Don't forget to join in the fellowship this Thursday at Hibachi Grill @ 11:30 for our NASA Retirees Luncheon. I "may" have a conflicting meeting such that I may not be able to join you all!—have not decided totally yet which meeting is more important to make it to J
Also,,wanted to let you know for those interested in attending –the Sally Ride biography book signing by Lynn Sherr the following information from Cynthia Kibby:
The book signing is going to be coordinated with other events with Sally's sister and partner speaking as well as Lynn Sherr. It will be at the Teague Auditorium on June 27th, but the time has not been set yet. We hope to see you there!
Cyndi Kibby
| | JSC TODAY CATEGORIES - Headlines
- ISS Research/Sci: Get Up to Speed & in the Know
- Weekly Senior Staff Safety Message - Organizations/Social
- Today: Coach's Corner Features Mike Kincaid
- AIAA Houston ATS Kickoff With Cdr. Chris Cassidy
- SAIC/S&MA Speaker Forum Feat. Nelson Mumma Jr.
- JSC's Health and Fitness Month Starts Thursday
- Coming Soon: Don Thomas Book Signing - May 8
- Starport Youth Sports Camps
- Mother's Day Massage Special at Starport - Jobs and Training
- NCMA NES Deadline Extended to April 30
- NASA Budget: OMB's Roles and Responsibilities |  |
| Headlines - ISS Research/Sci: Get Up to Speed & in the Know
As NASA team members, we are all program ambassadors, per se, and need to clearly know and understand what is taking place research-wise aboard our International Space Station (ISS). Here are very informative and effective ways that you can raise your awareness level and feel more confident in talking to folks inside and outside the agency about your ISS, its ongoing plentiful utilization efforts, and the unique diverse opportunities availed to various researchers. Share your knowledge today! 1. Subscribe to the ISS Program Science listserv to receive weekly emails with compelling stories about important ISS Research conducted each day. ISS Research Helpline x46187
[top] - Weekly Senior Staff Safety Message
View the weekly senior staff safety message. This week's topic: Take a Breath of Clean Air. May is Clean Air Month. Learn about what you can do and what JSC is doing to help improve the quality of the air we breathe. Organizations/Social - Today: Coach's Corner Features Mike Kincaid
The African-American Employee Resource Group is proud to present the next Coach's Corner event, which will feature JSC External Relations Director Mike Kincaid today, April 29, from noon to 1 p.m. in Building 1, Room 966. As the JSC External Relations director, Kincaid is responsible for several facets of day-to-day center operations, including Communications and Public Affairs; Legislative Affairs; Community Outreach; the Office of Education; and the University Research, Collaborations and Partnership Office. Each Coach's Corner event is designed to allow all JSC personnel to come and hear the presenter's career path, important messages in the current environment and to provide an opportunity to have your questions answered by senior management at the center. In an effort to track attendance to ensure there is enough room, sign up using the link below. Event Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 Event Start Time:12:00 PM Event End Time:1:00 PM
Event Location: B1, Room 966
Add to Calendar
Kai Harris x40694
[top] - AIAA Houston ATS Kickoff With Cdr. Chris Cassidy
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Houston Section welcomes Commander Chris Cassidy to kick off our Annual Technical Symposium. Before becoming an astronaut, Cassidy served 10 years as a Navy Seal and made four six-month deployments to Afghanistan and the Mediterranean. In 2004, Cassidy was selected as an astronaut by NASA. Before completing his first flight, he served as Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control. Cassidy flew on STS-127, which helped complete the construction of the Japanese Kibo module on the International Space Station (ISS). Most recently, Cassidy served as a flight engineer on Expedition 35/36, living and working on the ISS for more than five months. During his NASA career, Cassidy has completed six spacewalks totaling 31 hours, 14 minutes, and has accumulated 182 days in space. Please RSVP by April 30 by choosing a meal (dessert included) at the event Web page. - SAIC/S&MA Speaker Forum Feat. Nelson Mumma Jr.
