April 1, 2023

When Will The Ultimate Superyacht Actually Be A Spaceship? (Source: Forbes)
As seriously well-funded space exploration companies like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Axiom Space and others prepare to launch private space stations. And demand for the largest and most extreme superyachts (and their billionaire owner’s desire to have even more exclusive experiences, like, ahem, going to places only a few other humans can go) continues to grow. I guess it was only a matter of time before private superyacht-level-spaceship concepts started to be unveiled.

According to the folks behind the Spaceyacht concept, private luxury space travel may move from blue sky idea to reality much sooner than later. In fact, the Spaceyacht concept is the result of a collaboration between two companies: My Ocean Yachts and Space Experiences. My Ocean Yachts in helping new, young customers who are interested crypto, AI, and tech innovation access all the old-fashioned luxury of the superyachts. Space Experiences is a space travel agency that was one of the first companies to send private clients into suborbital space through Blue Origin. (3/30)

Astrolab’s FLEX Rover to be Launched on Upcoming SpaceX Mission to the Moon (Source: Astrolab)
Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab), announced it has reached an agreement with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) for the company to transport Astrolab’s Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover on an upcoming mission to the Moon. SpaceX will use the Starship launch and landing system for this mission as soon as mid-2026.

Upon completion of this mission, Astrolab’s FLEX will become the largest and most capable rover to ever travel to the Moon. With a maximum combined rover and cargo mass of more than two tons, the FLEX rover is nearly three times the mass of its largest predecessor. This increased capacity provides significantly more opportunities to conduct scientific experiments and commercial endeavors on the lunar surface. Astrolab has already signed several customer agreements to carry payloads on this mission. The company expects to release details of these agreements later this spring. (3/31)

Astra Announces Fourth Quarter Financial Results (Source: Astra)
Astra announced the successful delivery of its third full Astra Spacecraft Engine program in 2022, realizing $3.5 million of contract value. In addition, Astra announced 278 cumulative committed orders of the Astra Spacecraft Engine™ through March 30, 2023, representing approximately $77 million of contract value. A substantial majority of these orders are expected to be delivered through the end of 2024. For the three months ended December 31, 2022:

GAAP Gross Profit was $0.0 million; GAAP Other Income was $5.4 million (including $3.5 million in Astra Spacecraft Engine deliveries); GAAP Net Loss was $44.3 million; Adjusted Net Loss was $37.3 million; Adjusted EBITDA Loss was $36.6 million; Capital expenditures during the quarter totaled $7.6 million; and Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $102.8 million. (3/31)

Female Pioneers Expanded Access for Women in Space. Now We're Doing it for Everyone Else (Source: USA Today)
After 60-plus years of human spaceflight, our nation is transitioning from a government-run, restricted group of space explorers to a global leader in the commercialization of space. Expanding access to low-Earth orbit for countries, institutions, industries and individuals, and fueling a growing human economy beyond Earth is the next step. I am excited to find myself at the forefront of this space transformation, as the first woman to command a private mission to the International Space Station. Click here. (3/30)

Scientists Shrink China’s Starlink-Killing Microwave Weapon with New Power Source (Source: South China Morning Post)
Military scientists have built a compact power source that could significantly reduce the size of a high-power microwave weapon under development in China, the team says. The device can generate electricity up to 10 gigawatts in power at a rate of 10 pulses per second – an intense energy that could produce microwave beams powerful enough to fry chips in drones, planes or even satellites.

The new device, with all necessary components including capacitors and a control system, can fit into a bookshelf, according to the team led by Shu Ting, of the College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies at the National University of Defence Technology in Changsha, Hunan province. The small power source enables the military to put the microwave cannon on a truck or rooftop to launch surprise attacks on enemy targets passing across the sky. (3/30)

Edmonton Space Start-up Looking to the Stars as it Prepares for First Satellite Launch (Source: CTV)
An Edmonton-based company will launch its first satellite into space early next month, an achievement it hopes will help cement the emerging sector in the city. Formed in 2018, Wyvern Space will send its hyperspectral imaging satellite, Dragonette 1, into orbit for four years. For CEO Chris Robson, this will be the second satellite he is sending to space. While a mechanical engineering student at the University of Alberta, he was part of the AlbertaSAT club that designs, builds and tests new CubeSats. (3/29)

Transitioning Space Propulsion to a Nitrous-Based Industry Standard (Source: Payload)
The future success of the space industry’s supply chain depends on standardizing all aspects of a space mission, from human safety to the oxidizer used with fuel. As tactically responsive space continues to gain momentum as a funding priority, propulsion technology will have to catch up. Satellites will have to be ready to launch within 24 hours notice, meaning satellite propellant loading must be seamless.

The US government is getting serious after years of lobbying from small satellite launch companies, but successful execution of the total launch program will require more than a budget line—it will require the most efficient satellite propellant process possible. Nitrous-based systems are the fastest-growing category of green propulsion in the commercial space market. Suitable for all mission types, from LEO to deep-space, nitrous-based systems are scalable across many thrust classes. (3/31)