11/1/12 news

Hope you can join us TODAY at Hibachi Grill for our monthly NASA Retirees Luncheon at 11:30.   Hibachi Grill is on Bay Area Blvd between Highway 3 and Interstate 45.   We have the party room in the back reserved for the NASA Retirees.     Thursday, November 1, 2012   JSC TODAY HEADLINES 1.            Joint Leadership Team Web Poll 2.            The JLT Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop 3.            Invisible Rules: Men, Women and Teams 4.            JSC Case Study Development 5.            Meet the Mars Science Laboratory Team 6.            Monthly Test of the JSC Emergency Warning System 7.            Spacesuit Development and Qualification for Project Mercury 8.            Starport Fall Break Camp -- Register Now 9.            Weight Watchers at JSC 10.          Recent JSC Announcement 11.          What is Human Systems Integration? 12.          The JSC Safety Action Team (JSAT) Says ... 13.          JSC Career Path Development Course -- Nov. 14 ________________________________________     QUOTE OF THE DAY “ I don't know why it is we are in such a hurry to get up when we fall down. You might think we would lie there and rest for a while. ”   -- Max Eastman ________________________________________ 1.            Joint Leadership Team Web Poll Fooled you on the first question last week. Gate 2's canopy does glow blue anytime the station goes over Texas, but we never have to mow Building 12's roof. Watch for the canopy glow -- it's cool. You were correct on question two when you guessed that Big Tex never dumped Mila Kunis for too much drama. It was LeAnn Rimes that he broke up with. This week we got some wonderful cool weather, and it got me to thinking what my favorite season is. I'd like to hear from you on this. Enjoy fall? Winter? Spring or summer best? Question two is a thought-provoking, intellectual question. What if Andre the Giant was locked in an MMA cage and had to fight to submission with one of the five possible opponents? Who would have the best chance of defeating him? Joe your Frazier on over to get this week's poll. Joel Walker x30541 http://jlt.jsc.nasa.gov/   [top] 2.            The JLT Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop The Joint Leadership Team (JLT) Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop is an interactive event where contractor and civil servant early career professionals can get hands-on informal mentoring from mid-level and senior managers within the aerospace industry. The activities and discussions are designed to help early career professionals navigate their career and enhance the soft skills needed to succeed in a dynamic environment. The JLT Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop will be held on Thursday, Dec. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Building 12. The event is open to JSC civil servants, contractors and co-ops. Not able to join in person? Participate by sending in questions and comments via Twitter @JLT_ECM or by joining one of the mentoring sessions via WebEx. Mark your calendar for Dec. 13! Registration details coming soon. Watch for updates in JSC Today. Heather Williams 281-792-7801   [top] 3.            Invisible Rules: Men, Women and Teams Ever think the "other team" is playing by a different set of rules than you? Here's a chance to sneak a peek at their playbook, gain greater insight and learn some winning techniques. The ASIA Employee Resource Group (ERG) is offering a lunch-and-learn session on DVD, "Invisible Rules" by Dr. Pat Heim, a leading expert in management and gender differences. It's true. Men and women have different rules regarding what is considered "appropriate" adult behavior. Unfortunately, neither gender may be aware of these disparate norms and rules, and often misreads what is being communicated. While men and women are doing what works in their own culture, the same behavior can backfire across cultures. The differences are not right or wrong, but understanding these invisible rules will benefit all. The session will be held on Nov. 7 in Building 1, Room 620, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please contact Krystine Bui (x34186) for information. Krystine Bui x34186   [top] 4.            JSC Case Study Development Organizational learning takes place when knowledge is shared in usable ways among organizational members. Knowledge is most usable when it is contextual. Case study teaching is a method for sharing contextual project management knowledge that can help make the reapplication of lessons learned meaningful. The JSC Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) will embark on developing our own case studies. Case studies will be written by interviewing the key players on a project, in addition to collecting historical documents and reports. A professional writer will produce a written case story, incorporating human elements, technical aspects and lessons learned. The CKO would like to solicit you for potential topics. Potential topics can be technical, administrative, management, science, operations problems and more. Please send your ideas to Brent J. Fontenot. Brent J. Fontenot x36456   [top] 5.            Meet the Mars Science Laboratory Team Join Space Center Houston and Houston-area schools on Friday, Nov. 2, to see our Career Day guest speakers: Bobak Ferdowsi (a.k.a. "The Mohawk Guy") and Dr. Ravi Prakash (Texas City native). Relive the excitement as NASA's own Mars Science Laboratory team takes us through the "hair-raising" Mars landing and Curiosity's exciting mission of discovery! The keynote presentation starts at 10:15 a.m. and will run until 11 a.m. Afterward, join us for an informal discussion with Ferdowsi and Prakash as they highlight their career paths in the Zero-G diner at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, click here. Jack Moore, Space Center Houston 281-244-2100   [top] 6.            Monthly Test of the JSC Emergency Warning System The Emergency Dispatch Center and Office of Emergency Management will conduct the monthly test of the JSC Emergency Warning System (EWS) today, Nov. 1, at noon. The EWS test will consist of a verbal "This is a test" message, followed by a short tone and a second verbal "This is a test" message. The warning tone will be the "whoop" tone, which is associated with a "Seek shelter inside" message. Please visit the JSC Emergency Awareness website for EWS tones and definitions. During an actual emergency situation, the particular tone and verbal message will provide you with protective information. Dennis G. Perrin x34232 http://jea.jsc.nasa.gov   [top] 7.            Spacesuit Development and Qualification for Project Mercury The U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture series will host Jim McBarron's discussion of Mercury's full-pressure suit development and qualification program on Nov. 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. With the information McBarron has collected as a result of his 40 years of experience with United States Air Force pressure suit and NASA spacesuit development and operations, he will share significant knowledge, including suit selection, specification, system qualification and production acceptance test requirements. McBarron will also identify Mercury spacesuit modifications made for each mission and discuss noteworthy lessons learned. Location: Building 5S, Room 3102 (near the guard shack at the entrance of the Building 4/Building 4S/Building 5S parking lot is a ramp leading to a door at the corner of Building 5S). A public access elevator is located past two sets of doors. Direct questions to Cinda Chullen (x38384), Vladenka Oliva (281-461-5681) or Rose Bitterly (281-461-5795). Rose Bitterly 281-461-5795   [top] 8.            Starport Fall Break Camp -- Register Now Starport Fall Break Camp is just around the corner! If you're looking for a fun, convenient and familiar place for your children to go for the school break, look no further. NASA Starport Camps at the Gilruth Center are the perfect place. We plan to keep your children active and entertained with games, crafts, sports and all types of fun activities. The camp runs from Nov. 19 to 21 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for ages 6 to 12. The cost is $90 for all three days, or $40 per day. Registration is now open at the Gilruth Center. Click here for more information. Shericka Phillips x35563 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/   [top] 9.            Weight Watchers at JSC Did you know that all Weight Watchers members using Monthly Passes are welcome to attend the JSC on-site Weight Watchers meetings? If you have on-site access, you can attend our meetings on Mondays (except for federal holidays) in Building 45, Room 551. Weigh-in is from 11:30 a.m. to noon, and the meeting is from noon to 12:30 p.m. If you are not a Weight Watchers member, you may join us as a guest and learn more about the program. With the holidays quickly approaching, you could start losing weight while enjoying your favorite foods, rather than gaining over the holidays. Get a head start on your New Year's resolution by joining NOW! Sign up and purchase your Monthly Pass through the JSC portal at the link below: JSC Company ID 24156, pass code WW24156. Don't wait, join today! Julie Kliesing x31540 https://wellness.weightwatchers.com   [top] 10.          