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Summer of Safety Kickoff Planned for June 12 On Thursday, June 12 -- the last day school in DC -- the MPD will kick off the summer with activities in all seven police districts, where a calendar of events will be made available for youth. The calendar will cover all 73 days of the summer vacation for DC Public Schools students. During the summer months, it is very important for parents and guardians to involve their children and young adults in supervised activities. Through various partnerships around the city, the Metropolitan Police Department will provide several opportunities to families for the District’s school-aged youth in an effort to make 2008 the safest summer yet. There are 73 days in the summer break for the District’s public school students. During those 73 days, Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier wants to ensure that there are a variety of supervised activities and events available to District families for their children. The following programs will be offered by the police department to assist parents with providing summer supervision for their youth. Summer Jobs (Age Group: 14–18) Through a partnership with the Department of Employment Services (DOES), the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) will hire summer youth workers who are registered in the Passport-to-Work summer employment program by the April 26, 2008 deadline. Jobs will begin on Monday, June 16, 2008, and officially end Friday, August 22, 2008. This means young people who are hired from DOES will be expected to report to work on June 16th each day until August 22, (Monday through Friday). Last year’s summer employees held jobs that entailed light office work, computer work, planning outreach-to-youth events and much more. For more information about working with MPD, visit the page in this book for the Department of Employment Services or call (202) 462-6733. Camp Brown One-Week Overnight Camp (Age Group: 7–13) A partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington will make Camp Ernest W. Brown an exciting place for campers ages 7-13. Camp Brown, named after former police chief and co-founder, Ernest W. Brown is operated through a partnership agreement between the Metropolitan Police Department and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. This year, one-week camp sessions will be held beginning in July through August. The camp is located about 80 miles south of Washington, DC in Scotland, Maryland. For 71 years, Camp Brown has been a place for school-aged youth between the ages of 7 and 13 to escape the busy city for a week-long vacation. The campers stay in wooden cabins on 168 acres of land, alongside the Potomac River where they enjoy swimming, biking, fishing, listening to motivational speakers, and many other structured activities. Camp counselors include police officers who are trained to work with youth, as well as certified staff of the Boys and Girls Club. For information on the cost of the camp and financial assistance, call (202) 397-CLUB (2582), ext. 8190 or visit http://www.bgcgw.org/clubs to download the application and receive more information about the camp. Summer Day Camps (Age Group: 6–13) Through a partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), officers will visit local recreation center camp sites to conduct educational workshops on safety. For more information, dial (202) 727-8809 or (202) 462-6733. Summer of Safety 2008 Outreach-to-Youth Hotline and Activities Calendar (Age Group: 4–17) Each day, during the summer months, if a parent or guardian believes a young person is bored, a call can be made to (202) I'm-Bored, beginning June 12, 2008. This hotline, sponsored by the Metropolitan Police Department will keep families updated on summer events and activities, as well as available camps each day. The list of events will be updated nightly to provide families with supervised options for their children to support a safe summer. The events can include free summer concerts, supervised field trips, a list of free pools and other locations that are open and free to the public. The list will also include neighborhood events that are sponsored by the police department and other partners, including the Department of Parks and Recreation, (the agency that sends the Skate Mobile around the city during the summer months). For more information, dial (202) I'm-Bored or (202) 462-6733. Last Day of School Block Parties (Age Group: 4–17) On the last day of school for the District’s Public Schools, the Metropolitan Police Department will host block parties around the city to prepare parents and youth for a safe summer. Calendars will be distributed with a list of supervised activities for the summer and free food, tee shirts and other giveaways will be provided. For more information, dial (202) 727-8809 or visit www.mpdc.dc.gov/sos for more Summer of Safety (SOS) information. Meet McGruff the Crime Dog (Age Group: 4-–12) McGruff the Crime Dog, the official police mascot around the country will be available during the summer months to appear at some local events in the community, including summer camp facilities, schools and a few local neighborhood block parties. McGruff’s schedule will fill up quickly, so call to check his availability at (202) 727-8809.

