December 9, 2020

Name Changes at the Cape Aren't Infrequent, Let's Stick With CCS (Source: SPACErePORT)
Up to April Fools Day in 1974 the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) was officially called the Cape Kennedy Air Force Station. In 1994 it was changed to Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) as part of an Air Force-wide naming convention change. It got switched back to CCAFS in 2000. Before 1974, it was the Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex (1955), and before that the Cape Canaveral Auxiliary Air Force Base (1951).

The new title, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) may also be short-lived. The Biden administration might do away with the Space Force, or perhaps a proposed legislative effort to re-name bases will become law. Also, if a proposed shift in spaceport management becomes a reality, a non-military federal spaceport authority could change its name. My vote is for Cape Canaveral Spaceport (CCS).

Being adjacent to NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC), it has often been awkward for NASA, the Air Force, Space Florida, and the news media to distinguish between the locations of various launch pads and processing facilities on KSC and CCAFS. That's why when I worked for Space Florida's predecessor agency I wrote this language now included in Chapter 331.304(1), Florida Statutes: "The territory consisting of areas within the John F. Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station may be referred to as the 'Cape Canaveral Spaceport.'" I use it regularly in the SPACErePORT and it has caught on with some at NASA and the Air Force, but I fear few people understand that it is formalized in state law. (12/8)

How to Build a Home on the Moon (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The home is pelted with micrometeorites as fast as bullets and jostled by quakes that last for hours. Temperatures can climb past 250 degrees during the day and plunge below -200 degrees at night. Looking out the window risks radiation exposure. A plumbing leak could spell doom. But if the Resilient Extra-Terrestrial Habitats Institute accomplishes its goals, the inhabitants will stay safe amid the hostile conditions. Funded with a $15 million grant from NASA, the five-year research project combines advanced computer simulations and physical tests to glean insights into how to create a lunar habitat that will keep astronauts alive.

The work will help inform how humans build a lasting presence on the moon. This is no longer an academic question. NASA, with the help of international and commercial partners, plans to return people to the moon in 2024. In the following decade, the agency wants to establish “a sustained long-term presence on the lunar surface,” and build up infrastructure such as communications, power generation and waste disposal. Eventually, the so-called Artemis Base Camp could accommodate a crew of four astronauts with the goal of spending a month or two at a time on the surface.

It’s a lot closer than many people realize, says Ariel Ekblaw, founder and director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Space Exploration Initiative. She expects a structure to be built on the moon late this decade or in the early 2030s. China has plans to start establishing an inhabited lunar station this decade. Jan Woerner, the European Space Agency’s director general, in 2016 kicked off Moon Village, an international, collaborative initiative for moon exploration. Roughly a dozen private lunar-transportation companies are readying robotic missions to the surface. (12/4)

Posey Leads Bipartisan Effort for Space Command Headquarters (Source: Rep. Bill Posey)
The entire Florida Congressional Delegation led by Reps. Bill Posey, Michael Waltz, Stephanie Murphy and Charlie Crist have joined in support of Florida’s efforts to locate U.S. Space Command’s Headquarters in the state of Florida. The U.S. Air Force recently announced that Cape Canaveral, FL is among the six finalists to advance in the selection process for Space Command’s Headquarters.

“Patrick Air Force Base and its associated Cape Canaveral Air Force Station has earned a global reputation as the world’s premier gateway to space for government and commercial customers,” members of the delegation wrote in a bipartisan letter to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Air Force. “It is also home to the 45th Space Wing, which delivers assured access to space for warfighters.” (12/8)

No, Mars is Not a Free Planet, No Matter What SpaceX Says (Source: Space News)
From a legal viewpoint, Clause 9 of Starlink’s terms of service should be regarded as void. Simply put, declaring Mars as a “free planet” and refusing any Earth-based authority over Martian activities conflicts with the international obligations of the United States under the Outer Space Treaty, which naturally take precedence over contractual terms of services.

First, under Articles I and III of the treaty, international law applies in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, and influences all activities conducted thereby. Accordingly, Mars cannot be considered a “free planet” left to “self-governing principles” of dubious nature and origin, because it is rather fully subjected to the rule of law.

Further, Starlink’s refusal of Earth-based governmental authority on Mars is in clear violation of Article VIII of the treaty. According to this provision, states “retain jurisdiction and control”over any registered space objects and “any personnel thereof, while in outer space or on a celestial body.” This principle is known as “quasi-territorial” jurisdiction and serves the purpose of ensuring the applicability of relevant national laws, preventing space from being abandoned to the rule of the strongest. SpaceX is obliged under U.S. law to respect these rules in order to get licenses from the U.S. government to conduct commercial launches and provide satellite services. (12/5)

Canadian Space Agency Awards Contract to MDA for Canadarm3 (Source: CSA)
As part of its plans to join the return to the Moon, the Canadian Space Agency has awarded a contract worth $22.8 million to Brampton-based MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) to establish the technical requirements to build Canadarm3. Canadarm3 is Canada's contribution to the United States-led Lunar Gateway, which is part of the Artemis program, the next major international collaboration in human space exploration.

