太空探索工程 卫星发射 剪报评论

kl90

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
All Eyes on Discovery

May 30
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians are putting the finishing touches on space shuttle Discovery one day before its scheduled liftoff on mission STS-124. Launch is set for May 31 at 5:02 p.m. EDT.

"After months of hard work and preparation, Discovery and its crew are ready to fly," said NASA Test Director Jeff Spaulding during a morning briefing on Discovery's countdown status. "All of our systems are in great shape, we're tracking no issues, and we're right on schedule for tomorrow's launch."

The weather is looking promising for launch day, according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. Isolated coastal showers may be in the area during the morning hours, but a sea breeze will develop in the afternoon, clearing the coast and causing any showers to move inland. There is an 80 percent chance of favorable weather at launch time.

This mission will carry the largest payload so far to the station and includes three spacewalks. It is the second of three missions that will launch components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and Kibo's robotic arm system. Discovery also will deliver new station crew member Greg Chamitoff and bring back Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who will end a three-month stay aboard the outpost.

kl90

NASA's Phoenix Lander Robotic Arm Camera Sees Possible Ice



TUCSON, Ariz.-- Scientists have discovered what may be ice that was exposed when soil was blown away as NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed on Mars last Sunday, May 25. The possible ice appears in an image the robotic arm camera took underneath the lander, near a footpad.

"We could very well be seeing rock, or we could be seeing exposed ice in the retrorocket blast zone," said Ray Arvidson of Washington University, St. Louis, Mo., co-investigator for the robotic arm. "We'll test the two ideas by getting more data, including color data, from the robotic arm camera. We think that if the hard features are ice, they will become brighter because atmospheric water vapor will collect as new frost on the ice.

"Full confirmation of what we're seeing will come when we excavate and analyze layers in the nearby workspace," Arvidson said.

Testing last night of a Phoenix instrument that bakes and sniffs samples to identify ingredients identified a possible short circuit. This prompted commands for diagnostic steps to be developed and sent to the lander in the next few days. The instrument is the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer. It includes a calorimeter that tracks how much heat is needed to melt or vaporize substances in a sample, plus a mass spectrometer to examine vapors driven off by the heat. The Thursday, May 29, tests recorded electrical behavior consistent with an intermittent short circuit in the spectrometer portion.

"We have developed a strategy to gain a better understanding of this behavior, and we have identified workarounds for some of the possibilities," said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, Tucson, lead scientist for the instrument.

The latest data from the Canadian Space Agency's weather station shows another sunny day at the Phoenix landing site with temperatures holding at minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit) as the sol's high, and a low of minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit). The lidar instrument was activated for a 15-minute period just before noon local Mars time, and showed increasing dust in the atmosphere.

"This is the first time lidar technology has been used on the surface of another planet," said the meteorological station's chief engineer, Mike Daly, from MDA in Brampton, Canada. "The team is elated that we are getting such interesting data about the dust dynamics in the atmosphere."

The mission passed a "safe to proceed" review on Thursday evening, meeting criteria to proceed with evaluating and using the science instruments.

"We have evaluated the performance of the spacecraft on the surface and found we're ready to move forward. While we are still investigating instrument performance such as the anomaly on TEGA [Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer], the spacecraft's infrastructure has passed its tests and gets a clean bill of health," said David Spencer of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., deputy project manager for Phoenix.

"We're still in the process of checking out our instruments," Phoenix project scientist Leslie Tamppari of JPL said. "The process is designed to be very flexible, to respond to discoveries and issues that come up every day. We're in the process of taking images and getting color information that will help us understand soil properties. This will help us understand where best to first touch the soil and then where and how best to dig."

The Phoenix mission is led by Peter Smith at the University of Arizona with project management at JPL and development partnership at Lockheed Martin, Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark; Max Planck Institute, Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute. For more about Phoenix, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/phoenix and http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu.

pfg1group

http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/si ... 7429600/7429664.stm

美国“发现”号宇航飞机从佛罗里达州肯尼迪太空中心升空，展开前赴国际太空站，为期14天的任务。

当地时间星期六（5月31日）17时02分（格林尼治标准时间21时02分），“发现”号在蔚蓝天空下发射升空，预计需时两天才抵达国际太空站。

BBC记者加拉赫在佛罗里达州报道说，“发现”号和七名宇航员的主要任务，是要把日本建造的“希望”号加压舱段运到太空站，并进行安装。

记者说，这也将象征日本走到了太空探索的前沿。

“发现”号是2008年的第三趟宇航飞机任务，也是首次采用新设计的外挂燃料缸执行的飞行任务。

这新的燃料缸是因应2003年“哥伦比亚”号宇航空难后作出的安全要求重新设计的。这主要是透过改善设计，把隔热物料在升空时脱落的机会减到最低。

日本的“希望”

