December 21, 2023

White House Releases Mission Authorization Policy Framework (Source: Space News)
The White House released a policy framework Wednesday for oversight of novel space activities. The policy is a companion to a legislative proposal for "mission authorization" released last month that would split responsibility between the Commerce and Transportation Departments for overseeing commercial space activities not licensed today. The policy creates a Private Sector Space Activities Interagency Steering Group co-chaired by those two departments with participation from several other agencies to develop best practices and standards regarding commercial space activities. The policy calls on agencies to use "their existing statutory authorities" to oversee activities while legislation for a formal mission authorization regime is developed. (12/21)

L3Harris Gets Green Light to Produce 16 Space-Based Hypersonic Missile Trackers [on Florida's Space Coast] (Source: Space News)
L3Harris has won approval to produce a set of missile-tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency (SDA). The company said those satellites passed a critical design review and production readiness review, allowing the company to proceed with manufacturing those 16 satellites. L3Harris won a $700 million contract from SDA in 2022 to design and produce 16 Tracking Layer Tranche 1 satellites, and to provide ground systems and support services for them. Maxar is providing the buses for those satellites. L3Harris produces satellites in Melbourne, Florida and Fort Wayne, Indiana. (12/20)

Firefly to Close Out 2023 with Launch of “Fly the Lightning” Mission (Source: NSF)
Just on the heels of their success in integrating and launching a payload to orbit within 27 hours for the Space Force, Firefly Aerospace is gearing up to fly again in 2023 — this time with a dedicated flight for Lockheed Martin. The Alpha FLTA004 mission was scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 2 West (SLC-2W) at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base no earlier than Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 9:18 AM PST, but was scrubbed due to weather. The company has rescheduled the launch for Friday at the same time. (12/20)

Defence Expenditures Again Drive Record Government Spending in Space (Source: Space News)
Euroconsult has released its annual, and 23rd, deep dive into government spending on space programs with spending reaching record levels and defence expenditures driving growth. According to the report, government expenditures on space programs increased to USD $117 billion, a 15% increase compared to the previous year. (12/20)

France to Establish NewSpace Hubs in Denver and Houston (Source: Space News)
The French space agency CNES is establishing a presence in Denver and Houston to tap into American entrepreneurial space expertise. The "virtual hubs" in those cities are part of Connect by CNES, a government initiative to spur space-related innovation. Those hubs will help establish partnerships between American and French companies. That effort is part of the France 2030 national investment plan that will spend more than $1.6 billion on space technologies over the next five years. (12/21)

Scientists Agree on New Group to Search for Dark Matter (Source: Cosmos)
Scientists from around the world gathered in Sydney to grapple with the challenge of how to tell what direction a theoretical dark matter particle has come from. That this is the topic of an entire gathering of dark matter scientists gives some clue as to the importance of this question. A decision from the conference could turbo-charge the hunt for the answer. But directionality is only half the problem. The other half is how to detect a completely neutral particle that leaves no trace, at least not one that can be detected with current technologies. (12/21)

Sussex Research Takes Us a Step Closer to Sustaining Human Life on Mars (Source: University of Sussex)
Researchers at the University of Sussex discovered the transformative potential of Martian nanomaterials, potentially opening the door to sustainable habitation on the red planet. Using resources and techniques currently applied on the ISS and by NASA, Dr Conor Boland led a research group that investigated the potential of nanomaterials – incredibly tiny components thousands of times smaller than a human hair – for clean energy production and building materials on Mars.

