11/19/12 news

======================================================== JSC TODAY HEADLINES 1.    Starport Café and Gift Shop Thanksgiving Week Schedule 2.    Fall Means Fair Time! CFC to Host Fair Nov. 28 in the Cafés 3.    Meeting JSC's Strategic Goals 4.    Gobble Up ISS Update This Week on NASA TV 5.    Joint Leadership Team Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop 6.    Psychology, Sleep, Space and YOU 7.    IAAP Helps Administrative Professionals Turn Jobs into Careers   1.      Starport Café and Gift Shop Thanksgiving Week Schedule The Buildings 3 and 11 café schedule for this week:   o    Monday and Tuesday: No action station or cuisines; Starbucks hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. o    Wednesday: Cafés close at 12:30 p.m. with limited menu; Starbucks hours are 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. o    Thursday and Friday: Cafés closed.   The Starport Gift Shops will be closed on Thursday and Friday. Shelly Haralson x39168 http://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/ [top] 2.      Fall Means Fair Time! CFC to Host Fair Nov. 28 in the Cafés Meet the folks that put your contributions to good work at the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Fair on Wednesday, Nov. 28, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Buildings 3 and 11 cafés. It's the time of year to "Give a Little, HELP A LOT." If you are a federal employee, you may submit a payroll-deduction pledge through Employee Express (EEX) on the spot! (Be sure to know you EEX user ID and password.) And, we will have paper pledge forms on hand, too.  Giving is strictly on a voluntary basis, but there are thousands of organizations that could use a little help at the local, national and global levels. Thanks in advance! Mirella Lanmon x49796 [top] 3.      Meeting JSC's Strategic Goals The Operational Excellence (OE) program, managed out of the Knowledge Management Office, was created to promote the advancement of innovative technical and business approaches that drive affordability and sustainability to support JSC Strategic Goal 3.1. This month we have released the first issue of the monthly OE online newsletter, which can be viewed here. Contact David Meza at 281-483-6711 for more information on the program and the services provided to JSC organizations. David Meza x36711 http://ak.jsc.nasa.gov/OE/SitePages/Home.aspx [top] 4.      Gobble Up ISS Update This Week on NASA TV Tune in this week to the International Space Station Update at 10 a.m. on NASA TV for an interview involving the current Expedition in space and -- Thanksgiving.  In Wednesday's ISS Update, NASA Food Scientist Vickie Kloeris will speak to a topic near and dear to our stomachs -- the Thanksgiving meal -- but this time with a twist. Kloeris will go over what kind of meal the crew living on orbit can expect. Maybe a square of pie? Find out just in time for the gut-busting holiday.   Check for the latest ISS Update programming here.  If you missed the ISS Updates from last week, tune in to REEL NASA to get the full videos. Or, view the videos at NASA's own video gallery.  For the latest in NASA TV scheduling info, click here.  JSC External Relations, Office of Communications and Public Affairs x35111 [top] 5.      Joint Leadership Team Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop The Joint Leadership Team (JLT) Early Career Informal Mentoring Workshop is an event tailored to early career professionals (less than 5 years related work experience) to give them the opportunity to hear from mentors among the JSC community. It will be a "conference-style" event in which participants choose the topics they will attend during the three sessions. These topics will be hosted/facilitated by a mentor or a panel of mentors, selected from the civil servant and contractor community who are GS-13s or above (or contractor equivalents), who have been successful early in their career and are well qualified to give advice to aspiring technical and non-technical professionals. Event Information: Date: Thursday, Dec. 13 Time: 4 to 6:30 p.m. Location: Building 12 training rooms, first floor Sandwiches, chips and drinks will be provided. For more details, please visit the informal mentoring link. Registration link coming soon! Joint Leadership Team http://jlt.jsc.nasa.gov/ [top] 6.      Psychology, Sleep, Space and YOU The Human Systems Academy is pleased to offer a lecture that introduces participants to the Behavioral Health and Performance Operations and Support services. This course will provide a summary of the Behavioral Health and Performance Operations Group's work, including an overview of astronaut selection, behavioral health services provided to astronauts, the psychological aspects of long-duration spaceflight and behavioral health support services provided to International Space Station crews and families. This course will be held Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 1 to 2 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] 7.      IAAP Helps Administrative Professionals Turn Jobs into Careers For over 70 years, the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) has been helping office professionals reach their career goals through education, community building and leadership development. Our certification programs are recognized as the industry standard of proficiency. Our educational programs, including OPTIONS Training, help admins advance their careers without putting their lives on hold. If you've been searching for a community to help you thrive in today's office culture, you've come to the right place!  In celebration of IAAP's 70th anniversary, the IAAP is offering administrative professionals a special price when they join as a new member. Until Dec. 31, new members can join IAAP at the chapter, division and international level--all for $70. For more information on the local Clear Lake NASA-area chapter, contact Ymelda Calvillo or click here. Join us as we create a better workplace, one admin at a time. Felicia Saenz x32389 http://www.iaap-hq.org/join [top] ====================================================   NASA TV: 9 am Central (10 EST) – Video File of Soyuz Landing & Post-Landing Activities   Expedition 33 Crew Returns   Expedition 33 Commander Suni Williams and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide land in Kazakhstan after more than four months aboard the International Space Station.   Human Spaceflight News Monday – November 19, 2012   HEADLINES AND LEADS   Crew in good spirits after Soyuz landing   William Harwood - CBS News   Three veteran space station fliers strapped into their Soyuz ferry craft, undocked and plunged back to Earth Sunday, making a fiery descent to a frigid pre-dawn landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 127-day stay in space. With Soyuz commander Yuri Malenchenko strapped into the descent module's center seat, flanked on the left by outgoing Expedition 33 commander Sunita Williams and on the right by Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, the crew undocked from the station's Russian Rassvet module at 5:26 p.m. EST (GMT-5) as the two spacecraft sailed 250 miles above northwestern China.   Three ISS Crew Descend into Wintry Kazakhstan Aboard Soyuz Capsule   Mark Carreau - Aviation Week   A  Soyuz capsule carrying Russian, U. S. and Japanese astronauts descended safely onto the frigid plains of northern Kazakhstan late Sunday, bringing their four month tour of duty aboard the International Space Station to a successful though wintry close. The TMA-05M spacecraft, commanded by Yuri Malenchenko and carrying Sunita Williams, of NASA, and Akihiko Hoshide, of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, dropped through a thick low  cloud ceiling under parachute to a touchdown northeast of Arkalyk at 8:56 p.m., EST, or Nov. 19 at  7:56 a.m. -- in the pre-dawn local time.   