Comments on: Senate appropriators offer $18 billion for NASA

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 23:35:22 +0000

If the House and Senate don’t agree on a budget for NASA, really CSJ, then funding continues as a CR. That would mean a budget increase relative to what the House wants to do. In other words, a CR would be better for Orion, SLS, and although not by much, for Commercial Crew than what the House Approps. Committee has currently approved. Still interested in playing chicken?

By: Aberwys

Aberwys — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:06:49 +0000

Hiram- I agree with you–presence and pressure are why he gets attention.

James- I heard from WFIRSTers that a home for servicing was proposed.

By: Hiram

Hiram — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 13:32:47 +0000

BTW, the “line item” you’re looking for is at least in the Senate CJS report language (which it’s true, is not “bill” language that would be made into public law, but which provides funding details that agencies largely obey). That lists Near Earth Observation with a committee recommendation of $20M for FY14, in the Planetary Science Research account.

By: Hiram

Hiram — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 13:17:02 +0000

The SMD charter for the Science Development Team for the WFIRST concept required that they consider servicing, and the team has concluded that the observatory can be designed to allow robotic servicing from Earth. A GEO orbit makes this more credible than, say, a ES L2 orbit. No doubt that Cepi has his fingerprints on this requirement, and of course he knows Grunsfeld well, having designed the strategies that Grunsfeld used for Hubble servicing. But the kind of servicing we’re talking about has little similarity to servicing of comsats, and like for HST it is a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of mission. It’s what you might do if the capability were widely available, not what justifies making that capability widely available.

SMD missions in Earth orbit are mostly Earth Science missions, and the Earth Science community is largely uninterested in servicing.

By: James

James — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 10:48:58 +0000

Mr. Cepollina is also very well acquainted with Dr. Grunsfeld, he of HST servicing mission fame and now SMD AA. I do believe that Dr. Grunsfeld is seeking to have WFIRST, with the NRO mirror now as part of it’s telescope, serviceable by SSO? Anyone know for sure?

By: Stephen C. Smith

Stephen C. Smith — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 10:13:31 +0000

Wow, that’s cynical of Rep. Edwards. She’s trying to turn Rep. Smith (R-Johnson) and Rep. Palazzo (R-Stennis) against Rep. Brooks (R-Marshall).

It won’t work, but I want a front-row seat for this one.

By: Dark Blue Nine

Dark Blue Nine — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 02:19:29 +0000

Someone is trying to grant your wish:

NASA Amendement Would Weigh Marshall Closure

http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/36313nasa-amendement-would-weigh-marshall-closure#.UedQZyDD9pM

By: Dark Blue Nine

Dark Blue Nine — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 02:18:56 +0000

Someone is trying to grant your wish:

NASA Amendement Would Weigh Marshall Closure

http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/36313nasa-amendement-would-weigh-marshall-closure#.UedQZyDD9pM

By: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 01:47:17 +0000

So it is a reality. Well since there’s no commercial demand and apparently none from DoD, why does this unit exist and what are they doing that provides value for the U.S. taxpayer?

By: Hiram

Hiram — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 23:55:17 +0000

It’s Frank Cepollina, and his nickname is Cepi. But that’s right, Goddard listens to his management style. For reasons that have never been completely obvious, except he has what has been called “presence”. Also that Cepi is hugely smart and politically well tuned. He also defends his underlings. But it really isn’t completely clear what satellite servicing, as being developed by his SSO, offers Goddard in the long run.