November 3, 2016

China Successfully Launches New Heavy-Lift Long March 5 (Source: CCTV)
China successfully launched the Long March-5, its largest ever carrier rocket, on Thursday night from the Wenchang launch center. The rocket is expected to become the carrier for the core module of China's future Tiangong space station, lunar and Mars missions. (11/3)

Midland Texas Spaceport Wins Dream Chaser Landing Site Designation (Source: SNC)
The Midland International Air & Space Port is now considered a compatible landing site for Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser spacecraft. The spaceport has successfully completed the compatibility portion of the Dream Chaser Landing Site Designation process, which is the first step toward becoming an approved landing site for Dream Chaser spacecraft landings.

In order for the Dream Chaser spacecraft to obtain final approval to land at any airport or spaceport, SNC must receive a Part 435 Reentry License from the FAA. This license is issued to the vehicle operator and is paired to the landing site. With the successful completion of this first phase, Midland International Air & Space Port is one step closer to becoming an approved, licensed Dream Chaser landing site for commercial missions. (11/3)

Two Hurt in Blast at Indian Spaceport (Source: Deccan Chronicle)
Two persons, including an Isro technician, received burn injuries following a minor explosion in an electric panel while carrying out maintenance work at the Suborbital Rocket Complex in Sriharikota, on Wednesday. The injured were K.V. Krishnaiah, 45, a technician at Shar and contract worker Kanchi Muniraja  from Sullurpeta.

Mr Krishnaiah suffered burns on his face and has been shifted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai for better treatment while Mr Muniraja was treated at the Isro hospital in Sullurpeta. Sources said the incident was a minor one that took place while switching on the main electric panel that gets power from a substation. (11/3)

Making Europe More Agile in Space (Source: EurActiv)
Today more than ever, in the current context of transition towards a data-driven society, space-based technologies have become an indispensable tool to deliver concrete applications at the service of the well-being of European citizens, to achieve numerous public policies and to contribute to economic growth.

Beyond, space is overall a predominant vector of independence and, even, of sovereignty for our continent – a dimension never questioned in the other main space powers, the US, Russia and China. From this standpoint, the Space Strategy for Europe is a cornerstone. For the first time, the European Commission is clearly recognizing that space deserves a dedicated, all-encompassing EU strategy.

The situation in Europe is quite unique, since our domestic industry cannot rely on a high, continuous and guaranteed level of public investment and markets to ensure its competitiveness, contrary to the situation in the US, in Russia or in China. Our industry does perform well (50% of the open commercial markets captured worldwide, about 20% of the launched mass put in orbit, with just 4% of the global space workforce). But maintaining these successes requires strong and continuous support in R&D. (11/2)

Harris Radios Approved for Use With MUOS Satellites (Source: Space News)
Harris Corp. says its military satellite radios have been approved for use with the Navy's MUOS satellites. The company said the National Security Agency certified an upgrade to the radios to allow them to use the MUOS system, which provide higher bandwidth communications. Harris started deploying the upgrade to the 30,000 radios in the field immediately upon receiving that certification, Harris CEO William Brown said Tuesday. (11/1)

China's Space Tourism Vehicle Smaller Than Previously Reported (Source: China Daily)
China's space tourism plans aren't quite as ambitious as previously reported. Han Qingping, president of ChinaRocket Co Ltd., said at a conference this week his company is developing a suborbital spacecraft that could carry three to five people to an altitude of 80 kilometers — below the 100-kilometer Karman Line commonly used as the demarcation of space — starting in 2020. Reports last month said the company was working on a vehicle that could take up 20 people to space with flight tests starting in a a year. Han said that larger vehicle is still on the drawing boards, but doesn't expect it to fly before 2025. (11/2)

Japan Launches Weather Satellite on H-2 Rocket (Source: AFP)
Japan successfully launched a weather satellite Wednesday. An H-2 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 2:20 a.m. Eastern and placed the Himawari-9 satellite into its planned transfer orbit nearly a half-hour later. The spacecraft, built by Mitsubishi Electric for the Japan Meteorological Agency, will serve as an on-orbit backup for the Himawari-8 currently in operation. (11/2)

SpaceShip Two Flies Again, Attached to Carrier Aircraft (Source: Space News)
Gusty winds postponed what was to be the first glide test for the second SpaceShipTwo Tuesday. The spaceplane, attached to its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft, took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port, but high crosswinds led the company to scrub plans to release SpaceShipTwo for a glide flight back to the airport. The company said it still collected useful data during what became a captive carry test flight, and will attempt another glide flight soon. (11/2)

Japan Seeks Commercial Customes for H-2A (Source: Space News)
Wednesday's launch of an H-2A comes as its Japanese developer seeks to more aggressively market the vehicle commercially. A report last month by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries says the company "intends to market more proactively" the H-2A to Japanese and foreign customers, including to nations with emerging space programs. MHI is also developing a new vehicle, the H3, that will replace the H-2A around 2020. (11/2)

Inmarsat Considers Shift From Falcon-9 to Other Launcher (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Inmarsat is weighing whether to shift a satellite launch from SpaceX to another company. Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce said the launch of an S-band satellite could move from SpaceX to another provider, likely International Launch Services, should the launch be delayed beyond the middle of 2017. Inmarsat is sticking with SpaceX for the launch of its fourth Global Xpress broadband satellite, although that launch will be delayed until early 2017. (11/2)

Spacecom Gets $196 Million Insurance Payout After Falcon-9 Explosion Destroys Satellite (Source: Globes)
Spacecom will receive a $196 million insurance payout for the loss of its Amos-6 satellite. The company said in a filing with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Thursday that the insurer, Lloyds, will provide the money later this month after the Sept. 1 Falcon 9 pad explosion destroyed the satellite. The insurance covers the value of the satellite, but not lost revenue. Spacecom is also still in discussions with Beijing Xinwei Technology Group about renegotiating an agreement announced prior to the accident to acquire Spacecom, with a new deadline for a revised deal of Nov. 15. (11/1)

China's Venus Mission Revealed (Source: GB Times)
China has revealed a model of a proposed Venus mission. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation exhibited a scale model of the spacecraft at an industry fair in Shanghai this week. The spacecraft would weigh 2.35 metric tons and include a small atmospheric probe. The mission, which would be China's first to Venus, is not expected to launch until around 2025. (11/2)

VentureTech Startup Winner Gets Space Florida Funds (Source: Space Florida)
The VentureTech Showcase held in Tampa resulted in two exciting winners of this Space Florida -sponsored event. Catalyst Orthoscience LLC (Naples FL) received a $100,000 check from the state's space agency. The runner-up was EagleEye Intelligence LLC (Boca Raton FL). Over 200+ persons attended the event, many of whom identified themselves as investors and entrepreneurs. (11/2)
 
Bridenstine: This is Our Sputnik Moment, Moon Will Ensure U.S. Preeminence in Space (Source: Space Policy Online)
Exclaiming "this is our Sputnik moment," Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) said the Moon is the pathway to American preeminence in space. He also addressed comments made several weeks ago by his colleague, Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), that seemed to contradict his approach to government oversight of commercial space activities, saying that the two views are closer than they appear.

Bridenstine has become a leading advocate in Congress for passing laws that create a stable legal and regulatory environment for new types of commercial space activities. He has a broad outlook on U.S.civil, commercial and national security space issues. He introduced the American Space Renaissance Act (ASRA) earlier this year as a compendium of legislative provisions that can be incorporated into various pieces of legislation, including authorization and appropriations bills. (11/3)