American Space Preeminence

Thursday, August 27, 2015

TIME to MOVE ON, this is the Bolden comment when asked about flying shuttle commercially!!

So here we are, still years from flying the inadequate capsules which are inadequately funded by a liberal congress who is anti manned spaceflight. Most all experts said keep one shuttle, but we threw it all away & WILL not even consider the Boeing X37C which as x37 B is operational & could put the USA back in the business of manned spaceflight.

But the Liberal Congress is not interested. We need a change of leadership in nasa & congress.!

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So you think our three time shuttle cmdr, NASA adm DOES NOT understand the loss of this capability!!! Better THINK AGAIN!!!

Fwd: Orion Parachute System Withstands Failure Test

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 27, 2015 at 9:16:53 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Orion Parachute System Withstands Failure Test

Aug. 26, 2015
Orion Parachute System Withstands Failure Test
A test version of NASA's Orion spacecraft successfully landed under two main parachutes in the Arizona desert Aug. 26. At the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground, engineers tested a failure scenario in which one of the spacecraft's two drogue parachutes and one of its three main parachutes did not deploy. The test is helping to ensure the parachute system can safely land future astronauts returning from deep space missions even if something with the parachute does not go as planned.
NASA successfully completed a dramatic test of the Orion spacecraft's parachute system and its ability to perform in the event of a partial deployment on re-entry. On Wednesday, Aug. 26, a test version of Orion touched down in the Arizona desert after engineers intentionally failed two different parachutes used in the sequence that stabilizes and slows the spacecraft for landing.
During the test, a C-17 aircraft dropped a representative Orion capsule from its cargo bay at an altitude of 35,000 feet, or more than 6.5 miles, in the skies above the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona. The engineering model capsule then began its parachute deployment sequence. The model has a mass similar to that of the Orion capsule being developed for deep space missions, and similar interfaces with its parachute system. Engineers purposefully simulated a failure scenario in which one of the two drogue parachutes, used to slow and stabilize Orion at high altitude, and one of its three main parachutes, used to slow the crew module to landing speed, did not deploy.
"We test Orion's parachutes to the extremes to ensure we have a safe system for bringing crews back to Earth on future flights, even if something goes wrong," says CJ Johnson, project manager for Orion's parachute system. "Orion's parachute performance is difficult to model with computers, so putting them to the test in the air helps us better evaluate and predict how the system works."
As part of the test, engineers also evaluated a change to the risers, which connect the parachutes to the vehicle from steel to a textile material as well as the use of lighter weight suspension lines for several of the parachutes. Both changes reduce overall mass and volume of the system.
Orion's parachute system is a critical part of returning future crews who will travel to an asteroid, on toward Mars and return to Earth in the spacecraft. The first parachutes deploy when the crew module is traveling more than 300 mph, and in a matter of minutes, the entire parachute system enables it to touch down in the ocean at about 20 mph.
That system is composed of 11 total parachutes that deploy in a precise sequence. Three parachutes pull off Orion's forward bay cover, which protects the top of the crew module -- where the packed parachutes reside -- from the heat of reentry through Earth's atmosphere. Two drogues then deploy to slow the capsule and steady it. Three pilot parachutes then pull out the three orange and white mains, on which Orion rides for the final approximately 8,000 feet of its descent. Orion's main parachutes are densely packed and sit on the top part of the spacecraft. Once fully inflated, they could cover almost an entire football field.
During Orion's flight test in space in 2014, the parachute system performed flawlessly, enabling the spacecraft to descend through the Earth's atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean after traveling about 3,600 miles into space.
Wednesday's airdrop test was the penultimate evaluation as part of an engineering series before tests begin next year to qualify the parachute system for crewed flights. The qualification series will include eight airdrops over a three- year period that will put the final design through extreme conditions to ensure a safe return for the astronauts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad9UW_oVq9Y
NASA's successfully completed Aug. 26 a risky test of the Orion spacecraft's parachute system. A test version of Orion touched down in the Arizona desert after a planned failure of two of its parachutes used to stabilize and slow the spacecraft for landing. During the test, a C-17 aircraft dropped a representative Orion capsule from its cargo bay at an altitude of 35,000 feet, or more than 6.5 miles, in the skies above the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona. The engineering model, which has a similar mass and interfaces with the parachute system as the Orion being developed for deep space missions, then began its parachute deployment sequence. Engineers purposefully simulated the failure of one of its two drogue parachutes, used to slow stabilize Orion in the air, and one of its three main parachutes, used to slow the crew module to landing speed, did not deploy. The airdrop test was the penultimate evaluation as part of an engineering series before tests begin next year to qualify the parachute system for crewed flights.
Last Updated: Aug. 26, 2015
Editor: Mark Garcia

