The AX-1 mission is the first part of a plan by Axiom Space to produce the first private space station. This is no small feat; ISS itself had to be built in pieces, then sent up to be constructed in space. The total mass of a 420 tonnes space station simply isn't feasible to launch into space in one trip. For comparison, this is the same as launching 70 James Webb Space Telescopes at once.
It took over ten years and 30 launches to finish the ISS. Axiom's plan is to actually construct the space station onboard the ISS, initially building a habitation module (Axiom Hub One), which is estimated for launch in 2024. No doubt, once operational, this module will accommodate and join with more modules as funding comes in for the company.
With the ISS planned for decommission sometime after 2030, there will be a need for an open and international space station. While a space station costs a lot to maintain, NASA and ESA at least will likely pay a rental fee to use facilities on such a private space station. A lot of private firms will be watching the Ax-1 mission to make a decision on whether to pursue their own programs. (4/6)
The Race to Dominate Satellite Internet Heats Up (Source: Space Daily)
Though satellite internet has existed for years, the competition is about to rapidly intensify, with companies planning to launch thousands of their own systems into low Earth orbit. Will Amazon be able to break through the increasingly crowded market? Costs for current geostationary satellite users start under 60 euros ($70) per month, excluding terminal and antenna, and increase according to the bandwidth. But because these satellites are more than 35,000 kilometers (22,000 miles) from Earth's surface -- their speed cannot match that of fiber, prohibiting use for high-speed tasks like gaming.
Amazon's future satellites, like those already launched by Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk's SpaceX, will operate in low Earth orbit (LEO), only 600 km high. British company OneWeb has launched 428 of the 648 satellites in its LEO constellation, and China plans to deploy around 13,000 "GuoWang" satellites.
"The need for bandwidth has skyrocketed around the world, and we will never launch enough satellites to meet the demand," predicts one executive. But the bandwidth marketing specialist, who asked to remain anonymous, also noted that low-orbiting spacecraft are far more vulnerable than geostationary ones, as demonstrated by the recent loss of dozens of Starlinks after a magnetic storm. As a result, "they will have to be constantly replaced." (4/7)
Starlink Loses Frequencies in France (Source: Space Daily)
Starlink has lost its frequencies in France after a legal battle waged by environmental groups. In a ruling published Tuesday, the State Council, France's supreme court for administrative justice, quashed a February 2021 decision by the Arcep telecoms regulators granting Starlink two bands of frequencies to link the satellites with French clients. The court criticised Arcep for not having consulted the public before greenlighting the project even though it was likely to have an important impact on the high-speed internet market as well affect users. Kerckhove said the 12,000 Starlink satellites are a nuisance for those who like to gaze upon the stars. (4/5)
Lynk Announces Deployment of World's First Commercial-Ready Cell-Tower-in-Space (Source: Space News)
Lynk Global announced the successful launch, deployment, and initial on-orbit check-out of Lynk Tower 1. The spacecraft is the company's sixth 'cell-tower-in-space' satellite and is now in position to become the world's first commercial cell-tower-in-space. Lynk Tower 1 is the first satellite covered by Lynk's application to the FCC for a global commercial license to operate a satellite direct-to-standard-phone service.
