News NASA's Future: The News and Updates Thread

[Orion]

Hi, everyone! I'm new to the forum.
I''m really disappointed with the cancelling of the Constelllation program. I've got one vital question to ask^ am I right that the Orion CEV is still being developed by LM and is going to be further tested? Or can NASA dump this one last remnant of the program as well due to some mindless official? I even asked on the CEV FB page, but they haven't replied so far.
Thanks!

 

[orb]

Florida Today:
John Kelly: NASA, why make a rocket?
Private companies are already working to do it faster, cheaper and better

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I've got one vital question to ask^ am I right that the Orion CEV is still being developed by LM and is going to be further tested? Or can NASA dump this one last remnant of the program as well due to some mindless official?

Ares was canceled, Orion wasn't. It's being still developed by Lockheed Martin, and it has a booked test flight on Delta IV H. More about updates on Orion in this thread, whilst Orbiter-Forum's thread for Ares is here.

 

[N_Molson]

I even asked on the CEV FB page, but they haven't replied so far.

I'm not surprised, because even the teams working on the CEV Orion probably don't know if the capsule is going to fly or not !

 

[orb]

Florida Today: USA to lay off 150 this week.

The Space Review: Space challenges for 2011.

NPR (transcript): Our Place In Space After The Shuttle Program Wraps.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Aviation Week: "Astronauts Urge Preservation Of T-38s".

The agency spends between $25 million and $30 million annually to fly and maintain its current fleet of 21 upgraded 1960s vintage T-38s, down from the 30-35 aircraft NASA maintained between 1995 and 2000. NASA’s current projections show the number of jet trainers falling to 16 by about 2015.

While it intends to retain the T-38s, NASA’s flight crew operations directorate plans to dispose of four Grumman Shuttle Training Aircraft used to train astronauts for the steep runway approach of the winged orbiters; and a pair of Boeing 747 jumbo jets outfitted to ferry the orbiters between Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Is there anything that NASA isn't cutting these days?

 

[N_Molson]

Shuttle or not, I think that astronauts should improve their piloting skill as much as possible, flying jets is excellent to train the reflexes...

 

[orb]

Space News: NASA Delivers Heavy Lift Proposal to Congress.

NASASpaceFlight: NASA report favors SD HLV for SLS, complains Agency can’t afford 2016 target:

A preliminary NASA report, outlining plans for developing a Space Launch System (SLS) in response to the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, has put its weight behind a Inline Shuttle Derived (SD) Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV). However, the report to lawmakers complained it would not be able to build the vehicle based on the funding and schedule requirements.

{...}

 

[GoForPDI]

Didn't have to wait long, eh?

---------- Post added at 05:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:37 PM ----------

So from reading, the plan will basically be a Shuttle ET with 5-seg SRB's and an Ares 1 upper stage. So Constellation workers basically get to keep their jobs, eh? That seems like the only motive behind this.

 

[T.Neo]

Why an Ares I upper stage, exactly? If you match the diameter of the stage it means a far smaller fairing diameter, and even then I can't imagine the fairing being that enlargable...

Please excuse my offer of advice as an armchair rocket scientist here, but stack can already get into orbit (save for the shuttle's OMS burn)... couldn't they consider something to the effect of a shorter, larger diameter "kick" stage, powered by something like an RL-10?

 

[Kyle]

And J-2X comes back into the flux again.. great. From what I see this is a lot like Ares IV that was proposed back in early 2007.

 

[GoForPDI]

Well, I meant Ares I upper stage in the context of having a J-2X rather than the actual shape of the upper stage.

But the ''Ares IV'' in that above image is basically what I had envisioned anyway. The ET/SSME/SRB stack could chuck an Orion into orbit on its own, the upper stage would obviously be used for putting various spacecraft into GTO, TLI or any EML points. The J-2X upper stage would have to be wider (or exchanged for) payload space below an Orion, like the proposed Space Shuttle payload bay sized cargo carrier, an airlock, a (dare I say it) Lander, MPLM's (not sure there would be much use for an MPLM by 2018..) etc

 

[N_Molson]

If they manage to develop an HLV, I won't be critical about it's shape In the current state of the propulsion technologies, those are needed for further space exploration as shows the "Soyuz Lunar Mission" thread.

 

[tblaxland]

So from reading, the plan will basically be a Shuttle ET with 5-seg SRB's and an Ares 1 upper stage. So Constellation workers basically get to keep their jobs, eh? That seems like the only motive behind this.

Actually I think this is NASA's way of telling Congress "we don't want to start working on yet another HLV with an ill-defined purpose and unrealistic budget and programme constraints". IMHO.

 

[tblaxland]

Further HLV proposal discussions over here: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=20038

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASASpaceflight: "Director Paul Hill speaks of the valuable future role to be played by MOD".

My question is number 6 - the ISS one! :lol:

 

[orb]

The Huntsville Times: Looming NASA funding fight creates stress for Alabama lawmakers.

International Business Times: The End Of An Era For NASA.

 

[orb]

Florida Today: Legislators: Speech needs NASA focus.

Spaceflight Now: NASA seeking tenants for Florida launch facilities.

 

[orb]

Space News: House Appropriators Propose $103M NASA Budget Cut:

NASA’s budget would drop $103 million this year if Congress adopts spending cuts outlined Feb. 9 by the House Appropriations Committee.

NASA, like the rest of the federal government, has been operating since October under a stopgap spending measure that expires March 4. For NASA, the stopgap measure — known as a continuing resolution — has meant making do with the $18.724 billion Congress appropriated for 2010.

House appropriators intend to introduce a new continuing resolution soon that would fund the government through the end of September. Among the cuts they intend to include is a $379 million reduction to NASA’s proposed $19 billion budget for 2011. If enacted, that would leave NASA funded at $18.621 billion, or $103 million below the agency’s 2010 level.

{...}

The Huntsville Times: House appropriators want to cut NASA $103 million this fiscal year.

Florida Today - The Flame Trench: House proposes budget cut for NASA.

Orlando Sentinel: A budgetary haircut ahead for NASA?.

 

[Wally]

If this will pass, will it have any (negative) impact on STS-135?

 

[orb]

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Witnesses Say Future of NASA Human Space Flight is Uncertain