July 6, 2023

CalTech Team's Innovative Approach to Beaming Energy From Space (Source: Quartz)
Ali Hajimiri’s team is focused on using phased array technology. Reductively, these are many small antennas combined into a single device that can manipulate and focus energy precisely through software instruction, rather than relying on the physical shape of an antenna or its motion to steer radio energy. Originally invented for military radars, phased array antennas are used in 5G phones and by Starlink communications satellites.

The goal is to create a single, flexible sheet that integrates solar cells on one side and phased array transmitters on the other. Lightweight and foldable to fit into a rocket fairing, it would expand in space to ultimately become a satellite about a kilometer in area. Such a spacecraft would feed a power receiving station on Earth of roughly the same size, and generate about 100 MW of electricity. For comparison, Solar Star, an enormous windfarm in southern California, generates about 579 MW on 13 km². (7/6)

EU and UK Reach Deal for Copernicus Cooperation (Source: Politico)
The European Union and the United Kingdom have reportedly reached a deal to allow the U.K. to resume participation in elements of the Copernicus Earth observation program. A draft agreement this week would allow the U.K. to reenter Copernicus as well as the Horizon Europe research program in 2024. The U.K. left the E.U. part of Copernicus because of Brexit. Copernicus is a joint effort of E.U. and ESA, and the U.K. remained involved in ESA's share of Copernicus, but the agreement will help close a funding gap for Copernicus and give British companies a bigger role in future missions. (7/6)

Australia Pick HawkEye 360 for Fishery Monitoring (Source: Space News)
HawkEye 360 has won a contract from the Australian government to detect illegal fishing activities. The company received a contract of undisclosed value from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for a pilot program in support of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency. HawkEye 360 will use its satellites to detect radio-frequency activity to locate vessels, including those involved in illegal fishing activities that are not using Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders. (7/6)

India Readies Lunar Lander for Launch (Source: Indian Express)
India's second lunar lander mission is in its final stages of launch preparations. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was installed on its LVM-3 (aka GSLV Mark 3) rocket earlier this week, and the rocket rolled out to the pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Thursday. The mission is scheduled to launch July 14, the Indian space agency ISRO said Thursday. (7/6)

ESA to Investigate Vega C Test Anomaly (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA will convene an independent investigation into a Vega C test anomaly last week. ESA's inspector general will lead the independent commission to examine the incident during a static-fire test of a Zefiro 40 motor last week where the motor lost pressure about halfway through the test. That test was intended to examine modifications made to the motor, which was the cause of the Vega C launch failure last December. The incident is expected to further delay the return to flight of the rocket from late this year into 2024. (7/6)

NASA Sets Mid-August for Next ISS Commercial Crew Mission (Source: NASA)
NASA has set a mid-August launch date for the next commercial crew mission to the International Space Station. The agency said Wednesday it's targeting no earlier than Aug. 15 for the Crew-7 mission on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission will carry a four-person crew from NASA, ESA, JAXA and Roscosmos to the station, relieving the Crew-6 crew that launched in February. (7/6)

Washington Senator Seeks NASA Support for Advanced Manufacturing Institute (Source: GeekWire)
A key senator has asked NASA to help set up an advanced manufacturing institute in her state. Speaking at the Washington State Space Summit on Wednesday, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, said she has asked NASA to partner with the Department of Commerce to establish an institute to support development of composites for use in aerospace and other applications. The institute would likely be part of the Manufacturing USA network, which uses public-private partnerships to support work on critical manufacturing technologies. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who was also at the event, said he supported the proposed institute. (7/6)

Solar Storms Shoot Toward Earth (Source: Space.com)
Scientists says the Earth could get hit by a one-two punch of solar storms later this week. The predicted storms come from coronal mass ejections by the sun on Tuesday, directing waves of charged particles toward the Earth expected to arrive on Friday. The storms will not be major, but could generate auroras down to mid-latitudes. (7/6)

Sidus Space and Lulav Space Partner to Launch Event-Based Star Tracker on June SpaceX Mission (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space has partnered with Lulav Space, a robotics company specializing in space applications, to research, develop and demonstrate the benefits of Event-based Star Trackers (EBST). Sidus plans to include the Lulav/Sidus EBST on its fourth planned LizzieSat mission, currently scheduled to launch with SpaceX in June of next year. This contract is part of the previously announced Space Florida award under the Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership. (7/6)

Merits and Impacts of SBIR and STTR Programs Recognized with Continued Funding (Source: FNN)
When Congress renewed the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program last fall, a collective sigh of relief could be heard across the federal community. While many experts expounded on the importance and value of SBIR and STTR, governmentwide data to drive home that point was difficult to find. This is especially important for the Biden administration’s goal of ensuring equitable growth across the country. The report found California and Massachusetts received the most funding of any states at $3.5 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively, and Colorado is a hub for innovations around space technologies.

