October 8, 2023

$1 Million Competition for Recording Extraterrestrial Activity on a Ring Device (Source: USA Today)
Ring is showing that their surveillance cameras record more than just suspicious human and animal activity. They're also ready to capture any extraterrestrial beings. The home security company has announced their "Million Dollar Search for Extraterrestrials" competition. The contest, open only to Americans at least 18 years old, is to capture "unaltered scientific evidence of a real extraterrestrial lifeform" with a Ring device. One winner will receive the grand prize of $1 million awarded with $50,000 payments a year for two decades, the company said. (10/5)

Space Tourism Will Be a Reality in India's Future, Says ISRO Official (Source: The Hindu)
Satish Dhawan Space Center Deputy Director T.S. Raghuram has claimed that space tourism would become a reality in the future. Mr. Raghuram said, “Research on the possibilities for space tourism is in progress. The International Space Week is being observed in order to create awareness on space programs and inculcate a scientific temperament among students.” (10/6)

Vandenberg Space Force Base to Host Falcon 9 Launch Early Monday Morning (Source: KEYT)
SpaceX has selected Monday, Oct. 9 at 12:23 a.m. for a Falcon 9 launch carrying 21 Starlink Satellites destined for low-Earth orbit. The launch is scheduled to take off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base and there are four backup launch windows starting at 1:14 a.m. until 3:46 a.m. (10/6)

IAI and the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Announce Agreement on Azersky-2 Program (Source: AIA)
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Azercosmos, a pioneering force of Azerbaijan in the space industry, are announcing a cooperation agreement for the sale of two of IAI’s cutting-edge multi spectral electro optical satellites, better than 0.5 meter native resolution with a long life span and high imaging performance. IAI will provide Azercosmos with two satellites within Azersky -2 program, technology and knowledge for the construction and the operation of the satellites. (10/2)

AAC Clyde Space Receives SEK 12.1 Million Satellite Order (Source: AAC Clyde Space)
AAC Clyde Space has won a GBP 0.902 million (approx. SEK 12.1 million) order for a 3U satellite. The satellite is scheduled for delivery in Q4 2024. The satellite will be equipped with a VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) payload. VDES was developed to meet the increasing need for data communication between maritime users, providing faster data transfer rates with greater integrity than current VHF data link systems. (10/3)

Viasat Launches Competition to find the UK’s Next Generation of Space Experts (Source: Viasat)
Viasat has launched its ‘Viasat Beyond: Space’ competition to support the next generation of UK engineers, artists, space lovers, and scientists. Students in years 12 and 13 (or their equivalent in Scotland) from schools around the UK will submit their creative ideas to support a safe and sustainable UK space sector. During the final stage of the competition, students will be mentored by Viasat staff with a variety of backgrounds and with diverse specialisms to help build both their ideas and speaking skills – before finalists pitch to a panel of expert judges. (10/3)

Satellite Industry Association Calls for Expanded Spectrum Resources to Support Rapidly Growing Commercial Space Industry (Source: SIA)
The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today called for expanded spectrum resources to support the rapidly increasing demand for commercial space industry services. In the new SIA Spectrum Report released earlier today, the Association called for a national policy that will prioritize additional spectrum for the U.S. commercial space industry. (10/4)

Studying Immune Cell Aging in Space May Lead to New Therapies for Patients on Earth (Source: CASIS)
A healthy immune system is what defends the body from invaders like bacteria and viruses. But for the elderly and those facing chronic diseases, the immune system can wear down over time. To better understand the relationship between immune aging and how the body heals itself, a team of scientists took their research to new heights by leveraging the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory to study microgravity’s effects on immune cell function. (10/3)

Where Have All the ETs Gone? (Source: Star Tribune)
At Los Alamos National Laboratory in the summer of 1950, four physicists sat down to lunch. One was Nobel laureate Enrico Fermi, a scientific genius arguably on a par with Albert Einstein. UFOs were in the news, and the four men briefly chatted about interstellar travel and aliens. Three of them moved on to other subjects, but as Prof. Adam Frank noted in his book "Light of the Stars," Fermi continued to ruminate and then blurted, "But where are they?" Click here. (1/7)

Experts Doubt Feasibility of SpaceX Mars Colony Plans (Source: Business Insider)
SpaceX founder and entrepreneur Elon Musk has said he plans to have a million people on Mars by 2050. Musk's goal goes beyond mere aspiration. He's said a permanent colony on the red planet could sustain our species if all humanity is extinguished on Earth. But what if Musk is making a mistake? Yes, experts agree we might want to settle other worlds, but Mars might not be our best bet, at least not now, four scientists told Insider. SpaceX didn't respond to Insider's request for comment for this story. Click here. (10/7)

ispace Signs Lunar Projects Agreement with Skyroot and HEX20 (Source: ispace)
ispace, inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited (Skyroot), the first Indian company to successfully launch a privately developed rocket into space, and HEX20 Pty Ltd (HEX20), an Australian company with a proven track record in supplying components for CubeSats and small satellites. Under the agreement, ispace, Skyroot, and HEX20 have agreed to conduct joint market development in the Indo-Pacific region to accelerate the number of lunar orbiting satellite missions. (10/6)