August 2, 2023

Draper Buys Land Near Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Boston Globe)
Nonprofit engineering firm Draper has acquired 5.3 acres of land in Titusville, Fla., near the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The undeveloped location, purchased from North American Properties for $2.2 million, will, when built out, help Cambridge-based Draper provide engineering and research services for its customers in national security and space systems. Draper plans to build 35,000 square feet as part of the first phase, and a second phase will accommodate another 25,000 square feet.

The company plans to employ 50 people there initially but expects that could grow to 150 over time. This will be Draper’s third campus in Florida, following locations in St. Petersburg and Cape Canaveral, and its 10th nationwide. “We are truly excited to expand our national presence with this new campus in Florida,” Jerry Wohletz, president and chief executive of Draper, said in a statement. “In our efforts to expand our presence, we placed great value on the talent pool, access to various markets and cultural diversity, making Florida our ideal destination.” (7/31)

Bacterial Byproducts May Help Stop the Stink in Future Spacesuits (Source: The Register)
European space researchers are turning to an interesting place to find new antimicrobial coatings to keep the insides of future space suits from becoming stinky, bacteria-laden biohazards: the bacteria themselves. Prodigiosin is the pink gunk produced by bacteria that dirties up kitchen and bathroom surfaces at a prodigious rate.

The OeWF has made prodigiosin and similar compounds the focus of their Biocidal Advanced Coating Technology for Reducing Microbial Activity, or BACTeRMA, program to investigate new types of treatments for the inner lining of space suits as part of the European Space Agency's Planetary Exploration Textiles project. Also known as PExTex, the program is more broadly exploring new materials for future spacesuits that could be used for long-term missions to the Moon. (8/1)

Science Enabling Heat and Air Conditioning for Space Habitats is Almost Fully Available (Source: Space Daily)
To live on the moon or Mars, humans will need heat and air conditioning that can operate long term in reduced gravity and temperatures hundreds of degrees above or below what we experience on Earth. Building these systems requires knowing how reduced gravity affects boiling and condensation, which all heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems use to operate in Earth's gravity.

A Purdue University experiment, launched Aug. 1 to the ISS, aims to collect data scientists need to answer decades-old questions about how boiling and condensation work in reduced gravity. It features module for conducting the second experiment of a facility called the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE), which has been collecting data on the space station since August 2021. (8/1)

Pixxel Lands iDEX Funding for Miniaturized Satellites Development (Source: Space Daily)
In a remarkable development in the Indian space industry, Pixxel, a prominent name in the realm of hyperspectral earth-imaging technology, has been awarded a substantial grant by iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence). The grant, furnished under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence, is part of the Mission DefSpace Challenge under iDEX Prime (Space). It will facilitate the production of miniaturized multi-payload satellites tailored for the needs of the Indian Air Force. (8/1)

Let's Celebrate a Half-Century of GPS By Catching Up to China (Source: C4ISRnet)
Earlier this year, a Presidential Advisory Board recommended that the Biden administration celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of approval of the Global Positioning System as an official government program. Such a celebration should highlight the program’s achievements and its many contributions to the world.

At the same time the National Space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board warned “GPS’s capabilities are now substantially inferior to those of China’s BeiDou.” It urged the government to use the event to launch “…an initiative to regain U.S. PNT [positioning, navigation, and timing] leadership and ensure resilient, reliable PNT for critical infrastructure and the larger economy.” (7/31)

Northrop Grumman Launches Gargo to ISS From Virginia (Source: Space News)
A Cygnus cargo spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station after a launch Tuesday night. An Antares 230+ rocket lifted off at 8:31 p.m. Eastern from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, and placed the Cygnus spacecraft into orbit. That spacecraft, flying a mission designated NG-19, is carrying more than 3,750 kilograms of cargo, and will arrive at the station early Friday. The cargo includes a number of research payloads that NASA officials say is evidence of its plans to go "full throttle" on use of the ISS until its scheduled retirement in 2030. (8/2)

Voyager Space and Airbus Collaborate on Starlab Station (Source: Space News)
Voyager Space and Airbus Defence and Space are joining forces to develop a commercial successor to the ISS. The companies said Tuesday they created a joint venture called Starlab to build and operate a space station of the same name. Voyager won a $160 million NASA agreement in late 2021 to support initial work on Starlab, and brought in Airbus early this year for its technical expertise. Having Airbus as part of Starlab could make it easier for the station to win business from European companies and governments. The companies did not disclose financial details of the joint venture but said it will be U.S.-led. (8/2)

Ursa Major Gains Additional DoD Funding (Source: Space News)
Rocket propulsion startup Ursa Major has won additional funding from a Defense Department-backed institute. The company said that America Makes, a public-private partnership to help accelerate U.S. industrial competitiveness through the adoption of additive manufacturing, awarded $1.2 million for production of 3D-printed engine components. That is in addition to a $3 million award from America Makes in 2021 to set up a 3D-printing lab. Ursa Major says that additive manufacturing can allow it to reduce the production time for a combustion chamber from six months to one month. (8/2)

