* Astronomy

Astronauts returning to the moon could be threatened by cosmic rays as a result of the sun becoming less active, scientists have said.
The sun's ability to shield the solar system from harmful radiation could falter in the early 2020s, research from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology claimed.
At about the same time, the American space agency Nasa plans to send astronauts back to the moon.

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NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida welcomed the arrival Nov. 10 of important hardware for the Ares I-X rocket's upcoming test flight.
Called the forward skirt, the component is part of the rocket's first stage. The Ares I-X launch will be the first test flight for NASA's next crew launch vehicle. The launch is targeted for July 2009 from Kennedy and will provide an early opportunity to test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I rocket.

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NASA Awards Thermal Protection Contract for Orion Spacecraft

NASA has selected The Boeing Company, Huntington Beach, Calif., to support the design and development of a lunar direct return (LDR)-capable heat shield for the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The hybrid firm fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a 16-month period of performance, with a maximum value of approximately $14 million, including all priced options.

The heat shield will protect the spacecraft and crew during atmospheric reentry following missions to the moon or the International Space Station. The heat shield attached at the base of the spacecraft will reject the majority of the heat generated during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Returning from missions to the station, Orion will re-enter at speeds similar to those experienced by the space shuttle --16,700 miles an hour. Returning from the moon, Orion will re-enter the atmosphere at speeds of about 25,000 miles an hour and experience heating about five times as extreme as missions returning from the station.
NASA’s Constellation Program is developing Orion as NASA's primary vehicle for future human space exploration. Orion will carry astronauts to the International Space Station by 2014, with a goal of landing astronauts on the moon no later than 2020.
The present Phase II contract with Boeing is a continuation of an earlier Phase I NASA effort that evaluated phenolic impregnated carbon ablator (PICA) as well as four other candidate materials using extensive testing and analysis. Boeing has been selected to provide its PICA, a proprietary material manufactured by its subcontractor, Fiber Materials Inc., of Biddeford, Maine, for continued testing and evaluation.

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced today that it has selected the Lockheed Martin team to design and build the agency’s next-generation human space flight crew transportation system known as Orion, with an initial contract value of approximately $4 billion.

Orion, an advanced crew capsule design utilizing state-of-the-art technology, is a key element of NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration, and will succeed the Space Shuttle in transporting a new generation of human explorers to and from the International Space Station, the Moon, and eventually to Mars and beyond.
In partnership with NASA, Lockheed Martin will serve as prime contractor and will lead a world-class industry team that includes Honeywell, Orbital Sciences Corporation, United Space Alliance and Hamilton Sundstrand, supporting NASA in the design, test, build, integration and operational capability of Orion.

"We are honoured by the trust that NASA has placed in the Lockheed Martin team for this historic and vital step forward in human space exploration. Our entire team is fully committed to supporting NASA as we join together to help make the vision for space exploration a reality" - Bob Stevens, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Orion will transport up to six crew members to and from the International Space Station, and up to four crew members for lunar missions. The new crew vehicle is designed to be an order of magnitude safer, more reliable, more affordable and more operationally efficient than previous human space flight systems.

"We are humbled and excited as we continue our legacy of five decades of partnership with NASA in every aspect of human and robotic space exploration. Work already is underway and we are fully focused on the vital tasks that lie ahead to meet NASA’s requirements for the program. We have a world-class team of highly dedicated, highly experienced women and men who are passionate about the success of NASA’s missions" - Joanne Maguire, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.