December 3, 2017

Soyuz 2.1b Launches Military Satellite Into Orbit (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
The recent failure of a Soyuz 2.1b mission, which was unable to place a fleet of 19 satellites into their targeted orbits, has not stopped Russia from sending another such booster into space. This time, lifting off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 10:43 GMT (5:43 a.m. EST) on Saturday, December 2, 2017, a Soyuz 2.1b successfully orbited the Lotos-S1 (№ 803) military spacecraft for the Russian Defense Ministry. (12/3)

Space Exploration Regulations Need Overhaul, New Report Says (Source: Daily Breeze)
Aerospace Corp. researchers in El Segundo have created guidelines to help the Trump administration clear up the cluttered regulatory path faced by commercial space companies in launching new space-exploration projects. Spaceflight regulations built for government programs are too cumbersome and confusing to accommodate the fast-paced technological changes now fueling the space industry, members of the nonprofit research-and-development firm say.

“Policy is slow to change,” said Jamie Morin, executive director of the Center for Space Policy and Strategy, which produced the report. “The lagging of policy behind technology is what we’re trying to address.” The study singled out the new low-cost, small satellites that prompted SpaceX, Boeing and other companies to seek federal approval last year from the Federal Communications Commission to launch massive constellations of autonomous, interactive communications satellites. (12/2)

China Launches Land Exploration Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China launches a land exploration satellite into a preset orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 3, 2017. The satellite is mainly used for remote sensing exploration of land resources. A Long March-2D rocket carried the satellite into space. (11/3)

Yes, It's True: SpaceX is Sending a Tesla Roadster to Mars Aboard the Falcon Heavy (Source: Mashable)
According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a Tesla Roadster will make the first trip to Mars, with its stereo cranked to 11, playing David Bowie's "Space Oddity" on loop. A SpaceX official that isn't Elon Musk has confirmed that the Tesla payload is real and expected to launch to Mars' vicinity on the Falcon Heavy. (11/2)

Congressman Rogers: A Military Space Corps is ‘Iinevitable’ (Source: Space News)
The space corps is the rare issue that lawmakers on the left and right agree on. It was not meant to happen in 2018. But it will happen, perhaps in a few years. That is Congressman Mike Rogers’ take on the space corps, a cause he has championed as chairman of the strategic forces subcommittee of the House Armed Service Committee.

Rep. Rogers, of Alabama, and ranking subcommittee Democrat Rep. Jim Cooper, of Tennessee, inserted language into the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 directing the creation of a stand-alone space corps within the Department of the Air Force — similarly to how the Marine Corps was stood up within the Department of the Navy. (11/2)

NASA Scientists Star in New Alabama Video Series (Source: AL.com)
I'm interested in behind-the-scenes people -- people that shape or make our experiences often without us knowing they're doing so. The names of NASA astronauts might be the ones who make the headlines, but I want to learn who the unseen people are that make that person's trip to space possible. There are all these different, highly specialized pieces of a puzzle involved in sending a ship and a person into space. Click here. (11/2)

Planet Money Goes To Space (Source: NPR)
Space is easier to get to than ever and it will change life on earth. Private companies are pouring billions of dollars into tiny satellites, new rockets, and gathering information on earth from above. To see how it all works, we are getting in on the action ourselves. We adopt an adorable satellite, go rocket shopping, and try to figure out how to turn our little piece of the new space race into a profit. Click here. (12/1)

5 Times We Thought We Found Aliens But Didn't (Source: Mashable)
We all want to find aliens. Verifying that we're not alone in this infinite universe would satisfy some deep part of every human. Unfortunately, we haven't found any little green men yet, but that doesn't mean we haven't tried. Click here. (12/1)

Arecibo Observatory Will Live On in Puerto Rico, and Scientists are Thrilled (Source: Space.com)
The Arecibo Observatory sustained serious damage during Hurricane Maria. The pointy object protruding downward from the suspended platform is a 96-foot (29 meters) antenna that broke off during the hurricane, puncturing the telescope dish below. Scientists' reactions range from joy to cautious optimism at the news that the iconic Arecibo Observatory — often used to pose the question, "Are we alone?" — will continue operations after enduring a powerful hurricane and dramatic budget constraints. (12/1)

NASA Weighs New Mobile Launcher for SLS (Source: Space News)
Building a new mobile launch platform for later Space Launch System missions could cost NASA $300 million but allow for more frequent launches, agency officials said. Bill Hill, NASA deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development, discussed the tradeoffs regarding building a new mobile launcher during a Nov. 29 meeting of the human exploration and operations committee of the NASA Advisory Council at the Kennedy Space Center.

