February 29, 2024

Congress Has a Plan to Pass Spending Bills...After Another CR (Source: Washington Post)
Congress is working towards the endgame on fiscal year 2024 spending bills. House and Senate leaders announced Wednesday a deal that would bring up six spending bills, including the commerce, justice and science bill that funds NASA and NOAA, next week, passing them by March 8. The other six, including the defense bill, would be taken up by March 22. Congress will first vote on a short-term continuing resolution to avoid a partial government shutdown by the end of the week. Friday marks five months since the start of the 2024 fiscal year. (2/29)

SpaceX Pursuing Vietnam Starlink Access (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX has run into a roadblock trying to bring its Starlink service to Vietnam. Discussions between the company and government officials about allowing Starlink in the country started last year but have stopped after the government refused to reduce foreign ownership limits. That has meant the suspension of tests of Starlink by Vietnam's coast guard, which used it to guide drones patrolling the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. (2/29)

Richard Truly Passes at 86 (Source: CollectSpace)
Former astronaut and NASA Administrator Richard Truly has died. Truly was a naval aviator who was selected as an astronaut in the 1960s for the Air Force's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program. When MOL was canceled in 1969, Truly and several others joined NASA's astronaut corps. He was pilot of the second shuttle mission, STS-2 in 1981, and commanded STS-8 in 1983. He became NASA administrator in 1989 but was fired by the Bush administration in 1992 after sparring with the White House on policy priorities for the agency. Truly was 86. (2/29)

NASA and Intuitive Machines Declare IM-1 a Success (Source: Space News)
Both NASA and Intuitive Machines have declared the IM-1 lunar lander mission a success. The company said Wednesday that it expected to conclude operations of the lander later in the day as the sun moved out of view of the lander's solar arrays. Despite a hard landing that broke at least one lander leg and caused the spacecraft to tip over to about 30 degrees off the ground, the company said it was able to operate most of the payloads on the lander. That included all five active NASA payloads, the agency said.

A student-built payload, intended to eject from the lander and take images of it, did deploy Wednesday but was not able to return any images. The company said it will try again in a few weeks to make contact with the lander to see if its batteries and electronics survived the cold conditions of the two-week lunar night. (2/29)

High Hopes at Space Force for Blue Origin and ULA Vulcan (Source: Space News)
The Space Force's top acquisition official says he is closely watching how Blue Origin and ULA scale up to meet military launch needs. Frank Calvelli, the assistant secretary of the Air Force in charge of Space Force acquisitions, said he wants to see how ULA can ramp up the Vulcan launch rate, which in turn depends on Blue Origin's ability to deliver BE-4 engines for the rocket. Asked to make a prediction about the launch industry and the next National Security Space Launch contract competition, Calvelli said, "I would like to see a whole bunch of competitors, and prices go down." (2/29)

NASA Monitoring Air Leak in Russian ISS Module (Source: Space News)
NASA is monitoring an increase in an air leak in the Russian segment of the International Space Station. At a briefing Wednesday, NASA said the leak, in a portion of the Zvezda service module, recently doubled to more than 0.9 kilograms per day. It's not clear what is causing the leak, but that part of the module, which hosts a docking port, is currently sealed off from the rest of the station. NASA added the leak does not pose a safety risk even at its elevated level. That part of Zvezda has suffered small air leaks since 2019. (2/29)

Elve Raises $15 Million for Amplifiers (Source: Space News)
Elve, a startup making millimeter-wave amplifiers for space and ground applications, has raised $15 million. The Series A round will allow the company to increase its manufacturing capability and expand its space business. Investors in the company say the technology could help enable cost-effective and resilient communications both in space and on the ground. (2/29)

India Plans Uncrewed Test Flights for Gaganyaan (Source: Space News)
India is planning three uncrewed test flights of its Gaganyaan spacecraft before flying a crewed mission. ISRO Chairman S Somanath said that the first uncrewed orbital test flight is scheduled for July, followed by two more in late 2024 and 2025. The first crewed flight, carrying three Indian astronauts, is planned for later in 2025. India announced its initial set of four astronauts earlier this week, with one of the four potentially flying on an Axiom Space private astronaut mission to the ISS later this year. (2/29)