You are invited to JSC's SAIC/Safety and Mission Assurance Speaker Forum featuring Nelson Mumma Jr., Global Group director, External Affairs, The Coca-Cola Company. Topic: Sustainability - How Coca-Cola is Inspiring Change in the World Date/Time: Wednesday, May 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Location: Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom What can we learn from Coca-Cola that can support NASA's sustainability efforts? Mumma will discuss: - The purpose of sustainability
- How sustainability impacts business goals
- Ideas for meeting today's social challenges
Learn how Coca-Cola is inspiring change in the world by implementing sustainable processes/projects that positively contribute to the environment and society. To learn more about Coca-Cola's corporate responsibility and sustainability, click here. - JSC's Health and Fitness Month Starts Thursday
Get a little healthier and earn some prizes this May during Health and Fitness Month (HFM) at JSC. Brought to you by Starport, HFM has something for everyone to get more active and eat nutritiously. Here are a few of the upcoming activities: - Poker Walk
- Mini-fitness expos
- Free yoga and Pilates classes
- Indoor triathlon at the Gilruth
- Prediction 5K and training program
- Mindful meal purchases at the cafés
- Bike to Work Day
- And a NASA-wide fitness challenge
Visit the Starport website below to learn more about all of these events, including dates, times, prizes and registration information. - Coming Soon: Don Thomas Book Signing - May 8
Starport is proud to host a book signing for Don Thomas, veteran astronaut of four space shuttle missions and recipient of numerous NASA awards. His new book, "Orbit of Discovery," provides a firsthand account of the 1995 all-Ohioan Discovery mission, highlighting the state's contributions to the NASA space program. Written by Thomas with the assistance of journalist Mike Bartell, the book is a lively and entertaining must-read for individuals who want to experience a ride into space. Books must be purchased at Starport for autographs. There is still time to pre-order your book in the Buildings 3 and 11 Starport Gift Shops. Or, you can order online to have your book shipped to your friend or family member back home. - Starport Youth Sports Camps
Starport is now offering youth sports camps. We are offering three different sports camps: baseball, basketball and a multi-sport camp. All camps are a week long. Sign up early online, as spots are going fast! Ages: 6 to 12 Times: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dates: - July 14 to 19 (Basketball)
- July 21 to 25 (Baseball)
- Aug. 4 to 8 (Multi-sport)
Fee per session: $150 per child | $50 per week extended care Register online or at the Gilruth Center information desk. - Mother's Day Massage Special at Starport
It's time to let mom sit back, relax and get spoiled with a massage. For a limited time, Starport is offering a special massage rate for that one-of-a-kind mother, grandmother, aunt or significant woman in your life. Enjoy a 60-minute massage for only $55 during this promotion. Massages must be scheduled from Monday through Thursday between April 21 and May 29. Please visit the Starport website to schedule your Mother's Day massage. Jobs and Training - NCMA NES Deadline Extended to April 30
The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) National Education Seminar (NES) topic is "Risk Management for Complex U.S. Government Contracts and Projects." This seminar provides a unique and comprehensive view of what it takes to successfully manage large, complex, high-technology U.S. government contracts and projects. This one-of-a-kind seminar is loaded with process diagrams tools, techniques and best practices to help acquisition professionals in both the U.S. government and industry improve business results. The event is open to both procurement and technical personnel. JSC civil servants, please do three things before **the EXTENDED REGISTRATION DATE of close of business Wednesday, April 30**: 1. Confirm with your manager that your organization will pay for your registration to attend this event. 3. Go to SATERN at and submit an External Training Request. Note: Attendance earns seven CLPs. - NASA Budget: OMB's Roles and Responsibilities
Want more situational awareness of the federal budget process and how it can impact (and be impacted by) NASA and JSC programs? As part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer subject-matter expert course series, former White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) examiner Ryan Schaefer will lead a session that helps navigate through the budget process and explains how OMB's roles and responsibilities can affect program budgets. To provide context for budgetary decisions and priorities, the course also explores other stakeholders and elements in the NASA budget landscape and how JSC inputs can support favorable outcomes. This course is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Building 1, Room 421E. This session is not offered through WebEx, so please register by May 5 in SATERN via the link below or by searching the catalog for the course title. | |
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| JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles. Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters. |
NASA and Human Spaceflight News
Tuesday – April 29, 2014
HEADLINES AND LEADS
Microbes, spacecraft, and cheerleaders: The ISS payload story of Project MERCCURI
Bart D. Leahy – The Space Review
NASA finished building the International Space Station (ISS) in 2010, yet many still wonder what we're doing with it. With Expeditions 39 and 40 tending 152 experiments of various sizes and levels of complexity, the astronauts are doing more up there than fixing the plumbing. Yet the average citizen might ask, "What's the point? As a taxpayer who helped fund this, what am I getting out of it?" The answer is: an opportunity to perform science that can benefit life on Earth and in space.
