October 8, 2019

Industry Weighs Government’s Role in Satellite Servicing (Source: Space News)
With the first commercial satellite servicing spacecraft about to launch, industry executives argue that government agencies, primarily seen as developers of key servicing technologies, also need to be customers of those systems. The Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) 1, developed by SpaceLogistics, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, is set to launch on a Proton rocket Oct. 9 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The spacecraft is dual-manifested on the Proton with the Northrop-built Eutelsat 5 West B communications satellite.

Northrop had hoped to have MEV-1 in orbit by now, but the Proton launch, previously scheduled for Sept. 30, was postponed by an issue discovered during electrical testing of the vehicle, according to launch services provider International Launch Services. That is, though, a small delay in a project that’s been years in the making. (10/7)

It Looks Like SpaceX is Now Prioritizing Crew Dragon—Which is Great for NASA (Source: Ars Technica)
Elon Musk offered updates on progress with the Crew Dragon spacecraft the company is building for NASA. The new information suggests that Musk is now prioritizing the program to ready Dragon to fly astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station. This is a critical time for NASA, which is exploring the possibility of buying additional Russian Soyuz seats for missions to the International Space Station in mid- or late-2020.

This may not be possible, due to political concerns as well as long lead-time needed to manufacture additional Soyuz vehicles. NASA's only other option is extending crew missions on the orbiting laboratory. Paramount to the agency is keeping at least one US crew member on the station in addition to its Russian complement. Musk shared the new information on Tuesday which noted that "full panic" has ensued at NASA headquarters as the agency seeks to buy seats, possibly extend crew missions, and begin flying commercial crew missions.

Before it flies a crewed mission, SpaceX must demonstrate the in-flight abort capabilities of the Dragon spacecraft. On Tuesday, Musk said both the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon vehicle that will be used for the in-flight abort test have been shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The hardware must still be configured for the test flight, but he estimated that it will occur toward the end of November or early December. (10/8)

Artemis Updates (Source: America Space)
This edition of Artemis Updates brings updates on the Artemis 1 SLS Core Stage, Orion, and Exploration funding. Construction of the Artemis 1 SLS Core Stage has been completed, 12 Orions were ordered by NASA, and the Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee gave NASA’s Exploration programs (SLS and Orion) large funding increases. Click here. (10/7)

Georgia Spaceport Study Suggests People Downrange are Safe (Source: Spaceport Camden)
Camden County has released the Flight Safety Analysis for Spaceport Camden showing as many as 40 people can be present in all 55 habitable structures on Little Cumberland Island and the north end of Cumberland Island near a trajectory. In addition, the report found that the risk of an injury from a launch at Spaceport Camden is less than 1 in 1 million. This means no injury would be expected in 559 years of launches.

This report was completed by the Aerospace Corporation, a non-profit research organization whose customers include the Department of Defense (DOD), the FAA, NASA and others. Click here. (10/7)

Angara Rocket for Manned Missions To Be Designed by Year-End (Source: TASS)
The project of Russia’s Angara-A5P rocket to put into the orbit Russia’s Oryol manned spacecraft is due to be designed by late 2019, a rocket and space industry source told TASS. "Right now, the project is being designed. It should be ready by the end of 2019," the source said. In his words, the project is now in its initial stages. According to the source, the prospective rocket should be more reliable and safer than the standard Angara-A5.

Another industry source told TASS that the concept of delivering the manned spacecraft atop the heavy Angara rocket was revived by Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin after the space corporation’s previous top management suggested using Soyuz-5 for the purpose. However, the use of Soyuz-5 would have made manned launches more expensive and complicated, the source added. (10/8)

Russian Scientists Reveal Nuking Asteroid Heading Towards Earth is a Safe Option (Source: Sputnik)
A group of Russian scientists claims that using nuclear weapons in the event of a looming asteroid impact is both safe and effective. The group says that following certain conditions, it would help prevent a collision without doing any harm to our planet. The team of scientists suggests hitting the asteroid while it is approaching the Earth. It is easy to accomplish, they say, as all known asteroids that could pose a danger to us wind up appearing in near-Earth space several times. (10/7)