February 2, 2024

Congress Members Urge Funding for Mars Sample Return (Source: Space News)
More than 40 members of Congress have asked the White House to reverse NASA spending reductions on Mars Sample Return (MSR). In a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, 44 members of California's congressional delegation warned of job losses and a "decade of lost science" if the reductions are not undone. NASA slowed spending on MSR in November, citing the wide gap between the full request of $949.3 million for MSR in the House appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024 versus only $300 million in a Senate bill. The lead center for MSR is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, which laid off 100 contractors last month in response to the spending reductions. The letter noted that House and Senate appropriators are working on a "compromise position" on funding for MSR as they work to complete 2024 spending bills in the next month. (2/2)

India's Budget Includes More for Space (Source: The Hindu)
India's space program would get a modest increase in a proposed budget. The Interim Union Budget for 2024-25, released by the Indian government this week, offers nearly $1.6 billion for ISRO, a 4% increase from 2023-24. Much of the funding would go to support work on ISRO's Gaganyaan human spaceflight program and future robotic lunar missions. The budget also includes proposals to support development of Indian space startups through long-term interest-free loans. (2/2)

New Space Civil Reserve Will Avoid Uncertainty In Conflict (Source: Aviation Week)
The U.S. Space Force’s nascent Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) will set up contractual ways to ensure private companies are ready and able to contribute in the case of a conflict, and avoid the uncertainty that was recently seen with Starlink and the war in Ukraine. (1/30)

Collins Spacesuit Completes NASA Test (Source: Spaceflight Now)
Collins Aerospace has successfully completed the Crew Capability Assessment testing series under the NASA Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract. The company, in collaboration with ILC Dover and Oceaneering, is designing a new spacesuit with the recent tests designed to evaluate the fit and compatibility with ISS tools. (2/1)

Space Systems Command Gets New Leader (Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine)
Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant is officially in his role as the new leader of Space Systems Command, the acquisition arm of the US Space Force. He succeeds Gen. Michael Guetlein, due to Guetlein's promotion to vice chief of space operations. (2/1)

NGA Picks Contractors for R&D Services (Source: NGA)
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency awarded a new $794.1 million Research Development Contract indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract on Jan. 25. The four companies eligible to compete for task orders are Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Reinventing Geospatial, Inc. and Solis Applied Science, LLC. The RDC IDIQ will provide research and development services and support to NGA’s Research & Development directorate. It is a five-year contract with a two-year optional extension. The first task order for the IDIQ will be competed in February 2024. Editor's Note: The Solis team includes Space Coast-based Sidus Space. (1/26)

Environmental, Native Groups Win Appeal in Suit Regarding SpaceX Texas Beach Closures (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
A coalition of environmental and Native American groups won an appeal in their 2021 lawsuit against state and county officials over SpaceX’s recurring closures of Boca Chica beach for Starship testing and launches. Texas’ 13th district court of appeals ruled in favor of SaveRGV, the Sierra Club and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas in suits alleging that a 2013 state law allowing beach closures for space flight activities goes against the Open Beaches Amendment to the Texas Constitution. (2/1)

SpaceX Will Eye Lithuania for Expansion in Europe, Says Minister (Source: Delfi.en)
Minister of the Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė says she would like to see SpaceX expanding in Lithuania after she has recently met with Brett Johnsen, one of the executives of the US giant. Lithuania’s institutions have done a good job and SpaceX is very satisfied with the cooperation, according to the minister. (2/2)

Moon Shrinkage Could Threaten Future NASA Missions (Source: Business Insider)
The moon's interior is cooling, and its brittle crust is cracking, creating "thrust faults" where one piece slides over another, which can trigger moonquakes. That was all common knowledge in the scientific community at least five years ago. However, a new study published in the peer-reviewed Planetary Science Journal shows some of these faults are near potential landing sites for NASA's Artemis III mission and could be an issue for long-term lunar settlements. (2/1)