NASA Discovers Coldest Brown Dwarf Neighbor of the Sun
A brown dwarf as cold as the North Pole has been discovered lurking remarkably close to our solar system, and it appears to be the coldest of its kind yet found, scientists say.
NASA loves William Shatner so much they gave him an award
Andrea Peterson – The Washington Post
William Shatner never became a real rocket man, but NASA did award the "Star Trek" actor with its Distinguished Public Service medal -- the highest award the agency can bestow on non-government personnel -- over the weekend.
Two UH professors accused of lying to get research grants
Benjamin Wermund – Houston Chronicle
Two University of Houston professors, accused of lying to get more than $1 million in federal research grants, have been charged with making false statements and wire fraud.
NASA to initiate discussions about commercial uses for the International Space Station
David Mills - Sydney (AUS) Daily Telegraph
IT'S the ultimate getaway destination, with views that are literally out of this world.
Adopting a New Viewpoint about Orbital Debris
Amir S. Gohardani | Space News
Orbital debris has impacted and continues to affect space activities and the overall space infrastructure. Space debris consistently has been identified as a risk to future space endeavors. Given that orbital debris imposes significant challenges to space missions and operations, it would be beneficial for the wider space community if the overall perception and approach to space debris were subjected to significant adjustments. This statement is rooted in the fact that there have been only very limited space debris removal activities.
Clear Lake highway set to close tonight for ground transport of NASA jumbo jet
Craig Hlavaty – Houston Chronicle
Space Center Houston is all systems go for the final move of a disassembled Boeing 747 jumbo jet through the streets of Clear Lake Monday night.
Jurczyk named director of NASA Langley
Diane Tennant - Hampton Roads (VA) Virginian-Pilot
Stephen G. Jurczyk has been named director of NASA's Langley Research Center.
NASA astronaut, scientist visit patients at Riley Hospital for Children
WXIN- TV
Pediatric patients got a taste of outer space today when NASA embarked on its latest mission: sending an astronaut and NASA scientist to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health.
COMPLETE STORIES
Microbes, spacecraft, and cheerleaders: The ISS payload story of Project MERCCURI
Bart D. Leahy – The Space Review
NASA finished building the International Space Station (ISS) in 2010, yet many still wonder what we're doing with it. With Expeditions 39 and 40 tending 152 experiments of various sizes and levels of complexity, the astronauts are doing more up there than fixing the plumbing. Yet the average citizen might ask, "What's the point? As a taxpayer who helped fund this, what am I getting out of it?" The answer is: an opportunity to perform science that can benefit life on Earth and in space.
Say you're an aspiring postdoc, space-minded entrepreneur, or citizen scientist, and you want to get your hardware up to the microgravity environment of the United States' orbiting National Laboratory. How do you go about it? How do you get funding? How do you get the public interested and involved in what you're doing? This brief history of Project MERCCURI will attempt to answer some of those questions.
The beginning
Not everyone who develops an ISS science experiment was born with a burning desire to do work in space. Project MERCCURI's investigators are primarily microbiologists, whose work concerns life on Earth since that's where we all live. However, moving research into space can do several things for a project:
- Help researchers control for variables outside the typical Earth environment (e.g., gravity).
- Improve the chances for getting funding—especially from NASA or other space-related organizations that have an interest doing work beyond Earth.
- Add a public relations/outreach component to an experiment that otherwise would be of interest only to other scientists.
In the case of our project (I was responsible for coordinating sample collection for Project MERCCURI), a competition gave impetus to pursuing a research topic that incorporated citizen science. In 2012, Space Florida and NanoRacks, LLC, co-sponsored and established the Space Florida International Space Station (ISS) Research Competition, the winners of which would get to conduct scientific research on ISS, with Space Florida covering the costs of transporting the research payload to the station. The competition fast-tracked an idea being developed by a team comprising Jonathan Eisen, a microbiologist from University of California (UC) Davis; Mark Severance, a NASA communications manager; and Darlene Cavalier, founder of the citizen-science site SciStarter and the Science Cheerleaders, to propose an activity that would combine microbiology research with citizen science, space research, and a lot of public relations flair. The resulting proposal, which was one of the winners of the competition, is known as Project MERCCURI (Microbe Ecology Research Combining Citizen and University Researchers on ISS).
Project MERCCURI includes several components:
- Collecting microbes nationwide for the Earth Microbiome Project, which is mapping the presence and prevalence of microbes worldwide. Four thousand samples were collected from cell phones and sneakers, primarily by teams of Pop Warner cheerleaders and the Science Cheerleaders. (My job was organizing these sampling events and cheerleader appearances as well as making sure that each group received the correct number of microbe-swabbing kits).
