October 15, 2020

SpaceX’s Starship Wins $53M From NASA for Full-Scale Orbital Refueling Test (Source: Teslarati)
SpaceX’s Starship program has won $53 million from NASA to perform a full-scale test of orbital propellant transfer, taking the company and space agency’s relationship on the crucial technology to the next level. NASA revealed the results of its fifth round of “Tipping Point” solicitations on October 14th, announcing awards of more than $370 million total to 14 separate companies. This year’s investments focused on three main categories: “cryogenic fluid management, lunar surface [operations], and closed-loop [i.e. autonomous] descent and landing capability demonstrations.”

In a fairly predictable outcome, the bulk (~$176 million) went to Lockheed Martin and the United Launch Alliance (ULA), while the other half (~$189 million) was split among the twelve remaining companies. In an upset, however, SpaceX was awarded a substantial contract for a crucial aspect of Starship development. (10/14)

Telesat Wins DARPA Contract to Manufacture Satellite Buses for Blackjack Program (Source: Space News)
Telesat announced Oct. 14 it has won a $18.3 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to produce two satellite buses for the Blackjack low-Earth orbit constellation. The two satellites will be a “highly modified version” of the Airbus Arrow spacecraft, said Don Brown. The two satellites will be delivered in 2021 and will be part of the Blackjack demonstration of optical inter-satellite links in orbit, Brown said. (10/14)

Progress of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Could Help Space Coast Economy (Source: WESH)
Space Florida's Dale Ketcham says the progress of reusable rockets and continued launches by Blue Origin in Texas are important for Brevard County. "Which will inevitably lower the price and put more people and more payloads and more science and more manufacturing into space, and Florida is going to get more of its fair share of that," Ketcham said. For the last few years, Blue Origin has been building a footprint at their rocket factory near the Kennedy Space Center, which is home to New Glenn, one of the largest rockets ever.

The company also has a launch complex they have been putting together. "They have built what is clearly the largest launch pad, certainly at the Cape," Ketcham said. Once Blue Origin starts using the launch pad, people wanting to see the rockets from the beach will have one of the best seats in town. You will just have to pick a spot along the coast and look north. "Cause you can see the pad and the vehicle from the beach, whether you're at Jetty Park, down to Satellite [Beach]," Ketcham said.

Crowding the Space Coast with another rocket could serve as an eventual backup and alternative plan in Brevard from the usual groups: SpaceX, Boeing and ULA, all of which have seen delays of some type in the last two years. "Oh yeah, it's the marketplace. Somebody will come along eventually and knock off Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos off the pedestal and we'll all benefit," Ketcham said. Blue Origin launches from the Space Coast, with their New Glenn rocket assembled locally, could start next year. (10/14)

Congress Approves Extra Funds for Some Aerospace Programs (Source: Air Force Magazine)
Lawmakers have approved a slew of funding shifts the Pentagon requested in June to pay officers, avoid hiring freezes in the Department of the Air Force, and set up U.S. Space Command, among other priorities. The Defense Department routinely asks the House and Senate Appropriations and Armed Services committees to let the military move money between accounts in a process known as reprogramming. This omnibus reprogramming request looked to shuffle more than $2 billion in fiscal 2019 and 2020 dollars.

For the Air Force, much of the money will go toward congressionally approved pay raises and retirement contributions. “Without additional funds, Air Force will have to institute a hiring freeze and/or furlough civilian employees,” the reprogramming document said. DOD also secured an $80 million plus-up for U.S. Space Command, which is barely a year old. (10/13)

Update on Arecibo Observatory Facility After Telescope Damage (Source: UCF)
“We continue to make progress, but the process is slow, as we develop a comprehensive plan for facility repairs while prioritizing the safety of our staff,” said Francisco Cordova, the director of the facility. “Our staff, as well as the external firms that have been hired are working diligently to understand the cause of the failure and make plans on how we can return the telescope to normal operations as soon as possible.” Click here. (10/12)

SpaceX Has Launched Enough Satellites for Starlink’s Upcoming Public Beta (Source: Ars Technica)
SpaceX's Starlink broadband has been available in a limited beta for the past few months, and SpaceX has now launched enough satellites for a public beta that will be available to more customers. However, the newly launched satellites aren't in position yet, and SpaceX hasn't revealed an exact availability date. Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that "[o]nce these satellites reach their target position, we will be able to roll out a fairly wide public beta in northern US & hopefully southern Canada. Other countries to follow as soon as we receive regulatory approval."

It could take a few months for all of the 60 new satellites to reach their target positions, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. McDowell has been tracking the Starlink satellites' orbits. Typically, SpaceX splits each batch of 60 satellites into three groups of 20, McDowell told Ars today. "The first group would reach target height in about 45 days; the second and third after 90 and 135 days roughly," he said. That means all 60 satellites might not be in their target positions until around February 18, 2021. (10/14)