Government Shutdown

So the Federal government is in shutdown mode after Congress fails to pass a budget to keep the government working.  What does this mean for NASA's Mission Control for the ISS?

Lots of empty parking spots at Johnson Space Center.  Of the 18,100+ civil servants who work for NASA only 600 are still on the job (This is across all the space centers from Washington DC to Houston to Huntsville to Ames to JPL).  The other 17,500 are furloughed.  That is 96.685% or roughly 97% of NASA civil servants that are not working.  This is not counting the many contractors who contracts are in flux.

Some contractors like the one I work for have funding for a few more weeks, many do not.  Outside of the people staffing MCC and some critical operations people like the folks trying to figure out if its still safe to do an EVA in an EMU (See the earlier post about drowning in space), there is no one here but the security guards and the folks who maintain the buildings (through most of the buildings have their A/C turned off, water turned off, and lights turned off).

Here is still what is going on:

• The International Space Station Mission Control Center will still be continued to be manned to support the 2 Americans, 3 Russians, and 1 Italian in space
• Robotic missions that are already in operation such as the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn or the Mars rovers.  But this is to gather data only, no analysis of the data will be performed
• NASA's satellites will still function but their data analysis will be put on hold

One of the biggest threats of the shutdown is the postponement of NASA's MAVEN mission to Mars by 26 months because of orbital alignment between Earth and Mars.  The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on November 18th and a lot of launch prep needs to happen.

Some good news for MAVEN is that on Oct. 3rd, the MAVEN team got the GO to keep working through the shutdown to make its launch window because it has been deemed essential to ensuring future communication with current NASA robots on Mars, such as the Curiosity rover.  See story HERE.  Not to mention that we (US Citizens tax payers) only paid $650 million dollars to build the spacecraft, we might as well launch it so it can do its job.

So the ISS MCC at JSC is where most of those 600 civil servants are located, and its a ghost town here.

Also if you were wondering all of NASA's media has gone dark, no Twitter, no Facebook, no NASAtv, no NASA website.

This all happened on NASA's 55th anniversary.  Kind of sad, right?

I did my best to leave all my political feelings out of this but do not be surprised if a rant ends up on here at some point.

Station Astronauts Remotely Control Planetary Rover From Space

From the  ISS Science Newsletter:
On June 17 and July 26, NASA tested the Surface Telerobotics exploration concept, in which an astronaut in an orbiting spacecraft remotely operates a robot on a planetary surface. In the future, astronauts orbiting other planetary bodies, such as Mars, asteroids or the moon, could use this approach to perform work on the surface using robotic avatars.

·         During the June 17 test, Expedition 36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy of NASA remotely operated the K10 planetary rover in the Roverscape – an outdoor robotic test area the size of two football fields located at NASA Ames – hundreds of miles below on Earth's surface from his post aboard the International Space Station (ISS). For more than three hours, Cassidy used the robot to perform a survey of the Roverscape’s rocky, lunar-like terrain. The July 26 test picked up where Cassidy left off. Fellow Expedition 36 Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency remotely-controlled the rover and began deploying a simulated Kapton film-based radio antenna.

·         The primary goal of the Human Exploration Telerobotics project is to understand how human and robot activities, such as Surface Telerobotics, can be coordinated to improve crew safety, enhance science activities and increase mission success while also reducing cost, risk and consumables, such as fuel and oxygen, during future exploration missions.

K10 Black planetary rover at NASA Ames Research Center

 You can read the entire article HERE

Dr. Nyberg giving a Commencement Message to UND

If you have been reading my blog at all you know that I am a big fan of Dr. Karen Nyberg on the International Space Station.  We are both University of North Dakota alum, Dr. Nyberg '94 in B.S. mechanical engineering, myself 2012 in M.S. Space Studies. 

That is why I am happy to announce that Dr. Nyberg will be giving a commencement message to the students, friends, and family at the summer commencement at the University of North Dakota.

