February 20, 2023

Artemis 1 SLS Noise Assessment (Source: Space.com)
The launch of Artemis 1 had a lot of snap, crackle and pop. A study published last week concluded that the Space Launch System liftoff was louder than expected, in some cases by up to 20 decibels. Noise levels five kilometers from the pad reached 129 decibels. The study also found that the distinctive crackling sound made by the rocket was about 40 million times greater than a bowl of Rice Krispies breakfast cereal. (2/20)

Soyuz Crew Capsule Set for Uncrewed Launch to ISS (Source: Space News)
An uncrewed Soyuz spacecraft is set to launch to the International Space Station later this week after a Progress cargo spacecraft that suffered a coolant leak departed. The Progress MS-21 spacecraft undocked from the station Friday night, early a week after coolant leaked out from the spacecraft. Images of the spacecraft taken during its departure did not show signs of damage like that on the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which also had a coolant leak in December.

Roscosmos delayed the deorbiting of the spacecraft while it studied the data, disposing of the spacecraft over the South Pacific Saturday night. Roscosmos said the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft, which will replace the damaged Soyuz MS-22, is now scheduled to launch Thursday night after officials previously said its launch could slip to early March. (2/20)

The Future of Space Food (Source: WESH)
The Orlando Science Center hosted this "The Science Of It" segment on the development of foods for use on space missions. Click here. (2/17)

NASA's Deep Space Network Taken Offline for Cybersecurity Review (Source: Space News)
NASA has taken offline a popular website for tracking its Deep Space Network (DSN) for a cybersecurity review. The DSN Now site, which shows which DSN antennas are communicating with which spacecraft, has been down since early in the month for "maintenance." NASA said last week it is performing a "preemptive cyber security review" of the site linked to the DNS's support of future crewed Artemis missions, but did not disclose when that review would be complete. The Artemis 1 mission last year was a major user of the DSN. (2/20)

Are We Alone in the Universe? UCLA Astronomers Enlist the Public to Find Out (Source: UCLA)
On Feb. 14, UCLA SETI launched a new project to crowdsource the search for extraterrestrial civilizations. (SETI is an acronym for “search for extraterrestrial intelligence.”) The project, Are We Alone in the Universe?, will give members of the public an opportunity to help scientists find signs of extraterrestrial intelligence by classifying radio signals that may have been emitted up to tens of thousands of light-years away and collected by a radio telescope. No special training or education is needed to participate. (2/14)

Office of Space Commerce Examines Options for Commercial SSA Pilot Project in LEO (Source: Space News)
With one commercial space traffic coordination pilot project successfully completed, the Office of Space Commerce is considering ways to do a similar project in the more challenging environment of low Earth orbit. Speaking at the FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference Feb. 8, Richard DalBello, director of the Office of Space Commerce within NOAA, said the office had just completed a two-month project to test the ability to perform space situational awareness in medium and geostationary Earth orbits using only commercial data.

The office, working with the Defense Department, awarded contracts in December to COMSPOC Corp., ExoAnalytic Solutions, Kayhan Space, KBR, NorthStar Earth & Space Inc., Slingshot Aerospace and the Space Data Association for the pilot. It also used data from five contracts the office awarded in September for commercial space situational awareness (SSA) data.

DalBello stated that while the office was still analyzing the results of the pilot, it appeared to go well. “I’m highly confident that we will have done very well,” he said. “The initial results look really good.” The goal, he noted, was to do at least as well as what is offered by the 18th Space Defense Squadron, which currently provides space traffic coordination services. “We wanted to do SSA in GEO with no government data and just answer the question, could we do it?” he said. “I think the answer will be yes.” (2/18)

Will the SpaceX Starship Fly to Space Soon? (Source: The Hill)
Musk says he hopes that the first orbital test of the Starship/Superheavy system will occur in March. A couple of things must happen between now and the first orbital launch. First, the SpaceX engineers have to evaluate the results of the static fire test and determine if the rocket is ready for launch. Considering the anomaly with the two engines, they may determine that another test is in order before they go for launch.