- Comparing the growth of microbes from built environments on Earth with their growth on ISS. 48 microbe samples launched to ISS on SpaceX's Commercial Resupply Services #3 (CRS-3) mission to be studied in the ISS lab. This activity will have a public outreach component, too, as microbes from NFL stadiums—including Levi's Stadium, new home of the San Francisco 49ers, and Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots—as well as public landmarks like the Liberty Bell and the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft flown by John Glenn, will be evaluated in "playoffs" to determine which ones grow the fastest and compared to the fastest-growing microbes on Earth.
- Comparing the types of microbes found on Earth with microbes found by astronauts swabbing high-traffic areas of the ISS. This part of the project has a space exploration-related benefit, as the presence of pathogenic and beneficial microbes will impact crew health on long-term space missions. The public outreach portion of this part of the project includes a website, which is posting pictures of and information about microbes found by the sampling teams on Earth as well as microbes found on the Station.
The whole experiment will be in space from launch until the scheduled May 18 unberthing and return of the Dragon spacecraft. Once the ISS astronauts have collected their samples and evaluated the samples from Earth, they will pack them back inside Dragon's experiment storage section, which will be recovered from the Pacific after its return to Earth. During the samples' time on the station, the Earth microbes will have their growth rate measured while others will be collected on site from high-traffic areas inside the station.
Surprises along the way
As part of its contribution to the competition, NanoRacks provided the winners with access to its existing products and services for supporting payloads on the Dragon capsule, in or on ISS, or in space, leaving the actual experimental work to the customer. Typical space payloads might require power, data, continuous air purge, deployment mechanisms, or other hardware.
Patricia Mayes, "Dream-Up Director" at NanoRacks, is responsible for drumming up educational payloads—anything students can dream up, from simple chemistry experiments to crystallography. Of course, the more payload owners know about what they want, the better. "If the customer knows what they want, or better yet, has it already in hand, it can take 9 to 12 months from project start to being ready to launch. If they don't know what they want or it has to be developed, it could be anywhere from one to two years."
In Project MERCCURI's case, the original plan was to place the microbe samples into a standard growth medium akin to soup broth and then watch them over 30 days to see how they grow. Growth is recorded using a plate reader, which passes light through the microbe-infested broth and measures how the light is absorbed by the microbes ("growth kinetics").
Russell Neches, a UC Davis doctoral candidate and one of the MERCCURI principal investigators (PIs), explained that microbiology samples have been done this way for 120 years. However, this particular method had not yet been used on ISS. "They've had a plate reader up there for a couple of years and have run some tests on it, but really haven't done much science with it." When it came time to set up this project, however, the team discovered that there was no way to measure growth kinetics for microbes immersed in liquid in space.
On Earth, liquid stays at the bottom of a tube thanks to gravity. In space, any container holding liquid would have to be sealed, which prevents the liquid floating away but also prevents contact with air, potentially suffocating the microbes. The alternative was to place the microbes in a solid medium: agar, the jellylike substance you might see at the bottom of a high school biology class petri dish. The problem with this technique, however, is one of precedent. As Neches explained it, "We have 120 years of studies doing things in liquid."
Neches eventually devised a solid-medium sample storage container with holes only one micron across—just large enough to let air in but not let the microbes out.
Perhaps the most difficult engineering challenge for Project MERCCURI had nothing to do with the experiment itself, but with the rocket. Darlene Cavalier explains: "We originally prepared the microbe collection activities so they'd be ready for launch in September 2013. The [CRS-3] mission experienced a few technical delays, shifting from December to March, and then finally April. While emotionally taxing, this turned out to be beneficial for our outreach efforts, as the national media coverage for our project swelled during the build up to each launch date."
Launching and operations
Currently the Dragon is still berthed to the station, so it is uncertain what the final outcome of Project MERCCURI will be. However, to prevent the microbes from growing prematurely, the experiment was stored in the refrigerated, pressurized section of Dragon, wrapped in bubble wrap, and kept in a canvas cargo bag to protect it during spaceflight. As long as the refrigeration holds out, the microbes will be at rest until they're released into their solid growth medium. Everything that can be done on the Earth side of the equation has been done. The rest is up to the astronauts on the Station and to SpaceX, when the ISS microbe samples return to Earth on May 18.
