April 25, 2023

European Space Agency Chief Eyes Tapping Private Industry Partners (Source: Space Daily)
European Space Agency director Josef Aschbacher promised a "transformation" of the continent's space sector in the coming years, including more collaboration between government and private industry. Private firms will be "encouraged to be a partner and not only a contractor," Aschbacher said, answering questions on the sidelines of an aerospace industry conference taking place this week in Colorado Springs, in the United States. (4/19)

Xi a Staunch Supporter of China's Space Undertakings (Source: Space Daily)
President Xi Jinping has been a staunch supporter of China's space undertakings. He has paid visits to several space launch sites and he frequently mentioned the country's space achievements in his New Year addresses. Xi has a deep impression and high opinion of Dongfanghong-1, China's first man-made satellite launched in 1970. In a letter replying to veteran scientists in April 2020, Xi recalled: "I was thrilled when the news about the launch reached me in Liangjiahe." He was referring to a small village in northwestern China, where he spent part of his formative years. (4/24)

Transforming Nature Conservation with the Power of Satellite Imagery (Source: Space Daily)
Satellite imagery is changing conservation as we know it. By being able to take an inventory of the Earth's surface and observe changes, we can begin to understand ecosystem dynamics in an unprecedented level of detail. Satellite imagery is already supplementing traditional conservation research methods, and in some cases is even replacing them. High-quality satellite images can be used to rapidly detect deforestation, observe mining operations, locate wildlife colonies, and even track illegal activities that are harming our planet.

Monitoring ecosystems from space using the latest Earth observation satellites allows scientists and conservationists to vastly improve the information they collect: leading to higher-quality insights, or information about areas which would otherwise be impossible to survey. For example, satellites can observe cross-border areas easily, without requiring permission from multiple civil aviation jurisdictions. They can capture large areas of the planet in one go, which can help to avoid miscounts and human errors, where the same area might accidentally be covered on multiple passes. (4/24)

Grading on a Suborbital Curve (Source: Space Review)
SpaceX’s long-anticipated first Starship/Super Heavy launch took place last week, ending explosively just four minutes after liftoff. Jeff Foust reports on the launch and whether even a truncated test flight can still be considered a success. Click here. (4/25)
 
India’s Space Policy and National Security Posture: What Can We Expect? (Source: Space Review)
The Indian government released a new space policy this month. Namrata Goswami discusses the policy’s implications for commercial space development in the country as well as national security. Click here. (4/25)
 
Is the US in a Space Race Against China? (Source: Space Review)
In congressional testimony last week, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said he felt the United States was in a space race with China. Svetla Ben-Itzhak examines whether there is much of a race between the two nations in civil spaceflight. Click here. (4/25)

Ursa Major Engines Tapped for Astra's Rocket 4 Upper Stage (Source: Space News)
Ursa Major will supply upper-stage engines for Astra's next launch vehicle. The companies announced Monday that a version of Ursa's Hadley engine will be used on the upper stage of Rocket 4, which Astra hopes to begin test launches of late this year. The Hadley engine, in its vacuum-optimized version, produces 6,500 pounds-force of thrust. Ursa also supplies engines for Phantom Space and Stratolaunch. (4/25)

Falcon Heavy Mission Delay Impacts Axiom Launch Schedule (Source: Space News)
Delays in a Falcon Heavy launch are affecting the schedule for missions to the International Space Station. NASA said at a briefing Monday that they are looking for a new launch date for the Ax-2 private astronaut mission to the station, which has been scheduled for May 8. The delay is linked to a Falcon Heavy launch of two communications satellites that was scheduled for last week but was delayed to Wednesday; it uses the same Kennedy Space Center pad as Dragon crew and cargo missions to the station. ISS managers said they hope to announce a new date soon while not delaying a cargo Dragon mission scheduled for launch in early June. (4/25)