The current mobile launcher, originally built during the Constellation program for the since-cancelled Ares 1, is finishing modifications to support the first SLS launch, which will use the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). Future SLS missions, though, will involve the Block 1B version of the rocket with the larger Exploration Upper Stage, which will require further modifications to the launcher. (12/1)

New Caucus to Advocate for NASA’s Needs in Congress (Source: Space News)
The co-founder of a new congressional caucus devoted to NASA said he hopes to use it to advocate for the agency’s needs in Congress once a new administrator is in place. Rep. Steve Knight (R-CA) co-founded the new NASA Caucus in October with Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). The bipartisan caucus now has about 50 members, he said in a Nov. 30 speech at a Commercial Spaceflight Federation breakfast here.

Knight said later that the caucus didn’t have any specific legislative priorities at this time. Rather, he said he was waiting for the Senate to confirm the nomination of Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) to the position and get his input on his priorities for NASA. “I don’t want to get out in front of a possible new administrator,” Knight said. “We’ll talk to the new administrator, talk to the caucus as a whole, and try to find out how we can help.” (12/1)

Traces of Life on Nearest Exoplanets May be Hidden in Equatorial Trap, Study Finds (Source: Max Planck Institute)
Simulations show that the search for life on other planets may well be more difficult than previously assumed: On planets like Proxima b or TRAPPIST-1d, unusual flow pattern could hide atmospheric ozone from telescopic observations. Ozone, which is a variety of oxygen, is seen as one of the possible traces allowing for the detection of life on another planet from afar. The simulations have consequences for formulating the optimal strategy for searching for (oxygen-producing) life such as bacteria or plants on exoplanets. (11/29)

Why You Should Care About India's New Private Sector Space Activities Bill (Source: The Wire)
The Bill fails to address specific space-based activities separately, instead trying to cover large swaths of the space value chain in one go. It will not do justice to the entrepreneurial community if it is implemented as is. Its main objective seems to be the governance of ‘Commercial Space Activities’. A chapter-to-chapter reading of the Bill provides some insights into how the Bill will work as a legislative instrument (if passed) as well as, sadly, how it will do little to alleviate what is bothering India’s private space players.

The legal frameworks needed so each of these activities can operate efficiently are very different from each other. Activities like development and manufacturing of launch vehicles and other such critical export-controlled items need to have an enhanced legal framework to meet international obligations. Moreover, the Bill in its current form does little to address the ease of doing business, a term that has been bandied about in the last few years. The licensing requirement stated within the Bill makes it harder for entrepreneurs to kick-off their products/services. (11/29)

7 Small-Satellite Startups Bringing Space Down To Earth (Source: CB Insights)
We surfaced 7 startups capitalizing on the potential for small-sats to transform space exploration and intelligence. Click here for the rundown. (12/2)

Virgin Could Offer Point-to-Point Travel Opportunities (Source: AeroTech News)
Point-to-point passenger flights could eventually be the norm for Virgin Galactic. That’s according to Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides, who spoke at The Economist magazine’s inaugural “A New Space Age” global space summit in Seattle, Wash., Nov. 9. “What we see is this evolving to point-to-point travel,” said Whitesides. Concorde reached a top speed of about Mach 2, but the VSS Unity would fly much faster.

“We think something that’s in the Mach 3 to Mach 5 space is really interesting, because you can really shorten those long-duration flights.” His comments reiterate what founder Sir Richard Branson said in October when Virgin announced an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund for an investment of $1 billion. For now, however, the company is focusing on getting the six-passenger space plane ready to fly customers to suborbital space and back. Whitesides did not say when he thinks point-to-point travel will be a reality. (12/1)

Space Coast's AML Leads in Superconductivity and Magnetics (Source: Spacecoast Business Magazine)
AML is the world leader in magnet technology, paving the way with its proprietary know-how, rich intellectual property portfolio and seasoned team that has navigated the challenges of innovation and business – which sometimes blend like oil and water when mixed. The company’s success is demonstrated through its more than 30 customers since reorganization in 2008 and by leading a significant pathway to commercial products and services.

These pursuits are not without challenges. AML has been at the forefront of offshore wind, data centers and next-generation magnetic solutions since the beginning, but finding market entry where a market does not yet exist is extremely challenging. Beginning in 2016, after running ahead of the market for so many years, Senti realized that the opportunity for AML to disrupt the transportation market was both real and coming quickly. This led Senti and AML to some of the largest household names in technology, venture capital and industry. Companies such as Airbus, Embraer and others invested heavily once they realized the viable commercial opportunit. Click here. (12/1)