Virgin Galactic Alignment Pin Anomaly Won't Delay Next Launch (Source: Space News)
Virgin Galactic said a pin dropped from its carrier aircraft on its most recent suborbital flight should not delay the next, and potentially last, flight of VSS Unity. In an earnings call this week, company executives said they were making "solid progress" in understanding why an alignment pin dropped from the VMS Eve aircraft after releasing Unity on the Galactic 06 flight in January. That investigation is not expected to delay the Galactic 07 mission, scheduled for the second quarter. Virgin said in November it would halt Unity flights in mid-2024 to focus its resources on development of its new Delta-class vehicles, but did not state in the earnings call if Unity would fly again after Galactic 07. (2/29)

Russia Launches Weather Satellite (Source: TASS)
Russia launched a weather satellite and several secondary payloads overnight. A Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East at 12:43 a.m. Eastern. It placed into orbit the Meteor-M No. 2-4 polar-orbiting weather satellite. The rocket also deployed 18 smallsat second payloads, including one for Iran. (2/29)

Abort-Site Weather Delays Crew-8 Launch From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Space.com)
Weather at abort sites will delay the launch of a new ISS crew by nearly 48 hours. NASA announced overnight it was delaying the Crew-8 launch, which had been scheduled for just after midnight Eastern time Friday, to 11:16 p.m. Eastern Saturday. The agency said poor weather conditions at abort locations on the flight path led NASA and SpaceX to delay the launch. The mission will send four people from NASA and Roscosmos to the ISS for a six-month stay. (2/29)

History Made at Embry-Riddle with Lunar Landing (Source: ERAU)
History was made Feb. 22, 2024, about 239,000 miles away from Earth. There, on the lunar surface, EagleCam set out to accomplish a series of firsts, including: Became the first-ever university student-built project to land on the moon; Captured the first-ever third-person image of a spacecraft touched down on the lunar surface; and Used WiFi on the moon for data transmission.

In addition to the team’s primary mission objectives, they also set out to test an electrodynamic dust shield — a device meant to electrically “shake” lunar regolith, or moon dust, off the EagleCam’s lenses — after landing. In the works since the Apollo era, the technology is meant as a proof of concept: If successful, the technology could, eventually, be developed further to be incorporated into spacesuits to improve astronaut’s mobility and visor visibility.

Plus, the EagleCam project led to the creation of a new scholarship program at Embry‑Riddle to support outstanding women in STEM. The “Intuitive Machines and Columbia Sportswear Advancing Women in Technology Program” provides funding and fellowships for both undergraduate and graduate students. (2/28)

ILOA Receives First Lunar Surface and Descent Images From ILO-X (Source: Space Daily)
International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA Hawai'i) is not just over the Moon, but ON THE MOON, having had its precursor ILO-X instruments land and operate from the lunar surface aboard the Intuitive Machines IM-1 Mission Nova-C class lunar lander. The ILO-X payload includes a miniaturized dual-camera wide and narrow field-of-view lunar imaging suite. ILOA Hawai'i is working toward the long-term goal of permanent astronomy / observations and communications from the Moon with the ILO-1 lunar observatory. (2/29)

As Mission Ends, US Lunar Lander Could Still 'Wake' Back Up (Source: Space Daily)
The US spacecraft that touched down on the Moon last week and is currently running on solar power will soon be "put to sleep" once lunar night kicks in, mission officials said Wednesday. But while the mission that saw the first ever Moon landing by a private company is coming to an end, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus told reporters that there are hopes to "wake it up" in about three weeks, when the Sun is out again. (2/29)

Germany's MAPHEUS 14 High-Altitude Research Rocket Takes Flight in Sweden (Source: Space Daily)
On 27 February the MAPHEUS 14 high-altitude research rocket, operated by the German Aerospace Center, successfully launched from the Esrange Space Center near Kiruna, Sweden. The high-altitude rocket reached an altitude of 265 kilometres and provided approximately six and a half minutes of microgravity for its scientific payload - a total of 14 experiments which were all safely recovered following landing. The findings from these experiments will benefit future space missions, the development of technology and materials as well as people on Earth. (2/29)

NASA and SpaceX Complete Docking System Tests for Lunar Starship Lander (Source: Space Daily)
NASA and SpaceX have recently concluded qualification testing for a docking system integral to the Artemis campaign's success. This campaign aims to lay the groundwork for sustained scientific exploration on the Moon, requiring seamless transfers between spacecraft for lunar landings. The testing phase marks a significant step forward in ensuring that astronauts can safely and efficiently move between the Orion spacecraft and the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS), which will ferry them to the lunar surface and back. (2/29)

China Opens First Simulated Environment for Space Research (Source: Space Daily)
China has unveiled its first Space Environment Simulation and Research Infrastructure (SESRI) facility, marking a significant milestone in the nation's aerospace endeavors. This cutting-edge facility, developed through a collaboration between the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), has successfully passed its national-level acceptance review and commenced operations in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. (2/29)

