January 11, 2021

Trump Supporters Tie Space Force to Insurrection (Source: SPACErePORT)
Followers of Q-Anon and other insurrectionist conspiracies are pointing to the Space Force as being a lever now allowing President Trump to remain in office through a dramatic display of military and police powers. On Twitter and the now-closed Parler social media platform, the Space Force, with its new official ties to the U.S. Intelligence Community has been described as a source of satellite-based command, control, communications, and information for President Trump.

According to one poster, Raven Roulette,: "Space Force is involved in the worldwide blackouts we are seeing in multiple countries right now. This is a test run of the top secret Global Broadcast Satellite program. GBS can bathe any broadcast system with particle beam technology to override the machinery. Trump wil use this program to enable direct contact with all television screens for a worldwide address..."

Meanwhile another 'patriot' shares this: "Trump is seriously considering appointing [Space Force] General John Raymond to replace Pence as Vice President for final days of 1st term and entire 2nd term. Gen. Raymond has been instrumental in the development and implementation of Global Broadcast Satellite for POTUS address firing Pence and exposing truth. Trump was also impressed by his ability to outreason Barbara Barrett in recent advisory council meetings on enacting GBS." (1/11)

Preparing for Surgery in Space (Source: RocketSTEM)
Surgical emergencies are one of the main challenges when it comes to human space travel. But over the last few years, space medicine researchers have come up with a number of ideas that could help, from surgical robots to 3D printers. For surgical emergencies on the ISS, the procedure is to stabilise the patient and transport them back to Earth, aided by telecommunication in real time. This won’t work on Mars missions.

As well as distance, the extreme environment faced during transit to and on Mars includes microgravity, high radiation levels and an enclosed pressurised cabin or suit. This is tough on astronauts’ bodies and takes time getting used to. We already know that space travel changes astronauts’ cells, blood pressure regulation and heart performance. It also affects the body’s fluid distribution and weakens its bones and muscles. Space travellers may also more easily develop infections. So in terms of fitness for surgery, an injured or unwell astronaut will be already at a physiological disadvantage.

But how likely is it that an astronaut will actually need surgery? For a crew of seven people, researchers estimate that there will be an average of one surgical emergency every 2.4 years during a Mars mission. The main causes include injury, appendicitis, gallbladder inflammation or cancer. Astronauts are screened extensively when they are selected, but surgical emergencies can occur in healthy people and may be exacerbated in the extreme environment of space. Click here. (1/10)

Intelsat Orders Two Satellites From Airbus (Source: Space News)
Intelsat announced Friday it is ordering two satellites from Airbus Defence and Space. The two satellites, part of the OneSat line of fully reconfigurable satellites by Airbus, will be delivered in 2023. Intelsat offered few details about the satellites, such as their orbital locations and frequency bands, but in a bankruptcy court filing said they will be used to provide coverage over the U.S., North Atlantic, and other parts of the Western Hemisphere to support its Gogo Commercial Aviation business. (1/11)

Nebraska Puts $107 Million on the Table to Lure Space Command (Source: Omaha World-Herald)
One of the finalists in the competition to host U.S. Space Command is sweetening its bid to the tune of $107 million. Nebraska officials are offering the funding, including $50 million from the state and $50 million from an unidentified philanthropist, to convince the Air Force to select Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha as the headquarters for the command. The funding would go towards the estimated $1 billion in costs of new buildings and other infrastructure at the base. Offutt is one of six finalists to be Space Command's headquarters, with the Air Force expected to make a decision by Jan. 20. (1/11)

Tiny NASA Cameras to Watch Commercial Lander form Craters on Moon (Source: Space Daily)
It's about half the size of a computer mouse. Four of them will observe what happens under a spacecraft as it lands on the Moon. It's a tiny technology with a big name - Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies, or SCALPSS for short - and it will journey to the Moon in 2021 as a payload aboard an Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander spacecraft.

Intuitive Machines is one of two U.S. companies delivering technology and science experiments to the lunar surface later this year as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. SCALPSS will provide important data about the crater formed by the rocket plume of the lander as it makes its final descent and landing on the Moon's surface. (1/11)

Lopsided Political Support by Big Aerospace (Source: NASA Watch)
Looking at Big Aerospace - specifically the top 12 NASA contractors and their PAC contributions by party during the recent election cycle - all but SpaceX and Bechtel favor the congressional republicans. Republican-leaning donors are shown in red, Democrat-leaning contributors are shown in blue.

Traditionally PACs focus on incumbents... Every contractor gave significantly to Sen. Cruz (R-TX) and virtually ignored Sen. Sinema (D-AZ) for example. Oh yes, Sen. Sinema is about to become the Chair of the prime Senate space subcommittee (Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). Big Aerospace gave candidate (and now Senator) Mark Kelly (D-AZ) next to nothing yet many aerospace contributors maxed out when donating to his opponent, incumbent Sen. McSally (R-AZ). (1/11)