Recent JSC Announcement Please visit the JSC Announcements (JSCA) Web page to view the newly posted announcement: JSCA 12-035: Communications With Industry Procurement Solicitation for the JSC Environmental Services Contract Archived announcements are also available on the JSCA Web page. Linda Turnbough x36246 http://ird.jsc.nasa.gov/DocumentManagement/announcements/default.aspx   [top] 11.          What is Human Systems Integration? The SA Human Systems Academy is pleased to announce a lecture that introduces attendees to the basics of Human Systems Integration (HSI). This course will begin by defining what HSI is, how it is structured, roles and responsibilities in implementing HSI, how it integrates with the NASA systems engineering lifecycle and how we can implement HSI at NASA in the future. This course will be held Monday, Nov. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Building 15, Conference Room 267. For registration, please go to: https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_... Cynthia Rando 281-461-2620 http://sa.jsc.nasa.gov/   [top] 12.          The JSC Safety Action Team (JSAT) Says ... "Safety is a frame of mind. Get the picture." Congratulations to November 2012 "JSAT Says ..." winner Jack Hammond, SAIC. Any JSAT member (all JSC contractor and civil servant employees) may submit a slogan for consideration to JSAT Secretary Reese Squires. Submissions for December are due by Friday, Nov. 9. Keep those great submissions coming. You may be the next JSAT Says winner! Reese Squires x37776 \\jsc-ia-na01b\JIMMS_Share\Share\JSAT\JSAT Says\JSAT Says 11-2012.pptx   [top] 13.          JSC Career Path Development Course -- Nov. 14 The JSC Career Path Development Course is designed to instill a sense of initiative and empowerment. The course connects you to resources, highlights your role in the iterative career development process and exposes you to the various development opportunities at NASA. Objectives: - To emphasize the value of career path development - To provide an understanding of the key players and the individual roles they play in an employee's career planning efforts - To discuss the essentials of the career path development process - To highlight and provide an overview of the career development tools and resources available - To boost employee interest in career planning and enable one to make greater contributions to NASA Course Details: Date: Wednesday, Nov. 14 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Building 12, Room 154 For: Civil servant employees SATERN ID#: 65737 Use this direct link to register in SATERN. https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=REGISTRATI... Nicole Kem x37894   [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: UNDERWAY - E33 EVA coverage (Suni Williams & Aki Hoshide) ~7:15 am Central ( 8:15 EDT) – EVA begins (~6 ½ hours) 1 pm Central (2 EDT) – News Briefing - Transformation of KSC to multiuser spaceport 2:30 pm Central (3:30 EDT) – News Briefing - The Future of Human Spaceflight 6 am Central FRIDAY (7 EDT) – “Live” – Atlantis' move from VAB & retirement ceremony   Human Spaceflight News Thursday – November 1, 2012   HEADLINES AND LEADS   Russian supply ship docks with station Space debris prompts avoidance maneuver   William Harwood – CBS News   Amid preparations for a NASA spacewalk Thursday to isolate a space station solar array coolant leak, the Russians launched an unmanned Progress supply ship, monitored its automated docking six hours later and then fired the thrusters of another cargo craft to move the lab complex out of the path of a threatening piece of space debris. The debris, from an Iridium communications satellite that was destroyed in a 2009 collision with a Russian satellite, was tracked throughout the day, but NASA flight controllers could not rule out the possibility it might pass close enough to the space station to pose a threat.   Record-holder astronaut set for spacewalking repair job   Todd Halvorson - Florida Today   The world’s most experienced female spacewalker will venture outside the International Space Station Thursday, aiming to fix a leak of toxic ammonia coolant. U.S. astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams, who is only the second female commander on the outpost, will make her way out to the far, port-side end of the station’s 357-foot central truss. Working with Japanese astronaut Akihiro Hoshide, Williams will reroute coolant lines in an attempt to halt the leak.   Astronauts Set for Spacewalk Thursday to Fix Ammonia Leak   Mike Wall - Space.com   Two astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station Thursday (Nov. 1) to isolate and repair an ammonia leak in part of the orbiting lab's cooling system. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Japanese spaceflyer Akihiko Hoshide are slated to start the spacewalk — also known as an extra-vehicular activity, or EVA — Thursday at 8:15 a.m. EDT (1215 GMT). They're expected to stay outside for about 6 1/2 hours, NASA officials said. You can watch live coverage of the spacewalk here on NASA TV, beginning at 7:15 a.m. EDIT (1115 GMT).   Russian Spacecraft Makes Halloween Cargo Delivery to Space Station   Mike Wall - Space.com   A robotic Russian cargo spacecraft made a Halloween delivery today (Oct. 31) to the International Space Station. The unmanned Progress 49 spacecraft blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:41 a.m. EDT (0741 GMT) today, carrying nearly 3 tons of supplies for the orbiting laboratory. It arrived roughly six hours later, docking at 9:33 a.m. EDT (1333 GMT), as the two vehicles were roughly 250 miles (400 km) above Bogota, Colombia.   NASA Schedules Deepest Space Launch in Decades for 2014   Seth Cline - US News & World Report   NASA may be done building space shuttles, but with its recently unveiled Orion space capsule, the agency hopes to send humans farther than ever before: to Mars, asteroids, and beyond. fter years of work, the capsule was unveiled over the summer, and the program's managers have scheduled the spacecraft's first test flight for September 2014. That flight will be unmanned, but eventually the hope is that Orion will hitch a ride on longer-distance rockets and take four astronauts into the solar system. It will be the first new spaceship built by NASA since the space shuttle program in the early 1970s, and could propel the deepest manned flights into space since the shuttle era, according to Space.com.   Launch-pad talk focuses on long-gone hometown Environmental concerns raised over plans for complex on KSC's northern edge   James Dean - Florida Today   A patch of cracked, overgrown asphalt beside State Road 3 marks the spot where Bob Hogan’s childhood home stood in Shiloh, just inside the northern Brevard County line. In the 1950s, the citrus community of roughly 20 families was a stop on the road down to the Beacon 42 and Allenhurst fish camps, hot spots that drew celebrities such as baseball great Joe DiMaggio and country music star Little Jimmy Dickens. Hogan grew up across the street from his great-grandmother’s 21-acre orange grove and down the road from Taylor’s general store, all on a narrow wedge of land between the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River.   Atlantis to make its final journey Friday   Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel   During its 26 years of NASA service, space shuttle Atlantis flew 33 missions and traveled nearly 126 million miles. Now the retired orbiter has just one journey left -- a 10-mile crawl Friday at roughly 2 miles per hour, from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center to its new home at the KSC Visitor Complex.   Atlantis museum transfer a final ending to shuttle era   Justin Ray - SpaceflightNow.com   Looking to leave before sunup Friday, Atlantis will be hauled away from Kennedy Space Center's Complex 39 and leave the hub of space shuttle operations barren for the first time since 1979. Atlantis is headed to the nearby Visitor Complex, the privately-run tourist attraction outside the gates of KSC for public display in a $100 million exhibit that opens next July.   Space Shuttle Endeavour Exhibit Opens at California Science Center   Robert Pearlman - collectSPACE.com   Space shuttle Endeavour debuted on public display Tuesday at the California Science Center (CSC) in Los Angeles, where thousands turned out and lined up to be among the first to see the retired NASA orbiter inside its new home. "Today, the Endeavour goes on display and the public can experience this landmark and the history of technology and space travel," L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in a ceremony that was staged and sat invited guests under the shuttle. "Visitors from up and down the Golden State, from all across the country, and from the four corners of the Earth will have a chance to share in the Endeavour experience."   