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- Written by: NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
On May 10, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, or the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, will say farewell to asteroid Bennu and begin its journey back to Earth.
During its Oct. 20, 2020, sample collection event, the spacecraft collected a substantial amount of material from Bennu’s surface, likely exceeding the mission’s requirement of 2 ounces (60 grams). The spacecraft is scheduled to deliver the sample to Earth on Sep. 24, 2023.
“Leaving Bennu’s vicinity in May puts us in the ‘sweet spot,’ when the departure maneuver will consume the least amount of the spacecraft’s onboard fuel,” said Michael Moreau, OSIRIS-REx deputy project manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Nevertheless, with over 593 miles per hour (265 meters per second) of velocity change, this will be the largest propulsive maneuver conducted by OSIRIS-REx since the approach to Bennu in October 2018.”
The May departure also provides the OSIRIS-REx team with the opportunity to plan a final spacecraft flyby of Bennu. This activity was not part of the original mission schedule, but the team is studying the feasibility of a final observation run of the asteroid to potentially learn how the spacecraft’s contact with Bennu’s surface altered the sample site.
If feasible, the flyby will take place in early April and will observe the sample site, named Nightingale, from a distance of approximately 2 miles (3.2 kilometers). Bennu’s surface was considerably disturbed after the Touch-and-Go, or TAG, sample collection event, with the collector head sinking 1.6 feet (48.8 centimeters) into the asteroid’s surface. The spacecraft’s thrusters also disturbed a substantial amount of surface material during the back-away burn.
The mission is planning a single flyby, mimicking one of the observation sequences conducted during the mission’s Detailed Survey phase in 2019. OSIRIS-REx would image Bennu for a full rotation to obtain high-resolution images of the asteroid’s northern and southern hemispheres and equatorial region. The team would then compare these new images with the previous high-resolution imagery of Bennu obtained during 2019.
"OSIRIS-REx has already provided incredible science,” said Lori Glaze, NASA's director of planetary science at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "We're really excited the mission is planning one more observation flyby of asteroid Bennu to provide new information about how the asteroid responded to TAG and to render a proper farewell.”
These post-TAG observations would also give the team a chance to assess the current functionality of science instruments onboard the spacecraft – specifically the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite, OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer, OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer and OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter.
It is possible dust coated the instruments during the sample collection event and the mission wants to evaluate the status of each. Understanding the health of the instruments is also part of the team’s assessment of possible extended mission opportunities after the sample is delivered to Earth.
The spacecraft will remain in asteroid Bennu’s vicinity until May 10, when the mission will enter its Earth Return Cruise phase. As it approaches Earth, OSIRIS-REx will jettison the Sample Return Capsule, or SRC. The SRC will then travel through the Earth’s atmosphere and land under parachutes at the Utah Test and Training Range.
Once recovered, NASA will transport the capsule to the curation facility at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and distribute the sample to laboratories worldwide, enabling scientists to study the formation of our solar system and Earth as a habitable planet.
Goddard provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona in Tucson is the principal investigator, and the University of Arizona also leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing.
Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft and provides flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace are responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
For more information on OSIRIS-REx, visit https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex and https://www.asteroidmission.org.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The unanimous vote to hire Dr. C. Richard Smith of Education Leadership Solutions came at the end of the hour-and-a-half-long meeting.
Superintendent Jill Falconer announced her plans to retire effective June 30. The board accepted her resignation at its Jan. 14 meeting.
Board Chair Dan Buffalo was concerned that the district already is late in getting into the market for a new superintendent, with recruiting often starting early in the year.
Falconer said superintendent hires usually come in three waves, with the first wave early in the year, when established superintendents move into new jobs. By late spring, the third wave arrives, and during the discussion, Buffalo noted those candidates would be less desirable.
Falconer encouraged the board to make a decision sooner rather than later to start the process.
She told the board during the discussion that she received a list of seven consulting firms that conduct searches from Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
She reached out to those firms, some of which said they were not interested in submitting a proposal.
However, two proposals came in, from Smith and from Leadership Associates of Santa Barbara, a headhunting firm that has conducted hundreds of executive searches.
Smith’s proposal estimated the search would cost $7,500 for him to complete. Leadership Associates gave an estimate of $14,500 for an all-inclusive fee, also offering a guarantee that if the new superintendent leaves within one year, it would conduct a new search at no cost except for travel and advertising expenses.
Smith, who made an appearance during the virtual meeting to answer questions, said he has only conducted one previous superintendent’s search.
That was one he and former Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook completed for the Konocti Unified School District. That search led to the selection of Dr. Becky Salato, hired just one week before the Lakeport Unified Board hired Falconer in May 2019.
During the Konocti Unified recruitment, Smith’s firm used a search committee process. His proposal for Lakeport Unified suggests doing the same.
Smith said his firm previously worked on a bond-related contract with Lakeport Unified.
The firm also was hired in January 2016 to help with formalizing the creation of the Upper Lake Unified School District, as Lake County News has reported.
Smith told the board on Thursday night that Holbrook has moved to Vacaville and he did not expect him to be part of this search process.
Board member Jeannie Markham asked about Smith’s education and career.
He said he spent five years in the US Navy before going to school to get his education degree, which led to him becoming a science teacher at Santa Rosa High School.
Smith went on to take an assistant administrator job in Ethiopia before attending the University of Kansas, where he received his doctorate in administration.
He served as superintendent of the American School in Taipei, Taiwan, worked as an executive at Stanford University and started a research institute in Washington, DC. Smith returned to California, where he was vice president of research and product development for Jostens Co., whose products include high school yearbooks and class rings, and sports championship rings.
