Space policy roundup – Dec.19.13

December 19, 2013 TopSpacer

Today’s selection of space policy/politics related links:

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ESA Gaia observatory launched successfully

December 19, 2013 TopSpacer

The European Space Agency’s Gaia observatory was put into space today by a Russian Soyuz rocket launched from the Arianespace facility in French Guiana. The goal of the mission:

Gaia will make the largest, most precise three-dimensional map of our Galaxy by surveying more than a thousand million stars.

Some reports on the launch:

Here is a replay of launch highlights:

Here’s are a couple of videos about the Gaia mission:

Living in Space, Space Systems

Update on ISS spacewalks to fix cooling system

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NASA astronauts will make up to three spacewalks starting on Dec. 21st to fix a pump valve in the cooling system. The EVAs are complicated by the spacesuit leak that occurred during a spacewalk last July by Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, who came close to drowning in space.

Here are some details about the cooling system and the spacesuit issue:

NASA gave a briefing on Wednesday on plan:

Caption:

During NASA Television press briefing from Johnson Space Center, agency managers discussed a series of planned spacewalks, Dec. 21, 23 and 25 by NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins to replace a faulty coolant pump on the International Space Station.

The pump is associated with one of the station’s two external cooling loops, which circulate ammonia outside the station to keep both internal and external equipment cool.

The previously planned Orbital Sciences commercial cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station has been postponed until no earlier than mid-January. The postponement will allow ample time for the station crew to focus on repairing the pump module, which stopped working properly on Dec. 11.