NASA Internal Memo: Goddard's Buyout/Early Out Incentive Plan

"As you are aware, NASA is in the process of a major transformation designed to realign the Agency and implement the Vision for Space Exploration. To achieve this vision, NASA faces many challenges including re-shaping the NASA workforce to successfully meet changing mission requirements. In order to refocus the skill mix of our workforce to become more effectively aligned with current and anticipated funded work requirements, each Directorate has evaluated its workforce requirements and has identified eligible categories of positions that may be experiencing either a workforce surplus or that may be impacted by a possible reduction in work requirements and/or reduced funding in the immediate or near future."

Editor's note: An earlier version of this video depicting an Ares V launch of large monolithic telescope was included on NASA Watch a few weeks ago. The video has since been updated.

Obama plan: reward teachers, lengthen school time, Baltimore Sun

"Barack Obama is planning to unveil an education plan today that would make affordable pre-school programs more widely available and offer pay incentive programs for effective teachers. It would also allow schools to lengthen the teaching day or the school year. The $18 billion annual program would be offset by savings and cuts in federal agencies, including NASA. ... The cost of the early education plan would come partly from delaying the NASA Constellation Program for five years ..."

Obama's Education Rollout, MSNBC

"Though Obama called for a renewed investment in math and science education, his plan would actually pull money from the federal government's greatest investments and achievements in math and science. Obama would delay funding for the NASA Constellation program for five years, though he would maintain the $500 million in funding the program would receive for its manufacturing and technology base, in order to help fund his education policy. The campaign did not say how much money delaying the program would provide."

Obama unveils education proposal , The Hill

"A spokesman for the Republican National Committee (RNC) criticized the NASA cut. "It is ironic that Barack Obama's plan to help our children reach for the stars is financed in part by slashing a program that helps us learn about those very same stars," said Danny Diaz, RNC spokesman."

Editor's note: Let's see, the gap between Shuttle retirement and Constellations' first flight is approaching 5 years. Now Obama wants that to be ten years. I guess that means that the only way for America to reach the ISS for a decade will be aboard Russian spacecraft. That is totally unacceptable.

NASA Internal Memo: Message from the Administrator

"How many of us could take a lesson from these folks at MAF and apply it to our own work? Whether we do research, generate spreadsheets, solve equations, interpret the law, write code, do accounting, lay out wiring harnesses, calculate orbits, design structural elements, or whatever it is that we do, how many of us show the dedication to our work, without fanfare or expectation, that is demonstrated by this workforce at Michoud, technicians who spray and shape the foam on our shuttle external tanks? Some of these folks are still living in FEMA trailers, and many cannot rebuild their old homes in an area still devastated two years after Katrina. They are making these personal sacrifices in the midst of lives that are still in turmoil. Yet they keep doing what they do so well. It is incomprehensible and wonderful at the same time."

Editor's note: One of the pioneers of the space medicine, Academician Oleg Georgovitch Gazenko, passed away on 17 November 2007 after a serious illness.

Louisiana Rep. Jefferson Accused Anew, AP

Feds say case against Jefferson lists 2 more bribery schemes, Times Picayune

"Without naming the companies or individuals involved in the two additional alleged schemes, the Justice Department said that Jefferson, after agreeing to write a letter to NASA on behalf of a "Company H," asked that a relative be hired as a consultant and that the relative receive a commission for certain sales and transactions in West Africa and Central Africa. The company was looking to set up satellite communications businesses in Africa, the Justice Department said."

Original Expedition 16 image

NASA Ames ready for liftoff - Giant research park at Moffett will include office space, 1,000 housing units, Mountain View Voice

"A 5.6 earthquake was only the second thing to shake City Hall on Tuesday night, after a NASA Ames official announced the agency would be taking bids next year on a massive research park at Moffett Field that will provide homes and office space for private companies, NASA and several colleges. Michael Marlaire, NASA Ames director of partnerships, said the research park would become "a goldmine for the informal meeting" -- in other words, the casual exchange of ideas -- as college students worked and lived next to employees from NASA and companies like Google."

Company floats Zeppelin idea, Mountain View Voice

"After noticing the controversy over the Google founders' jumbo jets last month, Los Gatos-based Airship Ventures is putting out feelers to see what Moffett neighbors would think of up to 1,000 Zeppelin flights a year out of the airfield. The company aims to provide tours of the San Francisco Bay Area for $500 a person in its 264-foot Zeppelin NT airship -- which is slightly longer, but much quieter, than a Boeing 747."

Foothill-De Anza among those eyeing Research Park - Local district joins UC, San Jose State in bid to create 'super campus', Mountain View Voice

"Besides creating a consortium of federal agencies and private high tech firms, the NASA Ames Research Park at Moffett Field will include a strong educational presence — and the Foothill-De Anza Community College District hopes to get in on the game."

MPEC 2007-V70: EDITORIAL NOTICE, Minor Planet Electronic Circular

"A posting on the Minor Planet Mailing List by Denis Denisenko suggested that the object designated 2007 VN84 on MPEC 2007-V69 might be the Rosetta spacecraft. Our investigation of this possibility, using information from the Satellite Situation Center, show that this suggestion is indeed correct."

The Moon and Europe - Rosetta OSIRIS images

"As Rosetta closed in on Earth, swung by and then left on its course again, several instruments on the spacecraft were busy taking snaps. As it swung away, the OSIRIS camera also caught glimpses of the Moon."