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Latest News       NASA Means Business Finalist Teams Finish First Day of Competition · · ·      Eugene Kranz testifies at NASA Reauthorization Hearing · · ·      Coalition for Space Exploration Gives Yuri’s Night Party-goers an Out-of-this-world Photo Opportunity · · ·      Coalition for Space Exploration Sponsors NSTA Luncheon - Keynote Speaker Barbara Morgan Shares Her Experiences With Fellow Educators · · ·      Coalition for Space Exploration Official Statement Regarding the White House’s FY 2009 Budget Request for NASA · · ·    NASA Means Business Finalist Teams Finish First Day of Competition · · ·    Eugene Kranz testifies at NASA Reauthorization Hearing · · ·    Coalition for Space Exploration Gives Yuri’s Night Party-goers an Out-of-this-world Photo Opportunity · · ·    Coalition for Space Exploration Sponsors NSTA Luncheon - Keynote Speaker Barbara Morgan Shares Her Experiences With Fellow Educators · · ·    Coalition for Space Exploration Official Statement Regarding the White House’s FY 2009 Budget Request for NASA · · ·
  14 May 2008 NASA Future Forum in San Jose, CA
  NASA Future Forum Date : May 14 2008 | Time : 08:00 AM | Duration:12.00Hrs | Place : San Jose, CA
  29 May 2008 National Space Society International Space Development Conf.
  National Space Society International Space Development Conference Start Date : May 29 2008 | End Date : Jun 01 2008 | Time : 08:00 AM | Duration:12.00Hrs | Place : Washington, DC
  25 Jun 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall
  <a title='Smithsonian Folklife Festival' href='http://www.folklife.si.edu/center/festival_2008.html' target='_blank'&gt;Smithsonian Folklife Festival</a&gt; on the National Mall<br /&gt;participation TBD Start Date : Jun 25 2008 | End Date : Jul 06 2008 | Time : 08:00 AM | Duration:12.00Hrs | Place : National Mall, Washington, DC
  25 Jun 2008 Near Earth Asteroid Expo
  Near Earth Asteroid Expo (Education) Start Date : Jun 25 2008 | End Date : Jul 06 2008 | Time : 08:00 AM | Duration:12.00Hrs | Place :
  01 Jul 2008 National Education Association (NEA) Annual Expo
  National Education Association (NEA) Annual Expo Start Date : Jul 01 2008 | End Date : Jul 06 2008 | Time : 08:00 AM | Duration:8.00Hrs | Place : Washington, DC
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Space Coalition Community Site

  Ask The Expert ASK THE EXPERT
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Welcome. You've landed at the official Web site of the Coalition for Space Exploration. We're a collaboration of space industry businesses and advocacy groups organized to help educate and inform you about the value and benefits of space exploration. Here you'll find links to the latest space news from around the world, collections of educational material and tips on how to encourage your nation's leaders to support the space program. Whether you think space is cool because it inspires your spirit, has practical economic benefits or strengthens our national security, this Web site has something appealing for everyone. And be sure to join our social networking community so we can stay in touch.

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  05/09/2008 Colbert's Most Excellent Interview
 

You may have seen this posted at other space web sites but we wanted to make sure you didn't miss it so here you go... Nine minutes of capturing the fun and excitement of human spaceflight. Makes me wonder what it would have been like if Colbert had interviewed a Moonwalker back in the day.

Jim Banke

 

 

 

  05/08/2008 Loading up the Space Station
 

William sent in a question to the Coalition for Space Exploration asking about NASA's plans to deal with large spare parts for the International Space Station once the Space Shuttle is retired in 2010. He was particulary concerned about the Station's gyroscopes, or CMGs, and if future problems with the devices could send the ISS back to Earth like Skylab.

I talked with NASA spokesman Rob Navias from the Johnson Space Center and learned the agency's intention is that two spare gyros will be brought up to the station and stored at the outpost in case they are needed.

Extra batteries, a Ku-band antenna, an S-band antenna, ammonia tank assemblies a robot arm component, and a pair of high-pressure gas tanks are some of the other bulky spare items intended to be packed on the station before the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2010.

