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NASA Welcomes Chile as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
Oct 25, 2024
Chile signed the Artemis Accords Friday during a ceremony hosted by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 47th nation and the seventh South American country to commit to the responsible exploration of space for all humanity.
“Today we welcome Chile’s signing of the Artemis Accords and its commitment to the shared values of all the signatories for the exploration of space,” said Nelson.
“The United States has long studied the stars from Chile’s great Atacama Desert.
Now we will go to the stars together, safely, and responsibly, and create new opportunities for international cooperation and the Artemis Generation.”
Aisén Etcheverry, minister of science, technology, knowledge and innovation, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Chile.
Jennifer Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and Juan Gabriel Valdés, ambassador of Chile to the United States, also participated in the event.
“The signing marks a significant milestone for Chile, particularly as our government is committed to advancing technological development as a key pillar of our national strategy,” said Etcheverry.
“Chile has the opportunity to engage in the design and development of world-leading scientific and technological projects.
Moreover, this collaboration allows us to contribute to areas of scientific excellence where Chile has distinguished expertise, such as astrobiology, geology, and mineralogy, all of which are critical for the exploration and colonization of space.”
Earlier in the day, Nelson also hosted the Dominican Republic at NASA Headquarters to recognize the country’s signing of the Artemis Accords Oct. 4. Sonia Guzmán, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States, delivered the signed Artemis Accords to the NASA administrator.
Mike Overby, acting deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and other NASA officials attended the event.
In 2020, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, identifying an early set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity.
The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.
The commitments of the Artemis Accords and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles support the safe and sustainable exploration of space.
More countries are expected to sign in the coming weeks and months.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-chile-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/
Red Rocks with Green Spots at ‘Serpentine Rapids’
Oct 25, 2024
After discovering and sampling the “leopard spots” of “Bright Angel,” it became apparent that Perseverance’s journey of discovery in this region was not yet finished.
Approximately 20 sols (Martian days) after driving south across Neretva Vallis from Bright Angel, the rover discovered the enigmatic and unique red rocks of “Serpentine Rapids.”
At Serpentine Rapids, Perseverance used its abrading bit to create an abrasion patch in a red rock outcrop named “Wallace Butte.”
The 5-cm diameter abrasion patch revealed a striking array of white, black, and green colors within the rock.
One of the biggest surprises for the rover team was the presence of the drab-green-colored spots within the abrasion patch, which are composed of dark-toned cores with fuzzy, light green rims.
On Earth, red rocks — sometimes called “red beds” — generally get their color from oxidized iron (Fe3+), which is the same form of iron that makes our blood red, or the rusty red color of metal left outside.
Green spots like those observed in the Wallace Butte abrasion are common in ancient “red beds” on Earth and form when liquid water percolates through the sediment before it hardens to rock, kicking off a chemical reaction that transforms oxidized iron to its reduced (Fe2+) form, resulting in a greenish hue.
On Earth, microbes are sometimes involved in this iron reduction reaction.
However, green spots can also result from decaying organic matter that creates localized reducing conditions. Interactions between sulfur and iron can also create iron-reducing conditions without the involvement of microbial life.
Unfortunately, there was not enough room to safely place the rover arm containing the SHERLOC and PIXL instruments directly atop one of the green spots within the abrasion patch, so their composition remains a mystery.
However, the team is always on the lookout for similar interesting and unexpected features in the rocks.
The science and engineering teams are now dealing with incredibly steep terrain as Perseverance ascends the Jezero Crater rim. In the meantime, the Science Team is hanging on to the edge of their seats with excitement and wonder as Perseverance makes the steep climb out of the crater it has called home for the past two years.
There is no shortage of wonder and excitement across the team as we contemplate what secrets the ancient rocks of the Jezero Crater rim may hold.
https://science.nasa.gov/blog/red-rocks-with-green-spots-at-serpentine-rapids/
Hubble Sees a Celestial Cannonball
Oct 25, 2024
The spiral galaxy in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is IC 3225.
