March 14, 2024

How India Will Become a Global Space Hub? (Source: Jaipur Dialogues)
In a remarkable turn of events, the number of space startups in India has skyrocketed from just one in 2014 to an astonishing 204 by 2024. This exponential growth signifies the burgeoning interest and potential within the Indian space sector. Despite its impressive achievements, India currently lags far behind in the global space economy, which currently values at $546 billion. To address this disparity, the Indian government launched the Indian Space Policy 2023, paving the way for private enterprises to carry out end-to-end activities, from launching satellites and rockets into space to operating Earth stations. Click here. (3/14)

Leonid Capital Partners Bolsters Space Portfolio with $6.25 Million Investment (Source: Business Wire)
Leonid Capital Partners, a leading investment firm focused on high-growth technology companies working in the National Security industry, today announced a new $6.25 million financing for Phase Four, a revolutionary aerospace company developing advanced propulsion systems for the next generation of space vehicles.

Phase Four plays a critical role in the future of space and national security. Their innovative propulsion technologies hold the potential to revolutionize the government and commercial space industry, enabling faster and more efficient missions, opening up new orbital regimes, and expanding humanity’s impact on and reach beyond Earth. (3/13)

Geopolitics – China and the Moon (Source: SpaceWatch Global)
On March 6th, 2024, China submitted to the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) a document highlighting the country’s position towards the utilization of space resources and indicated selected issues that should be addressed as a matter of priory importance. The submission represents the first official initiative taken by China to delineate its approach on the regulation of space resources activities; unsurprisingly, this document has received significant attention in the press and among scholars. Click here. (3/13)

Did ‘Alien’ Debris Hit Earth? Startling Claim Sparks Row at Scientific Meeting (Source: Nature)
A sensational claim made last year that an ‘alien’ meteorite hit Earth near Papua New Guinea in 2014 got its first in-person airing with the broader scientific community on 12 March. At the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas, scientists clashed over whether a research team has indeed found fragments of a space rock that came from outside the Solar System.

In June 2023, Loeb led a privately funded expedition to the site that used magnetic sledges to recover more than 800 metallic spherules from the sea floor. About one-quarter of the spherules had chemical compositions indicating that they came from igneous, or once-molten, rocks. Of those, a handful were unusually enriched in the elements beryllium, lanthanum and uranium. The researchers concluded that those spherules are unlike any known materials in the Solar System1.

However, Desch counters that the spherules could have come from an asteroid impact in southeast Asia. Key to his proposal2 is a kind of soil called laterite, which forms in tropical regions when heavy rainfall carries some chemical elements from the topmost layers of soil into deeper ones. This leaves the upper soil enriched in other elements, including beryllium, lanthanum and uranium — similar to the composition of the spherules collected by Loeb and his colleagues. Desch says that an asteroid known to have struck the region around 788,000 years ago3 probably hit lateritic rock and created the molten blobs found by Loeb’s team. (3/13)

NASA Expanding Lunar Exploration with Upgraded SLS Mega Rocket Design (Source: Space Daily)
As NASA prepares for its first crewed Artemis missions, the agency is making preparations to build, test, and assemble the next evolution of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The larger and power powerful version of SLS, known as Block 1B, can send a crew and large pieces of hardware to the Moon in a single launch and is set to debut for the Artemis IV mission.

"Each of the evolutionary changes made to the SLS engines, boosters, and upper stage of the SLS rocket are built on the successes of the Block 1 design that flew first with Artemis I in November 2022 and will, again, for the first crewed missions for Artemis II and III." Early manufacturing is already underway at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, while preparations for the green run test series for its upgraded upper stage are in progress at nearby Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Block 1B features two big evolutionary changes that will make NASA's workhorse rocket even more capable. The in-space stage used to send the first three Artemis missions to the Moon, called the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS), uses a single engine and will be replaced by a larger, more powerful four-engine stage called the exploration upper stage (EUS). The other configuration change is a universal stage adapter that connects the rocket to the Orion spacecraft. Together, those upgrades will increase the payload capability for SLS from 59,000 pounds to approximately 84,000 pounds. (3/13)

