Hawaii.
Mars Dirt Similar to Hawaiian Volcanic Soil
Mike Wall – Space.com
The first-ever in-depth analysis of Martian dirt reveals a mineralogical makeup similar to that of Hawaiian volcanic soils, researchers announced today (Oct. 30). The results come from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, which recently studied a scoop of Red Planet dirt with its Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument, or CheMin, for the first time
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COMPLETE STORIES
Progress supply ship launched on station flight
Bill Harwood – CBS News
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday and set off on an abbreviated six-hour Halloween flight to the International Space Station.
Loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment, the Progress M-17M spacecraft climbed away from its launching stand at 3:41:19 a.m. EDT (GMT-4; 1:41 p.m. local time) and accelerated smoothly toward orbit atop a jet of fiery exhaust.
Eight minutes and 45 seconds later, the supply ship was released into its planned preliminary orbit, on track for a docking at the aft port of the Russian Zvezda command module around 9:40 a.m.
"Good morning ," station commander Sunita Williams radioed NASA flight controllers in Houston. "Happy Halloween, and hopefully our little trick-or-treat vehicle is on its way. We just got to see it out the window and that's pretty special. Hope you guys are having a great day."
This was the fourth Progress launched this year, the second to follow an abbreviated six-hour rendezvous with the space station. Russian flight controllers normally implement two-day rendezvous profiles, but they are perfecting procedures for single-day flights for eventual use with manned Soyuz missions.
The Progress M-17M spacecraft is loaded with 2,050 pounds of space station propellant, 62 pounds of oxygen, 42 pounds of air, 926 pounds of water and 2,738 pounds of spare parts, crew supplies and equipment. It is scheduled to remain docked at the space station until next April.
Russian Cargo Ship Launches on Halloween Mission to Space Station
Mike Wall – Space.com
A robotic Russian cargo vessel blasted off today (Oct. 31), carrying nearly 3 tons of supplies on a Halloween delivery mission to the International Space Station.
The unmanned Progress 49 spacecraft launched from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:41 a.m. EDT (0741 GMT) today and is slated to arrive at the orbiting lab six hours later. You can watch the rendezvous and docking activities live here on NASA TV, beginning at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT).
Progress 49 is toting 2.9 tons of supplies, including 2,050 pounds (930 kilograms) of propellant, 926 pounds (420 kg) of water, 62 pounds (28 kg) of oxygen and 2,738 pounds (1,242 kg) of spare parts, NASA officials said. There's no word yet on whether any candy corn or miniature chocolate bars made it onboard to help the space station's six astronauts celebrate the season.
Life on orbit is always busy, but this week is particularly jam-packed for station crew.
For example, today's launch comes just three days after SpaceX's unmanned Dragon capsule left the station, wrapping up the first-ever commercial cargo mission to the $100 billion orbiting complex. Dragon splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the Baja California coast on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 28).
Dragon will make at least 11 more flights to the station under a $1.6 billion contract that California-based SpaceX signed with NASA. Its next launch is currently scheduled for January, agency officials have said.
Dragon is unique in its ability to ferry hardware, supplies and scientific experiments both to and from the space station. All other cargo craft currently operating — including Russia's Progress ships — carry supplies to the orbiting lab but burn up upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
Shortly after welcoming Progress 49 to the station, crewmembers will turn their attention to another task. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, commander of the orbiting complex's current Expedition 33 mission, and Japanese colleague Akihiko Hoshide will perform a spacewalk Thursday morning (Nov. 1).
Beginning at 8:15 a.m. EDT (1215 GMT) Thursday, Williams and Hoshide will venture to the port side of the station's backbone-like truss to repair an ammonia leak in a radiator. The spacewalk should take about 6 1/2 hours, NASA officials said.
Recovered SpaceX Capsule Arrives at California Port
Dan Leone – SpaceNews.com
About two days after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, a commercially operated space capsule laden with 760 kilograms of return cargo from the international space station arrived at port in San Pedro, Calif., in the early morning hours of Oct. 30.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) recovered its Dragon space capsule Oct. 28, the same day the craft departed the space station. Dragon splashed down about 400 kilometers off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, with a cache of cargo including items belonging to NASA and its international space station partners.