“One interesting finding was that we’re seeing SBIR Phase 2 funding has increased 37%, while SBIR Phase 1 funding has stayed about the same. Why that matters? If you don’t know, the SBIR Phase 1 awards are smaller investments, a lot like what venture capital makes on experiments and prototyping and initial research, and then from Phase 1, you take in technologies or those experiments and say, ‘Okay, can we actually further develop them into Phase 2.’ I think that’s a good sign that phase 2 has grown by 37%, that means more of those technologies are being funded to grow and to further develop.” (7/5)

A Space Rocket Hotter Than the Sun (Source: Space Daily)
UK aerospace company Pulsar Fusion has started constructing the largest practical nuclear fusion rocket engine ever built. The 8-metre fusion chamber is being assembled in Bletchley, England and when fired in 2027, will temporarily become the hottest place in the solar system creating exhaust speeds of over 500,000 MPH. Researchers at Pulsar Fusion hope to reach several hundred- million degrees when the final plasma shot is fired in the chamber, creating temperatures hotter than the Sun. "The difficulty is learning how to hold and confine the super-hot plasma within an electromagnetic field." (7/6)

HASC NDAA Would Support New Class of Spaceports for Recovery Ops, Including Pensacola (Source: SPACErePORT)
Naval Air Station Pensacola could be the subject of a spaceport feasibility study sought under the House of Representatives' version of the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act. "The committee is aware that Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola has been an important support facility for spacecraft recovery operations from the Gulf of Mexico. NAS Pensacola provided robust seaport, aviation, military, communication, security, and medical support for recovery operations of the first manned SpaceX Crew Dragon. NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field have a long history of astronaut medical and flight training support.

"The committee encourages the U.S. Space Force to work within the Department of Defense to identify opportunities to establish partnerships with other services and bases as necessary to support spaceport activities with a focus on sea-based recovery needs. The committee directs the Chief of Space Operations to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services by March 1, 2024, on the feasibility of establishment of additional spaceports that focus on sea-based recovery of both personnel and assets." (7/3)

Reagan Library Unveils Statue and Debuts Song to Honor Sally Ride (Source: CollectSpace)
Sally Ride, America's first woman in space, now stands tall on the grounds of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California, where a statue of her was unveiled Tuesday (July 4) as a part of an Independence Day celebration. Members of the Ride family, including her 99-year-old mother, Joyce, helped to reveal the larger-than-life tribute, which is backdropped by the rolling hills of Simi Valley, at the entrance to the library's outdoor Peace Plaza. (7/5)

AST SpaceMobile Raises $59.4M, Stock Craters (Source: Payload)
AST SpaceMobile ($ASTS) stock plunged nearly 30% this week after the cash-strapped company announced Tuesday it had raised $59.4M in a steep discount public offering. The satellite manufacturer sold 12.5M shares at ~$4.75 a pop, well below the ~$6.50 price tag the shares were trading at before the offering.

The satellite manufacturer is burning cash at approximately $60M a quarter, inclusive of capex. Post-capital raise, AST will have ~$200M of cash in its coffers. While the public offering provided the company with some more breathing room, AST is still sitting at less than a year’s worth of cash burn. With a 168-satellite constellation planned, the company will likely need to continue seeking additional funding options. (6/30)

Rivada Gets More Breathing Room to Deploy Constellation (Source: Space News)
International regulators have waived a requirement for Rivada Space Networks to launch 10% of its proposed 576 satellites by September, boosting plans to fund the multibillion-dollar connectivity constellation. Rivada expects to start deploying commercial satellites in 2025 under contracts with manufacturer Terran Orbital and launcher SpaceX, easily missing the first deployment deadline under International Telecommunication Union (ITU) rules.

However, Rivada announced July 5 that the ITU granted a waiver for this milestone after reviewing evidence of the funding, manufacturing, and launch contracts in place for its non-geostationary orbit network (NGSO). (7/5)

Astra Establishing Subsidiary for Spacecraft Propulsion (Source: Tech Crunch)
Astra is carving out its spacecraft engine business as a wholly-owned subsidiary, a corporate restructuring that will provide greater flexibility in hiring and financing, according to documents viewed by TechCrunch. The new subsidiary, Astra Spacecraft Engines, Inc., was incorporated in Delaware on June 5 and filed with the state of California on June 13, corporate records show. However, the new arrangement has been in the works for some time, according to a source. (7/5)

SpaceX, Other Private Space Companies, Have Mississippi Connection (Source: Clarion Ledger)
Stennis Space Center has been in the rocket engine test business since the 1960s, back when NASA fired up the powerful Saturn rockets that shook the ground around its isolated Hancock County complex. As private aerospace companies began developing hardware for commercial space missions, they looked to Stennis, with its uniquely experienced workforce and $2 billion infrastructure, as their go-to proving ground.

