May 12, 2023

Air Force Completes Runway Construction Project at Ascension Downrange Airfield (Source: USAF)
 The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center recently completed a $352.6 million, full-depth rebuild of the remote runway at the Ascension Island Auxiliary Airfield. Located in the southern Atlantic, the 10,000-foot runway was fully inspected and approved April 29. The airfield at Ascension Island plays a significant role in supporting U.S. Space Force, aided by the Space Launch Delta 45 at Patrick Space Force Base, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, and several other military missions and agencies located on the British-owned island. (5/10)

New Florida Launchers Featured at May 26 Banquet (Source: MSRP)
Officials from ABL Space Systems, Phantom Space, Stoke Space, and Vaya Space will be featured at a May 26 banquet panel session sponsored by the Missile, Space and Range Pioneers, in cooperation with AIAA. The panelists will discuss their plans for establishing launch capabilities at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Click here. (5/12)

This European Satellite Giant Is Coming for Starlink (Source: WIRED)
OneWeb is Eutelsat’s ticket to the booming low-orbit satellite market. Rural homes, ships, airlines, militaries, and autonomous vehicles are turning to satellite internet to stay connected in places previously considered dead zones. “Even in France, a country with very high fiber and 5G coverage, it’s estimated that around 4 percent of households are without good connectivity,” says Berneke. She expects this figure to rise to 15 percent of households in countries with less fiber and 5G. “So it’s not that small a niche.”

The OneWeb-Eutelsat merger has been touted as Europe’s entry into the space race. It is the only company currently competing with Musk’s Starlink in the low-orbit market. But to claim its title as a European space giant, Eutelsat first has to navigate messy post-Brexit politics. Both France’s Eutelsat and Britain’s OneWeb were part-owned by their respective governments, and the two countries will continue to own stakes in the new business. (5/10)

Crew Completes Simulated Mission to Space in a Pressurized Habitat at Biosphere 2 (Source: ABC15)
On April 27, a four-person crew was sealed inside the Space Analog for the Moon and Mars (SAM) for six days in Oracle, Arizona, for the Inclusion 1 mission. The goal of the mission was to simulate the physical reality of being far from Earth. According to Kai Staats, the Director of Research for SAM at Biosphere 2, the crew was provided with a "mission-specific email address" that allowed them to communicate with Mission Control, colleagues, friends, and family. A second crew will enter SAM for a mission called Inclusion II on May 10. (5/10)

U.S. Low-Earth Orbit Human Spaceflight – Riches to Rags? (Source: LinkedIn)
But we just need to look ahead a short time to see how fragile this situation is. Given the current trajectory of the U.S. LEO human spaceflight industry, the number of certified transportation systems will soon be zero. This is not a hypothetical. Unless something changes, there will be no certified U.S. LEO human transportation systems after 2030 when the International Space Station (ISS) retires.

To explain this, I need to describe what NASA means by “certification”. It basically means that NASA has sufficiently evaluated the system and determined that it can safely conduct a specific human spaceflight mission.  This is required because it is NASA policy to ensure the safety of our employees when we require them to perform hazardous activities, such as spaceflight. In order to satisfy this requirement, NASA has determined that the Agency must “certify” the transportation system. Click here. (5/10)

UK Launch Companies Ranked (Source: Orbital Today)
In the latest of our series ranking the key players in the UK space industry, Orbital Today is proud to launch our UK launch companies ranking. This is a way to keep tabs on what these companies are doing, and how they are developing new technologies and craft that will turn the UK into a hotbed of space launch activity! Click here. (5/11)

SpaceX Marks 200 Consecutive Successful Falcon Launches (Source: Ars Technica)
Falcon family hits 200 consecutive successes. SpaceX’s launch of 51 more Starlink Internet satellites Wednesday from California marked the 200th consecutive successful mission for the company’s Falcon rocket family, a record unmatched by any other space launch vehicle. The string of successes dates back to September 2016, when a Falcon 9 rocket exploded on a launch pad during pre-flight testing at Cape Canaveral, Spaceflight Now reports.

