Space Policy Events for the Week of April 29-May 3, 2013
The following events may be of interest in the week ahead. The House and Senate both are in recess this week. During the Week After an intense two weeks, the …
Gen. Shelton Warns About "Chaos" Caused by Sequestration
At two congressional hearings last week, Air Force Space Command (AFSC) Commander Gen. William Shelton warned about the “chaos” created in his command because of sequestration, saying its effects “cannot …
HASC Asks About DOD Use of Chinese Satellite
A House Armed Services Committee (HASC) subcommittee asked a Defense of Department (DOD) official on Thursday if he knew of DOD leasing any commercial satellite services from companies with significant ownership by the …
Progress Successfully Docks Despite Antenna Failure
Russia’s Progress M-19M robotic cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on schedule this morning even though one of the navigation antennas did not deploy. Russian ground …
Bolden Says Furloughs Likely if Sequester Continues Into FY2014
In an abbreviated hearing on NASA’s FY2014 budget request this morning, Senate appropriators ploughed little new ground, but one message that came through loud and clear is that if the …
Russia Says Progress Docking Will Proceed Friday Morning EDT
Russia’s RIA Novosti is quoting Russian space officials as saying that the docking of Progress M-19M will proceed on schedule tomorrow morning Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) even though its navigation …
House Subcommittee Members Skeptical, Worried
Members of a House subcommittee expressed concern on a bipartisan basis today about NASA’s new asteroid retrieval mission as well as whether NASA will get the resources needed to fund …
Russia's Progress Cargo Craft Experiences Antenna Glitch
Russia launched the Progress M-19M cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) today, April 24, but a navigational antenna failed to deploy once it reached orbit. The robotic spacecraft is …
Squyres, Pace, Not Convinced of Asteroid Return Strategy
NASA’s new asteroid retrieval mission has not won over two influential voices in space policy debates. Cornell University’s Steve Squyres and George Washington University’s Scott Pace told the National Research …
Stafford Argues for Moon as Next Human Spaceflight Destination
Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford (Ret.) told a Senate subcommittee today that a human mission to an asteroid should not be a central element of any “sensible” human spaceflight program. Instead, …