Soyuz Spacecraft Makes Rare Night Landing with Station Crew   Tariq Malik - Space.com   A Russian Soyuz space capsule made a rare nighttime landing in the frigid steppes of Kazakhstan early Monday, returning three astronauts to Earth after a four-month voyage to the International Space Station. A timing glitch forced the capsule to overshoot its intended landing site slightly by a few miles, but made an otherwise smooth touch down at 7:56 a.m. local time — one hour before sunrise — on Monday (Nov. 19), NASA officials said. Because of time zone differences it was still Sunday night at NASA's space station Mission Control center in Houston.   Astronauts touchdown in chilly Kazakhstan steppe   Peter Leonard - Associated Press   Three astronauts touched down in the dark, chilly expanses of central Kazakhstan onboard a Soyuz capsule Monday after a 125-day stay at the International Space Station. NASA's Sunita Williams, Russian astronaut Yury Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of Japan's JAXA space agency landed at 07:56 a.m. local time (0156 GMT) northeast of the town of Arkalyk. Eight helicopters rushed search-and-recovery crew to assist the crew, whose capsule did not parachute onto the exact planned touchdown site due to a minimal delay in procedures.   Soyuz with crew of three lands in Kazakhstan   Robin Paxton - Reuters   A Russian Soyuz capsule landed on the Kazakh steppe on Monday, safely delivering a trio of astronauts from a four-month stint aboard the International Space Station. The Soyuz TMA-05M capsule, carrying Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams, parachuted through dark, cloudy skies and touched down at 7:56 a.m. local time (0156 GMT). A round of applause greeted the landing at Russian mission control near Moscow, footage from NASA TV showed. A screen inside the building showed the message: "We have landing!"   Soyuz lands safely, bringing 3 spacefarers home   Mara Bellaby - Florida Today   After 127 days in space, three crew members from the International Space Station are home. The Russian Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and two space-going colleagues landed at 8:56 p.m. Sunday night northeast of Arkalyk in the steppes of Kazakhstan. It was a chilly 12 degrees Fahrenheit.   Johnson Space Center director announces his retirement   Eric Berger - Houston Chronicle   After seven years in the top spot at Johnson Space Center, director Mike Coats told employees Friday that he will retire at year's end. The center's deputy director, four-time space flight veteran Ellen Ochoa, will replace Coats. Ochoa has logged a total of 978 hours in space. A veteran of three spaceflights and a two-time shuttle commander, Coats was tapped as center director to oversee the safe completion of the space shuttle program in the wake of the Columbia tragedy.   Johnson Space Center director Mike Coats announces his retirement   Sonia Azad - KTRK TV (Houston)   A major change at NASA as Johnson Space Center's director is retiring and his replacement is the first Hispanic woman to hold the job. JSC Director Michael Coats decided to step down at the end of the year. The space agency is in flux and going in a new direction with the retirement of the shuttle program. Coats has talked with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden for almost a year about retiring at the end of this year. He says now is the right time to pass the torch to a woman with whom he's worked side by side for the last 5 years.   Johnson Space Center Director Retires, Deputy Director Promoted   Doug Miller - KHOU TV (Houston)   The head of the Johnson Space Center is an important job. After all this is the top NASA official in our city. And at the end of the year that's going to change. A new person will take it over. Michael Coats has been the director, a former shuttle astronaut, for the past seven years. Now that job is going to Ellen Ochoa, a former space shuttle astronaut. Coats had high praise for her. In fact, he says he recommended her for the job. (NO FURTHER TEXT)   Lockheed Martin provides plan/rationale for L2 deep space station   Mark Whittington - Yahoo News   Josh Hopkins of Lockheed Martin made a presentation to the Future In-Space Operations (FISO) study group about telerobotic exploration of the far side of the moon from a deep space station deployed at the Earth/moon L2 point. The presentation, which took place on Nov. 14, represents the position of Lockheed Martin and not necessarily NASA, though it does provide several arguments for using the deep space station as a remote base for lunar exploration. A slide presentation and an audio of the talk are available.   Falcon Engine Shutdown, Freezer Glitch under Investigation   Irene Klotz - Space News   Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s (SpaceX) first supply run to the international space station left behind a handful of technical issues to be worked out before the next flight, which is being retargeted from January to March. Topping the list is the early shutdown of one of the Falcon 9’s main engines 79 seconds after liftoff Oct. 7 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket’s other eight motors compensated for the loss, successfully delivering a Dragon cargo capsule into orbit to reach the station three days later.   Falcon 9's commercial promise to be tested in 2013   Stephen Clark - SpaceflightNow.com   Three international and commercial customers slated to fly satellites on Falcon 9 rockets next year are standing by SpaceX as the company probes a mysterious engine problem and prepares to debut an upgraded launcher. SpaceX and NASA engineers are investigating the cause of an engine failure on the Falcon 9's last flight Oct. 7. One of the first stage's nine kerosene-fueled Merlin 1C engines shut down after a sudden loss of pressure about 79 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Fla.   Evidence indicates astronauts could survive on Mars   Mike Wall - Space.com   Radiation levels at the Martian surface appear to be roughly similar to those experienced by astronauts in low-Earth orbit, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has found. The rover's initial radiation measurements — the first ever taken on the surface of another planet — may buoy the hopes of human explorers who may one day put boots on Mars, for they add more support to the notion that astronauts can indeed function on the Red Planet for limited stretches of time.   Handicapping the race for House Science Committee chairman   Jeff Foust - SpacePolitics.com   It’s been just over a week since the race for the chairmanship of the House Science Committee got into gear, but a frontrunner has already emerged. Earlier this week Space News reported that Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) is the “odds-on favorite,” in the words of one source, to lead the committee in the next Congress. Yesterday, Science magazine’s ScienceInsider column also indicated that Smith was the most likely member to succeed Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), who is stepping down from the committee chairmanship because of term limits.   Free-admission Visitor Complex would never be as interesting   John Kelly - Florida Today (Commentary)   I know people have long been upset that it costs them money to visit our national space treasures at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. I also know some of you are perturbed that the private operator of the Titusville tourist attraction is ending its longtime olive branch to local space workers and enthusiasts: the free Brevard weekend. __________   COMPLETE STORIES   Crew in good spirits after Soyuz landing   William Harwood - CBS News   Three veteran space station fliers strapped into their Soyuz ferry craft, undocked and plunged back to Earth Sunday, making a fiery descent to a frigid pre-dawn landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 127-day stay in space.   With Soyuz commander Yuri Malenchenko strapped into the descent module's center seat, flanked on the left by outgoing Expedition 33 commander Sunita Williams and on the right by Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, the crew undocked from the station's Russian Rassvet module at 5:26 p.m. EST (GMT-5) as the two spacecraft sailed 250 miles above northwestern China.   