No bucks, no Buck Rogers
The biggest trick to performing future work might be securing funding. In addition to paying for some portion of the ride, payload owners usually must pay for engineering services to incorporate their work into Dragon and ISS as well as to handle the associated paperwork.
One unavoidable fact right now is that launching payloads into space is not cheap. Educational payloads can start at $30,000, which includes:
- Paperwork required for space transportation
- Handling of the safety review
- The space transportation to the space station
- Insertion of the payload into the NanoRacks Platform
- Power
- Data return
The good news is that NASA, the State of Florida, and other organizations have a vested interest in getting payloads up to ISS: NASA is keen to use ISS as a research site and to demonstrate its ongoing usefulness to the US taxpayer. Space Florida, the space business development arm of the Florida state government, wants space jobs in their jurisdiction. Besides the competition Space Florida and Nanoracks sponsored, NASA has multiple grants to fund experiments. They also work through the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the entity charged with managing the ISS National Laboratory and bringing payloads and experiments to the ISS. CASIS-arranged payloads come from outside of the normal NASA research portfolio and are developed by commercial and educational entities not directly affiliated with NASA.
Additionally, payload servicing organizations like NanoRacks want business to enable access to space experimentation. To do that, they need paying customers like any good business. In addition to NanoRacks, other companies are providing payload development and integration services for future ISS payloads. CASIS provides a complete list of companies providing such services.
However, grants and goodwill aside, you still need money to launch your payload. According to Mayes, larger items, like Project MERCCURI—an internal experiment package that was 10 x 10 x 15 centimeters (about 4 x 4 x 6 inches)—might run $85,000 on NanoRacks. A full cubesat deployed from the ISS could run upwards of $100,000. Prices elsewhere can go even higher. Prices for suborbital launches aboard Virgin Galactic, XCOR Aerospace, Masten Space Systems, or other in-development services can be a bit less (XCOR, for example, is offering secondary payload space for about $20,000), but these platforms are not yet operational and the hardware obviously would be in microgravity for much less time. Before setting sights on having a payload on ISS, payload developers might want to consider carefully what they want to demonstrate and how much they are willing to pay.
Lessons learned
Now that Project MERCCURI has reached ISS, the team has time to pause and reflect on the experience. The UC Davis microbiology team had not done space-related research before, but given this experience, they might do so again. One of the PIs, Wendy—a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering and a Science Cheerleader who cheers for the Oakland Raiders—wants to be an astronaut. David Coil, another of the PIs, believes that his team could do another space mission, "But it'd have to be something really cool."
Darlene Cavalier, when asked what she learned about the space business, replied, "It's predictably unpredictable." More importantly, she dismissed the notion that people don't care about space or the ISS: "People still love space. When we invited several thousand people to participate in this research project, people jumped at the opportunity. The opportunity to do research on the ISS and get microbes from the ISS is what inspired our own team to devote more than two tireless years of effort to this project." Science Cheerleader and SciStarter are certainly interested in activating more citizen science research projects to go into space.
Lastly, Project MERCCURI's unique combination of space, microbiology, publicity, and citizen science can provide a model for future collaborations between these various communities. Space projects incorporating work by private citizens provide the opportunity to do hands-on science that goes to ISS. This could provide a broader constituency of people willing to see the nation do grander things in space.
NASA Discovers Coldest Brown Dwarf Neighbor of the Sun
A brown dwarf as cold as the North Pole has been discovered lurking remarkably close to our solar system, and it appears to be the coldest of its kind yet found, scientists say.
Using NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers discovered the dim, "failed star" lurking just 7.2 light-years away, making it the fourth closest system to our sun.
"It's very exciting to discover a new neighbor of our solar system that is so close," Kevin Luhman, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University's Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, said in a statement. "And given its extreme temperature, it should tell us a lot about the atmospheres of planets, which often have similarly cold temperatures."
Brown dwarfs are sometimes called failed stars because they have many of the elements of that make up stars, but they lack the huge mass needed to kick off nuclear fusion in their core. As a result, these objects don't radiate starlight and they sometimes resemble planets. Some are even cool enough to have atmospheres much like gas giants.
While brown dwarfs are hidden in images taken in the visible spectrum, infrared telescopes like WISE can pick up the meager glow of brown dwarfs.
Luhman and colleagues first spotted the object in WISE data. It appeared to be moving quite fast, hinting that it was close by. The team then investigated the object using Spitzer and the Gemini South telescope on Cerro Pachon in Chile to measure its distance and temperature.
