Soyuz Capsule Returns Three Cosmonauts
From ISS (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three Russian cosmonauts landed this
morning in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz MS-21 spacecraft undocked from the
International Space Station at 3:34 a.m. Eastern and landed safely in
Kazakhstan at 6:57 a.m. Eastern. The spacecraft returned to Earth with
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov
after 195 days in space. Before the undocking, Artemyev handed over
command of the ISS to ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. (9/29)
NRO Picks Six Companies to Study RF
Data Applications (Source: Space News)
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded study contracts for
space-based radio frequency (RF) data to six companies Wednesday.
Aurora Insight, HawkEye 360, Kleos Space, PredaSAR, Spire Global and
Umbra Lab signed agreements giving the NRO access to their systems and
business plans so the agency can decide what commercial data it might
purchase for operational use. Such data can track ships, vehicles or
devices emitting RF signals. The companies were selected under a broad
NRO program rolled out in October called Strategic Commercial
Enhancements, open to both U.S. companies and foreign-owned U.S.
commercial providers. (9/29)
Lynk Global Satellite to Test 5G in
Space (Source: Space News)
Lynk Global will test the ability to transmit 5G signals from a
satellite launching in December. The company said the experimental 5G
payload will be onboard its second commercial satellite, launching on a
SpaceX rideshare mission. Lynk's initial satellites are designed to
provide connectivity for its mobile network operator (MNO) partners'
customers over 2G to 4G, but the company wants to test the ability to
shift to 5G when its customers request it. Two other Lynk satellites
are also due to fly on this mission to give the Virginia-based startup
four commercial satellites in low Earth orbit. (9/29)
Space Force Reemphasizes Focus on
Situational Awareness (Source: Space News)
The head of the Space Force's Space Systems Command said that improved
space domain awareness is "foundational" to national security. Lt. Gen.
Michael A. Guetlein said that space domain awareness is critical to
ensuring the operations of other space systems that provide the
"overmatch" for the U.S. military against adversaries. He said space
domain awareness needs to be improved, though, to better identify
objects and their intent, something he said requires collaboration with
industry, academia and international partners. (9/29)
Biden Administration Offers
Alternative to Space National Guard (Source: Space News)
A key congressional supporter for a Space National Guard said he would
consider an alternative backed by the White House and Space Force
leaders. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said Wednesday "there's merit" to a
concept for creating a hybrid active-reserve component that provides
full-time and part-time service options. Lamborn has pushed for
creating a Space National Guard, including language establishing it in
the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act. The Senate
version of the bill does not contain a similar provision, and the Biden
administration opposes it. (9/29)
NASA Seeks Alternative Launcher for
TROPICS Satallites (Source: Space News)
NASA will find another way to launch a remaining set of Earth science
cubesats after modifying its contract with Astra. The agency selected
Astra last year for three launches of its Rocket 3.3 vehicle to deploy
six TROPICS satellites to monitor tropical storms. However, the first
of the three launches failed in June, and Astra announced in August it
was retiring the Rocket 3.3 in favor of the larger Rocket 4 in
development.
NASA said Wednesday it will seek a new launch provider for the
remaining four TROPICS cubesats using the Venture-Class Acquisition of
Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) program, with a goal of launching them
in time for the 2023 hurricane season. NASA will instead use the Astra
contract for launching "comparable scientific payloads" on Rocket 4.
Astra said Wednesday it is still investigating the June launch failure
but narrowed down the cause to a problem with the engine in the upper
stage. (9/29)
Mixed Reactions for Space Industry
Shift to Remote Work (Source: Space News)
Space companies are having mixed reactions to a shift to remote work.
That shift, accelerated by the pandemic, is being embraced by some
companies as a way to tap into larger talent pools and retain
employees. Others, though, see problems with remote work and prefer to
have employees together where they can more efficiently collaborate.
Many are looking at hybrid approaches that require being on-site
sometimes but with more flexibility to work remotely. (9/29)
ITU Gets New Chief (Source: AP)
Doreen Bogdan-Martin will be the next secretary general of the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Member states voted
overwhelmingly for Bogdan-Martin over the only other candidate,
Russia's Rashid Ismailov, at a meeting Thursday in Bucharest.
Bogdan-Martin is the first woman to lead the ITU and the first American
to do so since the 1960s. The ITU handles a wide range of
communications policy issues, including coordinating spectrum used by
satellite systems. (9/29)
NASA Ingenuity Helicopter Flies 33rd
Time on Mars (Source: NASA)
NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter made its 33rd flight last weekend.
NASA said the helicopter flew 111 meters in the 55-second flight.
Ingenuity has gradually ramped up flight operations after limiting
activity during the Martian winter. (9/29)
ESA Opens Retail Store in Rome
(Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency is opening its first retail store in a
shopping district in Rome. The ESA Space Shop, which will open Oct. 1
for three months, will sell clothes, memorabilia and other items
associated with the agency. The store will also feature information
about the agency itself as part of its outreach efforts. (9/29)
NASA Awards Commercial Small Satellite
Data Acquisition Agreement to GHGSat (Source: Parabolic Arc)
NASA has selected GHGSat, Inc., of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to provide
commercial small constellation satellite products for evaluation to
determine the utility for advancing NASA’s science and application
goals. GHGSat will provide a comprehensive catalogue of Earth
Observation data High Resolution Gas Detection Commercial Earth
Observation Data products.
This is a fixed-price blanket purchase agreement and each call issued
is not to exceed $7 million over a five-year period. The work will be
performed at the contractor’s facilities in Montreal, Quebec. The
contractor shall be responsible for delivery of a comprehensive
catalogue of its commercial Earth Observation data High Resolution Gas
Detection Commercial Earth Observation Data products indicating at a
minimum: the data sets, associated metadata and ancillary information;
data cadence; data latency; area coverage; and data usage policy. (9/29)
Congress Seeks to Tap Brakes on FCC
Orbital Debris Rule (Source: Space News)
The leadership of the House Science Committee asked the FCC to defer
consideration of a new orbital debris rule. FCC commissioners are set
to meet this morning to vote on the proposed order that would direct
operators of low Earth orbit satellites to deorbit them as soon as
possible after the end of their mission and in no more than five years.
However, in a letter to the FCC this week, the bipartisan leadership of
the House Science Committee said it had concerns about the FCC's
authority to promulgate such regulations and worried that the
commission's "unilateral" action could undermine its broader government
coordination on the issue. In filings to the FCC this month, several
companies expressed support for the proposed rule but requested minor
changes, such as waivers to the five-year rule for satellites that
suffer failures beyond their control. (9/29)
FCC Approves New Orbital Debris Rule
(Source: Space News)
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a new rule Sept. 29 that
will shorten the time for satellite operators to deorbit low Earth
orbit satellites from 25 to 5 years. Commissioners voted 4-0 to adopt
the draft rule, published earlier this month, intended to address
growing debris in LEO.
Under the new rule, spacecraft that end their lives in orbits at
altitudes of 2,000 kilometers or below will have to deorbit as soon as
practicable and no more than five years after the end of their mission.
The rule would apply to satellites launched two years after the order
is adopted, and include both U.S.-licensed satellites as well as those
licensed by other jurisdictions but seeking U.S. market access. (9/29)
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