Orion parachutes pass failure test
Orion's parachute system passed the test, landing safely on the desert soil of the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground.
By Brooks Hays | Aug. 26, 2015 at 2:35 PM
YUMA, Ariz., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Orion space capsule's parachute system passed its latest test on Wednesday, in which engineers simulated a mechanical failure.
Similar to previous tests, the Orion prototype was dropped from the upper reaches of the atmosphere -- by a C-17 aircraft instead of a balloon -- and allowed to free fall toward Earth's surface. Only this time, the craft's parachutes were programmed by NASA engineers to only partially deploy.
Orion's braking system boasts two sets of parachutes. The initial two "drogue" parachutes are deployed at high altitude to stabilize the craft upon re-entry. A few second later in the approach, three main parachutes are inflated to slow the capsule to a safe landing speed.
During the most recent test, one of the two drogue parachutes was engineered to fail, as well one of the three main chutes. Orion's parachute system passed the test, landing safely on the desert soil of the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz., after 6.5-mile trip through the atmosphere.
"We test Orion's parachutes to the extremes to ensure we have a safe system for bringing crews back to Earth on future flights, even if something goes wrong," C.J. Johnson, project manager for Orion's parachute system, said in a press release. "Orion's parachute performance is difficult to model with computers, so putting them to the test in the air helps us better evaluate and predict how the system works."
The test didn't feature the Orion capsule itself, but a model with the crew-carrying spacecraft's dimensions, weight and aerodynamics.
The real Orion craft and its now tried-and-tested parachute system will be reunited for a series of tests early next year. Beginning in 2016, the craft will undergo eight airdrops over a three-year period. If it passes those tests, it will be qualified for crewed flights.
NASA's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, called Orion or Orion MPCV, for short, is being designed with long-distance space travel in mind. Though the four-man capsule may initially ferry astronauts to and from the space station, NASA hopes the craft will eventually spearhead missions to explore asteroids and, ultimately, Mars.
© 2015 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Fwd: Chinese spy payload fired into orbit

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 27, 2015 at 9:15:19 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Chinese spy payload fired into orbit

Chinese spy payload fired into orbit
August 27, 2015 by Stephen Clark
The Long March 4C rocket and Yaogan 27 satellite lifted off at 0231 GMT Thursday (10:31 p.m. EDT Wednesday). Credit: Xinhua
China sent the next in a series of military-operated spy satellites into orbit Thursday aboard a Long March 4C rocket in an unannounced launch from the country's northeastern space center.
Fueled by a mixture of liquid hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, the three-stage Long March 4C rocket lifted off at 0231 GMT Thursday (10:31 p.m. EDT) from the Taiyuan launch base in northeastern China's Shanxi province, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The blastoff occurred at 10:31 a.m. Beijing time and was not announced in advance by Chinese authorities, keeping with standard practice for Chinese military launches.
Xinhua reported the satellite will be used "for experiments, land surveys, crop yield estimates and disaster prevention."
But analysts believe the spacecraft is intended to operate as a military spy satellite.
Tracking data from the U.S. military's Space Surveillance Network shows the Long March rocket placed its payload, named Yaogan 27, into an orbit about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) above Earth at an inclination of approximately 100 degrees.
Details of Thursday's launch match several previous flights with the same launch site, the same configuration of China's Long March rocket family and nearly identical orbits. The commonalities likely mean Yaogan 27 is the next in a sequence of optical reconnaissance satellites designed to supply high-resolution imagery to the Chinese military and intelligence agencies.
The launch of Yaogan 27 comes after similar flights to the same type of orbit in December 2009, May 2012, November 2013 and October 2014.
Other satellites under the Yaogan name may carry radar payloads for all-weather reconnaissance and maritime surveillance sensors to track ships around the world.
Thursday's launch was China's fourth space launch of the year, and the 17th flight of a Long March 4C rocket.
© 2015 Spaceflight Now Inc.