"It is remarkable that even after many decades of studying the sky, we still do not have a complete inventory of the sun's nearest neighbors," Michael Werner, the project scientist for Spitzer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said in a statement.
Dubbed WISE J085510.83-071442.5, our newfound neighbor is now the record-holder for the coldest brown dwarf, with a temperature between minus 54 and 9 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 48 to minus 13 degrees Celsius), Luhman and colleagues say. The previous record holders were more tepid, chilling only to room temperature.
At 3 to 10 times the mass of Jupiter, the object also may be one of the least massive brown dwarfs ever found, the astronomers say. Because it is so small, the scientists say it's possible that the body is actually a planet ejected from its star system, but brown dwarfs are known to be quite common cosmic objects.
The findings were described April 21 in The Astrophysical Journal.
Last year, Luhman used WISE data to reveal a pair of warmer brown dwarfs with a possible exoplanet 6.5 light years away. At such a close distance, that system, dubbed WISE J104915.57-531906, is the third nearest to the sun. The two closer systems are Barnard's star, a red dwarf 6 light-years away that was first seen in 1916, and Alpha Centauri, whose two main stars form a binary pair about 4.4 light-years away.
NASA loves William Shatner so much they gave him an award
Andrea Peterson – The Washington Post
William Shatner never became a real rocket man, but NASA did award the "Star Trek" actor with its Distinguished Public Service medal -- the highest award the agency can bestow on non-government personnel -- over the weekend.
"William Shatner has been so generous with his time and energy in encouraging students to study science and math, and for inspiring generations of explorers, including many of the astronauts and engineers who are a part of NASA today," David Weaver, NASA's associate administrator for the Office of Communications, said in a statement. "He's most deserving of this prestigious award."
Shatner's relationship with NASA dates back to his "Star Trek" days, when references to the space agency were included throughout the series. In recent more years, Shatner narrated a NASA documentary celebrating the 30th anniversary of the space shuttle missions… And a video preview of the Mars Curiosity mission.
According to the NASA statement, Shatner received the award at his Annual Hollywood Charity Horse show over the weekend. (Apparently, in addition to being a well-known fictional starship captain and Priceline representative, Shatner is also "an accomplished horse rider and breeder.")
Two UH professors accused of lying to get research grants
Benjamin Wermund – Houston Chronicle
Two University of Houston professors, accused of lying to get more than $1 million in federal research grants, have been charged with making false statements and wire fraud.
Abdelhak Bensaoula, 57, and David Starikov, 58, both professors in the University of Houston's physics department, surrendered to federal authorities Monday morning. The two face one count of conspiracy, seven counts of making false statements and 21 counts of wire fraud, all in connection with the federal Small Business Innovation Research program.
According to the federal indictment, the professors, who started a small business known as Integrated Micro Sensors Inc., allegedly made false statements in the application and proposal process for federal grants. They also did so in filing electronic claims for payment after they were awarded grants or contracts, the indictment says.
It is unclear if they used their positions as professors to win the grants.
However, from 2008 through 2013, the two professors and their business allegedly received at least five Small Business Innovation Resource contracts for approximately $1.3 million. They also applied for and received contracts from NASA, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the United States Air Force, according to the indictment.
The indictment goes on to describe how Bensaoula and Starikov, on behalf of their company, used false and fraudulent letters of support and made false claims about facilities, equipment and materials. The indictment alleges the two stated in proposals that their company would pay a required subcontract fee to the University of Houston, but failed to do so on four of five contracts.
If convicted of the conspiracy, the two face up to a five-year prison term, as well as another five years for each conviction of making false statements. For the wire fraud charges, the defendants face up to 20 years for each conviction. All charges also carry as possible punishment a $250,000 fine.
The two are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson at 2:00 p.m.
The University of Houston described itself as a victim in this case and is cooperating with the federal government in the investigation, UH officials said in a statement.
"The University of Houston is committed to maintaining a research environment that promotes attention to the highest ethical standards for all sponsored and non-sponsored research," the statement said. "If the allegations are proven to be true, the University also has suffered fraud and has been victimized in this incident."
NASA to initiate discussions about commercial uses for the International Space Station
David Mills - Sydney (AUS) Daily Telegraph
IT'S the ultimate getaway destination, with views that are literally out of this world.
For the world-weary tourist, the International Space Station (ISS) offers a unique holiday destination — and rights to unlimited bragging afterwards.
