September 15, 2023

Jupiter's Moon Callisto Has a Whole Lot of Oxygen Scientists Struggle to Explain (Source: CNet)
Jupiter's four largest moons are some of the solar system's most compelling worlds. Io is dotted with active volcanoes, and Europa hides a subsurface ocean many want to check for alien life. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system, and Callisto is the system's most heavily cratered object. Callisto is also home to an emerging mystery: The moon's thick atmosphere holds a surprising amount of oxygen, and scientists aren't sure why.

Observers have known about the presence of abundant molecular oxygen at Callisto for a while, with the working assumption being that the influence of Jupiter's powerful magnetosphere could be knocking molecules of water, hydrogen and oxygen out from Callisto's icy surface and into the atmosphere. But when a team of researchers ran the numbers, they found that Jupiter's magnetism can't fully explain the amount of molecular oxygen around Callisto. (9/13)

China's Military sets Up New Base for Space Domain Awareness (Source: Space News)
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Strategic Support Force’s (SSF) new Base 37 is charged with boosting missile early warning capabilities and identifying, tracking and analyzing foreign space objects, according to the report published by the China Aerospace Studies Institute Sep. 11. (9/14)

Abandoned Apollo 17 Lunar Lander Module is Causing Tremors on the Moon (Source: CNN)
A spacecraft left behind by US astronauts on the lunar surface could be causing small tremors known as moonquakes, according to a new study. Researchers revealed the previously unknown form of seismic activity on the moon for the first time through an analysis of Apollo-era data using modern algorithms.

The entire surface of the moon expands and contracts in the cold and heat, noted the study. Yet scientists were able to use a form of artificial intelligence to gain such an intimate understanding of the Apollo-era data that they could pinpoint gentle tremors that emitted from an Apollo 17 lunar lander module sitting a few hundred yards away from instruments recording the moonquakes, according to a synopsis of the study by researchers from institutions including the California Institute of Technology and NASA. (9/14)

Florida Woman Accused of Trespassing Onto Kennedy Space Center with a Gun (Source: WKMG)
An Ocala woman was indicted this week after attorneys and police said she drove onto Kennedy Space Center property with a gun in her vehicle and at one point nearly struck a police officer while trying to flee. Katie Mahai, 41, was indicted in federal court for the Feb. 10 incident. (9/14)

SpaceX Completes Engine Tests for NASA's Artemis Moon Lander (Source: NASA)
NASA is working with SpaceX to develop its Starship human landing system (HLS) for use during the Artemis III and Artemis IV missions to land astronauts near the South Pole of the Moon. The Starship HLS will be powered by two variants of the company’s Raptor engines. Last month, SpaceX demonstrated a vacuum-optimized Raptor’s performance through a test that successfully confirmed the engine can be started in the extreme cold conditions resulting from extended time in space. (9/14)

ESA Empowering Retailers with Exclusive B2B Access (Source: ESA)
ESA Space Shop is your one-stop-shop for an unparalleled selection of space-inspired merchandise. The new B2B platform is custom-built for professionals who operate shops, such as museums and visitor centers for example, and are interested in selling official ESA products. Experience the convenience of this streamlined platform, designed to simplify the process of placing bulk orders. Join now to explore a world of opportunities and expand your product offerings! (9/14)

Air Force Looks to Move Spy-Plane Sensors to Satellites (Source: Defense One)
The Pentagon should consider moving more intelligence-gathering technology from aircraft to less vulnerable spacecraft, a top Air Force general said. Gen. Mark Kelly, the head of Air Combat Command, spoke as the Pentagon looks for ways to conduct missions that are less susceptible to disruption by advanced Russian and Chinese surface-to-air missiles. (9/14)

Investing in Space: Industry Enters New Era with Tight Funding and SpaceX Dominance (Source: CNBC)
The “bon temps,” good times, are over – in so far as speedy capital and the competitive landscape are concerned – but we’re not necessarily in bad times for the space sector. Competition is fierce and investors are demanding more for their money, so strategies are about executing and delivering. A trio of themes emerged from conversations: SpaceX is top dog, the recent satellite malfunctions are putting immense pressure on the insurance market, and it’s more difficult for space companies to raise funds than it has been in years. Click here. (9/14)

Firefly Alpha Reaches Orbit From California in Responsive Space Mission (Source: Ars Technica)
As part of its efforts to be more nimble in space, the US military has been pushing satellite and launch companies to become more "responsive" in their ability to put spacecraft into space. The US Space Force took a step toward this goal two years ago with a mission called Tactically Responsive Launch-2, or TacRL-2. This small satellite was built in less than a year by taking existing components and putting them together to create a space domain awareness satellite. The mission was then launched within 21 days, on June 13, 2021, by a solid-fueled Pegasus rocket built by Northrop Grumman.

