March 21, 2024

Proposal to Create a Spaceport in Minnesota (Source: Grand Forks Herald)
Dave Neville, representative of the Can-Am 5M Project, is pitching the idea of bringing a spaceport to Minnesota’s Iron Range. He and his colleagues are building community support for a project that would take advantage of the area’s geographic location and well-mined landscape to launch rockets into polar orbit, heading north over Canada and then into space.

Neville is co-founder and president of Infinity Robotics, based in Savage, Minnesota, and the president of Minnesota Innovates, which works with the MinnWest CEO Forum and Entrepreneur Summit. He first spoke to Prairie Business about the idea last fall and since then, he and a few volunteer colleagues and engineers have been proposing the spaceport as the Can-Am 5M Project. (3/18)

Rocket Lab Launches NRO Satellite From Virginia Spaceport (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab conducted an Electron launch for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) early Thursday. The Electron rocket lifted off at 3:25 a.m. Eastern from Wallops Island, Virginia, on the NROL-123 mission for the NRO. The NRO did not disclose details about the mission other than it is "putting research missions into space." The launch was the second Electron flight in as many weeks and fourth Electron launch so far this year. (3/21)

ISS Cargo Launch From LC-40 a Step Toward Additional Pad for Crew Missions (Source: Florida Today)
This mission will take advantage of the newly added crew access arm at Launch Complex 40 even though there are no crew members on this flight. This will be the first Dragon 2 spacecraft to launch from LC-40. Although this flight will not have a crew onboard, future launches from this site could. According to NASA Spaceflight, the success of this launch will assist in certifying SLC-40 for future crewed launches. (3/21)

China Launches Military Weather Satellites (Source: Xihua)
China launched a set of military weather satellites early Thursday. A Long March 2D rocket launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 1:27 a.m. Eastern and deployed the Yunhai-2 02 group of satellites. The satellites are part of a system believed to be used by China's military for weather forecasting. (3/21)

New Launchers Angle for Competitive Advantage (Source: Space News)
The launch industry is continuing to negotiate a transition to new lines of launch vehicles. A panel at the Satellite 2024 conference featured two companies that recently successfully launched new rockets, ULA's Vulcan Centaur and MHI's H3, and four other developing new rockets. Arianespace said on the panel it is still on track for a first Ariane 6 launch in the latter half of June. While the new vehicles are intended to address a lack of launch capacity on the market today, companies said they are also working to find ways to set themselves apart through customized services. (3/21)

House Committee Advances Space Bills (Source: Space News)
The House Science Committee advanced four space-related bills Wednesday. The committee favorably reported the legislation, along with four unrelated bills by unanimous votes. The four bills would provide transportation for NASA astronauts after they return from missions until they are medically cleared to drive, formally authorize a NASA commercial remote sensing data purchase program, allow NASA to jointly fund research with other agencies, and have NASA study the development of a space resources institute. The bills now go to the full House. (3/21)

Chandra and Hubble Budget Levels to Decline (Source: Space News)
NASA is defending plans to reduce the budgets of two venerable space telescopes amid sharp criticism from the science community. NASA's fiscal year 2025 budget proposal sought a 40% cut in the budget for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and a smaller reduction in the budget for the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA officials said at an advisory committee meeting Wednesday that the agency's overall budget can no longer support funding those missions at existing levels.

NASA is planning to convene a "mini senior review" that, by the end of May, will make recommendations on ways to cut back operations of the missions to fit within reduced funding levels, which would involve turning off some instruments. Astronomers, though, remain sharply critical of the proposal, particular its effects on Chandra, which some argue could lead to the telescope's shutdown and jeopardize X-ray astronomy in the U.S. in general. (3/21)

NASA Announces Selection of 10 CubeSat Missions for International Space Station Deployment (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has chosen 10 small research satellites from a diverse array of educational and research institutions across eight states for deployment to the International Space Station. This initiative aims to enhance educational and scientific exploration, foster technological progress, and support workforce development. Click here. (3/19)