Russia Postpones ISS Spacewalk (Source: Space.com)
Roscosmos has postponed an ISS spacewalk that was scheduled for today. Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin were scheduled to conduct a spacewalk to move an experiment airlock from the Rassvet module to the Nauka module. However, Roscosmos said Monday they were postponing the spacewalk to provide more time to review the tasks to be carried out. The spacewalk has been tentatively rescheduled for next week. (4/25)

GAO: Space Force Should Tap More Commercial SSA Capabilities (Source: Space News)
The GAO says the Space Force is not taking full advantage of commercial sources of space situational awareness (SSA) data. In a congressionally mandated report released Monday, the GAO said the Defense Department lacks a consistent process to evaluate commercial data and tools for space situational awareness. It recommended that the Space Force develop a plan to integrate its Unified Data Library, a cloud-based repository of SSA data, into Space Force operational systems to ensure operators have access to the full suite of DoD and commercial data. (4/25)

Maxar Prepares for Multiple WorldView Launches (Source: Space News)
Maxar is preparing for the first launch this summer of its WorldView Legion next-generation imaging satellites. Six WorldView Legion satellites are scheduled to launch on three Falcon 9 rockets, with the first two satellites launching this summer. The company, which is wrapping up a deal to be acquired by a private-equity firm for $6.4 billion, plans to procure two more WorldView Legion satellites to meet growing demand for high-resolution imagery. (4/25)

Inmarsat Readies for Direct-to-Device Market (Source: Space News)
The original mobile satellite services provider says it's ready for the new wave of interest in direct-to-device communications. Inmarsat has been providing mobile communications for decades and has seen waves of interest in such services come and go. With several companies now pursuing direct-to-handset services, Inmarsat CTO Peter Hadinger said in an i\nterview that it is evaluating opportunities, but sees more interest in narrowband communications, like messaging, than broadband. Inmarsat operates GEO satellites but is evaluating a strategy for developing a LEO system or partnering with a LEO operator. (4/25)

KMI Sets Sights on Debris Removal Market (Source: Space News)
A startup thinks it has a winning hand for securing debris removal business. Kall Morris Inc. (KMI), a Michigan-based startup focused on space debris remediation, has published a price list for objects in Earth orbit it is offering to remove, from $4 million for a small upper stage to $62.5 million for a defunct NASA satellite. KMI, which is preparing to test a key element of its debris removal technology on the ISS next year, published that price list on decks of playing cards it distributed at last week's Space Symposium. (4/25)

Quantum Space Accelerates Plans for Transfer Vehicle Launch (Source: Space News)
Quantum Space is accelerating work on a transfer vehicle for carrying payloads to GEO or cislunar space. Quantum Space originally planned to fly its first Ranger transfer vehicle in late 2025, but in a recent interview the company said it is moving up that mission to early 2025 because of demand it is seeing from government and commercial customers. The company is developing Ranger to support its series of Scout missions to cislunar space, but sees interest from customers seeking to take satellites to GEO or beyond. (4/25)

China Acknowledges Problems with Mars Rover (Source: Reuters)
Chinese officials acknowledged problems with its Zhurong Mars rover. Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of China's Mars exploration program, said on state television Tuesday that an accumulation of dust on the rover's solar arrays kept the rover from waking up in December after hibernating through the Martian winter. Chinese officials had provided few details about the status of Zhurong and didn't indicate in this update if the rover might be able to move again. (4/25)

UAE Mars Orbiter Snaps Images of Diemos (Source: The National)
A UAE Mars orbiter has provided the best images yet of the Martian moon Deimos. The images from the Hope orbiter, released Monday, where taken as the spacecraft passed within 100 kilometers of Deimos, one of the two moons orbiting Mars. There are fewer high-resolution images of Deimos because it is smaller and in a higher orbit than Phobos, the other Martian moon. However, the elliptical orbit of Hope allowed it to pass close to Deimos. Scientists involved with the mission said the data suggest that Deimos may be a fragment of Mars itself rather than a captured asteroid. (4/25)