Fwd: HTV supply ship glistens on approach to ISS

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 27, 2015 at 9:14:30 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: HTV supply ship glistens on approach to ISS

Photos: HTV supply ship glistens on approach to ISS
August 26, 2015 by Stephen Clark
Photos captured by astronauts on the International Space Station show a Japanese cargo freighter, covered with reflective solar panels and golden insulation, on final approach to the 250-mile-high outpost.
The fifth HTV supply ship delivered more than 9,500 pounds of cargo to the space station Monday after a five-day trip from a Japanese launch pad, restocking the orbiting research lab's pantry after back-to-back cargo mission failures in April and June.
Space station crew members later began unpacking the HTV's pressurized cargo cabin, posing for photos with fresh fruit stowed aboard the supply
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA
Photo credit: NASA

© 2015 Spaceflight Now Inc.

Fwd: Soyuz Countdown and Launch-to-Docking Timeline

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Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 27, 2015 at 9:13:28 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Soyuz Countdown and Launch-to-Docking Timeline

By William Harwood CBS News August 26, 2015, 9:20 PM
Soyuz Countdown and Launch-to-Docking Timeline
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Launch of the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft, carrying veteran cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, European Space Agency astronaut/flight engineer Andreas Mogensen and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov, is scheduled for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:37:43 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) on Sept. 2. Docking at the International Space Station's upper Poisk module is expected around 3:42 a.m. on Sept. 4. Here is the latest launch-to-docking timeline (in U.S. Eastern Time and mission elapsed time):
Changes and additions:
08/26/15: Adding Soyuz TMA-18M ascent timeline