The ship carrying Dragon docked around 3 a.m. local time, SpaceX spokeswoman Katherine Nelson said in an Oct. 30 email.
Some of the items Dragon is carrying have been designated as early return cargo. These items will be unpacked in San Pedro and returned to NASA. Dragon, along with the rest of its cargo, will then be trucked to SpaceX’s engine test facility in McGregor, Texas, for postflight 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.
Superstorm deflates Intrepid’s Space Shuttle Pavilion after ‘unprecedented’ water levels
Associated Press
The superstorm has caused the Space Shuttle Pavilion at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to deflate.
A statement from museum president Susan Marenoff-Zausner says unprecedented levels of water on the Hudson River flooded both the museum’s main power source and backup generators Monday.
She says the resulting power problem caused the pavilion, which is like a giant bubble of material that houses the shuttle Enterprise, to deflate.
The shuttle Enterprise itself was draped in protective cloth.
Marenoff-Zausner says rebuilding will begin when it’s safe enough to work, but that the museum is closed for now.
Sandy Causes Space Shuttle Pavilion To Deflate
CBS New York
Superstorm Sandy has caused the pavilion that houses the Space Shuttle Enterprise to deflate at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to deflate.
Record levels of water rushing up from the Hudson River flooded both the main power source and backup generators at the museum Monday, according to a statement from museum president Susan Marenoff-Zausner.
She said the resulting power problem caused the pavilion, which is similar to a giant bubble of material that houses the shuttle Enterprise, to deflate.
The shuttle Enterprise itself was draped in protective cloth.
Marenoff-Zausner says rebuilding will begin when is safe enough to work, but that the museum is closed.
A statement on the museum Web site said it would be closed at least through Wednesday. The statement advised visitors to keep checking the Web site for further details.
The Space Shuttle Enterprise made its public debut at the museum just last July. It opened to the public 43 years to the day after Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
The infamous shuttle was never actually sent to space, but instead was used as a test spacecraft.
In April, it was flown to New York from Virginia on the back of a 747 and was welcomed to the Big Apple with cheers and fanfare.
The museum charges an extra $6 on top of its regular admission price to view the shuttle.
Space Shuttle Enterprise Damaged by Hurricane Sandy
Robert Pearlman – Space.com
Space shuttle Enterprise, NASA's original prototype orbiter, is sitting exposed and appears to have been partially damaged by Hurricane Sandy after the severe storm passed over New York City on Monday night (Oct. 29).
On display on board the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, a converted aircraft carrier, since July, Enterprise had been protected from the elements inside a pressurized pavilion. Based on photos posted online, the inflatable structure appears to have first deflated and then torn by the winds of the now post-tropical storm cyclone.
Photos show the 180-foot-long (55 meters) by 60-foot-high (18 meters) pavilion's fabric exterior now lies draped over Enterprise, though much of the shuttle's nose section and part of its payload bay is uncovered. The orbiter's vertical stabilizer, or tail, is protruding out the top, where it looks like part of the spacecraft may have been torn away.
"We certainly wish our best to everyone affected by the storm. It was a very big storm that affected many people," NASA spokesman Mike Curie told collectSPACE.com. "We are aware that Enterprise appears to be uncovered on the deck of the Intrepid, but we're sure that our friends at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum will do their best to take care of Enterprise and get it back up to shipshape as soon as possible."
Intrepid officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The "superstorm" Sandy flooded Pier 86 on the west side of Manhattan, where the Intrepid is anchored, submerging part of the museum's main entrance under water. Similar damage was seen throughout the city and region, leaving buildings destroyed, millions of people without power and at least 30 dead. [Superstorm from Space: Hurricane Sandy Satellite Photos]
Enterprise was delivered to the Intrepid in June after being transferred from its previous home of eight years at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in northern Virginia. In its place, space shuttle Discoveryis now at the Udvar-Hazy Center, having arrived in April after NASA retired its orbiter fleet in 2011.
Discovery was also in Sandy's path, and the Smithsonian remains closed due to the storm. However, no damage to that shuttle was reported, nor was any damage evident on webcam footage of the vehicle.
Enterprise, built in the 1970s, never made it to space, but was used instead as a prototype to test the space shuttle design during approach-and-landing glide tests.