Russian ISS-Filmed Movie Wins in Box Office (Source: CollectSpace)
A Russian movie filmed on the ISS is a winner at the box office. "Vyzov", or "The Challenge", took in $5.5 million since its opening Friday in Russia and several former Soviet republics, more than any other movie in those countries. Parts of the movie were filmed at the station in October 2021 during a flight that brought the film's director and lead actress to the station. The movie is set to release in Middle Eastern countries at the end of this week. (4/25)

Southern California’s Aerospace Workforce Pilot Program Up and Running, Also Planned for Space Coast (Source: Daily Breeze)
A White House initiative to train and recruit employees for the space industry has been growing with success, according to the federal government’s Southern California program partners. Vice President Kamala Harris announced the “White House Space Industry Coalition” initiative in the fall, an effort aimed at developing a “skilled and diverse” space workforce to address the labor shortage pinching the aerospace industry, according to a White House press release.

To better meet its goal, the White House enlisted the help of the public, private and philanthropic sectors. Specifically, it picked four organizations, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, to lead a coalition of space companies across the country. The responsibilities of the coalition include, in part, setting up three regional pilot programs in Florida’s Space Coast, the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi, and Southern California, according to the White House release. (4/24)

NASA Unveils Next-Gen Spacesuits (Source: NextGov)
NASA and its commercial partners are working on the next generation of spacesuits to help the agency achieve its exploration goals through advanced spacewalk capabilities and technologies in the new suits. NASA astronauts have used the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit design for more than 40 years, exceeding its planned lifespan. However, the next generation of spacesuits will help astronauts perform their mission in low Earth orbit or at the International Space Station with the advanced technologies it provides.

Specifically, Collins Aerospace, in collaboration with ILC Dover and Oceaneering, is designing and building NASA’s new spacesuits to fit a variety of body sizes and offer a greater range of motion through a high-mobility upper torso. The adjustable torso will offer a better fit for astronauts and can be changed during flight. Moreover, the spacesuit uses fewer parts and has easy-to-use features, so astronauts have to undergo less training and maintenance. (4/24)

Astrobotic Buys Falcon Heavy Launch for Lunar Lander (Source: Astrobotic)
Astrobotic announced today during the spring Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) its purchase of launch services aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for its third upcoming lander mission to the Moon. This mission will launch an Astrobotic lander to the Moon’s South Pole in 2026 to deliver payload customer instruments and cargo from around the world. Astrobotic’s third lunar mission is now targeted to launch in 2026 aboard a Falcon Heavy from SpaceX’s facilities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida. (4/25)

Metal-Poor Stars are More Life-Friendly (Source: Space Daily)
Stars that contain comparatively large amounts of heavy elements provide less favourable conditions for the emergence of complex life than metal-poor stars, as scientists from the Max Planck Institutes for Solar System Research and for Chemistry as well as from the University of Gottingen have now found. The team showed how the metallicity of a star is connected to the ability of its planets to surround themselves with a protective ozone layer.

Crucial to this is the intensity of the ultraviolet light that the star emits into space, in different wavelength ranges. The study provides scientists searching the sky with space telescopes for habitable star systems with important clues as to where this endeavour could be particularly promising. It also suggests a startling conclusion: as the universe ages, it becomes increasingly unfriendly to the emergence of complex life on new planets. (4/20)

CAPSTONE Demonstrates Crosslink Capability with Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (Source: Space Daily)
The CAPSTONE mission team has provided an update on the spacecraft's operations since performing the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) insertion maneuver on November 13th, 2022. The spacecraft has spent 154 days operating in the NRHO, completing 23 NRHO revolutions, and executing six Orbit Maintenance Maneuvers (OMM) using approximately 1.8 m/s of fuel.

Despite issues with a thruster valve, the team has maintained knowledge of the spacecraft state within the mission requirements using ground-based navigation tools and tracking measurements collected by the Deep Space Network. The spacecraft's tolerance for radiation impacts has also been tested and repeatedly validated over the past couple of months. (4/24)

The First Mission to Mars: Can and Should it Happen by 2033? (Source: Interesting Engineering)
As outlined in the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2010, 2017, and 2020, human Mars missions will commence by 2033, with follow-up launches happening every 26 months (in 2035, 2037, 2039, and so on). According to recent statements, China plans to follow a similar timetable, with launches beginning in 2033 and extending into the 2040s. These mission architectures will culminate with the creation of the first surface habitats on Mars.

