December 4, 2017

Depleted Export-Import Bank Hit With Another Vacancy (Source: Government Executive)
The controversial Export-Import Bank of the United States, whose business lending has been slowed by board vacancies and divisions in Congress, over the weekend lost its acting chairman and president. Obama administration holdover Charles Hall warned that congressional inaction on confirming board members could become a burden to taxpayers because a lending freeze has dried up the revenue the agency usually collects in fees. “If we don’t get a board, probably sometime in 2018 I would anticipate that we would cease to be self-sustaining,” said Hall, a former CEO of an Africa development corporation.

Hall pointed to a backlog of $37.5 billion in planned transactions that are stalled by the absence of an Ex-Im Bank board quorum. Some $20 billion of that could be pushed through within six months of the Senate confirming President Trump’s nominees for the bank’s board, he estimated. Criticized by both the right and left as an instrument of “corporate welfare,” the Ex-Im bank was threatened with elimination in recent years. But it won a surprise reprieve from President Trump, who in April nominated former Rep. Scott Garrett, R-NJ, to be the new chairman.

The controversy comes because Garrett was on record as having favored killing the bank, which he once said “embodies the corruption of the free enterprise system." But at a Nov. 1 confirmation hearing at the Senate panel, he addressed the issue obliquely by saying, "My role has changed. I am not in a legislative function. I do commit sincerely to carry out the letter of the law as established by Congress." (12/4)

Seeking Regulatory Certainty for New Space Applications (Source: Space Review)
Companies in the US developing “non-traditional” commercial space missions, like lunar landers of satellite servicing, still face regulatory uncertainty. Jeff Foust reports on how companies, and one government agency, believe that uncertainty should be resolved. Click here. (12/4)
 
“Do We Want to Get to the Moon or Not?” (Source: Space Review)
The approach NASA eventually adopted for landing astronauts on the Moon for the Apollo program makes perfect sense in retrospect, but at the dawn of the Space Age had little support. Carl Alessi, in the first of a two-part article, discusses how one engineer faced an uphill battle to win backing for lunar orbit rendezvous. Click here. (12/4)
 
Establishing a European NewSpace Industry (Source: Space Review)
Luxembourg hosted the first NewSpace Europe conference last month, bringing together European startups, investors, and government officials. Jeff Foust discusses some of the challenges European startups face in this sector and how they compete against American counterparts. Click here. (12/4)

Boeing Validates Requirements for Redesign of ICBM System (Source: UPI)
Boeing says it has completed its first key review with the U.S. Air Force as part of its redesign of the intercontinental ballistic missile system, which is part of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, or GBSD, program. The company said Thursday that the Air Force has "validated program technical requirements" prior to entering the design and development stage of the GBSD, which is expected to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.

Boeing completed the System Requirements Review about two months after being awarded a $349 million deal to develop the next generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Northrop Grumman is also working on the Minuteman replacement, having received a $328.6 million contract from the Department of Defense for the project at the same time as Boeing. The contracts run until Aug. 20, 2020, when one of the two companies will be selected to finish the program. The two companies, as well as Lockheed Martin, have been competing to develop the new missile. (12/1)

A Quick Look at SpaceX’s Plans in the Works (Source: Satellite Today)
On Nov. 27, SpaceX filed an amendment to its Series H funding round with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), tacking on an additional $101.3 million to the $351 million it already raised in August. According to CBInsights, this latest capital injection brings the total valuation of the company to $21.5 billion — making it the third most valuable private tech startup in the United States after Uber and Airbnb.

It’s clear that SpaceX has done a spectacular job capturing the attention of the public — and investors — with its ambitious plans. Ultimately though, the cache of funds at its disposal may just be a fraction of what the company needs to realize the lofty goals spearheaded by its founder, Elon Musk. Here’s a quick overview of everything the company hopes to achieve in the next five years. Click here. (12/1)

Space Farms: 'Mark Watney in The Martian Was Right to Add Poop to the Soil' (Source: Space Daily)
When it comes to establishing a sustainable agricultural ecosystem on Mars, "nothing can be allowed to get lost, including the dead plant material we do not eat," said Dr. Wamelink. "The worm forms a part of the small cycle existing of plants, worms, bacteria, fungi, humans and bumblebees. The worms chew the organic matter, mix it with the soil and excrete it. Bacteria will then further break down the organic matter releasing the nutrients for the plants. That has to be brought back in the soil and worms do just that," Dr. Wamelink explained.