Canada Contributes $14.2 Million in 2024 Towards ESA Cooperation Agreement (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will contribute $14,216,200.80 to the European Space Agency (ESA) for the calendar year 2024 for its “Basic Activities.” In 2019 the CSA renewed its cooperation agreement with ESA for 10 years. As part of that agreement the CSA contributes an annual agreed upon contribution assessed by ESA for its basic activities for the year. In return for its contribution, the CSA expected results include “opportunities to advance science and technologies” for Canadian organizations. (2/1)

Training Underway for Two Newly Selected JAXA Astronaut Candidates (Source: Yomiuri)
JAXA opened to the press the basic training of two astronaut candidates, who were selected in February last year, at the Tsukuba Space Center. Ayu Yoneda, 28, a former surgeon at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, joined JAXA in April last year. Makoto Suwa, 47, a former senior disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank, did so last July. Since then, they have been receiving basic training, which ranges from learning Russian and other foreign languages, to training on how to pilot aircraft and acquiring expertise necessary for activities on the ISS. (2/2)

Robots to Help With Human Habitation in Space (Source: Harvard University)
The Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats institute (RETHi), led by Purdue University, will “design and operate resilient deep space habitats that can adapt, absorb and rapidly recover from expected and unexpected disruptions.” Justin Werfel, Senior Research Fellow in Robotics at SEAS, is leading the team tasked with developing technologies to let autonomous robots repair or replace damaged components in a habitat. (1/31)

Miami's 100 Fundadores and IFG Capital invest in Space Perspective's Carbon-Neutral Spaceflights (Source: Noah)
The 100 Fundadores community collaborates with IFG Capital to invest in Space Perspective, setting a new standard in luxury space tourism with Spaceship Neptune's carbon-neutral voyages. A new chapter has emerged in the realm of space tourism, with Miami's 100 Fundadores community, through their partnership with IFG Capital, making a significant investment in Space Perspective, the trailblazing company known for pioneering the world's first carbon-neutral spaceflight experience.

Oscar S. Garcia, Chairman and CEO of InterFlight Global Corporation and IFG Capital, alongside Christian Altaba, Founder of the 100 Fundadores, has led the private equity round. The duo, known for rocketing a nascent satellite technology firm to NASDAQ prominence within four years, now looks forward to charting a similar trajectory in the space tourism market with their latest investment. (2/1)

BlackStar Orbital Plans Spacecraft Manufacturing/Test Facility in Arizona (Source: BlackStar Orbital)
BlackStar Orbital Technologies, headquartered on the Florida Space Coast, plans to develop a new engineering and manufacturing facility in Sierra Vista, Arizona. The facility, set to be operational by 2026, is for the development and production of the BlackStar Spacecraft, the company's innovative spaceplane-satellite hybrid. This spacecraft combines the functionality of a satellite with the versatility of a spaceplane.

The Sierra Vista facility represents a $7.1 million investment, and will provide over 50 new jobs. It will encompass 45,000-square-feet, including 25,000-square-feet dedicated to hangar space for the BlackStar SpaceDrone. It's designed to foster innovation in systems and flight testing, with an initial production capacity of 15 spacecraft per year, scaling up to full production by 2026. This expansion is expected to bring at least 50 new aerospace and defense jobs to Sierra Vista, significantly contributing to the city's economic growth.

“The strategic location and robust support from local authorities like the City of Sierra Vista and the Arizona Commerce Authority have been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition." ... "We greatly appreciate the efforts of the Arizona Commerce Authority and our own City of Sierra Vista economic development team in doing the work needed to land this project. Sierra Vista’s tech-centric workforce and shovel-ready airport space make this an ideal location for BlackStar’s missions.” (1/31)

SpaceX’s Starship Test Flight Date Surfaces In New Report (Source: WCCF Tech)
It appears that the third test flight of the Strship system might take place in Texas as soon as next month. Christian Davenport shares that the FAA might provide a Starship launch license as soon as in mid February - a busy month for crewed and uncrewed orbital and deep space spaceflight missions in the United States. (1/31)