With its latest attempt at tactically responsive launch, the Space Force took a big step further. It contracted with the US launch company Firefly to put a spacecraft called "Victus Nox" into orbit within 24 hours of receiving the go command from the military. On Wednesday, the US Space Force told the companies to go. After this point, Firefly encapsulated the Millennium satellite into a payload fairing, mated it to Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle, and completed all final launch preparations. The small launch rocket then successfully lifted off at 7:28 pm local time (02:28 UTC Friday) from Space Launch Complex 2 West at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The two companies came close to the goal. The total time from receiving the go command to liftoff was 27 hours, far eclipsing the previous record set by the first tactically responsive launch two years ago. Military officials were quite pleased, regardless. Millennium and the US Space Force will now seek to activate the spacecraft within 48 hours of reaching orbit. (9/15)

NASA Welcomes Germany as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory (Source: NASA)
During a ceremony at the German Ambassador's Residence in Washington on Thursday, Germany became the 29th country to sign the Artemis Accords. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participated in the signing ceremony for the agency, and Director General of the German Space Agency at DLR Dr. Walther Pelzer signed on behalf of Germany. (9/14)

Maduro Links with China to Send First Venezuelan to the Moon 'Soon' (Source: Space Daily)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said his country could soon send its first astronauts to the Moon in a Chinese spacecraft, hailing Thursday a scientific cooperation agreement reached with President Xi Jinping. Maduro arrived in Beijing on Tuesday after a tour of Shanghai and other Chinese cities, meeting Xi on Wednesday and agreeing to "upgrade" ties with Beijing. Maduro announced during his meeting with Xi on Wednesday that the two countries had agreed to train young Venezuelan astronauts in China, with plans to eventually send them to the Moon. (9/14)

Vostochny Cosmodrome: Symbol of Moscow's Struggling Space Sector (Source: Space Daily)
Russia's Vostochny cosmodrome, where President Vladimir Putin hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Wednesday, has become a symbol of lingering problems in Moscow's space sector: from lengthy delays to rampant corruption. Built in the Russian Far East near the Chinese border, it opened for launches in 2016 and aimed to reduce Moscow's dependence on the main space base of Baikonur, which became part of independent Kazakhstan after the break up of the Soviet Union.

Its latest launch was in August, when Russia sent the ill-fated Luna-25 to land on the Moon in its first lunar mission in nearly 50 years. But the module crashed due to technical issues, illustrating the challenges facing Moscow's space industry. Putin -- who wants to maintain Russia's Soviet-era glory in space -- ordered the construction of a new cosmodrome on Russian soil, some 8,000 kilometres east of Moscow, in 2007. Construction started in 2012 and was completed in 2016, after several delays in a project marred by corruption allegations.

In 2018, four managers of a company involved in the construction site were given sentences ranging from four to eight years in prison for embezzlement estimated at 1.3 billion rubles (just under 18 million euros at the time). "I await a more responsible attitude from you," Putin said as he met officials at the construction site the following year. (9/13)

Beyond FAA, FWS Must Approve SpaceX Plans for Next Starship Launch in Texas (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
In addition to the launch license, SpaceX must get the “modifications” made on the Starship program approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the FAA said Thursday. Last month, the FAA submitted a draft update of the so-called biological assessment to Fish and Wildlife for review and “requested consultation” under the Endangered Species Act.