NASA originally baulked at opening up the ISS for space tourists, but to date has accommodated seven. The first was American Dennis Tito in 2001 and the most recent was Canadian Guy Laliberte in 2011.
Now NASA is seeking proposals on how the ISS could be used for future commercial activities.
"NASA is soliciting ideas from companies interested in using the space station and the low-Earth orbit environment in innovative ways that will develop a strong commercial market and assist the agency in achieving its exploration goals," read a statement from the organisation issued today.
In the first instance, it is likely that the first commercial uses of the ISS would be in the research arena.
"Now is an exciting time for space research and developing exploration capabilities," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations. "After 10 years of continuous habitation in low-Earth orbit, we know microgravity provides data unattainable on Earth. We are already seeing benefits in pharmaceuticals, medical robotics and materials sciences."
NASA was seeking proposals, Mr Gerstenmeoir said, to help identify "how to open this one-of-a-kind orbital laboratory to the private sector in better and more practical ways — ultimately, helping to pave the way for private microgravity research facilities of the future."
The International Space Station has been continuously occupied since November 2000. In that time it has been a temporary home to more than 200 people, comprising astronauts or cosmonauts from the USA, Russia, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea and Malaysia.
Adopting a New Viewpoint about Orbital Debris
Amir S. Gohardani | Space News
Orbital debris has impacted and continues to affect space activities and the overall space infrastructure. Space debris consistently has been identified as a risk to future space endeavors. Given that orbital debris imposes significant challenges to space missions and operations, it would be beneficial for the wider space community if the overall perception and approach to space debris were subjected to significant adjustments. This statement is rooted in the fact that there have been only very limited space debris removal activities.
Even though space debris mitigation, space situational awareness and active debris removal are commonly perceived as applicable instruments to address the issues associated with space debris, perhaps the very first step in sparking a change with regards to this subject is simply considering orbital debris as an opportunity rather than a risk. In other words, it is possible to acknowledge the existence of orbital debris with a business mindset about space debris removal and mitigation. This is one step further than solely identifying orbital debris as a risk. Following this train of thought, acceptance of space debris as a risk item becomes evident once the major axis for future space missions shifts to unprecedented business opportunities that also include orbital debris.
Undoubtedly, the topic of space debris is more convoluted than solely embracing a new viewpoint. Rather surprisingly, more than half a century after the first satellites were launched into orbit, legal questions still surround ownership rights and legal authority to engage with even defunct objects in space orbits. Orbital debris removal costs, national space policies and technical solutions also weigh in as factors of importance. However, if waste management is considered within the same radar screen as orbital debris, interesting similarities will emerge.
In the pre-modern era, before the onset of industrialization, inadequate waste management procedures were insignificant due to low population densities and low level of exploitation of natural resources. Nonetheless, this trend was short-lived. Following the Industrial Revolution and the growth of large populations in different cities, deterioration in the quality of urban life was reported predominantly due to the lack of sanitation control. Following devastating cholera and plague outbreaks along with other diseases that threatened human lives, measures were ultimately taken to address waste clearance and disposal.
The similarities between space waste and waste management in a pre-modern, modern and post-modern era are obvious. Moreover, there is already an equivalent analogy of the elucidated disease outbreak that within the space debris domain represents the already observed effects of space satellite collisions. In both cases human lives are threatened due to inadequate waste management control either on Earth or in orbit. The international space station, which hosts astronauts, constantly dodges space debris.
Consequently, the constant threat of orbital debris is neither outdated nor surreal. In the transformational process of perceiving orbital debris as an opportunity instead of a risk, many of the economic, societal, environmental and intergenerational benefits of waste management would be applicable.
Future space activities and space exploration efforts partially depend on the decisions made regarding orbital debris. In this capacity, risk assessment and creation of new methods to map future opportunities is a promising approach.
Dr. Amir S. Gohardani is an aerospace engineering manager at L·Garde Inc. in Orange County, Calif. He currently directs two separate projects related to national security and orbital debris. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of any entities or organizations with which he is affiliated.
Clear Lake highway set to close tonight for ground transport of NASA jumbo jet
Craig Hlavaty – Houston Chronicle
Space Center Houston is all systems go for the final move of a disassembled Boeing 747 jumbo jet through the streets of Clear Lake Monday night.
The NASA 905 jet that once ferried space shuttles across the country will leave its current spot in a remote part of Ellington Field to its new home just outside the front doors of the space museum. The Independence shuttle mock-up will eventually sit atop it as part of a $12 million, six-story interactive attraction.