“希望”号是国际太空站的第三台科学实验室。此前美国的“命运”号和欧洲的“哥伦布”号实验室都已经到位。

当“希望”号的主体舱连接到国际太空站的“和谐”号连接舱后，日本加压舱段将可从临时停靠位置搬迁到更大的日本模组上。

“发现”号这次也携带了一支33米长的机械臂，用于把“希望”号安装到合适位置，并从一个操作平台上操作实验进行。

这个平台将在明年运到国际太空站，也是“希望”号实验室的最后一个部件。

厕所难题
“发现”号此行也带备了一个新的厕所泵给太空站紧急替换。

因为俄罗斯制造的尿液收集器出了故障，国际太空站每次要两位宇航员花10分钟的时间来手动冲厕。

所幸的是，固体废物收集器仍然运作正常。

俄罗斯在得悉故障后，紧急向佛罗里达州运送一件新的厕所泵，好让“发现”号送到国际太空站应急。

“发现”号的宇航员们将进行三次、每次6.5小时的太空行走，主要是安装“希望”号实验室。

宇航员们也将为太空站安装一个氮气罐，并检查太阳能板的一处损毁。

在2010年美国的宇航飞机全面退役前，还得再执行九个航班，才能完成国际太空站的建设工程。

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080601/16/10dcv.html

（路透佛州卡納維爾角31日電）發現號太空梭今天在佛州甘迺迪太空中心（Kennedy Space Center ）的海濱發射台升空，將運送巨大的日本新研究艙到國際太空站（International Space Station）。

這趟美國國家航空暨太空總署（NASA）第123次太空梭任務展開時相當順利，倒數計時到發射時間台北今天凌晨4時02分，沒有技術性的小故障，沒有天候問題。

這個時候，地球自轉會讓太空梭的位置，距離國際太空站的距離最短。

太空梭2具推進火箭轟隆隆作響，加上太空梭3具以氫氣為燃料的主引擎，將200多萬公斤的太空梭送進空中。酬載特別沉重，因為運送的日本希望號太空艙重量達16多公噸。

太空梭指揮官凱利（Mark Kelly）說：「我們都傾向活在當下的今天，希望號給我們明天的希望。」

日本斥資20億美元的日本希望號將分三次飛行，完成組裝在太空站的任務。精緻的希望號包括3月發射升空的儲存艙、發現號搭載的主要太空艙，及預定明年送上太空的戶外陽台。

希望號主要部分是11公尺長、4.6公尺寬的金屬圓筒，佔去太空梭15公尺長貨艙大部分空間。中央社（翻譯）

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080602/1/10edd.html



美國火星探測器「鳳凰號」首次以機械臂接觸火星表面泥土。

機械臂在泥土上留下痕跡。美國太空總署的工作人員表示，首次接觸泥土，有助他們更準確操控機械臂。

探測器稍早前傳回地球的照片，顯示有類似冰塊的物體。機械臂稍後會抽取泥土及冰塊進行化驗，了解火星是否有機會存在生物。

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080603/19/10gw1.html

（法新社華盛頓二日電） 美國「發現號」太空梭今天順利停靠國際太空站（ISS），載送一輛公車大小的日本實驗室作為實驗擴充之用，同時送上太空站頻出問題、迫切需要的廁所零件。

　　發現號於兩天前在佛羅里達州啟航，今天終於和位於南太平洋上方三百三十八公里處的太空站接駁。機上七名太空人兩小時後漫步進入太空站，與三名駐站人員相擁握手。

　　美國機械專員查米托夫，在太空梭艙門開啟前，向國際太空站工作人員雷斯曼說：「你有一幢美麗的房子」。雷斯曼三個月的任務即將屆滿，搭乘發現號返回地球，查米托夫此行將接替他的任務。