The Marine Protected Areas Inventory (MPA Inventory) is now online and available for you to explore. The MPA Inventory is based on the previously developed Marine Managed Areas (MMA) Inventory, which was active from 2001-2007. MMAs are a more inclusive category of place-based management than MPAs. Now, the draft definition of "MPA" used in the Revised Draft Framework is being used as the criteria for inclusion in the MPA Inventory. The MPA Inventory will be updated as necessary when the Framework becomes final in Summer 2008. It will be a key information resource for nominating eligible sites to the national system. The MPA Inventory contains information on nearly 1,800 sites and is the only such dataset in the nation. This unique, comprehensive inventory provides governments and stakeholders with access to information to make better decisions about the current and future use of place-based conservation. Information in the Inventory is current as of December 2007. Data were collected from most federal, state, and territorial agencies and programs. For states that chose not to participate in the inventory, the MPA Center collected the best publicly available information. All information has been quality checked by the MPA Center to ensure consistent application of definitions. The MPA Center will update the inventory annually, and welcomes corrections or additional information. For questions or comments about the MPA Inventory, please write mpainventory@noaa.gov. http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/inventory.html

I am looking at the video now. View the video at YouTube.

An event for both veteran and novice documentary filmmakers to learn the ins-and-outs of filmmaking from seasoned pros. One-on-one access to dozens of buyers, funders and program executives 6 days of screenings, 89 films from 26 countries. small group meetings with industry execs in the targeted Silver Sessions. Screen exciting new docs in the state-of-the-art Silver Theatres. Email: info@silverdocs.com http://www.silverdocs.com AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 Phone: 301) 495-6766; Fax: 301-495-6798

Martha and the Vandellas immortalized the line “it’s like a heat wave burning in my heart,” in their breakthrough hit in 1963, and that’s exactly the way some stranded motorists are feeling today. As a result of the record white-hot pre-summer temperatures, AAA Mid-Atlantic is experiencing a spike in the number of calls to its Emergency Road Service (ERS) Center for assistance from the drivers of stranded, stalled and disabled vehicles. As of 5:00 p.m. today, the auto club had already received nearly 4,840 calls from distressed motorists throughout its footprint, including 1163 calls in Maryland and 1015 calls from Virginia drivers. The auto club dispatched road crews to rescue 184 hot and bothered motorists in Washington, D.C. One a typical summer day the number of service calls averages 5,600 during a 24-hour period, the auto club spokesman noted. However, the call volume is already up 4.3 percent over the same day a year ago and the area motorists are in the throes of the evening rush hour, which can exact a tremendous toll on vehicles, their drivers and their passengers in a heat wave. “Extreme heat can kill, make no mistake about it. It is a threat to children and older passengers left in cars, and it is tough on automobiles too,” said John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs. “We are seeing a lot of calls for jump starts and for towing due to overheating. The heat can leave motorists stranded in dangerous situations.” Although summer hasn’t officially started yet, the National Weather Service has posted another heat advisory and issued heat-related safety tips. The warning: “Stay out of the sun.” Temperatures are expected to be between 95 and 100 degrees both Monday and Tuesday, predicts the National Weather Service. This combined with a humid air mass will allow heat index values to reach up to 105 degrees.

The District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) will partially implement the city’s multi-agency heat emergency plan in response to the National Weather Service’s (NWS) forecast of higher than average temperatures over the next several days. The partial implementation will include the opening of cooling centers where passersby can get a drink of water and brief respite from the heat. The cooling centers will be operational from 12 pm until 6 pm today at four District government buildings – Reeves Municipal Center, 2000 14th Street, NW; Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, King Office Building, 3720 Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue, SE. and the Virginia Williams Center, 920 Rhode Island Avenue, NE. The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) hyperthermia hotline – 1-800-535-7252 – also will be activated. Residents are asked to call the hotline if they observe people on the street who are in distress as a result of the excessive heat. The department’s hyperthermia van will pick up persons in distress and take them to a shelter. NWS is forecasting temperatures in the upper eighties today with highs in the upper-90s on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Temperatures in the mid- to lower-90s are forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday before the midday high drops back to near 88 degrees on Thursday of next week. Hot weather early in the season can have a more significant impact on vulnerable segments of the population because they have not yet adjusted to warmer temperatures. This includes the elderly, infants and young children, the chronically ill and those taking certain medications. HSEMA Director Darrell Darnell said residents should limit their outdoor activities today and take precautions to ensure they are not adversely affected by the extreme heat. “In addition to taking steps to keep themselves safe during the extreme heat, residents also should be sure to check on elderly relatives and neighbors and remember to bring their pets inside,” he noted. Other recommended precautions include: * Turn on an air-conditioner or fan * DO NOT leave children or pets in vehicles * Drink plenty of water * Wear light-colored, lightweight and loose fitting clothes * If you must go outside, apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going out * Limit exposure to the sun (the sun is most powerful between 10 am and 3 pm) * Avoid alcoholic drinks and caffeinated beverages.

