June 30, 2023

Southeast States Looked for Growth Opportunities in Paris (Source: The Bond Buyer)
At the Paris Air Show 2023, delegates from 15 US states, including Florida and Alabama, promoted their aerospace offerings to attract international partnerships and gain a competitive advantage in the growing industry. Florida's delegation, led by Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, positioned the state as the ideal location for aviation and aerospace, while Alabama's delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield, focused on expanding the state's rapidly expanding aerospace sector. (6/21)

Advanced Navigation Technology Moon-Bound with $5.2m Grant (Source: Business News Australia)
An Australian company that plans to provide its cutting-edge navigation technology to NASA as it further explores the Earth's only natural satellite and possibly beyond to Mars. Advanced Navigation, whose technologies are already being used to explore the depths of the ocean and in driverless cars and military vehicles, has received an Australian Government grant to support its Project LUNA.

The Sydney-headquartered company has been awarded a $5.2 million 'Moon to Mars Initiative: Demonstrator Mission Grant' by the Australian Space Agency, which will accelerate development and production of its breakthrough Light Detection, Altimetry and Velocimetry (LiDAV) technology. (6/28)

Head of NASA Visits Maine to Learn About State's Space Exploration Efforts (Source: WGME)
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, a former Florida senator, visited Maine Wednesday to learn about the state's investments and efforts in space exploration. Nelson visited the Maine Space Complex in Brunswick to talk about the economic opportunities that come with funding space research. He was then joined by Governor Janet Mills and Senator Angus King on a visit to bluShift Aerospace. (6/28)

NASA Aiming to Make Spaceships Talk (Source: The Guadian)
NASA engineers say they are developing their own ChatGPT-style interface that could ultimately allow astronauts to talk to their spacecraft and mission controllers to converse with artificial intelligence-powered robots exploring distant planets and moons. An early incarnation of the AI could be included on Lunar Gateway, a planned extraterrestrial space station that is part of the Artemis programme, according to the engineer developing the technology. (6/24)

Redwire Follow-On Contract for Additional Roll-Out Solar Arrays for ISS (Source: Redwire)
Jacksonville-based Redwire Corp. has been awarded a follow-on contract from Boeing to develop two additional Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA) for the International Space Station. Since 2021, a total of six Redwire-built arrays have been developed, delivered, and deployed on the ISS, augmenting its critical power supply. (6/28)

Momentum to Partner with Eutelsat and OneWeb for Connectivity Solutions for Oil & Gas Industry (Source: OneWeb)
Momentum, a provider of enterprise connectivity solutions in remote areas throughout North and South America, announced an agreement that will enable Momentum to use OneWeb’s high-speed, low-latency satellite fleet, on top of Eutelsat’s ADVANCE global connectivity solution. (6/29)

Australia Cancels Plans for Earth Observation Satellites (Source: Australian Broadcasting Corp.)
The Australian government has canceled plans for a billion-dollar Earth observation satellite system. The National Space Mission for Earth Observation, announced weeks before a national election last year, would have developed four satellites for launch between 2028 and 2033 for natural disaster, agricultural and maritime monitoring.

However, the Labor government that won that election announced this week it will no longer pursue the program for financial reasons, electing instead to continue to use Earth observation data from international partners. The government also recently cut funding to support development of Australian spaceports and other technology efforts, raising alarms in Australia's space industry. (6/29)

Australia’s Space Future is At Risk, with Massive Implications (Source: The Strategist)
In a brutal blow to Australia’s space sector, future economy, industrial base and international reputation, the Australian government has axed the National Space Mission for Earth Observation (NSMEO), doubling down on the recent cancelling of both the Australian spaceports program and funding for space access, which aimed at getting Australian space tech into the global space economy.

In a confusing move against a national strength, it actually undercuts other government policies such as the National Reconstruction Fund, which Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic has said the space industry can access. Harnessing the advantages of space as a sector and a domain should be a key organising principle for the National Reconstruction Fund. (6/29)

India and Blue Origin Talk Human Spaceflight (Source: Times of India)
The chairman of the Indian space agency ISRO says Blue Origin is interested in India's human spaceflight system. ISRO Chairman S Somanath said that ISRO has discussed with Blue Origin potential use of India's Gaganyaan spacecraft and LVM-3 launch vehicle to support missions to the Blue Origin-led Orbital Reef commercial space station.

One issue, he said, will be ensuring interoperable docking systems. He added that ISRO is also looking into flying an astronaut on a joint NASA mission after the two countries agreed last week to closer cooperation in human spaceflight. (6/29)

Background Gravitational Waves Permeate the Universe (Source: Washington Post)
Astronomers have detected a background of gravitational waves permeating the universe. The discovery, announced Wednesday, came from an international team that carefully tracked the timing of pulsars, measuring tiny distortions in the rate of their radio pulses. Those variations, astronomers said, formed a pattern consistent with a background of very long wavelength gravitational waves created by colliding supermassive black holes. (6/29)

Retirees Help Raytheon Address Worker Shortage (Source: Defense One)
Raytheon Technologies is seeking the help of its retired employees to restart the production of Stinger missiles. The company is facing a shortage of skilled workers who know how to build the shoulder-fired weapon, which is used by the U.S. military and allies around the world. "We were bringing back retired employees that are in their 70s... to teach our new employees how to actually build a Stinger," said Wes Kremer, president of RTX's Raytheon division. Full Story: Defense One (6/28)

King Charles Gives Space Sustainability Venture Royal Seal of Approval (Source: The National)
King Charles III has put his environmental reputation behind a new project aimed at space sustainability. As he did the serious work – unveiling the seal for the new sustainable space Astra Carta framework – he was able to make a light-heartened reference to making “a mess of this planet”. (6/28)

Artist Unveils Rendering of Astronaut Painting for Rotunda of the Ohio Statehouse (Source: Highland County Press)
Artist Bill Hinsch unveiled a painted rendering of Ohioans in Space in the Ohio Statehouse Wednesday. The image is the artist’s study for a large oil painting he will create to hang permanently in the Rotunda next year. This small version of the painting was revealed to the public in the Rotunda. The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) commissioned Hinsch to paint a 9-foot by 12-foot oil painting to recognize the accomplishments of Ohioans in space travel and exploration. (6/28)

ESA Program Supports Space Business Projects with Global Green Impact (Source: ESA)
ESA's Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) program, supports companies developing space business ideas that offer strong prospects in delivering sustainability in environmental, societal and economic terms. The ESA Green Dossier portfolio is steadily increasing. This includes budding deep-tech companies, whose products and applications are driving global sustainability through the integration of space technology. One such company is Kayrros, whose Methane Watch Demonstration Project, developed with the support of the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), is having a major global impact. (6/27)

Did We Accidentally Destroy Mars Life 50 Years Ago? (Source: Big Think)
Life may have been discovered on Mars almost 50 years ago, but it could have been unintentionally destroyed. This theory arises from the ambiguous results of life detection experiments conducted by NASA's Viking landers in the mid-1970s. The Viking landers identified small amounts of chlorinated organics, initially believed to be contamination from Earth. However, subsequent missions have verified the presence of native organic compounds on Mars, although in a chlorinated form. Life on Mars could have adapted to the arid environment by existing within salt rocks and absorbing water directly from the atmosphere. The Viking experiments, which involved adding water to soil samples, might have overwhelmed these potential microbes, leading to their demise. (6/27)

Sierra Space Describes Long-Term Plans for Dream Chaser and Inflatable Modules (Source: Space News)
As Sierra Space continues to prepare for the first flight of its Dream Chaser vehicle, it is outlining long-term ambitions for both that vehicle and space station modules. Tom Vice, chief executive of Sierra Space, said the company was continuing to work towards a first launch of its cargo Dream Chaser vehicle as soon as December. He expected Dream Chaser to be fully integrated with its launch vehicle, ULA’s Vulcan Centaur, in “the December timeframe” and launch in a window that extends into early February.

Vice also emphasized the company’s work on an expandable space station module called Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE), with 330 cubic meters of volume in its initial version. The company has been developing LIFE to serve as part of its contribution to the Orbital Reef commercial space station project it is working with Blue Origin and others on. Before offering LIFE for Orbital Reef, though, the company is proposing to launch a standalone “pathfinder” version of LIFE as soon as the end of 2026. That module, he said, would be used for commercial applications, like pharmaceutical and other biotech research. (6/28)

First Hot-Fire Test of Europe’s Reusable Methane-Fueled Prometheus Rocket Engine (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
Europe has successfully completed the first hot-fire test of its reusable Prometheus rocket, a 12-second burn while integrated to the Themis first-stage demonstrator at the ArianeGroup site in Vernon, France. Prometheus and Themis are components of the new ‘Ariane Next’ European launch program, which is focused on developing a fleet of reusable rockets to enter service in the 2030s. (6/28)

Trend or Aberration? Russia is Launching Foreign Satellites Again (Source: Ars Technica)
For the first time since the invasion of Ukraine essentially cut off Russia’s space industry from foreign customers, a Russian rocket lifted off Tuesday and carried satellites into orbit with commercial technology from Western companies. The payloads from companies based in the UK and Luxembourg flew on a satellite owned by the UAE, which has maintained warmer relations with Russia than Western countries. Although the payloads are small, their presence on Tuesday’s launch is notable after the war in Ukraine, and resulting Western sanctions, effectively led to an embargo against putting US and European space technology on Russian rockets.

UK and European Union sanctions introduced after Russia’s 2022 invasion prevent exporting a wide range of space technology to Russia. Companies from the United States, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and other nations have moved their satellites off of Russian rockets, primarily switching them to launch vehicles from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and India. The European Space Agency terminated a partnership with Russia on Mars exploration within weeks of the Ukraine invasion. Russia launched an Angolan communications satellite last year, but that mission was part of an intergovernmental agreement. Russia continues launching US astronauts to the ISS through a no-funds-exchanged arrangement with NASA. (6/27)

It’s Easier to Get Into the Senate than Get a Security Clearance (Source: Clearance Jobs)
Security clearance reform is (understandably) a focus of the Senate today, who has introduced two bills to address both classification and the security clearance process. The Sensible Classification Act and the Classification Reform Act of 2023 were introduced by members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) last month. As Trump’s indictment continues to spike interest (and his presidential polling numbers), several senators have gone on the record with the need to reform and overhaul the security clearance process.

“So my legislation — it’s bipartisan legislation — would change that and force these agencies to justify the number of security clearances, rather than just hand them out like candy,” said Sen. John Cornyn. The remarks echo those of other bill sponsors, who have referred to the number of individuals with a security clearance as ‘crazy’ and called on agencies to reduce or justify the number of individuals with a security clearance. The remarks can be bucketed as hyperbole, but they’re already causing some government agencies to launch desk audits and efforts to reduce their clearance population – an effort that actually does nothing to shore up security or address the real problem – which is overclassification and data security.

Editor's Note: Here's a summary of the Senate bill. Neither of Florida's US senators are among the bill's co-sponsors. Security clearance requirements have become an impediment to filling hundreds of Florida aerospace jobs, and various efforts are underway in the state to streamline or speed the clearance process for Florida workers. (6/26)

Florida Drawbridge Replacement, Road Widening On Pause Due to Space Sector Concerns (Source: Florida Today)
The Florida Department of Transportation has hit pause on moving forward with a plan to replace the State Road 401 drawbridges in the Port Canaveral area, after concerns were raised by space launch companies and Florida Rep. Thad Altman. That, in turn, could hold up plans to widen an intersecting roadway. Some in space industry worry that the fixed-span bridges planned to replace the drawbridges won't be high enough to allow barges carrying rocket parts to pass under.

Altman supports putting the brakes on the bridge replacement so the DOT can get more input from the space industry about its future needs ― including whether a drawbridge would be better to accommodate potential future transport of rocket parts under the bridge. Altman said he has had discussions with DOT officials, U.S. Space Force, NASA, SpaceX and Blue Origin on this matter, and agrees that the best course of action is for the DOT to study the issue more, even if it means delaying the project. (6/28)

iRocket Contracts with U.S. Space Force to Transform Launch Vehicles (Source: SpaceRef)
Innovative Rocket Technologies Inc. (iRocket), a company that provides low cost and rapid access to space with its 100% reusable rockets, announced that it signed a contract with the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC). Under the contract, iRocket will further develop its highly reusable rocket engine, which will transform how launch vehicles are powered with clean, sustainable propellant and 24-hour turnaround launch cycles. The contract, in the amount of $1.8 million is funded through AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and a Technology Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). (6/28)