The technology in Lynk Tower 1 is an upgrade of Lynk's fifth satellite, which connected to thousands of unique devices in the Fall of 2021, including smartphones, feature phones, and myriad cellular IoT devices such as cars, trucks, iPads, and John Deere tractors. Lynk Tower 1 was designed and constructed at Lynk's Falls Church, Virginia facilities. (4/7)
Boeing Expands Cloud Computing Partnerships, Including With Amazon, Google, Microsoft (Source: Space News)
Boeing has expanded partnerships with three major cloud computing providers to digitize more of its engineering and manufacturing processes. The company announced Wednesday multi-year agreements with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud and Microsoft. Boeing says it plans to move applications currently hosted and maintained through on-site servers managed by the company or external partners to those cloud services. Doing so, it argues, simplifies processes and also improves security. (4/7)
UCF Students Unearthing Spear Points up to 6,000 Years Old at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
Swarming across an archaeological pit, UCF students wielding hand tools are carefully unearthing a long-hidden Ais Native American gathering place near the Banana River — where prehistoric stone spear points date back to 6,000 years old. "We've found lots of these shell clusters that were in these very centralized kind of pockets, that almost look like (they) would have been maybe an eating area," said UCF's Amanda Groff, standing at the dig site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Editor's Note: The archeological work and artifacts were featured in presentations at the Air Force Space & Missile Museum on April 9. (4/7)
ESA and NASA Discuss ExoMars Collaboration to Replace Russian Contributions (Source: Space News)
ESA is continuing discussions with NASA on help it can provide for ESA’s ExoMars mission. ESA suspended plans to cooperate with Russia on the rover mission after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaving the mission without a launch vehicle and other critical systems. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said Wednesday that NASA offered assistance, and the two agencies are talking about potential roles, while ESA also studies replacing Russian contributions with European ones. Aschbacher said he expected the agency to decide this summer on its approach to ExoMars. ESA is also examining how to launch payloads that were to fly on Soyuz rockets, with the possibility of limited use of non-European vehicles under consideration. (4/7)
Space Force Working with International Partners to Establish Space Norms (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is working with allies to establish international norms of behavior for space activity. In a panel at Space Symposium, officials from the U.S. and other nations said that as they develop those norms, they also need to consider the consequences for violating them. The sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine may provide one model, they said. While those questions are being addressed, it’s important for countries to demonstrate responsible behavior in space through their own actions and work together through the United Nations to establish binding agreements. (4/7)
Space Force Warns of Cyber Threats to Space Systems (Source: Space News)
A Space Force general warns that computer systems are “the soft underbelly of our global space networks” and require greater security. Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command, said in an interview that the command is looking to shift cybersecurity specialists who protect desktop systems at Space Force bases to more demanding roles defending military satellite networks. He said many key satellites date back to an era when cybersecurity was less of a concern. China and Russia, while having demonstrated ASAT systems, are likely to first use cyberattacks to disable space systems in a conflict, he said. (4/7)
York Space Systems Wins 2nd Major Contract From Space Development Agency (Source: Space Daily)
York Space Systems (York), a Denver-based aerospace company dedicated to complete space mission solutions, has announced another award from the Space Development Agency (SDA), a $382 million contract to York to deliver 42 satellites in support of SDA's Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL). York will produce these satellites, built on the LX-CLASS standard commercial platform, in the new facility for approximately half the price of its nearest peer competitors. York was also selected by SDA in August 2020 to provide 10 satellites for Tranche 0 and remains on schedule for delivery later this year. (4/6)
Army Corps of Engineers Withdraws SpaceX Application to Expand Starship Facilities in Texas (Source: CNBC)
The US Army Corps of Engineers has withdrawn SpaceX’s application to expand launch facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, after the company failed to provide environmental information the agency requested. SpaceX was seeking approvals to construct a new launch pad, new landing pad, and other launch-related infrastructure that would support its existing reusable launch vehicle operations in the South Texas facility.
The expansion would have been built on about 17 acres including wetlands and mud flats. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for oversight of wetland development under section 404 of the Clean Water Act. In this role, the Corps makes sure that developers do not harm natural resources and drinking water, nor cause stress to endangered species and their habitat when alternative sites or approaches could be used instead.
In a letter to SpaceX dated March 7, 2022, the US Army Corps of Engineers said that, after repeated requests for specific environmental impact information, Elon Musk’s aerospace venture had failed to say how it might be able to build its facilities differently, or whether it could locate them elsewhere to minimize harm to wetlands, water, and wildlife. Bloomberg previously reported on the withdrawal. (4/6)
Elon Musk Wants to Kill Baby Sea Turtles at Boca Chica Starbase (Source: Business Insider)
Lepidochelys kempii, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, is a couple of feet long, with a grayish shell, whitish tummy, and angry beak. In 1985, there were perhaps 250 female Kemp's ridleys left on earth; today, following a concerted conservation effort, that number is probably somewhere in the mid- to high four digits. The turtles range around the Atlantic, but they nest only on the beaches where they hatched; for almost all of them, that's on the western coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
A handful of those nests, the ones near Boca Chica, are also in the shadow of a spaceport. If all goes according to plan, it'll soon be home to some of the world's most powerful rocket ships. SpaceX, the space company founded by Elon Musk, plans to turn its facility at Boca Chica into Starbase, a launch site and landing pad for at least five of its biggest rocket ships every year bound for the moon and Mars.