Two-and-a-half hours later, positioned about 12 miles from the International Space Station, Malenchenko and Williams, acting as flight engineer, monitored a four-minute 43-second firing of the craft's braking rockets, slowing the ship by about 186 mph and kicking off an hour-long descent to Earth.   After a half-hour free fall, the Soyuz TMA-05M's upper module and lower instrument and propulsion section separated and three minutes later, the manned descent module fell into the discernible atmosphere at an altitude of about 63 miles.   The plunge back to Earth went smoothly, and the spacecraft's braking parachutes deployed as expected around 8:38 p.m. to slow the descent. But engineers said final events appeared to lag by a few seconds based on pre-entry predictions, resulting in a slightly off-course touchdown.   Russian recovery forces, however, remained in radio contact throughout the final stages of the descent, which was carried out in pre-dawn darkness under an overcast sky with temperatures around 12 degrees Fahrenheit. They reported touchdown at 8:56 p.m. EST (7:56 a.m. Monday local time).   Recovery crews and medical personnel quickly rushed to the spacecraft, resting on its side, to help the returning crew members out of the cramped descent module as they began their readjustment to gravity after nearly four-and-a-half months in the weightlessness of space.   All three appeared tired but in good spirits as they rested in recliners near the descent module, bundled up in blankets as they chatted with the recovery team.   The trio blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on July 15. At touchdown, Malenchenko had logged just over 641 days aloft over five flights. Hoshide's mark stood at 141 days in space during this flight and a previous shuttle mission and Williams moved up to 322 days during two flights. She now ranks second on the list of most experienced U.S. female astronauts.   Following initial medical checks, the Soyuz crew was to be flown by helicopter to Kostonay, Kazakhstan. From there, Malenchenko planned to head back to Star City near Moscow while Williams and Hoshide were expected to board a NASA jet for the long flight back to Houston.   During a brief change of command ceremony Saturday, Williams, a former Navy helicopter pilot, formally turned turned over responsibility for the lab complex to Kevin Ford and his crewmates, Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin, who arrived at the outpost Oct. 25.   "I think we've left the ship in good shape and I'm honored to hand it over to Kevin, although he's an Air Force guy and we have to make him a little more Navy because it is a ship," she said, speaking to Ford and a NASA television audience. "So I have a little present for him. This is a Navy pennant that flies over Navy ships when the commander is on board. So this is for you."   During their stay aboard the station, Williams and company took delivery of two Russian Progress supply ships, a Japanese cargo vehicle and a commercial SpaceX supply craft and staged four spacewalks, one by Malenchenko and cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and three by Williams and Hoshide. Williams now ranks fifth on the list of most experienced spacewalkers with 50 hours and 40 minutes of EVA time during seven excursions.   During the change-of-command ceremony, Ford thanked Williams and her crewmates for sharing their experience and helping the new crew members get up to speed on the intricacies of station operation.   "Between Oleg, Evgeny and I, we have all together, if you combine all of our space time, we have about three months total time in space so far," Ford said. "And if you combine the time of Suni and Aki and Yuri, they have three years of total time living in space. So they really had a lot to offer us, we learned a tremendous amount from them and they were really, really good about sharing it.   "The space station is in remarkably good condition, it's ready for full up utilization. The exercise equipment is fantastic, the facilities are fantastic, everything is in order," Ford said. "We're ready for a great expedition. We'll be here holding down the fort for maybe four or so weeks until the rest of the crew gets here and we're looking forward to doing a lot of science."   Ford, Novitskiy and Tarelkin will have the space station to themselves until Dec. 21 when the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft docks, bringing veteran cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko and shuttle veterans Thomas Marshburn and Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield to the outpost.   Three ISS Crew Descend into Wintry Kazakhstan Aboard Soyuz Capsule   Mark Carreau - Aviation Week   A  Soyuz capsule carrying Russian, U. S. and Japanese astronauts descended safely onto the frigid plains of northern Kazakhstan late Sunday, bringing their four month tour of duty aboard the International Space Station to a successful though wintry close.   The TMA-05M spacecraft, commanded by Yuri Malenchenko and carrying Sunita Williams, of NASA, and Akihiko Hoshide, of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, dropped through a thick low  cloud ceiling under parachute to a touchdown northeast of Arkalyk at 8:56 p.m., EST, or Nov. 19 at  7:56 a.m. -- in the pre-dawn local time.   A delay of several seconds in the deployment of the capsule's drogue and main parachutes shifted the capsule's touchdown slightly to the northeast.   Their capsule was met quickly by Russian-led, helicopter borne recovery forces. The recovery team, working in freshly fallen snow and temperatures well below freezing, assisted the three astronauts from the 31 Soyuz mission capsule and administered preliminary medical exams. Though weary, all three former station crew members appeared to be in good shape.   The landing was the first by a Soyuz in darkness since April 2006 and was agreed upon by the U. S. led ISS mission management team because of upgrades to the spacecraft's GPS navigational systems, said Rob Navias, communications officer in NASA's Mission Control.   Malenchenko, Williams and Hoshide  were to be flown in individual helicopters to Kostanay in Central Kazakhstan. There, Williams and Hoshide will board a NASA jet for Houston, Tex., home of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Malenchenko will fly separately to Star City, Russia.   Each will undergo several weeks of physical conditioning to overcome the muscle and bone loss experienced during their lengthy exposure to weightlessness.   With the Soyuz TMA-05M's undocking from the Rassvet module on Sunday at 5:26 p.m., EST, command of the six-person orbiting science laboratory shifted from Williams to U. S. astronaut Kevin Ford, who will lead the new Expedition 34.   "I think we've left the ship in great shape," said Williams during a brief change of command ceremony.   The departure occurred a week later than initially planned to accommodate an unscheduled Nov. 1 spacewalk by Williams and Hoshide to isolate a leak in the thermal control system on the station's oldest U. S. solar power module. The work involved re-routing the flow of ammonia coolant from one radiator panel to an inactive older thermal control device.  NASA's station engineers continue to evaluate whether the once increasing leak has stopped.   Williams and Hoshide also teamed for a pair of spacewalks on Sept. 5 and Aug. 30 to replace a main bus switching unit, which had been degrading for months. Earlier in August,   Malenchenko joined previous station cosmonaut Gennady Padalka for a spacewalk to prepare the Russian segment for the arrival of a new science module in 2014.   Ford, in command through mid-March, remains on board with cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin. Their Soyuz capsule docked with the station on Oct. 25.   "We're looking forward to a lot of science, getting a lot of utilization done," said Ford.Ford, Novitskiy and Tarelkin are scheduled to be joined on Dec. 21 by cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn and Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. That trio is scheduled to lift off two days earlier aboard the Soyuz  TMA-07M spacecraft.   The station's current research agenda includes more than 150 science experiments and technology demonstrations.   