I am flattered. But, I am in no way suited for the job. I probably could not even handle being a neighborhood commissioner. It takes a rare breed of man or woman to handle that position. I am still on the fence on who I am going to vote for. I like Obama's charisma. I respect that at least one person from his side answered my question on Executive Privilege. All the other candidates campaign sites refused. Senator Clinton took my question off her web site. Ralph Nader did not even respond. I have not asked that question to Senator McCain yet, but I will. Whoever answers that question has my vote. The Executive Branch has become way too powerful. The 'Checks and Balances' of our government is fading away. And I will do my part to stop it from happenning.

I really like the atomsphere of the Clyde's in the MCI Center.

There is no planet alignment in 2012 or any other time in the next several decades. As to the Earth being in the center of the Milky Way, we will be rather far toward the edge of this spiral galaxy, some 30,000 light years from the center. There is no such object as Planet X. Also, there have been no unusual levels of earthquakes or solar flares or any other of the supposed precursors of terrestrial calamity. Contrary to what you see from some of these posts, nothing unusual is happening and scientists are not worried by such supposed events. Even more to the point, it is already evident that there is no large comet or looming planet bearing down on the Earth. Doomsayers seem to pop up every few years. Remember the alignment of the planets that somehow managed not to destroy the Earth. Then there was the prediction that Planet X was going to smash into the Earth in May 2000. Now the unknown planet X is in our solar system is on a very long, elliptical orbit and will hit the Earth in December 2012. This is really funny. Oh then there is the April 13, 2029 prediction that an asteroid will hit our planet. This is my son's 21st birthday. So, I am going to have a Doomsday party for him. If I have enough money, the party will be a huge monster blowout bash that everyone can enjoy.

High school teacher Mogens Winther combined his own images of the Venus transit, obtained in Denmark, with images captured in Australia by a GONG network telescope. The result, shown here, demonstrates parallax--Venus' shifting position as viewed from two widely separated locations on Earth. This is what 18th and 19th astronomers tried so hard to measure; the parallax angle could be used to calculate the distance to Venus and, thus, the size of the solar system.

When you call for an inspection use the following Telephone (202) 442-4400 Press 1 Press 2 Press 2 7:30 am through 3:30 pm No one answered at DCRA at 12:00 noon. It appears the are out to lunch. Left message.

I just called the Hillary campaign office and they stated that the location is still yet to be determined. They will announce the location tomorrow. http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/ 703.469.2008 option 4

It appears the Clinton camp is okay with the Florida count, but they do not like the ruling for Michigan. Sources say that she is considering taking this all the way to the convention. The Republicans could not have possibly wished for any better outcome.

Low turnout in Puerto Rico ended any chance of Senator Clinton winning the popular vote overall. After the weekend results, Obama has at least 2,070 delegates, less than 50 shy of the number needed for the nomination; Clinton has at least 1,914. There are fewer than 200 uncommitted superdelegates, and most are likely to go to Obama, along with the majority of those from Montana and South Dakota.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and Rules and Bylaws Committee Co-Chairs Alexis Herman and Jim Roosevelt issued the following joint statement: "Today, after careful consideration and debate, the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee reached an agreement on the two challenges before the Committee on seating delegations from Florida and Michigan. The Committee voted to seat the full Florida delegation with a half-vote each. The RBC accepted the Michigan Leadership Plan as presented today by the Michigan Democratic Party with the exception that each delegate receives a half vote. In addition, the Committee agreed that delegates from both states should be slated under Rules 5, 6, 7, and 12, outlining the candidate's right of approval. With this decision, the revised total of delegate votes needed to secure the nomination is 2,118. "This decision was not made easily or lightly but after listening to oral arguments made by the complainants, State Parties, and both presidential campaigns, we believe this to be the most fair and equitable solution allowed within the rules. The Committee arrived at its decision with three basic principles in mind: One, that we must be fair to the voters in both states. Two, that we must be fair to both campaigns who abided by the rules in good faith and three, that we must be fair to the 48 states that followed the rules. "We believe today's decision is a step forward in unifying our Party as we work together to put a Democrat back in the White House so we can bring the Iraq War to a responsible end and get our economy back on track. We want to thank all of today's presenters, members of the public - both those here today and the many others who have made their voices heard throughout the process, and supporters of both campaigns."