Sidus Space Receives Signals from LizzieSat in Orbit (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced it received multiple signals from its LizzieSat satellite after launch and deployment to low Earth orbit as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-10 Rideshare mission on March 4. The Sidus mission and launch team received multiple signals on its FCC approved prime radio frequency and continues to monitor communications with the satellite from its operations center in Merritt Island, Florida. (3/14)

Final Mission: Delta IV Heavy Rocket Set for Historic Launch with NROL-70 Payload (Source: Space Daily)
The Space Systems Command (SSC) of the U.S. Space Force, in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and United Launch Alliance (ULA), has announced the scheduled launch of the NROL-70 mission. This event, set for no earlier than March 28, will mark the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy rocket. The launch is planned from Space Launch Complex-37B at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (3/13)

SwRI Receives $2 Million NASA Grant to Develop Lunar Regolith Measuring Instrument (Source: Space Daily)
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has been awarded a three-year, $2,041,000 grant from NASA's Development and Advancement of Lunar Instrumentation (DALI) program to further develop a novel ground-penetrating radar instrument. The Synthetic Pulse Artemis Radar for Crustal Imaging (SPARCI, pronounced "sparky") instrument is designed to characterize the depth of the regolith and upper megaregolith, the upper broken-up layers of lunar crust associated with impact cratering. (3/14)

NASA Allocates DALI Grants to Foster Lunar Science and Exploration Innovations (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has awarded Development and Advancement of Lunar Instrumentation (DALI) grants to five leading scientists and engineers. These grants are a cornerstone of NASA's initiative to advance lunar science through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services and the Artemis campaign. With a funding model that allocates approximately $1 million annually to each recipient, the DALI grants are aimed at developing instruments that not only promise potential for future NASA missions but also are ready for hardware construction post a three-year development period. (3/14)

Protect Earth Instead of Colonizing Mars, Obama Says (Source: Space Daily)
Humanity must preserve Earth before dreaming of colonising Mars because even nuclear war and unbridled climate change cannot make the red planet more liveable, Barack Obama said. Speaking at a renewable energy conference in the French capital Paris, the former US president mentioned Silicon Valley "tycoons, many of whom are building spaceships" that could take humans to Mars. "But when I hear some of the people talk about the plan to colonize Mars because the earth environment may become so degraded that it becomes unliveable, I look at them like, what are you talking about?" (3/14)

Study Brings Scientists a Step Closer to Successfully Growing Plants in Space (Source: Space Daily)
New, highly stretchable sensors can monitor and transmit plant growth information without human intervention, UI researchers report. The polymer sensors are resilient to humidity and temperature, can stretch over 400% while remaining attached to a plant as it grows and send a wireless signal to a remote monitoring location. (3/14)

SpaceX’s Starship Journeys Into Space But is Lost on Re-Entry (Source: New York Times)
The third try was closer to the charm for Elon Musk and SpaceX, as the company’s flight test of the mammoth Starship rocket launched on Thursday and traveled almost halfway around the Earth before it was lost as it re-entered the atmosphere. The landing burn for the Super Heavy booster stage of the rocket  — the aim was to “land” it in the Gulf of Mexico — was not fully successful, and the Starship craft did not survive re-entry. But it was marked significant progress, because none of the problems from the earlier flights recurred, and SpaceX engineers now have data to tackle the new problems. (3/14)

Alabama Republicans Target Transgender Space Camp Employee (Source: NBC)
Three Republican Alabama officials are expressing concern that a transgender person is employed at Space Camp, an educational program for children held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. One of the lawmakers is calling for the employee to be removed and for the center to “open a safety review to consider the potential harm and damages they have inadvertently caused children.”