　　發現號指揮官凱利在停靠前約一小時，將太空梭像雲霄飛車般翻轉到太空站下方僅一百八十公尺處，讓駐站太空人拍攝梭體底部。

　　這項三百六十度的翻轉，已成為飛行中的例行安全檢查，讓太空站人員確保太空梭無潛在重大損害。

　　太空站拍攝的照片，將回傳地球，由工程師檢查梭體隔熱罩是否出現問題。

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080603/16/10i1k.html

（路透休士頓三日電）「發現號」（Discovery）太空梭上的兩名太空人今天準備太空漫步，以著手在國際太空站（ISS）安裝日本「希望號」（Kibo）太空實驗艙。

飛行任務專家佛森姆（Michael Fossum）與賈蘭（Ronald Garan）將收回先前留在太空站上，用以檢查太空梭翼部和艙頭是否受損的一支機械臂。

由於載運日本太空實驗艙，「發現號」此次沒有安放機械臂的空間，因此在3月份的前一次任務將一支機械臂留在國際太空站上。「發現號」太空人將取回這支機械臂，送回地球。

「發現號」太空人取而代之利用一個五十英尺長機械臂一端上的攝影機，但無法達到翼部的下側。此次太空任務計劃在稍後進行進一步檢查。

2003年「哥倫比亞」號太空梭防熱罩損壞 ，導致太空梭失事墜毀，此後，檢查太空梭是否損壞即成為太空任務的例行工作。

安置體積龐大的「希望號」實驗艙是此次為期兩週國際太空任務的主要工作，將為日本在太空軌道建立一個永久實驗基地。

歷經兩天飛行後，「發現號」太空人昨天順利登上國際太空站，並受到站上太空人的熱烈歡迎與擁抱。中央社（翻譯）

kl90

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news02
Delta launch delayed until next week

The planned launch Saturday of a Delta 2 rocket with a NASA astronomical telescope is being pushed back to the middle of next week so engineers can swap out a faulty battery on a system that would be used to destroy the vehicle if it veered off course.

The rocket's Flight Termination System battery failed during routine prelaunch testing Wednesday.

NASA spokesman George Diller said the launch now is being targeted for next Wednesday. A firm date is expected later today. Thye launch window through early August will remain 11:45 a.m. EDT to 1:40 p.m. EDT.

A traditional prelaunch news briefing scheduled for 1 p.m. today is being delayed until Monday.
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Largest Station Lab Open

The joined crews of shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station took a playful tour through the newly opened Japanese Kibo science laboratory at the orbital outpost.

Outgoing flight engineer Garrett Reisman rolled up into a human ball and repeatedly flipped through the weightless environment. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko flew end-to-end through the 37-foot module just like Superman. Some 14 feet in diameter, the lab is so wide that Reisman and Kononenko demonstrated that one could get weightlessly stuck in the middle of the module if not careful.

"This is a great moment for the Japanese folks," said Akihiko Hoshide, a mission specialist with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Hoshide, 39, hung a sign in front of its hatch enscribed with the Japanese word Kibo, which means "hope." The grand opening comes after a two-decade effort to develop and launch the cornerstone of Japan's contribution to the station project.

"I'd just like to thank all the Japanese folks who have been working very, very hard. I know it's been like 20-plus years to get this module up in space," he added. "It's a beautiful module, and we have a new hope on the space station."

Hoshide floated into the lab around 5:09 p.m. EDT, holding up a sign that said "welcome" in both English and Japanese. Then he flipped it over and on the other side, there was a promotional come-on for JAXA's current astronaut recruiting program. He and mission specialist Karen Nyberg wore protective goggles, surgical masks and ear plugs until they could test the atmosphere inside the lab to make sure the pressure was at the proper level and there were no contaminants in the air.

The interior of the 16-ton cylinder looks empty. It weighs so much that experiment racks had to be hauled up inside a warehouse module that was launched aboard Endeavour in March.

"It looks pretty empty because we don't have a lot of racks inside it (yet)," Hoshide said. "But one engineer said down on Earth, 'It looks empty, but it's full of dreams,' and I really think that's what it is."

The astronauts over the next several days will transfer racks from the logistics module to the lab. Then the smaller logistics modules will be moved from the zenith port of the U.S. Harmony module to a port atop the lab, where it will serve as an attic.

The lab is the second of three major pieces of the Kibo science research lab. A pallet that will serve as a platform for experiments outside the lab will be hauled up aboard Endeavour next March.

You can watch the 14-day mission unfold right here in The Flame Trench. Simply click the Play NASA TV button at the top of the blog to launch our NASA TV viewer in a separate window, and be sure to refresh this page for periodic updates.
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Crew fixes station toilet


The International Space Station's primary potty is back up and operating after a Russian cosmonaut-turned-plumber finished an orbital fix-it job.

Station flight engineer Oleg Kononenko removed a faulty urine pump and replaced it with a spare hauled up aboard shuttle Discovery. Enviironmental control and life support system engineers at the Russian Mission Control Center then ran a trio of tests on the repaired potty. The work took about two hours to complete. good airflow quiet operation of pump..

"It's now up and running and available to the crew members on board," NASA flight commentator Rob Navias said from the U.S. Mission Control Center in Houston.