Japanese Space Lasers Aim to Clean Up Orbital Junk (Source: The Register)
Orbital Lasers is a startup backed by Japanese satellite operator SKY Perfect JSAT as a space debris removal service. If all goes to plan, the fledgling outfit aims to start operating sometime during 2029. The technology required for this service has been jointly designed and the operator and Japan's renowned Riken research institute, and is designed to operate by using laser ablation. (1/31)

ESA Will Test 3D Printing Metal on the ISS (Source: Engadget)
The first metal 3D printer that will be used in space is on now at the ISS. The Cygnus NG-20 supply mission carried the 180kg printer and astronaut Andreas Mogensen will install it. Airbus developed it for ESA. The machine will then be controlled and monitored from Earth. (1/31)

NASA Picks Environmental Restoration, Compliance Contractors (Two From Florida) (Source: NASA)
NASA has selected five companies to provide environmental restoration and compliance services at NASA centers, facilities, and other agency assets. The awardees are: AECOM Technical Services, Inc., Orlando, Florida; HydroGeoLogic, Inc., Reston, Virginia; ISMS-Navarro LLC, Richland, Washington; Jacobs Geosyntec, Cape Canaveral, Florida; and Tetra Tech Inc., Pittsburgh. This is a fixed price contract not to exceed $375 million. The performance period runs through Jan. 30, 2029. (1/31)

Ohio NASA Contractor to Lay Off 122 Workers (Source: Cleveland.com)
ZIN Technologies, a company known for its work with NASA and the ISS, will lay off 122 workers this year. The announcement comes less than a year after the local firm was bought by Voyager Space. (2/1)

3 Aerospace Stocks Set to Soar in the Space Industry (Source: Investor Place)
For investors unfamiliar with the space industry, it may be surprising that some of the biggest players are defense contractors. Despite the tradition of military exploration, increasing commercial access has changed the space race for the better. Today, longtime government sweethearts compete with young and hungry corporations looking to revolutionize space travel. The U.S. defense-contracting giants continue to compete for their place among the stars. Here are three aerospace stocks in the space industry to watch closely for soaring success: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing. (1/31)

Israeli Space Forum to be Launched to Spur Growth of Industry (Source: Jerusalem Post)
The Israeli Space Forum is set to be launched on April 2 to help connect companies, entrepreneurs, start-ups, investors, and academics to help grow Israel's budding space sector, the Israel Space Agency and Rakia mission revealed. The goal of the forum is to allow different companies and entrepreneurs to link up with investors, government bodies, academics, and global players in the space sector. In doing so, the Israeli Space Forum hopes to facilitate entrepreneurial activity, helping Israeli firms break into the growing space market. (1/31)

For the First Time NASA Has Asked Industry About Private Missions to Mars (Source: Ars Technica)
This week, the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued a new solicitation to the industry titled "Exploring Mars Together: Commercial Services Studies." This is a request for proposals from the US space industry to tell NASA how they would complete one of four private missions to Mars, including delivering small satellites into orbit or providing imaging services around the red planet. (2/1)

Space Force Awards $11.5M Grant to UC to Fix Orbiting Satellites (Source: University of Cincinnati))
The U.S. Space Force awarded an $11.5 million grant to the University of Cincinnati and two other institutions to develop satellite-based robotics technologies for servicing other satellites or removing debris in orbit. When satellites break, which is surprisingly often, they can become billion-dollar paperweights that put other satellites at risk. UC will work with Clemson University and the University of Arizona along with four aerospace companies, including Sierra Lobo, Inc., based in Fremont, Ohio. (2/1)

Musk Goes All-In on Texas Over his $55 Billion Pay Package Rejection (Source: Dallas Morning News)
Elon Musk wants to deepen his links to Texas. He’s already expanded a SpaceX launch site in South Texas, moved Tesla Inc.’s home office to Austin from Palo Alto, Calif., relocated himself and his charity and befriended state political leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott.