Canadarm3 will be composed of a next-generation smart robotic arm, a small dexterous arm and a set of specialized tools. Using advanced machine vision, cutting-edge software and advances in artificial intelligence, this highly autonomous system will be able to perform tasks without human intervention. In contrast to its predecessor on the International Space Station, ground control operations for Canadarm3 will take place exclusively in Canada. (12/8)

Lockheed Martin Sees Moon Mission as Launchpad to Mars and Beyond (Source: Cheddar)
Lisa Callahan, vice president and general manager of commercial civil space at Lockheed Martin, said human curiosity is driving the company to compete for the chance to design the human landing system. "We haven't been there in 48 years, and I think the technology is available now for us to do that. And, as humans, we like to explore," she said. The company was one of three tapped by Blue Origin to work on the project along with Northrop Grumman and Draper. According to Callahan, the partnership will prove the enterprise's capability to get the job done safely and efficiently.

"One of the things I'm really excited about the Blue Origin partnership is that it's really leveraging the entrepreneurship and innovation of Blue Origin with the heritage that Northrop Grumman, Draper, and Lockheed Martin bring. All three of the heritage companies participated in Apollo and have been operating in deep space and with humans for quite some time," Callahan said. The company also secured a $4.6 billion contract from NASA last year to produce the Orion spacecraft for future missions.

"We at Lockheed Martin are going to leverage our heritage in deep space exploration, and specifically the investment the government has made in the Orion spacecraft, to build the asset element as a part of the Blue Origin team," Callahan added. Human exploration of the moon is just the tip of the iceberg for Lockheed Martin's plans. According to Callahan, trips to the moon will be test runs for missions to Mars, where astronauts will have full autonomy for extended periods of time. (12/8)

NASA Looking to Privatize Nuclear Spacecraft Production (Source: Yahoo Finance)
US Nuclear is the prime contractor to build fusion generators for Magneto-Inertial Fusion Technologies, Inc. (MIFTI). These could be used in the relatively near future to power the propulsion systems for space travel and provide plentiful, low-cost, clean energy for the earth and other planetary bases once our astronauts get to their destination, be it the moon, Mars, Saturn or beyond. NASA is now looking to nuclear powered rockets that can propel a space vessel at speeds close to the speed of light and thermonuclear power plants on the moon and Mars, as these are the next steps towards space exploration and colonization.

The US Energy Secretary, Dan Brouillette, recently said, "If we want to engage in outer space, or deep space as we call it, we have to rely upon nuclear fuels to get us there… that will allow us to get to Mars and back on ‘one tank of gas'." MIFTI has already achieved "proof of concept" with their successful test regimen at the University of Nevada, Reno National Terawatt Facility where they generated a historic neutron flux of 1010 neutrons per pulse using their breakthrough fusion generator. All that remains now is to complete a relatively small finance round to finalize the design and produce the next iteration of their fusion generator. (12/7)

Swamp Watch: GOP Installs Last-Minute Trump Nominee at FCC (Source: CNBC)
The Senate voted to confirm President Trump’s nominee Nathan Simington to the Federal Communications Commission, ensuring the agency will be split down party lines at the start of President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. The vote gained significance after Republican Chairman Ajit Pai announced he would step down from the agency, leaving the FCC with one Republican and two Democratic commissioners on the first day of the Biden administration without Trump’s nominee. Trump nominated Simington after withdrawing his support to re-nominate current Republican FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly after he declined to throw his support behind Trump’s executive order targeting social media companies. (12/9)

Huntsville Area Sees COVID Surge (Source: AL.com)
Madison County is in the midst of its worst bout with the coronavirus since the pandemic began. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 259 new virus cases in Madison County, home of Huntsville, on Tuesday. That pushes the 7-day average for new cases there to 265 per day - a new record. But Madison isn’t alone. Alabama has spent the first eight days of December shattering coronavirus records, and much of that surge has been centered in north Alabama. (12/8)

Israel’s Former Space Security Chief Claims Aliens Exist, And Trump Knows (Source: NBC)
In interview with Israel’s Yediot Aharonot newspaper, former head of Israel's Defense Ministry's space directorate Haim Eshed said the U.S. government has been in contact with extraterrestrials from a "galactic federation." Professor Eshed, who served as the head of Israel's space program from 1981 to 2010, said aliens have been in touch with the governments of the U.S. and Israel. Understandably, the aliens wanted to keep a low profile. "The UFOs have asked not to publish that they are here," Eshed said, "humanity is not ready yet."

