NASA’s Jim Free shows projected launches and other milestones for NASA exploration and space operations. The March 31 date for the Ax-1 mission is new to me; it was Feb. 28.
Free says the reorg of HEOMD into separate exploration and space ops mission directorates still going through approval processes (OMB, Congress, unions), hope “in the near term” all stakeholders approve.
Current manifest of Artemis missions. Artemis 2 is mid-2024 but will depend how well Artemis 1 goes (crew selection is later this year, which is what you’d expect for a 2024 launch.) Artemis 4 is currently planned only for Gateway; after Artemis 3 next landing is Artemis 5.
NASA ISS Director Robyn Gatens says NASA-Roscosmos crew barter agreement has passed Roscosmos review and is with the Russian foreign ministry. Expect to have astronauts back on Soyuz, in exchange for Russian cosmonauts on Crew Dragon, this fall.
Some updates on other ISS issues (air leak in Zvezda, Nauka thruster firing, ASAT debris).
Gatens says CASIS is doing well managing the ISS national lab altering implementing recommendations of independent review. Starting to see more demand from ISS national lab users than resources available.
A chart by Gatens on how NASA foresees transferring current ISS activities to commercial space stations (which NASA calls Commercial LEO Destinations, or CLD).
Patricia Sanders, chair of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, mentions in committee discussion that both she and Jim Free are testifying before the House Science Committee Thursday. Good to know, since the committee hasn’t disclosed a witness list yet. science.house.gov/hearings/keepi…
Now the Science Committee releases the witness list for the hearing: William Russell (GAO), Paul Martin (NASA Inspector General) and Dan Dumbacher (AIAA) join Free and Sanders.
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