Virgin Galactic Forecasts Modest Revenue (Source: Space News)
Virgin Galactic says its initial commercial suborbital flights will not generate a lot of revenue. The company reported $2 million in revenue in the second quarter of 2023 on Tuesday, which included revenue from its Galactic 01 research flight in June. Virgin, though, is forecasting only $1 million in revenue in each of the next two quarters, even as its VSS Unity vehicle begins monthly commercial flights. Those flights will initially carry only three paying customers, some of whom paid only $200,000 for tickets that now go for $450,000. Research flights are somewhat more lucrative. (8/2)

Planet Lays Off 10% of Workforce (Source: SFGate)
Earth imaging company Planet is laying off about 10% of its workforce. The company announced Tuesday the layoffs of 117 people, mostly at its San Francisco headquarters, so that the company can focus on "high priority growth opportunities and operational efficiency." Planet CEO Will Marshall said an expansion after the company went public through a SPAC deal created cost and complexity while slowing down activities. He also blamed macroeconomic conditions for the layoffs. The company's cash reserves have declined from $490 million last April to $146 million a year later. (8/2)

New Date Set for Crew-7 Launch (Source: NASA)
NASA has delayed the next crewed mission to the ISS by several days. NASA said Tuesday that the Crew-7 mission, which had been scheduled to launch Aug. 17, has been rescheduled for Aug. 21, with Aug. 25 as a backup date. The delay gives SpaceX more time to prepare Launch Complex 39A after the pad hosted a delayed Falcon Heavy launch last week, and also works around Progress cargo spacecraft activities at the station. (8/2)

Voyager Phones Home Again (Source: AP)
NASA has received signals from Voyager 2 again. The agency lost contact with the spacecraft last month after a command inadvertently pointed the spacecraft's antenna slightly away from Earth. A Deep Space Network antenna in Australia was able to pick up a "heartbeat" signal from Voyager 2, indicating that the spacecraft was working well despite the faulty command. Controllers now plan to send signals in the hope that Voyager will be able to receive it and reorient itself. If that does not work, controllers will wait until a pre-planned realignment of the spacecraft in October restores communications. (8/2)

Tuberville's Crusade for an Alabama-Based Space Command Backfires (Source: Daily Beast)
The head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, was reportedly in favor of the Colorado basing decision. Undoubtedly infuriated by the choice, however, is Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who championed the move to Huntsville, Alabama. A review of the proposed move was ordered after Biden clashed with Alabama over abortion rights, a fight that escalated when Tuberville began blocking the Senate from approving Biden’s military nominations unless his administration changed a policy footing the travel bill for service members seeking an abortion across state lines. (8/1)

Launching Rockets With Electricity (Source: Universe Today)
What will it take to ditch chemical rockets and make space launches fully electric? What tech will it require and when will it be reasonable to use such a system? What technical challenges are associated with it? Answering all these questions with David Dillon, the founder of Electromagnetic Launch. Click here. (8/1)

House Bipartisan Legislation Proposes to Categorize Space as Critical Infrastructure (Source: Executive Gov)
Reps. Ted Lieu, D-CA, and Ken Calvert, R-CA, led the introduction of a bill that would designate space products and services as critical infrastructure. The lawmakers were joined on Thursday by Reps. Salud Carbajal, D-CA, and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-PA, in proposing the Space Infrastructure Act, which would place the sector under the protection of the Department of Homeland Security.

The inclusion of space among the critical sectors of infrastructure will help consolidate the collection and analysis of threat and security information, which are currently gathered separately from the 16 vital U.S. industries. “Space is infrastructure,” Lieu stated. “So many things we rely on, such as navigation systems, banking, and communications systems, function with the help of technology in space. Designating space as a critical infrastructure sector would help ensure the industry receives the attention and resources it needs, thereby strengthening our national security.” (8/1)

Pentagon, Telecom Industry At Odds Over Spectrum Access (Source: DefenseScoop)
The Defense Department is concerned about losing access to a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is crucial for capabilities such as radars, satellite communications, and navigation systems. The commercial telecommunications industry is arguing for access to the 3.1-3.45 GHz S-band, which has been solely designated to the DOD for decades. (7/31)

NASA Chief Scientist Selected for International Leadership Role (Source: NASA)
Dr. Kate Calvin, NASA’s chief scientist and senior climate advisor, was recently selected as co-chair of a working group on climate change mitigation at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. Previously, Calvin has contributed to five reports by the IPCC. (7/28)

Astro Digital to Integrate Astroscale In-Orbit Servicing Docking Plates (Source: Space News)
Small satellite builder Astro Digital plans to add an Astroscale docking plate to upcoming spacecraft to make it easier for them to use in-orbit services being developed by Astroscale and others. The companies said July 31 the first docking plate would be attached to an undisclosed satellite later this year for a launch in the fourth quarter of 2024.