Soyuz Spacecraft Makes Rare Night Landing with Station Crew   Tariq Malik - Space.com   A Russian Soyuz space capsule made a rare nighttime landing in the frigid steppes of Kazakhstan early Monday, returning three astronauts to Earth after a four-month voyage to the International Space Station.   A timing glitch forced the capsule to overshoot its intended landing site slightly by a few miles, but made an otherwise smooth touch down at 7:56 a.m. local time — one hour before sunrise — on Monday (Nov. 19), NASA officials said. Because of time zone differences it was still Sunday night at NASA's space station Mission Control center in Houston.   "The crew is home," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said during landing commentary.   Returning home on the Soyuz were NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. The trio launched toward the station in mid-July and spent 127 days in space during their mission.   It was the first time in six years that a Soyuz spacecraft has landed at night, and only the fourth time in the 12-year history of Soyuz flights to the space station, Navias said. Some of the Soyuz's landing activities occurred a few seconds late, causing it to overshoot its landing site, but Russian recovery teams were able to compensate for the change during the descent, he added.   Weather at the landing site was overcast and freezing, with temperatures of 12 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 11 degrees Celsius), though it felt like 0 degrees F (minus 17 degrees C) with the wind, Navias said. The Soyuz capsule landed on its side, a common configuration, and recovery teams were expected to work quickly to retrieve the astronauts due to the cold weather.   Williams and her crew wore broad smiles after being extracted from their capsule. They sat in reclining seats under thick blankets to stay warm in the frigid cold before being moved to a inflatable medical tent for post-landing checks.   Williams, Malenchenko and Hoshide launched into orbit in mid-July, with Williams becoming the second female commander of the station when she took charge earlier this year. Williams, an avid runner, became ran the first triathlon in space during the mission, which also featured three spacewalks and the first official cargo delivery by a robotic Dragon spacecraft built by the U.S. company SpaceX.   Williams, who commanded the station's Expedition 33 mission, turned control of the outpost over to Ford on Saturday. The command change marked the start of the station's Expedition 34 mission by Ford and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin, who arrived at the station in late October.   "I think we've left this ship in good shape and I'm honored to hand it over to Kevin," Williams told Ford before presenting gifts to Expedition 34 crew in an emotional exchange. "As you can see, we have a great crew up her, us who are going home very shortly and the ones who are taking over. The ship's in good hands."   After the Soyuz returning the Expedition 33 crew to Earth undocked from the space station on Sunday, Ford radioed NASA's Mission Control center to say he was eager for his own mission. The Expedition 33 crew, he added "kept the ship in ship shape."   "It was a beautiful departure," Ford said of the Soyuz undocking. "It was just beautiful to watch the ship fly away."   Ford and his crew were able to watch a live video feed of NASA's coverage of the Soyuz landing. A camera on the space station's exterior also captured a dramatic view of the Soyuz capsule's super-hot plasma trail as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere.   The Expedition 32-33 mission marked the second spaceflight for Williams, who ended the expedition with 322 total days in space during her spaceflying career. That makes her the second most experienced female astronaut in history, behind NASA's Peggy Whitson (who spent 377 days in space during two station flights).   The mission was also the second spaceflight for Hoshide, who ended the flight with 141 days in space during his two space missions.   Malenchenko completed his fifth spaceflight during the Expedition 32-33 mission and ended the flight with a career total of 646 days in space, placing him seventh in the ranks of most experienced spaceflyers.   While Williams and her crew readapt to life on Earth, the Expedition 34 crew still on the space station will prepare for a busy holiday season in orbit. The astronaut and cosmonauts are expected to celebrate the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and prepare for the arrival of three new crewmembers in mid-December.   A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko will launch to the space station on Dec. 19 from the Central Asian spaceport of Baikonur Cosmondrome in Kazakhstan.   The International Space Station is the largest manmade structure in space. It was built by five different space agencies representing the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada, with construction beginning in 1998. The $100 billion space station has been continuously occupied by a series of rotating astronaut crews since 2000.   Astronauts touchdown in chilly Kazakhstan steppe   Peter Leonard - Associated Press   Three astronauts touched down in the dark, chilly expanses of central Kazakhstan onboard a Soyuz capsule Monday after a 125-day stay at the International Space Station.   NASA's Sunita Williams, Russian astronaut Yury Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of Japan's JAXA space agency landed at 07:56 a.m. local time (0156 GMT) northeast of the town of Arkalyk.   Eight helicopters rushed search-and-recovery crew to assist the crew, whose capsule did not parachute onto the exact planned touchdown site due to a minimal delay in procedures.   With the departure of the outgoing crew, NASA astronaut Kevin Ford has taken command of the space station, where he remains with Russian colleagues Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin. They will be joined next month by NASA's Tom Marshburn, Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency, and Russia's Roman Romanenko.   The Soyuz is the only means for international astronauts to reach the orbiting laboratory since the decommissioning of the U.S. shuttle fleet in 2011.   Williams, Malenchenko and Hoshide undocked from the space station Sunday at 1023 GMT to begin their return to earth.   Around 28 minutes before touchdown, the three modules of the Soyuz craft separated, leaving the 2.1-meter tall capsule to begin its entry into orbit.   A series of parachutes deployed to bring the capsule to gentle floating speed.   Winds pulled the descent module on its side in the snowy terrain, which is a common occurrence, but the crew was nonetheless swiftly hoisted out by the recovery crew and lifted onto reclining chairs and swaddled in blankets to shield them from the 12 Fahrenheit degree (-11 Celsius degree) temperature.   The chairs are designed to afford the astronauts comfortable acclimatization after months of living in gravity-free conditions.   "For me, everything was very good," a smiling Williams told recovery staff, speaking in Russian.   Malenchenko has now spent 642 days in space, making him the sixth most experienced space traveler in history.   Williams has a spent a total of 322 days in space over two missions. She and Hoshide conducted a crucial spacewalk earlier this month to work on a leaky radiator system outside the space station.   That took Williams' total cumulative spacewalk time to 50 hours and 40 minutes - a record for a female astronaut.   NASA says the returning expedition conducted a range of scientific experiments while at the space station, included testing radiation levels on the orbiting outpost, assessing the effects of microgravity on the spinal cord, and investigating melting glaciers, seasonal changes and human impacts on the ecosystem.   The crew was to be taken to the town of Kostanai, from where Williams and Hoshide would board a Gulfstream jet for a trip to Houston, Texas, while Malenchenko was to return to a Russian space facility outside Moscow.   