Taking what was considered a waste product by NASA and applying only sustainable production methods, including water-based chemistry and low-energy processes, the researchers have successfully identified electrical properties within gypsum nanomaterials - opening the door to potential clean energy and sustainable technology production on Mars. (12/20)

Virgin Galactic Keeps Some Claims Out of Investor Suit on Safety (Source: Bloomberg)
Virgin Galactic Holdings investors failed to convince a federal judge to reinstate claims that the company miscast a near-fatal spacecraft test run as safe and that founder Richard Branson engaged in insider sales following a troubled flight. There also won’t be an immediate appeal on whether investors who bought into Virgin Galactic after it went public through a merger can sue it for statements it made before the tie-up. Even though the question is part of a “developing area of securities law” around mergers with special purpose acquisition companies, the investors didn’t meet the standard for immediate review. (12/20)

ULA’s Vulcan Rocket is Fully Stacked at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Ars Technica)
United Launch Alliance's first Vulcan rocket has been fully assembled at Cape Canaveral, in preparation for its inaugural flight next month. Technicians hoisted the Vulcan rocket's payload fairing, containing a commercial lunar lander from Astrobotic, on top of the launch vehicle Wednesday morning at ULA's Vertical Integration Facility. This milestone followed the early morning transfer of the payload fairing from a nearby facility where Astrobotic's lunar lander was fueled for its flight to the Moon. (12/20)

Our Ranking of Top US Launch Companies Finds a Familiar Name on Top (Source: Ars Technica)
After our inaugural ranking last year, Ars Technica is again publishing a list of the most accomplished US commercial launch companies. We hope the list sparks debate, discussion, and appreciation for the challenge of operating a successful rocket company. Please note that this is a subjective list, although hard metrics such as total launches, tonnage to orbit, success rate, and more were all important factors in the decision. And our focus remains on what each company accomplished in 2023, not on what they might do in the future. Certainly there will be more reshuffling next year. Click here. (12/20)

Bolivia’s Hypergravity Blood Cell Test for Astronaut Health (Source: ESA)
The latest international group to employ ESA’s hypergravity-generating Large Diameter Centrifuge is an all-female team from Bolivia, with access sponsored by the United Nations and ESA. The researchers are investigating whether the high gravity levels experienced during rocket launches might contribute to the anemia afflicting many astronauts in space. (12/19)

ESA Astronaut Candidates Visit Houston (Source: ESA)
Last week, members of ESA’s astronaut class of 2022 embarked on their first overseas field trip. They visited NASA’s facilities at the Johnson Space Center to get familiar with the environment where they will spend a significant part of their training once assigned to a mission. The group included ESA astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois, and Marco Sieber, ESA member of the reserve John McFall, alongside Katherine Bennell-Pegg from the Australian Space Agency. The candidates are currently undergoing basic astronaut training. (12/20)

United States Announces Plan to Land International Astronaut on the Moon (Source: CNN)
Vice President Kamala Harris announced Wednesday that an international astronaut will be landing on the surface of the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program. While the United States had previously committed to flying international astronauts around the moon on future Artemis missions, today’s announcement takes that commitment a step further by allowing one of them to actually walk on the surface of the moon — thereby joining an elite club that thus far has only 12 members. (12/20)

The Commercial Space Act of 2023 is Bad for National Security (Source: Just Security)
Sound commercial space regulations will accomplish three policy goals: promote industry growth, satisfy international obligations, and preserve national security. Policymakers should apply this Rule of Three as a framework for devising dynamic space policies.

The Commercial Space Act of 2023, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last month,  aims to streamline regulatory processes for commercial space activity, create a favorable competitive environment, and enable the continuation of U.S. leadership in space activities. When analyzed using the Rule of Three framework, it comes up short. While it checks the box for satisfying international obligations and offers a light touch that will promote industry growth, it overlooks the goal of preserving national security.

Indeed, the legislation represents a step backwards. It would eliminate –and fail to replace– the mitigation tool the United States currently relies on to protect against the national security risks posed by novel remote sensing capabilities. The Commercial Space Act reflects a common assumption that encouraging industry growth must come at the expense of preserving national security. This is a false choice. Click here. (12/19)

Space Florida in 2023: Expanding Aerospace Infrastructure Development, Fueling the Integrated Space-Earth Economy (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, closes out 2023 with approximately $5.5 billion of statewide capital investment in its 151-project pipeline. This year saw the closing of major projects such as BAE Systems in Jacksonville and Amazon’s Project Kuiper on the Space Coast. Additionally, Space Florida expanded partnerships with CAE USA in Tampa and SIMCOM Aviation Training in Orlando. These projects are representative of Space Florida’s statewide authority and the broad application of its unique financing toolkit across the aerospace sector. 

