Student Who Named The Mars Rover 'Curiosity' As An 11-Year-Old Gets Space Exploration As Well As Anyone

From LA-ist:  Student Who Named The Mars Rover 'Curiosity' As An 11-Year-Old Gets Space Exploration As Well As Anyone

Clara Ma at age 12 (Photo via NASA)

More than three years before the Mars Rover Curiosity touched down on the Red Planet, an 11-year-old in Kansas was only dreaming about how she could get involved in space exploration.
Now that Clara Ma has grown up and had the chance to see the rover touch down, she hasn't lost her sense of wonder. In a column that she penned for Mashable, she writes about how she came up with the name. She says she first read about the contest to name the newest Mars Rover in a kids' issue of TIME Magazine while she was at school one day. It didn't take her long to come up with the perfect name: Curiosity. She says she rushed home to pen the winning essay:

Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone's mind. It makes me get out of bed in the morning and wonder what surprises life will throw at me that day. Curiosity is such a powerful force. Without it, we wouldn't be who we are today. When I was younger, I wondered, 'Why is the sky blue?', 'Why do the stars twinkle?', 'Why am I me?', and I still do.

Based on her latest essay, we'd venture to say she probably gets science and space exploration as much as anyone who works at JPL or NASA (including the dude with the crazy mohawk). She writes about how she first became fascinated with space:

My grandmother lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess a certain degree of mystery.

She reflects on how space exploration means something different now than it did during the midcentury Space Race:

In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like — you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.

The entire essay is worth a read.

On Aug. 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.
My name is Clara, and when I was in 6th grade, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.
I still remember that chilly December day, sitting in science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a TIME for Kids magazine off of Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.
The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.
I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer, and typed until my fingers ached. It turns out I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.
Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face.
When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being. I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.
When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being. I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.
Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandmother and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. She’d tell me stories and point out constellations.
Here in the heart of the country, my grandmother would say, there were no bright city lights to compete with the brilliance of the stars. There was just the chirping of the cicadas and the soft summer breeze.
My grandmother lived in China, thousands of miles awa
The Curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science.
Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing, intertwining and unifying; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.
This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their dedication and fervor inspire me immensely. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.
And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.
y from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess a certain degree of mystery.
In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like — you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.
People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can. Because we’re curious. Because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

 

Program gears up to test space vehicles

From VCStar.com:  Program gears up to test space vehicles

HILO, Hawaii (AP) - A program to test space vehicles on the Big Island is getting an infusion of millions of new investment dollars.
The state is putting $2.34 million into the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems to help the program prepare for missions to Mars or the moon, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Tuesday (http://is.gd/T889A7 ).
Rob Kelso, the new director of the program, known as PISCES, said long-term plans call for a high-tech park in Hawaii for research into technologies related to space travel and colonization.
One project for the near-term is developing a concrete-like building material that can be used in space and on Earth. Kelso said there also will be continued testing and research of robotic systems being designed for use on the moon or Mars.
Some of the equipment on the Mars rover Curiosity was tested on Mauna Kea in 2008 because that terrain is so similar to the basaltic makeup of Mars, said Kelso, who is a former NASA space shuttle flight director at Johnson Space Center.
He joined other researchers and space enthusiasts at the annual PISCES conference in Waikoloa this week for discussions and demonstrations of robotic equipment designed to explore challenging space environments.
Another avenue for research would be to develop new ways to extract resources, including oxygen and water, from the terrain on Mars, which has a chemical composition strikingly similar to portions of the Hawaii island landscape.
The PISCES project was founded in 2007, and this year was shifted from the University of Hawaii at Hilo into the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Kelso said the state is looking for a site for a new research facility that initially would be home to PISCES and might one day become an "aerospace enterprise zone" based in the Hilo area.
"Our goal is to become the preferred provider for space agencies and commercial space businesses around the world that are developing technologies to help enable and sustain planetary surface exploration," Kelso told PISCES conference attendees.
In the meantime, the program plans to rent temporary office space in Hilo, Kelso said.