By way of comparison ... United Launch Alliance has amassed a 97-for-97 success record for its Atlas 5 rocket since its debut in 2002. Going further back, the Atlas rocket family, which includes earlier launcher designs with different engines, has a string of 172 consecutive successful missions since 1993. The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology has achieved a record of 141 straight successful space launches since April 2020. This state-owned company manufactures and operates the Long March launch vehicle family. (5/12)

ULA Resumes Vulcan Tests (Source: Ars Technica)
United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno said the Vulcan rocket would soon return to Space Launch Complex-41 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. "Rolling the bird out to the pad shortly to commence testing on the vehicle," Bruno tweeted. "If all goes well, we'll proceed to a Flight Readiness Firing not long after that." True to his word, the rocket rolled to the launch pad on Thursday. ULA had previously set a May 4 launch date for the rocket, but now Bruno said the company is preparing for the possibility of a launch "this summer."

Some uncertainty left ... That schedule is dependent upon resolving the investigation into a dramatic failure of the Centaur upper stage of the vehicle in late March. What we know with some certainty is that there is about a one-month period of work required between the flight readiness firing (a static fire test of the rocket's BE-4 engines) and a potential Vulcan launch from Florida. So at this point, the earliest possible launch date is probably in July. ULA will also have to work around its planned launch manifest from Florida this year, including Starliner's crewed flight test. (5/12)

India Tests Powerful Engine Prototype (Source: Ars Technica)
India's space agency, ISRO, said Wednesday it has carried out the first integrated tests of a preliminary version of its "2000kN Semicryogenic Engine." Also known as SCE-2000, this is an important engine for India, with a sea-level thrust of about 410,000 pounds. It is intended to power the country's future heavy and super heavy-lift rockets, including those with reusable first stages. It runs on LOX and kerosene.

The engine, which was developed through cooperation with Ukraine, underwent tests of its chill-down operations that are necessary for ignition. It is notable, however, that this engine version included all systems except for the thrust chamber. That will need to be incorporated into future engine prototypes, which probably will not launch into space for several more years. (5/12)

China Completes Massive Test Stand (Source: Ars Technica)
China has completed a stand for testing huge rocket engines that could power the country's Moon exploration efforts, Space.com reports. The test stand at Tongchuan, in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, is now Asia's largest for testing liquid-propellant rocket engines. The facility was constructed in a cut in a hillside, allowing hot rocket exhaust to be safely directed into the remote valley floor below.

Bigger engines, bigger ambitions ... The site conducted a successful engine hot fire test run on April 24, with footage demonstrating a water deluge system designed to cool the exhaust and reduce the sound pressure levels and showing hot rocket exhaust blasting the valley floor. The country's space program is developing huge new Long March 9 and Long March 10 series launch vehicles intended for use in deep space exploration, crewed lunar missions, and the construction of space infrastructure. (5/12)

L3Harris Wins Contract to Extend GOES-R Ground Segment Work (Source: Space News)
NOAA awarded a contract to L3Harris Technologies to continue providing ground services for the current generation of geostationary weather satellites. The Geostationary Ground Sustainment Services contract has a maximum value of approximately $275.2 million. L3Harris will handle communications with the NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R Series, data processing and information distribution. In addition, L3Harris will monitor satellite health and safety, while sending commands to the spacecraft and instruments onboard. (5/11)

Intuitive Machines Prepares for First Lunar Mission, Faces SAIC Challenge to NASA Contract Win (Source: Tech Crunch)
Intuitive Machines is preparing for its first lunar mission to the moon’s south pole in the third quarter of this year (previously planned for June), while also facing a protest to a major NASA contract win. The company has made “significant progress” on testing for the inaugural IM-1 mission, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said. He added that he expects the lander to be at the launch pad in “mid-to-late Q3.” The company will attempt to land its spacecraft, Nova-C, on the lunar surface, and is assessing the landing spot on the moon for a follow-up mission.

