Land now, no tomorrow, well skip KSC and land at Edwards.
- LRK -
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Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Earth After Successful Mission
http://www.nasa.gov/home/
EDWARDS, Calif. -- Space shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven astronauts ended a 14-day journey of more than 5.7 million miles with an 5:53 p.m. PDT landing Friday at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The mission, designated STS-128, delivered two refrigerator-sized science racks to the International Space Station. One rack will be used to conduct experiments on materials such as metals, glasses and ceramics. The results from these experiments could lead to the development of better materials on Earth. The other rack will be used for fluid physics research. Understanding how fluids react in microgravity could lead to improved designs for fuel tanks, water systems and other fluid-based systems.
STS-128 Commander Rick Sturckow was joined on the mission by Pilot Kevin Ford, Mission Specialists Pat Forrester, Jose Hernandez, Danny Olivas and European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. NASA astronaut Nicole Stott flew to the complex aboard Discovery to begin a nearly three-month mission as a station resident, replacing Tim Kopra, who returned home on Discovery.
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How interesting, I am asked what kinds of science has been accomplished on the ISS and some reports over the years have talked about what hasn't and what has.
Two racks delivered to the ISS, here in 2009 when similar ones were desired long ago but were delayed with all of the adjustments to what would become the ISS.
One rack will be used to conduct experiments on materials such as metals, glasses and ceramics.
The other rack will be used for fluid physics research.
When I was at NASA Ames I remember the centrifuge that was going to be attached to the ISS and never happened. There was going to be a facility to load modules for experiments that never materialized either.
- LRK -
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Factors Affecting the Utilization of the International Space Station for Research in the Biological and Physical Sciences (2003)
Space Studies Board (SSB)
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.
1
Introduction
TASK DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY
This report represents phase II of a study requested by Congress and conducted by the Task Group on Research on the International Space Station to examine factors affecting the utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) for research. The phase I report, released in September of 2001, looked at the readiness of the scientific community to utilize the ISS1 and the benefits and costs of flying additional shuttle missions dedicated to science during the station build-up2 (NRC, 2001). During the course of that study, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it would make major changes in the final ISS configuration in order to address construction cost overruns. These design changes (discussed
below) would reduce considerably the research capabilities of the ISS and therefore had to be taken into account when the task group made its phase I recommendations. While the task group concluded in that report that the research community was in fact ready to utilize the
ISS, it also pointed out that the uncertainty resulting from years of schedule delays, funding fluctuations, and lack of flight opportunities seriously threatened the continued viability of the ISS research community in many disciplines. The task group also noted that the planned reductions in ISS capabilities would exacerbate this problem considerably.
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[The above report can be read on-line and even down loaded if you care to register with The National Academies Press.]
For what is reported that has been accomplished on present ISS in its limited 3 person, no life boat version, see the recent report.
- LRK -
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http://www.nasa.gov/home/
NASA Publishes Report about International Space Station Science
RELEASE : 09-203
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http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/
(5.8 MB, 262 pages, yrs 2000 - 2008)
International Space Station - Science Research Accomplishments During the Assembly Years: An Analysis of Results from 2000-2008
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So what happens now? Do we continue to take things up to the ISS and let some more science be done or does the ISS get dumped in 2016?
The Augustine Report is being presented and debated and decisions on what gets funded will appear and missions may disappear.
Did you read the LEAKED email that Mike Griffin has supposedly sent to unknown persons?
- LRK -
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http://blogs.orlandosentinel.
Ex-NASA chief Griffin calls Augustine panel "irresponsible"
posted by Robert Block on Sep 10, 2009 3:07:37 PM
CAPE CANAVERAL - Former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin apparently has sent a scathing memo to friends and supporters in Washington, lashing out at the work of the presidential committee reviewing NASA’s human space flight plans and calling some of its recommendations “irresponsible.”
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Clearly the battle lines in the looming fight over the future of human space flight at NASA are being drawn.
READ THE EMAIL HERE: Download Griffin's Augustine Email
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/files/griffins-augustine-email.docx
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Well at least I don't need to worry about my job, I don't have one. :-)
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Well at least I don't need to worry about my job, I don't have one. :-)
You may not feel the same and would really like to see us doing exciting things with space that you and your kids could take part in, and maybe even get paid for.
Do you know someone, who just might know someone, who knows someone, that could poke someone and say, hey we would like to continue looking
up. :-)
Thanks for looking up with me.
Larry Kellogg
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lrkellogg
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK
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