"Trump was on the verge of revealing," Eshed said, "but the aliens in the Galactic Federation are saying: 'Wait, let people calm down first.' They don't want to start mass hysteria. They want to first make us sane and understanding." According to Eshed, aliens struck a deal with the U.S. government to do experiments on Earth. Eshed also claimed that aliens and American astronauts were working together at a secret underground base on Mars. (12/8)

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner Aces NASA’s Parachute Test (Source: SlashGear)
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner has hit a major new milestone, paving the way for its eventual crewed trips to and from the ISS. The milestone marked the success of Starliner’s final parachute balloon-drop test. NASA notes that once it’s operational, Starliner will be the first orbital crew capsule made in America that will perform land-to-land trips. Boeing is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program; it has spent considerable time and money developing the Starliner orbital crew capsule the space agency will use to ship its astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Starliner’s unique landing system enables it to return on land. (12/8)

Why An Undersea Space Station Is Long Overdue (Source: Bloomberg)
Since the 1960s, mankind has dreamed of living under the waves. Some habitats were even built on the seafloor, but our yearning for the stars left them abandoned. Now, Fabien Cousteau, grandson of the most famous explorer of the deep, wants to build "an International space station” down there. Called Proteus, he hopes it will add to human knowledge not just of the seas, but the entire planet. Click here. (12/7)

If There’s Subsurface Water Across Mars, Where is it Safe to Land to Avoid Contamination? (Source: Universe Today)
As we send more Earth-originated junk in that direction, we increase the chances of our own bacteria, viruses, and fungi to hitch rides through the millions of miles and start their own microscopic colonies on Mars. That Earth-born life would then contaminate any available niches on that planet. Knowing where the water might be can tell us where life might be. Armed with that information, we can cordon off those areas, securing them for contamination-free research, while we busy ourselves building our colonies somewhere more barren. (12/6)

Space Manufacturing Startup Varda, Incubated at Founders Fund, Emerges with $9 Million in Funding (Source: Tech Crunch)
From a young age, Will Bruey, the co-founder and chief executive of Varda Space Industries, was fascinated with space and running his own business. So when the former SpaceX engineer was tapped by Delian Asparouhov and Trae Stephens of Founders Fund to work on Varda he didn’t think twice. Bruey spent six years at SpaceX. First working on the Falcon and Dragon video systems and then the bulk of the systems actuators and controllers used in the avionics for the crewed Dragon capsule.

According to Asparouhov, that background, and the time that Bruey spent running his own angel syndicate and working at Bank of America  getting a grounding in finance and startups, made him an ideal candidate to run the next startup to be spun out of Founders Fund. While companies like Space Tango and Made In Space already are attempting to make a viable business out of space manufacturing, they focus on small scale pilots and experimental projects. Varda separates itself by its loftier ambition — to manufacture commercially viable products at scale in space. (12/8)

Epic Time-Lapse Shows What the Milky Way Will Look Like 400,000 Years From Now (Source: Live Science)
Have you ever seen 40,000 shooting stars blaze across the sky at the same time? If you'd like to, the European Space Agency (ESA) is offering you two options: Either stare at the night sky for about half a million years as our solar system drifts steadily through the Milky Way (some patience required) — or, watch a new 60-second time-lapse simulation of the same thing, courtesy of the ESA's Gaia space observatory. Click here. (12/8)

Germany’s Isar Aerospace Raises $91M to Get its Satellite Launch Vehicle Off the Ground (Source: Tech Crunch)
The aerospace industry has seen an explosion of activity from the world of startups, where bright engineers are foregoing jobs at large corporations and opting instead to raise funding from increasingly ambitious venture capitalists to build their own startups to turn moonshots into business realities. In the latest development, a startup out of Munich has raised the largest round to date in European space tech.

Isar Aerospace, which is building a micro-satellite launcher significantly smaller and thus lower in price than bigger launchers on the market today, has picked up €75 million ($91 million) in funding. It plans to use the money to continue its research, development and production en route to its first commercial launches, planned for early 2022. (12/8)

The Golden Age of Space-Sample Returns (Source: Axios)
Multiple space missions by different countries are bringing rock samples back to Earth from the Moon, Mars, and asteroids — a trend that could redefine our understanding of the evolution of the solar system. Together, these missions could help fill gaps in scientists' understanding of how the early days of the solar system gave rise to the planets and eventually life.

