February 26, 2024

Long March 5 Deploys Communication Technology Demonstrator 11 Satellite (Source: Space Daily)
China's latest space mission has successfully placed an experimental telecommunications satellite into orbit, utilizing the Long March 5 carrier rocket. This initiative, orchestrated by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), marks a significant step in China's efforts to develop high-speed, multi-band communication technologies. (2/26)

Chang'e Lunar Missions to Benefit From New Relay Satellite Launch (Source: Space Daily)
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced the arrival of the Long March 8 carrier rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, Hainan province. Tasked with launching the Queqiao 2 relay satellite, pre-launch preparations, including assembly and ground testing of the rocket and satellite, are now underway, with the launch slated for the first half of this year.

Queqiao 2, the successor to Queqiao 1, is designed to facilitate communication between Earth and China's lunar probes, including Chang'e 4, Chang'e 6, Chang'e 7, and Chang'e 8. This satellite will play a critical role in missions to the Moon's far side, where direct communication is obstructed by the Moon itself. (2/26)

Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt Completes PDR (Source: Space Daily)
The United Arab Emirates Space Agency has successfully completed the critical preliminary design review (CDR) for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA). This important milestone, achieved between February 19 and 21, marks a significant advancement in the mission's progress, transitioning it into the production phase. The EMA mission, characterized by a six-year spacecraft design and development phase followed by a seven-year exploration journey, targets the main asteroid belt beyond Mars. (2/26)

Stratolaunch Conducts Second Captive Carry Flight of Hypersonic Vehicle TA-1 (Source: Space Daily)
Stratolaunch, a pioneer in aerospace technologies, has announced the successful completion of its second captive carry flight involving the Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle, TA-1. This latest flight marks a significant step forward in the company's ambitious program to develop and launch hypersonic vehicles, offering a glimpse into the future of high-speed aviation and defense capabilities.

The flight, which lasted for four hours and 29 minutes, was not just a routine test but a critical milestone for the Stratolaunch team. It represented the thirteenth flight of the company's massive launch platform, Roc, and the second instance where this unique aircraft carried a Talon vehicle equipped with live propellant. This flight was also notable for being the first time TA-1 operated within the Vandenberg Western Range, a strategic move as part of a comprehensive buildup approach for the vehicle's first powered flight. (2/26)

UK Space Industry to Tackle Skills Shortage and Defence Roles at Space-Comm Expo (Source: Space Daily)
Scheduled for 6-7 March 2024, Space-Comm Expo aims to enhance discussions within the UK's commercial and defence space sectors, providing a networking and collaboration platform. Following an industry-wide survey, the event highlights the sector's call for increased government support and strategies to address the skills shortage.

The Space-Comm Expo's annual survey reveals critical insights into the sector's trajectory, with 87% of participants expecting revenue growth up to 50% in the next year. Concerns surfaced around skills shortages, financial support, and supply chain issues, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Nonetheless, the sector remains optimistic about government investment and initiatives to address these challenges. (2/26)

Terran Orbital's Nanosatellite Surpasses 450 Days in Lunar Service for NASA (Source: Space Daily)
Terran Orbital Corporation has achieved a significant milestone with its 12U nanosatellite, which has now exceeded 450 days in orbit around the moon. This achievement is part of the CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) mission, in collaboration with Advanced Space, to support NASA's ambitious lunar exploration goals under the Artemis program. (2/26)

The 1st Private Moon Landing Just Happened. Is it Time for Lunar Law? (Source: Space.com)
Lunar pioneers will soon need to contend with a pretty serious issue when it comes to space exploration. "The thing about space is there is very little law," Martin Elvis, an astrophysicist at the Harvard & Smithsonian's Center for Astrophysics, said during this year's American Astronomical Society meeting. As Elvis says, the only firm type of space rulebook we have right now is the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which outlines tenets such as "states shall be liable for damage caused by their space objects" and "states shall avoid harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies." But even that has its caveats.

"It's not a prescription of laws," Elvis said. "It's a set of principles." It should be noted that policymakers are indeed making strides toward laying out the ground rules as nations across the globe start racing to space with wide dreams of moon mining, lunar telescope building and even placing artistic marks on the lunar surface. You may also find it interesting that there apparently seems to be an aspiration of sending Bitcoin and NFTs to the moon as well. Click here. (2/24)

Crew Launch Ends NASA Astronaut’s Nearly 15-Year Wait to Get to Space (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps has had to get comfy in three different spacecraft seats, but while she said she would have fit in any of them, it’s the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour set to lift off this week that ended up being the one that was just right. Chosen as one of nine NASA astronaut candidates in 2009, Epps is the last of her classmates to fly into space. She had previously been assigned to both a Soyuz mission and a Boeing CST-100 Starliner mission to the ISS, but after a reassignment took her off the Soyuz trip and delays piled up on Boeing’s Starliner program, Epps was finally shifted to the SpaceX Crew-8 mission.