Since arriving at the Intrepid, Enterprise has been housed in its climate-controlled inflated pavilion. This shelter was never meant to be permanent, however. Ultimately, the Intrepid has said it plans to build a larger, separate facility to showcase the shuttle and enhance the museum's other space exhibits and educational displays.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Sandy was centered about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east-northeast of Pittsburgh, moving westward and weakening over Pennsylvania, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. The storm's maximum sustained winds were 45 mph (72 kph), down from 90 mph (150 kph) on Monday when it was a Category 1 hurricane.
Thanks, New York, for taking care of the shuttle
Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle
Look, I know it’s really a terrible thing to be struck by a hurricane, and I know the northeast is a mess right now. The last thing they’re worried about is some damage to a space shuttle. And I’m honestly very sorry for the people affected by Sandy. I grok hurricane misery. But for Houston, this photo really stings.
You may recall that Houston lost out on a bid to house a retired space shuttle some 18 months ago. Most of us understood that Florida, Washington D.C. (Smithsonian) and the West Coast were going to get a shuttle in the interests of geographical considerations.
What many could not understand is how New York, being located so close to Washington, D.C. and having tenuous ties to the space shuttle program, got one for display. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum won the space shuttle Enterprise, which had never flown in orbit. The middle of the country, which included Houston and a strong bid from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, got left out.
Sandy blew down the special 180-foot-long by 60-foot-high pavilion which, in happier days, housed the shuttle. Museum officials did not immediately respond to a query as to whether the shuttle was damaged. A Johnson Space Center source said museum officials have indicated that Enterprise emerged unharmed from the storm.
You may recall that one criticism of Space Center Houston’s bid for a space shuttle was that it would have been vulnerable to hurricanes.
Well, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have displayed the shuttle in what appears to have been a glorified tent that could be blown down by tropical-storm force winds.
Space shuttle Endeavour exhibit officially opens to public
Kate Mather – Los Angeles Times
The children filed into the building two by two, holding hands with their classmates so they wouldn't get lost in the crowd. Some pointed and grinned. Others stared in silence, their necks craned back as they eyed the 57-foot-tall space shuttle.
"On TV it's very small," 6-year-old Elaine McNeil said. "When I see it in real life, it's really big and humongous. I don't know how they fit it in here."
The children were some of the first visitors to see space shuttle Endeavour in its new home at the California Science Center, which opened the doors to the Samuel Oschin display pavilion Tuesday. Hundreds of people lined up outside to see the retired orbiter, which arrived in Los Angeles last month.
Frankie Medina, 6, who wants to be an astronaut, said he couldn't really describe his reaction.
"I just feel like I'm gonna burst on the floor," he said.
Several public officials were also on hand to mark the pavilion's opening at a morning ceremony, including Gov. Jerry Brown, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts. The family of late astronaut Sally Ride was also in attendance, along with actresses June Lockhart ("Lost in Space") and Nichelle Nichols ("Star Trek").
"California’s always been at the forefront of space development and exploration," the governor said. "This wonderful space shuttle was built by Rockwell, not too many miles from here. And even today, the Mars rover is out there on Mars, being driven by people in Pasadena. Californians.... It's amazing what it does for the human imagination."
Villaraigosa called Endeavour's return to California — which included a three-day, cross-country trip and 12-mile crawl through city streets — a "spectacular" story that would inspire children to be scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
"This isn't just a ribbon-cutting for Endeavour's home," he said. "This is a ribbon-cutting for the future of L.A."
The shuttle will be displayed in the temporary pavilion until the museum builds a new air and space wing, a 170,000-square-foot facility that should open in about five years. There, the shuttle will be displayed vertically as though it is about to launch, complete with an external tank and twin solid rocket boosters.
As the pavilion filled with visitors Tuesday, scientist and television personality Bill Nye's eyes scanned the crowd as he proclaimed the day "fantastic."
"When you see an object like this ... it changes you," he said of the shuttle. "It changes the way you think about what humans can do. It changes the way you think about your place among the stars."
30 astronauts to be on hand for shuttle Atlantis' move to Visitor Complex
Dave Berman – Florida Today
About 30 astronauts will lead the space shuttle Atlantis on the homestretch of its 9.8-mile journey Friday to its new home at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, which operates the Visitor Complex, said the astronaut appearance was just added to Friday’s event schedule.
