Private Firm Advances with New
Liquid-Fuel Rocket Development (Source: Space Daily)
Orienspace, renowned for producing the world's mightiest
solid-propellant carrier rocket, is now embarking on the development of
a new liquid-fuel rocket, as revealed by the chief designer of the
upcoming model. The chief designer, Huang Shuai, outlined the details
of the Gravity 2 model on Wednesday in Wuhan, Hubei province, stating
that the new reusable rocket would come in two versions: a standard
model and an enhanced model equipped with two side boosters.
The standard model will stand 70 meters tall, have a width of 4.2
meters, and feature a liftoff weight of 715 metric tons. It is designed
for reusability, with the first core stage engineered to withstand at
least 30 uses. The rocket will have a liftoff thrust of 990 tons,
capable of transporting a minimum of 17.4 tons to low-Earth orbit or
11.9 tons to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers.
"If everything proceeds according to our plan, the rocket will be ready
for its first flight about the end of 2025," said Huang. (4/26)
Satellogic Partners with O.N.E. Amazon
to Develop the Internet of Forests (Source: Space Daily)
Satellogic announced a partnership with O.N.E. Amazon aimed at
environmental and investment sustainability through innovative
conservation technologies. The collaboration, revealed on Earth Day,
highlights the role of advanced geospatial sciences in environmental
health and preservation. The partnership focuses on the development of
the Internet of Forests (IoF), an extensive sensor network coupled with
machine learning to monitor vital environmental indicators within the
Amazon rainforest. (4/23)
NASA and FAA Unite to Advance Wildland
Fire Management Technologies (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has teamed up with the FAA to form a research transition team
dedicated to advancing wildland fire management technologies. This
collaboration is responding to an increase in frequency and scale of
wildland fires, as noted by the U.S. Forest Service. The Wildland Fire
Airspace Operations research transition team will explore and test
innovative technologies and concepts to enhance airspace integration.
This initiative is vital for enabling more effective prevention,
monitoring, and combating of extensive wildland fires. (4/22)
Scientific Projects on China's Space
Station Yield Significant Results (Source: Space Daily)
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has completed over 130 scientific
research and application projects aboard its space station, reporting
significant advancements, according to a recent press conference. Lin
Xiqiang, the deputy director of the CMSA, noted that more than 300
scientific experiment samples have been successfully returned to Earth
by astronauts in five separate missions.
Participation in these projects has included over 500 scientific
research institutes both within China and internationally, contributing
to substantial developments in areas such as space life science, space
medicine, materials science in space, and microgravity fluid physics.
This collaboration has resulted in over 280 research papers being
published in top-tier international journals. (4/25)
Tuberville: ‘If President Trump is
Elected,’ Space Command Jobs Will Come to Huntsville (Source:
AL.com)
Alabama U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville said Thursday that if former
President Donald Trump wins the presidential election in November, the
fight over Space Command’s headquarters will be settled in favor of
Huntsville. “It’s not settled. They can’t spend any money toward
expanding Space Command until this last review is done, which will be
after the election. If President Trump gets elected, there will be a
lot of employees moving from Space Command to Huntsville.” The
headquarters has been in Colorado Springs, Colo. since the command was
started. (4/25)
ESA Opens Ideas Factory to Boost Space
Innovation in Austria (Source: ESA)
A center to innovate the design and manufacture of space hardware has
today opened in Vienna. Driving commercialization in space, it is the
first of its kind of ESA-backed disruptive innovation centres outside
ESA’s own premises. Work at the centre will focus on accelerating the
development of manufacturing for space, including the rapid prototyping
of new materials, propulsion systems and making spacecraft and
satellites. (4/25)
Maritime Launch Services Signs LOI
with The Spaceport Company for Tracking and Telemetry (Source:
SpaceQ)
In preparation for its first orbital launch in 2025 from Spaceport Nova
Scotia, Maritime Launch Services (MLS) has signed a letter of intent
(LOI) with The Spaceport Company “to lease a containerized tracking and
telemetry station” with an option to purchase multiple stations. The
Spaceport Company based in Northern Virginia and founded in 2022 is
known for its ocean launching platform concept along with building
infrastructure “to solve the problem of launch site congestion.” This
includes a transportable container for their launch tracking system.
(4/25)
Astroscale Japan Selected for Phase II
of JAXA’s Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration Program
(Source: Astroscale)
Astroscale Japan announces its selection by the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) as the commercial partner for Phase II of
JAXA’s Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) program, one
of the world’s first technology demonstrations of removing large-scale
debris from orbit. The CRD2 program aims to remove an unprepared
Japanese upper stage rocket body, thereby addressing the increasingly
critical issue of space debris. Unprepared objects in orbit pose an
additional challenge as they have not been prepared with any
technologies that enable docking or potential servicing or removal.
(4/25)
US Embassy Marks 248th Independence
Day with Shared US-Saudi Vision for Space Exploration (Source:
Arab News)
The US Embassy in Riyadh celebrated the 248th anniversary of
Independence Day on Thursday with a reception hosted by US Ambassador
Michael Ratney. The ambassador welcomed guest of honor Prince Faisal
bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Riyadh Region mayor, along with Saudi
officials, and hundreds of Saudi guests, as well as visitors from
Washington, including members of the US Congress.The space-themed
Independence Day reception served as a symbolic celebration of the
future of the US-Saudi cooperation in space, highlighting the profound
benefits and possibilities of space exploration, research, and
commercial development. (4/25)
SPACECOM Boss Warns China Is Moving
‘Breathtakingly Fast’ During Pacific Visit (Source: Air and
Space Forces)
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space
Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space
during visits to Japan and South Korea.
Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first
overseas visit since taking command of SPACECOM in January. His arrival
in the region comes just a few days after the People’s Liberation Army
announced it was disbanding its Strategic Support Force as part of “a
significant reform,” wrote Brendan S. Mulvaney, director of the U.S.
Air Force’s China Aerospace Studies Institute. (4/25)
China, Latin America Entitled to Forge
Close Space Cooperation (Source: China Daily)
Considering the unfathomable expanse of the universe, Earth, the only
cosmic body we can call home, appears like a speck on a vast ocean. Yet
in the cosmic expanse, a realm of boundless possibilities and
uncertainties, lies the future of humankind. China, as a developing
country, has made significant strides in space technology, and
prioritizes cooperation with other developing countries to ensure
equitable access to space resources.
In recent years, China’s cooperation with Latin American countries in
space technology has expanded. China’s collaboration with Venezuela on
a future lunar exploration station project, including the possibility
of sending Venezuelan astronauts to China’s space station, exemplifies
this trend. China’s commitment to equitable and mutually beneficial
global cooperation ensures that the participating countries can
synchronize their access to space technology, expand the frontiers of
human knowledge and leverage China’s experience in space research to
develop their agriculture, industry and healthcare sectors, and boost
their economy. (4/26)
April 26, 2024
ISS Laboratory Looking to Spark More
In-Space Production with Grant Opportunity (Source: FNN)
Beginning today with the ISS National Lab. It’s the government funded organization which manages all non-NASA research and investigations. It recently announced a new funding opportunity for in-space production applications, which can leverage the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature new products and processes. Click here. (4/25)
New Vivid Images Show Why This is Dubbed Mars' 'Inca City' (Source: Mashable)
A European spacecraft orbiting Mars has acquired some of the most detailed images yet of a region at the Red Planet's south pole known as "Inca City." How this mysterious place earned its nickname is pretty obvious: From space, the natural grid-like pattern of pin-straight ridges, right angles, and polygons looks like the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. Click here. (4/25)
Chasing Martian Mysteries: Perseverance Pays Off When Studying the Red Planet's Atmosphere (Source: SciTech Daily)
Studying the atmosphere with NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover can be challenging! Imagine spotting an interesting cloud in a photo taken yesterday; unlike something interesting on the surface, more observations just aren’t possible, as it’s long gone by now. Or imagine trying to take a movie of a dust devil zooming across Jezero crater, when the rover’s daily activities are all planned out before the rover even wakes up. Click here. (4/22)
True Anomaly Lays Off ~30 Workers (Source: Space News)
True Anomaly, a startup that recently won a Space Force contract for a tactically responsive space mission, is laying off about a quarter of its workforce. About 30 people were laid off from the company this week, which the company said came after an assessment found "duplication of roles and functions across the company." True Anomaly raised $100 million in December and won a Space Force contract for the Victus Haze mission earlier this month. True Anomaly said the layoffs will not affect its ability to carry out that project or other work. The company is working on spacecraft intended for various military applications requiring in-orbit maneuvering and object interaction. (4/26)
Gravitics Wins Space Force Contract for Tactically Responsive Project (Source: Space News)
Gravitics, a company developing modules for commercial space stations, has won a Space Force contract. The company announced Thursday it won a $1.7 million SBIR from SpaceWERX, the Space Force's innovation arm, and the Space Systems Command's Space Safari Program Office. The contract will cover work to use the company's technologies for tactically responsive space applications. The announcement provided few details about that work, but a Space Force official said the company's module technology "offers an unconventional and potentially game-changing solution" for tactically responsive space. (4/26)
China Launches New Crew to TSS (Source: Space News)
A new crew launched to China's Tiangong space station Thursday. A Long March 2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 8:59 a.m. Eastern and placed the three-person Shenzhou-18 spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft docked with the Tiangong station six and a half hours later. The Shenzhou-18 crew of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu will relieve the Shenzhou-17 crew of Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, who have been on Tiangong since late October. Shenzhou-17 is scheduled to return to Earth April 30. (4/26)
China’s Tiangong Space Station Damaged by Debris Strike (Source: Space.com)
China will beef up its space debris procedures for astronauts after a partial loss of power on its Tiangong space station, according to state media. Astronauts on the Shenzhou 17 mission conducted two spacewalks outside the TSS, most recently on March 1. At the time, Chinese media said there had been a partial (but minor) loss of power supply after the outpost's solar panels suffered a debris strike.
"The space station's core module Tianhe had suffered a partial loss of power supply due to the impact of the space debris on the solar wing's power cables," Xinhua reported. Xinhua did not specify if the debris was from micrometeoroids or from human activity in space. Both debris types pose threats to Tiangong as well as the International Space Station (ISS). (4/24)
Cosmonauts Complete ISS Spacewalk (Source: Space.com)
Two cosmonauts wrapped up an ISS spacewalk ahead of schedule Thursday. Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub were scheduled to spend up to seven hours outside the station installing equipment, but finished their tasks in about four and a half hours. The two completed the deployment of a radar antenna on the Nauka module that was started in a spacewalk last year, installed and adjusted other hardware, and fetched a biological exposure experiment. (4/26)
NASA Graduates New Astronauts for Orion Capsule Mission (Source: Today.com)
The newest graduates of NASA’s very exclusive club of astronauts share how they are preparing for a mission to the moon and are fulfilling their dream of leading the country into a new era of space exploration. NBC’s Tom Costello reports in this week’s Sunday Spotlight with a look inside their upcoming mission. Click here. (4/21)
NASA Sets Distance Record for Optical Comms (Source: NASA)
NASA has set a new distance record for an optical communications demonstration. The Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment on the Psyche spacecraft transmitted data to Earth using a laser earlier this month from a distance of 226 million kilometers. The test was also the first time that the experiment, which had only been transmitting test data, sent telemetry from Psyche. DSOC is designed to demonstrate the ability of laser systems to provide high-bandwidth communications at interplanetary distances. (4/26)
TESS Enters Safe Mode (Source: NASA)
NASA's TESS mission is back in safe mode. The spacecraft went into safe mode Tuesday during a "routine activity," halting science operations. Engineers are investigating the problem to see if it is related to one that triggered a safe mode earlier in the month. TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, was launched six years ago to map the sky and discover exoplanets. (4/26)
NASA Shares Updated Render of the Cargo Starship Variant (Source: Teslarati)
NASA shared updated renders of the SpaceX and Blue Origin cargo landers that will bring rovers and other equipment to the Moon. In addition to landing humans, SpaceX and Blue Origin are providing cargo landers to carry next-generation Moon rovers and other equipment to the Moon under NASA’s Artemis program. These cargo landers will be capable of delivering between 26,000 to 33,000 pounds to the Moon to support future astronauts and are planned to be ready in time for the Artemis VII mission, which is currently planned for no earlier than 2031. Click here. (4/25)
If Starship is Real, We're Going to Need Big Cargo Movers on the Moon and Mars (Source: Ars Technica)
As a SpaceX engineer working on the Starship program about five years ago, Jaret Matthews could see the future of spaceflight quite clearly and began to imagine the possibilities.
For decades everything that went to space had to be carefully measured, optimized for mass, and serve an extremely specialized purpose. But Starship, Matthews believed, held the potential to change all that. With full reusability, a barn-size payload fairing, and capability to loft 100 or more metric tons to orbit in a single throw, Starship offered the tantalizing prospect of a world in which flying into space was not crazy expensive. He envisioned Starships delivering truckloads of cargo to the Moon or Mars. Click here. (4/25)
Northrop Ready to Ramp Up Solid Rocket Production (Source: Politico)
Northrop Grumman executives anticipate that the $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, recently signed by President Joe Biden, will boost domestic solid rocket motor production. "We are bullish on the opportunity to fulfill that demand through the investments we've made and the additional capacity that we can lay in for these coming months and years," said CEO Kathy Warden. (4/25)
NASA Prepares for CST-100 Starliner Launch on May 6 (Source: Space News)
The first crewed flight of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner is a step closer to launch. NASA completed a flight test readiness review Thursday for the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission, giving approval to proceed with a launch scheduled for May 6. NASA said they are only dealing with a few minor issues with the spacecraft and launch pad, but the launch will also depend on the schedule of the departure of a cargo Dragon spacecraft from the International Space Station and relocation of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to free up a docking port for Starliner. The CFT mission, flown by NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, is a final test of the spacecraft before certified by NASA for crew rotation missions to the station. (4/26)
Japan Targets June for H3 Launch (Source: AP)
Japan is targeting the end of June for the next flight of its H3 rocket. The Japanese space agency JAXA said the next launch is scheduled for no earlier than June 30 and will carry ALOS-4, an Earth observation satellite. This will be the third flight of the H3 after a failed inaugural launch last year and a successful second launch in February. (4/26)
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches the ‘Beginning of the Swarm’ Mission (Source: Teslarati)
Rocket Lab successfully launched the “Beginning of the Swarm” mission, its 47th overall yesterday. Electron took the skies at 10:32 am NZT from Launch Complex 1B on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, sending two small payloads to vastly different orbits. The primary payload was NEONSAT-1 for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Satellite Technology Research Center. This is the first of an eventual 11-satellite constellation. The secondary payload was NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3). This satellite is meant to test new materials for the boom that deploys the sail itself. Once deployed, it is about the size of a small apartment. (4/24)
Lego Reveals NASA Artemis Rocket, Milky Way Galaxy Sets Coming in May (Source: Space.com)
Get ready space fans, Lego is about to launch two new sets that can take you from the moon to edge of the Milky Way. The toy company on Thursday (April 25) revealed its upcoming Lego Icons NASA Artemis Space Launch System and Lego Art The Milky Way Galaxy sets. Both will go on sale beginning May 15. (4/25)
Artemis 1 Tree Seeds Taking Root (Source: CollectSpace)
Tree seeds flown on the Artemis 1 mission are starting to take root. The Orion spacecraft flew more than 1,000 tree seeds on that late 2022 mission, and a sapling from one of those seeds was delivered to the North Carolina governor's mansion this week by Artemis 2 astronaut Christina Koch, a native of the state. NASA is offering the seeds to educational and community organizations in a program modeled on Apollo "moon trees" grown from seeds flown on the Apollo 14 mission. (4/26)
Russian Space Junk Came Alarmingly Close to Smashing Into NASA Satellite (Source: Gizmodo)
Further analysis of a near-miss collision between two satellites in space revealed that they came even closer to one another than initially believed, raising more alarm over the growing danger of space debris. In late February, NASA’s TIMED spacecraft and the defunct Russian Cosmos 2221 nearly avoided crashing into one another, which would have added thousands of space junk fragments in low Earth orbit.
At the time, the incident was declared as “too close for comfort,” as ground observations estimated that the two satellites came within 20 meters of one another, but a NASA official recently revealed that it was a much closer encounter. “We recently learned through analysis that the pass ended up being less than 10 meters [33 feet] apart–within the hard-body parameters of both satellites,” NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said. (4/22)
AFRL Innovates with New Lightweight Additive Manufacturing for Rocket Engines (Source: Space Daily)
The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) Rocket Propulsion Division has achieved a significant milestone by designing, printing, building, and testing a unique single-block rocket-engine thrust chamber using an innovative additive manufacturing technique known as laser powder directed energy deposition (DED). "AFRL's investments in early advanced manufacturing techniques allow us to explore new areas of the design space for rocket engines and enable quicker design to testing cycles, from concept on a whiteboard to field evaluation," remarked Dr. Javier Urzay, Chief of the Combustion Devices Branch. (4/24)
Chang'e 7 Mission Set for Lunar South Pole Survey in 2026 (Source: Space Daily)
The Chang'e 7 robotic mission, under the China National Space Administration, plans to deploy six international science payloads to the moon's south pole by 2026. This initiative marks a significant phase in China's ongoing lunar exploration efforts. Announced in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, the mission aims to conduct comprehensive surveys and analyses of the lunar south pole's surface environment, including assessments of water ice and volatile elements in the lunar soil. Additionally, it will perform high-precision evaluations of the moon's terrains, compositions, and structures. (4/25)
China Expands Space Station Program to Include International Astronauts (Source: Space Daily)
China has announced its intention to expand the participation of foreign astronauts and space tourists in missions to its space station, emphasizing inclusivity and cooperation in its space endeavors. According to Lin Xiqiang, spokesman for the Shenzhou XVIII mission, this initiative aims to diversify the backgrounds of those participating in upcoming space station flights.
Three groups of astronauts have already been trained under this program, with the selection of a fourth group nearing completion. These astronauts will contribute to ongoing missions and are expected to participate in China's future lunar landing efforts. "Our astronaut team exhibits a wide range of ages and professional skills, maintaining a focus on their spaceflight objectives while excelling in mental, physical, and professional capacities," Lin stated during a press briefing at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. (4/25)
Large Cargo Landers to Boost Moon Missions for Artemis (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has commenced the development of large cargo landers under its Artemis program, with the aim of enhancing the scientific exploration capabilities of the Moon. The initiative involves collaboration between NASA and its human landing system providers, SpaceX and Blue Origin, to create landers capable of delivering substantial equipment payloads to the lunar surface.