After then it will be several years before NASA can send bigger replacement parts up to the station so the idea is to plan ahead and load up the ISS with supplies. Most of that cargo will be launched on the final two shuttle missions planned by NASA .

William's question specifically referred to the CMGs. Four CMGs are installed outside the station, each spinning 6,600 times per minute. At least two need to be working to do their job, which is to keep the space station pointed in a specific direction as it orbits the Earth.

If the station loses its pointing ability a number of unwanted things could happen to the station, but it won't just suddenly tumble out of orbit and crash to Earth, which was the ultimate fate of SkyLab and the Russian space station Mir.

Fortunately there is a second way to control the station's attitude and that is by using the outpost's thrusters, or steering jets on visiting docked spacecraft. This method is often employed when the CMGs need maintenance, or "desaturation."

The CMGs have been troublesome in the past and two have required replacement by spacewalking astronauts.

Jim Banke
Cape Canaveral, Fla.

  05/08/2008 Japan Lunar Orbiter: HDTV Puts You Over the Moon!
 

Wow!

Take a view of just-released High-definition movies taken by Japan's Kaguya lunar orbiter. The movies are the full Earth-rise and Earth-set taken from the orbiter as it circles the Moon.

NHK, the Japan broadcasting company started public release of the movies today.

These movies can be viewed by going to:

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/kaguya/archive/index.html

This site is in Japanese, but you can easily figure out how to turn on the movies.

Sit back and relax and take a longing, long-distance look back at Mother Earth from the Moon. And no need for a space helmet!

-- Leonard David

 

  05/07/2008 Eugene Kranz testifies at NASA Reauthorization Hearing
 

Space icon Eugene F. Kranz testified this morning on behalf of the Coalition for Space Exploration at the NASA Reauthorization Hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, which examined the reauthorization of the U.S. Space Exploration Program.

Kranz addressed specific issues regarding retirement of the space shuttle fleet, the transition to the next phase of space exploration known as the Constellation Program, and issues regarding NASA’s budget.

Kranz is a former flight director for NASA through the Apollo program (including Apollo 11 and 13), as well as the Gemini and Skylab programs; former director of Mission Operations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. He is a member of the Coalition’s Board of Advisors.

Click for Complete Testimony

  05/07/2008 Heaven's Above! Satellites, UFOs or ?
 

By Leonard David

Todd sent the Coalition a message regarding a moving object in the sky, wondering what he and a co-worker might have seen.

Satellite, UFO...or ?

Hard to say what they saw...but a little detective work might help find an answer.

Since a lot of our readers are sky and space watchers, here's my recommendation to help bracket what  Todd and his colleague might/might not have eyed. And if you've also seen something cruise by, here are some websites that may prove helpful.

A good step is checking out this site:

http://www.heavens-above.com/

This can help you determine if you might have seen a spacecraft passing overhead.

On the other hand, if you still think you've spotted something that's really out of this world, contact the Mutual UFO Network, or MUFON for short at:

http://www.mufon.com/

What kind of close encounter you have - do keep looking up!

 

 

 

  09 May 2008 Scientists Revisit Mars Sample Return Plans
  Planning is under way to reinvigorate a Mars sample return mission.
  09 May 2008 Doorstep Astronomy: See the Big Dipper
  The Big Dipper and the Southern Cross are useful constellations to know.
  09 May 2008 The Best (And Worst) Mars Landings
  Reaching Mars is an unforgiving endeavor, with little room for error.
  09 May 2008 Shuttle Astronauts Rehearse Launch Day
  Discovery astronauts completed a dress rehearsal for their upcoming launch.
  09 May 2008 Space Fleets Stay In Formation Magnetically
  Spacecraft flying in formation could use magnets to align themselves.
Universe Today
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ISS Astronaut on Colbert Report
The Colbert Report has gone galactic! ISS astronaut Garrett Reisman joked with Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central last night. It's a very fun interview. Laser cannons and alien puppet masters a
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What do you think has been the most exciting era of space exploration?
1960s – Mercury and Gemini – early space exploration
1970s – Apollo – lunar exploration
1980s – Space shuttle missions
1990s – Space Station development
2000-present – Mars Rovers
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