With the Space Station, She Found 3 Careers (Source: Boeing)
Laurie Morrow always knew she didn’t want to live anywhere but her hometown of Houston. That hasn’t stopped her from progressing in her career or enabling a better future for humanity. The Boeing engineering manager joined the International Space Station when the program was just getting started. As the ISS and its missions have evolved, so has Morrow’s professional journey. Click here. (3/8)

DIU Funds Beyond-LEO Projects by Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, and Spacebilt (Source: Space News)
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is funding three projects by companies to explore in-space services. DIU said this week it is funding projects by Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and Spacebilt to explore ways to create a more robust space infrastructure that can support military operations beyond low Earth orbit. That includes DarkSky-1, a flight of Blue Origin's Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle, as soon as this summer. The other projects include refueling interfaces developed by Northrop's SpaceLogistics subsidiary on military spacecraft and studies of in-space assembly and manufacturing by Spacebilt, formerly known as Skycorp. (3/21)

Space Force Commercial Strategy Coming Soon (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force's long-awaited commercial space strategy is slated for release within a month. Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael A. Guetlein said at an event Wednesday that the Commercial Space Strategy should be published "within the next month." That strategy will outline plans for a Commercial Augmented Space Reserve, an approach modeled on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet to guarantee the military access to commercial space capabilities during a conflict. (3/21)

Capella Focusing on International Government Customers (Source: Space News)
Capella Space sees international governments as new customers for its radar imagery. While the U.S. government remains a key customer, Capella Space CEO Frank Backes said at the Satellite 2024 conference Wednesday that foreign governments are emerging as a significant driver of future growth, with the Japanese government the company's second-biggest customer after the U.S. The company is also pursuing opportunities to build SAR satellites for the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Both nations are looking to purchase satellites that they can operate independently and integrate into their national space architectures. (3/21)

Switzerland's Swissto12 Expanding Production (Source: Space News)
Small GEO satellite manufacturer Swissto12 is expanding production facilities. The company announced plans this week to add 1,200 square meters of production space to an existing 4,500-square-meter site at its headquarters in Renens, Switzerland. The expansion will support the production of its dishwasher-sized HummingSat spacecraft and radio frequency subsystem products. The company has four of those spacecraft under construction for Intelsat and Viasat for launch in 2026. (3/21)

Slingshot Aerospace Among "Most Innovative" Companies (Source: Fast Company)
Fast Company has named Slingshot Aerospace one of its "most innovative" companies for 2024. "We are building the common operating picture for space," says Audrey Schaffer, the company's VP of strategy and policy. By pulling in data from multiple sources and using machine learning and artificial intelligence tools, the company can “make smart predictions about where objects are going to be in space and identify anomalous behavior," she says. (3/19)

Benchmark Space Systems Achieves Orbital Deployment of Xantus Electric Propulsion System (Source: Space Daily)
Benchmark Space Systems has announced the successful deployment of its Xantus electric propulsion system aboard Orion Space Solutions' 12U cubesat in low Earth orbit (LEO). This development marks the first space-based operation of Benchmark's electric propulsion technology, launched via the SpaceX Transporter-10 rideshare mission. (3/20)

Eutelsat and Intelsat Forge $500M Partnership to Expand OneWeb Constellation (Source: Space Daily)
Eutelsat Group has formalized a major multi-year partnership with Intelsat, investing up to $500 million over seven years into the OneWeb constellation. This collaboration, starting in mid-2024, guarantees $250 million with an initial $45 million deal already in place and an option for an additional $250 million. This strategic alliance enables Intelsat to integrate OneWeb's LEO Network with its own Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and terrestrial networks. The integration aims to enhance service offerings across networks, government, and mobility sectors, promising unparalleled customer solutions. (3/20)

RocketStar Unveils Fusion-Enhanced Electric Thruster for Spacecraft (Source: Space Daily)
In a leap forward for space propulsion technology, RocketStar Inc. has demonstrated its FireStar Drive, an advanced spacecraft electric propulsion unit that leverages nuclear fusion to enhance pulsed plasma propulsion. By introducing aneutronic nuclear fusion into its water-fueled pulsed plasma thruster, the FireStar Drive markedly improves performance, utilizing high-speed protons from ionized water vapor. When these protons interact with boron nuclei, it triggers fusion, producing high-energy carbon that decays into alpha particles, thereby boosting thrust. (3/21)