The Fish and Wildlife Service said such consultation can be triggered by various circumstances, such as when a project and its impacts change significantly, there is new information on listed species not previously considered, or a new species is listed. Fish and Wildlife said that once it reviews the FAA’s final biological assessment, it has 135 days to issue a final biological opinion. (9/14)

Opinion: US Wins Allies in Space Diplomacy Push (Source: Defense News)
Recent shifts in diplomatic discussions on outer space security indicate growing international support for the United States' policy focus on responsible behavior over weaponization. "For the first time in decades, the world is on Washington's side to help make space more secure and sustainable, if only it has the political will to lead," write Victoria Samson and Brian Weeden from the Secure World Foundation. Editor's Note: Remember when US space outreach to third-world nations was derided by conservatives as designed to make these countries 'feel good about themselves'?  (9/14)

Workforce: Space has Space for Everyone (Source: ExtremeTech)
The space industry has witnessed a stellar rate of growth in recent years but that could now be at risk due to an impending shortage of skilled workers in disciplines ranging from mathematics to blue-collar roles. Despite a declining interest in engineering studies, the industry's bright outlook signals that now could be an opportune time for new talent to enter the space sector. (9/14)

India's KaleidEO Develops Algorithms for Imagery Analysis (Source: Space News)
KaleidEO, a subsidiary of SatSure Analytics India, has shown that its deep-learning algorithms can analyzing imagery in orbit. The company said it used imagery from Satellogic satellites and an in-space computer operated by Australia's Spiral Blue to demonstrate that its algorithms could detect clouds, roads, buildings and bodies of water, a concept known as edge processing. KaleidEO, founded in 2022, plans to launch four Earth-observation satellites equipped with edge processing in 2025. (9/15)

Virgin Galactic Plans Oct. 5 Launch at Spaceport America (Source: Virgin Galactic)
Virgin Galactic has selected Oct. 5 for the next SpaceShipTwo launch. The company announced the launch date Thursday for the Galactic 04 mission from Spaceport America in New Mexico. As with the previous mission, the company has not disclosed the names of the three customers who will be flying, only that they are from the United States, United Kingdom and Pakistan. VSS Unity will be flown by Kelly Latimer and CJ Sturckow with astronaut instructor Beth Moses also on board. (9/15)

SASC Chair Plans Starlink Ukraine Investigation (Source: Space News)
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee says he will investigate SpaceX's reported limitations on Ukraine's use of Starlink. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) announced Thursday the planned investigation after reports last week that SpaceX turned off Starlink access for Ukraine during an attack in Crimea, or never enabled it in the first place. Another member of the committee, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), earlier this week called for the Defense Department to review the matter. (9/15)

DoD Submits Space Policy Report to Congress (Source: Space News)
The Defense Department submitted a space policy report directed by Congress. The unclassified report, "Space Policy Review and Strategy on Protection of Satellites," was mandated by law and is an attempt to explain how DoD is dealing with threats facing U.S. satellites, such as Russian jammers and Chinese lasers that can blind satellites. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said the report allows the Pentagon to "communicate in policy-speak a few key messages" regarding the role of space in national security. Although Congress mandated an unclassified report, DoD submitted a separate classified annex because many of the significant details related to the defense of space are secret. (9/15)

SPAC Alums Seek to Boost Credibility Among Investors (Source: Space News)
Three space companies that went public two years ago are seeking ways to build credibility with large institutional investors. Launch vehicle and spacecraft developer Rocket Lab, space technology provider Redwire and Earth observation operator BlackSky all went public two years ago through SPAC mergers. While their share prices have fallen, in some cases significantly since then, they said on a World Satellite Business Week panel they are working to educate institutional investors on the strengths of their businesses and how they have a path to profitability. (9/15)

Ex-Im Bank Considers $5 Billion in Space Deals (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Ex-Im bank is considering more than $5 billion in space deals. A bank executive said at World Satellite Business Week that the company has $1.3 billion in financing proposals "likely to come to fruition" within a year and additional $4 billion in earlier stages of consideration. While the bank's recent deals have involved financing the launch of GEO communications satellites, Ex-Im sees strong interest in LEO constellations and is open to broader "new space" opportunities. (9/15)

Simulation Center Hosts Space Panel in Orlando (Source: Team Orlando)
The National Center for Simulation (NCS) hosted its most recent Business-to-Business event, “Space – The Current Frontier,” in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 13, 2023, which featured a panel that focused on various aspects of Florida’s budding space industry, particularly challenges faced by Central Florida’s modeling and simulation community in partnering and adapting to find its collective place in that new industry.