Final preparations are under way for the daylong trip to the Visitor Complex from KSC Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis’ journey aboard a 76-wheeled Orbiter Transporter System vehicle will start at 6:30 a.m. and end at 6 p.m., with several planned stops along the way, including at Space Florida’s Exploration Park. More than 300 people are helping coordinate the move.
The public will be able to buy tickets to view part of the journey and see Atlantis up close that day.
Macy said he expects the final 150 yards of the trip to be the most challenging, as the massive orbiter must be make a right turn from State Road 405/NASA Parkway into the Visitor Complex area. It then will be maneuvered into its new building with only about 2 feet of clearance available on either side of its wings, then must be put in place within six to eight inches of its final mark. It later will be adjusted to within about 1.5 inches of the designated spot.
The Atlantis exhibit building and exhibits are still under construction, with the attraction scheduled to open in July.
The Space Race Is On
Zac Unger – The Atlantic
The Space Shuttle may have taken its final, valedictory tour across the United States, but that's no reason to think that our exploration of the heavens is over.
The Space Race -- both in terms of manned travel and remote sensing expeditions -- is as competitive now as during the days of Sputnik. Some new astronauts never leave the ground, but their remote probes travel hundreds of thousands of miles, sending back hi-res images and collecting terabytes of data.
Dr. Charles Elachi, director of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, says that the Curiosity Mars Rover was the "equivalent of 18,000 Indy 500 race cars going at top speed, and in 17 minutes we had to land softly on the surface."
Needless to say, they stuck the landing, and for the last two months the human race has literally been driving over the surface of Mars. The mission has been closely monitored by scientists and millions of armchair enthusiasts following in realtime over the Internet.
According to Elachi, "Our technology now is that effectively we can do almost everything robotically," and yet, we must not take people out of the equation. "Great countries don't have to do everything for science ... or for direct profit, but for the human spirit."
He spoke Tuesday at The Atlantic's Big Science Summit in San Jose, Calif., exploring innovations in science and technology.
One person with her eyes on space is Fiona Harrison -- principal investigator for NASA NuStar explorer mission, which explores black holes, and the remnants of supernova -- who also spoke at the summit. "We can see the heart of our galaxy," she said, referring to being able to take breathtaking pictures from telescopes and space probes. Her future goals include expensive projects like creating robots that can assemble high-powered telescopes in space, and she's firm in her belief that "the limitation is imagination."
But what about the rest of us who don't have the backing of NASA? Will Pomerantz, VP for Special Projects at Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is working on that: "I'm obsessed with the number 528 -- all the human beings who have ever been to space."
Pomerantz said that NASA's job is to increase that number incrementally, one by one, but it's the job of private enterprise to open space exploration to the masses. Virgin Galactic's goal is to lower the base price for getting regular people aloft, helping entrepreneurs to lift payloads and high school teachers to get their experiments to the stars, he said.
And what, exactly, will we do when we no longer need a national government to help get us to the moon? According to Moon Express founder Naveen Jain, what we'll do is start to make money.
"The moon is an aggregator of asteroids," he said during the panel. "Why not just process the platinum and bring it back? I mean, why not? Someone has to do it."
As we push further afield, there's a legitimate question about whether our laws -- and our culture -- can keep pace. Who owns the moon? Who regulates it? As the price of firing off a rocket drops from $100 million down to maybe $500,000, what will we all do with our new freedoms?
We don't yet know, but we're all about to find out.
Obama failed space program; Romney would revitalize it
Eugene A. Cernan – Orlando Sentinel (Guest Column)
"We now leave as we once came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind."
With these words, I left the moon on Dec. 14, 1972, completing the final manned mission in the Apollo space program.
Those words still resonate in my heart four decades later. But in light of the abdication of leadership over the past four years under President Obama, I'm concerned that the peace and hope the crew of Apollo XVII expressed are more elusive than ever.
The U.S. space program has long been the envy of nations. Since it all began in the 1950s, the United States had become the unchallenged leader in space exploration. Apollo XI's historic mission to the moon united our country, not only because it was — as my friend Neil Armstrong said — "One small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind," but because it represented our nation's triumph over our adversaries.