The company reported first-quarter revenues of $18.2 million, with a cash balance of $46.8 million as of the end of the quarter. Additionally, Intuitive Machines reported a backlog of $156.1 million, of which $107.7 million is anticipated to turn into revenue before the year’s end. The company also disclosed that it was facing a protest to its win of a $719 million NASA contract. Incumbent SAIC filed the protest against the award on May 8. (5/11)

AT&T to Lease Spectrum to AST SpaceMobile for D2D (Source: Light Reading)
AT&T made its satellite calling ambitions official with a new FCC filing that would give startup AST SpaceMobile a lease to some of its 850MHz A and B Block spectrum as well as some of its lower 700MHz B and C Block spectrum. "This is expected to allow AT&T to provide space-based broadband coverage in its licensed areas, including temporary coverage following natural disasters." AT&T has been increasingly public in its support of AST SpaceMobile's plans. (5/11)

Small Aerospace Suppliers Press for Better Protections Against Rising Costs (Source: Reuters)
At least six suppliers interviewed by Reuters said they are adding inflation clauses, or pressing for better pricing. Their comments help provide a rare look at how the less-visible lower rungs of the supply chain are pushing up costs. The new demands by the small aerospace suppliers come as planemakers Boeing and Airbus wrestle with labor and parts shortages. Tier 3 or small suppliers that serve as subcontractors accounted for roughly 20% of the estimated $100 billion to $130 billion in 2022 production from aerospace's top three supplier tiers, according to AlixPartners. (5/12)

SpaceX IPO Could Solve Musk's Tesla-Twitter Dance (Source: Barron's)
SpaceX is the most valuable space company in the world—and it might offer Elon Musk the key to unlocking his empire. It’s hard to feel pity for the world’s second-richest person. Musk is estimated to be worth about $180 billion, the combined value of his stakes in Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, the Boring Co., and Twitter, among other investments. The problem, though, is that all but Tesla are privately held, and therefore illiquid.

When Musk needs money, his only option is to sell Tesla stock. That was the case from April to December 2022, when Musk was forced to sell some $23 billion in Tesla shares to keep Twitter afloat, one of the reasons the stock tumbled more than 50% during that period. What Musk really needs is another publicly traded company that would allow him to unlock some of his wealth—and take the pressure off Tesla. (5/11)

China's Spaceplane Conducted Multiple Maneuvers With a Mystery Object in Orbit (Source: Gizmodo)
The Chinese spaceplane finally returned to Earth earlier this week, but we’re still learning more about its time in orbit. The spacecraft caught and released an unidentified object several times during its flight, performing a series of maneuvers that were captured by orbital radars, according to California-based LeoLabs. The company released its observational data, saying in a tweet that the data shows there were at least two capture and docking operations performed by the spacecraft. (5/11)

Chinese Rocket Scientists Conducted Frame-by-Frame Analysis of Starship Launch (Source: Interesting Engineering)
The Beijing Institute released an analysis of the Starship launch via the newspaper China Space News on April 27 on its WeChat social media account. Their analysis was made via frame-by-frame analysis of the video of the Starship launch. In the report, they stated that, though some of the engines lost thrust during launch, the throttling process continued as programmed. Instead, it should have been altered by the smart thrust vector control system to correct Starship's trajectory.

According to the Chinese researchers' calculations, the swiveling engines that were still firing only needed to swivel one degree to compensate for the loss of eight engines. "This is because the swiveling engines have a much greater moment arm than the fixed engines that produce disturbance forces," they explained in their report. (5/11)

3D-Printed Moon Habitats Could be Built Using Glass Fiber in Lunar Soil (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A team of scientists in China-proposed building permanent structures on the Moon using lunar materials, including glass derived from lunar regolith. The scientists outlined how they identified natural glass fibers in lunar samples for the first time. The lunar samples carrying the glass fibers were retrieved by China's Chang'e 5 robotic Moon mission. Chang'e 5, China's first lunar sample-returning mission, landed on the Moon in 2020 and returned 1,731 grams of rocks and soil to Earth in the same year.