Matt Chesnut, vice president of business and economic development for Space Florida, moderated a panel that consisted of: Dr. Kent Halverson, principal scientist & senior director for Aptima, Inc.; Lynn Hansen, director of career services at the University of Central Florida; Dr. Teresa Pace, technical fellow at L3Harris and IEEE; and Johnathen Warren, general manager/co-founder at Critical Frequency Design. (9/15)

Following Up on Report, NASA Takes On a Bigger Role in UFO Research (Source: Universe Today)
In response to a newly released report from an independent panel, NASA says it has appointed a director in charge of research into UFOs — now known as unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs — and will work with other agencies to widen the net for collecting UAP data. “This is the first time that NASA has taken concrete action to seriously look into UAP,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said today during a news briefing at NASA’s headquarters in Washington.

However, NASA kept the identity of its UAP research director under wraps, in part due to threats that were received by panelists. “We will not give his name out,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate. She also declined to say how much NASA was budgeting specifically for UAP research. (9/14)

SpaceX Completes Required 'Corrective Actions' Ahead of 2nd Starship Flight, Elon Musk Says (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX has cleared the logistical hurdles standing in the way of the second test flight of its giant Starship vehicle, according to Elon Musk. Starship's first flight, which launched from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas on April 20, didn't last long. The vehicle suffered several problems shortly after liftoff. An FAA investigation identified 63 corrective actions SpaceX "must take to prevent mishap reoccurrence."

This was no mere academic exercise; SpaceX needs to comply with those findings to get Starship off the ground again. And the company is in good shape to do so now, Musk said. "Congrats to SpaceX for completing & document[ing] the 57 items required by the FAA for Flight 2 of Starship! Worth noting that 6 of the 63 items refer to later flights," Musk said. Here's the list of corrective actions. (9/14)

Archaeologists are Fuming Over Ancient Human Relative Remains Sent to Edge of Space (Source: LiveScience)
For the first time, fossilized remains of ancient human relatives have gone to the edge of outer space — and scientists are not happy about it. Fragmentary remains of two ancient human relatives, Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi, were carried aboard a Virgin Galactic flight on Sept. 8. Departing from Spaceport America in New Mexico, the fossils, carried by South African-born billionaire Timothy Nash in a cigar-shaped tube, were rocketed to the edge of space.

Alessio Veneziano, a biological anthropologist and co-organizer of the AHEAD conference (Advances in Human Evolution, Adaptation and Diversity), succinctly identified four main issues that have been discussed: 1) the lack of scientific justification for the flight; 2) ethical issues surrounding respect for human ancestral remains; 3) Berger's access to the fossils, which few other researchers share; and 4) the misrepresentation of the practice of palaeoanthropology. (9/12)

County Approves $1.26 Million Incentive for Space Coast Defense Project (Source: Florida Today)
An economic-incentive grant for a project that could bring hundreds of jobs and big capital investments to Titusville was approved to move forward this week. Brevard County Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve incentive money for 'Project Topaz', an undisclosed defense contractor promising hundreds of jobs for the north end of the county. The company will be awarded $1.26 million for 300 jobs created after the Board voted 4-1 to approve it Tuesday. Those jobs would have an average annual wage of nearly $90,000 annually. (9/14)

JWST Just Measured The Expansion Rate of The Universe. Astronomers Are Stumped (Source: Science Alert)
The James Webb Space Telescope has measured the expansion rate of the Universe, and the results are not great news for the biggest crisis in cosmology. The finding is in agreement with measurements made by the Hubble Space Telescope. This means that there's no error in the Hubble data, and we're still at an impasse.

A disagreement between different measurement methods known as the Hubble tension remains intact – so we're going to have to rely on some other way of figuring out how fast our Universe is expanding. (9/14)

Could Dark Matter be Made of Gravitons? (Source: Big Think)
Dark matter, astrophysically, is the gravitational "glue" that holds the overwhelming majority of large structures in the Universe together. However, despite the fact that every massive galaxy and group/cluster of galaxies is embedded in a dark matter halo, the particle(s) responsible for it have never been directly detected. Could the graviton, the hypothetical particle that mediates the gravitational force, be the ultimate culprit behind this mystery? It's a fascinating possibility. Click here. (9/14)