NASA footage showed celebrating recovery workers at the landing site erecting a sign marking the successful touchdown.   Soyuz with crew of three lands in Kazakhstan   Robin Paxton - Reuters   A Russian Soyuz capsule landed on the Kazakh steppe on Monday, safely delivering a trio of astronauts from a four-month stint aboard the International Space Station.   The Soyuz TMA-05M capsule, carrying Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams, parachuted through dark, cloudy skies and touched down at 7:56 a.m. local time (0156 GMT).   A round of applause greeted the landing at Russian mission control near Moscow, footage from NASA TV showed. A screen inside the building showed the message: "We have landing!"   The capsule blazed a red plasma trail across the dark sky after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. It landed on its side on the snow-covered steppe 52 miles northeast of the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan.   The astronauts were extracted quickly from the capsule and wrapped in blue thermal blankets. All three smiled and appeared relaxed as they chatted with the search-and-recovery team, NASA TV footage showed.   "Fresh air - very good!" Williams said, in Russian. The landing, after a three-and-a-half-hour descent from the orbital outpost, was the first pre-dawn touchdown since 2006.   The Expedition 33 crew had spent 125 days aboard the International Space Station, a $100 billion research complex involving 15 countries and orbiting 250 miles above Earth.   The crew conducted a number of experiments, including tests on radiation levels at the space station and research into the effects of melting glaciers and seasonal changes on Earth's ecosystems, NASA said in a statement.   They also managed several visits to the space station by international and commercial spacecraft and conducted several space walks to maintain the station.   A three-man crew remains aboard the space station. When NASA's Kevin Ford and rookie cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin - both on their first space mission - docked on October 25, they brought with them Japanese fish for a variety of experiments.   They are scheduled to be joined by another trio - Canadian Chris Hadfield, U.S. astronaut Tom Marshburn and cosmonaut Roman Romanenko - who are due to blast off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 19.   Monday's smooth landing will help to ease concerns over Russia's space programme following a string of recent mishaps.   The Soviet Union put the first satellite and the first man in space, but Moscow's space programme has suffered a series of humiliating setbacks in recent months that industry veterans blame on a decade of crimped budgets and a brain drain.   While none of the mishaps have threatened crews, they have raised worries over Russia's reliability, cost billions of dollars in satellite losses and dashed Moscow's dreams of ending its more than two-decade absence from deep-space exploration.   Since the retirement of the U.S. space shuttles last year, the United States is dependent on Russia to fly astronauts at a cost to the nation of $60 million per person.   Soyuz lands safely, bringing 3 spacefarers home   Mara Bellaby - Florida Today   After 127 days in space, three crew members from the International Space Station are home.   The Russian Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and two space-going colleagues landed at 8:56 p.m. Sunday night northeast of Arkalyk in the steppes of Kazakhstan. It was a chilly 12 degrees Fahrenheit.   Williams, Aki Hoshide of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko had spent 125 of their 127 days in space circling Earth onboard the International Space Station. While on the outpost, they welcomed SpaceX's Dragon capsule making its first official cargo delivery, which included fresh apples and chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream.   Williams and Hoshide also carried out two spacewalks.   Williams returned home a record-holder: the most spacewalking time by a female at 50 hours and 40 minutes over seven career excursions.   The trio, who undocked at 5:26 p.m. with Malenchenko at the controls, left the space station in the command of NASA astronaut Kevin Ford.   Ford and his crewmates -- Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin -- will run the outpost as they await the arrival of three more crew members, including American Tom Marshburn, in December.   Johnson Space Center director announces his retirement   Eric Berger - Houston Chronicle   After seven years in the top spot at Johnson Space Center, director Mike Coats told employees Friday that he will retire at year's end.   The center's deputy director, four-time space flight veteran Ellen Ochoa, will replace Coats. Ochoa has logged a total of 978 hours in space.   A veteran of three spaceflights and a two-time shuttle commander, Coats was tapped as center director to oversee the safe completion of the space shuttle program in the wake of the Columbia tragedy.   "As a former crew commander, I still have nightmares about being the crew commander and sitting there as Rick Husband did on board Columbia," Coats, 66, said. "This was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I'm proud that we accomplished that."   Served in Vietnam   A U.S. Navy pilot and flight instructor, Coats logged 315 combat missions in Vietnam before becoming an astronaut in 1978.   Among his classmates was Charles Bolden, now the administrator of NASA. Coats said he wanted to serve to the end of Bolden's first term of as administrator.   Coats returned to NASA in 2005 from the private aerospace industry to help Johnson Space Center as it was working to return to flight and fly an ambitious schedule of shuttle missions to complete construction of the International Space Station.   It did so, and the shuttle retired last summer, when Atlantis' wheels came to a stop on a Florida runway.   Emotional end   That morning Coats said he was taken aback by the words of Atlantis' commander, Chris Ferguson, who used the phrase "final stop."   "As a pilot, you never say something is "final"; you always say full stop or something like that. When Chris surprised me by calling out final stop, I got emotional all of a sudden and I couldn't talk. I was embarrassed I couldn't talk, but I was also so proud that we flew out the shuttle program safely."   Coats has directed Johnson Space Center through a period of substantial uncertainty and downsizing. Along with the end of the Johnson Space Center-led shuttle program, in February 2010, President Barack Obama announced the cancellation of the Constellation Program to build the next generation of human-carrying rockets and spacecraft.   "With the cancellation of Constellation, there was about a six week period during which I didn't see what the future of NASA was," Coats said.   But Congress intervened and established a course by which NASA is planning to build a spacecraft called the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and a large rocket to launch it.   Concerned over future   Coats said he remains concerned about the future of NASA in general and Johnson Space Center in particular. The space agency needs a consistent vision and consistent funding to accomplish great goals in space, he said. He hopes that will come from the Obama administration and a divided Congress.   Coats said he will most miss working with "his team" at the space center.   "It's an amazing team here that does incredible things," he said. "They love the challenge. Most of them could make more money working elsewhere, but they love working for NASA. They do some things, they find really elegant solutions to tough problems."   Coats said his goal now is to focus on taking care of his wife, Diane, who has been ill.   "Her health is not great, and she's going to be my entire focus," Coats said. "She's taken great care of me for 43 years. Now it's her turn."   Johnson Space Center director Mike Coats announces his retirement   Sonia Azad - KTRK TV (Houston)   A major change at NASA as Johnson Space Center's director is retiring and his replacement is the first Hispanic woman to hold the job.   