It looks remarkably as if it was launched from a cannon, speeding through space like a comet with a tail of gas streaming from its disk behind it.
The scenes that galaxies appear in from Earth’s point of view are fascinating; many seem to hang calmly in the emptiness of space as if hung from a string, while others star in much more dynamic situations!
Appearances can be deceiving with objects so far from Earth — IC 3225 itself is about 100 million light-years away — but the galaxy’s location suggests some causes for this active scene, because IC 3225 is one of over 1,300 members of the Virgo galaxy cluster.
The density of galaxies in the Virgo cluster creates a rich field of hot gas between them, called ‘intracluster medium’, while the cluster’s extreme mass has its galaxies careening around its center in some very fast orbits.
Ramming through the thick intracluster medium, especially close to the cluster’s center, places enormous ‘ram pressure’ on the moving galaxies that strips gas out of them as they go.
As a galaxy moves through space, the gas and dust that make up the intracluster medium create resistance to the galaxy’s movement, exerting pressure on the galaxy.
This pressure, called ram pressure, can strip a galaxy of its star-forming gas and dust, reducing or even stopping the creation of new stars.
Conversely, ram pressure can also cause other parts of the galaxy to compress, which can boost star formation.
IC 3225 is not so close to the cluster core right now, but astronomers have deduced that it has undergone ram pressure stripping in the past.
The galaxy looks compressed on one side, with noticeably more star formation on that leading edge (bottom-left), while the opposite end is stretched out of shape (upper-right).
Being in such a crowded field, a close call with another galaxy may also have tugged on IC 3225 and created this shape.
The sight of this distorted galaxy is a reminder of the incredible forces at work on astronomical scales, which can move and reshape entire galaxies!
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hubble-sees-a-celestial-cannonball/
High-Altitude ER-2 Flights Get Down-to-Earth Data
Oct 25, 2024
Operating at altitudes above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere, NASA’s ER-2 aircraft is the agency’s highest-flying airborne science platform.
With its unique ability to observe from as high as 65,000 feet, the ER-2 aircraft is often a platform for Earth science that facilitates new and crucial information about our planet, especially when the plane is part of collaborative and multidisciplinary projects.
“We’re deploying instruments and people everywhere from dry lakebeds in the desert to coastal oceans and from the stratosphere to marine layer clouds just above the surface,” said Kirk Knobelspiesse, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
“We live on a changing planet, and it is through collaborative projects that we can observe and understand those changes.”
One mission that recently benefitted from the ER-2’s unique capabilities is the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) project.
The PACE-PAX mission uses the ER-2’s capabilities to confirm data collected from the PACE satellite, which launched in February 2024.
The PACE observatory is making novel measurements of the ocean, atmosphere, and land surfaces, noted Knobelspiesse, the mission scientist for PACE-PAX.
This mission is all about checking the accuracy of those new satellite measurements.
“The ER-2 is the ideal platform for PACE-PAX because it’s about the closest we can get to putting instruments in orbit without actually doing so,” Knobelspiesse said.
The collaborative project includes a diverse team of researchers from across NASA, plus the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the Naval Postgraduate School, and other institutions.
Similarly, the Geological Earth Mapping eXperiment (GEMx) science mission is using the ER-2 over multiple years to collect observations of critical mineral resources across the Western United States.
“Flying at this altitude means the GEMx mission can acquire wide swaths of data with every overflight,” said Kevin Reath, NASA’s associate project manager for the GEMx mission, a collaboration between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA.
The GEMx team collects visible, shortwave infrared, and thermal infrared data using instruments installed onboard the ER-2.
Combining these instruments with the aircraft’s capability to fly at high altitudes bears promising results.
“The dataset being produced is the largest airborne surface mineralogy dataset captured in a single NASA campaign,” Reath said.
“These data could help inform federal, tribal, state, and community leaders to make decisions that protect or develop our environment.”