The worms, Dr. Wamelink said, have an important job digging burrows, aerating the soil which helps the water reach the roots, "which is important for plant growth." Dozens of crops are already being grown in various experiments using Martian soil, including potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, peas, cress, carrot and radishes, however this was the first time a team of Biologists in the Netherlands substituted pig slurry for human feces.

"That set-off the growth. We know that adding organic matter also helps and the work of the worms add to that as well. This implies that human feces has to be brought back in the system and that also the feces during the travel have to be stored for fertilizing the Martian soil." (11/30)

EU Exempts Hydrazine Fuel From Ukraine-Related Russian Sanctions (Source: Space Daily)
"On November 30, 2017, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2017/2214 in order to permit certain operations concerning hydrazine (CAS 302-01-2) in concentrations of 70 % or more, which is included in the Common Military List of the European Union," the Council of the European Union's regulation in the Official Journal of the European Union reads.

According to the council, the substance is necessary for the flight of the ExoMars carrier module and tests and flight of the ExoMars descent module under the umbrella of the ExoMars 2020 mission. The EU Common Military List regulates the scope of military items controlled for export in the EU pursuant to the EU Common Position on arms exports. The sanctions were introduced under the 2015 amendment order, imposing sanctions on Russia over events in Ukraine. (12/4)

Breakthrough Prize Shines Glitzy Scientific Spotlight on Cosmic Mappers (Source: GeekWire)
This year’s Breakthrough Prizes, cast as the “Oscars of Science,” are going to genetic engineers, disease fighters, math whizzes — and the scientists on the cosmos-mapping team behind the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, or WMAP. This year’s physics award is notable in that it’s being shared by 27 researchers on the science team for WMAP, which produced a precedent-setting map of the cosmic microwave background radiation nearly 15 years ago.

“This is amazing, and certainly surprising,” Charles Bennett, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University and the principal investigator for the WMAP mission, told GeekWire in advance of tonight’s ceremony. “We knew we were doing something important, but you never know how it’s going to be received until it all happens.”

Bennett and four other team leaders — the University of British Columbia’s Gary Hinshaw and Princeton’s Norman Jarosik, David Spergel and Lyman Page — will take the biggest shares of the $3 million prize. But everyone involved in the project will benefit. (12/3)

NASA Just Sent a Signal 13 Billion Miles Into Space. And Got a Response (Source: Independent)
While we struggle for mobile reception in a countryside, Nasa just managed to contact a spacecraft 13 billion miles away. NASA was worried Earth would lose contact with Voyager 1 as its altitude control thrusters, which rotate so it can communicate with Earth, have been wearing down.

The Voyager team eventually agreed on an "unusual solution", according to a statement: firing up a set of four backup thrusters that hadn't been used since 1980. Suzanne Dodd, project manager for Voyager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said in the statement: "With these thrusters that are still functional after 37 years without use, we will be able to extend the life of the Voyager 1 spacecraft by two to three years." (12/3)

Astronauts' Core Body Temperature Increases on Extended Space Missions (Source: ACSH)
Astronauts' core body temperature increases by roughly 1° C (1.8° F) on long-duration missions. Our brains, via the hypothalamus, tightly regulate our body temperature. The average person's body temperature is 37° C (98.6° F). Eliminating heat is vital to maintaining a proper temperature. That's why, for instance, we sweat during exercise; as the water evaporates, our bodies cool off.

Such natural cooling mechanisms don't work as well in space. The relative lack of gravity hinders both evaporation and convection. (Convection is the process by which heat is transferred by the movement of a fluid, like air.) This is problematic because it is not only uncomfortable for the astronauts, but it is potentially unhealthy. An elevated body temperature impairs physical and cognitive performance and may even induce a mild state of systemic inflammation.