By analyzing these samples in labs back on Earth, scientists will have the chance to know exactly how old these cosmic rocks are — and possibly pick out any signs of organic molecules that might act as precursors to life. Sample return missions allow scientists to use high-powered tools on Earth to analyze material from distant cosmic objects, revealing more than any robotic rover or photos from an orbital mission could. While the tech used on spacecraft has progressed rapidly in the last few decades, it will likely never get to the point where a spacecraft can produce analysis as good as what can be done on Earth. (12/8)

A Last-Seconds Scrub for Big Starship Flight Test (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX scrubbed the first high-altitude test flight of a Starship prototype Tuesday just a second before liftoff. The vehicle was set to lift off from SpaceX's test site at Boca Chica, Texas, at 5:35 p.m. Eastern, but an "auto abort" of its three Raptor engines took place at T-1.3 seconds. The company hasn't disclosed additional details about the scrub, or when it will make its next launch attempt. The flight will be the first time a Starship prototype has flown more than a couple hundred meters above its launch pad, in this case going to an altitude of 12.5 kilometers before returning to land at Boca Chica. (12/9)

President-Elect Biden Selects Austin for SECDEF (Source: Space News)
President-elect Joe Biden has selected former Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to be his secretary of defense. Biden will formally introduce Austin at an event Wednesday, describing him in a statement Tuesday as a "trusted, trailblazing leader." Austin served as the commanding general of forces in Iraq and head of Central Command before retiring in 2016. Austin would be the first Black person to serve as secretary of defense, but would require a waiver from Congress to hold that position since he retired from the military less than seven years ago. (12/9)

DoD Authorization Bill Passes with Veto-Proof Majority (Source: Space News)
The House overwhelmingly passed the National Defense Authorization Act Tuesday. The bill won approval on a 335–78 vote, a veto-proof majority. President Trump said he would veto the bill because it does not repeal Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Act, which shields online companies from legal liability. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said he is confident that, if vetoed, Congress can override the veto before the current Congress ends Jan. 2. (12/9)

Extended CR Needed to Keep Government Open Beyond Friday (Source: CBS)
The House will vote today on a one-week extension to a continuing resolution funding the federal government. The bill would extend the current CR, which funds the government at fiscal year 2020 levels until Friday, though next Friday, giving lawmakers more time to work out a final fiscal year 2021 omnibus appropriations bill. That bill may also include a new coronavirus relief package. (12/9)

NASA Scrubs SLS Tanking Test (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
A first attempt at a tanking test of the Space Launch System core stage was scrubbed Monday. The test was reportedly halted after problems early in the loading of liquid oxygen into the stage. A NASA statement made no mention of those issues, only stating that after loading a small amount of liquid hydrogen they "paused" the test to review data and procedures. The test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, is the final one before the hotfire test of the stage's four engines that will conclude the Green Run test campaign. (12/9)

Former OneWeb Exec Joins Australia's EOS (Source: Space News)
An Australian company has named a former OneWeb executive as CEO of its U.S. subsidiary developing a satellite data relay constellation. Electro Optic Systems (EOS) of Australia formed SpaceLink to provide data-relay services for satellites in low Earth orbit and named former OneWeb Vice President David Bettinger. EOS acquired Silicon Valley startup Audacy in May and plans to establish its initial data-relay constellation with three satellites in 2023. In addition to Bettinger, the company has hired about a dozen engineers and executives. (12/9)

More Space Shows Planned (Sources: Variety, Hollywood Reporter)
National Geographic is planning a documentary series about NASA's Artemis program. The "Return To The Moon" series, announced Wednesday, will cover the program through the Artemis 3 landing and will be produced by Lightbox. Meanwhile, AppleTV+'s "For All Mankind", a drama about an alternative history of lunar exploration, has already won a third season. The second season of the series, depicting a lunar base in the 1980s amid clashes between the United States and Soviet Union, will be released in February. (12/9)

Curiosity Rover Investigates Mysterious Shiny Mars Boulder (Source: C/Net)
NASA's Curiosity rover is a science laboratory on wheels, but its team back on Earth relies on its "eyes" to point out unusual items of interest on Mars. The rover just spotted a conspicuous boulder in the distance that's worth a closer look. The Curiosity team described the boulder as large, dark and shiny. Planetary geologist Melissa Rice from Western Washington University noted it "does not look like any other rocks in the surrounding landscape" in a rover mission update on Monday.

The boulder's distinct color indicates it might be a visitor from space. The rover has spotted similar-looking rocks in the past that are also dark and shiny and were confirmed to be iron meteorites. Another possibility is that the boulder came from elsewhere on Mount Sharp, the massive central peak in the Gale Crater where the rover is exploring. Curiosity's Mastcam camera system should be able to tell the difference. (12/8)