As you'd probably imagine, half-mile-wide blast plumes hot enough to boil water are not so great for sea turtles and other living things. Inconveniently, the future Starbase is surrounded by wildlife preserves and state parks. In addition to the turtles, the local fauna includes the last breeding population of ocelots in the US, migrating seabirds, rare jaguarundis, and a tiny golden beetle found nowhere else. Not to mention the disruption to the humans nearby, in Brownsville, the poorest community in the country. Click here. (4/5)
Army Corps of Engineers Action on Starship Texas Site Expansion May Not Affect Ongoing Plans With Existing Pad (Sources: Bloomberg, SPACErePORT)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has closed, at least temporarily, an application by SpaceX to expand its Boca Chica test site. The Corps of Engineers, in a letter to SpaceX last month, said it closed an application SpaceX filed in late 2020 to expand the site to add a second orbital launch pad because SpaceX did not respond to questions it had regarding effects on the environment from the expansion. The Corps of Engineers said it would reopen the application if SpaceX did provide the information.
The Corps' permit process is separate from an
ongoing FAA-led environmental review of Starship launches from the current site, so this may not impact SpaceX's near-term plans for Starship test launches. However, one expert notes that a substantial portion of the FAA environmental assessment will be "gutted" by the Corps' action. (4/7)
SpinLaunch Signs Space Act Agreement to Test Innovative Mass Accelerator Launch System (Source: Space Daily)
SpinLaunch has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA. Through this partnership, SpinLaunch will develop, integrate, and fly a NASA payload on the company's Suborbital Accelerator Launch System to provide valuable information to NASA for potential future commercial launch opportunities. The Space Act Agreement is part of NASA's Flight Opportunities Program, which demonstrates promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers.
The program is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and managed at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the solicitation and evaluation of technologies to be tested on commercial flight vehicles.
SpinLaunch will manifest and fly the first NASA payload on a developmental test flight later this year and provide means for post-flight recovery of payload back to NASA. The two organizations will work jointly to analyze the data and assess the system for future flight opportunities. After full review, NASA and SpinLaunch will publish all non-proprietary launch environment information from the test flight. (4/7)
UK Space Command Contracts with SSTL for Carbonite+ Satellite (Source: Space Daily)
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has signed a contract with Defence Equipment and Support on behalf of UK Space Command for a 150kg satellite based on SSTL's Carbonite+. Project TYCHE is the first satellite procurement for the MINERVA program which is a key enabler in the development of the foundation for a UK Space-based Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) constellation. Delivered under a three year build program, the TYCHE mission will be compatible with both horizontal as well as vertical launch. (4/7)
Australia to Build Fleet of Dual Use Earth Observation Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
The Australian Government is establishing the nation's first national space mission. The 2022-23 Budget includes $1.16 billion to 2038-39 and $38.5 million per annum ongoing for the first phase of a National Space Mission for Earth Observation, which will see Australia design, build, and operate four new satellites.
Led by the Australian Space Agency, this Mission will make Australia more self sufficient when it comes to critical Earth Observation data, while also growing capability and job opportunities that will set the industry up for future success. Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price said this was the most significant investment ever made in Australia's civil space sector. (4/7)
China Launches SAR Imaging Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China launched a SAR imaging satellite Wednesday. A Long March 4C rocket lifted off at 7:47 p.m. Eastern from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and placed the Gaofen-3 03 spacecraft into orbit. The satellite will join two others to provide SAR imagery with a resolution of one meter and daily revisits. (4/7)
New Chinese Factories Can Mass Produce Small Satellites (Source: Space News)
Two new Chinese factories capable of producing hundreds of small satellites per year could help China achieve space objectives and impact the international market. Production trials are now underway at a new facility belonging to the China Academy of Space Technology capable of producing up to 200 satellites per year. China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation completed a factory last year that will eventually be capable of manufacturing 240 small satellites each year. The new capacity could be relevant for national plans to establish a low Earth orbit communications megaconstellation named Guowang with as many as 13,000 satellites. (4/7)
India Delays First Launch of SSLV (Source: India Today)
India's space agency ISRO has again delayed the first launch of a new small rocket. ISRO now says the inaugural flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is scheduled for the third quarter of this year. The launch previously was expected this spring. ISRO did not provide a reason for the latest delay of the SSLV, which suffered earlier delays because of the pandemic. SSLV is designed to place up to 500 kilograms into low Earth orbit. (4/7)
Space Force Modifies Uniforms (Source: Air Force Magazine)
The Space Force has completed the design of a new dress uniform. Gen. John Raymond, head of the Space Force, said the design has met with broad approval from Guardians, calling it a "home run." The design has been tweaked slightly from the version unveiled at a conference last September, such as improved tailoring of the trousers. The service is preparing to put the uniform into production as fast as possible, but supply chain issues may delay its rollout. (4/7)
Cosmic SETI Ready to Stream Data for Technosignature Research (Source: Space Daily)
COSMIC SETI (the Commensal Open-Source Multimode Interferometer Cluster Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) took a big step toward using NSF's Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) for 24/7 SETI observations. Fiber optic amplifiers and splitters are now installed for all 27 VLA antennas. The COSMIC system has used these links to successfully acquire VLA data, and the primary focus now is on developing the high-performance GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) code for analyzing data for the possible presence of technosignatures.