Located in the Russian Zvezda service module -- the core of the Russian segment of the station -- a pump used to collect urine broke aboaut 10 days ago, forcing the station crew to use a potty in the Russian Soyuz spacecraft that serves as an emergency lifeboat at the outpost. The new pump was rushed to Kennedy Space Center from Russia so it could be launched aboard the ongoing mission to deliver and install the Japanese Kibo science laboratory.

The toilet fix was not the only repair work on the station today. Station flight engineer Garrett Reisman and Gregory Chamitoff, the NASA astronaut who will replace him onboard the outpost, repaired a U.S. system that removes carbon dioxide from the station's cabin atmosphere.

Discovery mission specialist Karen Nyberg, meanwhile, has been outfitting the vestibule between the newly arrived Kibo module and its portside berthing port on the U.S. Harmony module. The outfitting work will set the stage for the grand opening of the Kibo module around 4:52 p.m. EDT today.

You can watch the action live here in The Flame Trench. Simply click the Play NASA TV link at the top of the blog to launch our NASA TV viewer, and refresh this page for periodic updates.

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080607/19/10rrv.html

（法新社華盛頓六日電） 美國國家航空暨太空總署官員今天表示，美國火星探測船鳳凰號近兩周前在火星進行歷史性降落後，已經蒐集到第一個火星土壤樣本，並開始進行水分及有機物分析。


這堆兩百毫升的火星泥土頂端覆蓋白色外殼。這讓美國航太總署科學家激辯這個外殼到底是冰還是水分揮發後留下的鹽沉澱物。


鳳凰號任務首席科學家史密斯在電話會議上說：「這對我們真是個重要的機會，首度能衡量火星極地土壤，這將告訴我們土壤內有多少水分，第二，火星極地土壤的礦物組成。」


他表示，特別令人好奇的是，這能查明據信藏在火星土壤底下的冰是否已經融化，且是否改變土壤成分。


鳳凰號二點三五公尺長的鈦鋁鋤耕機，昨天從火星北極挖起一堆永凍層般的泥土。


科學家表示，這堆土壤目前在挖杓內，等待「熱與排放氣體分析儀」分析。土壤進入分析儀將被封存並進行數天的分析。


這種分析儀將把樣本逐步加熱至攝氏一千度。史密斯說：「第一部是將樣本內的水分蒸發，並確定水的比例有多少。」初步檢驗結果最快下週末出爐，或許屆時也能知道這些白色礦物質到底是什麼。


史密斯表示，他並不認為白色外殼的組成物質是冰。

pfg1group

http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/si ... 7438700/7438757.stm

美国宇航局的科学家表示，他们在预测大地震方面快将取得突破，从而设立卫星地震警报系统。

研究人员表示，在大规模地震前夕，大气层的电离层会出现反常。

在5月12日汶川大地震发生前，科学家曾经在上空的电离层探测到"强烈"信号。

美国宇航局的研究人员认为，当地底的岩石块要裂开前，地表会充满电子。

这些电子将会传送到100到600公里上空的电离层。


人造卫星曾经多次探测到这种不寻常的信号，而有关地区之后就发生了地震。


台湾经验

台湾国立中央大学太空及遥测中心检视了台湾过去几十年间发生的5级以上的地震。

结果发现几乎所有发生在地表35公里深以内的地震，其上空的电离层都出现不稳定情况。

不过科学界也有很多人质疑，是否有这种反常信号就一定意味将发生大规模地震。

虽然经过长年的研究，科学界迄今未能找出一个能够准确预测大地震爆发的方法。

美国宇航局的科学家有信心他们能够找到电离层信号异常和地震之间的关系。

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中大：電離層預測地震 言之過早
http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080607/78/10r5x.html

〔記者羅正明中壢報導〕外電報導電離層能預測地震的發生，國立中央大學太空及遙測研究中心主任劉說安說，中大確實有相關研究，但對於預測地震仍有一段距離，目前仍停留在電離層與地震「前兆」是否有關的研究階段，要達到運用、實用階段，仍言之過早。


劉說安說，大氣中的電離層是一連串的動態數據，目前的技術，可以準確測量電離層的高低；電離層偏高時，與地震前兆也有某種程度的關聯性，但電離層會隨著日出、日落而變化，氣溫升高時，電離層的數值也會偏高，電離層偏高並不能直接與地震前兆劃上等號。


他強調，就像四川大地震前，曾發生大批蟾蜍集體出沒的現象，蟾蜍是否知道地震即將發生的前兆，目前仍不得而知，但蟾蜍的出現不能直接和地震劃上等號，因此這方面仍有待更多的研究才能確認。

pfg1group

http://realtime.zaobao.com/2008/06/080608_28.shtml

（华盛顿讯）美国宇航局７日说，最新传回的图像显示，“凤凰”号探测器用挖掘臂在火星上挖土成功，但没有把土送进实验用微型烤箱。

　　新华社报道，地面控制人员原以为根据他们发送的指令，机械臂会把土送入探测器携带的“热量和释出气体分析仪”的４号微型烤箱中。但根据７日从“凤凰”号传回的数据，有关仪器没有检测到有土壤样本通过烤箱门内的网筛。