Now Musk is threatening to shift Tesla’s incorporation to Texas from Delaware after a judge in the tiny state voided his $55 billion compensation package. As he often does with controversial business decisions, Musk turned to his followers on X and asked them to vote on what he should do. By Wednesday afternoon, Texas had won about 87% of the 1 million votes, with five hours to go in the survey. (1/31)

Space, the Final (Construction) Frontier (Source: Space News)
While the space economy’s construction landscape already has seasoned incumbents such as Momentus Space, Astrotech Space Operations and Texas Sterling-Banicki, its rapid expansion and growing demand also offers a prime opportunity for new entrants. As the sector grows and evolves, there’s an opening for newcomers to learn and make an impact, and for industry leaders to expand their footprint. Here are three compelling reasons for the construction industry to focus on space to infinity, and beyond.

The construction industry should set its terrestrial sights on a key driver of the space economy — spaceports. These highly-complex projects are made up of components including control centers, rocket launch pads, communication facilities and more. The current space economy demand is largely for improvements and upgrades to existing spaceports (a projected budget for which is $1.3 billion), however with planned increases in satellite launches and space exploration missions, it would not be surprising to see a need for new spaceport construction in the coming years. (2/1)

Refueling, Propulsion ‘Jetpacks’ Near-Term Space Force ‘Mobility’ Plans (Source: Breaking Defense)
In the near term, the Space Force’s plans to implement dynamic space operations are focused on acquiring satellites that can be refueled and the means to do so, as well as propulsion units that can be strapped on to satellites that have run out of fuel, according to service officials.

“We’re taking our cues from Space Systems Command,” Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, Space Force program executive officer for Assured Access to Space, told reporters here today. “So that’s where prioritizing on-orbit refueling is coming from as the immediate need. You know, everybody’s focused on great power competition and making sure that we as a force are prepared to meet that.” (1/31)

NASA Panel Warns Astronaut Moon Plan May be Too Ambitious (Source: CNBC)
NASA’s Artemis moon mission program regularly faces a wide swath of questions – from legislators, auditors, companies and even just the American public – about goals, timeline, cost and more. One question I hadn’t seen before was posed recently, directed at the plan to return U.S. astronauts to the moon’s surface for the first time since Apollo: Is the Artemis 3 mission too ambitious?

Notable, too: The concern wasn’t raised by known doubters, special interest groups or a competitive party. It was NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel. ASAP, an independent group that reports both to NASA and Congress and focuses foremost on safety, has existed since the 1967 Apollo 1 tragedy. (2/1)

Excitement Builds for Finding Life on Mars After Perseverance Rover’s Ground-Penetrating Radar Discovery (Source: SciTech Daily)
Ground-penetrating radar onboard NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has confirmed that the Jezero crater, formed by an ancient meteor impact just north of the Martian equator, once harbored a vast lake and river delta. Over eons, sediment deposition and erosion within the crater shaped the geologic formations visible on the surface today. The discovery of lake sediments reinforces the hope that traces of life might be found in soil and rock samples collected by Perseverance. (1/29)

DISH Backs Off of Controversial Post-Echostar Asset Swap (Source: Cord Cutters)
DISH Network reversed course and killed a plan to swap assets with new parent Echostar in a move that confused Wall Street and outraged its debt holders. While Echostar’s stock surged on the news, the prices of its bonds plummeted. Echostar creditors, who own debt in the combined company, weren’t happy, and threatened to sue the company for the move, claiming the asset swap was illegal. Many banded together to take action against the company. (1/30)

Neutron Star's Core Investigated "Cold Quark Matter" (Source: Popular Mechanics)
A new study from an international team of scientists estimates that there is an 80 to 90 percent chance that the cores of massive neutron stars are made up of free-roaming quarks and gluons. This state of matter, known as “cold quark matter,” can likely only exist in the cores of these immensely dense objects. Tthere’s an 80 to 90 percent chance that massive neutron stars—ones at least twice as massive as our Sun—likely have a core composed entirely of a matter state known as “cold quark matter” in which protons and neutrons simply don’t exist. (2/1)