Even in the midst of "the terrible '60s," when our nation was shackled by civil strife, campus unrest and the beginning of an unpopular war, we banded together and accepted the bold challenge of President John F. Kennedy and once again demonstrated America's collective exceptionalism.
Unfortunately, our nation's space program is today in disarray. Not only did Obama cancel long-held plans for NASA's Constellation program, breaking his earlier promise to fund and implement it, but he has failed to put in place any clear goals about our nation's space programs moving forward.
Frankly, the world's leading space-faring nation shouldn't have to pay Russia for rides to the International Space Station. That's not only an insult to the hundreds of women and men like me who have built a legacy based on, literally, reaching for the stars, but it also hurts the local economy and puts local jobs at risk at a time when Florida's unemployment rate is already higher than the national average.
Four years ago, Obama promised Floridians that space-industry workers wouldn't lose their jobs when the shuttle program ended; in fact, more than 7,400 people lost their jobs. The Kennedy Space Center's 8,500 workers represent its smallest work force in more than 35 years, and it's a far cry from the 15,000 workers the center employed in the mid-1990s.
In short, "hope and change" have not come for the Space Coast; neither have they come for the nation.
Instead, over the past four years, Obama has resorted to leading from behind and asks Americans to settle for a new normal that diminishes our position in the world. Not only is he willing to sacrifice the United States' pre-eminence in space exploration, but he seems unconcerned that our economic and national security might falter as well. It is not just about space; it is about the country.
In contrast, Mitt Romney believes that the 21st century should be an American century in which our country continues to lead the world in terms of the strength of our economy, our military and our space-exploration program. As president, Romney would bring together stakeholders — not only from NASA and leading universities, but also from the Air Force and commercial enterprises — to set goals, identify missions and chart a path that honors the legacy we have built so far and ensures the United States' continued leadership moving forward.
His plan would focus NASA on practical, sustainable missions that balance top-priority science and groundbreaking exploration programs. He would work to partner with our friends in the international community to achieve our nation's space objectives and to open new foreign markets so our aerospace industry can compete for and win business abroad.
And by strengthening our national-security space programs, we can also help ensure the continued safety of our interests around the world.
I've seen the greatness of America. And much of that greatness has stemmed from our unwillingness to settle for second best. I know America can do better than we've been doing over the past four years because I've witnessed it. And I believe America can once again reclaim our nation's strength and leadership by electing Mitt Romney this November.
Eugene A. Cernan flew three historic missions in space as the pilot of Gemini IX (1966), the Lunar Module pilot of Apollo X (1969) and the commander of Apollo XVII (1972). He lives in Houston.
Meanwhile On Mars…
Curiosity Rover’s First X-Ray Analysis Reveals Volcanic Martian Soil
Adam Mann – Wired Magazine
NASA’s Curiosity rover has completed the first-ever detailed X-ray analysis of Martian sand, determining that it contains minerals similar to volcanic soil found at places like the Mauna Kea shield volcano in Hawaii.
Curiosity has been scooping and sampling the Martian regolith at an area called Rocknest for the past month. The probe is starting to live up to its original, official name Mars Science Laboratory, doing lab work that hasn’t until now been possible on Mars. No previous lander or rover has been able to perform X-ray diffraction because the machines required for the technique are typically the size of a refrigerator. Engineers were able to shrink the instrument down to roughly the size of a shoebox and make it less power-hungry, allowing it to be packed and sent to Mars on the rover.
“This is truly an exciting time for planetary scientists,” said mineralogist David Bish from Indiana University, co-investigator on the CheMin X-ray analysis instrument. ”X-ray diffraction patterns are the best method for telling us what minerals are present.”
Curiosity recently delivered an aspirin-sized sample of fine soil to CheMin, which was placed in one of the windowed cells seen in the image below. Those cells vibrate 2,000 times a second to shake up the Martian sand, which is then blasted with X-rays. The X-rays penetrate into the tiny grains, determining the spacing of their atoms and uniquely identifying which minerals are present and their quantity.