BAE Systems to Pioneer Ground System for Space Force's Missile Defense Upgrade (Source: Space Daily)
BAE Systems has been chosen by the Space Systems Command (SSC) Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) to spearhead the development of a prototype ground system for the U.S. Space Force. This system, part of the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution Command and Control (FORGE C2) project, aims to overhaul the current ground architecture with cutting-edge technologies and methodologies. (2/29)

South Korea Enhances Military Operations with Iridium Connectivity (Source: Space Daily)
The Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of Defense has officially integrated Iridium Communications Inc.'s (NASDAQ: IRDM) satellite connectivity into its operational framework. This strategic adoption of Iridium's comprehensive suite of communication solutions marks a pivotal advancement in the ROK Army's capabilities, facilitating unparalleled real-time position tracking and secure data exchange for military personnel. (2/29)

US and Australia signs Space Technology Safeguards Agreement (Source: Space Daily)
Australia and the United States have formalized a Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA), marking a pivotal moment for both nations' space sectors. This treaty-level agreement, signed in October last year and recently detailed by the Australian Government, sets the stage for enhanced cooperation in space technology and exploration, particularly benefiting US companies looking to expand their launch operations to Australian soil. (2/29)

SSC Confirms L3Harris's Design for Next-Gen Missile Detection Sensors (Source: Space Daily)
The U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) is on a fast track to enhance its missile detection and tracking capabilities, with L3Harris Technologies playing a pivotal role in this advancement. The company recently achieved a significant milestone in the development of a state-of-the-art infrared sensor payload, designed for the SSC's upcoming Missile Track Custody (MTC) satellite constellation. (2/29)

Antaris Teams Up with Almagest and XDLINX for E-band Satcoms (Source: Space Daily)
Antaris, a front-runner in software platforms for space missions, has joined forces with the US-based Almagest Space Corporation and India's XDLINX Labs. This strategic alliance aims to pioneer the delivery of cutting-edge software for XDLINX's forthcoming XDSAT-NS satellite, which will be equipped with one of the first miniaturized, space-grade E-band communication payloads. (2/29)

Intelsat Makes the Case for Multi-Orbit IFC Versus LEO-Only (Source: Runway Girl)
Intelsat believes its Ku-band multi-orbit inflight connectivity solution will prove to be a far better mousetrap for airlines than any LEO-only IFC offering, whether the latter transmits via SpaceX’s Starlink, OneWeb, or the forthcoming Kuiper and Telesat Lightspeed constellations. The satellite operator and aero ISP’s multi-orbit offering is supported by OneWeb LEO service and Intelsat’s own GEO satellite network.

Only one provider — SpaceX — is currently powering LEO-only IFC for airlines. Hughes Network Systems, meanwhile, is offering OneWeb LEO-only IFC in commercial aviation as part of a cadre of new solutions including hybrid LEO/GEO. Hughes expects to flight-test its commercial electronically steered antenna in H1 2025 “with production shortly thereafter for the global Hughes In-Flight connectivity service to commercial airlines worldwide”, Hughes vice president Reza Rasoulian said. (2/27)

Russia's Space Agency Forced to Sell Off Assets as Sanctions Take Toll (Source: Newsweek)
Russia's Roscosmos space agency plans to sell off assets worth more than 11.4 billion rubles ($124 million) as sanctions imposed by the West over President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine continue to take a toll, local media has reported. A representative of the company said the decision was made after Roscosmos lost almost 80 percent of its export income after losing orders and key partners due to the war in Ukraine. This year, it intends to sell its "non-core" assets—more than 150 items including boarding houses and former sanatoriums, land and property complexes, and recreation centers. (2/28)

AT&T Exec Confident on Satellite Business Case (Source: Mobile World)
While the technology and business model for satellite services has made significant strides, launching a sufficient number of satellites to support coverage needs is not for the faint of heart, explained JR Wilson, VP of tower strategy and planning at AT&T. The company, which recently joined with Google, Rakuten Group and Vodafone Group to invest up to $206.5 million in satellite broadband provider AST SpaceMobile, has been testing the service with the one satellite in orbit. (2/27)

Firefly Expands in Texas to Prepare for New Space Age (Source: KXAN)
More rockets will soon be built in the Austin area. Firefly Aerospace, an end-to-end space transportation company, think space truckers, is unveiling its newest Rocket Ranch facility Wednesday. The expanded facility will allow the company to produce and assemble new rockets, as well as test engines with 230,000 pounds of thrust. A new 100-foot test stand is part of the facility.
(2/28)

Astrobotic May Expand its Headquarters on Pittsburgh’s North Side (Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Astrobotic Technology’s latest space-related venture won’t take it far from home. The lunar tech company is pitching a plan to build a new four-story facility next to its headquarters in Pittsburgh as part of a bid to “establish a new space campus for Pennsylvania.” Astrobotic outlined the basics of the proposed development in a request for $6 million in state redevelopment assistance capital grant funding.