Scientifically verified soil test results received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with recommendations from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) indicate that Fort Reno Park arsenic levels are at background levels expected for the area and below levels of health concern. As a result, the National Park Service (NPS) has decided to re-open Fort Reno Park as of today. The NPS’ process for arriving at this decision is consistent with NPS standard protocol for seeking public health guidance. The NPS began removal of the snow fencing used to close Fort Reno Park, today, Wednesday, May 28. However, in the course of this recent additional testing by EPA to validate arsenic levels in Fort Reno Park, elevated levels of lead were found in one location inside of Fort Reno Park, within a 10-by- 15-foot oval-shaped section in the northwest corner of the 33-acre Park. The EPA informed the NPS and the District of Columbia Department of the Environment of the new, preliminary lead findings on Sunday, May 25. The area of lead contamination is fully contained within Fort Reno Park and was already closed to public access and not available to any visitors since the lead contamination information was learned. New, additional testing of this portion of Fort Reno Park will be required and until those new definitive tests are completed and verified, the 10-by-15-foot section of Fort Reno Park will continue to be closed to the public. The NPS, in consultation with the EPA, will begin remediation of the 10-by- 15-foot section of the Park, which would involve removal of all contaminated soil. The 10-by- 15-foot section of Fort Reno Park is an area that has grass and vegetation on it and is not an area that is frequented by recreational users of the Park. It is believed the lead is contained within this section of the Park. The federal public health agency reviewing the information from this Park (ATSDR) does not believe it is likely that health effects could have occurred from past exposures to this area of the Park. However, families are welcome to discuss any health concerns they have about this issue directly with their family physicians, or with pediatricians specializing in environmental health. The MidAtlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment’s website is www.health-e-kids.org; they may be contacted during regular during business hours at pehsu@gwu.edu or 202-994-1166. The ATSDR does not recommend any testing for pets that have frequented this Park. However, as a service, pet owners may chose to discuss any concerns about their pets and environmental exposure with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and its Animal Poison Control Center toll free at 888-426-4435. There is a fee for this service. The number is operational 24-hours per day. The NPS will continue to provide the public with updates regarding access status for Fort Reno Park as well as remediation, as it becomes available. Background on Arsenic Investigations at the Park The NPS’ closure of Fort Reno Park was prompted by soil-sample analysis conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at six sites at Fort Reno in April as a follow-up on research connected to an aerial photograph used to identify areas of potential arsenic contamination. Based on that monitoring, preliminary soil sample analysis was conducted using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology. The USGS reported arsenic concentrations in the soil that ranged from 100 to 1100 parts per million (ppm). These high numbers caused the Park Service to close the Park and triggered a further investigation into arsenic in the Park. The USGS has also finalized its re-testing of the original soil samples obtained on site in April, and have now confirmed that the original soil samples taken at Fort Reno range from 3 ppm to 7 ppm for arsenic. Since that initial closure, the EPA has conducted two separate series of sampling at Fort Reno. Both times, the EPA used both XRF field screening technology combined with soil samples, the latter analyzed in an EPA-approved laboratory. All of EPA’s verified results indicate that the arsenic levels at Fort Reno are at background levels for this area, and well below the EPA’s arsenic removal guidance of 43 parts per million (ppm). The USGS indicated they will try to determine testing differences during the initial analysis of the original soil samples taken and analyzed in April that caused the high results to be reported, with the USGS test results taken more recently. The USGS is confident that these recently retested and reported low levels represent the true arsenic levels for the original samples, and match the low levels also confirmed by EPA’s sampling on site for Fort Reno. Based on these recently confirmed USGS test results and the EPA test results for arsenic, the NPS then further consulted with the ATSDR to evaluate the health implications of this information. ATSDR stated that based on all the information and data available, that the low levels of arsenic confirmed and reported for Fort Reno do not present a threat to human health.