Florida is expected to support more than 70 launches accounting for approximately 70% of total U.S. launches by the end of 2023, with over 1,400 payloads (or 2 million pounds) into orbit, more than doubling the amount from just two years ago. This increase in launch cadence is the first chapter in the story of increasing economic activity in space. Space Florida is leveraging this increased activity to further develop the state's space transportation network, which includes earth-based research and development and support systems, and financing and supporting in-space assets. Click here. (12/21)

AIA Calls for Full FAA Reauthorization (Source: AIN Online)
Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Eric Fanning is calling on Congress to move beyond legislative extensions and pass a full reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration. "Allowing the FAA's authorization to expire is a nonstarter," he said, "but an extension through March only delays the inevitable: Congress must reauthorize the FAA to strengthen our global leadership in aviation, maintain the gold standard for safety and certification, and unleash innovation that will fundamentally transform the way Americans travel. Safety is the industry's top priority, and we cannot allow a pattern of short-term extensions to continue." (12/19)

Surface of Saturnian Moon Enceladus Shields Buried Organics (Source: Phys.org)
The Saturnian moon Enceladus presents a unique opportunity in our solar system to search for evidence of life, given its habitable ocean and plume that deposits organic-bearing ocean material onto the surface. A paper led by Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist Amanda R. Hendrix says that an ample supply of relatively pristine plume organics could be measured by instruments sent to Enceladus' surface. (12/18)

Starlink Rival HughesNet Launches Upgraded 100 Mbps Satellite Internet Plans (Source: Cord Cutters)
HughesNet on Tuesday launched new satellite internet plans boasting upgraded download speeds of up to 100 Mbps as it hopes to regain ground lost to Starlink. The new plans, which fall under the Elite and Fusion tiers, following the launch of Jupiter 3, one of the world’s largest communications satellite constellations that brought in much-needed capacity. (12/19)

Bezos's Dream for the Solar System: 37,000 Active Serial Killers (Source: Business Insider)
Jeff Bezos thinks humans should live on space stations so there can be 1 trillion of us. He believes that 1 trillion humans would result in 1,000 Mozarts and 1,000 Einsteins at any given time. But he fails to take into account other issues that may arise with a much larger human population, such as the prevalence of serial killers. (12/18)

After Raising $9.5 Million, Startup OurSky Sees Strong Demand for Space Data Platform (Source: Space News)
Hundreds of customers have signed up for an online platform unveiled in early December by OurSky, a startup that recently raised $9.5 million to simplify tracking of objects in space. OurSky was founded in 2022 by Daniel Roelker, former SpaceX vice president of software engineering, and Alex Hawkinson, founder of home automation startup SmartThings and a prominent astrophotographer. Los Angeles-based OurSky gathers data with a global telescope network. (12/18)

SpaceX Reveals New Launch Date for 5th Attempt at Falcon Heavy Mission (Source: Digital Trends)
SpaceX has revealed a new target launch date for a mission that will see its triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket carry an experimental space plane to orbit for the U.S. Space Force. The private spaceflight company has announced that it’s now targeting the launch for no earlier than Thursday, December 28. (12/17)

New Report Urges US to Look Beyond Cheap Low-Earth Satellites for Missile Warning (Source: Defense One)
Lots of cheap satellites in low-Earth orbit may not be enough to protect against Chinese and Russian hypersonic weapons, so the U.S. should broaden its missile-defense strategy by adding a variety of sensors—including drones, aircraft, and higher-orbit satellites, according to a new report from CSIS.

