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News briefs: September 13
Posted: Sat, Sep 14, 2002, 12:50 PM ET (1650 GMT)
- NASA plans to make a announcement on Monday regarding research activities on the International Space Station, the agency said Friday. According to NASA Watch, Expedition Five astronaut Peggy Whitson will be named station "Science Officer" for the remainder of her stay. The title, recommended by past reports on ISS science activities, will likely be transferred to US, not Russian, members of future expeditions, according to NASA Watch.
- The October launch of Atlantis will be the first to feature a "rocketcam" to provide views of the launch from the vehicle. The camera is mounted high on the external tank, looking down on the orbiter and the right-hand SRB. The camera is provided by Ecliptic Enterprises, which has made similar rocketcams for a number of unmanned launch vehicles.
- There are mixed signals coming out of Russia about last-ditch efforts to fly Lance Bass on the October Soyuz taxi flight. AFP reported Friday that Bass is still in Moscow, as his backers attempt to work out an agreement with the Russian space agency Rosaviakosmos. However, Interfax reported Friday that Rosaviakosmos officially notified MirCorp, the company brokering Bass's flight, that the deal was off, and that Bass would leave Moscow Friday evening. Rosaviakosmos notified the other ISS partners at the beginning of the week that Bass would not be part of the Soyuz crew.
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