Despite 2 Failed Launches, NASA
Intends to Stick with Using Astra Space (Source: Orlando
Sentinel)
Astra Space has gone 0-for-2 in its attempts for success from the Space
Coast, with the latest supposed to be the first of three launches this
summer for NASA to put several hurricane-tracking satellites into
orbit. The failure on Sunday saw Astra’s Rocket 3.3 lift off from Cape
Canaveral Space Force Station in what seemed to be a good launch only
the be thwarted by its second stage failing to put its payload of two
satellites into the desired orbit, resulting in their destruction
falling back to Earth.
NASA officials, though, say that all is not lost for the overall
TROPICS project, which stands for Time-Resolved Observations of
Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of
Smallsats. “TROPICS is part of (NASA’s) Venture program for lower-cost,
higher risk missions: payloads that tolerate relatively high risk and
serve as an ideal platform for innovation. For TROPICS: four out of six
small satellites are needed for the mission to work,” said Thomas
Zurbuchen, NASA’s associate administrator for the Science Mission
Directorate.
So while the first two satellites were destroyed, Astra Space officials
said they are hopeful they will figure out the problem and be able to
fulfill the rest of their $7.8 million contract, launching the final
four satellites. A NASA official reiterated that a part of such
missions is to give new rocket companies a financial reason to do
business. “Even though we are disappointed right now, we know: There is
value in taking risks in our overall NASA Science portfolio because
innovation is required for us to lead,” he said. (6/13)
Dark Clouds: The Secret Meteorological
Satellite Program (Source: Space Review)
In the early 1960s the NRO started a project to fly weather satellites
to determine if targets of its reconnaissance satellites were clouded
over. Dwayne Day examines the development of that project and how it
found uses beyond supporting spy satellites. Click here.
(6/14)
Learning to Let Go of Space Missions
(Source: Space Review)
NASA’s InSight Mars lander is likely in its final months as its power
levels decline, and other missions are facing their own near-death
experiences. Jeff Foust reports on how NASA is emphasizing not how long
a mission lasts, but what goals it achieved. Click here.
(6/14)
The Russian Space Threat and a Defense
Against it with Guardian Satellites (Source: Space Review)
Russia has developed, and in some cases tested, a wide range of
antisatellite weapons and related systems. Matthew Mowthorpe outlines
those efforts and a potential approach to defending satellites against
them. Click here.
(6/14)
Ariane 6 Debut Slips to 2023
(Source: Space News)
The first Ariane 6 launch has slipped to 2023. ESA Director General
Josef Aschbacher said in a BBC interview published Monday that the
launch had been delayed to some time next year, but did not provide
additional details. ESA later confirmed the delay but did not
elaborate. Just a few weeks ago, a senior executive for Arianespace
said the company was preparing to conduct the inaugural launch toward
the end of 2022. (6/14)
Hammett to Lead Space Rapid
Capabilities Office (Source: Space News)
An Air Force scientist is the new director of the Space Rapid
Capabilities Office. Kelly Hammett, former head of the Air Force
Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy Directorate, will lead the
office, which procures space technologies and manages classified
programs for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. During more
than two decades at AFRL, Hammett worked on programs like high-power
lasers and high-power microwave developments, and oversaw the Air Force
Maui Optical and Supercomputing site known as AMOS. (6/14)
Draco Valve Issue Blamed for Dragon
ISS Cargo Delay (Source: Space News)
The launch of a SpaceX cargo Dragon mission has been rescheduled for
July after finding the source of a hydrazine leak in the spacecraft.
NASA said Monday that SpaceX traced elevated hydrazine readings in the
spacecraft's propulsion system to a Draco thruster valve inlet joint
that will be replaced. The spacecraft, originally set to launch last
week on the CRS-25 cargo mission, is now scheduled for launch no
earlier than July 11. (6/14)
Astra Stock Tumbles After Launch
Failure (Source: CNBC)
Astra's stock tumbled by nearly 25% Monday, a day after its latest
launch failure. Shares in Astra closed down 23.8% Monday at $1.54 per
share. The failure, the second in three missions this year and fifth in
seven overall orbital launch attempts, caused the loss of two NASA
cubesats intended to track tropical storms, the first of three launches
under a NASA contract awarded last year. Company CEO Chris Kemp
acknowledged that "the next two launches need to work." (6/14)
SpaceX Raises $1.68 Billion
(Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX said Monday it raised nearly $1.7 billion in its latest funding
round. The company, in a SEC filing, said it raised $1.68 billion of a
planned $1.72 billion round. SpaceX did not disclose additional details
about the round, but previous reports indicated the company was raising
money at a valuation of $125 billion, up from $100 billion last year.