Despite the Pentagon's launch of several constellations in recent years, today's highly maneuverable hypersonics remain very difficult to track, especially across large bodies of water such as the South China Sea, one of the report’s authors said Monday. (12/18)

Webb Telescope Just Saw Something Strange on Uranus (Source: Mashable)
Before the James Webb Space Telescope looked at Uranus, most people's idea of the seventh planet was not much more than a bright blue ball, bopping along in the distant solar system. That changed after the leading infrared space observatory began studying the ice giant world earlier this year, bringing into focus a planet with vertical rings, more than two dozen moons, intriguing storms, and a bright spot at its north pole, known as a polar cap. (12/19)

The Great Attractor: Our Galaxy Is Being Pulled Toward Something We Cannot See (Source: IFLScience)
"Local flows within the region converge toward the Norma and Centaurus clusters in good approximation to the location of what has been called the ‘Great Attractor’." The Great Attractor, rather than anything to be afraid of, is where our local galaxies are heading to hang out, the central gravitational point of our local area of the universe. Unfortunately for any lonely galaxies hoping to meet other singles in their area, the expansion of the universe will eventually rip us all apart from the cluster's influence, as is the fate of the other superclusters out there. (12/19)

Probe Finds Strange Organic Material on Hazardous Asteroid (Source: Explorers Web)
When OSIRIS-REx impacted Bennu, embedding itself about half a meter below the surface, it pulled out curious material. “We definitely have hydrated, organic-rich remnants from the early solar system,” said Dante Lauretta, the mission’s principal investigator, at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference last week. Lauretta added that he expected the cosmochemistry community to “go to town” on the findings. (12/19)

Less Launch Pad Damage by SpaceX's Starship Bodes Well for Space Coast Facility (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Although SpaceX’s massive Starship and Super Heavy is still exploding mid-air during test flights, the fixes made to the launch pad have both company founder Elon Musk and NASA happy and could bode well for a pad planned for Florida’s Space Coast. The company needs to successfully achieve its first orbital launch test as well as dozens more uncrewed test flights, the introduction of an inflight refueling process that will be needed for its trip to the moon, and successfully perform a test landing on the moon before NASA will give the green light for its use on the Artemis III mission.

Between now and then, SpaceX will be shifting launches from Texas test flights to operational flights from Kennedy Space Center. At both sites, the 469-foot-tall launch integration tower, which Musk has referred to as “Mechazilla,” is designed to not only support the launch without suffering destruction between launches but also withstand a return landing capture of the Super Heavy booster with the aid of two pivoting metal arms called the “chopsticks.”

Any damage from such a launch and landing, though, at KSC could threaten NASA’s ability to launch crewed missions on the Falcon 9 rocket. So SpaceX is building out a second crew-capable launch tower at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 and duplicating its launch pad engineering improvements in Texas before KSC’s first Starship launch. SpaceX has not announced a timetable for when the Space Coast might see its first Starship launch. (12/19)

DOD Prioritizing Cooperation With Allies in Space (Source: Space Daily)
Cooperation among allies is critical as global competitors increasingly look to space as the next frontier of warfare, the Pentagon's top space policy official said. Dr. John F. Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said space capabilities have become integral to everyday life and a crucial component underpinning the United States' economic prosperity and national security. (12/18)

HawkEye 360 Expands RF Data and Analytics Reach with Maxar Acquisition (Source: Space Daily)
HawkEye 360 announced its acquisition of RF Solutions from Maxar Intelligence. RF Solutions, a division formed after Maxar Intelligence's acquisition of Aurora Insight in January 2023, specializes in secure, precise geospatial intelligence. This acquisition marks a significant step in expanding HawkEye 360's capabilities in the rapidly evolving domain of space-based RF technology. (12/19)

A New Tool to Better Model Future Wildfire Impacts in the United States (Source: Space Daily)
Wildfire management systems outfitted with remote sensing technology could improve first responders' ability to predict and respond to the spread of deadly forest fires. To do this, researchers at The Ohio State University are testing the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar, or SAR, to help with wildfire detection. (12/18)