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/high-altitude-er-2-flights-get-down-to-earth-data/
Here's what China launched to orbit on its retrievable satellite last month
October 25, 2024
China has revealed the payloads it sent to space recently on the two-week-long Shijian-19 retrievable satellite mission.
Shijian-19 launched on a Long March 2D rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Sept. 27 and landed Oct. 11 at the Dongfeng landing site, near Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert.
It was the first mission for the spacecraft, which is partially reusable.
A mission payload handover ceremony was held by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in Beijing on Thursday (Oct. 24) revealing the contents of the spacecraft.
The ceremony saw CNSA and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which developed the reusable spacecraft, sign payload delivery certificates with domestic and international partners, including those from Thailand and Pakistan.
There were 20 categories of payloads, including staple crops, industrial crops, microbial space breeding specimens, electron components and space technology experiments.
China has sent crop seeds to space on numerous occasions.
The idea is that cosmic rays, normally blocked by Earth's atmosphere, can alter the seeds' genetic code.
These mutations may induce beneficial changes, such as increased crop yields or resistance to drought or pests.
"After being carried into space, the seeds exhibit various mutations.
We select only those with improved traits, obtaining new seed resources that can be crossed with our existing varieties," Liu Luxiang, executive director general of the Institute of Crop Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told China Central Television (CCTV).
"This approach enhances the superior characteristics that our current varieties may lack, enabling us to accumulate these advantages and ultimately improve the overall quality of the crops."
Bian Zhigang, deputy head of CNSA, said that the Shijian-19 mission fully leverages the advantages of the next-generation retrievable space experiment platform, according to a CNSA statement.
Overall, the mission carried around 1,800 plant materials and more than 1,000 species of microorganisms, encompassing nearly all major kinds of agricultural products, according to CCTV.
"The payloads it carries are highly diverse, playing a crucial role in cultivating new seed varieties, supporting the innovation of genetic resources, advancing biomedicine and space science, and promoting international scientific cooperation in space," Meng Lingjie, director of the Earth Observation System and Data Center under CNSA, told CCTV.
China operates the Tiangong space station in low Earth orbit.
However, it sends crews to the space station just every six months, aboard Shenzhou spacecraft that have little capability for returning experiments to Earth.
The recoverable Shijian satellite allows opportunities for shorter-duration experiments in space and can carry around 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of payload, all of which can be recovered.
https://www.space.com/china-reveals-payloads-shijian-19-retrievable-satellite-video
NASA astronaut hospitalized after Crew-8 return
October 25, 2024
A NASA astronaut who returned to Earth on the Crew-8 mission is hospitalized in stable condition after experiencing an unspecified medical issue after splashdown.
In an Oct. 25 statement, NASA said the unidentified astronaut “experienced a medical issue” after the Crew Dragon splashdown in the early morning hours off the coast of Pensacola, Florida.
The astronaut “is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure” at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola hospital.
All four Crew-8 crewmembers were transported to the hospital for additional medical checks after undergoing routine post-flight medical examinations on the SpaceX recovery ship.
“During routine medical assessments on the recovery ship, the additional evaluation of the crew members was requested out of an abundance of caution,” NASA stated.
The agency did not identify the astronaut who is hospitalized or details about their medical issue, citing medical privacy.
The other three members of the crew have been discharged from the hospital and returned to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Crew-8 returned NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin.
All four appeared to be in good condition when exiting the Crew Dragon spacecraft a little more than half an hour after splashing down, smiling and waving on the NASA broadcast.
“Right now, the crew is doing great,” Richard Jones, deputy manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program said during a media teleconference about 90 minutes after splashdown.
“They are going to spend a little bit of time on the recovery vessel going through their medical checks and they’ll soon be on their way back to Houston after all of those are done.”
The fact that NASA decided to have all four undergo additional medical checks at the hospital would appear to rule out an isolated medical issue and instead raises the possibility of some kind of incident during or after their return.