These landers, which are based on the designs of current human lunar landers, will enable the delivery of up to 33,000 pounds (15 metric tons) of cargo, supporting extended scientific activities and the establishment of a sustainable presence on the Moon. The development of these cargo landers is slated to begin operations as part of the Artemis VII mission and beyond. (4/22)
Beginning today with the ISS National Lab. It’s the government funded organization which manages all non-NASA research and investigations. It recently announced a new funding opportunity for in-space production applications, which can leverage the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature new products and processes. Click here. (4/25)
New Vivid Images Show Why This is Dubbed Mars' 'Inca City' (Source: Mashable)
A European spacecraft orbiting Mars has acquired some of the most detailed images yet of a region at the Red Planet's south pole known as "Inca City." How this mysterious place earned its nickname is pretty obvious: From space, the natural grid-like pattern of pin-straight ridges, right angles, and polygons looks like the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. Click here. (4/25)
Chasing Martian Mysteries: Perseverance Pays Off When Studying the Red Planet's Atmosphere (Source: SciTech Daily)
Studying the atmosphere with NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover can be challenging! Imagine spotting an interesting cloud in a photo taken yesterday; unlike something interesting on the surface, more observations just aren’t possible, as it’s long gone by now. Or imagine trying to take a movie of a dust devil zooming across Jezero crater, when the rover’s daily activities are all planned out before the rover even wakes up. Click here. (4/22)
True Anomaly Lays Off ~30 Workers (Source: Space News)
True Anomaly, a startup that recently won a Space Force contract for a tactically responsive space mission, is laying off about a quarter of its workforce. About 30 people were laid off from the company this week, which the company said came after an assessment found "duplication of roles and functions across the company." True Anomaly raised $100 million in December and won a Space Force contract for the Victus Haze mission earlier this month. True Anomaly said the layoffs will not affect its ability to carry out that project or other work. The company is working on spacecraft intended for various military applications requiring in-orbit maneuvering and object interaction. (4/26)
Gravitics Wins Space Force Contract for Tactically Responsive Project (Source: Space News)
Gravitics, a company developing modules for commercial space stations, has won a Space Force contract. The company announced Thursday it won a $1.7 million SBIR from SpaceWERX, the Space Force's innovation arm, and the Space Systems Command's Space Safari Program Office. The contract will cover work to use the company's technologies for tactically responsive space applications. The announcement provided few details about that work, but a Space Force official said the company's module technology "offers an unconventional and potentially game-changing solution" for tactically responsive space. (4/26)
China Launches New Crew to TSS (Source: Space News)
A new crew launched to China's Tiangong space station Thursday. A Long March 2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 8:59 a.m. Eastern and placed the three-person Shenzhou-18 spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft docked with the Tiangong station six and a half hours later. The Shenzhou-18 crew of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu will relieve the Shenzhou-17 crew of Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, who have been on Tiangong since late October. Shenzhou-17 is scheduled to return to Earth April 30. (4/26)
China’s Tiangong Space Station Damaged by Debris Strike (Source: Space.com)
China will beef up its space debris procedures for astronauts after a partial loss of power on its Tiangong space station, according to state media. Astronauts on the Shenzhou 17 mission conducted two spacewalks outside the TSS, most recently on March 1. At the time, Chinese media said there had been a partial (but minor) loss of power supply after the outpost's solar panels suffered a debris strike.
"The space station's core module Tianhe had suffered a partial loss of power supply due to the impact of the space debris on the solar wing's power cables," Xinhua reported. Xinhua did not specify if the debris was from micrometeoroids or from human activity in space. Both debris types pose threats to Tiangong as well as the International Space Station (ISS). (4/24)
Cosmonauts Complete ISS Spacewalk (Source: Space.com)
Two cosmonauts wrapped up an ISS spacewalk ahead of schedule Thursday. Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub were scheduled to spend up to seven hours outside the station installing equipment, but finished their tasks in about four and a half hours. The two completed the deployment of a radar antenna on the Nauka module that was started in a spacewalk last year, installed and adjusted other hardware, and fetched a biological exposure experiment. (4/26)
NASA Graduates New Astronauts for Orion Capsule Mission (Source: Today.com)
The newest graduates of NASA’s very exclusive club of astronauts share how they are preparing for a mission to the moon and are fulfilling their dream of leading the country into a new era of space exploration. NBC’s Tom Costello reports in this week’s Sunday Spotlight with a look inside their upcoming mission. Click here. (4/21)
NASA Sets Distance Record for Optical Comms (Source: NASA)
NASA has set a new distance record for an optical communications demonstration. The Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment on the Psyche spacecraft transmitted data to Earth using a laser earlier this month from a distance of 226 million kilometers. The test was also the first time that the experiment, which had only been transmitting test data, sent telemetry from Psyche. DSOC is designed to demonstrate the ability of laser systems to provide high-bandwidth communications at interplanetary distances. (4/26)
TESS Enters Safe Mode (Source: NASA)
NASA's TESS mission is back in safe mode. The spacecraft went into safe mode Tuesday during a "routine activity," halting science operations. Engineers are investigating the problem to see if it is related to one that triggered a safe mode earlier in the month. TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, was launched six years ago to map the sky and discover exoplanets. (4/26)
NASA Shares Updated Render of the Cargo Starship Variant (Source: Teslarati)
NASA shared updated renders of the SpaceX and Blue Origin cargo landers that will bring rovers and other equipment to the Moon. In addition to landing humans, SpaceX and Blue Origin are providing cargo landers to carry next-generation Moon rovers and other equipment to the Moon under NASA’s Artemis program. These cargo landers will be capable of delivering between 26,000 to 33,000 pounds to the Moon to support future astronauts and are planned to be ready in time for the Artemis VII mission, which is currently planned for no earlier than 2031. Click here. (4/25)
If Starship is Real, We're Going to Need Big Cargo Movers on the Moon and Mars (Source: Ars Technica)
As a SpaceX engineer working on the Starship program about five years ago, Jaret Matthews could see the future of spaceflight quite clearly and began to imagine the possibilities.
For decades everything that went to space had to be carefully measured, optimized for mass, and serve an extremely specialized purpose. But Starship, Matthews believed, held the potential to change all that. With full reusability, a barn-size payload fairing, and capability to loft 100 or more metric tons to orbit in a single throw, Starship offered the tantalizing prospect of a world in which flying into space was not crazy expensive. He envisioned Starships delivering truckloads of cargo to the Moon or Mars. Click here. (4/25)
Northrop Ready to Ramp Up Solid Rocket Production (Source: Politico)
Northrop Grumman executives anticipate that the $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, recently signed by President Joe Biden, will boost domestic solid rocket motor production. "We are bullish on the opportunity to fulfill that demand through the investments we've made and the additional capacity that we can lay in for these coming months and years," said CEO Kathy Warden. (4/25)
NASA Prepares for CST-100 Starliner Launch on May 6 (Source: Space News)
The first crewed flight of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner is a step closer to launch. NASA completed a flight test readiness review Thursday for the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission, giving approval to proceed with a launch scheduled for May 6. NASA said they are only dealing with a few minor issues with the spacecraft and launch pad, but the launch will also depend on the schedule of the departure of a cargo Dragon spacecraft from the International Space Station and relocation of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to free up a docking port for Starliner. The CFT mission, flown by NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, is a final test of the spacecraft before certified by NASA for crew rotation missions to the station. (4/26)
Japan Targets June for H3 Launch (Source: AP)
Japan is targeting the end of June for the next flight of its H3 rocket. The Japanese space agency JAXA said the next launch is scheduled for no earlier than June 30 and will carry ALOS-4, an Earth observation satellite. This will be the third flight of the H3 after a failed inaugural launch last year and a successful second launch in February. (4/26)
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches the ‘Beginning of the Swarm’ Mission (Source: Teslarati)
Rocket Lab successfully launched the “Beginning of the Swarm” mission, its 47th overall yesterday. Electron took the skies at 10:32 am NZT from Launch Complex 1B on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, sending two small payloads to vastly different orbits. The primary payload was NEONSAT-1 for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Satellite Technology Research Center. This is the first of an eventual 11-satellite constellation. The secondary payload was NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3). This satellite is meant to test new materials for the boom that deploys the sail itself. Once deployed, it is about the size of a small apartment. (4/24)
Lego Reveals NASA Artemis Rocket, Milky Way Galaxy Sets Coming in May (Source: Space.com)
Get ready space fans, Lego is about to launch two new sets that can take you from the moon to edge of the Milky Way. The toy company on Thursday (April 25) revealed its upcoming Lego Icons NASA Artemis Space Launch System and Lego Art The Milky Way Galaxy sets. Both will go on sale beginning May 15. (4/25)
Artemis 1 Tree Seeds Taking Root (Source: CollectSpace)
Tree seeds flown on the Artemis 1 mission are starting to take root. The Orion spacecraft flew more than 1,000 tree seeds on that late 2022 mission, and a sapling from one of those seeds was delivered to the North Carolina governor's mansion this week by Artemis 2 astronaut Christina Koch, a native of the state. NASA is offering the seeds to educational and community organizations in a program modeled on Apollo "moon trees" grown from seeds flown on the Apollo 14 mission. (4/26)
Russian Space Junk Came Alarmingly Close to Smashing Into NASA Satellite (Source: Gizmodo)
Further analysis of a near-miss collision between two satellites in space revealed that they came even closer to one another than initially believed, raising more alarm over the growing danger of space debris. In late February, NASA’s TIMED spacecraft and the defunct Russian Cosmos 2221 nearly avoided crashing into one another, which would have added thousands of space junk fragments in low Earth orbit.
At the time, the incident was declared as “too close for comfort,” as ground observations estimated that the two satellites came within 20 meters of one another, but a NASA official recently revealed that it was a much closer encounter. “We recently learned through analysis that the pass ended up being less than 10 meters [33 feet] apart–within the hard-body parameters of both satellites,” NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said. (4/22)
AFRL Innovates with New Lightweight Additive Manufacturing for Rocket Engines (Source: Space Daily)
The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) Rocket Propulsion Division has achieved a significant milestone by designing, printing, building, and testing a unique single-block rocket-engine thrust chamber using an innovative additive manufacturing technique known as laser powder directed energy deposition (DED). "AFRL's investments in early advanced manufacturing techniques allow us to explore new areas of the design space for rocket engines and enable quicker design to testing cycles, from concept on a whiteboard to field evaluation," remarked Dr. Javier Urzay, Chief of the Combustion Devices Branch. (4/24)
Chang'e 7 Mission Set for Lunar South Pole Survey in 2026 (Source: Space Daily)
The Chang'e 7 robotic mission, under the China National Space Administration, plans to deploy six international science payloads to the moon's south pole by 2026. This initiative marks a significant phase in China's ongoing lunar exploration efforts. Announced in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, the mission aims to conduct comprehensive surveys and analyses of the lunar south pole's surface environment, including assessments of water ice and volatile elements in the lunar soil. Additionally, it will perform high-precision evaluations of the moon's terrains, compositions, and structures. (4/25)
China Expands Space Station Program to Include International Astronauts (Source: Space Daily)
China has announced its intention to expand the participation of foreign astronauts and space tourists in missions to its space station, emphasizing inclusivity and cooperation in its space endeavors. According to Lin Xiqiang, spokesman for the Shenzhou XVIII mission, this initiative aims to diversify the backgrounds of those participating in upcoming space station flights.
Three groups of astronauts have already been trained under this program, with the selection of a fourth group nearing completion. These astronauts will contribute to ongoing missions and are expected to participate in China's future lunar landing efforts. "Our astronaut team exhibits a wide range of ages and professional skills, maintaining a focus on their spaceflight objectives while excelling in mental, physical, and professional capacities," Lin stated during a press briefing at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. (4/25)
Large Cargo Landers to Boost Moon Missions for Artemis (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has commenced the development of large cargo landers under its Artemis program, with the aim of enhancing the scientific exploration capabilities of the Moon. The initiative involves collaboration between NASA and its human landing system providers, SpaceX and Blue Origin, to create landers capable of delivering substantial equipment payloads to the lunar surface.
These landers, which are based on the designs of current human lunar landers, will enable the delivery of up to 33,000 pounds (15 metric tons) of cargo, supporting extended scientific activities and the establishment of a sustainable presence on the Moon. The development of these cargo landers is slated to begin operations as part of the Artemis VII mission and beyond. (4/22)
April 25, 2024
Live From the Clean Room - Building
Europa Clipper (Source: NASA JPL)
Watch live as NASA's next outer solar system mission, Europa Clipper, is built and tested in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Click here. (4/22)
Signs of 'Spider' Phenomenon on Mars (Source: Phys.org)
ESA's Mars Express has snapped the telltale traces of "spiders" scattered across the southern polar region of Mars. Rather than being actual spiders, these small, dark features form when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter months. The sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at the bottom of the layer to turn into gas, which subsequently builds up and breaks through slabs of overlying ice. The gas bursts free in Martian springtime, dragging dark material up to the surface as it goes and shattering layers of ice up to a meter thick. (4/24)
Commercial Satellite from China Managed to Capture Images of the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers (Source: Zona Militar)
A commercial satellite from China known as Ku Taijing-4-03 managed to capture images of one of the United States Navy bases, showing the presence of three aircraft carriers, as well as other vessels of the fleet. In the various circulating images, three aircraft carriers can be distinguished along with more than three docks corresponding to the Naval Station Norfolk.
The Taijing 4-03, the first Chinese commercial satellite of phased-array radar imaging in the Ku band, is part of the Taijing series. These satellites play a crucial role in China’s remote sensing capabilities, offering various applications such as disaster and environmental surveillance, natural resource exploration, agricultural yield estimation, and land and maritime mapping. (4/23)
10 Ways Earth is Interconnected (Source: ESA)
On this Earth Day, we reflect on the importance of protecting our planet for future generations. Understanding the Earth system and the complex interactions that shape our planet is paramount for addressing environmental challenges, mitigating climate change, preparing for natural disasters, managing resources sustainably and conserving biodiversity.
Each component of the Earth system – from the atmosphere and oceans to land surfaces and ice sheets – influences and interacts with one another in complex ways. ESA works all-year round to provide satellite data to monitor the health of our planet. Here are 10 examples of how Earth’s systems intertwine and how satellite measurements are key to understanding these complex processes. Click here. (4/22)
Experts Suggest Using SpaceX's Starship to Rescue Stranded Samples on Surface of Mars (Source: Futurism)
The space agency announced this week that it would solicit proposals from the private space industry for "innovative designs" to return Martian samples collected and bagged by its Perseverance rover over the last couple of years. And, as Scientific American reports, SpaceX's mammoth Starship spacecraft may just fit the bill.
"Starship has the potential to return serious tonnage from Mars within [around] five years," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk suggested, responding to the announcement. "[NASA is] encouraging companies to use infrastructure built for Artemis," Casey Dreier said. "The only conclusion you can really draw from that is they’re hoping Starship somehow is the solution here." (4/20)
NASA Planning September Launch of Mars Smallsat Mission on First New Glenn (Source: Space News)
A NASA Mars smallsat mission is slated to launch in late September on the first flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, assuming the vehicle is ready in time. In a presentation on April 24, NASA's Nick Benardini listed a Sep. 29 date for the launch of Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, a pair of smallsats that will go into orbit around Mars to measure the interaction of the planet’s magnetosphere with the solar wind.
NASA selected Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to launch ESCAPADE, awarding the company a $20 million task order through the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract in February 2023 for the mission. The award at the time mentioned only a late 2024 launch, with the expectation that ESCAPADE would be on one of the first, if not the first, flight of the rocket. (4/23)
UK Spaceport Gains Another License (Source: BBC)
A spaceport in the Shetland Islands has received another license from U.K. regulators. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Thursday that it has issued a range license for SaxaVord Spaceport. That license handles airspace and maritime controls needed for launches from the facility. The CAA issued a license for the spaceport itself last December. SaxaVord Spaceport hopes to host its first launch as soon as this summer. (4/25)
TSS Could Accommodate Space Tourists (Source: Nikkei)
China's Tiangong space station could accommodate space tourists. The deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency said Wednesday that his agency would "quickly examine" allowing astronauts from other countries, including commercial spaceflight participants, to visit Tiangong. The agency didn't provide further details, or a potential schedule, about such missions. (4/25)
China on Track for Landing Astronauts on Moon by 2030 (Source: Space News)
Chinese officials say they are on track to land the country's first astronauts on the moon by 2030. Officials with the China Manned Space Engineering Office provided an update on the country's lunar exploration plans Wednesday, saying that work was proceeding well on major aspects of the architecture for a crewed lunar landing. That approach involves the launch of two Long March 10 rockets, one carrying the Mengzhou crew spacecraft and the other the lunar lander Lanyue.
The spacecraft would rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit before Lanyue takes two astronauts down to the lunar surface, where they would perform a six-hour spacewalk before returning. The crewed lunar landing mission is part of China's broader plans to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a crewed and robotic base at the south polar region of the moon. The update came ahead of the launch of the next crew to China's space station, scheduled for this morning. (4/25)
China Signs Nicaragua, Others to Lunar Base Program (Source: Space News)
China also announced new partners for the ILRS. Nicaragua formally joined the ILRS initiative, the tenth country to do so, in a signing announced as part of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Countries Space Cooperation Forum this week. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) also reached agreements with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, and the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences. CNSA separately announced new participants in the Chang'e-7 mission to the lunar south pole set for 2026, with Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand and the International Lunar Observatory Association contributing payloads to that mission. (4/25)
Russia Vetoes UN Nuclear Space Weapons Resolution (Source: Space News)
Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday regarding the placement of nuclear weapons in space. The resolution, drafted by Japan and the United States, reiterated existing prohibitions on nuclear weapons in space and called on countries not to develop such weapons. The resolution came after reports in February that Russia was developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Russia cast the only no vote, with China abstaining and the other 13 members supporting the resolution, but Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, is able to veto resolutions. The U.S. and Japan sharply criticized Russia for blocking the resolution. (4/25)
Space Force’s Saltzman: New Readiness Model ‘Fundamentally Alters’ Space Combat Prep (Source: Breaking Defense)
Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman urges service leaders to urgently implement the service’s new readiness model — a rotating training-to-operations process he says represents the “most drastic change accompanying the establishment of the Space Force.” The April 19 CSO Notice to Guardians (C-Note) stresses that the new Space Force Generation (SPAFORGEN) model to build readiness “fundamentally alters how we prepare for operations.” (4/22)
Space Force Continues Work on Civilian Space Reserve (Source: Space News)
The Space Force is still working on plans for creating a commercial reserve of private space capabilities. Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, said Wednesday that the Space Force is in the midst of figuring out how to establish such a commercial reserve, which will require intricate negotiations with satellite operators to hash out binding agreements. The Space Force first suggested last year creating a "commercial space reserve" modeled on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, allowing the Space Force to access commercial satellites in the event of a conflict. (4/25)
Lockheed Martin Projects Potential $1 Billion Loss on Classified Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin took a $100 million loss on a classified program inside its missiles and fire control unit and could rack up an additional $225 million in losses by the end of the year. News of the classified program loss comes on the heels of a major win on the Next Generation Interceptor program by Lockheed’s space unit, which beat out Northrop Grumman. (4/23)
Non-Geostationary Orbit Constellations Redefining the High Throughput Satellites Market Landscape (Source: NovaSpace)
Significant and ongoing transformations in the High Throughput Satellites (HTS) market are confirmed in the 7th edition of the High Throughput Satellites; report from leading space consulting and market intelligence firm Novaspace, a merger between Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners. The report underscores the pivotal role of Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations in reshaping the satellite connectivity industry, with the latter to emerge as the primary driver in coming years.