Mars a major focus of space program

From News Leader:  Mars a major focus of space program

Decades ago, men looked up at Mars and could only wonder what was there. The planet was often seen as the home of little green men who invaded Earth in the movies.
Ever since the first photos of Mars were taken in 1965, NASA scientists have learned quite a bit about the Red Planet. They have learned that Mars is a cold, rocky wasteland that was once covered with active volcanoes and pounded by meteors.


The primary focus on Mars is the possible presence of liquid water, either in the past or trapped in the subsurface. That is because where there is water, there is always the possibility of microscopic life.
Evidence of water on Mars comes from polar cap ice, features that look like dry river beds, and rocks that appear as if they could only have been formed with water present.



NASA exploration of Mars began when Mariner flew past the planet in 1965, taking close-up photos. Viking I became the first spacecraft to touch down on the planet, in 1976, and return photos of the surface.
There was Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Pathfinder rover, Mars Odyssey, Phoenix, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Mars Express and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, all contributing to a collective knowledge about the planet. Many of these missions are still operating, continuing to sending information back to NASA.

Not every mission was a success, however. Mars Observer, Mars Climate Orbiter, Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 are examples of Mars programs that were lost or failed to operate properly.

Curiosity

Mars Science Laboratory, with its rover Curiosity, is the most recent mission to Mars. Its mission is extremely ambitious: to find out whether Mars ever had an environment that would have allowed it to support life.
Through the six-wheeled, car-sized rover Curiosity, scientists continue to make discoveries on the Martian surface. Curiosity was launched Nov. 26, 2011, and landed on the planet on Aug. 6. The rover drives slowly across the surface of the planet, scooping up samples of soil. An on-board laboratory studies the chemical composition of soils and rock and can search for forms of carbon, which are considered the chemical building blocks of life.

 

Budget cuts cripple space exploration

From Northwest Missourian:  Budget cuts cripple space exploration

On Oct. 14, Felix Baumgartner captivated the minds and imaginations of millions of Americans with his world record-setting space jump from over 20 miles above the surface of the Earth.
Interestingly enough, just two weeks later the first commercial cargo flight into space was pulled off by the California-based company SpaceX. Both of these monumental achievements of science have one thing in common: the technology used in these missions was developed by NASA. However, as of late, this once-great administration has lost its luster, primarily due to the severe budget cuts it has endured.

President Obama’s proposed fiscal budget for 2013 calls for $309 million in cuts to the former leader in the space race of the ‘60s and ‘70s. That is a 20 percent slash of funds to NASA that would have gone to future Mars exploration and other missions.
That is somber news for anyone who grew up in the “Space Age” just a few decades ago. This country used to lead the way in discovering the infinite frontier of space, eager to learn more about what else is out there.
After the historic moon landing in 1969, America wondered how long would it be before we reached Mars and beyond. Unfortunately, 40 years later, we haven’t moved far from just dreaming.
No one has even been to the moon, much less Mars, since the last Apollo mission returned home in 1972. Sure, we’ve sent a few probes and put up some telescopes since then, but the drive to reach other worlds and the focus on space has long been dead.
Why is this happening? What happened to the “America of Tomorrow” and our dreams of moon bases? Well, in short, American politics got in the way.
The current allowance for NASA is .5 percent of the national budget, compared to the 4 percent it received in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Many argue that NASA is an unnecessary expenditure, and we can’t afford to keep it going at its current level, no matter how little percent of the budget it accounts for.
Let’s take a look at military spending in the United States and see if we can perhaps give NASA some of its money. Many politicians have proposed military spending to be around 4 percent of the GDP, not including war costs. Keep in mind it is estimated that the U.S. spent $12 million a day in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It is ridiculous to say we can’t give even a small sliver of that wasteful spending to NASA. Yes, every mission may not be completely practical, but neither is buying another $600 million aircraft carrier.
I think it’s reasonable to ask our government to get rid of maybe one aircraft carrier or so to make room for NASA. If they do, the American people can start dreaming of the future again.

 

Media Advisory: Space Conference Brings Astronauts, Space Industry CEOs to Buffalo

From University of Buffalo News Center: Media Advisory: Space Conference Brings Astronauts, Space Industry CEOs to Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- NASA's famed space shuttle program ended in 2011. Private companies are heading into orbit. What does the future hold for humanity in space? What new job opportunities are on the horizon for students?