The backlash began Saturday after Clay Yarbrough, a father who lives just outside of Huntsville in the small town of Owens Cross Roads, posted a screenshot of the LinkedIn profile and social media photos of a crew trainer at Space Camp on Facebook. Yarbrough said he had planned to send his daughter to Space Camp the following week, “but we have just found out that this freak is a team lead and a hall monitor in the girls dorms and at times could be allowed to be alone in the halls at night.” (3/14)

Chinese Launch Malfunction During Lunar Navsat Mission (Source: Space News)
A malfunction during a Chinese launch Wednesday may have doomed two lunar spacecraft. A Long March 2C rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 8:51 a.m. Eastern, but there was no official report of the launch until early Thursday, when Chinese media said there was a malfunction with the rocket's Yuanzheng-1S upper stage. The rocket was carrying the DRO-A and -B satellites, intended to test lunar navigation technologies, likely in a distant retrograde orbit around the moon. It's unclear what orbit the spacecraft are in now and if their mission can be salvaged. (3/14)

Space Force's SDA Seeks $4.25 Billion for Transport Layer Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Space Force's Space Development Agency is marking its fifth anniversary as it continues work on two satellite constellations. The SDA is requesting about $4.25 billion for fiscal year 2025 to continue development of a Transport Layer of data communications satellites that will serve as a tactical network to move data collected by a Tracking Layer of infrared sensors to users around the world. That is a far cry from the agency's origins, when it struggled to secure funding amid skepticism from Congress and within the Pentagon. SDA Director Derek Tournear said in a recent interview that the agency had to "ruffle feathers" as part of being disruptive. He noted that SDA is working with contractors on supply chain issues while working to bring in new vendors to bid on future satellite contracts. (3/14)

NASA Restructuring Earth Science Project Amid Reduced Budgets (Source: Space News)
NASA is restructuring a major Earth science program to compensate for reduced budgets. NASA said in its fiscal year 2025 budget proposal it was making major changes to the Earth System Observatory line of missions, intended to collect key data identified in the most recent decadal survey. In a town hall meeting Wednesday, agency officials said the changes include splitting larger missions into several smaller ones, relying more on international partners and turning some agency-led directed missions into ones open for competition. Those changes are intended to reduce costs, but will result in some delays and loss of instruments as well. (3/14)

Terran Orbital Offers Small GEO Satellites (Source: Space News)
Terran Orbital is now offering a small GEO satellite. The company unveiled Thursday a line of spacecraft called SmallSat GEO weighing 500 kilograms and more. The satellites are intended to serve growing interest in GEO satellites much smaller than the traditional multi-ton GEO communications satellites. The new product line announcement comes as Terran Orbital weighs an offer to be acquired by Lockheed Martin. (3/14)

Satellite Firms Forge Unlikely Alliances to Create Seamless Multi-Orbit Networks (Source: Space News)
Satellite operators are making unusual partnerships in order to provide customers with multi-orbit services. Those partnerships, like deals Intelsat and SES made with OneWeb and Starlink, point to a future of mixed space networks spanning multiple orbits. Hybrid networks that were once considered niche are now becoming a dominant trend in the satellite communications industry. Collaboration and partnership models are becoming the norm for operators to stay relevant and meet the complex demands of customers who want to ensure continuous connectivity even in challenging situations. (3/14)

Omnispace Targets Africa Service (Source: Space News)
Omnispace says its proposed satellite constellation could provide direct-to-device services in Africa. Omnispace announced an agreement this week with MTN, Africa's largest terrestrial mobile network operator, where they will use Omnispace prototype satellites to test how S-band spectrum could be used to keep mobile customers connected outside cell tower coverage. Omnispace has announced similar testing agreements with mobile phone operators in several other countries, and also recently announced winning regulatory approval provide services in Brazil. Omnispace expects to provide initial services in 2026 with 300 LEO satellites. (3/14)

Defense Unicorns to Update IT Systems for Launches (Source: Space News)
A startup has won a $15 million contract to update computer systems at U.S. Space Force launch ranges. Colorado Springs-based Defense Unicorns won a so-called Strategic Funding Increase, or STRATFI, agreement from SpaceWERX, the technology arm of the Space Force. The contract will go towards updating IT systems and software applications used to support rocket launches. The company last week announced it raised a $35 million Series A funding round led by Sapphire Ventures and Ansa Capital. (3/14)

Call Henry Awarded $12 Million for Launch Operations Support at California Spaceport (Source: DoD)
Call Henry Inc., Titusville, Florida, has been awarded a $12,069,893, predominantly fixed-price contract modification for management and support, maintenance and repair, operations, and other services related to launch operations support. Work will be performed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by Mar 31, 2025. (3/12)

This Company Intends to be the First to Mine the Moon (Source: Washington Post)
Nearly a decade ago, Congress passed a law that allows private American space companies the rights to resources they mine on celestial bodies, including the moon. Now, there’s a private venture that says it intends to do just that. Founded by a pair of former executives from Blue Origin, the space venture founded by Jeff Bezos, and an Apollo astronaut, the company, Interlune, announced itself publicly Wednesday by saying it has raised $18 million and is developing the technology to harvest and bring materials back from the moon.