Stennis has had commercial testing agreements since 1997, when it partnered with the aerospace company Rocketdyne, a division of Boeing North American. NASA and Rocketdyne, now Aerojet Rocketdyne, tested engines for the United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV rocket on the large B-1 Test Stand at NASA Stennis. This year that agreement is coming to an end after 25 years. Companies that have conducted tests or are currently testing at Stennis include Blue Origin, Firehawk, Launcher, Aerospace Rocketdyne, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, Orbital Sciences Corporation, Rolls Royce, Stratolaunch, Ursa Major, Vast and Virgin Orbit. (7/5)

How Did Life Begin on Earth? We Asked a NASA Expert (Source: NASA)
Here’s a big question: How did life begin on Earth? We don’t quite know, but this fundamental question is a driving force behind astrobiology research at NASA. Understanding how life originated on our planet could inform us about the potential for life to exist throughout the universe. Click here. (7/5) 

Ariane 5 Rocket Bids Adieu After 27 Years of Service (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Nearly three decades after its debut launch, Europe’s workhorse Ariane 5 rocket has taken to the skies one last time, carrying a pair of communications satellites bound for geostationary orbit. The launch occurred at launch pad 3 at Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. This was the Ariane 5's 117th mission.Over the decades, several variants of the Ariane 5 rocket have flown. The original “G” version flew 17 times. The “G+” version flew three times in 2004. Between 2005 and 2009 a “GS” variant flew with no failures. (7/5)

What's On The Bookshelf at NASA's Mars Simulation (Source: Business Insider)
If the claustrophobia of being locked in a big box with three strangers for more than a year isn't already freaking you out, someone at NASA thought one of the books on the shelf should be James M. Tabor's "Blind Descent." The book includes descriptions of "psychological horrors produced by weeks in absolute darkness." There are other books in the capsule library, including Jay C. Buckey's "Space Physiology," which makes sense. Also in the collection is Patrick Lencioni's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," which might be useful considering the four-people-in-a-box-for-a-year predicament. (6/27)

Scientists Find the Remains of a Catastrophe on Mars Scattered Across the Planet (Source: Inverse)
The Zhurong rover has operated on the surface of Mars for over a year since it deployed on May 22nd, 2021. Before the rover suspended operations on May 20, 2022, due to the onset of winter and the approach of seasonal sandstorms, Zhurong managed to traverse a total distance of 1.921 km. During the first kilometer of this trek, the rover obtained vital data on Mars’ extremely weak magnetic fields. According to a new study, these readings indicate that the magnetic field is extremely weak beneath the rover’s landing site.

These extremely weak readings imply that the crust beneath Utopia Planitia may have remained unmagnetized since its formation during the early Hesperian (ca. 4 billion years ago) or that it was demagnetized by a sizable impact that came later. (7/4)

The ROI in Space Sustainability (Source: Payload)
The World Economic Forum and ESA released their orbital debris mitigation guidance last month. The proposal aims to foster a collaborative approach in addressing space sustainability, believing organized orbits will create a stronger ecosystem. The WEF believes debris mitigation practices could spark significant business opportunities and entirely new markets for investors. Space sustainability creates a strong and continuous demand for debris removal and servicing businesses, similar to the stable demand for garbage collection, auto maintenance, and refueling/re-charging on Earth.

Insurance companies succeed when accidents are minimized or absent. The WEF encourages insurance agencies to offer incentives for sustainable satellite practices, including inspection, maintenance, and safe deorbiting. With thousands of state-owned satellites in orbit, governments have become inextricably tied to a sustainable LEO and GEO. Nations have noted a sense of responsibility in safeguarding their expensive, often defense-oriented assets. Government regulations will need to be implemented to tackle the growing problem. (7/3)

The 3 Best Space Stocks to Buy in July (Source: InvestorPlace)
Here are the three best space stocks to buy in July. Virgin Galactic (SPCE): The company just completed its first commercial spaceflight. Planet Labs (PL): The satellite company’s earnings are improving as the company matures. Lockheed Martin (LMT): The defense contractor is increasingly focused on the space sector. (7/4)

Space Force Chief Seeks to ‘Shift Mindset’ to Defend Joint Force on the Ground (Source: Breaking Defense)
The chief of space operations, in his latest missive to Guardians, argued the need for the Space Force to emphasize that the newest service’s mission includes operating in space to defend the Joint Force on the ground, at sea and in the air from adversaries’ space-enabled attacks — rather than focusing only on protecting US satellites. (6/30)

Artemis Astronauts Spending Summer in the Classroom Training for Mission to the Moon (Source: Florida Today)
June means school is out for the summer for mostly everyone – but not for the astronauts of Artemis II. Moon mission school is just getting started. A roughly 18-month-long training cycle kicked off last week for NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen. Before they fly sometime late next year for Artemis II, a 10-day journey around the moon and back, they will cover everything from suit-up to splashdown in the classroom, which in this case also means spacecraft simulators both on land and in the water. (7/3)