New Legislation Improves Enforcement Capabilities and Safety of Residents Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham joined DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis L. Rubin to announce proposed legislation that would effectively ban the use and sale of all consumer fireworks in the District of Columbia, except those staged by professional pyrotechnics experts. The Fireworks Neighborhood Safety Emergency Act of 2008 will help prevent the personal injury and property damage that traditionally stems from the use of fireworks by the general public. The legislation removes any exceptions to the current ban and would allow multi-faceted enforcement that includes DC Fire & EMS Department and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). "The time has come to once and for all extinguish these dangerous devices," said Mayor Fenty. "This legislation will bring us in line with neighboring jurisdictions in recognizing that the safety of our residents must be preserved." The proposed legislation expands the current district to allow direct MPD enforcement of the ban. Previously, only Fire and EMS were able to provide direct enforcement of the ban allowing MPD only secondary enforcement capabilities. Complete fireworks bans are in effect in Montgomery and Prince George's counties as well as Baltimore, Md. “This injury saving, public safety measure has great clarity and it will help a lot of people,” said Graham. Last year the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center received more than 4,000 calls in one 12-hour period during the July 4th holiday due to improper use of fireworks in the District, the same number of calls usually made in a 24-hour period. "Fireworks are not toys that can be treated casually," said Chief Rubin. "It is essential that District residents leave any handling of these combustible devices to licensed experts."

I have visited www.comcast.net this morning to report some connection issues. It appeared that the site is down with a message on the homepage saying This Site Is Under Construction and Coming Soon. Now it has a basic navigation on it front page, but no login. http://www.Comcast.net

Develop New Heavy Lift Vehicle It is critical for exploration of the Moon and Mars for NASA to be authorized to continue past development of the Ares I to a new heavy lift vehicle. NASA currently has baselined the Ares V vehicle, a new development program which will possess the capacity to launch the payloads required for lunar surface exploration.