By William Harwood CBS News August 25, 2015, 4:41 PM
Space Station Personnel
The ISS-43/44 crew (left to right): Soyuz TMA-17M flight engineer Kjell Lindgren, Soyuz-17M commander Oleg Kononenko, Soyuz TMA-17M flight engineer Kimiya Yui, Soyuz TMA-16M flight engineer Scott Kelly, Soyuz TMA-16M commander Gennady Padalka, Soyuz TMA-16M flight engineer Mikhail Kornienko.
NASA
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The International Space Station relies on three-seat Soyuz spacecraft to ferry astronauts and cosmonauts to and from the lab complex. Once in orbit, crews are members of one or more expeditions, or increments, but their individual Soyuz vehicle/seat assignments typically do not change; they launch and return to Earth (either for a normal end-of-mission landing or an emergency evacuation) aboard the same spacecraft that carried them into orbit.
Soyuz ferry ships are certified for 200 days in space, up to 210 days in some cases. Soyuz launches are staggered and the station's crew typically drops from six to three when one ferry craft departs and then moves back to six after the next Soyuz in the sequence is launched a few weeks later.
In September 2015, however, this launch strategy will change. Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko were launched last March, along with spacecraft commander Gennady Padalka, aboard the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft. Because Kelly and Kornienko are spending nearly a full year aboard the station, Russia has to launch an additional Soyuz to replace TMA-16M.
As such, the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft will be launched Sept. 2 carrying commander Sergey Volkov, European Space Agency flight engineer Andreas Mogensen and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov. Padalka will return to Earth on Sept. 12 with Mogensen and Aimbetov aboard the TMA-16M spacecraft while Volkov will remain in orbit to bring Kelly and Kornienko home in March 2016 aboard the TMA-18M spacecraft.
Crew thumbnails, Soyuz launch/landing dates/mission durations are provided below, followed by detailed crew biographies from NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (abbreviations: CDR: commander; FE: flight engineer; TIS: time in space; DOB: date of birth). Updates will be posted as warranted. Comments and corrections welcome.
SOYUZ TMA-16M CREW BIOS (detailed)
LAUNCH: 03/27/15
SOURCE: NASA/Roscosmos
GENNADY PADALKA (Colonel, Russian Air Force)
Test-Cosmonaut of Yu.A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
Soyuz TMA-16M CDR (center seat)/ISS-43 FE/44 CDR
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 21, 1958, in Krasnodar, Russia. Married to Irina Anatolievna Padalka (Ponomareva). They have three daughters, Yulia, Ekaterina and Sonya. Gennady enjoys the theater, parachute sport and diving.
Gennady Padalka
NASA
EDUCATION: Graduated from Eisk Military Aviation College in 1979; in 1994 he left UNESCO International Center of Instruction Systems, where he was an engineer-ecologist.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Star of Russian Federation Hero, and the title of Russian Federation Test-Cosmonaut.
EXPERIENCE: After graduation from the Military College in 1979, Gennady Padalka served as a pilot and a senior pilot in the Air Force.
He was selected as a cosmonaut candidate to start training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in 1989. From June 1989 to January 1991 he attended basic space training. In 1991 Padalka was qualified as a test-cosmonaut.
Gennady Padalka is a First Class Pilot, has flown 6 types of aircraft, and has logged 1500 hours. He is an Instructor of General Parachute Training, and has performed more than 300 parachute jumps.
From August 28, 1996 to July 30, 1997, he trained for space flight on the Soyuz-TM transport vehicle/Mir orbital complex as a commander of the back up crew for Mir 24/NASA-5, 6 Russian-American program of the 24th primary Expedition, Pegasus Russian-French program and Euro-Mir program).
October 1997 to August 1998 Padalka attended training for a space a flight aboard the Soyuz-TM/Mir orbital complex as a primary crew commander (Expedition 26 Program).
August 13, 1998, to February 28, 1999, he served aboard the Soyuz-TM-28/Mir orbital complex as the Expedition 26 crew commander, and logged 198 days in space.
June 1999 through July 2000, Padalka attended training for a space flight on "Soyuz-TM" transport vehicle as an ISS contingency crew commander.
August 2000 to November 2001, Gennady Padalka attended training for a space flight as the ISS-4 back-up crew commander.
In March 2002, Padalka was assigned as station commander of the ISS Expedition-9 crew. Expedition-9 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz TMA-4 spacecraft, docking with the International Space Station on April 21, 2004. Following a week of joint operations and handover briefings, they replaced the Expedition-8 crew who returned to Earth. In a six-month tour of duty aboard the station Padalka continued ISS science operations, maintained Station systems, and performed four spacewalks. The Expedition-9 mission concluded after undocking and landing back in Kazakhstan on October 23, 2004. In completing this mission, Padalka logged an additional 187 days, 21 minutes and 17 seconds in space, and 15 hours, 45 minutes and 22 seconds of EVA time.