COSMIC is a collaboration between the SETI Institute and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), which operates the VLA, to bring a state-of-the-art search for extraterrestrial intelligence to the VLA for the first time. As the VLA conducts observations, COSMIC will enable SETI Institute scientists to access that data to analyze for evidence of technosignatures, signs of technology not caused by natural phenomena. (4/6)
Miniaturized Laser Systems to Seek Out Traces of Life in Space (Source: Space Daily)
Was there life on Mars? This is the question that ESA is setting out to answer with its ExoMars mission. The mission, in which Russia is a participant, is scheduled to launch this fall, although recent political developments have raised questions as to whether this will be possible. Part of the mission is an exciting analytical system that was designed to operate in space and was created as part of the research work conducted at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF.
The researchers developed the miniaturized laser module for the Exo-Mars Rover's mobile laboratory. The Raman spectrometer is fitted with a diode-pumped solid-state laser and is the size of a 50-cent coin. The "Rosalind Franklin" rover will analyze the mineralogical compounds on the surface of Mars, around 56 million kilometers away from the Earth, in order to search for traces of extraterrestrial life on the planet. To achieve this, the vehicle has an on-board drill and an array of scientific instruments. One of these instruments is a device called a Raman spectrometer. (4/4)
As Russia Prepared to Invade, U.S. Opened a Commercial Imagery Pipeline to Ukraine (Source: Space News)
An unprecedented release of commercial satellite imagery of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and the rapid sharing of that intelligence – was facilitated by U.S. intelligence agencies that already were familiar with the capabilities of the private sector and how they could be applied, a U.S. intelligence official said Apri. 6.
“We partner with over 100 companies, we’re currently using imagery from at least 200 commercial satellites and we have about 20 or so different analytic services in our pipeline,” said David Gauthier at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). “Because of all that, when Russia prepared to invade, we and the NRO [National Reconnaissance Office] increased and accelerated several efforts that were underway commercially.”
The daily flow of intelligence that previously was only available from government sources and seldom released to the public is no accident, said Gauthier. “This moment has really been set up by a lot of hard work by many companies and many in the government to prepare ourselves to take better advantage of commercial capabilities.” Leading up to the conflict, he said, “we more than doubled the commercial electro-optical imagery that was bought over Ukraine.” (4/6)
Space Force to Shore Up Cybersecurity as Threats Proliferate (Source: Space News)
The most likely form of attack facing satellite networks today does not happen in space but on the ground, where hackers seek to exploit vulnerabilities. “Cyberspace is the soft underbelly of our global space networks,” said Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command. Whiting said the command is now looking to shift cybersecurity specialists who protect desktop systems at Space Force bases to more demanding roles defending military satellite networks.
“We want to pivot more of those guardians into the defensive cyber mission,” said Whiting. The security of networks on bases is important “but we think there’s other ways we can get after that mission by going to commercial services, for example.” That shift already has started at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado where guardians operate sensitive systems like GPS and early warning satellites. (4/6)
Consequences for Nefarious Activity in Space (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is working with allies to establish international norms of behavior for space activity and to share a common operating picture of activity occurring in space. “What’s lacking at the moment is the ability to then apply consequences,” said Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, Royal Australian Air Force chief. “Once we can get an agreed position on behaviors and norms in space, then how do we define consequences for those that may not follow it?” (4/6)
MDA Joins Lockheed Martin and General Motors on Next Generation Lunar Rover Development (Source: Parabolic Arc)
MDA is now working with Lockheed Martin and General Motors to integrate MDA’s commercial robotic arm technology on their planned human-rated lunar mobility vehicles. The addition of MDA to the industrial lunar vehicle development team follows the announcement of a teaming agreement by Lockheed Martin and General Motors in 2021. (4/5)
Pentagon Releases 1,500 Pages on Secret UFO Program After Four Year Battle (Source: The Sun)
Finally after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and more than four years, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released more than 1,500 documents. It includes government commissioned scientific reports and letters regarding the UFO program. The haul includes reports into research on the biological effects of UFO sightings on humans, sets out categorizations for paranormal experiences, and studies into sci-fi-style tech.
