GSLV-D5 launch was called off Aug. 19 due to leak in second stage

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), acting in partnership with NASA’s human research program, plans to establish a Center for Space Radiation Research—budgeted at $2 billion annually—to focus on the effects of space radiation on astronauts assigned to deep-space missions. NSBRI issued a request for applications (RFA) on Aug. 14, seeking proposals from U.S research teams from academia, federal research centers, the private sector and labs established by state and local governments.

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Preparing for arrival of Russia’s Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module

Lost-link complications may have contributed to the suspected crash of an unmanned aircraft taking part in a NASA environmental survey in international airspace in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska on July 26.

Space Systems/Loral (SSL) says it has been selected to build a commercial communications satellite for Latin American satellite operator Star One, a subsidiary of Brazilian telecom company Embratel. SSL announced the contract July 18, though the customer was not disclosed.

Science managers have conceded failure in attempting to restore the Kepler Space Telescope to full functionality, and will focus on what the telescope can do with only two of its four reaction wheels working. Designed to find extra-solar planets by detecting the faint flicker in light from distant stars when planets pass in front of them, Kepler lost the pointing accuracy it needs for the task when a second wheel failed in May.

COMMERCIAL CREW: NASA says it will spend $55 million in fiscal 2014 to fund new milestone payments to the three companies developing commercial crew transport vehicles under the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) effort. Boeing is due to receive a $20 million payment for a spacecraft safety review in July 2014, while SpaceX will receive the same amount for a Dragon parachute test in November of this year.