“I’m very grateful for this flight,” Epps said. “I’ve trained for Soyuz. I’ve trained for Boeing. I’ve trained for a lot of vehicles, but I am honored to fly with this crew on the Dragon Endeavor.” Epps and her crewmates, though, are expected to actually welcome the first Starliner flight with crew on board while on orbit. The Crew Flight Test launching from Cape Canaveral on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to bring up two NASA astronauts on its test flight as early as mid-April. (2/25)

SpaceX Crams in an Extra Starlink in Latest Cape Canaveral Launch (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Because of increased performance on the Falcon 9 of late, this was the first time SpaceX was able to shoehorn in 24 of the larger V2 mini versions of the Starlink satellites, the midterm replacement for its original Starlink satellites that used to fly up in batches of 60. Previous launches from the East Coast were only flying 23. (2/24)

After-Hours Slots for Starlink (Source: SPACErePORT)
You may have noticed that SpaceX's Starlink missions tend to occur at night and on weekends. This is intentional, as the Air Force and NASA want to minimize the disruptions that launch operations cause for ground activities around the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (2/26)

Why Does NASA Launch Rockets From Cape Canaveral, Florida? (Source: AccuWeather)
NASA has been launching rockets from Cape Canaveral, Florida, for over 60 years, but this has not always been the primary launch site for the United States. Cape Canaveral was not the first choice by the United States when they began launching rockets, and the weather may have been an influence in that decision.

The weather does not always cooperate for rocket launches as more thunderstorms erupt in Florida per year than in any other state. Lightning from thunderstorms can be catastrophic to a rocket if it strikes in mid-flight. In 1987, lightning struck the AC-67 rocket less than a minute after liftoff, causing it to explode. Additionally, hurricanes and tropical storms can also threaten Florida.

Despite the threat of thunderstorms and hurricanes, NASA still uses this as their main launch facility for two main reasons: proximity to the ocean, and proximity to the equator. Click here. (2/23)

A Close Call for Lunar Lander, Laser Sensor Was Disabled (Source: SpaceQ)
While the Odysseus spacecraft was in lunar orbit, Intuitive Machines was having some difficulty with spacecraft orbit determination. As a result they decided to turn on the MDA built laser sensor to “ping” the surface. Unfortunately the laser didn’t “fire.” What they discovered was that the “safety enable switch,” an electronic switch was not disabled. The laser was not an eye safe laser, hence the need to enable the safety. Prior to launch the safety should have been disabled.

Altemus said there was no way for mission control to flip the switch in orbit so the laser could be used. This meant that for this mission MDA’s technology couldn’t be used. This could have resulted in mission failure if not for an experimental NASA technology instrument onboard. Intuitive Machines and NASA troubleshooted the problem in an ingenious way. An experimental NASA payload, the Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing (NDL) guidance system, which was going to conduct a variety of tests to try and prove out their systems ahead of future use, was pressed into service.

Intuitive Machines and NASA had to write new software code, test it, upload it to the spacecraft, have it work seamlessly with NASA’s NDL payload and work right away. And it did, which was quite an accomplishment. (2/25)

Life on Mars: Could We Really Survive on Another Planet? (Source: The Independent)
You’ll need to be healthy and motivated, proficient in English and in possession of a master’s degree. Successful applicants for this particular job can’t be smokers and – importantly – will need a “strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures”.

If that sounds like you, there’s a chance you could land one of the most out-of-this-world jobs there is: one of the first people on “Mars”. NASA isn’t yet ready to send people to the actual Red Planet. That 500-day, tens-of-millions-of-miles mission isn’t expected until the 2030s – and NASA has been prone to delays that mean it could easily stretch long past that. It hasn’t actually got a spacecraft that could carry people that far. Click here. (2/25)

Relative Dynamics Wins Contracts for Optical Comms Tech and Engineering (Source: Space News)
A startup focused on engineering services and optical communications technology development is growing rapidly thanks to recent government contracts. Maryland-based Relative Dynamics said it has doubled in size annually since 2021 as it wins business from the Space Force and NASA. The company was founded in 2011 to provide engineering services but moved into optical communications and ground terminal technology several years ago. (2/26)

Flawless Photonics Producing Optical Fibers on ISS (Source: Space News)
A startup is finding success producing high-quality optical fibers on the ISS. Silicon Valley startup Flawless Photonics has produced more than five kilometers of the ZBLAN optical fiber on the ISS in two weeks. ZBLAN has long been considered a potential killer app for in-space manufacturing because the material, difficult to produce on Earth, offers much better performance than other materials used in fiber optics. However, companies have struggled to produce ZBLAN in large quantities on the station until Flawless Photonics. The fibers being produced on the ISS will be returned in April for testing. (2/26)