Astrobotic plans to dedicate one 29,000-square-foot floor of the new facility to tenants that are engaged in space medical research, space test equipment and defense space programs. It will take 39,000 square feet in the structure, which will be connected to its current headquarters. (2/28)

Space Florida Sees Progress in Congress with Spaceport Infrastructure Financing Tax Exemption (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida applauds the introduction of legislation that would make spaceport facility bonds tax-exempt, in line with most airports and seaports. In Florida alone, Space Florida has tracked over $2.14 billion in private investment in spaceport infrastructure across 44 separate projects since 2012. The introduction of tax-exempt status for spaceports will only serve to accelerate this investment by attracting additional sources of capital.

According to Crunchbase, space infrastructure was a top area for investors in 2023, who invested more than $4.6 billion globally into startups in space-related businesses. In 2020, the US Government Accountability Office recommended that the FAA examine a range of potential options to support space transportation infrastructure. “The Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act of 2024 is a critical step towards ensuring our nation maintains its competitive edge,” said bill co-sponsor Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).

FAA Shares New Commercial Space Hiring Strategy (Source: FedScoop)
The FAA is deploying a new hiring strategy to assist the agency in its oversight of the commercial space industry, a spokesperson said. The new approach is meant to help the FAA deal with staffing challenges it faces amid scaling up its focus on commercial space operations run by companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. 

“The FAA is working diligently to attract, hire and retain additional staff for various positions within the Office of Commercial Space Transportation,” the agency said in a statement to FedScoop. “This effort includes human spaceflight, of which we have filled six of 10 new positions.” (2/27)

Virgin Galactic 4Q Revenue Up (Source: Orange County Business Journal)
Space tourism company Virgin Galactic Holdings said fourth-quarter revenue on an annual basis tripled to $3 million, while the net loss for the period narrowed to $104 million from $151 million a year ago. The company (NYSE: SPCE) said it flew six human spaceflights last year, with the seventh expected in the second quarter of 2024. Revenue for the quarter ending March 31 is expected to be $2 million. (2/27)

Virgin Galactic Plays Up Billion-Dollar Spaceport Potential, New Class of Ships on Latest Earnings Call (Source: Albuquerque Business Journal)
With as many as five spaceships flying up to 400 teams per year at a per-seat ticket price of $600,000, Virgin's CFO Doug Ahrens said on the call the company could generate approximately $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion in revenue per spaceport annually from spaceflights. Its Delta ships are built to hold six people and generate as much as $3.6 million in revenue per flight, whereas the company's current "Unity" spaceship only has four seats and generates up to $2.4 million in revenue per flight.

That annual revenue figure dwarfs Virgin Galactic's reported revenue of $6.8 million in the full year of 2023. The company reported revenue of $2.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, driven primarily by spaceflights and membership fees from future astronauts. The revenue figure is also based on an increase in ticket costs. Colglazier said the company plans to up its per-seat ticket prices to $600,000 from $450,000. (2/27)

Hawaii Student/Faculty Team Traveling to Florida for Satellite Launch (Source: University of Hawaii)
In an unprecedented opportunity for hands-on involvement in space exploration, a team of students and faculty from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are eagerly anticipating the launch of the Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI) satellite. Members of the team are preparing to travel to Kennedy Space Center in Florida to witness the launch firsthand on March 14.

The HyTI satellite, equipped with onboard data processing capabilities, will deliver high-resolution thermal images, surpassing the capabilities of current sensors. These images will enable scientists and disaster response managers to analyze and respond to environmental events with precision and speed. “HyTI is the first NASA mission made in Hawaiʻi and possibly one of the most advanced 6U CubeSats in the world,” said Miguel Nunes, deputy principal investigator and systems engineer for the HyTI Mission. (2/27)

Maritime Launch Announces the Engagement of Clarus Securities (Source: Maritime Launch Services)
Maritime Launch Services, developer of Canada’s first commercial spaceport, Spaceport Nova Scotia, is pleased to announce the non-exclusive engagement of Clarus Securities Inc. to provide capital markets and strategic advice related to the Corporation’s capital markets strategy and other growth initiatives. Services include advice on the structure of equity or debt capital financing and the identification of potential future investors. (2/27)