Novaspace’s report reveals that to date, approximately three quarters of the 50+ active satellite ,operators have invested in HTS systems. The vast majority of HTS players have satellites in GEO orbit. Despite the NGSO potential, high capital expenditure (CapEx) requirements remain a significant barrier for most players, with investments typically between $2-4 billion and exceeding $10 billion for a megaconstellation. As a result, only a select few of the ‘leading’ satellite operators are pursuing plans for full NGSO constellations, with three expected to be operational during 2024. This includes SpaceX’s Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and O3b mPOWER from SES. (4/25)
Researchers Detect a New Molecule in Space (Source: Phys.org)
New research from the group of MIT Professor Brett McGuire has revealed the presence of a previously unknown molecule in space. To detect this molecule using radio telescope observations, the group first needed to measure and analyze its rotational spectrum on Earth. The researchers combined experiments from the University of Lille (Lille, France), the New College of Florida (Sarasota, Florida), and the McGuire lab at MIT to measure this spectrum over a broadband region of frequencies ranging from the microwave to sub-millimeter wave regimes (approximately 8 to 500 gigahertz).
"Ultimately, we observed 25 rotational lines of 2-methoxyethanol that lined up with the molecular signal observed toward NGC 6334I (the barcode matched), thus resulting in a secure detection of 2-methoxyethanol in this source." (4/23)
RTX to Focus on Satellite Components Business (Source: Defense One)
RTX (formerly Raytheon) has decided not to compete as a prime contractor in building satellites, shifting its focus to supplying components to other companies, according to RTX President and COO Chris Calio. This strategic pivot leverages RTX's historical strengths in critical space components. (4/23)
Starfighters Space Reports Progress Toward Air Launch, Hypersonic Programs Support (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space, operating the only commercial fleet of Mach-2+ aircraft in the world, with the capability to air-launch payloads at altitude, delivered its Q1 2024 update and shareholder guidance. “With new contracts, fleet upgrades and spaceport expansion opportunities, we continue to lay a strong foundation on the ground so that we can execute in the sky,” said Founder and CEO Rick Svetkoff. “We are now well off the drawing board and deep into the real-world execution on a range of critical initiatives.”
The company is transitioning to a Phase II Contract on “HyCat”, with a goal of allowing any federal agency to access Starfighters resources with a simple PO. Under the Atlas project, Starfighters is expanding a relationship with GE Aerospace for flight testing. Starfighters is also negotiating an Air Force project to provide an airborne testing platform. And, after completing a captive carry test, Starfighters is moving forward with its StarLaunch I program, with a drop test planned in September to advance plans for air-launch operations. Starfighters has hired of David Whitney as the company's CFO, and has completed a PCAOB audit. (4/24)
Robotic Helpers Test New Technology on the Space Station (Source: CASIS)
Engineering firm Bosch partnered with aerospace company Astrobotic to use the Astrobees to test smart microphone technology that can identify anomalies in spacecraft and other equipment by making sense of sounds. In another project, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the German Space Agency used the robots to test algorithms and technology that could help recover tumbling satellites in space. (4/24)
Ariane 6 to Launch OOV-Cube Mission with Internet of Things Applications (Source: Space Daily)
The Ariane 6 inaugural flight will feature a diverse range of payloads, from satellites scrutinizing Earth to those venturing into deep space, highlighting the new rocket's capability to handle versatile missions. Among the missions, the OOV-Cube (On Orbit Verification Cube), a 25-by-25 cm nanosatellite developed by the Technical University of Berlin and RapidCubes, will be placed into a low Earth orbit at 580 km altitude. OOV-Cube aims to integrate wildlife tracking with advanced Internet of Things technology. This mission encompasses multiple experiments designed to open new possibilities for small satellite constellations. (4/24)
Collaboration to Bolster Satellite Ground Station Capabilities in Southeast Asia (Source: Space Daily)
Thailand's mu Space and Advance Technology and RBC Signals International have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as of March 1, 2024. This agreement initiates a partnership to develop Satellite Ground Station Facilities in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. (4/24)
Asterra Debuts Groundbreaking L-Band SAR API for Commercial Use (Source: Space Daily)
ASTERRA has introduced a new application programming interface (API), which expands the capabilities of SAR analytics by enabling collaboration with partners. This marks ASTERRA as the sole commercial provider of L-band SAR analytics technology with an open API for integration with Earth observation and GIS partners, thereby enhancing the overall solution. (4/24)
China Emphasizes Commitment to Peaceful Space Activities (Source: Space Daily)
China has reaffirmed its dedication to the peaceful use of space, according to a recent statement by the Ministry of National Defense. The declaration was made last Friday, emphasizing the role of China's Aerospace Force. "The space domain is humanity's communal asset, and ensuring its security is vital for both national and societal progression," stated Wu Qian, the ministry's spokesperson.
He highlighted the importance of the Aerospace Force in maintaining safety and transparency in space operations, which is crucial for crisis management and effective governance. "Building the Aerospace Force is key to our ability to navigate space safely and to use it openly, which is critical for the peaceful exploration and use of this domain," Wu added. (4/22)
West Needs to Divest From China to Avoid Space Wars, Rocket Scientist Warns (Source: Epoch Times)
A leading American rocket scientist says the United States and its like-minded allies still have an opportunity to cripple China’s rapid weaponization of space, which is reliant on ongoing foreign investment, to prevent a potential war breaking out in space. However, that window of opportunity is closing. ULA's Tory Bruno told lawmakers the CCP, after investing billions of dollars and years of effort, now has four to five times as many rockets, launch sites, and space personnel as the US.
They have been able to achieve this primarily through technology mostly stolen from the United States, but also due to the vast volume of Western investment dollars that have flowed into China since the 2000s. He advocated for Congress to create the right conditions for private enterprise to compete for space contracts, allowing America’s entrepreneurs to “commercialize as much of these capabilities as possible” in order to free themselves from the fluctuations of NASA’s budget.
“We can’t out-centrally-plan China but what we can do is we can out-entrepreneur China, and that’s where the innovation takes place,” he said. Mr. Bruno also urged Congress to end China’s access to the U.S. technologies needed by their acquired capabilities. “While they have developed space weapons of novel types, they remain very, very dependent on acquiring technology from the United States on an ongoing basis, so this must be curtailed as well,” he said. (4/23)
Watch live as NASA's next outer solar system mission, Europa Clipper, is built and tested in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Click here. (4/22)
Signs of 'Spider' Phenomenon on Mars (Source: Phys.org)
ESA's Mars Express has snapped the telltale traces of "spiders" scattered across the southern polar region of Mars. Rather than being actual spiders, these small, dark features form when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter months. The sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at the bottom of the layer to turn into gas, which subsequently builds up and breaks through slabs of overlying ice. The gas bursts free in Martian springtime, dragging dark material up to the surface as it goes and shattering layers of ice up to a meter thick. (4/24)
Commercial Satellite from China Managed to Capture Images of the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers (Source: Zona Militar)
A commercial satellite from China known as Ku Taijing-4-03 managed to capture images of one of the United States Navy bases, showing the presence of three aircraft carriers, as well as other vessels of the fleet. In the various circulating images, three aircraft carriers can be distinguished along with more than three docks corresponding to the Naval Station Norfolk.
The Taijing 4-03, the first Chinese commercial satellite of phased-array radar imaging in the Ku band, is part of the Taijing series. These satellites play a crucial role in China’s remote sensing capabilities, offering various applications such as disaster and environmental surveillance, natural resource exploration, agricultural yield estimation, and land and maritime mapping. (4/23)
10 Ways Earth is Interconnected (Source: ESA)
On this Earth Day, we reflect on the importance of protecting our planet for future generations. Understanding the Earth system and the complex interactions that shape our planet is paramount for addressing environmental challenges, mitigating climate change, preparing for natural disasters, managing resources sustainably and conserving biodiversity.
Each component of the Earth system – from the atmosphere and oceans to land surfaces and ice sheets – influences and interacts with one another in complex ways. ESA works all-year round to provide satellite data to monitor the health of our planet. Here are 10 examples of how Earth’s systems intertwine and how satellite measurements are key to understanding these complex processes. Click here. (4/22)
Experts Suggest Using SpaceX's Starship to Rescue Stranded Samples on Surface of Mars (Source: Futurism)
The space agency announced this week that it would solicit proposals from the private space industry for "innovative designs" to return Martian samples collected and bagged by its Perseverance rover over the last couple of years. And, as Scientific American reports, SpaceX's mammoth Starship spacecraft may just fit the bill.
"Starship has the potential to return serious tonnage from Mars within [around] five years," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk suggested, responding to the announcement. "[NASA is] encouraging companies to use infrastructure built for Artemis," Casey Dreier said. "The only conclusion you can really draw from that is they’re hoping Starship somehow is the solution here." (4/20)
NASA Planning September Launch of Mars Smallsat Mission on First New Glenn (Source: Space News)
A NASA Mars smallsat mission is slated to launch in late September on the first flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, assuming the vehicle is ready in time. In a presentation on April 24, NASA's Nick Benardini listed a Sep. 29 date for the launch of Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, a pair of smallsats that will go into orbit around Mars to measure the interaction of the planet’s magnetosphere with the solar wind.
NASA selected Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to launch ESCAPADE, awarding the company a $20 million task order through the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract in February 2023 for the mission. The award at the time mentioned only a late 2024 launch, with the expectation that ESCAPADE would be on one of the first, if not the first, flight of the rocket. (4/23)
UK Spaceport Gains Another License (Source: BBC)
A spaceport in the Shetland Islands has received another license from U.K. regulators. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Thursday that it has issued a range license for SaxaVord Spaceport. That license handles airspace and maritime controls needed for launches from the facility. The CAA issued a license for the spaceport itself last December. SaxaVord Spaceport hopes to host its first launch as soon as this summer. (4/25)
TSS Could Accommodate Space Tourists (Source: Nikkei)
China's Tiangong space station could accommodate space tourists. The deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency said Wednesday that his agency would "quickly examine" allowing astronauts from other countries, including commercial spaceflight participants, to visit Tiangong. The agency didn't provide further details, or a potential schedule, about such missions. (4/25)
China on Track for Landing Astronauts on Moon by 2030 (Source: Space News)
Chinese officials say they are on track to land the country's first astronauts on the moon by 2030. Officials with the China Manned Space Engineering Office provided an update on the country's lunar exploration plans Wednesday, saying that work was proceeding well on major aspects of the architecture for a crewed lunar landing. That approach involves the launch of two Long March 10 rockets, one carrying the Mengzhou crew spacecraft and the other the lunar lander Lanyue.
The spacecraft would rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit before Lanyue takes two astronauts down to the lunar surface, where they would perform a six-hour spacewalk before returning. The crewed lunar landing mission is part of China's broader plans to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a crewed and robotic base at the south polar region of the moon. The update came ahead of the launch of the next crew to China's space station, scheduled for this morning. (4/25)
China Signs Nicaragua, Others to Lunar Base Program (Source: Space News)
China also announced new partners for the ILRS. Nicaragua formally joined the ILRS initiative, the tenth country to do so, in a signing announced as part of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Countries Space Cooperation Forum this week. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) also reached agreements with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, and the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences. CNSA separately announced new participants in the Chang'e-7 mission to the lunar south pole set for 2026, with Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand and the International Lunar Observatory Association contributing payloads to that mission. (4/25)
Russia Vetoes UN Nuclear Space Weapons Resolution (Source: Space News)
Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday regarding the placement of nuclear weapons in space. The resolution, drafted by Japan and the United States, reiterated existing prohibitions on nuclear weapons in space and called on countries not to develop such weapons. The resolution came after reports in February that Russia was developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Russia cast the only no vote, with China abstaining and the other 13 members supporting the resolution, but Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, is able to veto resolutions. The U.S. and Japan sharply criticized Russia for blocking the resolution. (4/25)
Space Force’s Saltzman: New Readiness Model ‘Fundamentally Alters’ Space Combat Prep (Source: Breaking Defense)
Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman urges service leaders to urgently implement the service’s new readiness model — a rotating training-to-operations process he says represents the “most drastic change accompanying the establishment of the Space Force.” The April 19 CSO Notice to Guardians (C-Note) stresses that the new Space Force Generation (SPAFORGEN) model to build readiness “fundamentally alters how we prepare for operations.” (4/22)
Space Force Continues Work on Civilian Space Reserve (Source: Space News)
The Space Force is still working on plans for creating a commercial reserve of private space capabilities. Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, said Wednesday that the Space Force is in the midst of figuring out how to establish such a commercial reserve, which will require intricate negotiations with satellite operators to hash out binding agreements. The Space Force first suggested last year creating a "commercial space reserve" modeled on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, allowing the Space Force to access commercial satellites in the event of a conflict. (4/25)
Lockheed Martin Projects Potential $1 Billion Loss on Classified Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin took a $100 million loss on a classified program inside its missiles and fire control unit and could rack up an additional $225 million in losses by the end of the year. News of the classified program loss comes on the heels of a major win on the Next Generation Interceptor program by Lockheed’s space unit, which beat out Northrop Grumman. (4/23)
Non-Geostationary Orbit Constellations Redefining the High Throughput Satellites Market Landscape (Source: NovaSpace)
Significant and ongoing transformations in the High Throughput Satellites (HTS) market are confirmed in the 7th edition of the High Throughput Satellites; report from leading space consulting and market intelligence firm Novaspace, a merger between Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners. The report underscores the pivotal role of Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations in reshaping the satellite connectivity industry, with the latter to emerge as the primary driver in coming years.
Novaspace’s report reveals that to date, approximately three quarters of the 50+ active satellite ,operators have invested in HTS systems. The vast majority of HTS players have satellites in GEO orbit. Despite the NGSO potential, high capital expenditure (CapEx) requirements remain a significant barrier for most players, with investments typically between $2-4 billion and exceeding $10 billion for a megaconstellation. As a result, only a select few of the ‘leading’ satellite operators are pursuing plans for full NGSO constellations, with three expected to be operational during 2024. This includes SpaceX’s Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and O3b mPOWER from SES. (4/25)
Researchers Detect a New Molecule in Space (Source: Phys.org)
New research from the group of MIT Professor Brett McGuire has revealed the presence of a previously unknown molecule in space. To detect this molecule using radio telescope observations, the group first needed to measure and analyze its rotational spectrum on Earth. The researchers combined experiments from the University of Lille (Lille, France), the New College of Florida (Sarasota, Florida), and the McGuire lab at MIT to measure this spectrum over a broadband region of frequencies ranging from the microwave to sub-millimeter wave regimes (approximately 8 to 500 gigahertz).
"Ultimately, we observed 25 rotational lines of 2-methoxyethanol that lined up with the molecular signal observed toward NGC 6334I (the barcode matched), thus resulting in a secure detection of 2-methoxyethanol in this source." (4/23)
RTX to Focus on Satellite Components Business (Source: Defense One)
RTX (formerly Raytheon) has decided not to compete as a prime contractor in building satellites, shifting its focus to supplying components to other companies, according to RTX President and COO Chris Calio. This strategic pivot leverages RTX's historical strengths in critical space components. (4/23)
Starfighters Space Reports Progress Toward Air Launch, Hypersonic Programs Support (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space, operating the only commercial fleet of Mach-2+ aircraft in the world, with the capability to air-launch payloads at altitude, delivered its Q1 2024 update and shareholder guidance. “With new contracts, fleet upgrades and spaceport expansion opportunities, we continue to lay a strong foundation on the ground so that we can execute in the sky,” said Founder and CEO Rick Svetkoff. “We are now well off the drawing board and deep into the real-world execution on a range of critical initiatives.”
The company is transitioning to a Phase II Contract on “HyCat”, with a goal of allowing any federal agency to access Starfighters resources with a simple PO. Under the Atlas project, Starfighters is expanding a relationship with GE Aerospace for flight testing. Starfighters is also negotiating an Air Force project to provide an airborne testing platform. And, after completing a captive carry test, Starfighters is moving forward with its StarLaunch I program, with a drop test planned in September to advance plans for air-launch operations. Starfighters has hired of David Whitney as the company's CFO, and has completed a PCAOB audit. (4/24)
Robotic Helpers Test New Technology on the Space Station (Source: CASIS)
Engineering firm Bosch partnered with aerospace company Astrobotic to use the Astrobees to test smart microphone technology that can identify anomalies in spacecraft and other equipment by making sense of sounds. In another project, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the German Space Agency used the robots to test algorithms and technology that could help recover tumbling satellites in space. (4/24)
Ariane 6 to Launch OOV-Cube Mission with Internet of Things Applications (Source: Space Daily)
The Ariane 6 inaugural flight will feature a diverse range of payloads, from satellites scrutinizing Earth to those venturing into deep space, highlighting the new rocket's capability to handle versatile missions. Among the missions, the OOV-Cube (On Orbit Verification Cube), a 25-by-25 cm nanosatellite developed by the Technical University of Berlin and RapidCubes, will be placed into a low Earth orbit at 580 km altitude. OOV-Cube aims to integrate wildlife tracking with advanced Internet of Things technology. This mission encompasses multiple experiments designed to open new possibilities for small satellite constellations. (4/24)
Collaboration to Bolster Satellite Ground Station Capabilities in Southeast Asia (Source: Space Daily)
Thailand's mu Space and Advance Technology and RBC Signals International have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as of March 1, 2024. This agreement initiates a partnership to develop Satellite Ground Station Facilities in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. (4/24)
Asterra Debuts Groundbreaking L-Band SAR API for Commercial Use (Source: Space Daily)
ASTERRA has introduced a new application programming interface (API), which expands the capabilities of SAR analytics by enabling collaboration with partners. This marks ASTERRA as the sole commercial provider of L-band SAR analytics technology with an open API for integration with Earth observation and GIS partners, thereby enhancing the overall solution. (4/24)
China Emphasizes Commitment to Peaceful Space Activities (Source: Space Daily)
China has reaffirmed its dedication to the peaceful use of space, according to a recent statement by the Ministry of National Defense. The declaration was made last Friday, emphasizing the role of China's Aerospace Force. "The space domain is humanity's communal asset, and ensuring its security is vital for both national and societal progression," stated Wu Qian, the ministry's spokesperson.