"We're still on track to have the media and VIP event this afternoon before convoy hits the road tonight," said Jack Moore, spokesman for Space Center Houston.
Nine large plane pieces on six tractor trailers will be moved over two nights, traveling a distance of just 8 miles. All of the pieces will move to a site near NASA Parkway early Tuesday before moving again for a Wednesday morning arrival at the museum.
Space Center Houston has monitored weather reports all weekend for any issues that could sideline the move, Moore said. Lightning and wind could create a delay, but the forecast now is clear. Palletized Trucking is doing the work for Space Center Houston at what Moore called "an extremely reduced cost."
Moore reminds area commuters that all lanes of Highway 3 will be closed from Scarsdale Road to NASA Parkway from 9 p.m. Monday until 4:30 a.m Tuesday. All lanes of NASA Parkway from Highway 3 to Saturn Lane will be closed from 9 p.m. Tuesday until 4:30 a.m Wednesday.
Moore said that last week that there will be no designated public viewing area of the move for gawkers to get a peek at the Boeing 747 pieces moving down the road.
Bringing a massive 747 to the museum and attaching a space shuttle model to the top of it is not cheap for the non-profit entity. Space Center Houston has been taking donations for the project since June 2013.
The center got some great news Saturday morning when what Moore calls an "angel donor" contacted the museum with a special offer.
"We had an anonymous donor pledge to match any donations made up to a maximum of $50,000 by Tuesday morning at 8:45 a.m.," said Moore. "This brings us a little closer to our $2.7 million goal."
Moore said the museum has already raised 75 percent of the $12 million needed for the project, which is just the first step in what says is a 10-year expansion of the museum.
Once the pieces are all in the Space Center Houston parking lot, there will be a two-day breather and then it's back to work as quickly as possible for the Boeing team, which disassembled the aircraft.
"Work will begin that next Saturday in hopes to get it back together within 44 days," said Moore.
Hoisting the Independence shuttle in the air to attach it to the top of the 747 should come sometime before the end of the year.
Jurczyk named director of NASA Langley
Diane Tennant - Hampton Roads (VA) Virginian-Pilot
Stephen G. Jurczyk has been named director of NASA's Langley Research Center.
He has been acting director since November. He succeeds Lesa Roe, who is now deputy associate administrator at NASA headquarters, overseeing the Technical Capabilities Assessment Team.
Jurczyk came to Langley in 1988 as an electronics engineer, then managed the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission at headquarters.
In the mid-1990s he worked on the Landsat 7 satellite project at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
He returned to Langley in 1997, and became deputy director in 2006.
NASA astronaut, scientist visit patients at Riley Hospital for Children
WXIN- TV
Pediatric patients got a taste of outer space today when NASA embarked on its latest mission: sending an astronaut and NASA scientist to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health.
Patients gathered in a playroom for a rare opportunity to learn what it's like to live and work in space aboard the International Space Station—straight from the experts. Outfitted in her blue flight suit, Dr. Serena Auñón, NASA astronaut, and Liz Warren, NASA scientist, answered children's questions about their extra-terrestrial line of work, while helping kids assemble paper astronauts, using pipe cleaners, googly eyes and other craft supplies.
After wrapping up a game of air hockey with one young patient, Dr. Auñón signed autographs for the children.
"We hope this gave kids a break in their day, a chance to be kids, and inspire them to go after their dreams – whether that dream is to become a writer, doctor or even an astronaut," said Dr. Auñón.
"I saw some pretty big smiles," said Warren, who is also operations lead for the International Space Station Medical Project.
The NASA team then met with physician-scientists from Riley at IU Health and the Indiana University School of Medicine to discuss research opportunities aboard the International Space Station. Warren explained the potential earthly benefits of conducting research in a microgravity environment, which could also someday benefit pediatric patients. Dr. Auñón, meanwhile, shared learnings on how human health is impacted by living in and traveling to space.
The day's events were part of "Destination Station," NASA's national, traveling awareness campaign designed to shed light on activities and opportunities aboard the International Space Station. Indianapolis is one of only three U.S. cities "Destination Station" will hit in 2014. Riley at IU Health is the only Indiana hospital it will land on while in town.
"It was great spending time with the kids," said Dr. Auñón. While kids are also eager to hear about research projects in space, the most pressing question they often have for Dr. Auñón is: "Where are all the aliens?!"
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