RTX to Track UK Space Assets with Low Earth Orbit Observation System (Source: Space Daily)
Raytheon NORSS, a division of Raytheon, has been entrusted with a significant contract to augment the United Kingdom's capabilities in space domain awareness. This move, involving the provision of Space Surveillance and Tracking Services Data (SST) in low-Earth orbit (LEO) for Resident Space Objects (RSO), marks a pivotal step in enhancing the UK's sovereign capabilities in monitoring space. (12/19)

North Korea's 'Reckless' Missile Launches Need 'Robust' Global Response (Source: Space Daily)
World powers said Tuesday that the international community needed a firm and unified response to North Korea's "reckless" nuclear build-up and missile launches. G7 foreign ministers said in a statement after the launch of Pyongyang's most powerful ballistic missile that "North Korea's repeated reckless actions must be met with a swift, united and robust international response, particularly by the United Nations Security Council". (12/19)

NASA's BurstCube Passes Milestones on Journey to Launch (Source: Space Daily)
Scientists and engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have completed testing for BurstCube, a shoebox-sized spacecraft designed to study the universe's most powerful explosions. Members of the team have also delivered the satellite to their partner Nanoracks (part of Voyager Space) in Houston, Texas, where it will be packed for launch. (12/19)

China Reaffirms Stance Against Space Arms Race at U.N. General Assembly (Source: Space Daily)
In a recent press conference, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, emphatically restated China's long-standing position against the militarization of outer space. This declaration comes amidst growing international concerns over the potential for an arms race in space, an issue that has seen increasing attention at global forums like the United Nations. (12/18)

More Space Force Generals Confirmed (Source: Space News)
Two Space Force generals were among officers that received long-delayed Senate confirmation of their promotions Tuesday. The Senate confirmed the promotions of Space Force Gens. Michael Guetlein and Gen. Stephen Whiting after being nominated for promotion to four-star general in July. Their promotions, and those of hundreds of other officers across the armed forces, had been held up by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) in protest of the Pentagon's policy of reimbursing travel costs for troops seeking abortions.

Guetlein is poised to succeed now-retired Gen. David "DT" Thompson as vice chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, while Whiting will assume the top post at U.S. Space Command, succeeding Army Gen. James Dickinson. (12/20)

X-37B Launch Delay Pushes Intuitive Machines Lunar Mission to February (Source: Space News)
Intuitive Machines says it is delaying the launch of its first lunar lander mission by a month to mid-February. The company said late Tuesday its IM-1 mission, which was scheduled for launch Jan. 12 on a Falcon 9, will slip because of "shifts in the SpaceX launch manifest." That is a reference to delays in the Falcon Heavy launch of the X-37B, which is using the same pad that IM-1 will use.

The Falcon Heavy delay means the pad will not be ready in time to support a launch by Jan. 16, when the January launch period for IM-1 closes. Intuitive Machines did not disclose a new landing date for the mission but previously said landing would take place about a week after launch. (12/20)

Astrobotic Readies Peregrine Lunar Lander Mission Ready for ULA Launch in January (Source: Space News)
Astrobotic, meanwhile, says its Peregrine lunar lander is ready for launch next month. The company said Tuesday that it had completed pre-launch processing for the lander, scheduled to launch Jan. 8 on the first United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur. That launch would set up a landing attempt for Peregrine on Feb. 23. Peregrine, like IM-1, is carrying payloads for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program as well as for commercial customers. (12/20)

European Investment Bank to Support Belgian Space Industry Development (Source: Space News)
The European Investment Bank (EIB) plans to work with the Belgian region of Wallonia to build up its space industry. EIB signed an agreement this week with Belgian government officials to develop Wallonia's space industry, marking the first time Europe's lending arm has entered such a deal with a region in the European Union. EIB will work with Skywin, Wallonia's aerospace cluster, in support for Earth observation and reusable launch vehicle efforts in the region. (12/20)