Analysis of the samples showed that the soil had the required properties for forming and molding glass material. This "confirms the possibility of manufacturing glass construction materials on the lunar surface." What's more, the glass could serve the double purpose of providing a great amount of insight into the Moon's past. As "ubiquitous products of lunar non-equilibrium processes, glass can remain stable for billions of years," the scientists wrote in their paper. (5/10)

Arianespace Supplier Expects First Ariane 6 Launch in Early 2024 (Source: Space News)
A major supplier for the Ariane 6 expects that rocket's first launch in the first few months of 2024. OHB, which provides tanks and structures for the Ariane 6, said in an earnings call this week that the company projects that the inaugural launch will occur in early 2024, and no later than this time next year. ESA set a target launch date of the fourth quarter of 2023 last year but has not provided an update on the schedule for that long-delayed first launch. OHB also said in the call that it was satisfied with the role it has in the consortium announced last week bidding on Europe's IRIS² satellite constellation, but said it would wait until the European Commission releases a final invitation to tender before disclosing details about that role. (5/12)

Telesat Delays Lightspeed Constellation Launches to 2026 (Source: Space News)
Telesat has pushed back the deployment of its Lightspeed constellation to 2026. The company said Thursday it was still working to secure funding for the system, projected to cost more than $5 billion. That includes a sizable chunk expected to come from France's export credit agency. Telesat did not give an update on Lightspeed costs or launch agreements for the nearly 200 satellites to be built by Europe's Thales Alenia Space. The company added that plans by Lightspeed system development vice president Erwin Hudson to retire at the end of June do not affect the company's ability to progress with the program. (5/12)

Space Force Plans to Base COSMO in Virginia (Source: Space News)
A Space Force office created to work with the commercial space industry is opening up a new facility in Northern Virginia. The Space Force's Commercial Space Office, known as COMSO, is set to open next month in Chantilly, Virginia, a location close to other government agencies involved in space. The head of COMSO, Col. Richard Kniseley, said Thursday there is a "huge appetite" for commercial space services in the Space Force but it will take some time to work through bureaucratic and budgeting hurdles in order to fund these services. (5/12)

Georgia Congressman Selling Property He Bought Near Defunct Spaceport Site (Source: The Current)
A congressman who bought property near a proposed spaceport is now selling it after the project was halted. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) bought nearly 500 acres about 15 kilometers from the proposed Spaceport Camden in Georgia in 2018, saying at the time that he purchased it only for "recreational" purposes and not for development. Carter is now planning to sell the property for double the $2 million he paid for it. That spaceport project is now effectively dead after the Georgia Supreme Court upheld a referendum by county voters that blocked the county government from buying the spaceport property. Carter did not comment on why he is selling his property now. (5/10)

NASA Picks Five Science Teams for Lunar Research Projects (Source: NASA)
NASA has selected five new science teams to support lunar research. The five teams will each receive $1.5 million annually over five years to carry out lunar science and sample analysis in support of future human and robotic lunar missions. The teams are part of NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), managed by the Ames Research Center. Click here. (5/11)

The Dramatic Influence of Generative AI on the Space Industry (Source: Space News)
This spring, more than 1,000 top tech leaders and expert researchers sounded the alarm on artificial intelligence (AI) and called for regulation on the emerging technology’s “profound risks to society and humanity,” in an open letter published by Future of Life Institute. Should we also fear AI when it comes to our safety and security in space? Or should we be excited about the possibilities it might bring? Click here. (5/12)

Astronomers Spot Benzene in Planet-Forming Disk Around Star (Source: Phys.org)
An international team of astronomers including several Dutch researchers has observed, for the first time, the benzene molecule (C6H6) in a planet-forming disk around a young star. Besides benzene, they saw many other, smaller carbon compounds and few oxygen-rich molecules. The observations suggest that, like our own Earth, the rocky planets forming in this disk contain relatively little carbon. The researchers suspect that the benzene and (di-)acetylene are released in the disk following the destruction of carbon-rich dust grains by the active young star. (5/11)