From Dr. Nyberg's Shuttle Mission STS-124

During the Summer Commencement this year, students, friends and family will get a chance to see and hear U.S. Astronaut and UND alumna Karen Nyberg deliver a commencement message that was recorded aboard the International Space Station, where she is currently serving a six-month mission. - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

During the Summer Commencement this year, students, friends and family will get a chance to see and hear U.S. Astronaut and UND alumna Karen Nyberg deliver a commencement message that was recorded aboard the International Space Station, where she is currently serving a six-month mission. - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

During the Summer Commencement this year, students, friends and family will get a chance to see and hear U.S. Astronaut and UND alumna Karen Nyberg deliver a commencement message that was recorded aboard the International Space Station, where she is currently serving a six-month mission. - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

During the Summer Commencement this year, students, friends and family will get a chance to see and hear U.S. Astronaut and UND alumna Karen Nyberg deliver a commencement message that was recorded aboard the International Space Station, where she is currently serving a six-month mission. - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

During the Summer Commencement this year, students, friends and family will get a chance to see and hear U.S. Astronaut and UND alumna Karen Nyberg deliver a commencement message that was recorded aboard the International Space Station, where she is currently serving a six-month mission. - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

UND astronaut alumna Karen Nyberg to deliver UND’s Summer Commencement Message from space Aug. 2 - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

UND astronaut alumna Karen Nyberg to deliver UND’s Summer Commencement Message from space Aug. 2 - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

UND astronaut alumna Karen Nyberg to deliver UND’s Summer Commencement Message from space Aug. 2 - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

UND astronaut alumna Karen Nyberg to deliver UND’s Summer Commencement Message from space Aug. 2 - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

UND astronaut alumna Karen Nyberg to deliver UND’s Summer Commencement Message from space Aug. 2 - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

UND astronaut alumna Karen Nyberg to deliver UND’s Summer Commencement Message from space Aug. 2 - See more at: http://undnews.areavoices.com/2013/07/26/und-astronaut-alumna-karen-nyberg-to-deliver-unds-summer-commencement-message-from-space-aug-2/#sthash.bttekibA.dpuf

Major Andrew R. Morgan, M.D. U.S. Army

Major Andrew R. Morgan, M.D. U.S. Army

Major Morgan's specialty is Emergency Medicine where he is Board Certified and licensed in Nebraska and Virginia.  He went to medical school at the Uniformed Services University of The Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD and graduated in 2002.   He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy.   He has experience as an emergency physician and flight surgeon for the Army special operations community, and currently is completing a sports medicine fellowship.

To round out the astronaut class is a flight surgeon.

Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D

Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D

She has a PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California, San Diego) in Marine Biology and her dissertation was titled Blood oxygen transport and depletion: they key of consummate divers.  She also has a MS from the International Space University in Space Studies as well as a BA in Biology from Brown University.  She her  Post doc research at in comparative physiology at the University of British Columbia where she studied the diving physiology and behavior of emperor penguins in Antarctica and the physiology of bar-headed geese, which are able to migrate over the Himalayas.

Current Job: Assistant Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital

 The most interesting I think Dr. Meir has been involved in is NEEMO 4, which she was a member of the NASA Aquanaut Crew. 

As for guessing the civilian astronaut's call signs' I am going to go with Penguin for Dr. Meir.

Major Anne C. McClain U.S. Army

 Major Anne C. McClain U.S. Army

"Major Anne C. McClain, 34, from Spokane, WA, is a graduate of Gonzaga Preparatory School. She also attended Saint George’s School.

McClain said she fell in love with flying at a young age and grew up attending air shows at Fairchild Air Force Base.

She eventually left Spokane and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; the University of Bath and the University of Bristol, both in the United Kingdom.

McClain is an OH-58 helicopter pilot, and she recently graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River.

“I love the international cooperation,” said McClain. “And really to me just being part of team human. And exploring beyond our earth is just intrinsically satisfying. And when you couple that with engineering and flight and really just being on the cutting edge of everything that humans have done is just so exciting and there's nothing that compares.”