The DIA, the Department of Defense's spy arm, said "some portions" of the documents "must be withheld in part" due to privacy and confidentiality concerns. But the agency added the "DIA has not withheld any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions of the records." The bombshell Freedom of Information haul includes reports on the DIA's research into the biological effects of UFO sightings on humans.
And this includes burns, heart problems, sleep disturbances - and even bizarre occurrences such as "apparent abduction" and "unaccounted for pregnancy." The report noted that often these injuries are related to electromagnetic radiation - and links them to "energy related propulsion systems." And the report - prepared for the DIA - warns that such objects may be a "threat to United States interests." Humans have been found to have been injured from "exposures to anomalous vehicles, especially airborne and when in close proximity", it reads. (4/5)
US Warship Was Chased by Two Car-Sized ‘Balls of Light’ UFOs (Source: The Sun)
A US Navy warship was shadowed by two car-sized balls of light which were unaffected by anti-drone weapons, it is claimed. The USS Kearsage is latest vessel to have reportedly had a UFO encounter as the US military begins to open up about the mysterious phenomena.
At least two objects are said to have lurked near the 40,500 ton amphibious assault ships for several nights while it was on a training exercise off the east coast of the US. The phenomena - described by sources familiar with the encounter as odd and menacing "balls of light" - are said to have been following around half a mile behind the ship and around 200 feet above the ocean. (4/4)
How Do Leaders Deal With Space Debris? (Source: Newsweek)
Debris concerns led multiple organizations to release a Space Industry Debris Statement in 2021, pledging their commitment to reducing debris and safeguarding Earth orbits, ensuring sustainability and safety for future generations. The signatories include Airbus and Lockheed Martin among many other prominent names in space manufacturing and travel. Contrastingly, past commercial missions left objects like dummy payloads drifting without plans for retrieval.
Some signatories brainstormed solutions with The Global Future Council on Space, suggesting a unified traffic management system to prevent collisions, agreeing upon a sustainability policy upheld by all stakeholders, and creating end-of-life removal technology for decommissioned satellites and other debris. The ESA is already working to clean up low Earth orbit, where debris poses the greatest threat.
The agency selected Swiss company ClearSpace to receive a $104 million contract to capture and deorbit large debris. ClearSpace-1, scheduled to launch in 2025, will operate as a claw, according to Chief Engineer Muriel Richards. "The object will be tumbling," Richards says. "You maneuver to match the velocity of your object, slow down the tumbling, and capture. Then you put yourself in a trajectory that comes back down into the atmosphere." (4/5)
Sidus Space Releases Financial Results (Source: Sidus Space)
Cape Canaveral-based Sidus Space announced that revenue increased to $523,419 for the three-month period ended December 31, 2021, from $268,507 during the same period in 2020, an increase of 95%. Loss from operations increased to $1,620,017 for the same period, versus $363,472 in the comparable period of 2020.
Net loss was $2,426,490 for the three-month period, compared to a net loss of $364,575 during the same period in 2020. The loss was primarily a result of expansion of staff and costs associated with the Sidus’ initial public offering in December 2021. (4/5)
Cosmic-Ray Scans to Explore Hidden Secrets of Great Pyramid of Giza (Source: Astronomy)
Scientists will rely on cutting-edge technology to scan the Great Pyramid. According to the new research paper, advanced cosmic-ray scans in the form of muons will be employed to peer inside the structure. Muons are created when high-energy particles like cosmic rays collide with the atoms in Earth’s atmosphere. The resulting elementary particles, the muons, are more powerful than X-rays. Muon tomography utilizes cosmic rays of muons to generate a 3D image through thicker material. This technology will be used to penetrate deep into the structure and get a clear view of what lies inside the pyramid.
The ScanPyramids project, which led to the initial discovery of the two voids, utilized muon tomography. However, researchers explain that the new venture will include a telescope system that is 100 times more powerful than the technology used in 2017. “[It] will image muons from nearly all angles and will, for the first time, produce a true tomographic image of such a large structure,” the researchers wrote. (4/6)
Space Investors Predict More Acquisitions to Combat Hiring Challenges (Source: Space News)
Hiring challenges in the space industry will lead to more acquisitions as way for companies to access talent and expand their workforces, investors said. Acquiring companies is a “quick shortcut” for filling job openings that risk slowing down projects across the industry, said Jon Lusczakoski, an executive at AE Industrial Partners. “Especially if you’re focused on the classified space or want to get into the classified space,” Lusczakoski said.