JSC Director Michael Coats decided to step down at the end of the year. The space agency is in flux and going in a new direction with the retirement of the shuttle program.   Coats has talked with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden for almost a year about retiring at the end of this year. He says now is the right time to pass the torch to a woman with whom he's worked side by side for the last 5 years.   "I think it's time for me to focus on my immediate family, if you will," Coats said.   With his family watching on, Coats announced his retirement as director of the Johnson Space Center, a position he's held since 2005.   "It's been an interesting seven years," he said.   Coats, a former NASA astronaut, saw the JSC through the assembly of the International Space Station and several recent challenges, including the end of the shuttle program, the cancellation of the Constellation program and 4,000 lost jobs.   There is still much to do in the future of human space exploration and now Doctor Ellen Ochoa will lead the way.   "What I hope will happen in the not too distant future is that we get more definition about where we want to go, how we want to do it," Dr. Ochoa said.   Also a former astronaut, Dr. Ochoa is JSC's deputy director. She will be JSC's first Hispanic director and second female director.   "I think she'll do a great job. They both have good experience -- astronauts coming up in JSC so it's not going to be a huge change," said NASA engineer Molly White.   NASA's outgoing director echoed the likelihood of a smooth transition. Still, for employees, Coats' retirement is bitter sweet.   "Great director out here. He did some really wonderful things. I wish him the best," said NASA contractor Al Acton.   NASA engineer Jared Daum told us, "When he spoke, it was personal, you could tell that he cared about what he did. Sad to see him go. But hopefully Ellen Ochoa will pick up where he left off."   Dr. Ochoa will assume her new role on January 1, 2013.   More on Coats and Dr. Ochoa   Veteran astronaut Ellen Ochoa will become the 11th director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced today.   Ochoa will succeed Michael L. Coats when he retires at the end of the year after leading Johnson since 2005. She has been the deputy director at JSC since September 2007.   "Ellen's enthusiasm, experience and leadership, including her superb job as deputy director, make her a terrific successor to Mike as director of JSC," Bolden said. "I am especially sad to see Mike leave, as he and I have been close friends and allies since coming together in the summer of 1964 as new plebes in the great Naval Academy Class of 1968. He is a true patriot and an American hero, and we wish him and his lovely wife, Diane, the very best. His expertise and dedication will be sorely missed, not only at JSC, but across the entire agency."   Ochoa, who considers La Mesa, Calif., to be her hometown, became the first Hispanic woman to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1993. She has flown in space four times, logging nearly 1,000 hours in orbit. Prior to her astronaut career, she was a research engineer and inventor, with three patents for optical systems.   Ochoa earned a bachelor's degree in physics from San Diego State University and a master's degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. She managed the Intelligent Systems Technology Branch at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., before being selected as an astronaut in 1990. She flew on shuttle missions STS-56 in 1993, STS-66 in 1994, STS-96 in 1999, and STS-110 in 2002, logging a total of 978 hours in space.   Ochoa served as deputy director of flight crew operations at JSC in December 2002 and director of flight crew operations in September 2006. She will be JSC's first Hispanic director and its second female director. Dr. Carolyn L. Huntoon served as JSC director from 1994-95.   Coats, also a former astronaut, became JSC's 10th director in November 2005. He is concluding a 44-year career that includes 20 years with NASA, including seven as center director. He is a retired U.S. Navy captain.   Coats' NASA career began in 1978 when he earned a spot in the first astronaut class specifically selected to fly the space shuttle. He flew three shuttle missions, the first as pilot for the maiden flight of Discovery in 1984. He commanded two subsequent shuttle missions, logging more than 463 hours in space.   Lockheed Martin provides plan/rationale for L2 deep space station   Mark Whittington - Yahoo News   Josh Hopkins of Lockheed Martin made a presentation to the Future In-Space Operations (FISO) study group about telerobotic exploration of the far side of the moon from a deep space station deployed at the Earth/moon L2 point.   The presentation, which took place on Nov. 14, represents the position of Lockheed Martin and not necessarily NASA, though it does provide several arguments for using the deep space station as a remote base for lunar exploration. A slide presentation and an audio of the talk are available.   Timeline for L2 lunar far side missions   The presentation envisions missions to the Earth/moon L2, where the gravities of the Earth and moon cancel out above the lunar far side, to be part of an overall exploration program aimed at Earth-approaching asteroids, culminating in a mission to the Martian moon Deimos and telerobotic operations of the Martian surface from there. The first flight to the Earth/moon L2, by the end of the current decade, would be conducted by an Orion multi-purpose crew vehicle alone and would last for 30 days. Subsequent missions would involve a deep space station to be deployed in a "halo orbit" around the Earth/moon L2 and would last several months.   Science rationale for L2 lunar far side missions   The presentation suggests two types of telerobotic missions to the lunar far side, controlled by astronauts at an L2 deep space station. One would be a sample return mission from the lunar far side, the better to understand the early history of the solar system which featured heavy bombardment of the moon. The samples would be gathered by teleoperated robots, taken to the deep space station, and then returned to Earth via the Orion.   Another would be the deployment of a radio telescope instrument directly on the lunar surface. Since the lunar far side is blocked from electromagnetic emissions from the Earth, it represents a radio "quiet zone" that is beneficial to radio astronomy.   Communications latency   The presentation suggests that telerobotic operations would benefit from a deep space station at the L2 point because of reduced communications latency, i.e. the time it takes for a command to be sent to a robot on the lunar surface. The time is 3.5 seconds from the Earth as opposed to .4 seconds from L2. This position disputes the analysis of Paul Spudis, who suggests that the difference does not provide any significant advantage.   Practice for deep space missions   The presentation suggests that the main reason for deploying a deep space station at the Earth/moon L2 point is to serve as practice for deep space missions to asteroids and ultimately to Mars orbit. The telerobotic operations would be of some value as practice for similar missions to Mars.   Falcon Engine Shutdown, Freezer Glitch under Investigation   Irene Klotz - Space News   Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s (SpaceX) first supply run to the international space station left behind a handful of technical issues to be worked out before the next flight, which is being retargeted from January to March.   Topping the list is the early shutdown of one of the Falcon 9’s main engines 79 seconds after liftoff Oct. 7 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket’s other eight motors compensated for the loss, successfully delivering a Dragon cargo capsule into orbit to reach the station three days later.   The shutdown, however, forced SpaceX to honor a NASA stipulation that it skip a planned engine restart and deploy the Falcon 9’s secondary payload, an experimental Orbcomm communications satellite, into its intended orbit. Released instead into a lower-than-planned orbit, the satellite re-entered the atmosphere. Orbcomm filed a $10 million insurance claim for the loss.   