NSS Executive Director George Whitesides testified today at a Senate Committee hearing on the NASA Reauthorization bill. He emphasized member support for the goals of the Vision for Space Exploration, the Constellation program, and the use of commercial services, as well as potential national investments like Space Solar Power. The United States is facing an economic power shift by not properly funding and outsourcing our most coveted industry. This is a must a read. ------------------------------------------------------------ STATEMENT OF GEORGE T. WHITESIDES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE, AERONAUTICS, AND RELATED SCIENCES COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION UNITED STATES SENATE Hearing on “Reauthorizing the Vision for Space Exploration” May 7, 2008 Chairman Nelson, Ranking Member Vitter, and members of the subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to share with you the views of the National Space Society on the upcoming reauthorization of NASA. I serve as the Executive Director of the National Space Society (NSS). NSS is an independent, grassroots organization with over 20,000 members, founded with the goal of promoting space exploration and development. NSS communicates the excitement and benefits of space to the public, and represents the perspectives of the space-interested public to policymakers. Our members are citizens who live and work in every state in our great country. They include a wide swath of America, from teachers, to students, to business leaders, to elected officials, to even a few astronauts. Most, however, are simply everyday citizens without ties to the space industry, citizens who understand the importance of space to our nation and its future. I am proud to represent the voices of our members to you today. In preparation for this testimony, we solicited their views on these issues, in addition to those of our board and policy committee, and the members responded with eloquent and nuanced comment on future space activities. I will share some of their words with you as part of this statement. NSS was founded over 30 years ago by a group of leading Americans that included Wernher von Braun and Hugh Downs. Their vision, and that of our current governors, such as John Glenn, Tom Hanks, and Buzz Aldrin, continues to inspire us today. The ultimate vision of the society is: While the first part of that vision emphasizes exploration and settlement of space, the second emphasizes how the resources of space can be used to improve life on Earth. These are both crucial, as Iwill discuss in more detail below, for they hold the key to the long-term future of the agency and its mission. A . The value and importance of U.S. space exploration from economic and strategic perspectives: We live in a new age of discovery, in which we learn on a regular basis of new oceans under the crust of distant moons, new planets around distant stars, and new possibilities for life beyond Earth. Our astronauts regularly perform heroic feats on orbit, as they build the International Space Station, the largest and most complex science project in history. Meanwhile, a new generation of space entrepreneurs is emerging, with plans to transform the space sector with new services and lower costs. It is an exciting time. It has been said that a thousand years in the future, our era will be remembered most for the birth of spaceflight, the moment in human history when we developed the ability to travel to space. It is humanity’s ultimate destiny to explore the universe, to develop the ability to live for extended periods off planet Earth, and eventually, to build communities in space. I firmly believe that the individuals who have advanced the space frontier during these early years will be remembered as among the greatest heroes of our era, as those who recognized the historical importance of space to our nation and the world. But we live in the present, and together we must confront three interlinked groups of challenges of our time: • Education, competitiveness, innovation and our economy; • Energy, resources, climate, and environmental protection; • Security, diplomacy, and peace. My primary message to you today is that space is a key part of the solutions to all of these presentday, national challenges. That fact is something that we do not hear enough of today, and it is critical to ongoing public support for future space activities. What America must understand is that the full breadth of NASA’s skills, people and technologies will be required to meaningfully respond to and solve the biggest challenges of our time. Our great country must apply its full abilities to solve these serious tests over the coming years: • We must inspire and educate our young people to become the scientists, engineers and innovators of tomorrow. Nothing inspires children towards the study of science and engineering like an ambitious space program that matters to our country’s future. At a time when our education system is falling behind, we must do all we can to motivate children to enter STEM careers, and to offer them jobs once they enter the workforce. • We must maintain and build our industrial base, and create innovations which build prosperity. NASA’s spaceflight capabilities are a strategic asset of the country, and its engineers and contractors have long driven critical technological advances that drive our economy. The space sector has grown to a quarter-trillion dollar global industry, and is one of the few in which the US maintains a positive balance of trade. • We must maintain and build our industrial base, and create innovations which build prosperity. NASA’s spaceflight capabilities are a strategic asset of the country, and its engineers and contractors have long driven critical technological advances that drive our economy. The space sector has grown to a quarter-trillion dollar global industry, and is one of the few in which the US maintains a positive balance of trade. We must protect the Earth’s environment, and seek to forestall rapid climate change. NASA is the world’s foremost climate science agency. Going forward, its world-class system engineering capabilities could help design solutions for climate change on a national and global scale. We must forge new alliances with allies and competitors, and strengthen our economic and national security. As space becomes increasingly important for the global economy and global security, America must lead to establish a new system for lasting peace and stability in space and on Earth. NASA can be the keystone to the future, critical to the great challenges of the present, central to solving the issues that Americans care most about. But only if we can put forward a bold program that links the needs of Earth with the potential benefits of space. The Vision for Space Exploration provides the foundation for such a bold program, and as such, it should be reauthorized by the Congress. Endorsed with bipartisan support, the Vision sets out an inspiring path towards human habitation of the Moon, Mars and other destinations in the solar system. It builds on the hard-won wisdom following the Columbia accident: that the risk faced by American astronauts deserves a worthy goal, that of exploration