The time it takes to get an individual security clearance is “getting longer and longer,” according to Lusczakoski. This makes small companies with classified-level engineers “a hot commodity to a company that’s trying to break into that [market], and can’t afford a two-year timeline to get their team up to that” level. (4/4)
SpinLaunch Signs Space Act Agreement to Test Innovative Mass Accelerator Launch System (Source: Space Daily)
SpinLaunch has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA. Through this partnership, SpinLaunch will develop, integrate, and fly a NASA payload on the company's Suborbital Accelerator Launch System to provide valuable information to NASA for potential future commercial launch opportunities. The Space Act Agreement is part of NASA's Flight Opportunities Program, which demonstrates promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers.
The program is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and managed at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the solicitation and evaluation of technologies to be tested on commercial flight vehicles.
SpinLaunch will manifest and fly the first NASA payload on a developmental test flight later this year and provide means for post-flight recovery of payload back to NASA. The two organizations will work jointly to analyze the data and assess the system for future flight opportunities. After full review, NASA and SpinLaunch will publish all non-proprietary launch environment information from the test flight. (4/7)
UK Space Command Contracts with SSTL for Carbonite+ Satellite (Source: Space Daily)
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has signed a contract with Defence Equipment and Support on behalf of UK Space Command for a 150kg satellite based on SSTL's Carbonite+. Project TYCHE is the first satellite procurement for the MINERVA program which is a key enabler in the development of the foundation for a UK Space-based Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) constellation. Delivered under a three year build program, the TYCHE mission will be compatible with both horizontal as well as vertical launch. (4/7)
Australia to Build Fleet of Dual Use Earth Observation Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
The Australian Government is establishing the nation's first national space mission. The 2022-23 Budget includes $1.16 billion to 2038-39 and $38.5 million per annum ongoing for the first phase of a National Space Mission for Earth Observation, which will see Australia design, build, and operate four new satellites.
Led by the Australian Space Agency, this Mission will make Australia more self sufficient when it comes to critical Earth Observation data, while also growing capability and job opportunities that will set the industry up for future success. Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price said this was the most significant investment ever made in Australia's civil space sector. (4/7)
China Launches SAR Imaging Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China launched a SAR imaging satellite Wednesday. A Long March 4C rocket lifted off at 7:47 p.m. Eastern from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and placed the Gaofen-3 03 spacecraft into orbit. The satellite will join two others to provide SAR imagery with a resolution of one meter and daily revisits. (4/7)
New Chinese Factories Can Mass Produce Small Satellites (Source: Space News)
Two new Chinese factories capable of producing hundreds of small satellites per year could help China achieve space objectives and impact the international market. Production trials are now underway at a new facility belonging to the China Academy of Space Technology capable of producing up to 200 satellites per year. China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation completed a factory last year that will eventually be capable of manufacturing 240 small satellites each year. The new capacity could be relevant for national plans to establish a low Earth orbit communications megaconstellation named Guowang with as many as 13,000 satellites. (4/7)
India Delays First Launch of SSLV (Source: India Today)
India's space agency ISRO has again delayed the first launch of a new small rocket. ISRO now says the inaugural flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is scheduled for the third quarter of this year. The launch previously was expected this spring. ISRO did not provide a reason for the latest delay of the SSLV, which suffered earlier delays because of the pandemic. SSLV is designed to place up to 500 kilograms into low Earth orbit. (4/7)
Space Force Modifies Uniforms (Source: Air Force Magazine)
The Space Force has completed the design of a new dress uniform. Gen. John Raymond, head of the Space Force, said the design has met with broad approval from Guardians, calling it a "home run." The design has been tweaked slightly from the version unveiled at a conference last September, such as improved tailoring of the trousers. The service is preparing to put the uniform into production as fast as possible, but supply chain issues may delay its rollout. (4/7)
Cosmic SETI Ready to Stream Data for Technosignature Research (Source: Space Daily)
COSMIC SETI (the Commensal Open-Source Multimode Interferometer Cluster Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) took a big step toward using NSF's Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) for 24/7 SETI observations. Fiber optic amplifiers and splitters are now installed for all 27 VLA antennas. The COSMIC system has used these links to successfully acquire VLA data, and the primary focus now is on developing the high-performance GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) code for analyzing data for the possible presence of technosignatures.