Want an astronaut's autograph? Better bring your wallet At $450, Aldrin is tops at KSC event this weekend   Dave Berman - Florida Today   An astronaut’s autograph often doesn’t come cheap — especially if they’re one of the few who stood on the surface of the moon. Think hundreds of dollars. You can fetch the John Hancock of less well-known space shuttle astronauts, by comparison, for a relative song. The fifth-annual Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show, being held this weekend as part of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex festivities around Atlantis’ arrival, offers a lesson in astronaut memorabilia supply and demand.   Chinese astronauts ready for new space program   Xinhua News Service   Chinese astronauts are currently training in manual space docking techniques and receiving physical training to prepare for next year's missions of the country's manned space program, its chief designer and China's first astronaut said on Wednesday. Zhou Jianping said at the second manned space flight academic conference in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, that preparations for missions following Shenzhou IX, launched in June, were steaming ahead.   Obama's post-shuttle plans President has clear priorities for future of space program   Mark Kelly - Florida Today (Opinion)   (Kelly is a former astronaut)   Though discussions about foreign policy and health care have recently dominated the national political stage, I would like to call to mind another topic that is personal to me and the people of Florida — U.S. space policy. I commanded space shuttle Endeavour on its last of 25 missions. Built as the successor to shuttle Challenger, Endeavour and its missions were symbolic of American perseverance in the face of tragedy. On Tuesday, it started a new mission — “to inspire current and future generations of explorers and scientists” — when its exhibit opened at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Now that the shuttle fleet is retired, what is next for our space program? We all have a chance to help answer this question when we make our choice for president next week.   The Space Race Is On Both NASA and private enterprise look to the stars for new areas of exploration   Zac Unger - The Atlantic   (Unger is a freelancer who has written for The Economist, Slate, Men's Journal, NPR, and many others)   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. __________   COMPLETE STORIES   Russian supply ship docks with station Space debris prompts avoidance maneuver   William Harwood – CBS News   Amid preparations for a NASA spacewalk Thursday to isolate a space station solar array coolant leak, the Russians launched an unmanned Progress supply ship Wednesday, monitored its automated docking six hours later and then fired the thrusters of another cargo craft to move the lab complex out of the path of a threatening piece of space debris.   The rocket firing did not achieve the desired orbit, NASA officials said Thursday, because of a software issue that prevented all the thrusters on the cargo ship from firing. But the station was boosted out of the way of the debris and the resulting orbit, with a high point of 261.3 miles and a low point of 252.3 miles, was deemed acceptable and no additional rocket firings were required.   The debris in question was from an Iridium communications satellite that was destroyed in a 2009 collision with a Russian satellite. It was tracked throughout the day Wednesday, but NASA flight controllers could not rule out the possibility it might pass close enough to the space station to pose a threat.   Playing it safe, the flight control team in Houston decided Wednesday evening to order a debris avoidance maneuver, and Russian flight controllers agreed to adjust the station's orbit by firing the thrusters of an older Progress supply ship docked at the station's Earth-facing Pirs module.   The firing began on time at 7:08 p.m. EDT (GMT-04), but only half the available thrusters fired because of a Russian software issue.   "Only one set of thrusters on a single manifold was used to execute that reboost ... rather than both sets of thrusters on two manifolds, and that did result in a slightly reduced altitude change than had been expected," said mission control commentator Pat Ryan. "That single manifold selection was the result of a software configuration.   "The burn did last 10 minutes and was automatically terminated by thruster cutoff limits. The ballistics and trajectory specialists  in mission control here in Houston evaluated the resulting orbit of the station and have determined that despite the fact that the maneuver only achieved about 72 percent of the anticipated altitude change, the goal of maneuvering away from the debris was accomplished."   What turned into an extremely busy day for the space station team began with the successful launch of the Progress M-17M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:41:18 a.m. EDT (1:41 p.m. local time). Loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment, the supply ship was released into its planned preliminary orbit eight minutes and 45 seconds after launch. A few moments after that, the spacecraft's two solar arrays and navigation antennas deployed as planned.   "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."   Six hours -- four orbits -- after launch, the Progress spacecraft reached the International Space Station and moved in for a docking at the aft port of the Zvezda command module at 9:33 a.m. as the two spacecraft sailed 250 miles above Bogota, Columbia.   "Congratulations on a successful automatic docking," a Russian flight controller radioed.   "Thank you, Moscow. Congratulations to you as well," cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko replied.   This was the fourth Progress launched this year, the second to follow an abbreviated four-orbit rendezvous with the space station. Russian flight controllers normally implement two-day rendezvous profiles, but they are perfecting procedures for single-day flights for possible use with manned Soyuz missions to shorten the time crews are forced to spend in the cramped ferry craft.   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.   With the Progress firmly locked in place, Williams and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide turned their attention to preparations for a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk Thursday to troubleshoot an ammonia coolant leak in one of the station's four solar array modules.   Williams and Hoshide plan to deploy a spare radiator and reconfigure coolant lines to isolate a suspect radiator that may have been hit by a piece of space debris. But the leak is so small, it will take several weeks for flight controllers to find out whether the isolated radiator is, in fact, the source of the problem. If not, a second spacewalk may be required to replace a pump module or other equipment.   The spacewalk was scheduled to begin around 8:15 a.m. Thursday.   Record-holder astronaut set for spacewalking repair job   Todd Halvorson - Florida Today   The world’s most experienced female spacewalker will venture outside the International Space Station Thursday, aiming to fix a leak of toxic ammonia coolant.   U.S. astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams, who is only the second female commander on the outpost, will make her way out to the far, port-side end of the station’s 357-foot central truss.   Working with Japanese astronaut Akihiro Hoshide, Williams will reroute coolant lines in an attempt to halt the leak.   “We’re going to get out there, give it our best shot, hopefully fix this problem,” Williams said in an interview this week with the Associated Press.   The work involves potential exposure to toxic ammonia. But Williams rigged up the station’s cooling system in 2007, so she is familiar with decontamination procedures.   “So, I’m not worried about the ammonia, per se,” Williams said. “We’ve been down this road before.”   Williams and Hoshide, who is Japan’s most experienced spacewalker, are scheduled to exit the station’s U.S. Quest airlock around 8:15 a.m. EDT Thursday.   The two will make their way out to the left end of the station’s central truss, where Williams will reroute ammonia coolant lines.   The station’s massive American solar arrays generate electricity to power all outpost systems. Excess heat is built up as a result.   The outpost is outfitted with a thermal control system that pumps ammonia through coolant lines and ultimately radiators the shed excess heat.   The repair plan will route ammonia to a radiator that was retracted and taken off line during a spacewalk performed by Williams in 2007. Lead U.S. spacewalk officer Allison Bolinger said the work Thursday would be like “déjà vu” for Williams.   “It’s sort of interesting. We retracted this exact radiator that we’re going to deploy,” Williams said. “And so we’ve dealt with ammonia lines, and we did go through all the procedures that are tested out for ammonia problems.”   