He highlighted the importance of the Aerospace Force in maintaining safety and transparency in space operations, which is crucial for crisis management and effective governance. "Building the Aerospace Force is key to our ability to navigate space safely and to use it openly, which is critical for the peaceful exploration and use of this domain," Wu added. (4/22)
West Needs to Divest From China to Avoid Space Wars, Rocket Scientist Warns (Source: Epoch Times)
A leading American rocket scientist says the United States and its like-minded allies still have an opportunity to cripple China’s rapid weaponization of space, which is reliant on ongoing foreign investment, to prevent a potential war breaking out in space. However, that window of opportunity is closing. ULA's Tory Bruno told lawmakers the CCP, after investing billions of dollars and years of effort, now has four to five times as many rockets, launch sites, and space personnel as the US.
They have been able to achieve this primarily through technology mostly stolen from the United States, but also due to the vast volume of Western investment dollars that have flowed into China since the 2000s. He advocated for Congress to create the right conditions for private enterprise to compete for space contracts, allowing America’s entrepreneurs to “commercialize as much of these capabilities as possible” in order to free themselves from the fluctuations of NASA’s budget.
“We can’t out-centrally-plan China but what we can do is we can out-entrepreneur China, and that’s where the innovation takes place,” he said. Mr. Bruno also urged Congress to end China’s access to the U.S. technologies needed by their acquired capabilities. “While they have developed space weapons of novel types, they remain very, very dependent on acquiring technology from the United States on an ongoing basis, so this must be curtailed as well,” he said. (4/23)
April 24, 2024
Creature Comforts in Space: Designing
Enjoyment and Sustainability for Off-World Living (Source:
Retro-Futurist)
After 50 years of space exploration, off-world living is still like going on an extreme camping trip. Living out there is uncomfortable at best. This book tackles the challenge of Creature Comforts: those hard-to-describe things that make life more enjoyable, have mental health benefits, and are fun! Using the analogy of building a homestead on the high frontier, early space settlers need to develop long term sustainability techniques with limited resources. This book isn't just about making life better beyond our planet; it's a blueprint for enhancing life on Earth through thoughtful, space-inspired design. Click here. (4/24)
Streaming and Texting on the Moon: Nokia and NASA are Taking 4G Into Space (Source: CNN)
Texting on the Moon? Streaming on Mars? It may not be as far away as you think. That’s the shared vision of NASA and Nokia, who have partnered to set up a cellular network on the Moon to help lay the building blocks for long-term human presence on other planets. A SpaceX rocket is due to launch this year — the exact date has yet to be confirmed — carrying a simple 4G network to the Moon. The lander will install the system at the Moon’s south pole and then it will be remotely controlled from Earth.
“The first challenge to getting a network up and running is having a space-qualified cellular equipment that meets the appropriate size, weight, and power requirements, as well as being deployed without a technician,” Walt Engelund, deputy associate administrator for programs at NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, told CNN. No less of a challenge, it will need to operate in the harsh lunar environment of extreme temperatures and radiation.
The 4G network unit is being built by Nokia’s Bell Labs using a range of off-the-shelf commercial components. It will be loaded onto a lander made by US company Intuitive Machines, and once deployed it will connect the lander via radio equipment to two roaming vehicles with their own special mission: to search for ice. (4/24)
Congress Pushes DoD to Deliver (Source: Space News)
In the $825 billion defense spending bill Congress passed March 21, one of the under-the-radar winners was the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit, which saw its 2024 budget skyrocket to $945 million, up from the $107 million enacted for 2023. The eye-popping increase sends the Pentagon a loud and clear message: It’s time to get serious about transitioning cutting-edge technologies into real military capabilities. It also reflects Capitol Hill’s growing impatience with DoD’s sluggish adoption of emerging private sector technologies in artificial intelligence, space, and autonomous systems. (4/19)
Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth's Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago (Source: Phys.org)
Earth's magnetic field protects us from the dangerous radiation of space, but it is not as permanent as we might believe. Scientists at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly present new information about an 'excursion' 41,000 years ago where our planet's magnetic field waned, and harmful space rays bombarded the planet.
Magnetic field excursions are brief periods in which the intensity of the magnetic field wanes and the dipole (or two magnetic poles) that we're familiar with can disappear, replaced with multiple magnetic poles. The Laschamps excursion that occurred around 41,000 years ago is among the best studied. It features a low magnetic field intensity that implies less protection for Earth's surface from harmful space rays. Periods of low magnetic field intensity could correlate to major upheavals in the biosphere. (4/19)
Ambitious Houston Spaceport Takes Off with 2nd Phase of Development (Source: Houston CultureMap)
Since the Houston Spaceport secured the 10th FAA-Licensed commercial spaceport designation in 2015, the development's tenants have gone on to gain billions in NASA contracts. Now, the Houston Spaceport is on to its next phase of growth.
“Reflecting on its meteoric rise, the Spaceport has seen remarkable growth in a short span of time. From concepts on paper to the opening of Axiom Space, Collins Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines, the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary,” says Arturo Machuca, director of Ellington Airport and the Houston Spaceport, in a news release. “These anchor tenants, collectively holding about $5 billion in contracts with NASA and other notable aerospace companies, are not just shaping the future of space exploration but injecting vitality into Houston’s economy.”
The next phase of development, according to Houston Airports, will include: construction of a taxiway to connect Ellington Airport and the Spaceport; construction of a roadway linking Phase 1 infrastructure to Highway 3; and expansion of the EDGE Center, in partnership with San Jacinto College. (4/23)
Satellites Watch as 4th Global Coral Bleaching Event Unfolds (Source: Space.com)
Multiple major coral reefs around the world are getting paler due to warming sea temperatures in the fourth-ever global bleaching event, and satellites are keeping tabs on the carnage. The grim event, the second in a decade, is affecting over half the world's coral area across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. The toll includes what could be the worst bleaching ever experienced by Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef, according to NOAA and the International Coral Reef Initiative, which confirmed the bleaching event on Monday. (4/22)
ESA Debris Removal Mission Changes Targets (Source: Space News)
ESA has revised the ClearSpace-1 debris removal mission. The agency announced Wednesday that the spacecraft, originally designed to capture and deorbit a Vega payload adapter called Vespa left in low Earth orbit, will instead seek to deorbit the defunct Proba-A satellite. The change came after Vespa apparently suffered a collision last year that generated debris in its vicinity. The mission, which had been under development by Swiss startup ClearSpace, will now be led by German company OHB, with ClearSpace handling proximity operations and capture. (4/24)
China Military Reorganization to Affect Space Operations (Source: Space News)
A reorganization of China's military is likely to affect the country's space operations. Xi Jinping, China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, established last week the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Information Support Force (ISF), which effectively replaces the Strategic Support Force (SSF) that commanded the PLA's space forces. The move appears to represent a strategic shift toward prioritizing information warfare, which includes cyber operations, electronic warfare, and potentially space aspects such as satellite communication and reconnaissance. The move is the biggest PLA reorganization since 2015, when the SSF was created. (4/24)
Space Fore's Commercial Strategy to Identify Useful Capabilities (Source: Space News)
A Space Force official says the service's new commercial space strategy will start an effort to see what private sector capabilities will be of real utility to the military. Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, said at an Atlantic Council event this week that potential commercial capabilities, like in-space refueling, are currently immature, and the Space Force is still trying to understand what is possible and useful. Many questions have yet to be answered about how to employ new commercial space services, he said. The Space Force's watchword is "understanding the art of the possible." (4/24)
Companies Pitch Concepts for Asteroid Visit (Source: Space News)
Companies are pitching concepts for missions to visit an asteroid that will make a close approach to Earth in five years. The asteroid Apophis will pass closer to the Earth than the GEO satellite belt in April 2029, but with no risk of impact, and scientists are eager to send spacecraft to study Apophis both before and after the flyby. At a workshop this week, Blue Origin said it is offering its Blue Ring spacecraft for an Apophis mission, with room for up to 13 instruments or deployable spacecraft. JPL is working with startup ExLabs on another Apophis mission concept that could be privately funded. Short timelines for the missions and constrained government budgets, though, may make it difficult for many of the proposed missions to launch. (4/24)
China Names Crew for Next TSS Mission (Source: Xinhua)
China has named the crew for its next space station mission. The crew of Shenzhou-18, named Wednesday, includes commander Ye Guangfu along with Li Cong and Li Guangsu. The flight is the second for Ye, who was on the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021-2022, and the first for the other two. Launch of Shenzhou-18 is scheduled for Thursday. (4/24)
Rocket Lab Launches Solar Sail Mission From New Zealand (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab launched a South Korean imaging satellite and a NASA solar sail experiment Tuesday. An Electron rocket lifted off at 6:32 p.m. Eastern from the company's New Zealand launch site. It first deployed into a 520-kilometer orbit NEONSAT-1, the first spacecraft in an 11-satellite constellation by South Korea to provide imagery for civil and national security applications. It then placed into a 1,000-kilometer orbit ACS3, a NASA cubesat that will test a solar sail deployment system. The launch was the fifth this year for Rocket Lab. (4/24)
SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From Florida, Achieves 300th Booster Landing (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX achieved its 300th booster landing on a launch Tuesday evening. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 6:17 p.m. Eastern and placed 23 Starlink satellites into orbit. The booster landed on a droneship in the Atlantic, the ninth flight for that particular booster and the 300th time that SpaceX has landed a booster. (4/24)
L3Harris Specifies Layofff Plans with 2,500 to Lose Jobs (Source: Reuters)
L3Harris plans to lay off 2,500 employees this year to reduce costs. An email to company employees Tuesday announced that the company will reduce its 50,000-person workforce by 5% this year as part of efforts to find $1 billion in savings in the next three years. The layoffs will target redundant functions at the companies, with a source stating it is not specifically targeted at Aerojet Rocketdyne, the propulsion company acquired by L3Harris last year. (4/24)
Japan's Lunar Lander Wakes Again After Lunar Night (Source: AP)
Japan's SLIM lunar lander has once again awakened after an extended lunar night. The Japanese space agency JAXA said that the lander resumed communications with Earth on Tuesday after its third lunar night. SLIM, or Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, landed in January and was not designed to survive the two-week lunar night. However, the spacecraft awakened in February and March before this latest revival. JAXA plans to continue monitoring the spacecraft to see how the wide temperature swings between lunar day and night degrade its systems. (4/24)
NASA Ends CloudSat Mission (Source: NASA)
An Earth observation mission launched by NASA almost 18 years ago has formally ended. NASA announced Tuesday that it has decommissioned the CloudSat spacecraft, launched in April 2006 to study the vertical structure and water content of clouds using a W-band radar. The spacecraft, originally designed for a two-year prime mission, operated the radar until last December. Controllers then lowered the spacecraft's orbit to ensure it will deorbit with 25 years. (4/24)
Geoengineering Could Save the Ice Sheets – But Only If We Start Soon (Source: New Scientist)
Shading Earth’s surface from sunlight could postpone or even avoid the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet – but only if we start soon and only in conjunction with substantial emissions cuts, according to two computer modeling studies by independent teams. “There’s a time window that we can do this, and if we dither, there’s just no point in doing it,” says John Moore at the University of Lapland in Finland. (4/22)
China and Russia's 'Unfriendly' Space Behavior 'Concerning' (Source: Business Insider)
Russia and China appear to be actively looking into ways to watch and potentially incapacitate US satellites in space, and defense analysts are concerned. "China and Russia are both operating satellites that attempt to better understand high-value U.S. government satellites" and engaging in other alarming activities, analysts at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said. "These developments are concerning and will likely continue in the coming years."
"Both Russia and China routinely maneuver their satellites near Western government and commercial satellites, sometimes remaining close by for months at a time," the report's six expert authors said. (4/22)
Former NASA Engineer Says He's Invented a Thruster That Doesn't Require Propellant (Source: Futurism)
Space startup Exodus Propulsion Technologies claims to have achieved a breakthrough, stumbling upon an entirely new force of nature that could power thrusters that don't need propellant to work. As The Debrief reports, co-founder Charles Buhler — a former NASA engineer who's worked on a number of major programs including the ISS, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Space Shuttle — said the discovery could be a major turning point in humanity's quest to explore space. Buhler makes some wildly ambitious claims that will likely face plenty of scrutiny from the scientific community — and it's unclear if his startup's claims will survive. (4/22)
How Could Life Survive on Tidally Locked Planets? (Source: Space.com)
The famed science fiction author Isaac Asimov called them "ribbon worlds" — planets forced to always show one face to their parent star. The star side is locked in perpetual day, its sun never dipping below the horizon; indeed, its sun never even moving at all, fixed in place as if time itself stood still. The far side is trapped in perpetual night, a sky blazing with the light of thousands of stars, never knowing the warmth of its parent star.
And in between those two extremes, there's a special place: a terminator line, the boundary between night and day, a region of infinite twilight. Caught between the two extremes, this ribbon that stretches like a girdle around a planet might — might — just be a home for life, neither too hot in the never-ceasing glare of the star nor too cold in the infinite night. (4/22)
E-Space to Build Manufacturing Plant in Texas; More Than 3,000 Jobs Forecast (Source: Fort Worth Report)
Satellite communications startup E-Space is moving ahead with its North American expansion, a project that could bring a minimum of 400 high-tech jobs with an average annual salary of $95,000 within its first five years of operation in Arlington. At full capacity, the project will create 3,355 jobs and provide over $8 billion in salaries and wages over the 30-year term lease, according to the city’s staff report.
The Arlington City Council will vote on a resolution to authorize the Arlington Economic Develop Corp., to enter a public-private partnership with E-Space and the city of Arlington. That partnership will allow the company to build a headquarters and manufacturing plant at the Arlington Municipal Airport. After construction is completed, the economic development corporation will lease the project back to the company for a term of 30 years with two renewal options with a base rent of $2 million per year of occupancy and a 3% increase every five years thereafter.
The economic development corporation will contribute up to $50 million from cash and/or proceeds from sales tax revenue bonds toward the project’s development and construction. E-Space will have to meet some requirements before the economic development corporation moves forward with construction of the facility, according to Wieder. (4/22)
50 Years Later, This Apollo-Era Antenna Still Talks to Voyager 2 (Source: IEEE Spectrum)
For more than 50 years, Deep Space Station 43 has been an invaluable tool for space probes as they explore our solar system and push into the beyond. The DSS-43 radio antenna, located at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, near Canberra, Australia, keeps open the line of communication between humans and probes during NASA missions. Today more than 40 percent of all data retrieved by celestial explorers, including Voyagers, New Horizons, and the Mars Curiosity rover, comes through DSS-43. (4/18)
If Photons Have Mass, Could They Explain Dark Matter? (Source: Big Think)
We know that the stars and galaxies in the Universe have grown up and evolved as the Universe has aged. We know that gravitation has formed the large-scale structure in the Universe, and that structure has grown more complex over time. And we also know how much normal matter, altogether, is present in the Universe, and that it isn’t sufficient to explain the full suite of the gravitational effects that we see on its own.
So if the normal matter can’t be all that there is, what else can there be? The leading idea is dark matter, but we don’t know precisely what it is. What if it’s just light? Is that possible?
Is deep space entirely dark? You might think it ought to be, but that’s not what the New Horizons team found. There was excess light from expected sources: camera noise, scattered sunlight, excess off-axis starlight, crystals from the spacecraft thrust, and other instrumental effects all create an excess of light. But those effects can all be modeled, and when they are, their magnitudes and contributions can be quantified. Still, when they were subtracted out, an incontrovertible excess remained. Click here. (4/22)
This Crater Could Be Where Earth's 'Second Moon' Broke Off The First One (Source: Science Alert)
The provenance of asteroid Kamo'oalewa, discovered in 2016, is something of a mystery, but astronomers believe it may be a chunk of the Moon. A new analysis has even identified the crater from which it may have been gouged. Using numerical simulations, a team led by astronomer Yifei Jiao of Tsinghua University in China has determined the properties of the crater most likely have to produced the asteroid, and found a real one that matches those properties: the Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the Moon. (4/22)
Tsinghua University Advances China's Lunar Habitat Construction Techniques (Source: Space Daily)
Tsinghua University's latest research emphasizes the critical importance of in situ lunar construction as we shift from exploration to the establishment of Moon habitats. Focusing on regolith solidification and formation, the study, led by Professor Feng, evaluates nearly 20 techniques for creating building materials directly from lunar soil, aiming to maximize efficiency and reduce dependency on Earth-based resources.
The research classifies regolith solidification methods into four primary categories: reaction solidification (RS), sintering/melting (SM), bonding solidification (BS), and confinement formation (CF), each suited to specific aspects of lunar construction. These categories further divide into specialized techniques that consider the lunar environment's unique challenges, such as extreme temperatures and resource scarcity. (4/22)
Exploring Venus Could Redefine Search for Life in Universe (Source: Space Daily)
Though Venus is a harsh environment with extreme temperatures and toxic clouds, it provides crucial data on the conditions that might limit life on other planets, according to a recent study. "Earth is often seen as a model for habitability; however, without comparing it to other planets, we remain unaware of the potential boundaries," stated Stephen Kane. The research uses Venus as a comparative basis to enhance our understanding of planetary environments that may inhibit life.
The study underscores the importance of further exploration missions to Venus, such as NASA's upcoming DAVINCI and VERITAS missions. These missions aim to provide deeper insights into Venus's atmosphere and surface conditions, which could refine our understanding of climate models applicable to Earth and other planets. (4/23)
After 50 years of space exploration, off-world living is still like going on an extreme camping trip. Living out there is uncomfortable at best. This book tackles the challenge of Creature Comforts: those hard-to-describe things that make life more enjoyable, have mental health benefits, and are fun! Using the analogy of building a homestead on the high frontier, early space settlers need to develop long term sustainability techniques with limited resources. This book isn't just about making life better beyond our planet; it's a blueprint for enhancing life on Earth through thoughtful, space-inspired design. Click here. (4/24)
Streaming and Texting on the Moon: Nokia and NASA are Taking 4G Into Space (Source: CNN)
Texting on the Moon? Streaming on Mars? It may not be as far away as you think. That’s the shared vision of NASA and Nokia, who have partnered to set up a cellular network on the Moon to help lay the building blocks for long-term human presence on other planets. A SpaceX rocket is due to launch this year — the exact date has yet to be confirmed — carrying a simple 4G network to the Moon. The lander will install the system at the Moon’s south pole and then it will be remotely controlled from Earth.
“The first challenge to getting a network up and running is having a space-qualified cellular equipment that meets the appropriate size, weight, and power requirements, as well as being deployed without a technician,” Walt Engelund, deputy associate administrator for programs at NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, told CNN. No less of a challenge, it will need to operate in the harsh lunar environment of extreme temperatures and radiation.