Making things worse is the fact that astronauts, in order to keep their bodies in shape, absolutely must exercise while in space. This could increase their core body temperature to dangerously high levels. (12/3)

Satellites That Can See Through Clouds Will Launch in January (Source: CNBC)
Technology known as earth observation satellites is one of the fastest growing sectors in the $350 billion space industry, and Finnish company ICEYE is on the bleeding edge. ICEYE will launch its first microsatellite to orbit in January from India on a PSLV rocket. The technology on board, synthetic aperture radar (or SAR), is designed to provide almost real-time imagery at any time — something current optical cameras cannot do as much 75 percent of the time. (12/1)

Plain Language Guidebook on Satellite Export Controls (Source: Office of Space Commerce)
The Office of Space Commerce and the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation published the second edition of their Introduction to U.S. Export Controls for the Commercial Space Industry. The guidebook provides basic information to help commercial space organizations, especially emerging entrepreneurial firms, considering business in the international market. It is intended to serve as a starting point in the preparation for the export control process. Click here. (11/21)

Harrison Schmitt: Space and the Challenge for America (Source: Albuquerque Journal)
A settlement on the moon. Mankind well on its way to Mars. A potential clean power source so powerful that about 200 pounds could provide electricity to a major city for a year. New Mexico astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt says these are a few of the possibilities that might well have been reality by now had the administration of President Lyndon Johnson not decided to limit production of the massive Saturn V rockets that carried Apollo astronauts, including Schmitt, to the moon.

“Had things gone differently we could be much further along than we are today,” he said in a recent interview. “No question we would have a settlement on the moon and would very seriously have a program going to Mars if not already there.”

“The budget-driven decision made in the Johnson administration and confirmed in the Nixon administration was to fly only 15 of these large Saturn rockets,” Schmitt said. “That immediately limited the amount of exploration we were going to do in deep space. You need rockets of that size to go to the moon or to Mars. We really gave up on deep space exploration.” (12/4)

Operations for Turkish Satellite Launcher to Start Next Year (Source: Daily Sabah)
Turkey's Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications is getting ready to execute the Space Probe Rocket and Launch System Project (BURAK). The project, which is set to start in 2018, will end Turkey's dependence on external satellite launching operations. The Ministry, which took action to launch Turkey's own satellites, recently started project BURAK. With the project, satellite launching systems and technologies will be developed domestically. The aim is to develop the technology needed for space projects and to create a space enterprise envisaged in accordance with Turkey's 2023 goals.

Moreover, placing Turkey among countries that have access to space independently is also a primary goal. In the meantime, starting the project in 2018 takes into account the strategic importance of having launch technologies to contribute to Turkey's development. (12/3)

Food Companies in Space Race to Beef Up Menu for Astronauts (Source: Asahi Shimbun)
Japanese astronauts craving for a taste of home can now tuck into ramen and rice balls on the International Space Station (ISS), but that's just an appetizer. Food firms are now chomping at the bit for the chance to tout their chow as food that can be served on Earth and in space. To do so, manufacturers apply to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to register their products as Japanese Space Food, which means that astronauts can pop it into their "bento" lunchbox before rocketing into orbit.

“I once shared my curry with a non-Japanese crew member. They were delighted and we bonded," said astronaut Kimiya Yui, referring to his own experience. Some Japanese Space Food was displayed recently at an event held by JAXA in Yokohama with visitors getting a chance to sample it. Astronauts are provided with three meals daily on the ISS, and they are also allowed to personalize their diet with food and snacks from their own countries.

While only foodstuffs that can be stored for at least 18 months at normal temperatures are eligible for Japanese Space Food status, firms also have to make further improvements and meet other basic criteria so their products can withstand temperature fluctuations. In addition, they need to make sure so the broth and other ingredients do not fly off and splatter over the equipment in the gravity-free conditions. Kikkoman Corp. took four years to develop a soy sauce product that passed muster, according to officials. (12/4)

A Tale of Two Launch Ranges: The Best & Worst of Times (Source: Parabolic Arc)
America’s Eastern and Western launch ranges in Florida and California are struggling to keep up with increasing demand from the nation’s booming commercial launch industry while dealing with budget uncertainties in Washington, U.S. Air Force officials said last week. The Eastern Range has been dealing with a surge of flights this year from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport as SpaceX has increased its launch cadence. Elon Musk’s company and rival ULA have launched 18 times from Florida thus far, with two more SpaceX flights on the schedule for later this month.