SpaceX and NASA also are looking into a Dragon flight computer shutdown believed to have been caused by a radiation hit. The capsule successfully departed the station with two of its three computers synchronized, in accordance with NASA flight rules, station program manager Mike Suffredini reported at a Nov. 14-15 meeting of the NASA Advisory Council’s Human Exploration and Operations Committee.   “SpaceX could have but did not resync the computer, which had automatically rebooted as designed. With two nominally performing computers, we still had redundancy as Dragon needs only one computer to fly. SpaceX offered to resync the computers, but NASA felt it unnecessary and provided the green light to depart the station,” SpaceX spokeswoman Katherine Nelson wrote in an email to SpaceNews.   Radiation hits also were suspected in the shutdown one of Dragon's three GPS navigation units, a propulsion computer and an ethernet switch during the flight. All were quickly recovered, with no loss of function, SpaceX said.   Finally, a freezer carrying precious science samples from the station lost power when Dragon splashed down Oct. 28 in the Pacific Ocean.   Nelson said the power loss was likely due to water intrusion to the power management units, which are mounted outside the cabin and that the freezer was restarted.   “There was no water inside the cabin, as some have erroneously speculated,” she said.   “New waterproofing methods are being successfully tested on our avionics area for future flights,” Nelson added.   Falcon 9's commercial promise to be tested in 2013   Stephen Clark - SpaceflightNow.com   Three international and commercial customers slated to fly satellites on Falcon 9 rockets next year are standing by SpaceX as the company probes a mysterious engine problem and prepares to debut an upgraded launcher.   SpaceX and NASA engineers are investigating the cause of an engine failure on the Falcon 9's last flight Oct. 7. One of the first stage's nine kerosene-fueled Merlin 1C engines shut down after a sudden loss of pressure about 79 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Fla.   The rocket continued into orbit and successfully deployed SpaceX's Dragon cargo freighter on a trek to the International Space Station. SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA for cargo resupply services to the station.   Because of safety guidelines imposed by NASA to prevent a potential collision with the space station, the Falcon 9 rocket put an Orbcomm data communications satellite in a lower-than-planned orbit. The Orbcomm spacecraft was left in an unstable orbit and re-entered the atmosphere three days after launch.   Pending the conclusion of the engine anomaly investigation, SpaceX and NASA plan to launch the next Falcon 9 rocket in March on another space station logistics mission. That mission will be the final launch of a Falcon 9 rocket in its current configuration.   Three commercial launches are next on SpaceX's manifest.   The customers - the Canadian Space Agency, SES of Luxembourg and Orbcomm Inc. of New Jersey - all plan separate launches on three Falcon 9 rockets before the middle of 2013.   Each flight will employ a new version of the Falcon 9 launcher with more powerful Merlin 1D engines, stretched fuel tanks, a payload fairing, and a new first stage engine configuration.   The schedule is tight as SpaceX activates a new launch pad in California and modifies its facility at Cape Canaveral to accommodate the larger next-generation Falcon 9.   The upgraded Falcon 9 - called the Falcon 9 v1.1 - is undergoing qualification testing before the first flight vehicle ships to SpaceX's new launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.   SpaceX is wrapping up construction of a launch facility at Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg, the former home of Titan 4 rockets on the U.S. West Coast.   The first launch of the Falcon 9 v1.1 is expected in the first half of 2013 with the Canadian Space Agency's Cassiope satellite, a hybrid craft designed to monitor space weather and demonstrate a space-based digital courier communications system.   The launch of Cassiope is expected in April or May, according to Melanie Beauchesne, a Canadian Space Agency spokeswoman.   The 1,100-pound Cassiope satellite will fly in an elliptical orbit between 200 miles and 900 miles above Earth.   Orbcomm is next on SpaceX's launch manifest with a dedicated Falcon 9 launch from Florida.   Eight Orbcomm satellites will launch on a Falcon 9 v1.1, bolstering the company's satellite fleet to facilitate two-way data communications services for customers in the heavy equipment, transportation, maritime, agriculture, oil and gas, energy, and government sectors.   The Orbcomm payload aboard the Falcon 9 rocket's October launch was a prototype for Orbcomm's second-generation, or OG2, system in low Earth orbit.   "Had our prototype been the primary payload for this past launch, we believe we would have been successful," said Marc Eisenburg, Orbcomm CEO, in a Nov. 8 earnings call with financial analysts. "We intend to launch the remainder of the OG2 satellites with SpaceX."   Another Falcon 9 rocket, also due to launch in mid-2013 from Florida, will orbit the SES 8 satellite to provide television broadcasting, government communications, and other services over South Asia.   SpaceX's contract with SES - signed in 2011 - stipulates it must complete at least one flight of the upgraded Falcon 9 before the SES 8 launch.   Yves Feltes, an SES spokesman, told Spaceflight Now the SES 8 launch is scheduled before the middle of 2013. The international operator has arranged a backup launch opportunity with Arianespace for an Ariane 5 launch.   The SES 8 launch is scheduled to be SpaceX's first commercial launch into geostationary transfer orbit, or GTO, the drop-off point for satellites heading for orbit 22,300 miles over the equator.   Satellites in geostationary orbit hover over a fixed point on Earth and appear at the same point in the sky for antennas on the ground.   So far, SpaceX has not launched a rocket to geostationary transfer orbit. Four Falcon 9 flights to date have targeted low Earth orbit on three demonstration missions and for SpaceX's commercial cargo service to the space station.   The Falcon 9 v1.1 will have a capacity to lift up to 10,700 pounds into geostationary transfer orbit.   Iridium Communications Inc., SpaceX's second-largest launch customer after NASA, will begin sending its Iridium Next constellation of mobile communications satellites to orbit in early 2015.   Matthew Desch, Iridium's CEO, said 70 Iridium Next satellites are booked for launch on seven Falcon 9 missions. The Iridium flights will originate from the Falcon 9 rocket's California launch complex.   Iridium plans to exercise a contract option with Kosmotras, a Moscow-based launch provider, to place two Iridium Next satellites on a Dnepr rocket as a pathfinder before deploying the rest of the 72-satellite fleet with SpaceX.   The Dnepr rocket is composed of decommissioned Soviet ballistic missile parts.   Desch said the Falcon 9's ability to still accomplish its primary mission after the Oct. 7 engine failure was a "big confidence builder" and it "shows they have built an adaptable and flexible rocket."   "They got the job done, even when there are glitches," Desch said Nov. 1. "We continue to have full confidence in the Falcon 9 system, and expect it to remain [successful] in the 20 or so launches on their manifest before Iridium Next, which will also be successful."   SpaceX has also signed Falcon 9 launch contracts with Thaicom, an operator affiliated with the government of Thailand, AsiaSat of Hong Kong, Asia Broadcast Satellite and Mexsat.   Evidence indicates astronauts could survive on Mars   Mike Wall - Space.com   Radiation levels at the Martian surface appear to be roughly similar to those experienced by astronauts in low-Earth orbit, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has found.   