　　图像显示，４号烤箱的两扇门一扇完全打开，另一扇部分开启，火星土壤散落在门四周。从图像上看，土壤似乎堵在网筛上，没能按计划漏入。

　　科学家介绍说，微型烤箱的网筛安装有振动器，可以让火星土壤的细小颗粒通过，但能防止大块土壤直接落入烤箱，造成堵塞。

　　科学家说，目前仍不清楚到底是哪个环节出了问题。如果是４号烤箱出现问题，那么“热量和释出气体分析仪”上还有另外７个烤箱可供使用。

pfg1group

http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2008-06/09/content_8328611.htm

西星卫星发射中心有关负责人透露，中国将于6月9日用长征3号乙火箭，择机发射“中星9号”卫星。目前星箭状态良好，各项准备工作进展顺利。

    中星9号”升空后，按照要求将给西部边远地区免费传输47套免费的高清和标清数字电视节目，其商业模式是向各地的卫星电视台收取卫星带宽租售费用，而对电视观众免费。

    这自然对目前每月收费24-28元的有线数字电视造成冲击。记者了解到，在去年9 月“中星9号”要发射的消息传出后，各地有线数字电视整体转换就面临反弹的局面。有上海的电视观众就表示：“卫星数字电视采取不加密的免费模式，那何必花那么多钱去搞整体转换？还不如等‘中星9号’发射后，买个‘小锅’呢”？

    另外，目前的地面数字电视也没有实现免费。其安装方式主要是在用户原有的电视上安装无线数字信号接收器，从而实现收看数字电视，收费模式为“初装费+月维护费”的形式，初装费一般在260-450元之间不等(包括室外天线、室内机顶盒等设备)，月租费大体在9-12元/月不等。

    广电总局科技司有关人士表示，“中星9号”将采取不加密方式传输节目，主要针对偏远的、看不到电视、听不到广播的农村地区，而对于其在城市是否免费目前还不好说。

    根据国务院此前颁布的《卫星电视广播地面接收设施管理规定》，个人不得安装和使用卫星地面接收设施，单位设置卫星地面接收设施的，必须由省级人民政府广播电视行政部门审批。卫星地面接收设施由省、自治区、直辖市人民政府工商行政管理部门会同国内贸易、广播电视和电子工业行政部门指定的单位销售，其他任何单位和个人不得销售。

    此前，各地的广电部门和工商部门都曾花大力气取缔非法卫星电视接收和相关设备销售行为。

    但有业界人士担心，在直播卫星时代，用于接收卫星电视节目的“小锅”只要花100多元就可以买到，而且体积比原来有较大缩小，将进一步提高有关部门打击一些观众接收卫星节目的难度。

    另外，目前，地面数字电视也即将在北京、深圳、广州等部分城市开播，未来三种接收方式之间如何定位和竞争，也还存在变数。(来源：浙江在线-钱江晚报)

pfg1group

http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/si ... 7441400/7441400.stm

参加拟议中的英美联合探月项目的科学家相信，他们的核心技术钻地火箭的试验取得了圆满成功。

这项名为"月球轻量内部及电讯试验"（The Moon Lightweight Interior and Telecoms Experiment，简称 MoonLITE）的计划2013年实现。

和派探测器在月球着陆的传统方式不同的是，这一计划准备从地球发射出绕月卫星，再由绕月卫星向月球表面反射四枚装有各种科学仪器的钻地火箭。

火箭将深入月表三米深，搭载的仪器可以发回地震活动、矿物组成、地下温度等大量数据。

五月底，英国科学家在威尔士一处保安严密的国防部试验场试射三枚这种火箭。效果大大超出预期。

这些火箭虽然看起来和普通的导弹没有什么区别，但撞上目标后并不爆炸，而是尽量保持完好，使里面的科学仪器免于受损。

"深入研究"