To answer these questions, the University at Buffalo's chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is hosting the nation's largest student-run space conference.

The event, SpaceVision 2012, takes place from Nov. 8-11 at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center at 153 Franklin St., Buffalo. A detailed agenda: http://spacevision.seds.org/agenda/.

UB students competed with SEDS chapters nationwide to host the conference, which serves as SEDS' annual U.S. convention. More than 250 people from across the country are expected to attend.

For a video of UB students from SEDS discussing their love for space and future career ambitions, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAvKPYMqnmg.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

WHAT: Astronaut Peggy Whitson, the 13th chief of NASA's Astronaut Office, will be available to speak to media. Whitson, who served as the International Space Station's first woman commander, will answer questions about her experience and the future of space exploration.

Students who are planning to pursue space-related careers will also be on hand to share their thoughts on the future of the space and aeronautics industry.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, Nov. 9. Following this media availability, Whitson will deliver a keynote address from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. describing her experiences and how the next generation will make a difference in the future of space exploration.

WHERE: The lobby of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.

WHY: The conference theme is "Crossroads: How Our Generation Will Take Us to the Space Frontier." This topic recognizes changes underway in the space industry, including the retirement of NASA's space shuttle fleet in 2011 and the growing number of private companies exploring everything from mining asteroids to making space travel available to the public. Whitson and the students will be able to provide distinct perspectives about the future of space exploration. Whitson's biography: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/whitson.html.

CONTACT: Media who would like to attend should contact Charlotte Hsu in UB's Office of University Communications at 716-645-4655 or chsu22@buffalo.edu, or 510-388-1831 on-site. *

WHAT: UB alumnus Chris Scolese, director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, will deliver a keynote address, enabling attendees to hear from the head of one of the nation's most critical robotic research facilities. Scolese, who attended high school in Western New York, received a BS in electrical engineering from UB in 1978.

WHEN: 8 to 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10.

WHERE: Room 106 of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.

CONTACT: Media who would like to attend should contact Charlotte Hsu in UB's Office of University Communications at 716-645-4655 or chsu22@buffalo.edu, or 510-388-1831 on-site. *

Besides Scolese, conference presenters include another UB graduate: Hussein Jirdeh, head of communications and public outreach for the Space Telescope Science Institute, who received a PhD in mechanical engineering from UB in 1988.

Landmark Moments in Private Space Exploration

This is a video which you can only see at Youtube via a computer
  
From the Wall Street Journal YouTube Channel: Landmark Moments in Private Space Exploration 

The sad thing is it's been up for about a month and only has 592 views.

 

Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly makes the case for Obama's space program

From Examiner:  Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly makes the case for Obama's space program

Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut, the commander of the last flight of the space shuttle Endeavour, and the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, offered the case for continuing the course of President Obama’s space policy in a recent piece in Florida Today. Like Gaul, his defense of the Obama space program was divided into three parts.
First, he touted a $500 million plan to upgrade launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center. Part of this seems to be a play for Florida voters, as he states that this would have the effect of “--creating new jobs to upgrade Kennedy Space Center.” Kelly did not touch upon how these upgrades would facilitate NASA launch operations.
Second, Kelly touched upon the development of the Orion Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle and the heavy lift Space Launch System. He states that this new space craft would enable American astronauts to “--to go beyond Earth’s orbit to the moon, asteroids and beyond” and coincidentally create jobs at the Kennedy Space Center. He does not mention that the Obama administration initially resisted the early development of the Orion and the SLS, these being a congressional mandate.
Finally, Kelly touts the development of the Kennedy Space Center as a commercial space port, launching spacecraft such as the SpaceX Dragon, which recently delivered supplies to the International Space Station and returned cargo to Earth. Again, Kelly touts the jobs this would create in Florida.
The one major critique of Kelly’s defense of the president’s space program is that it seems to be narrowly focused on its capacity to create jobs in Florida, considered a swing state, albeit one that seems to be, as of this writing, firmly in Mitt Romney’s column. NASA is a national space agency whose benefits should be judged by how much the effect the entire United States and not just one state. As such, Kelly’s argument seems to be undermined as it is too nakedly political.