COSMIC is a collaboration between the SETI Institute and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), which operates the VLA, to bring a state-of-the-art search for extraterrestrial intelligence to the VLA for the first time. As the VLA conducts observations, COSMIC will enable SETI Institute scientists to access that data to analyze for evidence of technosignatures, signs of technology not caused by natural phenomena. (4/6)
Miniaturized Laser Systems to Seek Out Traces of Life in Space (Source: Space Daily)
Was there life on Mars? This is the question that ESA is setting out to answer with its ExoMars mission. The mission, in which Russia is a participant, is scheduled to launch this fall, although recent political developments have raised questions as to whether this will be possible. Part of the mission is an exciting analytical system that was designed to operate in space and was created as part of the research work conducted at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF.
The researchers developed the miniaturized laser module for the Exo-Mars Rover's mobile laboratory. The Raman spectrometer is fitted with a diode-pumped solid-state laser and is the size of a 50-cent coin. The "Rosalind Franklin" rover will analyze the mineralogical compounds on the surface of Mars, around 56 million kilometers away from the Earth, in order to search for traces of extraterrestrial life on the planet. To achieve this, the vehicle has an on-board drill and an array of scientific instruments. One of these instruments is a device called a Raman spectrometer. (4/4)
As Russia Prepared to Invade, U.S. Opened a Commercial Imagery Pipeline to Ukraine (Source: Space News)
An unprecedented release of commercial satellite imagery of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and the rapid sharing of that intelligence – was facilitated by U.S. intelligence agencies that already were familiar with the capabilities of the private sector and how they could be applied, a U.S. intelligence official said Apri. 6.
“We partner with over 100 companies, we’re currently using imagery from at least 200 commercial satellites and we have about 20 or so different analytic services in our pipeline,” said David Gauthier at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). “Because of all that, when Russia prepared to invade, we and the NRO [National Reconnaissance Office] increased and accelerated several efforts that were underway commercially.”
The daily flow of intelligence that previously was only available from government sources and seldom released to the public is no accident, said Gauthier. “This moment has really been set up by a lot of hard work by many companies and many in the government to prepare ourselves to take better advantage of commercial capabilities.” Leading up to the conflict, he said, “we more than doubled the commercial electro-optical imagery that was bought over Ukraine.” (4/6)
Space Force to Shore Up Cybersecurity as Threats Proliferate (Source: Space News)
The most likely form of attack facing satellite networks today does not happen in space but on the ground, where hackers seek to exploit vulnerabilities. “Cyberspace is the soft underbelly of our global space networks,” said Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command. Whiting said the command is now looking to shift cybersecurity specialists who protect desktop systems at Space Force bases to more demanding roles defending military satellite networks.
“We want to pivot more of those guardians into the defensive cyber mission,” said Whiting. The security of networks on bases is important “but we think there’s other ways we can get after that mission by going to commercial services, for example.” That shift already has started at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado where guardians operate sensitive systems like GPS and early warning satellites. (4/6)
Consequences for Nefarious Activity in Space (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is working with allies to establish international norms of behavior for space activity and to share a common operating picture of activity occurring in space. “What’s lacking at the moment is the ability to then apply consequences,” said Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, Royal Australian Air Force chief. “Once we can get an agreed position on behaviors and norms in space, then how do we define consequences for those that may not follow it?” (4/6)
MDA Joins Lockheed Martin and General Motors on Next Generation Lunar Rover Development (Source: Parabolic Arc)
MDA is now working with Lockheed Martin and General Motors to integrate MDA’s commercial robotic arm technology on their planned human-rated lunar mobility vehicles. The addition of MDA to the industrial lunar vehicle development team follows the announcement of a teaming agreement by Lockheed Martin and General Motors in 2021. (4/5)
Pentagon Releases 1,500 Pages on Secret UFO Program After Four Year Battle (Source: The Sun)
Finally after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and more than four years, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released more than 1,500 documents. It includes government commissioned scientific reports and letters regarding the UFO program. The haul includes reports into research on the biological effects of UFO sightings on humans, sets out categorizations for paranormal experiences, and studies into sci-fi-style tech.
The DIA, the Department of Defense's spy arm, said "some portions" of the documents "must be withheld in part" due to privacy and confidentiality concerns. But the agency added the "DIA has not withheld any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions of the records." The bombshell Freedom of Information haul includes reports on the DIA's research into the biological effects of UFO sightings on humans.
