IAF NEWS Wednesday 2 September 2009

IAF NEWS Wednesday 2 September 2009
A daily roundup of space news brought to you by the International Astronautical Federation


Phobos-Grunt Probe to Put Microbial Life in Mars Orbit

In Mars exploration, of course, it’s the Red Planet itself that gets top billing. But there are some good reasons to keep tabs on Phobos, the innermost and larger of Mars’ two diminutive moons, which the Russian space agency plans to study with a probe set for launch next month on board a Zenit rocket. Called Phobos Grunt, the three-year mission is to land a spacecraft on the distant moon, scoop up soil samples for analysis and launch one of them back to Earth for further inspection. The probe’s name means "Phobos’s soil" in Russian.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=phobos-grunt-mars


China plans to set up space station

China plans to launch two or three space laboratories (target vehicles) and with several spaceships docking between 2011 and 2015. Around 2020, China will launch its core module and science laboratory module when it will begin the construction of a space station, according to a report from Bejing Legal Times.


http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90881/6745402.html


Palapa D In Normal State After Failure To Enter Orbit

Indonesian communications satellite Palapa D has been captured and is now able to conduct orbit maneuver, a few hours after an announcement that it failed to enter a preset orbit following its launch at 5:28 p.m. Monday at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China.

http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Palapa_D_In_Normal_State_After_Failure_To_Enter_Orbit_999.html


ARIANESPACE TAKES DELIVERY OF THE FIFTH ARIANE 5 IN 2009
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Arianespace/~3/azFG1eoexaQ/632.asp

ESA astronaut answers your questions from space
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMNM8I7KYF_index_0.html

ISRO Announces End to Chandrayaan-1 Mission
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aOKEUFodCMlw

LCROSS Takes Picture of Earth, Moon
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090831-new-lcross-images.html

Launch Czar Says NASA Won’t Need Another Medium-Lift Rocket Until 2014
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0908/29mediumlift/

NASA Seen as Having Oversight Over Any Future Commercial Launches
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090830/NEWS02/908300321/1006/news01/NASA+may+rely+more+on+business

5th Ariane 5 for Launch in 2009 is Received by Arianespace
http://www.asd-network.com/press_detail/22851/5th_Ariane_5_for_Launch_in_2009_is_Received_by_Arianespace.htm

Astronauts complete first Discovery mission spacewalk
http://www.asd-network.com/press_detail/22844/Astronauts_complete_first_Discovery_mission_spacewalk.htm

Discovery Lifts Astrium Facilities Into Space
http://www.asd-network.com/press_detail/22818/Discovery_Lifts_Astrium_Facilities_Into_Space.htm

P&W's Space Shuttle Main Engines Deliver Extra Supplies to Expand ISS
http://www.asd-network.com/press_detail/22814/P&W_s_Space_Shuttle_Main_Engines_Deliver_Extra_Supplies_to_Expand_ISS.htm

Saft wins $9 million Li-ion contract for multi-satellite program
http://www.asd-network.com/press_detail/22839/Saft_wins_$9_million_Li-ion_contract_for_multi-satellite_program.htm

Seen from Space : Prague - City of a Hundred Spires
http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/en/index.html

Target Europa: Ambitious Plans Aim for Jupiter’s Ocean Moon
http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=851cc407eb11e7b255ce7a48703417c6

"Green" propellant could give rockets--and the environment--a boost
http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=77bc63ce8ccb8710fd4e5265ff32a01c

Listening for Gravity Waves, Silence Becomes Meaningful
http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=a5258257e964e37ee5857d8f1d968ab7

NASA: Extending Station Plans For Mars Mission
http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1745559/nasa_extending_station_plans_for_mars_mission/index.html?source=r_space

Students Soar To New Heights At NASA Ames
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Students_Soar_To_New_Heights_At_NASA_Ames_999.html

Dawn Continues Its Quiet Cruise
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Dawn_Continues_Its_Quiet_Cruise_999.html

ISRO Aims For Mars Mission By 2013-2015
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/ISRO_Aims_For_Mars_Mission_By_2013_2015_999.html

China To Begin Construction Of Orbital Space Station In 2020
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_To_Begin_Construction_Of_Orbital_Space_Station_In_2020_999.html

Two ESA Astronauts Meet On ISS
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Two_ESA_Astronauts_Meet_On_ISS_999.html

New Horizons Checks Out, Enters Hibernation
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_Horizons_Checks_Out_Enters_Hibernation_999.html

Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.rss.html?pid=29097

The Case for Commercial Crew
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.rss.html?pid=29100

SpaceX Delivers Hardware to Cape Canaveral in Preparation for STS-129 and Integration with the ISS
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.rss.html?pid=29098

Satellites, Submarines, and Sea Ice Thickness
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spaceref/jext/~3/40yNPYhORuo/viewpr.rss.html

Challenger Center Welcomes New Board Members
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spaceref/jext/~3/vf4_QiBAhuU/viewpr.rss.html

---

Featured items in this mailing contain automatically items which may not neccessarily reflect the views of the International Astronautical Federation.

To change the way you get mail from this group or to sign up, visit: http://groups.google.com/group/iaf-news/subscribe

Have you got news for us? Add this address to your mailing list: news@iafastro.org