Specifically, Interlune is focused on Helium-3, a stable isotope that is scarce on Earth but plentiful on the moon and could be used as fuel in nuclear fusion reactors as well as helping power the quantum computing industry. The company, based in Seattle, has been working for about four years on the technology, which comes as the commercial sector is working with NASA on its goal of building an enduring presence on and around the moon.

Earlier this year, two commercial spacecraft attempted to land on the moon as part of a NASA program designed to carry instruments and experiments to the lunar surface, and eventually cargo and rovers. The first attempt, by Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh-based company, suffered a fuel leak and never made it to the moon. The second, by Houston-based Intuitive machines, did land on the moon, but came in too fast and tipped over. Still, it was the first American spacecraft to land softly on the moon in more than 50 years, and it was the first commercial vehicle to achieve the feat. (3/13)

NASA’s Space Tech Prize Bolsters Diversity, Inclusivity Champions (Source: NASA)
NASA selected the first winners of the agency’s Space Tech Catalyst prize to expand engagement with underrepresented and diverse individuals in the space technology sector as part of the agency’s broader commitment to inclusivity and collaboration. The winners are receiving $25,000 each to create more inclusive space technology ecosystems. Click here. (3/13)

AI-Enabled Satellites to Revolutionize Earth Observation and Communications (Source: Space Daily)
Comsat Architects has partnered with Ubotica Technologies to infuse artificial intelligence into space technologies, specifically focusing on enhancing the capabilities of small satellites in low Earth orbit for real-time Earth monitoring and intelligence. Comsat Architects, offering expertise in space communication analysis, software development, and aerospace technologies, serves both civil and commercial sectors, including NASA and various commercial entities. The company excels in enabling effective communication for spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO), leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance data delivery mechanisms. (3/13)

ESA Awards Atheras Analytics Contract for Next-Gen Satellite Constellation Ground Software Development (Source: Space Daily)
The European Space Agency (ESA) has chosen Atheras Analytics SAS, based in Paris, for a significant 12-month project focused on the creation of an advanced Ground Segment Dimensioning Tool. This tool is designed to optimize the operation and analysis of satellite constellations, which may comprise networks in varying orbits, all equipped with the capability for inter-satellite communication. It promises to enhance ground segment decision-making through detailed trade-off analysis, performance assessment, and operational concept evaluation for diverse satellite constellations. (3/13)

NASA's Network of Small Moon-Bound Rovers Is Ready to Roll (Source: Space Daily)
A trio of small rovers that will explore the Moon in sync with one another are rolling toward launch. Engineers at NASA JPL recently finished assembling the robots, then subjected them to a punishing series of tests to ensure they'll survive their jarring rocket ride into space and their travels in the unforgiving lunar environment. Part of a technology demonstration called CADRE (Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration), each solar-powered rover is about the size of a carry-on suitcase. The rovers and associated hardware will be installed on a lander headed for the Moon's Reiner Gamma region. (3/11)

How NASA Uses Simple Technology to Track Lunar Missions (Source: Space Daily)
NASA is using a simple but effective technology called Laser Retroreflective Arrays (LRAs) to determine the locations of lunar landers more accurately. They will be attached to most of the landers from United States companies as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS) initiative. LRAs are inexpensive, small, and lightweight, allowing future lunar orbiters or landers to locate them on the Moon. These devices consist of a small aluminum hemisphere, 2 inches in diameter and 0.7 ounces in weight, inset with eight 0.5-inch-diameter corner cube retroreflectors made of fused silica glass. LRAs are targeted for inclusion on most of the upcoming CLPS deliveries headed to the lunar surface. (3/11)