What's Happening in Space Policy November 9-15, 2014

Here is our list of space policy-related events for the week of November 9-15, 2014 and any insight we can offer about them.  Congress returns to work on Wednesday, November 12.

During the Week

From a policy perspective, certainly the biggest event this week is the return of Congress after a long break leading up to last week’s mid-term elections.  As everyone knows, Republicans won control of the Senate and House Republicans added many seats to their side of the aisle.   Some races remain undetermined so there is not yet a final count of how many R’s and D’s there will be in the 114th Congress that convenes in January, but in the Senate there will be at least 52 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 2 Independents (both currently caucus with Democrats and one has said he will continue to do so in the next Congress).  The Senate race in Alaska has not been called yet, and there will be a run-off for the Louisiana Senate seat next month.  In the House, there will be at least 244 Republicans and 184 Democrats.  The other races have not been called yet.  As many observers are pointing out, it has been 80 years since the Democrats have had so few seats in the House.  We’ll have more on how the changes in Congress could impact space programs in an article later this week.

That’s next year, though.  On Wednesday, it is the 113th Congress that reconvenes and it still has work to do.   The one must-pass piece of legislation is the FY2015 appropriations.  The government is currently operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) that expires on December 11, so Congress has until then to pass another CR or the 12 regular appropriations bills probably packaged together into a single omnibus bill or series of “mini-buses.”  It is possible that some Republicans may try to delay passage of final appropriations bills until next year when they are in control of both chambers and therefore will agree only to a short-term CR to carry the government over into the New Year, but the betting at the moment seems to be that the matter will be settled by the end of this year.  That could change, of course. 

There also are big events in space activities coming up.  Tonight (Sunday) three International Space Station (ISS) crew members return to Earth in their Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft:  NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Europe’s Alexander Gerst and Russia’s Max Suraev.  NASA TV will cover undocking (7:30 pm EST) and landing in Kazakhstan (10:58 pm EST).  

Then on Wednesday, November 12, ESA’s Philae lander will land on Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko, the first spacecraft to achieve such a feat.  ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft, with Philae aboard, arrived at the comet in August after a 10 year journey.  Lots of media events in Europe are scheduled for the days before, of, and after the landing.  Confirmation that Philae successfully landed is expected about 11:00 am EST on Wednesday.  NASA TV will cover that part of the mission from 9:00 – 11:30 am EST.

Those and other events we know about as of Sunday morning are listed below.

Sunday, November 9

•  Three ISS Crew Return to Earth, undock 7:30 pm EST, land 10:58 pm EST (watch on NASA TV)

Tuesday, November 11

• ISU-DC Space Café Featuring Alan Ladwig and Courtney Stadd, The Science Club, 1136 19th St., NW, Washington, DC, 7:00 pm EST

Wednesday, November 12

• ESA’s Philae lander lands on Comet 67P, confirmation of landing expected about 11:00 am EST (watch events on NASA TV, 9:00-11:30 am EST and on ESA livestream then and at other times)
• MSBR Luncheon Featuring NOAA’s Harry Cikanek, Martin’s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, MD, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm EST
• 113th Congress returns (House and Senate each meet at 2:00 pm EST)

Friday, November 14

• NASA Advisory Council Astrophysics Subcommittee, virtual, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm (we assume that is EST, though it is not specified in the announcement)

Saturday, November 15

• Citizen Forum on Asteroid Initiative, Boston, MA, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST