May 13, 2023

NASA Engineers Hope to Send a Robot Snake to Explore Saturn's Icy Moon Enceladus (Source: CBC)
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have developed a snake-like robot that may one day slither into crevices on Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. One new approach to rover mobility is to abandon wheels altogether and emulate snakes, which are very good at maneuvering through unusual terrain. The reptile conforms its flexible body to whatever obstacle it encounters and slithers around or over it.

Traditional robot explorers that have landed on the surfaces of the moon and Mars have been able to roam over rocky terrain using metallic wheels capable of traversing dusty or sandy surfaces. But wheels have their limitations, as we discovered with the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Each was equipped with six wheels, but Opportunity got stuck in a sand dune for a month in 2005, while Spirit got stuck in sand in 2009 and never got out. (5/12)

Terran Orbital's PTD-3 Enables 200 Gigabits Per Second Space-to-Ground Optical Link (Source: Terran Orbital)
Boca Raton-based Terran Orbital announced the Terran Orbital-developed Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator 3 (PTD-3) satellite enabled a successful 200 gigabits per second space-to-ground optical link. The NASA satellite hosts the TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) payload funded by NASA Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) and developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

With a transmission rate of multiple orders of magnitude faster than current state-of-the-art satellite communications, this technology enables spacecraft to downlink several terabytes of data to the ground in a single ground station pass. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the space-based earth observation and synthetic aperture radar industries, among others, by offering a space-demonstrated solution to the data throughput bottlenecks that have historically limited their capabilities. (5/12)

Astronomers Find Clues to Source of Fast Radio Bursts (Source: Xinhua)
An international group of astronomers has conducted a 17-month-long study of a repeating fast radio burst (FRB) from a distant galaxy, revealing that it reversed its magnetic field twice, providing clues as to its origins. The magnetic reversal may indicate that the FRB source orbits in a binary star system, and the companion star may be a black hole or a massive star, the scientists said. (5/12)

Astronomers Spot Largest Cosmic Explosion Ever Witnessed (Source: CNN)
Astronomers have spotted the largest cosmic explosion ever witnessed, and it’s 10 times brighter than any known exploding star, or supernova. The brightness of the explosion, called AT2021lwx, has lasted for three years, while most supernovas are only bright for a few months. The event, still being detected by telescopes, occurred nearly 8 billion light-years away from Earth when the universe was about 6 billion years old. The luminosity of the explosion is also three times brighter than tidal disruption events, when stars fall into supermassive black holes. (5/12)

Starship Chunks Are Washing Up on Beaches (Source: Futurism)
About seven miles away from SpaceX's Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas, pieces of what appear to be heat shield tiles from the company's latest failed Starship launch appear to have been found washed up on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. Twitter user "Bubba Gucci" posted a series of photos of what look to be broken pieces of Starship heat shield tile that he said he found when walking along the shore on South Padre Island. "There is no way to not find these," he tweeted. "They’re everywhere, up and down the island." (5/12)

Saturn Reclaims 'Moon King' Title with 62 Newfound Satellites, Bringing Total to 145 (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have discovered 62 new moons orbiting the ringed planet Saturn. The satellite haul brings the planet's total number of moons to over 100 and also means the gas giant takes back the crown as the solar system's "moon king" from Jupiter. (5/12)

Virgin Orbit Delays Bid Deadline in Scramble to Find Rescuer (Source: Sky News)
Virgin Orbit has pushed back the deadline for rescue bids as the commercial satellite venture founded by Sir Richard Branson scrambles to avert bankruptcy. The company and its advisers have told would-be buyers of the company that they must now submit final offers by May 19, several days later than the previous timetable. (5/12)

Cramer: Stay Away From Virgin Galactic (Source: CNBC)
“Mad Money” host Jim Cramer rings the lightning round bell, which means he’s giving his answers to callers’ stock questions at rapid speed. On the topic of Virgin Galactic: “That company’s losing money hand over foot – I think it probably lost like $1 million during the course of this phone call. We’re going to have to say no to that company.” (5/12)

Space Could Be a $1 Trillion-Dollar Business. Here Are the Stocks to Play It (Source: Barron's)
SpaceX’s Starship isn’t the only space-related blowup recently. Space stocks, too, have crashed, and while most are never coming back, a couple might be worth buying out of the wreckage. It wasn’t that long ago when space was the next big thing in the stock market. Two years ago, special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, were all the rage—and space stocks used the vehicles to go public. Click here. (5/12) https://www.barrons.com/articles/space-stocks-trillion-dollar-business-79aea1c8

Eutelsat Eager for OneWeb Uplift as Broadcast Sales Plummet (Source: Space News)
A shrinking broadcast business led to another drop in revenues for Eutelsat as the French satellite operator edges closer to merging with OneWeb, the low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation set to boost its shift into connectivity services. Eutelsat posted 272 million euros ($295 million) in total revenues for the three months ended March 31, down 7.5% year-on-year when adjusted for currency changes on a like-for-like basis. Broadcast sales fell 10.6% to 157 million euros as sanctions against Russian and Iranian channels added more challenges in a gradually declining satellite TV market. (5/12)

Momentus Signs Launch Service Agreement with SpaceX (Source: Momentus)
Momentus signed a contract with SpaceX to reserve a port on its Transporter-12 mission targeted for launch no earlier than October 2024. With this agreement, Momentus is planning on flying on three missions with SpaceX in 2024, inclusive of every Transporter rideshare mission slated for next year.  (5/12)

Sleeping Will Be One of the challenges for Astronauts on Mars Missions (Source: CNN)
Astronauts have been adjusting to the challenges of sleeping in space for years — and the lessons learned from their zero gravity slumbers will ensure that one day the first crewed missions to Mars will have gotten enough rest before exploring the red planet. Rotating crews have spent an average of six months living and working aboard the ISS for nearly 23 years, and they struggle with sleep issues just like people on Earth. Some of the challenges are similar to those of shift workers or people with abnormal schedules, but others are more unique to the space environment.

An unexpectedly rich source of sleep data has proven to be studying the Earth-bound scientists and engineers who work on Mars missions such as the Perseverance rover. A day on Mars lasts about 39 minutes longer than one on Earth, but it’s just enough that the members of Mars mission control have to adjust their schedules constantly to stay on Perseverance’s timetable. “If you’re shifting 39 minutes a day, that means that you’re basically going to bed 39 minutes later every day,” Flynn-Evans said. “It doesn’t seem that bad on a single night. But after five days, it’s like you’ve crossed like six time zones. It’s a real stressor on the body.”

Many unknowns still exist about being on “Mars time,” such as how the time shift affects the human body’s metabolism. Flynn-Evans and her team are working closely with those planning the Artemis lunar missions to optimize the astronauts’ schedules and ensure that the lighting is sufficient and the noise is dampened inside Orion when they need to sleep. Researchers also want to study how much caffeine astronauts require for alertness to make sure crews don’t run out of coffee in a spacecraft with limited storage. (5/12)

NASA and National Philharmonic Team Up for Another Successful Launch (Source: Washington Post)
The gaping void of the great beyond has provided seemingly infinite inspiration to composers over the centuries, from Haydn and Holst to Riley and Crumb. On Thursday night at Capital One Hall, the National Philharmonic gave the world premiere of the latest musical mission to the cosmos, composer Henry Dehlinger’s “Cosmic Cycles.” In the past, the National Philharmonic has teamed up with NASA to create multimedia presentations of existing classical pieces, such as Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” and such pairings of classical music and celestial imagery have become commonplace at any given planetarium. (5/12)

JUICE Antenna Freed (Source: ESA)
More than three weeks after efforts began to deploy JUICE’s ice-penetrating Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) antenna, the 16-meter-long boom has finally escaped its mounting bracket. During the first attempt to extend the folded-up antenna, only the first segments of each half were deployed. Flight controllers suspected that a tiny stuck pin jammed the other segments in place. Fortunately, the flight control teams at ESA’s mission control centre in Darmstadt had lots of ideas up their sleeves.

To try to shift the pin, they shook JUICE using its thrusters, then they warmed Juice with sunlight. Every day the RIME antenna was showing signs of movement, but no full release. On 12 May RIME was finally jolted into life when the flight control team fired a mechanical device called a ‘non-explosive actuator’ (NEA), located in the jammed bracket. This delivered a shock that moved the pin by a matter of millimeters and allowed the antenna to unfold. (5/12)

Europe's First Lunar ‘Lamb-bassador’ (Source: ESA)
Last month, ESA’s woolly astronaut became Europe's first lunar ‘lamb-bassador’: Shaun the Sheep returned home from his Artemis I mission to a hero's welcome and then was herded off on a celebratory post-flight tour. Shaun was formally congratulated by ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration David Parker at Aardman headquarters in Bristol, UK, before setting off to visit space centres across Europe to meet many of the people who made his flight possible. (5/12)

Vulcan Conducting Launch Day Dress Rehearsal as the Final Delta IV Heavy Arrives at Cape Canaveral (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
Action finally returned to ULA's LC-41 as the Vulcan-Centaur rocket rolled out to the pad on May 11 for further testing ahead of its debut flight. Meanwhile, ULA offloaded its final Delta IV Heavy rocket from their Rocketship vessel at Port Canaveral. These events come as ULA enters the home stretch in its preparation for the inaugural launch of its Vulcan-Centaur. Vulcan is designed to replace both Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy.