The 4G network unit is being built by Nokia’s Bell Labs using a range of off-the-shelf commercial components. It will be loaded onto a lander made by US company Intuitive Machines, and once deployed it will connect the lander via radio equipment to two roaming vehicles with their own special mission: to search for ice. (4/24)
Congress Pushes DoD to Deliver (Source: Space News)
In the $825 billion defense spending bill Congress passed March 21, one of the under-the-radar winners was the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit, which saw its 2024 budget skyrocket to $945 million, up from the $107 million enacted for 2023. The eye-popping increase sends the Pentagon a loud and clear message: It’s time to get serious about transitioning cutting-edge technologies into real military capabilities. It also reflects Capitol Hill’s growing impatience with DoD’s sluggish adoption of emerging private sector technologies in artificial intelligence, space, and autonomous systems. (4/19)
Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth's Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago (Source: Phys.org)
Earth's magnetic field protects us from the dangerous radiation of space, but it is not as permanent as we might believe. Scientists at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly present new information about an 'excursion' 41,000 years ago where our planet's magnetic field waned, and harmful space rays bombarded the planet.
Magnetic field excursions are brief periods in which the intensity of the magnetic field wanes and the dipole (or two magnetic poles) that we're familiar with can disappear, replaced with multiple magnetic poles. The Laschamps excursion that occurred around 41,000 years ago is among the best studied. It features a low magnetic field intensity that implies less protection for Earth's surface from harmful space rays. Periods of low magnetic field intensity could correlate to major upheavals in the biosphere. (4/19)
Ambitious Houston Spaceport Takes Off with 2nd Phase of Development (Source: Houston CultureMap)
Since the Houston Spaceport secured the 10th FAA-Licensed commercial spaceport designation in 2015, the development's tenants have gone on to gain billions in NASA contracts. Now, the Houston Spaceport is on to its next phase of growth.
“Reflecting on its meteoric rise, the Spaceport has seen remarkable growth in a short span of time. From concepts on paper to the opening of Axiom Space, Collins Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines, the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary,” says Arturo Machuca, director of Ellington Airport and the Houston Spaceport, in a news release. “These anchor tenants, collectively holding about $5 billion in contracts with NASA and other notable aerospace companies, are not just shaping the future of space exploration but injecting vitality into Houston’s economy.”
The next phase of development, according to Houston Airports, will include: construction of a taxiway to connect Ellington Airport and the Spaceport; construction of a roadway linking Phase 1 infrastructure to Highway 3; and expansion of the EDGE Center, in partnership with San Jacinto College. (4/23)
Satellites Watch as 4th Global Coral Bleaching Event Unfolds (Source: Space.com)
Multiple major coral reefs around the world are getting paler due to warming sea temperatures in the fourth-ever global bleaching event, and satellites are keeping tabs on the carnage. The grim event, the second in a decade, is affecting over half the world's coral area across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. The toll includes what could be the worst bleaching ever experienced by Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef, according to NOAA and the International Coral Reef Initiative, which confirmed the bleaching event on Monday. (4/22)
ESA Debris Removal Mission Changes Targets (Source: Space News)
ESA has revised the ClearSpace-1 debris removal mission. The agency announced Wednesday that the spacecraft, originally designed to capture and deorbit a Vega payload adapter called Vespa left in low Earth orbit, will instead seek to deorbit the defunct Proba-A satellite. The change came after Vespa apparently suffered a collision last year that generated debris in its vicinity. The mission, which had been under development by Swiss startup ClearSpace, will now be led by German company OHB, with ClearSpace handling proximity operations and capture. (4/24)
China Military Reorganization to Affect Space Operations (Source: Space News)
A reorganization of China's military is likely to affect the country's space operations. Xi Jinping, China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, established last week the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Information Support Force (ISF), which effectively replaces the Strategic Support Force (SSF) that commanded the PLA's space forces. The move appears to represent a strategic shift toward prioritizing information warfare, which includes cyber operations, electronic warfare, and potentially space aspects such as satellite communication and reconnaissance. The move is the biggest PLA reorganization since 2015, when the SSF was created. (4/24)
Space Fore's Commercial Strategy to Identify Useful Capabilities (Source: Space News)
A Space Force official says the service's new commercial space strategy will start an effort to see what private sector capabilities will be of real utility to the military. Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, said at an Atlantic Council event this week that potential commercial capabilities, like in-space refueling, are currently immature, and the Space Force is still trying to understand what is possible and useful. Many questions have yet to be answered about how to employ new commercial space services, he said. The Space Force's watchword is "understanding the art of the possible." (4/24)
Companies Pitch Concepts for Asteroid Visit (Source: Space News)
Companies are pitching concepts for missions to visit an asteroid that will make a close approach to Earth in five years. The asteroid Apophis will pass closer to the Earth than the GEO satellite belt in April 2029, but with no risk of impact, and scientists are eager to send spacecraft to study Apophis both before and after the flyby. At a workshop this week, Blue Origin said it is offering its Blue Ring spacecraft for an Apophis mission, with room for up to 13 instruments or deployable spacecraft. JPL is working with startup ExLabs on another Apophis mission concept that could be privately funded. Short timelines for the missions and constrained government budgets, though, may make it difficult for many of the proposed missions to launch. (4/24)
China Names Crew for Next TSS Mission (Source: Xinhua)
China has named the crew for its next space station mission. The crew of Shenzhou-18, named Wednesday, includes commander Ye Guangfu along with Li Cong and Li Guangsu. The flight is the second for Ye, who was on the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021-2022, and the first for the other two. Launch of Shenzhou-18 is scheduled for Thursday. (4/24)
Rocket Lab Launches Solar Sail Mission From New Zealand (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab launched a South Korean imaging satellite and a NASA solar sail experiment Tuesday. An Electron rocket lifted off at 6:32 p.m. Eastern from the company's New Zealand launch site. It first deployed into a 520-kilometer orbit NEONSAT-1, the first spacecraft in an 11-satellite constellation by South Korea to provide imagery for civil and national security applications. It then placed into a 1,000-kilometer orbit ACS3, a NASA cubesat that will test a solar sail deployment system. The launch was the fifth this year for Rocket Lab. (4/24)
SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From Florida, Achieves 300th Booster Landing (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX achieved its 300th booster landing on a launch Tuesday evening. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 6:17 p.m. Eastern and placed 23 Starlink satellites into orbit. The booster landed on a droneship in the Atlantic, the ninth flight for that particular booster and the 300th time that SpaceX has landed a booster. (4/24)
L3Harris Specifies Layofff Plans with 2,500 to Lose Jobs (Source: Reuters)
L3Harris plans to lay off 2,500 employees this year to reduce costs. An email to company employees Tuesday announced that the company will reduce its 50,000-person workforce by 5% this year as part of efforts to find $1 billion in savings in the next three years. The layoffs will target redundant functions at the companies, with a source stating it is not specifically targeted at Aerojet Rocketdyne, the propulsion company acquired by L3Harris last year. (4/24)
Japan's Lunar Lander Wakes Again After Lunar Night (Source: AP)
Japan's SLIM lunar lander has once again awakened after an extended lunar night. The Japanese space agency JAXA said that the lander resumed communications with Earth on Tuesday after its third lunar night. SLIM, or Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, landed in January and was not designed to survive the two-week lunar night. However, the spacecraft awakened in February and March before this latest revival. JAXA plans to continue monitoring the spacecraft to see how the wide temperature swings between lunar day and night degrade its systems. (4/24)
NASA Ends CloudSat Mission (Source: NASA)
An Earth observation mission launched by NASA almost 18 years ago has formally ended. NASA announced Tuesday that it has decommissioned the CloudSat spacecraft, launched in April 2006 to study the vertical structure and water content of clouds using a W-band radar. The spacecraft, originally designed for a two-year prime mission, operated the radar until last December. Controllers then lowered the spacecraft's orbit to ensure it will deorbit with 25 years. (4/24)
Geoengineering Could Save the Ice Sheets – But Only If We Start Soon (Source: New Scientist)
Shading Earth’s surface from sunlight could postpone or even avoid the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet – but only if we start soon and only in conjunction with substantial emissions cuts, according to two computer modeling studies by independent teams. “There’s a time window that we can do this, and if we dither, there’s just no point in doing it,” says John Moore at the University of Lapland in Finland. (4/22)
China and Russia's 'Unfriendly' Space Behavior 'Concerning' (Source: Business Insider)
Russia and China appear to be actively looking into ways to watch and potentially incapacitate US satellites in space, and defense analysts are concerned. "China and Russia are both operating satellites that attempt to better understand high-value U.S. government satellites" and engaging in other alarming activities, analysts at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said. "These developments are concerning and will likely continue in the coming years."
"Both Russia and China routinely maneuver their satellites near Western government and commercial satellites, sometimes remaining close by for months at a time," the report's six expert authors said. (4/22)
Former NASA Engineer Says He's Invented a Thruster That Doesn't Require Propellant (Source: Futurism)
Space startup Exodus Propulsion Technologies claims to have achieved a breakthrough, stumbling upon an entirely new force of nature that could power thrusters that don't need propellant to work. As The Debrief reports, co-founder Charles Buhler — a former NASA engineer who's worked on a number of major programs including the ISS, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Space Shuttle — said the discovery could be a major turning point in humanity's quest to explore space. Buhler makes some wildly ambitious claims that will likely face plenty of scrutiny from the scientific community — and it's unclear if his startup's claims will survive. (4/22)
How Could Life Survive on Tidally Locked Planets? (Source: Space.com)
The famed science fiction author Isaac Asimov called them "ribbon worlds" — planets forced to always show one face to their parent star. The star side is locked in perpetual day, its sun never dipping below the horizon; indeed, its sun never even moving at all, fixed in place as if time itself stood still. The far side is trapped in perpetual night, a sky blazing with the light of thousands of stars, never knowing the warmth of its parent star.
And in between those two extremes, there's a special place: a terminator line, the boundary between night and day, a region of infinite twilight. Caught between the two extremes, this ribbon that stretches like a girdle around a planet might — might — just be a home for life, neither too hot in the never-ceasing glare of the star nor too cold in the infinite night. (4/22)
E-Space to Build Manufacturing Plant in Texas; More Than 3,000 Jobs Forecast (Source: Fort Worth Report)
Satellite communications startup E-Space is moving ahead with its North American expansion, a project that could bring a minimum of 400 high-tech jobs with an average annual salary of $95,000 within its first five years of operation in Arlington. At full capacity, the project will create 3,355 jobs and provide over $8 billion in salaries and wages over the 30-year term lease, according to the city’s staff report.
The Arlington City Council will vote on a resolution to authorize the Arlington Economic Develop Corp., to enter a public-private partnership with E-Space and the city of Arlington. That partnership will allow the company to build a headquarters and manufacturing plant at the Arlington Municipal Airport. After construction is completed, the economic development corporation will lease the project back to the company for a term of 30 years with two renewal options with a base rent of $2 million per year of occupancy and a 3% increase every five years thereafter.
The economic development corporation will contribute up to $50 million from cash and/or proceeds from sales tax revenue bonds toward the project’s development and construction. E-Space will have to meet some requirements before the economic development corporation moves forward with construction of the facility, according to Wieder. (4/22)
50 Years Later, This Apollo-Era Antenna Still Talks to Voyager 2 (Source: IEEE Spectrum)
For more than 50 years, Deep Space Station 43 has been an invaluable tool for space probes as they explore our solar system and push into the beyond. The DSS-43 radio antenna, located at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, near Canberra, Australia, keeps open the line of communication between humans and probes during NASA missions. Today more than 40 percent of all data retrieved by celestial explorers, including Voyagers, New Horizons, and the Mars Curiosity rover, comes through DSS-43. (4/18)
If Photons Have Mass, Could They Explain Dark Matter? (Source: Big Think)
We know that the stars and galaxies in the Universe have grown up and evolved as the Universe has aged. We know that gravitation has formed the large-scale structure in the Universe, and that structure has grown more complex over time. And we also know how much normal matter, altogether, is present in the Universe, and that it isn’t sufficient to explain the full suite of the gravitational effects that we see on its own.
So if the normal matter can’t be all that there is, what else can there be? The leading idea is dark matter, but we don’t know precisely what it is. What if it’s just light? Is that possible?
Is deep space entirely dark? You might think it ought to be, but that’s not what the New Horizons team found. There was excess light from expected sources: camera noise, scattered sunlight, excess off-axis starlight, crystals from the spacecraft thrust, and other instrumental effects all create an excess of light. But those effects can all be modeled, and when they are, their magnitudes and contributions can be quantified. Still, when they were subtracted out, an incontrovertible excess remained. Click here. (4/22)
This Crater Could Be Where Earth's 'Second Moon' Broke Off The First One (Source: Science Alert)
The provenance of asteroid Kamo'oalewa, discovered in 2016, is something of a mystery, but astronomers believe it may be a chunk of the Moon. A new analysis has even identified the crater from which it may have been gouged. Using numerical simulations, a team led by astronomer Yifei Jiao of Tsinghua University in China has determined the properties of the crater most likely have to produced the asteroid, and found a real one that matches those properties: the Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the Moon. (4/22)
Tsinghua University Advances China's Lunar Habitat Construction Techniques (Source: Space Daily)
Tsinghua University's latest research emphasizes the critical importance of in situ lunar construction as we shift from exploration to the establishment of Moon habitats. Focusing on regolith solidification and formation, the study, led by Professor Feng, evaluates nearly 20 techniques for creating building materials directly from lunar soil, aiming to maximize efficiency and reduce dependency on Earth-based resources.
The research classifies regolith solidification methods into four primary categories: reaction solidification (RS), sintering/melting (SM), bonding solidification (BS), and confinement formation (CF), each suited to specific aspects of lunar construction. These categories further divide into specialized techniques that consider the lunar environment's unique challenges, such as extreme temperatures and resource scarcity. (4/22)
Exploring Venus Could Redefine Search for Life in Universe (Source: Space Daily)
Though Venus is a harsh environment with extreme temperatures and toxic clouds, it provides crucial data on the conditions that might limit life on other planets, according to a recent study. "Earth is often seen as a model for habitability; however, without comparing it to other planets, we remain unaware of the potential boundaries," stated Stephen Kane. The research uses Venus as a comparative basis to enhance our understanding of planetary environments that may inhibit life.
The study underscores the importance of further exploration missions to Venus, such as NASA's upcoming DAVINCI and VERITAS missions. These missions aim to provide deeper insights into Venus's atmosphere and surface conditions, which could refine our understanding of climate models applicable to Earth and other planets. (4/23)
April 23, 2024
Starship Faces Performance Shortfall
for Lunar Missions (Source: America Space)
NASA understood that it was accepting a degree of risk when it selected Starship as the solitary lunar lander design for Artemis 3 and 4. The only alternatives were an overweight Dynetics lander and a Blue Origin lander which would need a substantial redesign to achieve NASA’s long-term goal of landing four astronauts on the Moon. In this context, Starship had significant upside, as it far exceeded the HLS performance requirements.
SpaceX claimed that it could deliver 100 tons of cargo to the lunar surface, which would reduce the operating costs of the Artemis Base Camp. In addition, SpaceX’s $2.9 billion bid was half the price of its competitors’ landers, since the company could offset Starship’s development cost by also utilizing it to launch satellites. However, its ability to reach the Moon was cast into doubt by an announcement by Elon Musk two weeks ago.
The most important part was arguably contained within one sentence: “Currently, Flight 3 would be around 40-50 tons to orbit.” Prior to this, Starship’s estimated payload capacity had ranged between 100 and 150 tons to LEO. The most straightforward interpretation of Musk’s comment is that the rocket is suffering from a 50% underperformance. SpaceX is already designing an upgraded “Starship 2.” Both stages of the rocket will be slightly longer and they will feature the improved Raptor 3 engine. (4/19)
Starship Will Be 500 Feet Tall for Mars Missions, Elon Musk Says (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX's Starship, the largest rocket in the world, will get even bigger as the company continues to target Mars missions in the future. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX, told employees on April 4 that Starship will eventually be as tall as 500 feet (150 meters), roughly 20% higher than the massive system aboard the Super Heavy rocket right now.
What's more, advances in reusability will have each launch cost roughly $3 million each, Musk predicted; that's less than a third of what a (much smaller) Falcon 1 rocket launch cost in 2004 when inflation is taken into account. (The figure two decades ago was $5.9 million, according to NBC, which is roughly $9.5 million in 2024 dollars.) (4/13)
Startups Want to Cool Earth by Reflecting Sunlight. There Are Few Rules and Big Risks (Source: NPR)
In the past year, the conversation around solar geoengineering as a climate solution has become more serious, says David Keith, geophysics professor and head of a new University of Chicago initiative to study a broad array of climate geoengineering ideas. "Suddenly we're getting conversations with senior political leaders and senior people in the environmental world who are starting to think about this and engage with it seriously in a way that just wasn't happening five years ago," Keith says.
But as money flows in – some from investors who hope to profit from this technology – regulations around outdoor experiments and possible broader deployments aren't keeping up, experts say. Because of the way the stratosphere works, a large-scale release of particles in one part of the world could impact a large part of the planet. Questions persist about possible risks of solar geoengineering for everything from global crops to droughts. And there are risks of unintended consequences that scientists and investors haven't yet imagined – the unknown unknowns of trying to engineer a cooler Earth. Click here. (4/21)
Chiefs of South Korea’s JCS, US Spacecom Meet (Source: Korea Herald)
Kim Myung-soo, the chair of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Stephen Whiting, the commander of the US Space Command, met on Monday in Seoul. According to the JCS, Kim and Whiting held a meeting to discuss close two-way cooperation and to enhance South Korea-US alliance’s space capabilities amid growing North Korean threats in space and ongoing military exchanges between Russia and North Korea. North Korea launched its first military reconnaissance satellite in November last year, with plans to launch several more in the next few years. (4/22)
Are We Prepared for Chinese Preeminence on the Moon and Mars? (Source: Space.com)
The rate at which the Chinese have been catching up is alarming. According to a 2022 Pentagon report, the U.S. could lose its lead in space technology as soon as 2045. The report notes that, while U.S. industrial capacity is expanding, "the upward trajectory of the People's Republic of China…is even steeper, with a significant rate of overtake, requiring urgent action."
The report added that "the U.S. lacks a clear and cohesive long-term vision, a grand strategy for space that sustains economic, technological, environmental, social and military (defense) leadership for the next half century and beyond." With so many other major national issues that hold center stage, the Administration and Congress also do not appear to be appropriately focused and motivated in what truly constitutes the new Space Race. Stable bipartisan support remains, but we seem to lack a sense of national urgency. (4/22)
NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth (Source: NASA)
After some inventive sleuthing, the mission team can — for the first time in five months — check the health and status of the most distant human-made object in existence. For the first time since November, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is returning usable data about the health and status of its onboard engineering systems. The next step is to enable the spacecraft to begin returning science data again. The probe and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft to ever fly in interstellar space (the space between stars). (4/22)
How Rocket Lab Outgrew Billionaire Elon Musk's Space Company in Q1 (Source: Motley Fool)
Rocket Lab stock is on a tear. Over just the past week, Rocket Lab has announced a $32 million U.S. Space Force contract to put a "VICTUS HAZE Tactically Responsive Space" satellite in orbit. Another Space Force contract will see Rocket Lab launch a DISKSat into very low earth orbit for $14.5 million. The company plans to reuse one of its Electron first-stage rockets in an orbital launch for the first time ever.