试验火箭被安置在1500米长的加速轨道上，射入模拟月球表面的一个沙堡。

负责这一项目的Qinetiq 公司是从英国国防部私有化出去的，他们不仅设计了这些火箭，还将负责提供火箭内的电池和通讯系统。

除美国宇航局外，欧洲航天局也对他们的成果有兴趣。

科学家们认为，和探测器着陆相比，钻地火箭可以收集星球表面以下更多信息，也更适用于地表岩石较多的、一般探测器不易安全着陆的星球及其卫星。

这方面的候选者包括太阳系中木星的卫星欧罗巴，据信其冰盖表面下可能是海洋，还有土星的卫星泰坦和恩科拉多斯。

pfg1group

http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp080611_508.shtml

宇航业面对人手短缺问题，去年底的实际空缺约5700个，比预计的多，其中以飞机维修技术人员和工程师等职位最多空缺。

　　新加坡宇航业协会去年底针对其中1万5097名宇航业职员进行的一项调查显示，如果宇航业今年继续有12%的年增长，将需另外约3000名员工。宇航业去年雇用了约1万9000名员工。调查报告解释，由于宇航业蓬勃发展，因此也提高了人力需求。

　　该协会较早前同劳动力发展局和经济发展局进行的人力调查显示，我国未来10年每年平均需约1000名新人进入宇航业，以维持新加坡的增长和作为航空枢纽的地位。

去年员工流失率达7.4%

　　去年有7.4%的飞机维修技术人员和工程师等员工离开宇航业。业者也观察到有不少员工流失到海外的现象。宇航业协会主席张有福发现，澳大利亚和中东宇航业者不时到本地招聘技术人员和工程师，前者为飞机工程师放宽了工作条例，后者则以诱人的福利配套吸引外国人才，最后招聘了不少本地业者。

　　他说：“有些公司感到担忧。他们担心，如果提供员工越多培训，他们的流动性就会越高。”

　　另外，宇航业今年和明年预计需要700多名新入行的学徒。张有福指出，他们在吸引年轻人进入这行时遇到一些问题。他认为，多数年轻人比较向往银行和金融业，他们不太能接受大学或理工学院毕业后进入宇航业，如要获得SAR-66空维修工程师执照，还要经过多3年半、薪金不高的学徒生活。

　　张有福鼓励年轻人考虑进入宇航业，因为他们在得到维修工程师执照后，就会有很多公司找上门并高薪聘请。　　

依赖外来人才维持增长
本地宇航业的外籍员工占了17%。调查报告指出，我国宇航业目前依赖外来人才来维持宇航业的增长，但是这不是长期解决问题的办法。调查报告也提醒业者，宇航业未来可能面对很严重的人力短缺问题。
　　该协会提出的一些建议是，宇航业公司设立宇航业工作招聘网站，以吸引拥有合适资格和志愿者加入；设立稳固的训练系统和文化以为长远作打算；通过现有的津贴加强培训系统，如技能发展基金(SDF)等。

　　有71%接受调查的公司表示有安排培训员工的预算，他们平均每年花408万2000元在培训上。

女性技术人员仅5%

宇航业盼更多女性入行

　　吴云诗（20岁，宇航业学员）虽然是女性，但还是积极投入以男性居多的宇航业。她说：“我喜欢维修引擎。在公司接受训练的这一年来，每天都乐在其中，因为我很喜欢我的工作！”

　　吴云诗去年从理工学院的航空工程学课程毕业后就进入了现在的公司，公司推荐她报名劳动力发展局去年新推出的宇航业技能资格鉴定(WSQ)。她是报读此鉴定课程的首批学生。

　　为了应付宇航业的人力需求，宇航业者和劳发局联合设计了这项宇航业技能资格鉴定，为航空维修与保养业技术人员提供技术鉴定。第一批学生有82人，年龄介于18岁到39岁。

　　另外，新加坡宇航业协会昨天也为新推出的宇航职业网站www.AeroCareer.sg举行推介仪式。网站旨在帮助失业者找工作并为宇航公司招募员工。超过80家宇航公司已经到网站报名，网站目前列出了约60个职位空缺。

　　劳发局副局长吴永义说，求职者在进入某个行业时，其中两个重要的考量因素是培训机会和发展潜能，劳发局就为他们提供培训机会和找寻培训供应商，因此现在也致力发展宇航业的培训系统来吸引求职者进入这个领域。他透露，劳发局正同新加坡民航局探讨设计一套培训飞机检查员的课程。

宇航业协会主席张有福受访时说，宇航业目前面对人手短缺的问题，而女性就是一个很有潜力的人力来源，他们希望吸引更多女性进入这个行业。他估计，女性目前只占了宇航业技术人员的5%。
　　吴云诗鼓励女性加入宇航业。她说：“喜欢就不要怕，不要因为全是男孩子就不进来（这行）。喜欢就加入吧！”

pfg1group

http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/si ... 7449900/7449967.stm