Padalka then served as commander of the Expedition-19 mission aboard the International Space Station. On March 26, 2009, he commanded the Soyuz spacecraft that launched him and astronaut Michael Barratt to the station. They were joined by Nicole Stott, who arrived with the crew of STS-128.
MARCH 2009
MIKHAIL KORNIENKO
Roscosmos Test-Cosmonaut
Soyuz TMA-16M FE (left seat)/ISS-44/45/46 FE
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born 15 April, 1960, in Syzran, Kuibyshev region, Russia.
PERSONAL DATA: Married to Irina Anatolievna Kornienko (Savostina); daughter Natalia.
EDUCATION: Graduated from a secondary school in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 1977; served in paratroops in 1978 - 1980; in 1981 to 1987 he studied at the Moscow Aviation Institute and graduated with an engineering degree (aircraft engine mechanical engineer).
Mikhail Kornienko
NASA
EXPERIENCE: In 1980 Kornienko completed his military service and worked for the Moscow law enforcement agencies from 1980 to 1986. In 1986 started working for a mechanical engineering design bureau as a test engineer. In 1991-1995 he worked for commercial companies. In April 1995 Kornienko started working at the Energia Rocket/Space Corporation (RSC) as an engineer. He was responsible for technical documentation and software for testing and crew EVA training.
SPACEFLIGHT TRAINING: In February, 1998 Kornienko was selected as an Energia test cosmonaut candidate, and in 1999, following basic training at the Yu. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, was qualified as a test cosmonaut.
From August 2001 to February 2003 Kornienko was assigned to the ISS 8 backup crew as an ISS flight engineer and Soyuz TM commander (for a launch on the Shuttle). Due to the Columbia tragedy the crew was reassigned.
From March 2003 to August 2005 participated in RS ISS advanced training. From September 2005 to January 2006 participated in ISS advanced training.
From February 2006 trained as ISS 15 bu engineer and Soyuz TMA bu flight engineer.
From March 2007 to August 2008 participated in RS ISS advanced training.
From August 2008 to April 2010 trained as an ISS 23/24 flight engineer and Soyuz TMA flight engineer.
SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE: From April 2, 2010 to September 25, 2010 completed his first spaceflight as a Soyuz TMA-18 and ISS-23 flight engineer with cosmonaut A. Skvortsov and astronaut T. Caldwell-Dyson (NASA). Performed a spacewalk that lasted for 6 hours and 43 minutes. Kornienko has logged 176 days 1 hour and 18 minutes in space.
AWARDS: Golden Star of the Hero of the Russian Federation (April 12, 2011), Gagarin medal, Honorary citizen of Syzran (2010).
DECEMBER 2012
SCOTT J. KELLY (CAPTAIN, USN, RET.)
NASA Astronaut
Soyuz TMA-16M/18M FE (right seat)/ISS-43/44 FE/45 CDR
PERSONAL DATA: Born February 21, 1964 in Orange, New Jersey. He has two children.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Mountain High School, West Orange, New Jersey, in 1982; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College in 1987 and a Master of Science degree in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1996.
ORGANIZATIONS: Associate Fellow, Society of Experimental Test Pilots; Member, Association of Space Explorers National Aeronautics and Space Administration April 2015
Scott Kelly
NASA
SPECIAL HONORS: Two Defense Superior Service Medals, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, two Navy Unit Commendations, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, two NASA Space Flight Medals, Russian Federation Medal for merit in Space Exploration. Korolev Diploma from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, 1999. Honorary Doctorate of Science degree from the State University of New York, 2008.
EXPERIENCE: Kelly received his commission from the State University of New York Maritime College in May 1987 and was designated a naval aviator in July 1989 at Naval Air Station (NAS) in Beeville, Texas. He then reported to Fighter Squadron 101 at NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia, for initial F-14 Tomcat training. Upon completion of this training, he was assigned to Fighter Squadron 143 and made overseas deployments to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). Kelly was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in January 1993 and completed training in June 1994. After graduation, he worked as a test pilot at the Strike Aircraft Test Squadron, Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, flying the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet. Kelly was the first pilot to fly an F-14 with an experimental digital flight control system installed and performed subsequent high angle of attack and departure testing. He has logged over 8,000 hours in more than 40 different aircraft and spacecraft and has over 250 carrier landings. Kelly holds a United States Coast Guard Third Mate's license. Kelly retired from the U.S. Navy in June of 2012.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in April 1996, Kelly reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. Following completion of training, he was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Spacecraft Systems/Operations branch. A veteran of three space flights, Kelly has logged more than 180 days in space. He served as pilot on STS-103 in 1999 and was the Mission Commander on STS-118 in 2007. Following STS-103, Kelly served as NASA's Director of Operations in Star City, Russia. He served as a backup crewmember for ISS Expedition 5 and as the Astronaut Office Space Station Branch Chief. Kelly also served as a Flight Engineer for ISS Expedition 25 and as the Commander of ISS Expedition 26. He currently serves as the International Space Station Operations Branch Chief within the Astronaut Office.
Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko have been selected to serve a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station in 2015. The goal of the mission is to understand how the human body reacts and adapts to the harsh environment of space. Data from the expedition will be used to reduce risks to the health of crewmembers as NASA prepares to advance space travel beyond low Earth orbit.
SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-103 (December 19 to December 27, 1999) was an 8-day mission, during which the crew successfully installed new instruments and upgraded systems on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Enhancing HST scientific capabilities required three spacewalks (EVAs). The STS-103 mission was accomplished in 120 Earth orbits, traveling 3.2 million miles in 191 hours and 11 minutes.
STS-118 (August 8 to August 21, 2007) was the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the International Space Station (ISS), and the 20th flight for Endeavour. During the mission, Endeavour's crew successfully added another truss segment, a new gyroscope and an external spare parts platform to the ISS. A new system that enables docked shuttles to draw electrical power from the station to extend visits to the outpost was successfully activated. A total of four EVAs were performed by three crewmembers. Endeavour carried approximately 5,000 pounds of equipment and supplies to the station and returned to Earth with approximately 4,000 pounds of hardware and equipment. Traveling 5.3 million miles in space, the STS-118 mission was completed in 12 days, 17 hours, 55 minutes and 34 seconds.
On October 7, 2010, Kelly launched aboard the Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft to serve a tour of duty on the ISS. He assumed command of Expedition 26 once the Soyuz TMA-19 undocked on November 24, 2010. After a 159 day stay aboard the ISS, Commander Kelly and Russian Flight Engineers Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka safely landed their Soyuz spacecraft on the Kazakhstan Steppe on March 16, 2011.
On March 27, Kelly, Kornienko and cosmonaut Padalka lauched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to stay aboard the ISS for one year, which is twice as long as typical U.S. missions. This one year mission is critical to understanding how the human body reacts to long duration of spaceflight. The science gathered will be used to determine ways to reduce risks on future deep space missions such as the journey to Mars.
SOYUZ TMA-17M CREW BIOS (detailed)
LAUNCH: 07/22/15
SOURCE: NASA/Roscosmos
OLEG KONONENKO
Roscosmos cosmonaut
Soyuz TMA-17M CDR (center seat)/ISS-44/45 FE
PERSONAL DATA: Born 21 June, 1964, in Chardzhow, Turkmenia. Married to Tatiana Mikhailovna Kononenko, they have two children, daughter Alisa and son Andrey, born in 2003. Oleg enjoys reading books, sport games, and spending time with the family.
Oleg Kononenko
NASA
EDUCATION: Graduated from the N.E. Zhukovksy Kharkov Aviation Institute in 1988 as a mechanical engineer.
AWARDS: Hero of the Russian Federation (2009), Gagarin and Korolyov pins from the Federal Space Agency, "Prezidentiň ýyldyzy" Order of Turkmenistan, NASA Distinguished Public Service and Space Flight medals.
EXPERIENCE: After graduation from the Kharkov Aviation Institute he worked at the Central Design Bureau in Samara as an engineer, design engineer and leading design engineer.
SPACEFLIGHT TRAINING: In 1996 Oleg Kononenko was selected as a test cosmonaut candidate to the Cosmonaut Corps of the Samara Central Design Bureau. From June 1996 to March 1998, he underwent basic cosmonaut training at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and on March 20, 1998, was awarded the title of test cosmonaut by the Interagency Qualification Committee.
In October 1998 he began training as part of the group of cosmonauts selected for the International Space Station (ISS) Program. In January 1999 he was assigned to the RSC Energia Cosmonaut Corps as a test cosmonaut.
From December 2001, through April 2002 Kononenko trained as a backup flight engineer for the Soyuz TM-34 vehicle for the third ISS visiting crew. From April 2002 through February 2004, he trained as the flight engineer for the Soyuz TMA vehicle and the Expedition-9 and Expedition-11 prime crews. Due to the changes in the ISS program, the ISS crews were reassigned.
From March 2004 through March 2006 he trained as part of the group of cosmonauts selected for the ISS Program. From March 2006 to April 2008 Volkov trained as an ISS 17 prime crew commander and Soyuz TMA commander.
From December 2009 he has been training as a Soyuz TMA-M flight engineer and ISS flight engineer in the ISS-25/26 backup crew.
SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Kononenko performed his first spaceflight April 8 - October 24, 2008 as Soyuz TMA-12 flight engineer and ISS flight engineer. During this flight JEM PM of the Kibo module and the JEMRMS manipulator were installed, and ATV-001 "Jules Verne" operations took place for the first time. Kononenko logged 12 hours 15 minutes of EVA time in two spacewalks and logged a total of 199 days in space.
ROSCOSMOS: SEPTEMBER 2010
KJELL N. LINDGREN, MD
NASA Astronaut
Soyuz TMA-17M FE (right seat)/ISS-44/45 FE
PERSONAL DATA: Born in Taipei, Taiwan. Lived in the midwestern U.S., but spent most of his childhood overseas living in England. Married to the former Kristiana Jones. They have three children. His parents, Randahl and Anita Lindgren, reside in Burke, Virginia. His sister, Niki Lindgren, lives in Los Angeles, California. Interests include spending time with his family, running, reading, movies, photography, amateur astronomy and church activities.
Kjell Lindgren
NASA
EDUCATION: Completed his freshman year at Lakenheath High School in the United Kingdom. Participated in Virginia's Governor's School at William and Mary College during the summer of 1990. Graduated from James W. Robinson Secondary School Fairfax, Virginia in 1991. Received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (minor in Mandarin Chinese) from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1995; a Master of Science degree in Cardiovascular Physiology from Colorado State University (CSU) in 1996; and a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Colorado in 2002.
Completed a three-year residency in emergency medicine, including a chief resident year at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2005. Completed a National Library of Medicine Post-Doctoral Fellowship and Master of Health Informatics at the University of Minnesota in 2006. Completed a two-year residency in aerospace medicine (2008) and a Master of Public Health (2007) at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. Dr. Lindgren is board certified in emergency medicine and aerospace medicine.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association; Fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine; American Medical Informatics Association; Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society; Space Medicine Association; Christian Medical and Dental Associations and National Eagle Scout Association.
SPECIAL HONORS: UTMB Outstanding Resident Award (2008); Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Primary Flight Surgeon Course (2007); William K. Douglas Aerospace Medicine Scholarship (2007); Hippocrates Award, University of Colorado School of Medicine (2002); Richard C. Hardin Award, University of Colorado School of Medicine (2001); Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society (2001); Edgar and Marion Adler Scholar, University of Colorado School of Medicine (2001, 2002); U.S. Air Force Achievement Medal (1998).
EXPERIENCE: At the U.S. Air Force Academy, Dr. Lindgren was a member of the "Wings of Blue" parachute team, where he served as an instructor, a jumpmaster and a member of the academy's intercollegiate national championship team. As a part of his masters studies at CSU, Dr. Lindgren conducted cardiovascular countermeasure research in the Space Physiology Lab at NASA Ames Research Center in Sunnyvale, California. He conducted high-altitude physiology research during medical school. Dr. Lindgren began working at Johnson Space Center in 2007. As a Wyle-University of Texas Medical Branch flight surgeon, he supported International Space Station (ISS) training and operations in Star City, Russia and water survival training in the Ukraine. At the time of his selection to the astronaut corps, he was serving as the deputy crew surgeon for STS-130 and Expedition 24.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Dr. Lindgren was selected in June 2009 as one of 14 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, he was assigned technical duties in the Spacecraft Communicator (CAPCOM) branch and Extravehicular Activity (EVA) branch. Dr. Lindgren served as lead CAPCOM for ISS Expedition 30.
Dr. Lindgren is currently assigned to Expedition 44/45 as a flight engineer and is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz 43 in May 2015.
NASA: MAY 2013
KIMIYA YUI
Japan; JAXA astronaut
Soyuz TMA-17M FE (left seat)/ISS-44/45 FE
Kimiya Yui
NASA
Kimiya Yui was born in 1970, in Nagano. He graduated from Graduate School of Science and Engineering, National Defense Academy of Japan in March 1992. He joined Japan Air Self Defense Force, Ministry of Defense in April 1992. From December 2008 until his retirement, he worked as a Lieutenant Colonel at the Air Staff Office, JASDF.
He was selected to be an astronaut candidate by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in February 2009 and joined JAXA in April 2009.
Since April 2009, he has participated in about two years of Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) Training at NASA, which includes scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction on the ISS systems, Extravehicular Activity (EVA), Robotics, physiological taining, flight training using the T-38 jet trainer, and water and wilderness survival training.
He was certified as an ISS astronaut in July, 2011.
He participated in the 16th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO 16) in June, 2012.
In October 2012, he was assigned as a crewmember for the ISS Expedition 44/45 mission.
JAXA: JULY 2015