of the solar system. Under the Vision, an official path for human exploration beyond low earth orbit was set out for the first time in at least a decade. We would recommend that two themes within the general direction of the Vision be explicitly directed by Congress within the Authorization: • To link the work of human and robotic exploration more closely with the response to the pressing needs of planet Earth, particularly those issues related to climate and energy; • To recommit to engaging, building and using commercial space services as the preferred option for NASA’s needs whenever available. The first theme anchors the Vision to the real challenges facing America today, creating real sustainability. That, in turn, will help build public understanding and support for NASA’s mission. The second utilizes the full powers of the American entrepreneur, creating dynamics that over time will grow our economy, lower the cost of space access, and enable NASA to focus its own efforts and funds on exploration of the frontiers. Both themes will ultimately support the sustainable expansion of our civilization outward to the Moon, Mars and beyond, and the expansion of the Earth’s economic sphere to include those bodies. Ultimately, space is the main path forward to resolving the great humanitarian and environmental challenge of our time – the global disparity between rich and poor. One of our members, James Martin of Springfield Virginia, captured the real scope of the issue at hand: B . The Implications and Consequences of Any Gaps in the Nation’s Space Capabilities Curtis Schroeder of Atlanta, Georgia, wrote to me, in preparation for this testimony, Perhaps the most urgent space issue our nation faces in the next few years is the human spaceflight gap between the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the start of Constellation Program operations. This gap, right now estimated to be five and a half years, will be about as long as the gap the nation experienced between the retirement of the Apollo hardware and the launch of the Space Shuttle. Our nation’s space program survived that gap, but the environment was much different then. Where we once had a single competitor in space, we now have several. Where before we faced competition in orbital operations rather than lunar adventures, today there are three other nations orbiting hardware around the Moon, with Russia and China both expressing interest in sending humans there, possibly before Constellation’s target date of 2020. We are running the risk of falling behind in space, even if no “space race” has been declared. The consequences of the gap, as seen during the transition between Apollo and Shuttle, are well known and ominous. Loss of funding translates into a loss of NASA’s most critical assets: the knowledge, corporate memory, and hands-on skills of its people. With a loss of jobs comes a loss of economic vitality in communities like Brevard County, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana, as people move away to look for jobs and take their money and families with them. Once those people are gone, restoring diminished capabilities and communities will not be as simple as issuing a call-back after a brief layoff. Jerry Carr, Commander of the final Skylab flight – a man who knows about such issues firsthand – wrote me the following comments: Over 20 years ago, a prescient report came out following the Challenger accident, The Report of the National Commission on Space. It made a similar observation then, and today the situation is significantly more pressing: Another gap is indeed upon us. NSS believes that this committee should make that gap as short as possible, and should use multiple means of doing so. Fund Acceleration of the Constellation Program NASA and its contractor team are well on their way toward development of the Ares I launch vehicle and Orion capsule. Starting over or even stopping to re-evaluate the designs would further extend the gap. Therefore, we believe NASA should receive the resources it needs to develop the Ares/Orion architecture as it now stands. With an additional $2 billion a year, NASA could close the gap to three and a half years. This would also reimburse the agency for the expenses it sustained in adding safety systems to the Shuttle following the Columbia accident. However, many of the processes needed to develop the new Ares launch vehicles and Orion crew exploration vehicle are linear in nature and cannot be hurried along by additional money or resources. NSS asks Congress to fully fund these development efforts to meet their best-case schedules. Authorize and Fund COTS Option D In addition to supporting NASA’s current efforts to reduce the gap, NSS favors providing additional funding for commercial development of crew transportation to the International Space Station. In recent letters addressed to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, Gary Barnhard, NSS Executive Board Chairman, and Greg Allison, Executive Committee Chairman, argued for additional funding of Part D of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. We support COTS Part D because we believe that it could: • Shorten the “gap” in U.S. human space access after the Space Shuttle is retired; • Foster technological diversity and competition among the companies providing these capabilities, which also can be used to support other operations; • Allow innovative providers to use their best practices to develop and provide needed capabilities, outside traditional Government organizational or procurement channels; • Add budgetary flexibility to NASA’s ISS servicing efforts, potentially at a lower cost than NASA could do otherwise; and • Attract outside investment, if the program is properly structured. Improve Opportunities and Incentives for Commercial Space Activities As the COTS program matures, Congress can further both commercial development of space transportation systems and provide productive uses for the International Space Station after its scheduled defunding in 2016. This can be done by encouraging NASA to buy services for ISS, to conduct spacebased research, and to develop space-based education opportunities where it can to help stimulate services where none exist today. A combination of Space Act agreements and traditional contract vehicles could increase demand for commercial transportation services, fund new space ventures, and serve as a bridge between ISS’s status as a government laboratory and its future as a commercial outpost. The American taxpayer wants to know that the efforts made and money spent to complete the Station have been worth it. One NSS member, Mr. James Grosbach, wrote to me in an email: Almost as distressing as the upcoming “gap” is the projected date of 2016 as the retirement date of the ISS. My God, we’ll no sooner have the thing built than we’ll be looking at abandoning it. Funds should be made available to upgrade and refurbish ISS systems to keep it usable well into the third decade of the century! In short, NSS members believe that it is both good and proper for the nation to continue funding and using ISS as a lab for productive science and commercial ventures—either through NASA, the private sector, or a combination of the two.