ULA began the morning on May 11 with the rollout of the upcoming Vulcan rocket from the vertical integration facility (VIF). Ahead of ULA launches from LC-41, Atlas V and Vulcan rockets are stacked vertically inside the VIF atop mobile launch platforms. By midday, Vulcan arrived at the launch pad, which has been modified to launch both Atlas V and Vulcan. In addition to ULA using LC-41 for Vulcan in Florida, the company is in the process of converting their Vandenberg SFB Atlas V pad, LC-3 for Vulcan operations. (5/12)

Space Development Agency Issues Draft Solicitation for 100 Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency is planning a new procurement of 100 satellites to continue to build out a military constellation in low Earth orbit. In a May 11 draft solicitation, the agency laid out its requirements for 100 “Alpha” satellites that will be part of a mesh network known as Transport Layer Tranche 2. The Transport Layer Tranche 2 also includes 72 “Beta” satellites for which SDA already has requested bids. The procurement of 100 Alpha satellites will be split between two vendors. (5/12)

Jonathan Pellish Appointed National Space Council Director of Civil Space Policy (Source: GovCon Daily)
Jonathan Pellish, a former senior staff at NASA, has been appointed director of civil space policy at the National Space Council within the Executive Office of the President. "I look forward to working with many of you in the coming months as we support each other during this amazing era of scientific discovery and space exploration," Pellish wrote. (5/12)

Populous Engaged by RS&H for New Mexico's Spaceport America Master Plan (Source: Space Daily)
The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) has awarded the Spaceport America Master Plan Project to the RS&H team, with Populous and Zia Engineering and Environmental Consultants respectively leading key aspects of the future visioning and environmental stewardship critical to the project. Spaceport America and NMSA will partner with the team to identify the current and future market opportunities that will drive the success of Spaceport America.

The spaceport master plan study will include various considerations for future operations (space and aviation), macro and micro-industry trends, national security space requirements and operations, public and private investments, potential launch vehicles operating from the site, frequency of flights, potential payloads, propellant storage, regulatory trends, and development options for future spaceport operations. (5/12)

China's Wenchang Spaceport Can Launch New-Generation Rockets (Source: Space Daily)
The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province is already capable of high-density launch of new-generation large and medium-sized carrier rockets. Since the launch site was established, it has conducted many major space launch missions, including the maiden flight of China's new-generation high-thrust carrier rockets, China's first planetary exploration, and the construction of China's space station complex.

A Long March-7 Y7 rocket, carrying the Tianzhou-6 cargo craft, was successfully launched at the spaceport on Wednesday. In the second half of this year, the launch site will also carry out many space launch missions of large and medium-sized rockets. It will also promote the development of pivotal projects, such as the new-generation manned rocket launch pad and the heavy-lift rocket launch pad, and make steady progress towards becoming a world-class modern spacecraft launch site. (5/12)

Upcoming ISS Project Will Test 3D Materials for Satellite Manufacturing (Source: Space Daily)
As 3D printed rockets, car parts, and even homes begin to hit the market on Earth, L3Harris Technologies aims to leverage the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory in its search for durable materials to 3D print satellite components. Before 3D printed materials can be used to build more sustainable and efficient parts for spacecraft, they must be tested to ensure they can withstand the harsh environment of low Earth orbit (LEO). (5/12)

Highland Council Could Enforce Sutherland Spaceport Exclusion Zone (Source: BBC)
Highland Council could help enforce an exclusion zone that would be put in place during rocket launches from Sutherland Spaceport. Construction of the facility near Tongue started earlier this month. Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which is backing the project, has asked the council for its help with byelaws to restrict public access during a launch. Local authority officials have suggested this could be done using Land Reform Act legislation. Rocket manufacturer Orbex has proposed launching up to 12 orbital rockets a year once the site is operational. (5/12)

Spire’s ExactEarth to Support WildFireSat Mission (Source: SpaceQ)
Spire Global subsidiary ExactEarth has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to “deliver preparatory work for implementation phases of a wildfire monitoring satellite” for the delayed WildFireSat mission. The WildFireSat mission will now cost at least $170 million and won’t launch until 2029 with the design and implementation “anticipated to commence in spring 2024.” In 2021 it was expected that the WildFireSat mission would be operational in 2026. (5/11)