From http://www.krem.com

Major Nicole Mann (USMC)

Major Nicole Mann (USMC) is a Mann is an F/A 18 pilot, currently serving as an Integrated Product Team Lead at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River.  She is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a graduate degree from Stanford.

Major Nicole Mann USMC

 From the United States Naval Academy Foundation, 2011 Issue 1, "Major Nicole Anuapu Mann ’99, USMC, who starred on the women’s soccer team and was Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1999, still draws on her playing days for coach Carin Gabarra. Mann is a Marine Corps test pilot with well over 1,000 flight hours. “Playing sports at the Academy forced you into situations where you had to learn leadership skills,” Mann said. “Getting ready to play a game equals the same kind of feeling I get before I fly.You’re strapped into a 40,000-pound jet, headed for a mission over Iraq or Afghanistan. You’re nervous and excited and it’s game time. It’s time to perform. Then, you take off and you’re playing in the moment.”

Sounds like she was a pretty good athlete in college, similar to Lt. Com. Glover who was a two sport D-1 athlete.
 

Lt. Commander (USN) Victor J. Glover

Lt. Commander (USN) Victor J. Glover

Current Job: Navy Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Congress and Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy

"Victor is a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy and Naval Aviator currently serving as a Legislative Fellow. He has flown over 40 aircraft accumulating over 2000 flight hours, 400 carrier landings, and 24 combat missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Victor was most recently stationed in Japan, deploying to various locations in the Western Pacific. Previously serving as a test pilot he was awarded the 2009 Black Engineer of the Year Awards, Modern Day Technology Leaders Award. Victor was commissioned in the Navy via Officer’s Candidate School, where he served as the Regimental Commander.

As an undergraduate at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo he was a NCAA Division-I Wrestler & Football player, led efforts to establish the first student-funded outreach and retention center in the California Public University system, and was awarded the College of Engineering Service to the Community Award. Victor earned graduate degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School, Air University, and the Air Command and Staff College with distinction.

He is an advocate for youth traditionally underrepresented in higher education, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, a life-member of the Tailhook Association, serves on the Cal Poly College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council, is a mentor for Ever Forward (Siempre Adelante), and dreams of becoming a master Djembe drummer." From his Linkedin page. 

I think his summery in his own words describes this guy enough.  The one thing I have to point out is that he wants to become a master Djembe drummer. 

This is a Djembe Drum

Maybe he can join Max Q the all astronaut band.

Lt. Colonel (USAF) Tyler N. Hague

Lt. Colonel (USAF) Tyler N. Hague

Current Job: Deputy Chief of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization

The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization is a joint ly operated organization of the U.S. Department of Defense to reduce or eliminate the effects of all forms of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used against U.S. and allied forces.  You can read its wiki page HERE. 

He flew with the 416th Test Squadron and developed technology to discover IEDs and used it real time while deployed in at  Balad Air Base, Iraq.  More can be read HERE.

He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a BS in astronautical engineering. 

He also graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards, Calif.

Christina M. Hammock

Christina M. Hammock

 

Current Job: Station Chief at
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in American Samoa

Her Past Jobs include:

• Electronics and Instrument Technician at Polar Field Services, Raytheon Polar Services, NOAA
• Electrical Engineer at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
• Research Associate at Raytheon Polar Services

• Electrical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

She has a BS in Electrical Engineering, Physics and a MS in Electrical Engineering all from North Carolina State University.  She has spent time in Summit Station Greenland, Palmer Station Antarctica and, Barrow, Alaska while working for NOAA and Raytheon Polar Services.
 Station Chief in American Samoa. 

All ASCANs get flight signs, my guess will be something to due with ice, maybe Ice Woman.

Josh A. Cassada, Ph.D

Josh Cassada, PhD. from nasa.gov

His current job is being the Chief Technology Officer at Quantum Opus, LLC.