Smith retired and moved to Kelseyville, where he and his wife have been active in working with the Kelseyville Pear Festival. He’s also worked on productions with Mendocino College’s Shakespeare at the Lake.
“In my career, I’ve hired an awful lot of people,” said Smith.
Asked by Markham about his strategy, Smith said he would work on a winnowing process that would only bring in candidates the board would seriously consider. He said they would want to prepare the interview so they know exactly what they’re looking for in a superintendent candidate.
Board member Jennifer Hanson asked if Smith is comfortable working with a committee of teachers, staff and community members.
While he said he’s not in a position to insist on it, Smith said he thinks it’s critical to include both staff and community members in the search if for no other reason than to build community support for schools.
Board member Phil Kirby, who spent decades in school administration, made clear early in the discussion that he supported hiring Smith.
Kirby moved to hire Smith and his firm to conduct the superintendent search and to authorize Buffalo to negotiate and execute and agreement with him.
Markham seconded and the board approved the motion 5-0.
Buffalo said he would contact Smith on Friday to begin those negotiations.
Smith thanked them and said that the heavy lifting in the hiring process will be on the part of the board.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The California Employment Development Department said unemployment statewide was 9 percent in December, up by 0.9 percent, with the state’s employers losing 52,200 jobs following a gain of 5,200 jobs in November.
The California unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in November 2020 and 3.9 percent in December 2019, the agency reported.
California’s slight jobless rate rise in December was the state’s first month-over rate increase since April 2020.
The report said California payroll jobs totaled 16,144,400 in December 2020, down 52,200 from December 2020, and down 1,410,000 from December of last year.
Despite last month’s losses, California has regained more than 44 percent of the 2,615,800 nonfarm jobs that were lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April, the Employment Development Department said.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide jobless rate was 6.7 percent in December, unchanged from November. The nationwide unemployment rate in December 2019 was 3.6 percent.
In Lake County, unemployment rose in December to 9 percent – matching the state’s number. That’s up from 7.2 percent in November and 5.1 percent in December 2019.
Lake County’s civilian labor force in December totaled 26,050 individuals, down from 26,640 in November and 27,320 in December 2019, according to state data.
In December, 2,560 Lake County residents were unemployed, compared to 2,070 in November and 1,470 in December 2019, the report said.
Lake County’s job sectors that showed improvement in December included total farm, up by 7.9 percent. In the total nonfarm subcategories, manufacturing rose by 6.1 percent; retail trade grew by 2.2 percent; and trade, transportation and utilities was up by 2.1 percent.
The categories with the largest decreases were state government, which dropped by 14.3 percent, while information showed an 11.1-percent decrease.
In December, Lake County ranked No. 37 out of the state’s 58 counties for its jobless rate.
Lake’s neighboring counties’ jobless rates and ranks in the latest report are Colusa, 15.5 percent, No. 57; Glenn, 7.7 percent, No. 22; Napa, 7.3 percent, No. 14; Sonoma, 6.5 percent, No. 6; and Yolo, 7 percent, No. 10.
Half of state job categories show improvement
The report said the number of Californians with jobs in December totaled 17,260,100, a decrease of 91,700 jobs since November, and down 1,469,000 from December of last year.
At the same time, the state reported that the number of unemployed Californians was 1,700,400 in December, an increase of 163,700 over the month, and up by 945,700 in comparison to December of last year.
Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 16,144,400 in December. Total nonfarm jobs decreased by 1,410,000, or an 8.0 percent decrease, from December 2019 to December 2020 compared to the U.S. annual loss of 9,374,000 jobs, a 6.2-percent decrease.
At the same time, the number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 24,300 from November 2020 to 380,800 jobs in December. The agricultural industry has lost 49,300 farm jobs since December 2019.
Six of California’s 11 industry sectors saw job gains in December:
– Construction had the state’s largest month-over increase (+31,600) thanks to strong gains in specialty trade contractors and construction of buildings.
– Professional and business services had the state’s second-largest month-over increase (+29,600) due to large gains in accounting, tax preparation and bookkeeping, as well as management, scientific and technical consulting.
– Trade, transportation and utilities rose by 8,600 jobs.
– Education and health services were up 6,100.
– Information increased 5,200.
– Government showed growth of 700 jobs.
Leisure and hospitality showed the largest month-over loss (-117,000) largely due to severe losses in accommodation and food services, which accounted for 83.2 percent of the industry sector’s overall loss, the report said.
As for unemployment claims, there were 1,007,331 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the December 2020 sample week. That compares to 1,278,220 people in November 2020 and 327,751 people in December 2019.
Concurrently, the state said 159,092 initial claims were processed in the December 2020 sample week, a month-over decrease of 9,896 claims from November 2020, but a year-over increase of 108,976 claims from December 2019.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The following dogs are ready for adoption or foster.
‘Toby’
“Toby” is a friendly senior male boxer mix.
He has a short tan and white coat.
He is dog No. 4389.
‘Yule’
“Yule” is a male husky with a black and white coat.
Yule is dog No. 4432.
‘Rudolph’
“Rudolph” is a male shepherd mix.
He has a short tan and black coat.
He is dog No. 4436.
‘Jerry’
“Jerry” is a male American Pit Bull terrier with a short brindle coat.
He is dog No. 4455.
‘Inky’
“Inky” is a male German Shepherd mix with a long black coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 4324.
‘Bumble’
“Bumble” is a male Siberian Husky with a gray and black coat.
He is dog No. 4452.
‘Breeze’
“Breeze” is a female American Pit Bull Terrier mix.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 4445.
‘Ben’
“Ben” is a male American Pit Bull terrier mix.
He has a short brindle coat.
He is dog No. 4454.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
Email Elizabeth Larson at