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Fwd: NASA Says No Special Treatment for SpaceX in Falcon 9 Investigation

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 27, 2015 at 9:11:44 AM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: NASA Says No Special Treatment for SpaceX in Falcon 9 Investigation

NASA Says No Special Treatment for SpaceX in Falcon 9 Investigation
by Jeff Foust — August 26, 2015
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said that the agency is carrying out an independent review of the June 28 Falcon 9 launch failure, but using existing mechanisms rather than a separate panel. Credit: NASA TV
WASHINGTON — Responding to congressional criticism that suggested NASA was giving SpaceX special treatment, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the agency is conducting an independent review of the company's June launch failure.
In an Aug. 24 letter to House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Bolden said the appearance of special treatment accorded to SpaceX over Orbital ATK was a "misunderstanding" because NASA is taking a different approach to reviews of the two companies' launch failures.
"First and foremost, I want to assure you that NASA is performing an independent analysis" of the June 28 Falcon 9 launch failure on SpaceX's seventh cargo mission to the International Space Station under its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA, Bolden wrote in the letter, released by the agency Aug. 25.
Orbital's Antares rocket failed in October, also on a CRS mission to the space station.
Bolden's letter is in response to one by Smith Aug. 4, where he questioned NASA's decision to establish a formal independent review panel for the Antares failure but not for the Falcon 9 accident. Smith indicated that choice appeared to reflect favoritism towards SpaceX.
"The discrepancy between the approaches taken by NASA in response to these two similar events raises questions about not only the equity and fairness of NASA's process for initiating independent accident investigations, but also the fidelity of the investigations themselves," Smith wrote.
In his response, Bolden noted that immediately after the Antares failure, NASA decided to establish a formal independent review team.
While NASA was formally part of Orbital's own accident investigation board, Bolden said the independent review was intended to "inform and amplify the learning for the NASA team."
For the Falcon 9 failure, however, NASA instead elected to have the agency's Launch Services Program (LSP) lead the review into the accident. Unlike Antares, which has no other NASA contracts beyond its CRS flights, NASA has contracts for Falcon 9 missions beyond ISS cargo missions. That includes the launch of the Jason-3 satellite, which prior to the June failure was scheduled for launch in August.
Bolden wrote that William Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for human exploration and operations, concluded LSP's review of the failure "would lead to an in-depth understanding of the events." It would also, he said, be an efficient use of resources, since NASA's commercial crew program is also interested in the investigation.
Bolden's response to Smith included an Aug. 3 "memorandum for the record" from Gerstenmaier discussing his decision to let LSP lead NASA's investigation into the Falcon 9 failure. "Their experience and understanding of the Falcon 9 system for NASA robotic missions places LSP in a unique position to most efficiently and independently evaluate the events that occurred on CRS-7 that led to its failure and to ensure that the resulting corrective actions are implemented appropriately," he wrote in the memo.
Unlike the Antares investigation, NASA does not have a full voting representative on SpaceX's accident investigation board. However, Bolden said that NASA still has "leverage" over the report's findings because of its other launch contracts, which give the agency the right to accept or reject the findings of that investigation and any corrective actions before allowing those launches to take place.
That difference in approaches in NASA's independent reviews of the failures, Bolden acknowledged, may not have been clear to Smith and others. "Note that due to this misunderstanding, many of the questions posed were written under an incorrect premise that NASA is not conducting an independent review" of the Falcon 9 launch failure, he wrote, referring to a set of questions in Smith's letter.
Neither company has formally completed their investigations into their respective launch failures, but both have identified their likely causes. Orbital ATK executives said earlier this year they traced the cause of the Antares failure to excessive bearing wear in the turbopump of an AJ-26 first-stage engine, but have not disclosed what caused that wear. Orbital is replacing the AJ-26 with the RD-181 engine, and expects the Antares to return to flight in early 2016.
SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said in a July 20 briefing that the company believes a strut holding down a helium bottle with an upper stage propellant tank failed, causing the tank to overpressurize and burst. Musk said at the time that the Falcon 9 could return to flight as soon as September, but the company has not yet announced a launch date.
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