However, NASA officials said at the briefing there were no issues with the spacecraft during its reentry and splashdown, giving no indication of anything out of the ordinary taking place.
“We’re grateful to Ascension Sacred Heart for its support during this time, and we are proud of our team for its quick action to ensure the safety of our crew members,” NASA stated.
https://spacenews.com/nasa-astronaut-hospitalized-after-crew-8-return/
Nelson says reports of Musk-Putin conversations “concerning”
October 25, 2024
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said he is concerned about reports that Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, has had discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Nelson’s comments, made at Semafor’s World Economy Summit Oct. 25, represent his strongest public criticism to date of the owner of the company that NASA relies upon for transporting crews to the International Space Station and for launching key missions.
In an on-stage interview at the summit, Nelson was asked about a Wall Street Journal article that stated that Musk has had a regular series of conversations with Putin over the last two years, starting after Putin embarked on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The article said it confirmed those discussions with current and former American, European and Russian officials.
According to the article, the discussions between Musk and Putin included a request by Putin that SpaceX not activate its Starlink service over Taiwan, as Russia sought to win support from China.
SpaceX does not provide Starlink service in Taiwan, but it is unclear if that request was a factor.
SpaceX, in a post on social media Oct. 25, called the article “incredibly misleading.”
It noted that Taiwan has not given SpaceX a license to operate Starlink in the country and has not lifted foreign ownership limits there.
“SpaceX has not accepted such a condition for any market in which it operates. This has nothing to do with Russia or China,” the company stated.
“I don’t know that that story is true,” Nelson said at the conference.
“I think it should be investigated. If the story is true that there have been multiple conversations between Elon Musk and the president of Russia, then I think that would be concerning, particularly for NASA, for the Department of Defense, for some of the intelligence agencies.”
Nelson has avoided directly criticizing Musk even after the billionaire increasingly disparaged the Biden administration and, in July, formally endorsed Donald Trump for president.
Musk is now actively campaigning for Trump, holding a series of town halls in Pennsylvania, one of the key swing states in the presidential election.
Nelson has frequently noted that he does not deal directly with Musk about SpaceX but instead with Gwynne Shotwell, the president and chief operating officer of the company.
Shotwell runs SpaceX on a day-to-day basis, but Musk is the chief executive and largest shareholder and drives the overall vision of the company.
“The good news is that Elon leaves the running of SpaceX to Gwynne Shotwell, and she is fantastic,” Nelson said at a July 30 Politico event. “And the proof is in the pudding.
Look at the success of the Falcon 9.”
He did mention at that event that he does speak with Musk on occasion along with Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of Blue Origin.
“They are both very agreeable. Both of them understand the importance of what we’re doing, and I’m very confident in both of those companies.”
At the Semafor event, Nelson also prefaced his remarks by noting the role Shotwell plays at SpaceX.
“My dealings, NASA’s dealings, with SpaceX are primarily with Gwynne Shotwell. She is the president,” he said.
“Elon Musk leaves it to her to run SpaceX, and they have been phenomenally successful.” He then discussed his concerns about the reports of Musk-Putin conversations.
https://spacenews.com/nelson-says-reports-of-musk-putin-conversations-concerning/
https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/musk-putin-secret-conversations-37e1c187
NASA astronaut reveals what happens when you squirt ketchup in low-gravity - as fans call his demonstration 'awesome and gross'
Updated: 10:43 EDT, 25 October 2024
POTUS served the fries and NASA added the ketchup
From sleeping to working out and preparing food, nothing is simple for people aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Now, to demonstrate the bizarre nature of a usually straightforward kitchen task, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick has shared a clip of him squirting ketchup.
In the video, posted to X, Dominick squeezes on the Heinz bottle and a string of sauce stretches in a long, straight line that looks like a strawberry lace.
As it accumulates, the ketchup then forms a peculiar red 'tower' in his mouth, which he swiftly slurps up.
