NASAWatch.com is raising the issue of where NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle will land
It is already clear from material in the public domain that Orion's abort scenarios see it land in the Atlantic. So the CEV has got to have airbags. Flight has also obtained landing studies and these deal with a land landing only
According to NASASpaceflight.com Orion's launch abort system could radically change - I'm trying to get confirmation of this
NASA has just posted an update for its Lunar Lander industry day, it is now on a first come, first served basis for company representatives. Previously you could have up to five people attend from each company
Looking at the broader NASA picture Aviation Week has a report about the US National Academies "midterm review" of the agency's progress in implementing the National Research Council's 2003-2013 solar system exploration decadal survey recommendations, giving the agency "passing marks for now"
While I'm on NASA topics I have heard that Commercial Orbital Transportation Services demonstration programme applicant Spacehab is to update its website with ARCTUS details on the 10 December
China apparently also has wider solar system goals other than the Moon with a Mars probe launch planned for 2009
That country caused a bit of a stir with its dodgy Moon pic earlier this week and MSNBC's Alan Boyle's Cosmic Log has the low down on what the answer probably really is
On the other side of the world Israel and India, somewhat closer to China, have denied any political interference in the delay of the Israeli satellite launch by an Indian rocket
Over at JAXA they are announcing the launch date for a broadband internet satellite
And finally, while NASA has announced a delay to its Mars Scout mission, the European Space Agency has publicised a successful Vega rocket test
And for those of you who can't wait for the next Atlantis launch, here is the last one for STS-117
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