But are these hopes realistic, especially where the timelines are concerned? Can the human exploration of Mars really begin by 2033, or will the challenges (which are legion!) cause the missions to slip to a later date? Opinions vary, and addressing that question comes down to several caveats and uncertainties. NASA policy is still guided by the three-phase plan they adopted in 2010. These include:

Phase I - The continued development of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft and continued research into the effects of long-duration spaceflight aboard the International Research Station (ISS); Phase II - The creation of the first permanent American presence and infrastructure on and around the Moon - the Lunar Gateway and the Artemis Base Camp; and Phase III - The development of the Deep Space Transport (DST) and the deployment of an orbital habitat (Mars Base Camp) and a reusable landing system (Mars Lander). Click here. (4/21)

Acting FAA Administrator Stepping Down (Source: AVWeb)
Billy Nolen, who has served as acting Federal Aviation Administration administrator for the past year, will be stepping down from the position this summer to spend more time with his family. Nolen, who has served as head of safety for WestJet and as a pilot for American Airlines, is expected to stay at the agency until a permanent replacement is confirmed. (4/22)

NASA Mission Detects First Seismic Waves Traveling Through the Center of Mars (Source: CNN)
When quakes rumbled on Mars and a meteorite smacked into the red planet during the past four years, NASA’s InSight lander collected soundwaves that helped reveal secrets of the Martian interior. During these events, InSight detected for the first time seismic waves traveling through the Martian core. Now, scientists have used the lander’s data to determine that Mars has a liquid iron-alloy core that also includes lightweight elements such as sulfur and oxygen, as well as smaller amounts of hydrogen and carbon.

Developing a greater understanding of the Martian interior can help scientists learn more about how rocky planets such as Earth and Mars form, how the two planets differ, and the factors that help make other planets habitable for life. A study detailing the findings was published Monday. (4/24)

US Took Its 'Eyes off the Ball,' Space Force Intel Chief Says as Service Adds New Squadrons (Source: Military.com)
The Air Force took its "eyes off the ball" gathering intelligence about other governments' space activities, the colonel charged with overseeing that mission told a conference last week, so the Space Force is adding five new intelligence squadrons. Delta 7's predecessor, the Air Force's 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, had only one research-and-development squadron when the group was moved over and became Delta 7 in 2020.

Officials with Delta 7 are generally hesitant to detail the operations of the group, citing national security concerns. But in budget documents, the Space Force describes the group as providing "intelligence capabilities in support of rapid detection custody, attribution, characterization, and response to space events" Swigert said, giving the example of handling enemy satellites. (4/24)

Virgin Orbit’s Demise Raises Concern (Source: LA Business Journal)
Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc.’s bankruptcy this month has prompted some experts to wonder if the surprisingly big cluster of space launch companies in Los Angeles is overdeveloped. The Long Beach-based company found itself in a crowded field of other launch companies, many of them based in Southern California.

Alex King, founder of Cestrian Capital Research Inc., an investment firm in the aerospace and tech industries in Newport Beach, said that between traditional companies like ULA, SpaceX, and newer entrants including Rocket Lab, also in Long Beach, there are just too many launch providers. “Virgin Orbit had such a niche position that if you think about the number of customers they could potentially serve, it’s tiny,” King said. “In the end, they didn’t have a viable business and it doesn’t surprise me what’s happened to them.” (4/24)

Houston Space Tech Joint Venture Snags Contract with NASA Valued Up To $719 Million (Source: Houston Innovation Map)
Ajoint venture led by Houston-based space exploration company Intuitive Machines has landed a contract worth up to $719 million to work on NASA’s Joint Polar Satellite System. Space & Technology Solutions, Intuitive Machines’ joint venture with Houston-based engineering and construction company KBR, secured the contract. Intuitive Machines supplies products and services to support robotic and human space exploration. (4/20)