It is the first time 10-year-old Astroscale has announced a commercial partnership for the hardware, as work continues to demonstrate how upcoming servicers could perform de-orbit and life-extension missions after latching onto the docking plate. Tokyo-based Astroscale declined to discuss further details about its partnership with Astro Digital, including how many satellites are in their agreement. (8/1)

The Space Industry Has a Sustainability Problem (Source: GreenBiz)
Putting aside futuristic plans of space tourism, traveling to Mars and mining for minerals on asteroids, space exploration has practical benefits for humans today. The ability to track humanitarian issues and the impacts of climate change from space are just two reasons humans must keep looking to the stars. At the same time, however, this great desire for space exploration is driving concern over short-term environmental and social impacts.

The sustainability challenges associated with space exploration and other commercial activities fall into three categories: 1) The emissions produced from launching spaceships; 2) The space junk that is quickly increasing and floating in Earth’s orbit; and 3) Potential harm to known or unknown species, along with human/employee rights concerns. (8/1)

Keeping Australia Safe in Space (Source: ASPI)
The joint statement issued after Saturday’s AUSMIN meeting in Brisbane declared enhanced space cooperation as a new force posture initiative for the United States and Australia in ‘this critical operational domain’. The two governments also announced an intention to increase space integration and cooperation in operations and exercises.

These are important steps, but there are challenges ahead, particularly in terms of how the Australian Defence Force ensures access to space in the face of growing threats from adversary counterspace capabilities. That’s the ‘contested’ part of the oft-quoted observation about space being ‘congested, contested and competitive’. (8/1)

What Happens if Someone Dies in Space? (Source: The Conversation)
Since human space exploration began just over 60 years ago, 20 people have died – 14 in the NASA space shuttle tragedies of 1986 and 2003, three cosmonauts during the 1971 Soyuz 11 mission, and three astronauts in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire in 1967. As space travel becomes more common, so does the possibility that someone might die along the way. It brings to mind a gloomy but necessary question to ask: If someone dies in space – what happens to the body?

Here is how death in space would be handled today: If someone died on a low-Earth-orbit mission – such as aboard the International Space Station – the crew could return the body to Earth in a capsule within a matter of hours. If it happened on the Moon, the crew could return home with the body in just a few days. NASA already has detailed protocols in place for such events. Because of that quick return, it’s likely that preservation of the body would not be NASA’s major concern; instead, the No. 1 priority would be making sure the remaining crew returns safely to Earth.

Things would be different if an astronaut died during the 300 million-mile trip to Mars. In that scenario, the crew probably wouldn’t be able to turn around and go back. Instead, the body would likely return to Earth along with the crew at the end of the mission, which would be a couple of years later. In the meantime, the crew would presumably preserve the body in a separate chamber or specialized body bag. The steady temperature and humidity inside the space vehicle would theoretically help preserve the body. (7/31)

Steve Wozniak’s Privateer Is Forging an Online Market for Satellite Access (Source: Bloomberg)
Steve Wozniak’s space startup Privateer is launching a global online marketplace that aims to connect customers seeking planetary data with orbiting satellites. The goal, Privateer says, is to make the hundreds of Earth-observing satellites currently circulating the planet much more accessible to the masses — not just governments. The company envisions that by creating an online marketplace where multiple customers share “rides” on satellites, eventually the costs could come down from an average of $500 per observation to $50. (8/1)

Virgin Galactic Banks $2 Million in Quarterly Revenue (Source: CNBC)
Virgin Galactic  reported second-quarter losses on Tuesday that were slightly wider the year-ago period, as the space tourism company pushes on toward flying customers on monthly flights after launching commercial service. For the quarter ended June 30, Virgin Galactic posted a net loss of $134.4 million, compared with a loss of $110.7 million in the same period a year earlier. Virgin Galactic is spending heavily to develop its Delta-class spacecraft to fly at an improved weekly rate. (8/1)

The Forgotten Story of the Real First Barbie to Fly Into Space (On a Still-Secret Mission) (Source: CollectSpace)
As it turns out, the two Barbie dolls that recently went on display at the Smithsonian are not the first to have flown into space, contrary to how they are described in the exhibit. The pair of "Space Discovery" dolls that debuted July 18 at the National Air and Space Museum were indeed launched into orbit in 2022, and were the first Barbie dolls that Mattel arranged to fly. But another Barbie made the trip 32 years earlier aboard a still-classified space shuttle mission and today it sits in the home of its original owner.

"It was on a DOD flight, and that's why you might not have seen much on it," said Steve Denison. Denison was on assignment by Rockwell as a space shuttle payload training engineer at NASA's Johnson Space Center when in 1989 he received what would become the first Barbie doll to fly into space as part of a "white elephant" holiday gift exchange. Subsequently, Denison and his fellow astronaut instructors got the idea to hide the Barbie as they set up the shuttle simulator ahead of each training run.

The wife of one of Denison's fellow crew instructors sewed an orange jumpsuit and styled the doll's hair for the flight. Launched on Nov. 15, 1990, aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, Barbie and the STS-38 crew spent nearly five days in space on a mission for the Department of Defense. As a classified flight, not much is officially known about what the astronauts did while in orbit, however the limited photos released by NASA do show that the crew had an IMAX large-format film camera with them. (7/31)