(6/14)
BlueHalo Wins $11 Million AFRL
Contract for Laser Comm Terminals (Source: Space News)
BlueHalo won an $11 million contract from AFRL for an optical
communications system. The company will develop a pair of optical laser
communications terminals and a ground station, to be delivered in 2025,
that will be used for on-orbit experiments. The system will support
demonstrations of optical uplinks and downlinks between satellites in
geostationary and low Earth orbits and for space-to-ground links. (6/14)
German Startup Raises $5.7 Million for
Space Traffic Management (Source: Space News)
Okapi:Orbits, a German space traffic management startup, raised 5.5
million euros ($5.7 million) in a seed funding round. The company
develops software designed to help satellite operators reduce
maneuvers, save fuel and limit downtime. It is used by more than 50
satellites today. Okapi is raising money to expand the user base for
its platform, enhance its product portfolio and grow its international
footprint. (6/14)
Atlas Space Operations to Demonstrate
Hybrid Satellite Network for DoD (Source: Space News)
Atlas Space Operations won a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract to
demonstrate a hybrid network. The DIU Hybrid Space Architecture award
will test a hybrid network linking Defense Department, civil government
and commercial satellites. The Defense Department is looking for ways
to take advantage of the proliferation of commercial satellites and
ground stations to create resilient hybrid networks capable of
transmitting data at multiple classification levels. (6/14)
China Developing Tech for Space Solar
Energy Beaming (Source: Space News)
A Chinese university says it's completed a first-of-its-kind test
structure for space-based solar power technology. Xidian University
built a 75-meter-tall steel structure designed to collect solar energy
and convert it into direct current electricity, which will then be
converted into microwaves for transmission via an antenna over a
distance of 55 meters. The system is designed to test technologies
needed for space-based solar power, but the project's leader
acknowledges that such systems will take generations to develop. (6/14)
South Korea Preps for Second KSCL-2
Launch (Source: Korea Times)
South Korea hopes to conduct a second launch of its KSLV-2 rocket this
week, weather permitting. High winds have already pushed back the
launch of the rocket, also known as Nuri, by a day to Thursday. The
first Nuri launch last year failed to reach orbit when the rocket's
upper stage shut down prematurely. (6/14)
ESA's Gaia Tracks Stellar Motions
(Source: Nature)
ESA released Monday the latest data from the Gaia space telescope. The
fourth release of Gaia data tracks the location of nearly two billion
stars, and includes three-dimensional motions of tens of millions of
stars and thousands of asteroids. ESA launched Gaia in 2013 to provide
the most precise measurements yet of stellar positions, and the agency
says that data from Gaia is now cited in papers more frequently than
data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Gaia is expected to continue
operators to 2024, when it will run out of propellant. (6/14)
Iris System to Ddigitalize Airspace
Goes Global (Source: Space Daily)
A space-enabled system to help clear congested skies while reducing
carbon emissions is going global, following a deal signed between
satellite communications provider Inmarsat and ESA. Passengers will
experience fewer delays once the Iris system is fully implemented - and
airlines will save fuel and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. It
could even be used to safely coordinate the flights of drones
delivering medical supplies between hospitals or aid to remote
communities.
At present pilots mostly communicate with air traffic controllers by
voice or by using an outdated data communication technology. This makes
flight operations inefficient, as planes have to be kept far apart from
one another and follow pre-defined air corridors instead of taking the
most direct route. Data exchanges will soon become the primary means of
communication, with large quantities of data relayed to and from the
aircraft. The Iris system uses satellites to relay data digitally from
the cockpit to the ground, increasing communication capacity and
coverage including remote and oceanic areas. (6/10)
Argentina's VENG and ReOrbit Sign
Agreement for Satellite Manufacturing (Source: Space Daily)
ReOrbit and VENG, an Argentinian-based company, signed an agreement to
manufacture satellites in Argentina to serve the Latin America market.
The directors of both organisations met at the Argentina Space Centre
located in Cordoba Province, Argentina, to visit the VENG's AI&T
facilities, discuss future collaborations and finally sign a Memorandum
of Understanding.
VENG, the main contractor of the Argentina Space Agency (CONAE) for
Launch Vehicle developments, signed an agreement with ReOrbit for
satellite manufacturing. On Friday June 10th, a meeting between both
companies was held at the Argentina Space Centre, located in the Town
of Falda del Canete, Cordoba Province, to sign and formalise the
agreement and visit the Manufacturing, Assembling, Integration and Test
facilities operated by VENG. (6/10)
Explosion at Chinese Launch Center
Revealed by Satellite Imagery (Source: Space News)
An explosion severely damaged rocket facilities at China’s Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center in October 2021, commercial satellite imagery
shows. Jiuquan spaceport is situated in the Gobi Desert and hosts major
orbital launches including all of the country’s Shenzhou human
spaceflight missions. Established in 1958 it is the first of China’s
four national spaceports to be constructed.
Evidence of the explosion was discovered by space enthusiast Harry
Stranger using imagery from Airbus and CNES and posted on Twitter June
10. The incident occurred at facilities constructed around 16
kilometers to the southwest of Jiuquan’s two main launch complexes. The
pair of launch pads are used by the China Aerospace Science and
Technology Corporation (CASC) for hypergolic Long March rocket launches
for human spaceflight, civil, military and scientific missions and were
unaffected by the blast. (6/14)
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