And this includes burns, heart problems, sleep disturbances - and even bizarre occurrences such as "apparent abduction" and "unaccounted for pregnancy." The report noted that often these injuries are related to electromagnetic radiation - and links them to "energy related propulsion systems." And the report - prepared for the DIA - warns that such objects may be a "threat to United States interests." Humans have been found to have been injured from "exposures to anomalous vehicles, especially airborne and when in close proximity", it reads. (4/5)
US Warship Was Chased by Two Car-Sized ‘Balls of Light’ UFOs (Source: The Sun)
A US Navy warship was shadowed by two car-sized balls of light which were unaffected by anti-drone weapons, it is claimed. The USS Kearsage is latest vessel to have reportedly had a UFO encounter as the US military begins to open up about the mysterious phenomena.
At least two objects are said to have lurked near the 40,500 ton amphibious assault ships for several nights while it was on a training exercise off the east coast of the US. The phenomena - described by sources familiar with the encounter as odd and menacing "balls of light" - are said to have been following around half a mile behind the ship and around 200 feet above the ocean. (4/4)
How Do Leaders Deal With Space Debris? (Source: Newsweek)
Debris concerns led multiple organizations to release a Space Industry Debris Statement in 2021, pledging their commitment to reducing debris and safeguarding Earth orbits, ensuring sustainability and safety for future generations. The signatories include Airbus and Lockheed Martin among many other prominent names in space manufacturing and travel. Contrastingly, past commercial missions left objects like dummy payloads drifting without plans for retrieval.
Some signatories brainstormed solutions with The Global Future Council on Space, suggesting a unified traffic management system to prevent collisions, agreeing upon a sustainability policy upheld by all stakeholders, and creating end-of-life removal technology for decommissioned satellites and other debris. The ESA is already working to clean up low Earth orbit, where debris poses the greatest threat.
The agency selected Swiss company ClearSpace to receive a $104 million contract to capture and deorbit large debris. ClearSpace-1, scheduled to launch in 2025, will operate as a claw, according to Chief Engineer Muriel Richards. "The object will be tumbling," Richards says. "You maneuver to match the velocity of your object, slow down the tumbling, and capture. Then you put yourself in a trajectory that comes back down into the atmosphere." (4/5)
Sidus Space Releases Financial Results (Source: Sidus Space)
Cape Canaveral-based Sidus Space announced that revenue increased to $523,419 for the three-month period ended December 31, 2021, from $268,507 during the same period in 2020, an increase of 95%. Loss from operations increased to $1,620,017 for the same period, versus $363,472 in the comparable period of 2020.
Net loss was $2,426,490 for the three-month period, compared to a net loss of $364,575 during the same period in 2020. The loss was primarily a result of expansion of staff and costs associated with the Sidus’ initial public offering in December 2021. (4/5)
Cosmic-Ray Scans to Explore Hidden Secrets of Great Pyramid of Giza (Source: Astronomy)
Scientists will rely on cutting-edge technology to scan the Great Pyramid. According to the new research paper, advanced cosmic-ray scans in the form of muons will be employed to peer inside the structure. Muons are created when high-energy particles like cosmic rays collide with the atoms in Earth’s atmosphere. The resulting elementary particles, the muons, are more powerful than X-rays. Muon tomography utilizes cosmic rays of muons to generate a 3D image through thicker material. This technology will be used to penetrate deep into the structure and get a clear view of what lies inside the pyramid.
The ScanPyramids project, which led to the initial discovery of the two voids, utilized muon tomography. However, researchers explain that the new venture will include a telescope system that is 100 times more powerful than the technology used in 2017. “[It] will image muons from nearly all angles and will, for the first time, produce a true tomographic image of such a large structure,” the researchers wrote. (4/6)
Space Investors Predict More Acquisitions to Combat Hiring Challenges (Source: Space News)
Hiring challenges in the space industry will lead to more acquisitions as way for companies to access talent and expand their workforces, investors said. Acquiring companies is a “quick shortcut” for filling job openings that risk slowing down projects across the industry, said Jon Lusczakoski, an executive at AE Industrial Partners. “Especially if you’re focused on the classified space or want to get into the classified space,” Lusczakoski said.
The time it takes to get an individual security clearance is “getting longer and longer,” according to Lusczakoski. This makes small companies with classified-level engineers “a hot commodity to a company that’s trying to break into that [market], and can’t afford a two-year timeline to get their team up to that” level. (4/4)
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