Second, the FAA will have to approve the launch. The regulatory agency has been considering issuing a launch license for so long that one has to wonder what is causing the delay. NASA views development of a lunar lander version of the Starship with some urgency. The FAA, not so much.

When Starship flies, sooner or later, it will be one of the most impressive events in a long time, whatever happens. Recently, SpaceX increased its estimate of how much the Starship could take into space. The reusable version will be able to convey 150 metric tons of people and material into low-Earth orbit. But an expendable version of the Starship, that would not carry extra fuel or landing gear, would be able to take an eye-popping 250 metric tons into space. (2/19)

Elon Musk, U.S. Discussed Starlink in Ukraine, Blinken Says (Source: Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday that the U.S. government has had conversations with Elon Musk about the use of Starlink satellite internet in Ukraine. SpaceX this month said it has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the company's Starlink service for controlling drones in the region during the country's war with Russia.

Asked during an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press with Chuck Todd" that will air on Sunday whether the United States had asked Musk, the company's chief executive, not to restrict the use of Starlink capabilities by Ukraine's military, Blinken said: "Well, I can't share any conversations we've had other than to say we've had conversations."

SpaceX has privately shipped truckloads of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, allowing the country's military to communicate by plugging them in and connecting them with the nearly 4,000 satellites SpaceX has so far launched into low-Earth orbit. Russia has attempted to jam Starlink signals in the region, though SpaceX countered by hardening the service's software, Musk has said. (2/18)

D-Orbit Signs Launch Contract with Patriot Infovention (Source: D-Orbit)
D-Orbit has announced the signing of a launch contract with Patriot Infovention, a Thai software company specializing in government assistance services, support and assistance, data management and cyber security. This satellite represents the first foray of Patriot Infovention in the space industry. The contract covers the launch and deployment of LOGSATS (LOra Gateway Service and Aircraft Tracking Satellite), a 3U CubeSat manufactured by Patriot Infovention. The satellite will demonstrate both the first Thai space-based Internet-of-Things (IoT) communications systems and aviation monitoring system of Thailand. (2/16)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Leaps Into Space (Source: Arabian Business)
The Saudi Space Commission (SSC) announced that Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni will be the two Saudi astronauts heading to the International Space Station (ISS) in Q2 2023. Joining the crew of space mission Ax-2, Axiom Space’s second ISS mission, they will make history.

This is the sixth time that two astronauts of the same nationality are on board the ISS together. Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni will be among the few astronauts of the same nationality to be on board the ISS at once, even though they are not the first Saudis in space. The two astronauts are walking in the footsteps of Prince Sultan bin Salman, SSC’s inaugural Chairman, who was the first Arab, Muslim, and royal to fly into space as a payload specialist on board the Space Shuttle flight STS-51-G in 1985. (2/20)

Chandrayaan-3: India’s Moon Lander Cleared Key Tests Successfully, Says ISRO (Source: LatestLy)
The moon lander part of India's third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3, successfully underwent the EMI-EMC (Electro-Magnetic Interference/ Electro-Magnetic Compatibility) test recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Sunday.

According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-3 lander successfully underwent EMI/EMC test during January 31-February 2 at the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru. The EMI-EMC test is conducted for satellite missions to ensure the functionality of the satellite subsystems in the space environment and their compatibility with the expected electromagnetic levels. Chandrayaan-3 Launch Date: India's Third Moon Mission Likely to be Launched During Third Quarter of 2022, Says Dr Jitendra Singh. (2/19)

Israel Air Force Looks to Develop New Space Capabilities (Source: Jewish Press)
As the importance of space assets becomes clearer than ever to militaries and governments worldwide, the Israel Air Force is creating its own “Space Administration.” The role of the IAF’s Space Administration, which will initially be commanded by an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel, will be to examine new ways for Israel to use space “in ways that cannot be detailed,” according to a Jan. 3 report by Israel Hayom. (2/19)

South Korea: Space Technology is Matter of State Survival (Source: The Investor)
South Korea's space development is more than just science, but also a matter of state survival in terms of security, according to a high-ranking official at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. “Frankly, space has been regarded as science technology until now. Space development was done by project, such as developing satellites and space launch vehicles. But with a deeper understanding of space, it has become clear that it's not just about science,” said Lee Joon.