The Eastern Range was recently closed for two weeks while workers tackled 85 high-priority maintenance projects, the general said. The growth in launches could be adversely impacted by Congress’ annual failure to agree on a budget in time for the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, Monteith said. The nation is currently operating on a continuing resolution that expires on Dec. 8. Another short-term deal or a government shutdown could result later this week. Click here. (12/4)

SpaceX In Home Stretch of Banner Year (Source: Aviation Week)
In June, SpaceX topped its 2016 launch rate with its ninth flight of the year and six months on the calendar still ahead. Now in December, the company is on track to singlehandedly fly more than any country in 2017. “We wanted to fly at least 18 times,” says SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. “I guessed between 18 and 20 [launches] at the beginning of the year. We are now at 16 and have a good shot at two, maybe three more.” (12/4)

ULA Picks L3 for Vulcan Avionics (Source: EON)
L3 Technologies has entered into an agreement with United Launch Alliance (ULA) to become the exclusive provider of avionics and related services for its new Vulcan Centaur rocket system, delivering an estimated $1 billion-plus in mission-critical systems and services over a 10-year period.

Under the agreement, ULA and L3 will integrate the companies’ design and manufacturing processes to provide ULA with low-cost, custom solutions, enhancing ULA’s launch services. Work on this project will be performed by L3’s Space & Sensors sector, which is part of the company’s Sensor Systems business segment.

Vulcan Centaur is ULA’s next-generation, American rocket system. It provides the capability to handle all of the missions that ULA’s Atlas and Delta rockets perform today at a significantly reduced price. More affordable launch services from ULA combined with L3’s avionics systems will enable enhanced capabilities to support human habitation and exploration in space, along with providing superior solutions for satellite consumers. (12/4)

Incredible 360 Degree Video Shows the UAE's Vision for a 2117 Mars Colony (Source: Daily Mail)
Stunning VR footage that could be taken straight from the latest video game has revealed the United Arab Emirates' vision for its planned Martian colony where robots live alongside humans. An immersive 360° experience of the futuristic city was released by the Gulf state's government, giving the most detailed view yet of its city. The release is part of Dubai's Mars 2117 Strategy, which seeks to build the first settlement on Mars in the next 100 years. Click here. (11/30) 

Is China Edging Ahead in the Race to Rule Space? (Source: Asia Times)
The Cold War era in space was always depicted as involving a looming showdown between the US and the Soviet Union, but China has emerged in the 21st Century as posing the greatest challenge to US dominance. Specifically, the ability of China to pursue a much faster and grander scheme for dominance in satellites is increasingly apparent. Multiple launch sites in China are being upgraded and plans proceed to establish an offshore launch capability in the South China Sea. Click here. (12/4) 

Defense Act Calls for Upgrades to Eastern & Western Launch Ranges (Source: Parabolic Arc)
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) mandates the Department of Defense to undertaken a program to modernize the infrastructure and improve support services on the Eastern and Western launch ranges in Florida and California. The measure, passed by Congress, awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.

“The program...shall include investments to improve operations at the Eastern and Western Ranges that may benefit all users, to enhance the overall capabilities of ranges, to improve safety, and  to reduce the long-term costs of operations and maintenance,” the bill reads.

The act also includes measures to improve processes across both ranges to “minimize the burden on launch providers” and “improvements in transparency, flexibility, and, responsiveness for launch scheduling.” The NDAA allows the DOD to consult with current and anticipated users of the two ranges and to pursue partnerships if appropriate. The DOD is given 120 days after enactment of the act to submit a report on planned improvements to congressional defense committees. (11/4)

Code Red! SpaceIL Needs $20 Million Stat to Save Satellite Program (Source: Parabolic Arc)
The construction of the first Israeli spacecraft is at a critical turning point. Only two weeks before its completion, $20 million are needed by the end of the year to prevent the project’s termination. This would result in the cancellation of the launch planned for 2018 and end all the non-profit’s educational activities, a moment before the spacecraft is launched.

The total sum required to complete the project is $30 million. Businessman and philanthropist Morris Kahn has pledged an additional $10 million, if $20 million are raised from other sources. (12/4)