Tony Frazier Takes the Helm at LeoLabs (Source: Space News)
ony Frazier, who led Maxar Technologies’ Earth Intelligence business, takes the helm March 1 of space mapping firm LeoLabs. Meanwhile, Dan Ceperley, who co-founded LeoLabs in 2016, will become chief operations officer for the 100-person company. (2/26)

China: New Manned Lunar Mission by 2030 (Source: CNSA Watcher)
How will astronauts reach the moon and work on its surface? China's manned lunar exploration mission is progressing in an orderly manner. Recently, the new spacecraft for China's manned lunar exploration mission has been named "Dream Boat" for the next-generation manned spacecraft and "Embrace Moon" for the lunar lander. According to the plan, China will achieve manned lunar landing by 2030 for scientific exploration. Currently, the Dream Boat spacecraft, Embrace Moon lander, and Long March 10 carrier rocket have entered the initial prototype development stage in full swing. Click here. (2/26)

Japan's Lunar Lander Awakens After 2 Week Night (Source: Space News)
A Japanese lunar lander has unexpectedly come back to life after the two-week lunar night. The Japanese space agency JAXA said Monday that it briefly received telemetry from the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on Sunday. SLIM landed in January and was not expected to survive the two-week lunar night because it lacks systems to keep the spacecraft's electronics warm. JAXA said it hopes to carry out additional observations using SLIM's multiband spectroscopic camera before the sun sets again Thursday. (2/26)

Commercial Providers Awaiting Demand Signals for Supporting Space Force (Source: Space News)
Space industry executives and investors are awaiting more clarity from the Space Force on how to make greater use of commercial capabilities. Business leaders said they see bright spots in the defense market such as the Space Development Agency's development of satellite constellations using commercial spacecraft, but want to see greater use of commercial space products and services across the Defense Department. The industry is perceiving some demand signals, but they would like for these signals to be amplified and transition into actionable commitments in the foreseeable future. (2/26)

Commercial Crew Mission Update (Source: Space News)
The next commercial crew mission to the International Space Station has passed a key review. NASA said Sunday the Crew-8 mission passed its flight readiness review, confirming plans for a launch just after midnight on Friday. The Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry a crew of four from NASA and Roscosmos to the station for a six-month stay. NASA and SpaceX officials said late Sunday they were closing out a few minor technical issues with the Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 ahead of the launch. NASA also said they were targeting April 22 for the launch of the first crewed Boeing CST-100 Starliner mission to the station after completing work to address technical problems that delayed its launch from last summer. (2/26)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
SpaceX launched a set of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Sunday. A Falcon 9 lifted off at 5:06 p.m. Eastern after a one-day delay and placed 24 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch included one more of the V2 mini Starlink satellites than previous launches from Florida, which SpaceX said was because of increased performance of the Falcon 9 rocket. (2/26)

Rocket Lab Readies for NRO Launch From Virginia (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab USA is poised to strengthen its collaboration with the National Reconnaissance Office with an upcoming launch from the US, scheduled for March. This mission, named NROL-123 or "Live and Let Fly," will be Rocket Lab's first NRO mission from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Va., following four successful NRO missions from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. (2/22)

China Aims for 100 Orbital Launches This Year (Source: Space News)
China has set a goal of 100 orbital launches this year. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) plans around 70 launches to send more than 290 spacecraft into orbit, it announced Monday, with the remaining launches coming from commercial launch providers. CASC did not disclose a detailed manifest but said that the schedule for the year includes two crew and two cargo missions to the Tiangong space station, the Queqiao-2 lunar relay satellite and Chang'e-6, a first-ever lunar far side sample return mission. China is also ramping up its use of the Long March 5, its largest current rocket, with four launches planned for this year and five in 2025. (2/26)

FAA "Learning Period" Ending Soon (Source: Space News)
A "learning period" limiting the FAA's ability regulate safety for commercial human spaceflight occupants is nearing its expiration. That restriction, enacted in 2004 and extended several times, is set to expire March 8. Many in industry expect Congress to extend the learning period as part of a broader FAA reauthorization bill, with some seeking an extension as long as eight years. The FAA has argued that the learning period should not be extended, giving it the ability to start enacting regulations, a process that will still take several years. (2/26)

SpaceX May Be Withholding Satellite Internet in Taiwan, Congressman Contends (Source: Wall Street Journal)
SpaceX may be withholding satellite service in and near Taiwan, in potential violation of contractual obligations with the U.S. government, a congressman said. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) said in a letter to Elon Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, that multiple sources told a select committee he leads that satellite broadband provided through the company’s Starshield unit is inactive near and in Taiwan. (2/24)