During a series of three spacewalks in nine days in 2007, Williams and Michael Lopez-Alegria disconnected a temporary cooling system that was used during the early stages of station assembly. The two then rigged up a permanent cooling systems that has been in use ever since.   Both were exposed to ammonia coolant during the work. So they had to go through decontamination procedures prior to re-entering the space station.   The procedures called for spacewalkers to brush off any ammonia flakes off each other’s suits. Then they are left in direct sunlight for a period of time so any remaining ammonia sublimates.   The decontamination procedures are carried out to make certain ammonia is not transported into the station’s closed environment.   Ammonia is highly toxic and exposure can cause burning of the eyes, nose and throat. High doses can cause coughing or choking, and in extreme cases, death from a swollen throat or chemical burns to the lungs.   The spacewalk is expected to last about six and a half hours. It will be the seventh for Williams – a new world record for a female. She already holds the record for most cumulative spacewalk time for a woman: 44 hours and two minutes.   Astronauts Set for Spacewalk Thursday to Fix Ammonia Leak   Mike Wall - Space.com   Two astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station Thursday (Nov. 1) to isolate and repair an ammonia leak in part of the orbiting lab's cooling system.   NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Japanese spaceflyer Akihiko Hoshide are slated to start the spacewalk — also known as an extra-vehicular activity, or EVA — Thursday at 8:15 a.m. EDT (1215 GMT). They're expected to stay outside for about 6 1/2 hours, NASA officials said. You can watch live coverage of the spacewalk here on NASA TV, beginning at 7:15 a.m. EDIT (1115 GMT).   Each of the orbiting lab's eight huge solar arrays has its own associated power system, and circulating ammonia helps cool this gear down. The spacewalk's first objective is to find the source of the leak, which could affect one of these power channels if it's not addressed soon.   "We don't know exactly where the leak is," space station manager Mike Suffredini of NASA told reporters during a teleconference last Friday (Oct. 26). "It's possible the leak is in the PVR itself, the [photo-voltaic] radiator itself. It could be in the pump system, or it could be in any one of the [coolant] lines."   On Thursday's EVA, Williams — commander of the station's current Expedition 33 mission — and Hoshide will make their way over to the port side of the station's backbone-like truss. They'll reconfigure some lines in the affected coolant system and install a spare radiator to see if that stops the leak.   "We're real suspicious of the radiator," said spacewalk flight director Mike Lammers, of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "It kind of stretches out there and is susceptible to micrometeorite impacts."   Because the leak is so slow, it will likely take several weeks before it's known if the fix works, officials said.   If ammonia continues to escape, the station's operators will eventually have to try something else. For example, they may direct astronauts to swap out some of the coolant system's pump gear on another spacewalk. But there likely won't be an urgent need for a new fix, since the spare radiator should provide enough ammonia to keep the coolant system operating until next October or so, officials said.   NASA and its space station partners have known about the ammonia leak since 2007, and they've taken measures to deal with it before. Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour recharged the coolant system with 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) of ammonia last year.   Spacewalks are always challenging, but Thursday's EVA is unlikely to throw anything at Williams and Hoshide that the two astronauts can't handle. In late August and early September, the duo replaced a vital power unit over the course of two spacewalks, defeating an unexpectedly stubborn stuck bolt in the process.   "I would say this is an average-skill-level EVA — maybe slightly more challenging than an average EVA," said lead spacewalk officer Allison Bolinger of the Johnson Space Center.   Russian Spacecraft Makes Halloween Cargo Delivery to Space Station   Mike Wall - Space.com   A robotic Russian cargo spacecraft made a Halloween delivery today (Oct. 31) to the International Space Station.   The unmanned Progress 49 spacecraft blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:41 a.m. EDT (0741 GMT) today, carrying nearly 3 tons of supplies for the orbiting laboratory. It arrived roughly six hours later, docking at 9:33 a.m. EDT (1333 GMT), as the two vehicles were roughly 250 miles (400 km) above Bogota, Colombia.   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.   NASA Schedules Deepest Space Launch in Decades for 2014   Seth Cline - US News & World Report   NASA may be done building space shuttles, but with its recently unveiled Orion space capsule, the agency hopes to send humans farther than ever before: to Mars, asteroids, and beyond.   After years of work, the capsule was unveiled over the summer, and the program's managers have scheduled the spacecraft's first test flight for September 2014. That flight will be unmanned, but eventually the hope is that Orion will hitch a ride on longer-distance rockets and take four astronauts into the solar system. It will be the first new spaceship built by NASA since the space shuttle program in the early 1970s, and could propel the deepest manned flights into space since the shuttle era, according to Space.com.   In its 2014 flight, the capsule will be mounted onto a Delta IV heavy rocket and sent into about 3,600 miles into Earth's orbit, or 15 times higher than the International Space Station. After taking three trips around the globe Orion will re-enter the atmosphere to test the heat shield, an essential component of any space vehicle returning astronauts from space. The capsule will re-enter at about 84 percent the speed of something that's returning from the moon, Mark Geyer, Orion's program manager, told Space.com. If the heat shield works as planned, Orion will splash down in the Pacific Ocean and assure NASA scientists that the new technology in the shield works.   The capsule looks similar to the Apollo capsule that first took astronauts to the moon. Both are cone-shaped pods mounted atop rockets launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. But Orion is bigger and more high tech.   The Orion capsule won't embark on a manned mission until NASA fully develops its Space Launch System, a rocket designed to support launches beyond low Earth orbit. The first test for SLS is scheduled for 2017, and the first manned flight with Orion aboard is set for 2021. Orion's 2014 space flight, even if just a test, is still an important first step in that process, Geyer says.   "I think we have a great design and we have a great plan to fly it," Geyer told Space.com. "It's time to do it, to actually put it to use and put it in the missions that are going to let us discover new things."   Launch-pad talk focuses on long-gone hometown Environmental concerns raised over plans for complex on KSC's northern edge   James Dean - Florida Today   A patch of cracked, overgrown asphalt beside State Road 3 marks the spot where Bob Hogan’s childhood home stood in Shiloh, just inside the northern Brevard County line.   In the 1950s, the citrus community of roughly 20 families was a stop on the road down to the Beacon 42 and Allenhurst fish camps, hot spots that drew celebrities such as baseball great Joe DiMaggio and country music star Little Jimmy Dickens.   Hogan grew up across the street from his great-grandmother’s 21-acre orange grove and down the road from Taylor’s general store, all on a narrow wedge of land between the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River.   “There wasn’t nothing fancy to it,” said Hogan, 65, a retired fishing guide. “It was just orange groves and just hard-working people.”   The people and groves are long gone, forced out in the early 1960s when NASA chose to base its Apollo program moonport on Merritt Island, buying or seizing by eminent domain 140,000 acres that included a wide buffer stretching north to Shiloh.   Now, 50 years later, Shiloh is again drawing government interest. But this time for its potential value to a modern version of the space program: a launching site for the private rockets and spacecraft expected to fuel the industry’s post-space shuttle growth.   The state recently asked NASA to give it 150 acres in that area of Kennedy Space Center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge so it can develop a state-owned, commercial spaceport.   It’s not a sure thing: environmental concerns doomed two previous proposals to develop within the refuge, and some are bracing for another fight. And California-based SpaceX, the company expected to use the complex if the state’s proposal moves forward, remains noncommittal as it explores sites across the country.   “We are looking at capability here, just north of the Cape,” company President Gwynne Shotwell said before the Oct. 7 launch of a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to the International Space Station. “But there’s a number in play at this point.”   The other contenders she mentioned: Texas, Georgia, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.   SpaceX, whose Dragon spacecraft is set to return to Earth today, is seeking an additional location that offers more freedom to operate outside the confines of existing NASA and military-controlled pads.   The company believes it can launch more often and efficiently that way, helping to lower costs, win more launches and create more jobs.   “We are facing the market today,” said Space Florida President Frank DiBello. “We will either have a commercial spaceport capability here, or we can have it in Texas, Georgia or other states. The choice is ours.”   Two have failedThe new state proposal hopes to succeed where the two before it failed.   In 2008, area residents packed public hearings to pan a NASA feasibility study that suggested two locations for a multi-user launch complex. One was near Black Point Wildlife Drive and Playalinda Beach, both huge draws for visitors to the refuge and Canaveral National Seashore.   Shiloh didn’t make the cut at the time because it fell within two or three miles of inhabited areas. That failed to satisfy the conservative five-mile buffer requirement NASA set for the study, but is now considered adequate by the state.   Less well-remembered is a state-funded study that identified Shiloh as a finalist for a commercial spaceport in 1989, just as the state was establishing the authority that evolved into Space Florida. The governor and house speaker immediately yanked it from consideration, with the speaker calling the study sloppy.   Some environmentalists and refuge supporters viewed the latest proposal just as skeptically.   But Space Florida and some who lined up against NASA in 2008 say the current situation is completely different and applies lessons learned from the past.   Shiloh is far north of the NASA site that upset so many four years ago, and therefore is expected to have less impact on access to popular recreation areas.   The state is now proposing to develop a fraction of the 12,000 acres it envisioned back in 1989.   “I had always thought that Shiloh area would be reconsidered at some point in the future,” said Edward Ellegood, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University policy analyst who was involved in the old state study. “Environmental concerns could nip this in the bud, but they shouldn’t, because this is a previously developed site, and launch operations have demonstrated themselves to be environmentally compatible at the Cape.”   Since the state sent its request to NASA on Sept. 20, Space Florida representatives have begun meeting with stakeholders including Audubon Florida and the Merritt Island Wildlife Association, a refuge support organization.   They are promising to work collaboratively to select land that imposes the least impact and are offering assurances that the development would be limited.   Since its creation in 1963, the refuge has faced the threat that NASA could take back the land for space operations. As part of its new proposal, the state recommends NASA transfer the area north of Haulover to the Department of the Interior to ensure its permanent protection.   Space Florida’s board has approved spending up to $2.3 million for environmental and engineering studies that are expected to help identify the optimal location for a Shiloh launch complex, which may fall all or partially in Volusia County.   Charles Lee, Audubon’s director of advocacy, isn’t yet convinced by the pitch.   It raises all the same issues the NASA study did, he said, just shifting the impacts to wildlife and visitors farther north.   As before, he questions why vacant facilities at Kennedy and the Cape can’t be put to use, especially after the shuttle program’s retirement. If there are barriers to smooth commercial launch operations on government-run facilities, he said, those should be the focus of negotiations.   “To us, that sounds like a bureaucratic problem to be worked out rather than a problem that justifies destroying a national wildlife refuge, or part of it,” he said.   He described Space Florida’s proposal as “unrefined” and a speculative attempt to satisfy one company’s desires.   DiBello says multiple companies are interested in the state’s commercial spaceport concept, which also envisions management of the shuttle runway for use by spacecraft launched or landed like planes.   Potential impactsLayne Hamilton, the refuge’s manager from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wants more detail about the complex’s location, but offered a long list of potential environmental, cultural and economic impacts for any site north of Haulover Canal.   Protected species, including Florida scrub jays and Eastern indigo snakes, frequent the area, as do large concentrations of waterfowl and wildlife, including white-tailed deer, bobcat, coyotes, hawks and owls.   The north end of the refuge offers the best waterfowl hunting in Central Florida, Hamilton said, and 6,000 upland acres are slated to be opened for deer and hog hunting by 2014.   “Significant” pre-Columbian and colonial historic sites, including a British plantation ruin, are also located throughout the area.   “There’s a lot of concerns we have, and that’s why we’re curious exactly where this is going to go,” she said. “I’m sure they’ve got some plans for mitigating our concerns, and we’re looking forward to hearing what those are.”   The concerns arise as the refuge prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in January with the slogan, “50 years of space for wildlife.”   The Merritt Island Wildlife Association, which opposed the NASA study along with the refuge in 2008, recently heard a presentation by Space Florida and took no formal position.   The association’s board includes space program veterans and current and former elected officials along with traditional environmentalists. Board President Dan Click said early discussion reflected a broad range of opinion but concluded there’s no point worrying about environmental impacts until NASA weighs in on the request and any site is better defined.   “They’ve got a tough sled ahead of them in my opinion, but visionaries always do,” he said.   Factors have changedNASA has offered little comment so far.   “We’ve worked with state of Florida previously in working out commercial ventures,” said KSC spokesman Mike Curie. “We’ve had a number of beneficial agreements with Space Florida, and I’m sure everyone will evaluate this one and see how we can proceed.”   While it was obvious environmental issues would present obstacles, other factors have changed considerably since the NASA debate.   Back then, the shuttle program was still in full swing and many doubted its end was near. Now more than 7,000 shuttle contractors are out of work, with more layoffs coming.   SpaceX was still largely unknown. Now it’s a key NASA contractor and the best hope to win back commercial satellite launches that have abandoned the U.S.   And previously, commercial space wasn’t seen as ready. Now NASA is asking commercial providers to launch cargo and crews to the space station, the Air Force is seeking competition to reduce launch costs and suborbital spacelines are close to taking flight.   “We need this business,” said Marcia Gaedcke, president of the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have to be competitive, and if we’re not competitive, we’re going to lose all the business to other states and other countries.”   Laurilee Thompson, a member of the refuge association’s board and a Titusville business owner, says those factors have influenced her take on the preliminary Shiloh proposal.   She was among the vocal opponents to NASA’s 2008 study, but sees the state now making positive environmental concessions while working to provide a badly needed economic boost.   “We’re looking at the reality of how devastating those (shuttle) job losses have been on our community, especially for North Brevard, so you have a totally different economic climate now,” said Thompson, owner of Dixie Crossroads restaurant. “I think this is a situation where everyone can come out a winner.”   Bob Hogan agrees.   It still pains him to think about the government seizing the land his ancestors settled and how it broke the heart of his great-grandmother, Narcissus Williams. After a long holdout, they left Shiloh for Scottsmoor when he was a teenager, and she died not long after. Now Hogan calls nearby Oak Hill home.   Returning to the site of his first home, which had three rooms, no plumbing or phone and was replaced briefly by a community center whose parking lot remains, Hogan remembered a childhood of poverty balanced by nature’s bounty.   