Monday / 16 July 2001

"Life in the Universe" Hearings Before House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. On 12 July, Dr. Neil Tyson of Hayden Planetarium, Dr. Ed Weiler of NASA Space Science, Dr. Jack Farmer of AZ University and NASA's Astrobiology Institute, and Dr. Chris Chyba of the SETI Institute, testified before the subcommittee regarding ongoing efforts to find life elsewhere in the universe. Astrobiology, a discipline defined by NASA in 1997 as the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and destiny of life in the cosmos, will become increasingly important as we venture to the Moon, solar system and beyond. Tyson spoke of the tremendous scientific and cultural implication of extraterrestrial life. "The discovery of intelligence, if and when it happens, will impart a change in human self-perception that may be impossible to anticipate," he said. Farmer provided a summary of findings thus far, and new strategies for understanding extaterrestrial life by exploring extreme environments on Earth. Chyba spoke about his work with the SETI Project. "It still remains possible that Earth is the only planet where life exists," said Chyba adding that it was an "extroardinary" possibility. "I doubt it's likely in a galaxy with 400 billion stars," said Chyba.

House Science Committee Chair Outlines Priorities. Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (Republican-New York) has been on the Science Committee since 1983, and was elevated to post of Chairman in January 2001. Recently Boehlert held a 'get to know me' briefing for reporters where he went over the agenda of science issues facing Congress. He made clear the priorities are in the areas of energy (more efficiency / alternative fuels), education (improving K-12 math / science scores) and environmental policy. However the Committee will also be handling space program issues, first of all coming to grips with ISSA financial problems. It is not expected that ISSA's partners will turn the other way because of the project's problems, but their respective roles may have to be reconsidered. Boehlert told Space.com's Leonard David that regarding NASA's overall direction, he is "the new kid on the block ... I am now giving a high priority to space and I'm on a learning curve. One thing I know is that I don't know a hell of a lot." Additionally Boehlert believes there is no scientifically compelling case to be made for spending "tons of money" to deploy a national missile defense system.

China Achieves Technology Breakthroughs on SZ-2 Mission. Major breakthroughs in materials, life, astrophysical and space environmental science experiments aboard Shenzhou-2 have been made, reported China's leading news agency Xinhua last Wednesday. Since its liftoff on 10 Jan, SZ-2 has been orbiting the Earth for over 6 months. Its Orbital Module is now in an orbit of 307.3 x 332.9 km inclined at 42.6 deg and a period of 90.9 minutes. This announcement seems to finally dismiss the speculation that the SZ-2 Descent Module may have been damaged on landing in Inner Mongolia on 16 Jan and the returned experiments have been ruined. Scientists have been receiving data from the astrophysical and space environment experiments and astronomers described that the fine result was an important breakthrough in gamma-ray astronomy in China. The spacecraft continues to conduct multidisciplinary science experiments and test various subsystems. SZ-2 mission has demonstrated that China is capable of maintaining an orbiting platform for an extended period. It will certainly advance China's goal of establishing its own human space station and launching missions to the Moon.