In his X post, Dominick – who has since left the ISS and returned to Earth on Friday – said: 'This one goes out to all the ketchup lovers out there.
'Everyone I’ve shared it with either thinks it is awesome or gross. Nothing in between.
'Also some interesting science stuff happening.'
One X user replied in agreement: 'It’s a little awesome a little Gross'
Someone else posted: 'THIS is the kind of science we need to be doing up there!'
Another said: 'That is gross as hell, all that sugar!'
The ISS is about 250 miles above Earth, so on-board gravity is about 90 per cent of what it is on our planet's surface.
Because of this microgravity environment, the ketchup isn't pulled downwards as it's squeezed out of the bottle – resulting in a satisfyingly-straight line.
On X, Dominick said he was 'having fun' with his crewmates before he made the return journey back to Earth on Wednesday evening.
He travelled home aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft along with fellow NASA astronauts Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps, plus Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin.
Their SpaceX craft finally splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida at 3:29am EDT (08:29am BST) on Friday.
The three Americans and one Russian should have been back two months ago, but their homecoming was stalled by problems with Boeing’s new Starliner astronaut capsule, which came back empty in September because of safety concerns.
Then Hurricane Milton interfered, followed by another two weeks of high wind and rough seas.
Overall, it meant they were in space for almost eight months – marking the longest Crew Dragon mission to date.
Still aboard the ISS are Starliner test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose own mission on the beleaguered Boeing craft went from eight days to eight months.
Also aboard are two astronauts launched by SpaceX four weeks ago – NASA's Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov of Roscosmos.
The foursome will remain up there until February next year.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14001755/NASA-astronaut-squirt-ketchup-zero-gravity.html
Canada taps into MUOS Satellite System in collaborative effort with SSC
Oct. 25, 2024
On the heels of a highly successful Initial Operational Capability event in June, the U.S. Space Force and Canadian Armed Forces have kicked off an Operations and Sustainment Phase which will provide Canada with six years of access to the Space Force’s Mobile User Objective System Satellite System.
MUOS is the U.S. Department of Defense’s newer, more advanced Ultra High Frequency Satellite Communications system.
It is designed to provide joint warfighters with reliable, worldwide voice and data communications in challenging weather environments and through thick foliage.
Improvements over legacy systems include a ten-fold increase in overall communications capacity, reduced signal interference and improved connectivity performance.
Canada is the first Five Eyes nation to achieve international interoperability with MUOS.
The effort was spearheaded by Space Systems Command’s Narrowband SATCOM Acquisition Delta and Canada’s Tactical Narrowband SATCOM - Geosynchronous project office.
At $126.2M, this six-year O&S phase contract is the largest Foreign Military Sales case in USSF history.
“Partnering to win is a critical force multiplier and we look forward to more opportunities to expand interoperability to other international partners,” said Deanna Ryals, SSC director of international affairs.
The U.S. and Canadian bilaterial Narrowband SATCOM team invested years of extensive planning, design modification, and implementation to get Canada through a pre-demonstration event in October 2023, a full demonstration event in March 2024, and a month of intense MUOS training in June 2024.
These key activities culminated in the highly successful Canadian-led Initial Operational Capability event on June 25, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada.
During the IOC event, the Canadian team was not only able to confidently and independently provision their AN/PRC-117G terminals and demonstrate they could push to talk and connect from one Canadian radio terminal to another Canadian radio terminal -in other words, make a Point-to-Point call - but they also were able to successfully accomplish other services like Point-to-Net with chat, file transfer, and email, as well as group calls.
Lt. Col. Kevin Champaigne, SSC Material Lead for MUOS Integrated Ground, applauded the team’s accomplishments to date and stated, “We are truly excited for Canada to join the MUOS user community.”
“The joint allied cooperation and hard work of both teams has been manifested in a phenomenal list of achievements during the last year,” said Scott Mackenzie, TNS-GEO project manager.