He learned to fish, hunt and trap, and helped out in the groves where his grandfather and great-grandfather worked.   “We never had any money, but I can never remember a hungry day,” he said.   A dirt road to what is now the WSEG boat ramp led to a fish house, the only source of traffic other than that heading down to Beacon 42 and the Allenhurst fish camp at Haulover Canal, where Hogan and a small group of children met a bus that took them to school in Titusville.   Hogan whacked through brush and palm fronds to reveal the last vestige of the operation, a leaning concrete block ice house cloaked by branches.   He can still picture Taylor’s store a half-mile up the road, which served as a grocery, gas station and post office. There he’d pick up a loaf of bread for “Granny” or enjoy an R.C. Cola and Moon Pie snack.   But otherwise, Hogan said the view up and down the old Shiloh Road looks virtually the same.   He sees the proposed launch complex as an opportunity for Oak Hill and surrounding areas struggling in the shuttle program’s aftermath, and doubts it would be too harmful to the land his family once lived off.   “I’d like to see this area get a little shot,” he said.   Atlantis to make its final journey Friday   Mark Matthews - Orlando Sentinel   During its 26 years of NASA service, space shuttle Atlantis flew 33 missions and traveled nearly 126 million miles.   Now the retired orbiter has just one journey left -- a 10-mile crawl Friday at roughly 2 miles per hour, from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center to its new home at the KSC Visitor Complex.   The rollout, which will be broadcast online by NASA TV, is the last chance for space enthusiasts to see Atlantis before it disappears from public view for nine months while workers prepare its $100 million permanent exhibit, due to open in July 2013.   "The final trip of Atlantis will be the very last time anyone is going to see a space shuttle in motion or out in the open, making it a truly unique and momentous viewing opportunity," said Bill Moore, chief operating officer at the visitor complex, in a statement.   To clear the road for Atlantis, which has a wingspan of 78 feet, workers removed 120 light poles and 23 traffic signals.   NASA plans to begin the rollout at 7 a.m., with the shuttle onboard a 76-wheel flatbed, and will break three hours later for a retirement ceremony headlined by NASA Chief Charlie Bolden.   Once that's finished, Atlantis will continue its slow roll, stopping around 11 a.m. at Space Florida's Exploration Park so that paying tourists can see the shuttle up close for four hours. The journey will finish along NASA Parkway (SR 405) at around 6 p.m. with a 10-minute fireworks show at the visitor complex.   Unfortunately, there is little opportunity for the public to see the Atlantis rollout for free. Much of the 10-mile journey will be within the restricted area of KSC, and tickets are expensive. Admission to the Exploration Park event costs $90, while tickets to see the final leg at the visitor complex are $50. ·         What: Space shuttle Atlantis rollout. ·         When: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday ·         Where: Kennedy Space Center and visitor complex ·         Tickets: $90 to view Atlantis at Exploration Park; $50 to see the orbiter at the KSC Visitor Complex. For tickets, call 877-313-2610 or go to http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com ·         Remote viewing: The rollout will be carried on NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/   Atlantis museum transfer a final ending to shuttle era   Justin Ray - SpaceflightNow.com   Looking to leave before sunup Friday, Atlantis will be hauled away from Kennedy Space Center's Complex 39 and leave the hub of space shuttle operations barren for the first time since 1979.   Atlantis is headed to the nearby Visitor Complex, the privately-run tourist attraction outside the gates of KSC for public display in a $100 million exhibit that opens next July.   "It's only a priceless artifact driving 9.8 miles and weighing about 154,000 pounds. Other than that, no pressure at all. Only the eyes of the country, world and everybody at NASA is watching us but we don't feel any pressure. Of course we feel pressure," quipped Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, which operates the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.   "We've been planning for this a long, long time. We've got the smartest people who work on this orbiter. It's not like it's Tim and his buddies pulling this off, we're using the expertise of NASA and USA. They've worked on the orbiter for 35 years."   Trip gets underway around 6 a.m. EDT as space shuttle technicians pull Atlantis out of storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building's high bay 4. The museum team then takes over responsibility to drive the 76-wheel Orbiter Transporter on the 9.8-mile trek to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.   Arrival is expected around 6 p.m. EDT as the sun sets on the final space shuttle delivery to its final resting place.   Starting with Columbia's shipment to KSC on March 24, 1979, the Kennedy Space Center has been in the business of operating and maintaining the space shuttle fleet for more than three decades. But the program's final mission was completed last summer and the subsequent 15 months have been spent decommissioning the spacecraft for transfer to museums in New York, Northern Virginia, Los Angeles and the Florida spaceport.   Although Atlantis won't be going far, she will be outside the confines of the space center and marks the formal completion of orbiter work for Complex 39. The next major round of layoffs is looming by year's end.   For the museum construction crews, they are awaiting Atlantis' arrival so that the final wall can be built behind the orbiter. The open hole is how the winged spaceship gets inside the facility that will include 60 exhibits and tell the full story of the space shuttle program.   "The backside of the building on what would be the northeast side is wide open and allows us drive in. It is more like a carport right now. It is like a garage without the door. As soon as we get it in, we start filling in behind it. We work simultaneously with getting Atlantis ready to be lifted in place," Macy said.   Getting Atlantis moved is the job of the motorized Orbiter Transporter System. Originally designed and built for use at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transporter was brought to Kennedy Space Center in 1989 after the West Coast space shuttle launch site was mothballed.   "It moves at a breakneck speed of about 2 miles per hour, so we have to cover the 9.8 miles in that time," Macy said.   "9.8 miles is a long way for us to travel, but it is not inconceivable. There are no real changes that we have to do. We're taking down about 120 light poles, which is pretty easy to do. 23 traffic signals. We'll take the traffic signals down earlier and then put them back up just as the orbiter passes. 66 traffic signs and then one high voltage line, that Florida Power and Light is going to take down and that is at the entrance to Exploration Park. Overall we have some logistics we're handling, but actually it's really manageable."   Unlike the three-day procession by Endeavour through the city streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood to reach the California Science Center a few weeks ago, Atlantis' trek is a flat stretch of roads.   "We don't have any topographical regions going up and down. We have one small exit ramp to go up and we didn't have to clear anything. We don't have the security concerns they had driving through downtown streets," Macy said.   The transporter is 106 feet in length, weighs 167,000 pounds unloaded and about 300,000 pounds with an orbiter on top. It sports 76 wheels and has a turning radius of 66 feet.   You can envision the OTS as a yellow motorized trailer. At Vandenberg, shuttles were supposed to be prepared for flight in a hangar on the military installation's north side, then ferried aboard the OTS transporter about 17 miles across the hilly terrain to the Space Launch Complex-6 pad on South Base.   In contrast, shuttles in the program's early years at KSC were towed between the hangars and Vehicle Assembly Building with the orbiters' landing gear down.   But with Vandenberg's shuttle plans cancelled after Challenger, the transporter was brought to Florida and pressed into service. It allowed NASA to retract a shuttle's landing gear and seal the critical heat-protection tiles around the doors while still in the hangar before rolling out.   The V12 engine generates about 335 horsepower, which Macy called "the Ferrari of the OTS family."   