Taking the example of advanced satellites’ integral role in enabling military weapons and the digitalization of a country, Lee emphasized that space technology is directly linked to the state’s survival in terms of security. “On top of that, space is a future growth engine because asteroids have plenty of resources that are scarce on Earth. If we can go there and take them in the future, it will be a game changer,” Lee said. (2/20)

Leveling-Up Boost for UK Space Sector with New Growth Funding (Source: Gov.UK)
Eighteen projects aimed at boosting the space sector across the UK are to receive funding from the UK Space Agency. The £6.5 million includes support for high impact, locally led schemes and space cluster development managers to help the space sector grow across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

One project will explore the potential for a space observatory and planetarium to be established in Snowdonia, taking advantage of the area being part of the most extensive dark skies reserve in the UK. Another will look at how space technology could be used to tackle water leakage and monitor coastal erosion and stability in Cornwall. The projects will harness space-enabled technology to address local priorities, such as using Earth Observation data to improve local public services and help innovative engineering companies access the UK’s growing space markets. (2/14)

China to Send 2 Astronaut Crews, 1 Cargo Ship to Tiangong Space Station This Year (Source: Space.com)
China plans to launch a pair of crewed missions to its new space station this year, with supplies also heading to orbit on a Tianzhou cargo ship. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced(opens in new tab) on Wednesday (Feb. 15) that it plans to launch the Shenzhou 16 crew mission to the newly operational Tiangong space station in May, with Shenzhou 17 following nearly six months later, in October. Each Shenzhou crew spacecraft will carry three astronauts, whose identities usually remain secret until the day before their launch on a Long March 2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. (2/19)

US General Warns China Biggest Threat in Space (Source: Voice of America)
Space has "fundamentally changed" in just a few years due to a growing arms race, a U.S. general said, singling out China as the "most challenging threat," followed by Russia. "We are seeing a whole mix of weapons being produced by our strategic competitors," said General Bradley Chance Saltzman, the U.S. chief of space operations. "The most challenging threat is China but also Russia," he said, speaking late Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, listing technologies including anti-satellite missiles, ground-based directed energy and orbit interception capacities. (2/19)

How Was the Solar System Formed? An Ancient Asteroid Is Helping Us Learn (Source: SciTech Daily)
UCLA scientists have uncovered that minerals found on the asteroid were formed as a result of interactions with water over 4.5 billion years ago. Mineral samples obtained from the Ryugu asteroid by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft of Japan are aiding UCLA space scientists and their colleagues in gaining a deeper insight into the chemical composition of the early solar system, over 4.5 billion years ago.

Their research, published in Nature Astronomy, has revealed that the carbonate minerals found on an asteroid were formed from reactions with water that was originally present as ice in the early solar system. The scientists used isotopic analysis to show that these carbonates formed within the first 1.8 million years of the solar system’s existence and hold a record of the temperature and composition of the asteroid’s fluid at that time.

“The Ryugu samples tell us that the asteroid and similar objects formed relatively rapidly in the outer solar system, beyond the condensation fronts of water and carbon dioxide ices, probably as small bodies,” McKeegan said. The researchers’ analysis determined that Ryugu’s carbonates formed several million years earlier than previously thought, and they indicate that Ryugu — or a progenitor asteroid from which it may have broken off. (2/18)

NASA Confirms Half-Ton Meteor Crashed in South Texas (Source: Fox News 4)
A nearly 1,000-pound meteor measuring two feet wide crashed into South Texas on Wednesday, according to reports. Fox station KDFW in Dallas reported that NASA confirmed the meteor broke apart as it fell through the atmosphere to its resting place near McAllen, Texas, at about 6 p.m. The space agency posted a report of the incident along with a map showing an area where pieces of the meteor likely landed. (2/19)