Dad, We have a healthy son. Mom is happy again.

THE PHOENIX HAS LANDED!!!! Radio signals received at 4:53:44 p.m. Pacific Time (7:53:44 p.m. Eastern Time) confirmed the Phoenix Mars Lander had survived its difficult final descent and touchdown 15 minutes earlier. The signals took that long to travel from Mars to Earth at the speed of light. Mission team members at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.; Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver; and the University of Arizona, Tucson, cheered confirmation of the landing and eagerly awaited further information from Phoenix later tonight. Among those in the JPL control room was NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, who noted this was the first successful Mars landing without airbags since Viking 2 in 1976. "For the first time in 32 years, and only the third time in history, a JPL team has carried out a soft landing on Mars," Griffin said. "I couldn't be happier to be here to witness this incredible achievement." During its 422-million-mile flight from Earth to Mars after launching on Aug. 4, 2007, Phoenix relied on electricity from solar panels during the spacecraft's cruise stage. The cruise stage was jettisoned seven minutes before the lander, encased in a protective shell, entered the Martian atmosphere. Batteries provide electricity until the lander's own pair of solar arrays spread open. "We've passed the hardest part and we're breathing again, but we still need to see that Phoenix has opened its solar arrays and begun generating power," said JPL's Barry Goldstein, the Phoenix project manager. If all goes well, engineers will learn the status of the solar arrays between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time (10 and 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time) from a Phoenix transmission relayed via NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. This image was acquired at the Phoenix landing site on day 1 of the mission on the surface of Mars, or Sol 0, after the May 25, 2008, landing. The surface stereo imager left acquired this image at 17:07:41 local solar time. The camera pointing was elevation -63.4431 degrees and azimuth 39.9232 degrees.

It is finally happening http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4888310&page=1 Rural Rock Port, Mo., looks like just about any small farm town -- with mostly cattle pastures and cornfields. But there is something remarkable on the horizon. A progressive Midwest town need not worry about rising electric costs.Peeking out above the rooftops and the tree line stand four towering windmills. The sleek 40-story turbines spin like pinwheels in the afternoon breeze, harvesting Rock Port's newest crop, wind-generated electricity. The turbines now power every computer, every appliance and every light in town -- even the only traffic light on Main Street -- making this city of 1,300 the first and only in the nation to run completely on wind power.

This artist's conception depicts NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander a moment before its touchdown on the arctic plains of Mars. Pulsed rocket engines control the spacecraft's speed during the final seconds of descent. This illustration is part of an animation that can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/.../animation.html . The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Objective 1: Study the History of Water in All its Phases Currently, water on Mars' surface and atmosphere exists in two states: gas and solid. At the poles, the interaction between the solid water ice at and just below the surface and the gaseous water vapor in the atmosphere is believed to be critical to the weather and climate of Mars. Phoenix will be the first mission to collect meteorological data in the Martian arctic needed by scientists to accurately model Mars' past climate and predict future weather processes. Liquid water does not currently exist on the surface of Mars, but evidence from Mars Global Surveyor, Odyssey and Exploration Rover missions suggest that water once flowed in canyons and persisted in shallow lakes billions of years ago. However, Phoenix will probe the history of liquid water that may have existed in the arctic as recently as 100,000 years ago. Scientists will better understand the history of the Martian arctic after analyzing the chemistry and mineralogy of the soil and ice using robust instruments. Objective 2: Search for Evidence of Habitable Zone and Assess the Biological Potential of the Ice-Soil Boundary Recent discoveries have shown that life can exist in the most extreme conditions. Indeed, it is possible that bacterial spores can lie dormant in bitterly cold, dry, and airless conditions for millions of years and become activated once conditions become favorable. Such dormant microbial colonies may exist in the Martian arctic, where due to the periodic wobbling of the planet, liquid water may exist for brief periods about every 100,000 years making the soil environment habitable. Phoenix will assess the habitability of the Martian northern environment by using sophisticated chemical experiments to assess the soil's composition of life-giving elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and hydrogen. Identified by chemical analysis, Phoenix will also look at reduction-oxidation (redox) molecular pairs that may determine whether the potential chemical energy of the soil can sustain life, as well as other soil properties critical to determine habitability such as pH and saltiness. Despite having the proper ingredients to sustain life, the Martian soil may also contain hazards that prevent biological growth, such as powerful oxidants that break apart organic molecules. Powerful oxidants that can break apart organic molecules are expected in dry environments bathed in UV light, such as the surface of Mars. But a few inches below the surface, the soil could protect organisms from the harmful solar radiation. Phoenix will dig deep enough into the soil to analyze the soil environment potentially protected from UV looking for organic signatures and potential habitability.