The trek will take "the scenic route" to bypass the guard shack at the western entrance to the space center, instead going south on State Road 3, then turning east to go by KSC Headquarters, south on Avenue C, back westward on 5th Street to reach Exploration Park around 11:45 a.m. Atlantis will stop there for about three hours on public display before resuming the drive along Space Commerce Way to loop around to the NASA Parkway for the homestretch to the museum. The turn onto State Road 405 is expected around 5 p.m. with over 30 astronauts from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and shuttle programs escorting Atlantis.   Also on tap, around 9:45 a.m., the procession will stop with KSC proper for a NASA ceremony at KSC Headquarters with Administrator Charlie Bolden, KSC Director Bob Cabana, members of Atlantis' final crew and KSCVC Chief Operating Officer Bill Moore.   The day wraps up with a fireworks show at 7 p.m. EDT.   The current weather forecast looks good, and any troubles would force only a 24-hour delay.   "Once we commit at 7 a.m. in the morning, and are going south on 3, we're go for the day. So we're working closely with the 45th (Space) Wing and the same meteorologists who worked on the launches who will help us with the criteria. If it is not squally or intense rain, then we're in pretty good shape to move it," Macy said.   Space Shuttle Endeavour Exhibit Opens at California Science Center   Robert Pearlman - collectSPACE.com   Space shuttle Endeavour debuted on public display Tuesday at the California Science Center (CSC) in Los Angeles, where thousands turned out and lined up to be among the first to see the retired NASA orbiter inside its new home.   "Today, the Endeavour goes on display and the public can experience this landmark and the history of technology and space travel," L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in a ceremony that was staged and sat invited guests under the shuttle. "Visitors from up and down the Golden State, from all across the country, and from the four corners of the Earth will have a chance to share in the Endeavour experience."   "This isn't just a ribbon cutting for Endeavour's home, this is a ribbon cutting for the future of L.A.," Villaraigosa said.   Endeavour is the star attraction inside the CSC's new $3 million Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Display Pavilion. On Tuesday, Endeavour drew an audience of several hundred invited guests, even more schoolchildren and a day-long line of ticketed public spectators, all eager to see the well-traveled winged spacecraft inside its new home.   "We are so proud to be the new stewards of this national treasure," Jeffrey Rudolph, CSC's president, said. "We are thrilled to welcome all of you to join us for this historic occasion, the culmination of space shuttle Endeavour's journey to its new home at the California Science Center and the opening of the Samuel Oschin Pavilion."   Displayed horizontally but with its landing gear retracted, Endeavour sits mounted atop the modified NASA overland transporter that was used to bring it to the science center. The transporter, in turn, is positioned on seismic isolation pedestals to protect against the chance of earthquakes.   The exhibit is the result of more than a year of planning and an almost month-long delivery process that saw the space shuttle fly into California from Florida atop a NASA jumbo jet in September and then roll through the streets of Los Angeles on a three-day unprecedented road trip earlier this month. NASA awarded Endeavour to the CSC in April 2011.   Inside the 70-foot-tall (21 meters) and 150-foot-long (46 meters) pavilion, Endeavour appears to glow under the steel-supported structure's lights. The orbiter is displayed with a Spacehab logistics module — a "float-in" closet" — that it launched to space in 2007 and an example of a real space shuttle main engine (as opposed to the three replica engines that were installed on Endeavour for display).   Admission to see Endeavour is free, but due to the high level of interest, the CSC is requiring a timed entry ticket, which carries a $2 service fee.   Endeavour is the third of NASA's retired space shuttles to open on display since the shuttle program ended in 2011. Fleet leader Discovery has been on exhibit in northern Virginia at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, since April. Enterprise, NASA's first prototype orbiter, opened to the public at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City in July.   Atlantis, which flew the 135th and final flight of the space shuttle program, will be delivered to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on Friday. It will then open to the public on display in July 2013.   California story   Like all of its sister ships, Endeavour was assembled in southern California at aerospace facilities in Downey and Palmdale. The CSC highlights that heritage in "Endeavour: The California Story," an exhibit that visitors enter before seeing the space shuttle itself.   "I want to welcome all of you to the opening of Endeavour, which in many ways is a California story," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "Endeavour's story has been a spectacular one, full with unforgettable moments, from its construction in Downey and its assembly in Palmdale, its 25 missions to outer space, its 4,671 orbits around the planet Earth, to Endeavour's iconic flight over California landmarks atop of a 747, and its slow and steady journey through 12 miles of city streets."   "Today, we officially say, 'Welcome home, Endeavour.'"   Photos and videos showing Endeavour under construction are displayed along a wall inside the gallery, which helps set the stage for visitors as they wait their chance to enter the shuttle's pavilion.   "The California Story" also includes a number of artifacts that flew on Endeavour, as well as support equipment that helped launch it on its missions between 1992 and 2011.   Endeavour's six tires, on which it touched down after its final mission, STS-134, on June 1, 2011, are on display. Guests are invited to touch the four main landing gear and two nose gear tires, which absorbed the force of the high-velocity landing.   Two components removed from inside Endeavour's sealed crew compartment are also on display. Visitors can see the food galley used to prepare and warm the astronauts' freeze-dried meals, as well as the crew's waste collection system, or toilet. The latter helps to answer the popular question, "How do you go to the bathroom in space?"   "Endeavour: The California Story" also invites guests to experience what it was like to launch on the shuttle aboard a pair of motion-base simulators, and enables them watch a launch through the mission control-like consoles from the Rocketdyne Operations Support Center (ROSC), which remotely monitored the shuttle's three main engines during each and every liftoff and ascent to orbit.   Raising and rising   The Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Display Pavilion, which was named after the late entrepreneur and philanthropist whose family foundation's significant donation to the CSC made the exhibit possible, is intended only as a temporary housing for the orbiter.   A scale model of the science center's planned permanent home for the space shuttle, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, shows Endeavour standing vertical with a pair of solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank, as it appeared on the launch pad. Winding walkways and a 200-foot-tall (61 meters) viewing tower will offer visitors the chance to see Endeavour from top to bottom.   "Starting today, the Endeavour's new mission is to inspire future generations of scientists, engineers and explorers at the California Science Center. First here in the Samuel Oschin Pavilion, which opens today, and later in its future home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center," Rudolph said.   The CSC hopes to open the Oschin Air and Space Center by 2017. To do so, it still needs to raise a large part of the $200 million projected cost.   In addition to private gifts such as the one made by the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, the CSC is inviting its members and supporters to sponsor one or more of Endeavour's thermal heat shield tiles that line its underbelly. Donations to join the CSC's "Team Endeavour" begin at $1,000.   Want an astronaut's autograph? Better bring your wallet At $450, Aldrin is tops at KSC event this weekend   Dave Berman - Florida Today   An astronaut’s autograph often doesn’t come cheap — especially if they’re one of the few who stood on the surface of the moon. Think hundreds of dollars.   You can fetch the John Hancock of less well-known space shuttle astronauts, by comparison, for a relative song.   The fifth-annual Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show, being held this weekend as part of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex festivities around Atlantis’ arrival, offers a lesson in astronaut memorabilia supply and demand.   The most expensive signature available is that of Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon and one of the most famous living astronauts. His autograph fetches $450.   