Yahsat Plans Merger with Bayanat (Source: The National)
Satellite operator Yahsat announced plans Tuesday to merge with geospatial company Bayanat. The merger would create a combined entity called Space42 that would be valued at $4.1 billion. Bayanat would own 54% of the merged company, based in Abu Dhabi. The companies described Space42 as the region's "first AI-powered space technology company," but didn't elaborate on the role that AI would play. Yahsat operates several GEO communications satellites. (12/20)

Ariane 6 Debut Not Affected by Aborted Upper Stage Test (Source: Space News)
ESA says the first launch of the Ariane 6 should not be affected by an aborted upper stage engine test earlier this month. In an update Tuesday, ESA said an investigation is underway of the Dec. 7 hot-fire test of the upper stage in Germany, which was shut down after two minutes. That test was intended to study the performance of the stage in "degraded" conditions rather than those in a normal flight. ESA said a practice countdown last week in French Guiana, which included a brief firing of the Ariane 6 core stage engine, was a success, and reaffirmed a launch period of between June 15 and July 31 for the first Ariane 6. (12/20)

Senate FAA Reauthorization Extends Spaceflight Learning Period (Source: Roll Call)
The Senate passed another short-term reauthorization of the FAA that extends the commercial spaceflight "learning period." The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent Tuesday after the House passed it last week. The bill extends various FAA authorities, set to expire Jan. 1, through March 8. That includes what the commercial spaceflight industry calls the learning period that restricts the FAA's ability to regulate safety of commercial spaceflight participants. The House and Senate continue to work on a long-term FAA reauthorization. (12/20)

Chinese Astronauts Plan TSS Spacewalk (Source: Xinhua)
Astronauts on China's space station are preparing for a spacewalk. Chinese media reported Wednesday that astronauts will perform a spacewalk "within the next few days," but did not disclose who would participate in the spacewalk or what tasks they would perform. The spacewalk will be the first for the crew that arrived at the station on the Shenzhou-17 mission in late October. (12/20)

Virgin Galactic Plans Jan. 26 Suborbital Mission at Spaceport America (Source: Virgin Galactic)
Virgin Galactic announced plans Tuesday for its next suborbital spaceflight. The Galactic 06 mission, scheduled for Jan. 26, will be the first to carry four private astronauts; previous flights carried three customers and one Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor. The company did not disclose the names of the customers but said they came from Austria, Ukraine and the United States. Virgin Galactic announced last month that it would decrease the flight rate of its VSS Unity spaceplane from monthly to quarterly and end flights in mid-2024 to focus resources on the development of its next-generation Delta vehicles. (12/20)

Policy Bill Backs New Revenue Streams for US Space Force Launch Ranges (Source: Defense News)
The fiscal 2024 defense policy bill takes a step toward helping the U.S. Space Force manage its launch ranges more like commercial spaceports, but one lawmaker says there’s still work to be done. The National Defense Authorization Act, which is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature, includes a provision that allows the Space Force to collect additional fees from commercial companies that operate at its space launch ranges.

While the service previously charged for direct cost like equipment usage at a launch pad, the 1984 Commercial Space Act restricted it from asking companies to pay for what are considered “indirect” costs, like facilities repair and maintenance. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-CA, said the change in policy is a win for the Space Force and for the companies that use its ranges, particularly those at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, which resides in Carbajal’s district.

“It’s just really making sure that the ranges are getting their appropriate share of reimbursement from these companies so that they can continue to modernize and put that money back into the ranges,” he said. “It moves in the direction of just being more equitable all around.” The provision, which Carbajal first introduced to the House’s version of the NDAA, limits the amount of indirect fees the Space Force can collect to 30% of what a company is contracted to pay in direct costs, with a cap of $5 million per year. (12/19)

Blue Origin Expects Uptick in Launches (Source: Space Daily)
"Demand for New Shepard flights continues to grow and we're looking forward to increasing our flight cadence in 2024," said Phil Joyce, the company's senior vice president. The science experiments onboard included one to demonstrate the operation of hydrogen fuel cell technology in microgravity, and another showing how water and gas move in a weightless environment. Future applications could include monitoring water quality for astronauts in space. (12/19)