中国载人航天工程办公室发言人星期四（6月12日）宣布，中国将于10月份发射第三艘载人飞船。

将有3名宇航员参与这次太空飞行，同时中国宇航员将在这次飞行期间进行首次太空行走

有关当局将选出6名宇航员准备这次飞行任务，其中3名宇航员组成飞行乘组，另外3人担任候补。

任务实施期间，两名宇航员将进入飞行轨道舱，完成出舱准备活动；另一人出舱进行中国宇航员首次进行的太空行走，并完成有关空间科学实验操作。

发言人说，目前神舟七号飞船已经完成研制生产，并进行了和宇航员出舱活动有关的地面测试以及接口匹配，其他各项准备工作也进展顺利。

中国于2003年发射其第一艘载人飞船后，成为继美国和前苏联之后世界上第三个有能力发射自制载人飞船的国家，并于2007年10月发射了中国第一艘"嫦娥"号月球探测器。

kl90

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news02
STS-124 Landing Ground Tracks, 1st Opportunity





------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missing rudder clip no problem; Discovery plans 11:15 AM landing

After an unnecessary metal clip floated loose and provided a brief Friday the 13th fright, Discovery was cleared for an 11:15 a.m. EDT Saturday landing at Kennedy Space Center.

"We have determined the vehicle is completely safe," Mission Management Team Chairman LeRoy Cain said.

The 2.5-inch by 1-inch, V-shaped metal clip protects the rudder from the heat of the engines only during ascent. The metal clips are routinely lost and have even been found on the runway after landing, said Cain. Another perceived problem with an insulation blanket vanished when engineers on the ground realized Discovery's crew was viewing the blanket from an odd angle. Cain added that Discovery's thermal protection system was cleared for re-entry.

With a favorable weather forecast, NASA hopes Discovery will fire its engines at 10:10 a.m. EDT to begin re-entry for an 11:15 a.m. landing at Kennedy Space Center.

Discovery comes home with flight engineer Garrett Reisman, a scientist and baseball fan who has spent three months at the International Space Station.

"I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and using my own toilet," said Reisman, who added that he hoped his stature would help him re-adjust to being in gravity. "I've been waiting my whole life and, finally, being short is going to come in handy."

Performing three successful spacewalks, the crew delivered a 35-pound toilet pump and a 32,500-pound Japanese laboratory module to the station.

"We have a big lab of our own," said proud Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, the first to enter the 37-foot Kibo module. "This is just the beginning."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missing clip no danger to crew

The object floating away from Discovery was identified as a spring clip used to hold the rudder insulation during ascent.

An apparent rudder insulation protrusion is simply a "trailing edge splitline barrier."

"Its function is for ascent heating only," said capsule communicator Terry Virts. "We're confident there is no impact for entry."

Shuttles since STS-1 have been coming back without the clips, said Virts.
Discovery's steering jets and wing and rudder steering surfaces passed a checkout this morning in preparation for Saturday's 11:15 a.m. landing at Kennedy Space Center, where the weather looks good.

The object that floated away from Discovery was apparently one of three thermal clips inside the rudder speed brake and holds insulation on the rudder. The protrusion is not in an area that gets extremely hot during re-entry.

On their last day in space, Discovery's crew will stow equipment and prepare Garrett Reisman's recumbent seat for re-entry. Reisman has spent three months at the International Space Station.

Including the 37-foot Japanese Kibo laboratory and a 35-pound Russian toilet pump, Discovery left 34,914 pounds of cargo at the station and returns with just 2,258 pounds of cargo and trash. The space station now has the volume of a 747 jet and weighs 612,000 pounds.

NASA plans to launch ten more shuttles before the program ends in 2010. The next launch is scheduled for October.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA names new spacesuit builder

NASA today gave a contract to a Houston company to build the spacesuits that the agency would use when astronauts return to the moon.

After the financial markets closed for the day, the space agency announced Oceaneering International Inc. of Houston would be responsible for designing, developing and manufacturing the suits for the Constellation program. The deal is worth at least $183 million and extends from this year through 2014, with options to extend and expand contract.

They are the first new suits in decades for the space agency. In the image above, you can see two configurations for the prototype suit. The first (white) is for launch, entry and intravehicular activity and the second (blue) is for spacewalking work on the lunar surface. Below is an image of astronauts, engineers and scientists testing prototype suits during an exercise at Lake Moses in Washington.

[ 本帖最后由 kl90 于 14-6-2008 02:29 PM 编辑 ]

kl90

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news02
Tile looks safe; Pad 39A to be fixed

Mission Management Team Chairman LeRoy Cain said preliminary reports indicate Discovery's thermal protection system is safe for re-entry.

"The team's not worried about anything as it relates to the (thermal protection system)," said Cain at a press briefing today.

A final assessment will be made Friday. Cain also said NASA was making a plan to fix the damaged area in the flame trench at Pad 39A. Analysis showed that the bricks will not fly up and damage the shuttle.