Space Force Sees Serious Budget Crunch Ahead (Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine)
Space Force leaders, speaking at the National Security Space Association conference, acknowledge that they are now facing tough choices due to Congress's delay in passing the 2024 budget, potential sequestration cuts, and spending limits set for fiscal 2025 under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, as highlighted by Frank Calvelli, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. (2/27)

Key Space Contracts in US Government Pipeline (Source: GovConWire)
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has unveiled the Luno A contract, worth $290 million, to continue the work of the Economic Indicator Monitoring data management contract. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense, through a $250 million contract, is partnering with commercial space internet providers to enhance satellite communications for military aircraft, and NASA is investing $212.6 million in the Marshall Space Flight Center Logistics Support Services II contract to bolster logistics support. (2/27)

HyImpulse Readies SR75 Rocket for Historic Maiden Launch in Australia (Source: Space Daily)
HyImpulse, a Germa-based rocket developer, is finalizing preparations for the maiden flight of its SR75 rocket, slated for late April to early May 2024 from the Koonibba Test Range in southern Australia. This launch will showcase a novel propulsion system that may redefine how rockets are transported and launched globally.

The SR75, a single-stage rocket, embodies a leap in propulsion technology, employing a hybrid system that utilizes paraffin wax and liquid oxygen. This forthcoming launch from the Koonibba Test Range-managed in collaboration with Southern Launch, a key player in Australia's space industry-will serve as the first real-world test of the SR75, moving beyond the confines of theoretical design and controlled testing environments to demonstrate its capabilities in the field. (2/28)

SPACECENT Hosts Second Annual CENTCOM Theater Space Forum (Source: Space Daily)
In a strategic move to bolster space capabilities within the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operations, the U.S. Space Forces Central (SPACECENT) recently convened the second annual CENTCOM Theater Space Forum. This significant gathering, held at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, saw the participation of over 140 space experts from the five branches of the U.S. Defense Department, multiple combatant commands, and allied nations.

The forum aimed to facilitate the exchange of lessons learned from ongoing regional operations, enhance intra and extra-command processes, and solidify partnerships. By forming dedicated working groups, participants were able to draw upon a diverse pool of expertise, fostering innovative solutions and building strong relationships essential for future collaboration. (2/28)

Korea Simulates Moon's Electrostatic Surface Conditions on Earth (Source: Space Daily)
In a groundbreaking effort to simulate the Moon's unique surface environment, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has successfully developed an electrostatic environment on Earth. this pioneering research, led by Dr. Shin Hyusoung along with senior researcher Chung Taeil and Dr. Park Seungsoo, aims to replicate the Moon's surface conditions, characterized by its electrostatically charged dust particles. The innovation holds profound implications for future lunar missions, providing a crucial tool for testing and preparing space exploration devices against the Moon's challenging conditions. (2/27)

Odysseus Moon Lander Mission Cut Short After Botched Landing (Source: Space Daily)
The historic Odysseus moon landing mission was cut short Tuesday as flight controllers expected to lose contact with the private spacecraft after it toppled over during last week's botched landing. Intuitive Machines, the Houston space company that built the unmanned Odysseus, said it planned to collect data "until the lander's solar panels are no longer exposed to light," which is two to three days earlier than planned. (2/27)

CUTE's Groundbreaking Design Paves the Way for Future Small-Scale Space Missions (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's innovative approach to studying the atmospheres of distant worlds has taken a significant leap forward with the Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) mission. Since its launch in September 2021, CUTE has been pioneering the observation of exoplanets using a uniquely designed small spacecraft, marking a milestone in space exploration technology. At the heart of CUTE's mission is the study of atmospheric escape, a crucial process that influences the evolution and composition of planets. (2/28)

Rocket Lab's Spacecraft Line: Bridging Missions From LEO to Deep Space (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab has announced its expanded family of spacecraft buses, a culmination of over four years dedicated to advancing its space systems capabilities. This development signifies a strategic enhancement in Rocket Lab's offering to the space sector, aligning with the diverse needs of its clientele across various missions.

Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's founder and CEO, emphasized the company's response to customer demands, "Our development, launch, and operation of spacecraft for a wide customer base revealed a consistent requirement: the need for spacecraft that are reliable, capable, and can be constructed quickly and economically. Starting with Photon, we've now broadened our family of spacecraft to address these needs through a line that combines high performance with scalability." (2/28)