“Congratulations to everyone involved. The value of a strong partnership is quite remarkable.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3946272/canada-taps-into-muos-satellite-system-in-collaborative-effort-with-ssc/
Space Force sourcing conference helps drive capability development, readiness
Oct. 25, 2024
The first U.S. Space Force Global Force Management Sourcing Conference was held at Peterson Space Force Base, Oct. 22-24. It was hosted and led by U.S. Space Operations Command.
The conference brought together component field commands, Space Force leadership, field commands, mission area teams, and allies and partners to communicate requirements to influence USSF Force Generation, prioritization and sourcing activities.
“The conference is a critical event for the future of space operations and an opportunity for component commands, the joint force, and allies and partners to communicate GFM requirements,” said Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., SpOC commander.
“This is essential as we work together to meet the challenges of today’s contested space domain and herald a plan to address the increasing demand for spacepower across the joint and combined force.”
As the Service Force Provider, SpOC is synchronizing the demands with planned force modernization, sustainment and mission system transition schedules and activities to develop prioritized force generation, readiness and resourcing recommendations for the future.
“The component commanders are our first line of information in learning what warfighter needs are and how we can hone space capabilities to drive operational advantages over our adversaries,” Miller said.
SpOC focused on setting priorities under capability development and readiness, aligning with the increased demand for space capabilities from combatant commands, allies and partners.
The field command will build and maintain a three-year strategy forecast that, in coordination with Space Force’s chief operations officer, will inform the chief of space operations’ and secretary of the Air Force’s inputs into Global Force Management processes.
This three-year force modernization strategy will include not just advanced weapon systems but advanced training opportunities and tools for Guardians.
Additionally, joint and allied partners talked one-on-one with mission area leads to determine ways SpOC can leverage complimentary capabilities within the command and in the commercial realm to enhance combat operations.
“This is a monumental step in a fully integrated approach to meeting warfighter needs now and, in the future,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Rozneck, Force Generation senior enlisted leader.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3946307/space-force-sourcing-conference-helps-drive-capability-development-readiness/
Annual Schriever Wall of Honor event recognizes space, missile pioneers
Oct. 25, 2024
Six pioneers in American space and missile development were honored in a ceremony hosted by Space Systems Command in recognition of achievements in astronautics that began as early as the 1950s and continue to resonate in today’s contested space environment.
“Today we honor six people who had the imagination, the courage and the persistence to act on their dreams and contribute to today’s reality of U.S. superiority in space,” said Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant, commander of Space Systems Command.
“These incredible achievements inspire us to be bold, have courage, and be innovative, which is especially important as we are in an era of Great Power Competition.”
Garrant’s remarks were part of the 10th annual Schriever Wall of Honor Ceremony, which took place this year on Sept. 26th in the Schriever Courtyard at Los Angeles Air Force Base.
The event is named for Gen. Bernard Schriever, who successfully led the Air Force’s ballistic missile and satellite projects during the early years of the Cold War and was commander of SSC’s predecessor organization, the Western Development Division.
“Honoring our past has been an ongoing theme this year as we have been celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Space Force, the 3rd anniversary of Space Systems Command and the 70th anniversary of the Western Development Division,” Garrant said.
“We stand on the shoulders of greatness and (the honorees) stand as reminders of the grit, perseverance and willingness to take risks that are required for us to continue to succeed against the threats our nation faces.”
Each year since 2014, the names of six individuals are inscribed on the Schriever memorial wall in honor of their contributions to the beginning, growth, and evolution of national security space and/or missile programs.
The theme of this year’s ceremony, Yesterday’s Dream, Today’s Hope, Tomorrow’s Reality, draws from a quote by American rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard, who said,
“It is difficult to say what is impossible, because the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”
Several hundred attended this year’s ceremony, which honored these pioneers:
Retired Maj. Gen. Edward L. Bolton Jr., United States Air Force (1976-2013), whose lengthy Air Force career included serving as the chief engineer for the Titan space launch program in the early 1990s and subsequently overseeing accelerated operations tempos on both the western and eastern ranges.