ESA 144 Person Moonbase Will Use Many Inflatable Modules (Source: Next Big Future)
The European Space Agency and Hassell Studio design for a 144 person moonbase has dozens of inflatable modules that will be covered by regolith. The larger inflatable modules are about 22 feet (7 meters wide), ~60 feet long and up to 14 feet. This is based upon the rendering of the inside of one of the larger habitat modules. There would hundreds modules to make up the smaller hallway sections. They will use a lot of 3D printing and many vertical solar panels. Click here. (1/31)

DARPA’s Blackjack Satellites Hit Milestones (Source: Interesting Engineering)
DARPA is one step closer to realizing its vision of a global high-speed network in LEO that could revolutionize national security space capabilities. The satellites supporting its Blackjack program have completed critical milestones activities. The key objectives of the Blackjack program are to show LEO performance that is on par with current systems in GEO, with the spacecraft combined bus, payload(s), and launch costs under $6 million per orbital node. (1/31)

First Space Force Guardian Will Launch Into Space This Summer (Source: The Hill)
The U.S. Space Force will send its first Guardian into space this summer in a mission with other astronauts, NASA announced Wednesday. Space Force Col. Tyler “Nick” Hague will join three other astronauts on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission no earlier than August, headed for the ISS. (1/31)

Lack Of Appropriations Limits DoD Launch Procurement (Source: Aviation Week)
The lack of fiscal 2024 appropriations will have a substantial impact on U.S. Space Force operations unless Congress can approve a new spending bill to free up needed funding for future launches, an official says. Under an ongoing continuing resolution, the service cannot exceed spending beyond previous-year levels. (1/31)

Blue Origin’s Rocket Engine Tests Rattling Huntsville (Source: AL.com)
Blue Origin, the rocket company owned by Jeff Bezos, has been making noise testing a big new rocket engine on Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville is loving it. For older residents of the Rocket City, this month’s long, loud test fire, the latest in a series of engine tests, was an echo of the 1960s when NASA tested Saturn V engines in the same test stand. (1/31)

NOAA, SpaceX Enter Cooperative Agreement for Automated Collision Avoidance R&D (Source: NOAA)
NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce (OSC) and SpaceX have entered into a no-exchange-of-funds Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for research and development activities related to automated collision avoidance and satellite conjunction assessment screenings. Under the terms of this CRADA, OSC will perform an astrodynamics evaluation of SpaceX software. (1/31)

Texas Parks Department Agrees to Delay SpaceX Land Exchange Deal After Public Says Process Was Rushed (Source: Texas Standard)
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will now decide in March whether to give SpaceX over 40 acres of state park land. TPWD is considering trading 43 acres of Boca Chica State Park land for 477 acres of land near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. SpaceX is attempting to expand its production facility at Boca Chica Beach. TPWD’s commissioners were set to vote on the exchange on Thursday, January 25. But after returning from executive session on Wednesday the commissioners said they would vote during their March meeting. (1/31)

White House Official Calls for Investment in Satellite Servicing Market (Source: C4ISRnet)
A top National Space Council official urged U.S. agencies to start budgeting for on-orbit satellite refueling and servicing capabilities as a signal to industry that they’re serious about pursuing new ways of operating in space. Diane Howard, the council’s head of commercial space policy, said agencies including the Space Force have done a good job in recent years of articulating their interest in these types of capabilities, but now they need to act. (1/31)

Spaceport America Faces Criticism After Virgin Galactic Layoffs (Source: KRWG)
Just months after its first commercial launch, the company announced a series of layoffs, and said it would pause spaceflights in mid-2024 to focus on developing a new fleet of ships. After years of promises from Virgin Galactic and hundreds of millions of public dollars invested, many are wondering whether or not the spaceport can bring meaningful change to the community. Ingo Hoeppner is a business owner and recently elected city commissioner for the town. He said while he’s happy to see young people getting involved in STEM fields, the spaceport has fallen short of expectations. (1/31)

What Went Wrong with Mars Sample Return (Source: Planetary Society)
NASA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) program was supposed to be lean, fast, and focused — no extra science instruments, no dedicated communications systems, and launching in 2026. But the effort has foundered due to its complexity and mismanagement. Click here. (1/31)