Bob Springer, a two-time space shuttle astronaut who lives in Rockledge, said his signature goes for $25.   The astronauts set their own rate, and they donate all or part of the money generated at this show to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which depends on events like this to provide college scholarships to students who excel in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects.   In all, 44 astronauts and other space personalities are signed up to participate in this weekend’s event, which is timed to coincide with Atlantis’ move Friday from KSC to its retirement home at the Visitor Complex.   Generally, signatures from members of the original seven Mercury astronauts and the 12 Apollo astronauts who walked on the moon are among the most valuable. Astronauts who were firsts — such as the first woman in space or the first African-American in space — also fetch more money.   For hard-core collectors, a photo with signatures of the entire crew from a specific mission can be more valuable than individual autographs of mission participants. Some astronauts, for example, charge extra to sign a photo to complete the set, and others charge extra for personalized inscriptions.   Linn LeBlanc, executive director of the Titusville-based Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, said the autograph show remains an important component in funding the foundation’s programs. About 1,000 people are expected to attend.   This weekend’s event will boast five other Apollo moonwalkers, in addition to Aldrin — Alan Bean ($175), Eugene Cernan ($300), Charlie Duke ($100), Edgar Mitchell ($100) and David Scott ($200); Fred Haise ($125) of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission; and four-time shuttle astronaut Eileen Collins ($50).   Among the non-astronauts in the show is “The voice of Apollo,” Jack King ($30), who was the launch commentator during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs; and Hugh Harris, former director of the NASA public affairs program ($10, the least expensive signature in the show).   LeBlanc said she sometimes is asked about astronauts charging for autographs. Her answer: there is demand for their signatures, and collectors don’t mind paying $100 or more for some.   “Most of these astronauts weren’t making big dollars when they were flying in space,” LeBlanc said. “They definitely earned it.”   Some astronauts are known for not regularly signing autographs at shows or elsewhere, and that can make their existing autographs more valuable because they are relatively rare.   Springer said he might sign 300 to 400 autographs this weekend to benefit the scholarship program, a similar number to those he signed at a commercial autograph show called Autographica he attended last month in Birmingham, England, where his signature went for 25 British pounds apiece (about $40).   And sometimes he gets requests to sign some rather unusual items, including replica flight suits and occasional body parts. LeBlanc recalled an attendee once wheeling in a full-scale rocket engine replica to be autographed.   For the more mainstream autograph collectors, photos of the participants are available for purchase at the show, which requires a $15 add-on ticket in addition to the Visitor Complex admission.   Springer said this weekend’s show is about more than the autographs. He likes to mingle with the crowd during breaks, encouraging youth to make education a priority.   Also, it’s just fun to reminisce with the other astronauts, many of whom Springer sees just once a year.   “That’s kind of one of the interesting aspects of it,” Springer said. “I quite thoroughly just enjoy getting together. It’s kind of a small club still.”   Chinese astronauts ready for new space program   Xinhua News Service   Chinese astronauts are currently training in manual space docking techniques and receiving physical training to prepare for next year's missions of the country's manned space program, its chief designer and China's first astronaut said on Wednesday.   Zhou Jianping said at the second manned space flight academic conference in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, that preparations for missions following Shenzhou IX, launched in June, were steaming ahead.   China plans to send astronauts again to the Tiangong-1 target module to live and work so as to "further verify the technologies safeguarding astronauts' lives in space, mankind's working capabilities in space and some key technologies for China's planned space station," Zhou said.   Tiangong-1 was sent into space in September 2011. It docked with the Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft last November and Shenzhou IX in June this year, verifying China's space docking maneuvers.   China plans to build its own space station around 2020. The "China-style space station," Zhou said, will aim to engage in space exploration and scientific research.   "Our goal is to build an international-level space station that meets the demands of scientific experiments and technological tests," he told the conference.   Yang Liwei, deputy director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office and China's first astronaut aboard the Shenzhou V spacecraft in 2005, said the manual space docking technology, which was first tested in Shenzhou IX paved the way for future missions, and those astronauts currently undergoing intensified training are mostly veteran spacemen.   More than 200 academics, scholars, engineers and specialists in space-related sectors attended the three-day biennial conference in Changsha.   Obama's post-shuttle plans President has clear priorities for future of space program   Mark Kelly - Florida Today (Opinion)   (Kelly is a former astronaut)   Though discussions about foreign policy and health care have recently dominated the national political stage, I would like to call to mind another topic that is personal to me and the people of Florida — U.S. space policy.   I commanded space shuttle Endeavour on its last of 25 missions. Built as the successor to shuttle Challenger, Endeavour and its missions were symbolic of American perseverance in the face of tragedy. On Tuesday, it started a new mission — “to inspire current and future generations of explorers and scientists” — when its exhibit opened at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.   Now that the shuttle fleet is retired, what is next for our space program? We all have a chance to help answer this question when we make our choice for president next week.   Our choice is important because, for decades, space exploration has not only served as a symbol of American ingenuity, it also has been a significant contributor to Florida’s economy. The space race that started in the 1950s inspired a generation of scientists and innovators. Technology originating in the aerospace field has been applied in many other industries. In Florida, it created an economy that supports thousands of jobs.   For me, President Barack Obama is the clear choice for the future of our space program and the economy it supports. His plan is detailed and thoughtful.   In a speech he gave in 2010, President Obama said, “I am 100 percent committed to NASA and its future.”   His plans have demonstrated this and he has followed up to make sure those plans come to fruition. He has established the Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development to ensure a team is responsible for continuing progress. He has budgeted $500 million in investments for NASA’s 21st Century Space Launch Complex and Exploration Ground Systems Activities, creating new jobs to upgrade Kennedy Space Center.   Under the Obama administration’s budget, NASA will continue its developmentt of Orion — a vehicle that will allow astronauts to go beyond Earth’s orbit to the moon, asteroids and beyond — which will support at least 350 Space Coast jobs. NASA also will develop the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket in its history, to be the backbone of a more sustainable, manned spaceflight program for decades.   Just as exciting is NASA’s creative approach to engaging the private sector in advancing our space technology. NASA plans to partner with the private sector to build new commercial spacecraft at KSC, creating 550 new jobs. Also, this year, SpaceX became the first private company to build, launch and dock a ship at the International Space Station and then successfully return that ship and its cargo to Earth. It has now done that twice.   The president has been criticized for not being clear about his priorities when it comes to space policy, but I see things differently. In the past few years, I have seen him make clear decisions to strategically prioritize our agenda and intelligently make investments. It is obvious these investments are paying off.   The Space Race Is On Both NASA and private enterprise look to the stars for new areas of exploration   Zac Unger - The Atlantic   (Unger is a freelancer who has written for The Economist, Slate, Men's Journal, NPR, and many others)   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.   END