Fragments of ‘Valentine’s Fireball’ Meteorite Fall in Southern Italy (Source: The Guardian)
Residents of southern Italy’s picturesque and ancient “city of stone” have been gripped by another rocky phenomenon after a meteorite crash-landed on the balcony of a home in Matera’s suburbs. The space object, which had been travelling at about 200mph, was spotted in the skies above the Puglia and Basilicata regions on 14 February, becoming known as “Valentine’s fireball”, before falling on to the balcony of the home of brothers Gianfranco and Pino Losignore and their parents. (2/19)

Fragment of Meteorite That Exploded Over the English Channel Recovered in France (Source: Space Daily)
A small, 1-meter-wide asteroid, dubbed 2023 CX1, previously known as Sar2667, lit the sky after entering the Earth's atmosphere at around 3 a.m. CST on Feb. 13 over the English Channel. Due to its size, it does not pose a threat. It was visible from across southern England and Wales and as far south as Paris, France. On February 15, a fragment of 2023 CXI was found by members of the French search group Fripon/Vigie-Ciel in a field in the town of Saint-Pierre-le-Viger, France. An 18-year-old student and volunteer of Vigie-Ciel, Lois Leblanc discovered "a dark stone barely level with the ground of a field." (2/20)

Yahsat and MBRSC Partner on Remote Sensing and Earth Observation (Source: Yahsat)
Al Yah Satellite Communications Co. announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, the advanced scientific and technological hub responsible for making the UAE a world leader in space services and exploration, to collaborate on the commercialization of remote sensing data and earth observation images for Yahsat’s commercial and government customers, as well as the potential to collaborate in R&D and in-country manufacturing. (2/15)

AAC Clyde Space Wins Order From US Blue Chip Company (Source: BeQuoted)
The small satellite company AAC Clyde Space has been selected to deliver products valued at $1.6 M to a US blue chip company. AAC Clyde Space will procure and resell the products through its US subsidiary AAC SpaceQuest. As AAC's role is limited to reselling, margins will be lower than on its proprietary products. The products will be delivered over a period of 12 months. (2/16)

Fortuna Investments Backs Starfighters Space for Air Launch, Opens Miami Office (Source: Fortuna)
Fortuna Investments, a venture capital and advisory firm, is pleased to announce its expansion to the U.S. market with the opening of an office in Miami Beach, Florida. From this strategic vantage point, the firm plans to invest in companies and entrepreneurs in both the burgeoning space industry as well as clean-tech and other emerging industries.

In conjunction with the opening of its Miami office, Fortuna also announced an initial investment in Starfighters Space, a fast-growing company based in Cape Canaveral, Florida, which targets launches of small satellites and payloads from its fleet of seven F-104 supersonic aircraft. The company, led by industry veteran Rick Svetkoff, currently serves global multi-national customers including Lockheed Martin, GE, Innoveering, Avio, Meggitt and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. (2/14)

New Space Capability Mapping Tool Unveiled (Source: Space Daily)
Satellite Applications Catapult, SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), and the UK Government have announced a new space supply chain mapping tool to showcase the United Kingdom (UK) and Australian space sector capabilities. Enabled by the Space Bridge, an alliance between the UK and Australia that enhances cooperation across both nations to boost respective space industries, this mapping tool will also identify opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The new space and supply chain mapping tool has been built within the existing UK Space Capabilities Catalogue (UKSCC) and extended to develop an International Comparison Dashboard with a current focus on Australia. To mark the second anniversary of the Space Bridge, the Dashboard will be launched at the 2023 Avalon Airshow on March 1. (2/17)

Machine Learning Techniques Identify Thousands of New Cosmic Objects (Source: Space Daily)
Scientists of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, India and Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, India, viz., Prof. Sudip Bhattacharyya (TIFR) and Mr. Shivam Kumaran (IIST and SAC), Prof. Samir Mandal and Prof. Deepak Mishra (IIST), have identified the nature of thousands of new cosmic objects in X-ray wavelengths using machine learning techniques. Machine learning is a variant or part of artificial intelligence.

Astronomy is entering a new era, as a huge amount of astronomical data from millions of cosmic objects are becoming freely available. This is a result of large surveys and planned observations with high-quality astronomical observatories, and an open data access policy. Needless to say that these data have a great potential for many discoveries and new understanding of the universe. (2/16)