You might not guess it from the stock price (which is down 13% since the end of March), but all of the above follows Rocket Lab's announcement that it launched its 46th successful mission in March, and is planning to launch No. 47 later in April. As Rocket Lab gears up to report its financial results for first-quarter 2024 on May 6, the company clearly has some momentum. But the truth is even bigger than that: Rocket Lab is now growing faster than SpaceX. (4/22)
Astronomers Find Evidence Of A Massive Object Beyond The Orbit Of Neptune (Source: IFL Science)
Ateam of researchers say they have found the "strongest statistical evidence yet that Planet 9 is really out there" in the solar system after studying a population of distant, unstable objects that cross Neptune's orbit.
When it comes to discovering planets, finding them around other stars is actually a little easier than locating them around our own. Astronomers can watch for dips in light as planets pass their host star and block the light reaching our telescopes on Earth or in space, known as the "transit method"; or by observing the wobble of a star caused by planets orbiting it and the knock-on effect that has. Through these methods, and a few others, we have discovered thousands of exoplanets in the last few decades, while the number of planets in our solar system has remained at eight. (4/22)
Work Underway on Large Cargo Landers for NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions (Source: NASA)
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency and its partners will send large pieces of equipment to the lunar surface to enable long-term scientific exploration of the Moon for the benefit of all. NASA’s human landing system providers, SpaceX and Blue Origin, are beginning development of lunar landers for large cargo deliveries to support these needs.
NASA has contracted SpaceX and Blue Origin to provide landing systems to take astronauts to the Moon’s surface from lunar orbit, beginning with Artemis III. The agency has asked the two companies to develop cargo versions of their human lunar landers as an option under their existing contracts. These cargo variants are expected to land approximately 26,000 – 33,000 pounds (12 to 15 metric tons) of payload on the lunar surface and be in service no earlier than the Artemis VII mission. (4/19)
NASA Still Investigating Orion Heat Shield Issues from Artemis 1 Moon Mission (Source: Space.com)
Earlier this year, NASA announced it had delayed until September 2025 the crewed Artemis 2 swingby of the moon, a practice run to prepare for 2026's Artemis 3 mission, which will land astronauts near the lunar south pole. One reason cited for the 10-month delay was getting to the bottom of reentry heat shield data from Artemis 1, which sent an uncrewed Orion capsule to lunar orbit and back.
Engineers have been analyzing data from that shakeout cruise, which began with a launch by NASA's Space Launch System megarocket on Nov. 16, 2022. The 25-day Artemis 1 mission ended on Dec. 11, 2022, with the Orion capsule splashing down under parachutes in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California.
Orion's heat shield took on the 25,000 mph (40,000 kph) reentry speed that day, protecting the capsule ably. But soon thereafter, NASA and contractors began wrestling with the discovery that Orion's ablative heat shield wore away differently than predicted. Some areas of expected charred material ablated away in a manner not forecast by computer modeling and ground testing. Also, there was slightly more liberation of the charred material during reentry than anticipated. (4/18)
Head of NASA Says China Is Hiding Military Experiments in Space (Source: Futurism)
NASA's administrator is once again making outrageous claims about China's space capabilities — and in the process, fueling the off-world rivalry between the two. "We believe that a lot of [China's] so-called civilian space program is a military program," Administrator Bill Nelson said during remarks on Capitol Hill this week, per The Guardian. "And I think, in effect, we are in a race." (4/20)
The Ongoing Triumph of Ingenuity (Source: Space Review)
NASA sent its final commands to the Ingenuity Mars helicopter last week, three months after the helicopter’s final flight. Will Pomerantz describes the remarkable achievements of Ingenuity and its influence on future missions. Click here. (4/22)
NASA’s Strategy for Space Sustainability (Source: Space Review)
Earlier this month NASA announced a new Space Sustainability Strategy that outlines how the agency would address the growing threats posed by orbital debris. Jeff Foust reports on the strategy, which initially emphasizes getting a grasp on the problem rather than technological solutions. Click here. (4/22)
Tintin, the First Man in Space and on the Moon (Source: Space Review)
Years before Yuri Gagarin went into orbit or Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon, the Belgian cartoon character Tintin did the same. Anusuya Datta looks at Tintin’s exploits and how the cartoonist Hergé was able to make the journey realistic. Click here. (4/22)
Preventing Space Contamination Rises Up the Agenda (Source: BBC)
Hundreds of scientists from around the world are meeting in the UK this week to discuss the best ways of protecting our planet and other celestial bodies from contamination. Representatives from Nasa, the European Space Agency and agencies from China, Japan and India, as well as private companies, will be sharing techniques on how to explore other worlds responsibly. (4/22)
Jamming, Spoofing, Hacking: Today's Most Pervasive Counterspace Threats (Source: Space Policy Online)
While speculation about Russian nuclear weapons in space and actual destructive antisatellite tests grab the headlines, experts from two organizations that track “counterspace” activities are pointing out more immediate threats to satellite systems do not require such sophistication. Jamming or spoofing navigation satellites or hacking communications satellite ground terminals is much easier and can be disruptive not just to militaries, but the civilian population. Click here. (4/21)
Make Money in Your Sleep: How to Earn €18,000 in Bed for 2 Months and Help Future Space Missions (Source: EuroNews)
Long periods spent in space can impair sensory perceptions and motor reactions. This study hopes to tackle those challenges so missions aren't jeopardised. Earning money without ever having to get out of bed sounds like the dream job. Even better when you’re being paid thousands of euros. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is looking for 12 candidates to spend 60 days in bed for its study in collaboration with NASA. Candidates who complete the two-month programme will be paid €18,000. (4/21)
L3Harris Strengthens Smallsat Supply Chain (Source: Defense News)
L3Harris has chosen Maxar to construct the satellite bus for its Space Development Agency Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 satellites, and Kelle Wendling, president of L3Harris' space systems sector, recently discussed the challenges and strategies in developing a mature supply chain for small satellites. Wendling shared insights from early lessons learned in the SDA's missile tracking satellite project, emphasizing the ongoing complexities of the supply chain and the importance of early and collaborative engagement with suppliers. (4/22)
Spain's PLD Space Raises $83 Million for Launcher Development (Source: Space News)
Spanish launch vehicle developer PLD Space has raised additional funding. The company announced Tuesday that it has raised a total of 78 million euros ($83 million) in outside investment to date, but did not disclose the size of the latest tranche of funding from its shareholders. The company has also received 42 million euros from the Spanish government in the last year. The funding will allow PLD Space to expand its manufacturing and test facilities for its Miura 5 small launch vehicle. That rocket is slated to make its first flight in 2025 and enter commercial service in 2026. (4/23)
Space Force Adjusts Classification for Some Tech and Training (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has declassified some information about space electronic warfare technologies and training. Space Force Col. Christopher Fernengel said on a recent podcast that the service has moved that information, which had been at a "top secret special access program" level, down to secret or top secret, making it easier for the Space Force to collaborate with allies. Space electronic warfare involves manipulating the electromagnetic spectrum, including offensive actions like jamming or spoofing to hinder adversaries as well as defensive measures to protect friendly space assets. (4/23)
NASA Continues Assessment of Decadal Survey Mission Options (Source: Space News)
NASA is continuing efforts to respond to a decadal survey that set lofty goals for its biological and physical sciences (BPS) research. That report, released last September, recommended NASA pursue 11 key science questions and implement two research campaigns in those fields with costs in the billions of dollars. It also called for increasing NASA's BPS budget by a factor of 10 over the decade.
The director of NASA's BPS division says the agency is developing a strategy to implement the decadal's recommendations while acknowledging a 10-fold increase in the budget may not be realistic in the current fiscal environment. The strategy will also address a shift in research from the International Space Station to commercial stations as well as lunar and Mars research. (4/23)
SpaceX Injury Rates Continue to Exceed Industry Averages (Source: Reuters)
Injury rates at SpaceX continue to exceed industry averages. Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 2023 showed that SpaceX had injury rates higher than the space industry average and, in some cases, higher than the company reported in 2022. Its Starbase facility in Texas, for example, reported 5.9 injuries per 100 workers in 2023 compared to 3.8 injuries per 100 in 2022 and an industry average of just 0.8 injuries per 100. One expert warned that high injury rates could be a sign of poor production quality. (4/23)
India Readies Drop Test for Gaganyaan (Source: India Today)
The Indian space agency ISRO is gearing up for a drop test of its Gaganyaan spacecraft. In the upcoming test, a capsule will be dropped from a helicopter at an altitude of 3.5 to 4 kilometers to confirm the performance of the spacecraft's parachutes before splashing down. ISRO has not announced a date for the test, but it could take place within a week depending on the status of test preparations and weather conditions. (4/23)
Australia Criticized for Funding Astronaut Training (Source: The Guardian)
Australia's space agency is facing criticism for spending money training an astronaut who will have few opportunities to fly. The agency spent $466,000 to include Katherine Bennell-Pegg, its space technology director, in a European Space Agency astronaut training class that graduated on Monday. Unlike the ESA astronauts in that class, Bennell-Pegg is not eligible for ESA flight assignments, leaving commercial missions as the most likely option for her to go to space. The cost of seats on commercial missions to the ISS, though, exceeds the agency's annual budget of $34 million, prompting one senator to formally question the agency about its human spaceflight plans. (4/23)
Blue Origin Adds New Shepard Suborbital Flight (Source: SERA)
A private organization says it has signed an agreement for a dedicated Blue Origin New Shepard flight. The Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) announced Monday that it will buy all six seats on an upcoming, but unscheduled, New Shepard flight, reserving five of the seats for participants from countries that have none or only a few people into space. The sixth seat would be open people from any nation. SERA, previously known as the Crypto Space Agency, arranged the flight of one person on a New Shepard flight in 2022, funded through the sale of digital collectibles called non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. (4/23)
NASA understood that it was accepting a degree of risk when it selected Starship as the solitary lunar lander design for Artemis 3 and 4. The only alternatives were an overweight Dynetics lander and a Blue Origin lander which would need a substantial redesign to achieve NASA’s long-term goal of landing four astronauts on the Moon. In this context, Starship had significant upside, as it far exceeded the HLS performance requirements.
SpaceX claimed that it could deliver 100 tons of cargo to the lunar surface, which would reduce the operating costs of the Artemis Base Camp. In addition, SpaceX’s $2.9 billion bid was half the price of its competitors’ landers, since the company could offset Starship’s development cost by also utilizing it to launch satellites. However, its ability to reach the Moon was cast into doubt by an announcement by Elon Musk two weeks ago.
The most important part was arguably contained within one sentence: “Currently, Flight 3 would be around 40-50 tons to orbit.” Prior to this, Starship’s estimated payload capacity had ranged between 100 and 150 tons to LEO. The most straightforward interpretation of Musk’s comment is that the rocket is suffering from a 50% underperformance. SpaceX is already designing an upgraded “Starship 2.” Both stages of the rocket will be slightly longer and they will feature the improved Raptor 3 engine. (4/19)
Starship Will Be 500 Feet Tall for Mars Missions, Elon Musk Says (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX's Starship, the largest rocket in the world, will get even bigger as the company continues to target Mars missions in the future. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX, told employees on April 4 that Starship will eventually be as tall as 500 feet (150 meters), roughly 20% higher than the massive system aboard the Super Heavy rocket right now.
What's more, advances in reusability will have each launch cost roughly $3 million each, Musk predicted; that's less than a third of what a (much smaller) Falcon 1 rocket launch cost in 2004 when inflation is taken into account. (The figure two decades ago was $5.9 million, according to NBC, which is roughly $9.5 million in 2024 dollars.) (4/13)
Startups Want to Cool Earth by Reflecting Sunlight. There Are Few Rules and Big Risks (Source: NPR)
In the past year, the conversation around solar geoengineering as a climate solution has become more serious, says David Keith, geophysics professor and head of a new University of Chicago initiative to study a broad array of climate geoengineering ideas. "Suddenly we're getting conversations with senior political leaders and senior people in the environmental world who are starting to think about this and engage with it seriously in a way that just wasn't happening five years ago," Keith says.
But as money flows in – some from investors who hope to profit from this technology – regulations around outdoor experiments and possible broader deployments aren't keeping up, experts say. Because of the way the stratosphere works, a large-scale release of particles in one part of the world could impact a large part of the planet. Questions persist about possible risks of solar geoengineering for everything from global crops to droughts. And there are risks of unintended consequences that scientists and investors haven't yet imagined – the unknown unknowns of trying to engineer a cooler Earth. Click here. (4/21)
Chiefs of South Korea’s JCS, US Spacecom Meet (Source: Korea Herald)
Kim Myung-soo, the chair of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Stephen Whiting, the commander of the US Space Command, met on Monday in Seoul. According to the JCS, Kim and Whiting held a meeting to discuss close two-way cooperation and to enhance South Korea-US alliance’s space capabilities amid growing North Korean threats in space and ongoing military exchanges between Russia and North Korea. North Korea launched its first military reconnaissance satellite in November last year, with plans to launch several more in the next few years. (4/22)
Are We Prepared for Chinese Preeminence on the Moon and Mars? (Source: Space.com)
The rate at which the Chinese have been catching up is alarming. According to a 2022 Pentagon report, the U.S. could lose its lead in space technology as soon as 2045. The report notes that, while U.S. industrial capacity is expanding, "the upward trajectory of the People's Republic of China…is even steeper, with a significant rate of overtake, requiring urgent action."
The report added that "the U.S. lacks a clear and cohesive long-term vision, a grand strategy for space that sustains economic, technological, environmental, social and military (defense) leadership for the next half century and beyond." With so many other major national issues that hold center stage, the Administration and Congress also do not appear to be appropriately focused and motivated in what truly constitutes the new Space Race. Stable bipartisan support remains, but we seem to lack a sense of national urgency. (4/22)
NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth (Source: NASA)
After some inventive sleuthing, the mission team can — for the first time in five months — check the health and status of the most distant human-made object in existence. For the first time since November, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is returning usable data about the health and status of its onboard engineering systems. The next step is to enable the spacecraft to begin returning science data again. The probe and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft to ever fly in interstellar space (the space between stars). (4/22)
How Rocket Lab Outgrew Billionaire Elon Musk's Space Company in Q1 (Source: Motley Fool)
Rocket Lab stock is on a tear. Over just the past week, Rocket Lab has announced a $32 million U.S. Space Force contract to put a "VICTUS HAZE Tactically Responsive Space" satellite in orbit. Another Space Force contract will see Rocket Lab launch a DISKSat into very low earth orbit for $14.5 million. The company plans to reuse one of its Electron first-stage rockets in an orbital launch for the first time ever.
You might not guess it from the stock price (which is down 13% since the end of March), but all of the above follows Rocket Lab's announcement that it launched its 46th successful mission in March, and is planning to launch No. 47 later in April. As Rocket Lab gears up to report its financial results for first-quarter 2024 on May 6, the company clearly has some momentum. But the truth is even bigger than that: Rocket Lab is now growing faster than SpaceX. (4/22)
Astronomers Find Evidence Of A Massive Object Beyond The Orbit Of Neptune (Source: IFL Science)
Ateam of researchers say they have found the "strongest statistical evidence yet that Planet 9 is really out there" in the solar system after studying a population of distant, unstable objects that cross Neptune's orbit.
When it comes to discovering planets, finding them around other stars is actually a little easier than locating them around our own. Astronomers can watch for dips in light as planets pass their host star and block the light reaching our telescopes on Earth or in space, known as the "transit method"; or by observing the wobble of a star caused by planets orbiting it and the knock-on effect that has. Through these methods, and a few others, we have discovered thousands of exoplanets in the last few decades, while the number of planets in our solar system has remained at eight. (4/22)
Work Underway on Large Cargo Landers for NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions (Source: NASA)
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency and its partners will send large pieces of equipment to the lunar surface to enable long-term scientific exploration of the Moon for the benefit of all. NASA’s human landing system providers, SpaceX and Blue Origin, are beginning development of lunar landers for large cargo deliveries to support these needs.
NASA has contracted SpaceX and Blue Origin to provide landing systems to take astronauts to the Moon’s surface from lunar orbit, beginning with Artemis III. The agency has asked the two companies to develop cargo versions of their human lunar landers as an option under their existing contracts. These cargo variants are expected to land approximately 26,000 – 33,000 pounds (12 to 15 metric tons) of payload on the lunar surface and be in service no earlier than the Artemis VII mission. (4/19)
NASA Still Investigating Orion Heat Shield Issues from Artemis 1 Moon Mission (Source: Space.com)
Earlier this year, NASA announced it had delayed until September 2025 the crewed Artemis 2 swingby of the moon, a practice run to prepare for 2026's Artemis 3 mission, which will land astronauts near the lunar south pole. One reason cited for the 10-month delay was getting to the bottom of reentry heat shield data from Artemis 1, which sent an uncrewed Orion capsule to lunar orbit and back.
Engineers have been analyzing data from that shakeout cruise, which began with a launch by NASA's Space Launch System megarocket on Nov. 16, 2022. The 25-day Artemis 1 mission ended on Dec. 11, 2022, with the Orion capsule splashing down under parachutes in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California.