 "Quantum Opus is a small, privately held Limited Liability Company (LLC) based in Albion, Michigan that is committed to the goal of providing novel products and services to enable researchers to make single-photon measurements with unmatched sensitivity, speed, and precision."  More about it HERE

His past jobs have been:

• Chief of Flight Operations/P-8A Acceptance Pilot at DCMA Boeing Seattle
• Instructor Pilot at U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
• Test Pilot at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO ZERO

• P-3C Patrol Plane Commander/Mission Commander/Instructor Pilot at Patrol Squadron EIGHT
• Research Assistant/Postdoctoral Fellow at the Collider Detector Facility (CDF) at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
• Graduate Teaching Assistant in Undergraduate Physics at University of Rochester

• Space Physics Research Intern at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

 You can check out his Linkedin profile HERE

From what I can see is that Dr. Cassada is a research physicist that was a test pilot for the Navy and Boeing.  No wonder he stood out to the Astronaut selection board.

I will continue to publish short bios of each of the ASCANs in the class for the information of them that I can find.

NASA Selects Astronaut Class of 2013, Group 21

The astronaut candidates are:

Josh A. Cassada, Ph.D., 39, is originally from White Bear Lake, Minn.
Cassada is a former naval aviator who holds an undergraduate degree
from Albion College, and advanced degrees from the University of
Rochester, N.Y. Cassada is a physicist by training and currently is
serving as co-founder and Chief Technology Officer for Quantum Opus.

Victor J. Glover, 37, Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy, hails from Pomona,
Calif., and Prosper, Texas. He is an F/A-18 pilot and graduate of the
U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards, Calif. Glover holds
degrees from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis
Obispo, Calif.; Air University and the Naval Postgraduate School,
Monterey, Calif. He currently is serving as a Navy Legislative Fellow
in the U.S. Congress.

Tyler N. (Nick) Hague, 37, Lt. Colonel, U.S. Air Force, calls Hoxie,
Kan., home. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado
Springs, Colo.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge,
Mass., and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards, Calif.
Hague currently is supporting the Department of Defense as Deputy
Chief of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.

Christina M. Hammock, 34, calls Jacksonville, N.C., home. Hammock
holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, N.C. She currently is serving as National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Station Chief in
American Samoa.

Nicole Aunapu Mann, 35, Major, U.S. Marine Corps, originally is from
Penngrove, Calif. She is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy,
Stanford University and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent
River, Md. Mann is an F/A 18 pilot, currently serving as an
Integrated Product Team Lead at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Patuxent
River.

Anne C. McClain, 34, Major, U.S. Army, lists her hometown as Spokane,
Wash. She is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point,
Va.; the University of Bath and the University of Bristol, both in
the United Kingdom. McClain is an OH-58 helicopter pilot, and a
recent graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air
Station, Patuxent River.

Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D., 35, is from Caribou, Maine. She is a graduate
of Brown University, has an advanced degree from the International
Space University, and earned her doctorate from Scripps Institution
of Oceanography. Meir currently is an Assistant Professor of
Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Boston.

Andrew R. Morgan, M.D., 37, Major, U.S. Army, considers New Castle,
Pa., home. Morgan is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West
Point, and earned a doctorate of medicine from the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. He has experience as
an emergency physician and flight surgeon for the Army special
operations community, and currently is completing a sports medicine
fellowship.




The new astronaut candidates will begin training at NASA's Johnson
Space Center in Houston in August. 

A detail look in the ASCANs (astronaut candidates) will be coming later today.  You can also check out: Astronaut Class 2013 

Update to 2013 Astronaut Class Selection

All the phone calls have gone out, now its just waiting for NASA to pick the time they will announce who they selected. 

NASA Astronaut Group 21, the class of 2013 is rumored to only be about 8 people strong.

As I said in my earlier post, I do not know anyone selected but I will keep asking around.

2013 Astronaut Class Will be announced on Monday

Yesterday and today phone calls have been made across the country to people selected for the 2013 Astronaut class.  The number selected is between 8-10, but I have heard rumors that the class size is exactly 8.  No one that I know has been selected keep post, once I learn something on Monday I will post it here.