China's Space Missions Break New Ground (Source: China Daily)
Chinese scientists have made major advances in the research of Earth's nearest celestial neighbor, the moon, thanks to samples and data gathered by China's lunar probes. In the latest development, water locked in glass beads has been found in lunar samples returned by the Chang'e 5 mission. The soil samples collected by Chang'e 5 had impact glass beads that contained water in the form of hydroxyl, a molecule consisting of one atom of oxygen and one of hydrogen. (4/24)

NASA’s Exploration Rover Competition Comes Back Strong to Alabama Post Pandemic (Source: AL.com)
What do Puerto Rico, Mexico, Washington, D.C. and Auburn have in common? This week, it’s student teams racing in NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. Canceled for three years by the pandemic, the popular annual competition came back strong with 48 teams – 20 of them international, the rest from 16 U.S. states – and more than 500 student competitors. (4/22)

Northwest Florida High School Robotics Team Wins 1st Place at 'NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge' (Source: WEAR)
The Escambia High School Robotics Team brought home the top national honor from a weekend competition. 13 seniors from the school's engineering academy competed at "NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge." It was held at the "U.S. Rocket and Space Center" in Huntsville, Alabama. Their challenge was to design and build a vehicle to conquer a course of obstacles, and tasks on an expedition over lunar and martain terrain. They beat out 48 competitors from eight countries to win first place in the high school division. (4/23)

Russia to Set Up Task Force to Study Lunar Soil Handed Over by China (Source: TASS)
The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) will set up a task force to study lunar soil samples that China handed over to Russia in February last year. "The Space Research Institute and the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry within the Russian Academy of Sciences will set up a consortium [to study the samples]," the press office of the Space Research Institute said, without specifying when the task force would begin studying the lunar soil. (4/24)

China Plans to Send Probe to Near-Earth Asteroid Around 2025 (Source: Reuters)
China plans to launch an uncrewed probe around 2025 to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid and explore a comet, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, citing a senior space expert. The chief goal of the Tianwen-2 mission is to send a probe to the asteroid 2016HO3 to retrieve samples, said Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of China's planetary exploration program and of the Tianwen-2 mission. After completing the task, the spacecraft is expected to continue its journey to explore a comet in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, Zhang said. (4/24)

What to Expect for China's Space Exploration in 2023 (Source: CGTN)
Every April 24, China celebrates the Space Day, an occasion to commemorate the country's achievements in its quest for space exploration. In honor of the occasion, let's look at the highlights of China's 2023 space missions in this episode of Tech Breakdown. China has announced three manned space program missions. The Shenzhou-15 crew is currently stationed at China's space station. They recently completed their fourth spacewalk and will return to Earth in June.

The space station will welcome the Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft in May. The spacecraft has already been transported to the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province. In addition to the manned space program, China will also continue with the research and development of the Chang'e-7 mission of the fourth phase of its lunar exploration project, and the Tianwen-2 mission of its planetary exploration project this year. (4/24)

Three Missions, Three Pads, Two Coasts: SpaceX Ready for Busy Month-End Launch Week (Source: America Space)
With the dust and the damage having barely settled following last week’s inaugural test flight of the fully integrated Starship/Super Heavy “stack”, out of Boca Chica at Texas’ southernmost tip, SpaceX is readying for a trio of launches from the West and East Coasts of the United States this week, as it aims to close out April with as many as seven orbital missions.

The year’s second Falcon Heavy is set to rise from historic Pad 39A at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Wednesday evening, bookended by a pair of “single-stick” Falcon 9s out of Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., early Tuesday, and from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., as soon as Friday. Spearheading this impressive line-up, unsurprisingly, is the Heavy, which for its sixth overall outing—and its third mission in only six months—will fly in an expendable capacity, due to the high-energy requirements of its geostationary-bound primary payload. (4/24)