Orion's heat shield took on the 25,000 mph (40,000 kph) reentry speed that day, protecting the capsule ably. But soon thereafter, NASA and contractors began wrestling with the discovery that Orion's ablative heat shield wore away differently than predicted. Some areas of expected charred material ablated away in a manner not forecast by computer modeling and ground testing. Also, there was slightly more liberation of the charred material during reentry than anticipated. (4/18)
Head of NASA Says China Is Hiding Military Experiments in Space (Source: Futurism)
NASA's administrator is once again making outrageous claims about China's space capabilities — and in the process, fueling the off-world rivalry between the two. "We believe that a lot of [China's] so-called civilian space program is a military program," Administrator Bill Nelson said during remarks on Capitol Hill this week, per The Guardian. "And I think, in effect, we are in a race." (4/20)
The Ongoing Triumph of Ingenuity (Source: Space Review)
NASA sent its final commands to the Ingenuity Mars helicopter last week, three months after the helicopter’s final flight. Will Pomerantz describes the remarkable achievements of Ingenuity and its influence on future missions. Click here. (4/22)
NASA’s Strategy for Space Sustainability (Source: Space Review)
Earlier this month NASA announced a new Space Sustainability Strategy that outlines how the agency would address the growing threats posed by orbital debris. Jeff Foust reports on the strategy, which initially emphasizes getting a grasp on the problem rather than technological solutions. Click here. (4/22)
Tintin, the First Man in Space and on the Moon (Source: Space Review)
Years before Yuri Gagarin went into orbit or Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon, the Belgian cartoon character Tintin did the same. Anusuya Datta looks at Tintin’s exploits and how the cartoonist Hergé was able to make the journey realistic. Click here. (4/22)
Preventing Space Contamination Rises Up the Agenda (Source: BBC)
Hundreds of scientists from around the world are meeting in the UK this week to discuss the best ways of protecting our planet and other celestial bodies from contamination. Representatives from Nasa, the European Space Agency and agencies from China, Japan and India, as well as private companies, will be sharing techniques on how to explore other worlds responsibly. (4/22)
Jamming, Spoofing, Hacking: Today's Most Pervasive Counterspace Threats (Source: Space Policy Online)
While speculation about Russian nuclear weapons in space and actual destructive antisatellite tests grab the headlines, experts from two organizations that track “counterspace” activities are pointing out more immediate threats to satellite systems do not require such sophistication. Jamming or spoofing navigation satellites or hacking communications satellite ground terminals is much easier and can be disruptive not just to militaries, but the civilian population. Click here. (4/21)
Make Money in Your Sleep: How to Earn €18,000 in Bed for 2 Months and Help Future Space Missions (Source: EuroNews)
Long periods spent in space can impair sensory perceptions and motor reactions. This study hopes to tackle those challenges so missions aren't jeopardised. Earning money without ever having to get out of bed sounds like the dream job. Even better when you’re being paid thousands of euros. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is looking for 12 candidates to spend 60 days in bed for its study in collaboration with NASA. Candidates who complete the two-month programme will be paid €18,000. (4/21)
L3Harris Strengthens Smallsat Supply Chain (Source: Defense News)
L3Harris has chosen Maxar to construct the satellite bus for its Space Development Agency Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 satellites, and Kelle Wendling, president of L3Harris' space systems sector, recently discussed the challenges and strategies in developing a mature supply chain for small satellites. Wendling shared insights from early lessons learned in the SDA's missile tracking satellite project, emphasizing the ongoing complexities of the supply chain and the importance of early and collaborative engagement with suppliers. (4/22)
Spain's PLD Space Raises $83 Million for Launcher Development (Source: Space News)
Spanish launch vehicle developer PLD Space has raised additional funding. The company announced Tuesday that it has raised a total of 78 million euros ($83 million) in outside investment to date, but did not disclose the size of the latest tranche of funding from its shareholders. The company has also received 42 million euros from the Spanish government in the last year. The funding will allow PLD Space to expand its manufacturing and test facilities for its Miura 5 small launch vehicle. That rocket is slated to make its first flight in 2025 and enter commercial service in 2026. (4/23)
Space Force Adjusts Classification for Some Tech and Training (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has declassified some information about space electronic warfare technologies and training. Space Force Col. Christopher Fernengel said on a recent podcast that the service has moved that information, which had been at a "top secret special access program" level, down to secret or top secret, making it easier for the Space Force to collaborate with allies. Space electronic warfare involves manipulating the electromagnetic spectrum, including offensive actions like jamming or spoofing to hinder adversaries as well as defensive measures to protect friendly space assets. (4/23)
NASA Continues Assessment of Decadal Survey Mission Options (Source: Space News)
NASA is continuing efforts to respond to a decadal survey that set lofty goals for its biological and physical sciences (BPS) research. That report, released last September, recommended NASA pursue 11 key science questions and implement two research campaigns in those fields with costs in the billions of dollars. It also called for increasing NASA's BPS budget by a factor of 10 over the decade.
The director of NASA's BPS division says the agency is developing a strategy to implement the decadal's recommendations while acknowledging a 10-fold increase in the budget may not be realistic in the current fiscal environment. The strategy will also address a shift in research from the International Space Station to commercial stations as well as lunar and Mars research. (4/23)
SpaceX Injury Rates Continue to Exceed Industry Averages (Source: Reuters)
Injury rates at SpaceX continue to exceed industry averages. Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 2023 showed that SpaceX had injury rates higher than the space industry average and, in some cases, higher than the company reported in 2022. Its Starbase facility in Texas, for example, reported 5.9 injuries per 100 workers in 2023 compared to 3.8 injuries per 100 in 2022 and an industry average of just 0.8 injuries per 100. One expert warned that high injury rates could be a sign of poor production quality. (4/23)
India Readies Drop Test for Gaganyaan (Source: India Today)
The Indian space agency ISRO is gearing up for a drop test of its Gaganyaan spacecraft. In the upcoming test, a capsule will be dropped from a helicopter at an altitude of 3.5 to 4 kilometers to confirm the performance of the spacecraft's parachutes before splashing down. ISRO has not announced a date for the test, but it could take place within a week depending on the status of test preparations and weather conditions. (4/23)
Australia Criticized for Funding Astronaut Training (Source: The Guardian)
Australia's space agency is facing criticism for spending money training an astronaut who will have few opportunities to fly. The agency spent $466,000 to include Katherine Bennell-Pegg, its space technology director, in a European Space Agency astronaut training class that graduated on Monday. Unlike the ESA astronauts in that class, Bennell-Pegg is not eligible for ESA flight assignments, leaving commercial missions as the most likely option for her to go to space. The cost of seats on commercial missions to the ISS, though, exceeds the agency's annual budget of $34 million, prompting one senator to formally question the agency about its human spaceflight plans. (4/23)
Blue Origin Adds New Shepard Suborbital Flight (Source: SERA)
A private organization says it has signed an agreement for a dedicated Blue Origin New Shepard flight. The Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) announced Monday that it will buy all six seats on an upcoming, but unscheduled, New Shepard flight, reserving five of the seats for participants from countries that have none or only a few people into space. The sixth seat would be open people from any nation. SERA, previously known as the Crypto Space Agency, arranged the flight of one person on a New Shepard flight in 2022, funded through the sale of digital collectibles called non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. (4/23)
April 22, 2024
Space Force Moves to Scale, Enhance
Terrestrial Data Transport Prototype (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Space Force’s acquisition arm plans to award a follow-on production contract in the coming months for a ground-based system that provides a “data-transfer-as-a-service” capability for the service and other partners. In 2021, Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded a $46.5 million pathfinder contract to Sev1Tech to prototype meshONE-T, a terrestrial network of data transport nodes that facilitates secure and rapid communications between sites located around the world. (4/18)
Japanese Satellite Will Beam Solar Power to Earth in 2025 (Source: Space.com)
apan is on track to beam solar power from space to Earth next year, two years after a similar feat was achieved by U.S. engineers. The development marks an important step toward a possible space-based solar power station that could help wean the world off fossil fuels amid the intensifying battle against climate change.
"It will be a small satellite, about 180 kilograms [400 pounds], that will transmit about 1 kilowatt of power from the altitude of 400 kilometers." One kilowatt is about the amount of power needed to run a household appliance, such as a small dishwasher, for about an hour, depending on its size. Therefore, the demonstration is nowhere near the scale required for commercial use. (4/19)
Why Is It So Hard to Send Humans Back to the Moon? (Source: Space.com)
Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo missions sent a total of a dozen astronauts to the surface of the moon — and that was before the explosion of modern technology. So why does it seem like our current efforts, as embodied by NASA's Artemis program, are so slow, halting and complex? There isn't one easy answer, but it comes down to money, politics and priorities. Click here. (4/21) https://www.space.com/why-is-getting-to-the-moon-so-hard
America's Next Great Space Station Gets a Vote of Support From Japan (Source: Motley Fool)
Four teams of space companies are working to replace the International Space Station when it's shut down in 2030. One of the leading teams, known as Starlab, attracted a new partner in the form of Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation this month. Mitsubishi is the third major industrial corporation to sign onto the Starlab project. (4/20)
NASA Reveals 'Glass-Smooth Lake of Cooling Lava' on Surface of Jupiter's Moon Io (Source: Live Science)
The new images show Loki Patera, a 127-mile-long (200 km) lava lake on Io's surface. Scientists have been observing this lava lake for decades. It sits over the magma reservoirs under Io's surface. The cooling lava at the center of the lake is ringed by possibly molten magma around the edges. "The specular reflection our instruments recorded of the lake suggests parts of Io's surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth," Scott Bolton said. (4/21)
New Study Says We May Be Living in a Variable Universe (Source: Popular Mechanics)
The standard cosmological model known as Lambda-CDM (ΛCDM) proposes that dark energy is a constant force in the universe. However, an early “hint” in a new detailed map from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument shows that dark energy can actually grow stronger and weaker over time. While this evidence isn’t enough to be considered a discovery, it does call into question some underlying assumptions about how the universe formed and is expanding. (4/18)
NASA Commits to Titan Mission Despite Cost Increase (Source: Space News)
NASA has confirmed plans for a mission to Saturn's moon Titan despite costs that have doubled. NASA said last week that the Dragonfly mission, which will send a rotorcraft to Titan to study its habitability, had been confirmed to go into full-scale development ahead of a launch in mid-2028. The total cost of the mission, including launch and operations, is now $3.35 billion, far higher than when NASA selected the mission in 2019 as the latest in the New Frontiers line, which had a cost cap excluding launch and operations of $850 million.
NASA said that the costs included in the cap had doubled because of a series of replans to the mission caused by budget pressures, as well as supply chain and related pandemic impacts. NASA will also spend more on a heavy-lift launch vehicle to allow Dragonfly to reach Titan on schedule in 2034 despite two years of launch delays. (4/22)
Blue Halo Wins $24.4 Million AFRL Contract (Source: Space News)
Defense contractor BlueHalo has won a $24.4 million Air Force Research Lab contract to study vulnerabilities of space systems. BlueHalo will be tasked to "accelerate the advancement of the directed energy modeling, simulation and analysis, assessment expertise, and highly technical capabilities to safeguard strategic U.S. space interests," according to a contract announcement last week. AFRL's Satellite Assessment Center, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, evaluates the vulnerabilities of space vehicles to lasers and laser radiation. (4/22)
ESA Graduates Five Astronauts (Source: ESA)
ESA's latest class of astronauts have graduated. The agency held a ceremony Monday to mark the completion of the year-long training program for the five astronauts selected in November 2022. The five were joined by an Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate. The new ESA astronauts are now eligible for assignments for future ISS and other missions. (4/22)
Syrian Astronaut Passes Away at 72 (Source: CollectSpace)
The first Syrian to go to space has died. Muhammed Faris died last week in Turkey at the age of 72 after a long illness. Faris flew to the Mir space station in 1987, spending a week in space as Syria's first and, to date, only space traveler. A Syrian Air Force pilot, he served in the country's military after his flight, rising to the rank of general before detecting with his family to Turkey in 2012. (4/22)
Germany's Reflex Aerospace and South Korea's Flexell Space Team Up to Power Next-Generation Satellites (Source: Reflex)
Reflex and Flexell Space have signed a LOI to collaborate on integrating Flexell’s state-of-the-art solar cells into Reflex’s rapidly manufactured satellite platforms, the companies announced. This international partnership brings together two NewSpace innovators at the cutting edge of satellite manufacturing and solar power to usher in a new era of high-performance, low-lead-time satellites.
Reflex is pioneering new ways of improving satellite design and production, enabling the serial production of tailored satellites. Flexell Space, a Hanwha Group company, has developed groundbreaking solar cell technology that reduces mass while increasing durability and efficiency. Together, they are both working to meet the growing demand for flexible, resilient and high-performance satellites. (4/20)
Israel's Momentick Raises $6.5M for Satellite Methane Monitoring (Source: Axios)
Emissions detection service Momentick closed a $6.5 million seed round to expand the range of greenhouse gasses that it tracks, the company tells Axios. Leaks from fossil fuel infrastructure are responsible for 40% of human-caused methane emissions. Momentick is among a handful of startups using satellites to detect plumes of invisible gas leaking from fossil fuel infrastructure.
Unlike the Environmental Defense Fund's MethaneSat or the publicly traded earth imaging service Planet Labs, both of which launched their own satellites, Momentick is purely a software company, using an algorithm it developed to interpret images taken by others' satellites. The approach enables Momentick to be cost-efficient and cover a broader swath of territory, CEO Daniel Kashmir says. The company says it can detect leaks below 1,000 kilograms/hour, which is about standard for a satellite. (4/18)
ST Engineering and EY Sign MOU in Space Technology and Geospatial Analytics for Sustainability Purposes (Source: EY)
ST Engineering Geo-Insights and EY Corporate Advisors announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in space technology and geospatial analytics, aimed at tackling pressing environmental challenges. The companies will explore co-developing a geospatial platform, integrating ST Engineering Geo-Insights’ capabilities into EY’s existing infrastructure resilience services that focus on rail, roads, water utilities, pipelines and powerlines.
Both parties will explore using geospatial data to co-develop sustainability roadmaps and form a joint sustainability product development working group to focus on five key areas, namely deforestation; water management and quality; compliance with Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures or Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures requirements; carbon accounting; as well as baselining environmental impacts. (4/17)
2024 KSC Community Leaders Update Planned in May (Source: NASA KSC)
The KSC Community Leaders Update will bring together influential individuals from our community to update them on the changes taking place at NASA/KSC. This in-person gathering will take place on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 2:00 PM at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation's Center for Space Education within the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Mingling starts at 2:00 PM, the presentation begins at 2:30 PM. (4/22)
The Space Force’s acquisition arm plans to award a follow-on production contract in the coming months for a ground-based system that provides a “data-transfer-as-a-service” capability for the service and other partners. In 2021, Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded a $46.5 million pathfinder contract to Sev1Tech to prototype meshONE-T, a terrestrial network of data transport nodes that facilitates secure and rapid communications between sites located around the world. (4/18)
Japanese Satellite Will Beam Solar Power to Earth in 2025 (Source: Space.com)
apan is on track to beam solar power from space to Earth next year, two years after a similar feat was achieved by U.S. engineers. The development marks an important step toward a possible space-based solar power station that could help wean the world off fossil fuels amid the intensifying battle against climate change.
"It will be a small satellite, about 180 kilograms [400 pounds], that will transmit about 1 kilowatt of power from the altitude of 400 kilometers." One kilowatt is about the amount of power needed to run a household appliance, such as a small dishwasher, for about an hour, depending on its size. Therefore, the demonstration is nowhere near the scale required for commercial use. (4/19)
Why Is It So Hard to Send Humans Back to the Moon? (Source: Space.com)
Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo missions sent a total of a dozen astronauts to the surface of the moon — and that was before the explosion of modern technology. So why does it seem like our current efforts, as embodied by NASA's Artemis program, are so slow, halting and complex? There isn't one easy answer, but it comes down to money, politics and priorities. Click here. (4/21) https://www.space.com/why-is-getting-to-the-moon-so-hard
America's Next Great Space Station Gets a Vote of Support From Japan (Source: Motley Fool)
Four teams of space companies are working to replace the International Space Station when it's shut down in 2030. One of the leading teams, known as Starlab, attracted a new partner in the form of Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation this month. Mitsubishi is the third major industrial corporation to sign onto the Starlab project. (4/20)
NASA Reveals 'Glass-Smooth Lake of Cooling Lava' on Surface of Jupiter's Moon Io (Source: Live Science)
The new images show Loki Patera, a 127-mile-long (200 km) lava lake on Io's surface. Scientists have been observing this lava lake for decades. It sits over the magma reservoirs under Io's surface. The cooling lava at the center of the lake is ringed by possibly molten magma around the edges. "The specular reflection our instruments recorded of the lake suggests parts of Io's surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth," Scott Bolton said. (4/21)
New Study Says We May Be Living in a Variable Universe (Source: Popular Mechanics)
The standard cosmological model known as Lambda-CDM (ΛCDM) proposes that dark energy is a constant force in the universe. However, an early “hint” in a new detailed map from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument shows that dark energy can actually grow stronger and weaker over time. While this evidence isn’t enough to be considered a discovery, it does call into question some underlying assumptions about how the universe formed and is expanding. (4/18)
NASA Commits to Titan Mission Despite Cost Increase (Source: Space News)
NASA has confirmed plans for a mission to Saturn's moon Titan despite costs that have doubled. NASA said last week that the Dragonfly mission, which will send a rotorcraft to Titan to study its habitability, had been confirmed to go into full-scale development ahead of a launch in mid-2028. The total cost of the mission, including launch and operations, is now $3.35 billion, far higher than when NASA selected the mission in 2019 as the latest in the New Frontiers line, which had a cost cap excluding launch and operations of $850 million.
NASA said that the costs included in the cap had doubled because of a series of replans to the mission caused by budget pressures, as well as supply chain and related pandemic impacts. NASA will also spend more on a heavy-lift launch vehicle to allow Dragonfly to reach Titan on schedule in 2034 despite two years of launch delays. (4/22)
Blue Halo Wins $24.4 Million AFRL Contract (Source: Space News)
Defense contractor BlueHalo has won a $24.4 million Air Force Research Lab contract to study vulnerabilities of space systems. BlueHalo will be tasked to "accelerate the advancement of the directed energy modeling, simulation and analysis, assessment expertise, and highly technical capabilities to safeguard strategic U.S. space interests," according to a contract announcement last week. AFRL's Satellite Assessment Center, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, evaluates the vulnerabilities of space vehicles to lasers and laser radiation. (4/22)
ESA Graduates Five Astronauts (Source: ESA)
ESA's latest class of astronauts have graduated. The agency held a ceremony Monday to mark the completion of the year-long training program for the five astronauts selected in November 2022. The five were joined by an Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate. The new ESA astronauts are now eligible for assignments for future ISS and other missions. (4/22)
Syrian Astronaut Passes Away at 72 (Source: CollectSpace)
The first Syrian to go to space has died. Muhammed Faris died last week in Turkey at the age of 72 after a long illness. Faris flew to the Mir space station in 1987, spending a week in space as Syria's first and, to date, only space traveler. A Syrian Air Force pilot, he served in the country's military after his flight, rising to the rank of general before detecting with his family to Turkey in 2012. (4/22)
Germany's Reflex Aerospace and South Korea's Flexell Space Team Up to Power Next-Generation Satellites (Source: Reflex)
Reflex and Flexell Space have signed a LOI to collaborate on integrating Flexell’s state-of-the-art solar cells into Reflex’s rapidly manufactured satellite platforms, the companies announced. This international partnership brings together two NewSpace innovators at the cutting edge of satellite manufacturing and solar power to usher in a new era of high-performance, low-lead-time satellites.