CheMin revealed the presence of crystalline feldspar, pyroxenes, and olivine, which on Earth can be formed from volcanic processes and broken down by weathering, which may include rain and flowing water. Nothing about the analysis was particularly surprising because scientists have in the past had indications of all these minerals on Mars, but it is the first direct measurement of them. Because these fine particles are blown from all over the Martian surface by wind, future analysis will help researchers understand more about the complex geological history of Mars.
Mars Dirt Similar to Hawaiian Volcanic Soil
Mike Wall – Space.com
The first-ever in-depth analysis of Martian dirt reveals a mineralogical makeup similar to that of Hawaiian volcanic soils, researchers announced today (Oct. 30).
The results come from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, which recently studied a scoop of Red Planet dirt with its Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument, or CheMin, for the first time.
"This Martian soil that we've analyzed on Mars just this past week appears mineralogically similar to some weathered basaltic materials that we see on Earth," David Bish, a CheMin co-investigator with Indiana University, told reporters. He cited as an example the "weathered soils on the flanks of Mauna Kea in Hawaii."
What was expected
X-ray diffraction is standard practice for geologists here on Earth, but Curiosity is the first robot ever to employ it on another planet, researchers said. The mission team had to shrink the necessary gear from the size of a refrigerator down to that of a shoebox to get CheMin to fit on the car-size rover, which landed on Mars in August.
"We can tell you, first of all, what minerals are present, and secondly, how much of each mineral is there," said CheMin principal investigator David Blake, of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. "So it's really the first full-up quantitative instrument for doing this work on Mars."
CheMin's first results — obtained using soil Curiosity scooped at a site called "Rocknest" — aren't terribly surprising, researchers said.
"Much of Mars is covered with dust, and we had an incomplete understanding of its mineralogy," Bish said in a statement. "We now know it is mineralogically similar to basaltic material, with significant amounts of feldspar, pyroxene and olivine, which was not unexpected. Roughly half the soil is non-crystalline material, such as volcanic glass or products from weathering of the glass."
The sample contains at least two components: particles distributed globally by Martian dust storms and sand that appears to have originated locally, in Gale Crater. In contrast to the conglomerate rocks Curiosity discovered a month or so ago, there is no evidence of strong interaction with liquid water in the Rocknest sample, researchers said.
"So far, the materials Curiosity has analyzed are consistent with our initial ideas of the deposits in Gale Crater recording a transition through time from a wet to dry environment," Bish said. "The ancient rocks, such as the conglomerates, suggest flowing water, while the minerals in the younger soil are consistent with limited interaction with water."
Next Up
Curiosity has been at Rocknest for about a month. During this time, the $2.5 billion rover has been gearing up for its first scooping activities and preparing to use CheMin and its Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument for the first time.
Like CheMin, SAM sits on Curiosity's body and analyzes samples dropped in by the rover's 7-foot-long (2.1 meters) robotic arm. SAM can identify organic compounds, the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it.
The first SAM soil results should come in soon, mission scientists said.
"We hope to be at this location for about another week, and today we will begin the uplinking process for the part of the experiment that feeds the sample eventually to the SAM instrument," said Curiosity lead scientist John Grotzinger, of Caltech in Pasadena. "About a week or 10 days from now, we should be getting data back from the conclusion of that."
SAM has already been sniffing the Martian atmosphere for traces of methane, a gas that is commonly produced by living organisms here on Earth. The mission team isn't ready to announce any results from this activity yet but should be soon.
"Stay tuned," Grotzinger said.
While at Rocknest, Curiosity has also been studying Red Planet rocks with some of its cameras and other instruments.
For example, last week the rover blasted a miniature system of natural arches — dubbed "Stonehenge" by some mission team members — with the laser on its ChemCam instrument. ChemCam determines mineral composition by analyzing the vaporized bits this laser produces.
Curiosity landed inside Gale Crater on Aug. 5. Its main destination is the base of Mount Sharp, the 3.4-mile-high (5.5 km) mountain rising from the crater's center. Mars-orbiting spacecraft have spotted signs that Mount Sharp's foothills were exposed to liquid water long ago.
These interesting deposits lie about 6 miles (10 km) from Curiosity's landing site. Scientists want the rover to perform its first drilling activity at or near Rocknest, but Curiosity should start heading toward Mount Sharp when that's done — perhaps around the end of the year, Grotzinger has said.
END
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