The late retired Brig. Gen. Maurice A. Cristadoro Jr., (1920-2008), United States Army and U.S. Air Force (1941-70), who supported the first broadcast of a human voice from space (President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1958 Christmas message) and the beginning of satellite communications.
Dr. Antonio L. Elias, Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman), 1986-2018, who managed Pegasus, the first privately developed space launch vehicle.
The late retired Col. Francis J. Hale (1922-2020), United States Army and U.S. Air Force (1944-65), who served on multiple USAF ballistic missile programs, including Minuteman and Thor.
Retired Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms, U.S. Air Force (1977-2014) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (1990-2002), whose distinguished career includes service as the U.S. military’s first female astronaut.
Mr. Edward M. Lassiter, Aerospace Corp., 1962-95, who helped develop the Global Positioning System, the most significant development for the safe navigation of aircraft and spacecraft since the introduction of radio navigation.
Following Garrant’s opening remarks, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Taverney, who worked directly with several of the honorees, highlighted the notable characteristics that contributed to each honoree’s leadership skills and achievements.
“You’ll hear a lot about their accomplishments, but I want to talk about their characteristics - especially for the next generation to learn from,” said Taverney, who related how each led their organizations through challenging circumstances.
“Ed Lassiter (for example) is a phenomenal mentor, and he still is mentoring today. That is a key element of everybody who is a strong leader.”
With support from industry partners, the Air and Space Forces Association's Schriever chapter sponsored and commissioned a statue of Schriever, and in 2007, the statue and wall were dedicated as the General Schriever Memorial.
The first six names were engraved on the wall in 2014, when SSC celebrated its 60th anniversary. The class of 2024 brings the number honored to 66.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3946294/annual-schriever-wall-of-honor-event-recognizes-space-missile-pioneers/
S4S ensures safety of spaceflight, return of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8
Oct. 25, 2024
Three NASA astronauts and one Roscosmos cosmonaut of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission successfully splashed down near the coast of Florida, Oct. 25.
Crew-8 launched to the International Space Station March 4, to conduct new scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and benefit humanity.
This the last scheduled space station crew change for 2024.
U.S. Space Forces - Space supports NASA human space flight by planning, integrating, executing, and assessing space operations, providing continuous space situational awareness monitoring for the International Space Station and visiting spacecraft.
The ability to detect, track and identify space objects in near real-time provides unique space domain awareness that ensures safety of humans in space and understanding for the U.S. Space Command area of operations.
Additionally, S4S provides conjunction analysis and potential collision notifications to NASA and other satellite owner-operators.
Throughout 2024, S4S supported six space station mission crew changes, the visiting Axiom Mission-3, the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test, and numerous commercial resupply missions to the station.
The groundbreaking Polaris Dawn fully commercial spaceflight mission was also closely monitored by S4S for safety of flight purposes.
S4S’s potential collision notifications are vital when debris causing events occur in low Earth orbit that have the potential to impact the safety of the humans aboard the station.
When these types of events occur, NASA is quickly notified of the elevated risk and can take precautionary measures such as instructing crews aboard the space station to shelter in their respective spacecraft until normal operations can be safely resumed operations.
S4S coordinates closely with NASA, commercial partners, and other service component commands to support goals of human spaceflight safety and freedom of navigation in space.
The S4S mission is part of U.S. Space Command’s task as the Defense Department’s Human Space Flight Support manager.
USSPACECOM is also responsible for the terrestrial rescue and recovery of NASA-sponsored astronauts and spacecraft.
This specialized support is provided by Air Forces Space, and includes pre-positioning rescue forces, ensuring unique communication abilities, and orchestrating the recovery of crewed space flight assets.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3947063/s4s-ensures-safety-of-spaceflight-return-of-nasas-spacex-crew-8/
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