Reflex is pioneering new ways of improving satellite design and production, enabling the serial production of tailored satellites. Flexell Space, a Hanwha Group company, has developed groundbreaking solar cell technology that reduces mass while increasing durability and efficiency. Together, they are both working to meet the growing demand for flexible, resilient and high-performance satellites. (4/20)
Israel's Momentick Raises $6.5M for Satellite Methane Monitoring (Source: Axios)
Emissions detection service Momentick closed a $6.5 million seed round to expand the range of greenhouse gasses that it tracks, the company tells Axios. Leaks from fossil fuel infrastructure are responsible for 40% of human-caused methane emissions. Momentick is among a handful of startups using satellites to detect plumes of invisible gas leaking from fossil fuel infrastructure.
Unlike the Environmental Defense Fund's MethaneSat or the publicly traded earth imaging service Planet Labs, both of which launched their own satellites, Momentick is purely a software company, using an algorithm it developed to interpret images taken by others' satellites. The approach enables Momentick to be cost-efficient and cover a broader swath of territory, CEO Daniel Kashmir says. The company says it can detect leaks below 1,000 kilograms/hour, which is about standard for a satellite. (4/18)
ST Engineering and EY Sign MOU in Space Technology and Geospatial Analytics for Sustainability Purposes (Source: EY)
ST Engineering Geo-Insights and EY Corporate Advisors announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in space technology and geospatial analytics, aimed at tackling pressing environmental challenges. The companies will explore co-developing a geospatial platform, integrating ST Engineering Geo-Insights’ capabilities into EY’s existing infrastructure resilience services that focus on rail, roads, water utilities, pipelines and powerlines.
Both parties will explore using geospatial data to co-develop sustainability roadmaps and form a joint sustainability product development working group to focus on five key areas, namely deforestation; water management and quality; compliance with Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures or Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures requirements; carbon accounting; as well as baselining environmental impacts. (4/17)
2024 KSC Community Leaders Update Planned in May (Source: NASA KSC)
The KSC Community Leaders Update will bring together influential individuals from our community to update them on the changes taking place at NASA/KSC. This in-person gathering will take place on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 2:00 PM at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation's Center for Space Education within the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Mingling starts at 2:00 PM, the presentation begins at 2:30 PM. (4/22)
April 21, 2024
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck on
Challenging Elon Musk’s SpaceX (Source: Opto)
Out of necessity, Peter Beck, Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, built his company as a smaller, scrappier underdog. However, he believes that these humble beginnings now give the company an advantage compared to larger competitors, particularly Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Since the early days of Rocket Lab [RKLB], Founder and CEO Peter Beck was used to coming up against larger, better-funded competitors.
“We were tracking, at one point, 140 start-ups in small launch,” Beck tells OPTO Sessions. “We were not picked to be the favourite. I think Virgin Orbit had over $1.2bn poured into it; that’s $1.1bn more than we spent getting our first rocket into orbit.” Virgin Orbit ceased operations in May 2023, following a major mission failure, and sold its assets for less than 1% of the $3.5bn valuation it reached in 2021, according to the Guardian. Rocket Lab, however, is still going strong.
The valuations of their competitors perplexed Beck and his team at the time but fostered an intense focus on delivery, which he feels has given Rocket Lab an edge. “Sometimes having too many resources makes you lazy,” he says. “We can’t outspend our competitors. We have to outthink them or outwork them.” Click here. (4/20)
Japan to Create a 1-Trillion-Yen Fund to Bolster Space Business (Source: Asahi Shimbun)
Setting its sights on becoming a key player in the global space industry, Japan will set up a 1-trillion-yen ($6.47 billion) fund to achieve that goal. The space strategy fund will be managed by the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency over a 10-year period to support technological innovation by companies and universities.
As early as this summer, JAXA will begin soliciting private-sector organizations that have the expertise to make things happen with the aim of bringing them aboard by the end of this fiscal year. Specific areas of technological development will be decided at a meeting of the Committee on National Space Policy under the Cabinet Office this month at the earliest.
The science ministry, the industry ministry and the communications ministry have proposed 22 candidate areas. They include a 95-billion-yen project to create a communication network based on satellite constellations; a 23-billion-yen project to develop a fuel-cell system for use on the lunar surface; and a 15.5-bilion-yen project to establish technologies to launch rockets more frequently and cheaply. (4/21)
China Launches New Remote Sensing Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China on Sunday launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket, placing a remote sensing satellite in space. The rocket blasted off at 7:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan and sent the Yaogan-42 02 satellite into the preset orbit. It was the 517th flight mission of the Long March series rockets. (4/21)
China Publishes World's First High-Definition Lunar Geologic Atlas (Source: Xinhua)
China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This set of geologic atlas, available in Chinese and English, includes the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the Map Quadrangles of the Geologic Atlas of the Moon, according to the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). (4/21)
Space Force Extends Deal with L3Harris to Enhance Space Domain Awareness (Source: Broadcast Pro)
L3Harris Technologies has received an award of option year five of the Maintenance Of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities (MOSSAIC) programme. The contract, worth up to $187m from the US Space Force, continues the modernisation and sustainment of critical space infrastructure enabling the Space Force core competency of space domain awareness. (4/21)
Archaeological Study of Cape Canaveral's First Rocket Launch Site Expands to 3D Mapping (Source: The Guardian)
Wielding a handheld optical scanner, Jorge González meticulously maneuvered across an archaeological grid of white string and metal pins, creating a 3D digital map of a newly excavated steel-mat corridor that led into the long-demolished Bumper blockhouse. Military technicians walking along that Marston-mat entryway made history on July 24, 1950, by entering that tarpaper shack and using bulky electronics to launch Bumper 8 — America's first rocket to soar skyward from what is now Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
"We're documenting this with 3D technologies. For something like this, we're using what's called a close-range structured light scanner," said Travis Doering, co-director of the University of South Florida's Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information, pointing at the entryway. "This was the first blockhouse ever built out here. And it was built as a temporary one, made out of wood," Doering said. Click here. (4/21)
UF Professor Prepares for a Suborbital Mission (Source: WCJB)
A UF professor is getting ready for a trip as part of a commercial space crew. Rob Ferl, the director of UF’s new Space Institute is conducting an experiment on how micro-gravity impacts humans at the cellular level. He’ll be aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a sub-orbital mission. Blue Origin hasn’t yet announced the target launch date. (4/19)
Lueders: State Highway 4 is Crucial to SpaceX’s Texas Starbase Facility (Source: Rio Grande Guardian)
Kathryn Lueders, general manager of SpaceX’s Starbase, has given an update on the company’s plans for developing its rocket launching facility at Boca Chica. Lueders, the first woman to head human spaceflight when she worked for NASA, gave an in-depth presentation when she spoke at a Border Trade Advisory Committee meeting held at the Brownsville Events Center on April 16.
On more than one occasion, Lueders stressed the importance of State Highway 4. TxDOT has plans to expand the highway to four lanes. “We have over 2,100 personnel go down Highway 4 every day, plus over 500 contractors that are helping support (SpaceX),” Lueders said. Lueders said there is no other way in or out of SpaceX – just SH 4. (4/19)
China Accuses US of ‘Militarizing Space’ with SpaceX’s Starshield Satellite Network (Source: South China Morning Post)
PLA Daily warns that a deal between US military and a new SpaceX unit poses huge security challenges for ‘other countries’. The official newspaper of China’s military has accused the United States of “militarizing space” by supporting Starshield. The Starshield unit is reportedly developing a constellation of hundreds of low-Earth orbit satellites that would allow the US government and military to “quickly spot potential targets almost anywhere on the globe”.
The planned Starshield network “has not only upgraded its secure communication capabilities” from the Starlink satellite internet system, “but further expanded its Earth observation and payload capabilities”, according to the PLA Daily. (4/19)
NASA Flying Drone Planned to Explore Titan (Source: Forbes)
NASA has confirmed that its exciting Dragonfly mission, which will fly a drone-like craft around Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, will cost $3.35 billion and launch in July 2028. Titan is the only other world in the solar system other than Earth that has weather and liquid on the surface. It has an atmosphere, rain, lakes, oceans, shorelines, valleys, mountain ridges, mesas and dunes—and possibly the building blocks of life itself. It’s been described as both a utopia and as deranged because of its weird chemistry. (4/19)
India Needs Regulatory Framework for Financial Risk Coverage of Space Industry (Source: The Hindu)
India urgently needs a comprehensive insurance strategy, combining regulatory clarity, financial market development and alignment with industries to ensure the success of India’s space sector, said Eshaan Bansal, Young Graduate Research Fellow at Spaceport SARABHAI. Mr. Bansal is the author of the report, Financial Risk Coverage of India’s Commercial Space Launch Industry: Need for Developing Insurance and Reinsurance Capabilities, which was released on Friday by Spaceport SARABHAI a dedicated space think tank based in Bengaluru. (4/20)
ESA and the EU Agree to Accelerate the Use of Space (Source: ESA)
ESA will work closely with the EU to use space to improve life on Earth, following an agreement signed today by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence Industry and Space, Timo Pesonen. The world faces challenges stemming from climate change, natural disasters and human actions. Space is crucial to help tackle these challenges, but many organisations have yet to realise its full potential. ESA has proposed three ‘accelerators’ – recent initiatives that contribute to sustainability and resilience on Earth and in space – and will work with the EU to realise their full potential. (4/19)
NASA May Alter Artemis III to Have Starship and Orion Dock in Low-Earth Orbit (Source: Ars Technica)
Although NASA is unlikely to speak about it publicly any time soon, the space agency is privately considering modifications to its Artemis plan to land astronauts on the surface of the Moon later this decade. Multiple sources have confirmed that NASA is studying alternatives to the planned Artemis III landing of two astronauts on the Moon, nominally scheduled for September 2026, due to concerns about hardware readiness and mission complexity.
Under one of the options, astronauts would launch into low-Earth orbit inside an Orion spacecraft and rendezvous there with a Starship vehicle, separately launched by SpaceX. During this mission, similar to Apollo 9, a precursor to the Apollo 11 lunar landing, the crew would validate the ability of Orion and Starship to dock and test habitability inside Starship. The crew would then return to Earth. In another option NASA is considering, a crew would launch in Orion and fly to a small space station near the Moon, the Lunar Gateway, and then return to Earth. (4/19)
Space Tourism: The Next Great Leap (Source: CBS Reports)
In the aftermath of the Titan submersible tragedy, extreme travel has come under fresh scrutiny. But one industry stands out for both its allure and the lack of regulation protecting participants' safety: space tourism. CBS Reports explores the next great leap for humankind and whether regulators and industry stakeholders are striking the right balance between encouraging innovation and ensuring safety. Click here. (4/15)
Out of necessity, Peter Beck, Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, built his company as a smaller, scrappier underdog. However, he believes that these humble beginnings now give the company an advantage compared to larger competitors, particularly Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Since the early days of Rocket Lab [RKLB], Founder and CEO Peter Beck was used to coming up against larger, better-funded competitors.
“We were tracking, at one point, 140 start-ups in small launch,” Beck tells OPTO Sessions. “We were not picked to be the favourite. I think Virgin Orbit had over $1.2bn poured into it; that’s $1.1bn more than we spent getting our first rocket into orbit.” Virgin Orbit ceased operations in May 2023, following a major mission failure, and sold its assets for less than 1% of the $3.5bn valuation it reached in 2021, according to the Guardian. Rocket Lab, however, is still going strong.
The valuations of their competitors perplexed Beck and his team at the time but fostered an intense focus on delivery, which he feels has given Rocket Lab an edge. “Sometimes having too many resources makes you lazy,” he says. “We can’t outspend our competitors. We have to outthink them or outwork them.” Click here. (4/20)
Japan to Create a 1-Trillion-Yen Fund to Bolster Space Business (Source: Asahi Shimbun)
Setting its sights on becoming a key player in the global space industry, Japan will set up a 1-trillion-yen ($6.47 billion) fund to achieve that goal. The space strategy fund will be managed by the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency over a 10-year period to support technological innovation by companies and universities.
As early as this summer, JAXA will begin soliciting private-sector organizations that have the expertise to make things happen with the aim of bringing them aboard by the end of this fiscal year. Specific areas of technological development will be decided at a meeting of the Committee on National Space Policy under the Cabinet Office this month at the earliest.
The science ministry, the industry ministry and the communications ministry have proposed 22 candidate areas. They include a 95-billion-yen project to create a communication network based on satellite constellations; a 23-billion-yen project to develop a fuel-cell system for use on the lunar surface; and a 15.5-bilion-yen project to establish technologies to launch rockets more frequently and cheaply. (4/21)
China Launches New Remote Sensing Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China on Sunday launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket, placing a remote sensing satellite in space. The rocket blasted off at 7:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan and sent the Yaogan-42 02 satellite into the preset orbit. It was the 517th flight mission of the Long March series rockets. (4/21)
China Publishes World's First High-Definition Lunar Geologic Atlas (Source: Xinhua)
China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This set of geologic atlas, available in Chinese and English, includes the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the Map Quadrangles of the Geologic Atlas of the Moon, according to the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). (4/21)
Space Force Extends Deal with L3Harris to Enhance Space Domain Awareness (Source: Broadcast Pro)
L3Harris Technologies has received an award of option year five of the Maintenance Of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities (MOSSAIC) programme. The contract, worth up to $187m from the US Space Force, continues the modernisation and sustainment of critical space infrastructure enabling the Space Force core competency of space domain awareness. (4/21)
Archaeological Study of Cape Canaveral's First Rocket Launch Site Expands to 3D Mapping (Source: The Guardian)
Wielding a handheld optical scanner, Jorge González meticulously maneuvered across an archaeological grid of white string and metal pins, creating a 3D digital map of a newly excavated steel-mat corridor that led into the long-demolished Bumper blockhouse. Military technicians walking along that Marston-mat entryway made history on July 24, 1950, by entering that tarpaper shack and using bulky electronics to launch Bumper 8 — America's first rocket to soar skyward from what is now Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
"We're documenting this with 3D technologies. For something like this, we're using what's called a close-range structured light scanner," said Travis Doering, co-director of the University of South Florida's Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information, pointing at the entryway. "This was the first blockhouse ever built out here. And it was built as a temporary one, made out of wood," Doering said. Click here. (4/21)
UF Professor Prepares for a Suborbital Mission (Source: WCJB)
A UF professor is getting ready for a trip as part of a commercial space crew. Rob Ferl, the director of UF’s new Space Institute is conducting an experiment on how micro-gravity impacts humans at the cellular level. He’ll be aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a sub-orbital mission. Blue Origin hasn’t yet announced the target launch date. (4/19)
Lueders: State Highway 4 is Crucial to SpaceX’s Texas Starbase Facility (Source: Rio Grande Guardian)
Kathryn Lueders, general manager of SpaceX’s Starbase, has given an update on the company’s plans for developing its rocket launching facility at Boca Chica. Lueders, the first woman to head human spaceflight when she worked for NASA, gave an in-depth presentation when she spoke at a Border Trade Advisory Committee meeting held at the Brownsville Events Center on April 16.
On more than one occasion, Lueders stressed the importance of State Highway 4. TxDOT has plans to expand the highway to four lanes. “We have over 2,100 personnel go down Highway 4 every day, plus over 500 contractors that are helping support (SpaceX),” Lueders said. Lueders said there is no other way in or out of SpaceX – just SH 4. (4/19)
China Accuses US of ‘Militarizing Space’ with SpaceX’s Starshield Satellite Network (Source: South China Morning Post)
PLA Daily warns that a deal between US military and a new SpaceX unit poses huge security challenges for ‘other countries’. The official newspaper of China’s military has accused the United States of “militarizing space” by supporting Starshield. The Starshield unit is reportedly developing a constellation of hundreds of low-Earth orbit satellites that would allow the US government and military to “quickly spot potential targets almost anywhere on the globe”.
The planned Starshield network “has not only upgraded its secure communication capabilities” from the Starlink satellite internet system, “but further expanded its Earth observation and payload capabilities”, according to the PLA Daily. (4/19)
NASA Flying Drone Planned to Explore Titan (Source: Forbes)
NASA has confirmed that its exciting Dragonfly mission, which will fly a drone-like craft around Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, will cost $3.35 billion and launch in July 2028. Titan is the only other world in the solar system other than Earth that has weather and liquid on the surface. It has an atmosphere, rain, lakes, oceans, shorelines, valleys, mountain ridges, mesas and dunes—and possibly the building blocks of life itself. It’s been described as both a utopia and as deranged because of its weird chemistry. (4/19)
India Needs Regulatory Framework for Financial Risk Coverage of Space Industry (Source: The Hindu)
India urgently needs a comprehensive insurance strategy, combining regulatory clarity, financial market development and alignment with industries to ensure the success of India’s space sector, said Eshaan Bansal, Young Graduate Research Fellow at Spaceport SARABHAI. Mr. Bansal is the author of the report, Financial Risk Coverage of India’s Commercial Space Launch Industry: Need for Developing Insurance and Reinsurance Capabilities, which was released on Friday by Spaceport SARABHAI a dedicated space think tank based in Bengaluru. (4/20)
ESA and the EU Agree to Accelerate the Use of Space (Source: ESA)
ESA will work closely with the EU to use space to improve life on Earth, following an agreement signed today by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence Industry and Space, Timo Pesonen. The world faces challenges stemming from climate change, natural disasters and human actions. Space is crucial to help tackle these challenges, but many organisations have yet to realise its full potential. ESA has proposed three ‘accelerators’ – recent initiatives that contribute to sustainability and resilience on Earth and in space – and will work with the EU to realise their full potential. (4/19)
NASA May Alter Artemis III to Have Starship and Orion Dock in Low-Earth Orbit (Source: Ars Technica)
Although NASA is unlikely to speak about it publicly any time soon, the space agency is privately considering modifications to its Artemis plan to land astronauts on the surface of the Moon later this decade. Multiple sources have confirmed that NASA is studying alternatives to the planned Artemis III landing of two astronauts on the Moon, nominally scheduled for September 2026, due to concerns about hardware readiness and mission complexity.
Under one of the options, astronauts would launch into low-Earth orbit inside an Orion spacecraft and rendezvous there with a Starship vehicle, separately launched by SpaceX. During this mission, similar to Apollo 9, a precursor to the Apollo 11 lunar landing, the crew would validate the ability of Orion and Starship to dock and test habitability inside Starship. The crew would then return to Earth. In another option NASA is considering, a crew would launch in Orion and fly to a small space station near the Moon, the Lunar Gateway, and then return to Earth. (4/19)
Space Tourism: The Next Great Leap (Source: CBS Reports)
In the aftermath of the Titan submersible tragedy, extreme travel has come under fresh scrutiny. But one industry stands out for both its allure and the lack of regulation protecting participants' safety: space tourism. CBS Reports explores the next great leap for humankind and whether regulators and industry stakeholders are striking the right balance between encouraging innovation and ensuring safety. Click here. (4/15)
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