The rover's initial radiation measurements — the first ever taken on the surface of another planet — may buoy the hopes of human explorers who may one day put boots on Mars, for they add more support to the notion that astronauts can indeed function on the Red Planet for limited stretches of time.   "Absolutely, astronauts can live in this environment," Don Hassler, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., told reporters during a news conference Thursday.   Hassler is principal investigator of Curiosity's Radiation Assessment Detector instrument, or RAD. RAD aims to characterize the Martian radiation environment, both to help scientists assess the planet's past and current potential to host life and to aid future manned exploration of the Red Planet.   Since Curiosity landed on Mars in August, RAD has measured radiation levels broadly comparable to those experienced by crewmembers of the International Space Station, Hassler said. Radiation at the Martian surface is about half as high as the levels Curiosity experienced during its nine-month cruise through deep space, he added.   The findings demonstrate that Mars' atmosphere, though just 1 percent as thick as that of Earth, does provide a significant amount of shielding from dangerous, fast-moving cosmic particles. (Mars lacks a magnetic field, which gives our planet another layer of protection.)   The $2.5 billion Curiosity rover is getting a bead on the nature of this shielding. RAD has observed that radiation levels rise and fall by 3 to 5 percent over the course of each day, coincident with the daily thickening and thinning of the Martian atmosphere, researchers said.   Hassler stressed that RAD's findings are preliminary, as Curiosity is just three months into a planned two-year prime mission. He and his team have not yet put hard numbers on the Martian radiation levels, though they plan to do so soon.   "We're working on that, and we're hoping to release that at the AGU meeting in December," Hassler said, referring to the American Geophysical Union's huge conference in San Francisco, which runs from Dec. 3-7. "Basically, there's calibrations and characterizations that we're finalizing to get those numbers precise."   The real issue for human exploration, he said, is determing how much of a radation dose any future astronauts would accumulate throughout an entire Mars mission — during the cruise to the Red Planet, the time on the surface and the journey home.   "Over time, we're going to get those numbers," Hassler said.   One key to understanding the big picture will be documenting the effects of big solar storms, which can blast huge clouds of charged particles into space. Curiosity flew through one such cloud on its way to Mars but has yet to experience one on the surface, Hassler said.   RAD is just one of Curiosity's 10 different science instruments, which it's using to determine if the Red Planet could ever have supported microbial life. During today's press conference, researchers also detailed some initial findings about the Martian atmosphere, including interesting wind patterns and details about daily changes in atmospheric density.   "If we can find out more about the weather and climate on present-day Mars, then that really helps us to improve our understanding of Mars' atmospheric processes," said Claire Newman of Ashima Research in Pasadena, Calif., a collaborator for Curiosity's Rover Environmental Monitoring Station instrument. "That gives us much more confidence when we try to predict things like what Mars may have looked like in the past."   Handicapping the race for House Science Committee chairman   Jeff Foust - SpacePolitics.com   It’s been just over a week since the race for the chairmanship of the House Science Committee got into gear, but a frontrunner has already emerged. Earlier this week Space News reported that Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) is the “odds-on favorite,” in the words of one source, to lead the committee in the next Congress. Yesterday, Science magazine’s ScienceInsider column also indicated that Smith was the most likely member to succeed Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), who is stepping down from the committee chairmanship because of term limits.   Science interviewed both Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and James Sensenbrenner (R-YI), the other two candidates, about their interest in the committee chairmanship. (Smith declined an interview, providing instead a brief statement.) In his interview, Sensenbrenner brought up space policy, stressing the need for cooperation between NASA and the private sector. “I don’t think that either NASA or the private sector will have enough money to restore America’s preeminence in space if they do it separately,” he said. “But if they do it together, I think they’ve got a shot at it.”   Rohrabacher, in his interview, only briefly mentions space, noting that a new authorization bill for NASA would be a priority, and emphasizing the importance of international cooperation: “If we are going to have major scientific initiatives, like [on] space debris clearing—which we need to do—or asteroid defense, there needs to be international cooperation. I would go out of my way to enlist other countries in cooperative space efforts.” He also tries to contrast himself versus Sensenbrenner and Smith as a potential chairman, but adds that if he’s not selected, “I plan to be an activist one way or another. I love science.”   Free-admission Visitor Complex would never be as interesting   John Kelly - Florida Today (Commentary)   I know people have long been upset that it costs them money to visit our national space treasures at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.   I also know some of you are perturbed that the private operator of the Titusville tourist attraction is ending its longtime olive branch to local space workers and enthusiasts: the free Brevard weekend.   In its place, the complex on State Road 405 is offering local residents a sizable, nearly monthlong discount. Tempers have simmered here for decades now over the NASA decision, long ago, to let a private operator of the visitor center charge admission. Used to be, you got in free, but had to pay for extras like IMAX movies. Some don’t like the idea of having to pay to see space hardware they already paid for via tax dollars or that they labored over for many years at KSC.   But, the decision to charge admission to the tourist complex has been a good one long-term. The visitor complex under Delaware North Companies is a better facility than its free predecessor could be. The company has improved displays, upgraded to Smithsonian-quality curation techniques and added attractions not feasible under the free-admission arrangement.   Where would money come from for the Shuttle Launch Experience ride?   Would a free-admission center have had the wherewithall to save the Astronaut Hall of Fame from certain bankruptcy and closure last decade? Not likely. By saving the Hall of Fame facility and making it part of the visitor complex, Delaware North kept in Brevard County many awe-inspiring space items, including one-of-a-kind astronauts’ mementos.   And the biggest question of all: Would the old facility, with no revenue coming in, have been able to finance construction of the kind of facility necessary to keep the space shuttle orbiter Atlantis in Brevard County? Also, not likely. Delaware North has proven its worthiness by properly conceiving a display for a large-scale piece of space hardware, taking good care of it, and drawing millions of tourists, with the Apollo-Saturn V center. We couldn’t have kept Atlantis here with a free facility.   The free Brevard weekend was popular. Some might say too popular. Taking your family was not as enjoyable as visiting other days because of shoulder-bumping crowds and long waits. The deal Delaware North is offering local residents seems like a good alternative and should lead to a better experience for those who go. Fifteen bucks is about $35 off the adult admission price. It spreads the resulting crowd over a month. Food banks are worried it might result it less donations. However, it might result it more. We’ll have to wait and see.   END