"We don't have a debris risk," Cain said.

About 5,300 bricks were blown out of a wall in the flame trench during the May 31 launch of Discovery. Cain said NASA managers feel that part of the epoxy might not have adhered. A spray-on repair is being considered.

NASA managers will approve the final repair plan at a meeting on June 26. An Oct. 8 launch will not be delayed.

"We believe we've got more than ample time," said Cain.

Today, the crew stowed the inspection boom and the shuttle robot arm and enjoyed off time. Friday, the crew will stow equipment for an 11:15 a.m. EDT landing at Kennedy Space Center, where the weather is looking promising.

Including the 37-foot Japanese Kibo laboratory and a 35-pound Russian toilet pump, Discovery left 34,914 pounds of cargo at the station and returns with just 2,258 pounds of cargo and trash. The space station now has the volume of a 747 jet and weighs 612,000 pounds.

"Our Japanese partners are very happy and proud, as they should be," said Cain.

NASA plans to launch ten more shuttles before the program ends in 2010. The next launch is scheduled for October.

[ 本帖最后由 kl90 于 14-6-2008 02:29 PM 编辑 ]

kl90

补充下。。。。11/6/2008
Liftoff! Delta 2 rockets away from Cape

Liftoff!

The Delta 2 Heavy and NASA's newest space telescope are on their way.

Liftoff came at 12:05 p.m. The space telescope is slated to be deployed 75 minutes after launch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA's new scope now on orbit



A $690 million mission to explore the most extreme environments in the universe is getting under way in earnest.

NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope -- GLAST -- is now circling Earth in its intended orbit 301 miles above the planet after a successful launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket.

The 13-story Delta 2 Heavy blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 12:05 p.m. -- 20 minutes later than planned because of some minor trouble at an Atlantic Ocean tracking station. The 10,000-pound spacecraft separated from the second stage of the Delta 2 after a 75-minute ride into orbit.

"It's on its way," said NASA launch commentator George Diller.

The observatory will explore a violent universe where stars explode, galaxies collide and supermassive black holes spew brilliant jets of gas at light speeds. Equipped with advanced electronics and super-sensitive detectors, the spacecraft wsill be the most powerful to probe cosmic phenomena that create almost inconceivable amounts of energy invisible to the naked eye.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news02

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080614/19/1186o.html

法新社華盛頓十四日電） 美國航空暨太空總署（NASA）表示，「發現號」太空梭上的太空人今天在船艙外右後方，發現一個不明漂浮物，方向舵上也出現不明的凸出物，但都不造成大礙。


美國太空官員指出，「發現號」在執行完例行的檢查工作，準備在明天返回地球後，「太空梭上的組員表示他們看到一個長約三十到四十五公分的長方形物體，從太空梭右翼後方漂走。」


NASA在聲明中指出；「稍後組員又形容他們在方向舵左側後緣，發現一塊凸出物。」


NASA在地面上的專家研究傳回來漂流物及凸起的影像和錄影帶後，認為不會造成什麼危險，表示「發現號」「狀況良好」，仍可依原訂計畫，在明天降落佛羅里達州卡納維爾角的甘迺迪太空中心。


休士頓詹森太空中心發言人傑福斯認為，漂走的可能是方向舵上剎車器的三塊板子之一，強調「不會影響太空梭進入地球或降落的作業。」


任務控制中心在NASA電視台上指出，方向舵上的凸起是一種「典型的凸出物」，「沒什麼好擔心的」。


漂浮走的東西可能是太空梭上早已掉落的部分。

pfg1group

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080615/16/119c1.html

（路透佛羅里達卡納維爾角14日電）美國太空總署（NASA）官員表示，已經改與新的承包商合作，為新的月球探險任務打造新太空裝，新的月球探險計畫目標是要在2020年讓太空人登陸月球。


休士頓（Houston）的海洋工程國際公司（Oceaneering International Inc），擊敗探險系統與科技公司（Exploration Systems and Technology）的競爭，得到這筆合約。探險系統與科技公司是目前太空裝承包商聯合科技公司（United Technologies Corp）的漢勝公司（Hamilton Sundstrand）和ILC Dover公司的合資企業。


這筆合約價值高達7億4500萬美元，包括設計、測試、評估和製造兩款太空裝。其中一款將由搭乘NASA的新「獵戶座」（Orion）太空船太空人穿著，用來進行緊急的太空漫步，另一套是為了太空人在月球漫步穿著。


NASA預期海洋工程國際公司在2015年完成第一套太空裝，以便配合獵戶座太空船首航任務。中央社（翻譯）