Kayhan Space Revolutionizes University Space Programs with Pathfinder Classroom (Source: Space Daily)
Kayhan Space has announced the launch of its Pathfinder Classroom, a pioneering space traffic coordination (STC) platform. Designed for university space programs, this platform enables autonomous assessment of satellite conjunctions and collision avoidance, addressing the urgent need for space situational awareness in the face of increasing orbital congestion. (3/20)

Genesis and LEO-PNT: Pioneering the Future of Precision Navigation (Source: Space Daily)
ESA announced the launch of two groundbreaking missions, Genesis and LEO-PNT, under its FutureNAV program. With a total investment of €233 million, these missions are poised to elevate Europe's stature in the satellite navigation arena, catering to the burgeoning demand for more resilient and precise navigation systems worldwide.

A consortium of 14 entities led by OHB Italia S.p.A. has been awarded a contract worth €76.6 million for the Genesis mission. This collaborative effort, supported by Italy, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Hungary, and the UK, is tasked with the development, manufacture, qualification, calibration, launch, and operation of the Genesis satellite, encompassing all its payloads. Set for launch in 2028, the Genesis mission is expected to usher in a new era of scientific exploration, significantly enhancing the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) with unparalleled accuracy.

ESA has committed €156.8 million towards the development of the LEO-PNT mission through two separate contracts. This mission will see the creation of two end-to-end low Earth orbit positioning, navigation, and timing (LEO-PNT) in-orbit demonstrators, encompassing the design and development of satellites and payloads, ground segment, test user segment, and satellite launches. Led by GMV Aerospace and Defence S.A.U. and Thales Alenia Space France S.A.S, these projects involve over 50 entities from 14 countries, showcasing a blend of seasoned industry veterans and innovative new players in space technology. (3/20)

Lockheed Martin Eyes Growth in Satellite Business Through Partnerships (Source: Space News)
Lockheed Martin is looking to team up with more commercial space companies as it aims to stay ahead of the curve in areas like intelligence, surveillance, communications, and small satellites. “We’re looking for strategic partners,” said Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space. “We’re interested in talking with anyone who has an advantage in those areas from a space perspective.”

The $67 billion aerospace and defense giant wants to work with commercial companies with expertise in intelligence and surveillance payloads, as well as communications payloads for satellites, as it looks to meet growing government demand for resilient space-based capabilities. Lightfoot highlighted partnerships Lockheed has already forged through venture investments in companies like launch provider ABL Space; positioning, navigation and timing startup Xona Space Systems, and small satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital. (3/20)

ISS Cargo Launch Carries CASIS-Sponsored R&D (Source: CASIS)
SpaceX's 30th ISS resupply mission carries more than 40 payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, including cartilage repair, retinal gene therapies, neurological disease treatments,in-space production applications projects, technology demonstrations, student-led inquiries and technology testing on external platforms. (3/20)

Ohio County Grant Approved for Blue Abyss Astronaut and Deep-Water Facility (Source: Agility)
Blue Abyss and the City of Brook Park have announced the approval by the Cuyahoga County Council of a $450,000 economic development grant in support of the planned $250M facility. The recoverable grant is 100% funded by Cuyahoga County Council’s Community Development Fund. Its primary goal is to assist in funding pre-development costs for the project which is anticipated to create approximately 200 new jobs in northeast Ohio and deliver significant value to the region over time.

This value was demonstrated through an economic and fiscal impact study presented to the council, undertaken by the Kent State University, Department of Economics. The project will include constructing the main astronaut and deep-water training facility, a hotel, a planetarium, and a long-arm centrifuge building totalling approximately 300,000 square feet. (3/20)

Hiring Booms at SpaceX and Blue Origin Making It Hard for NASA to Attract Talent (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX and Blue Origin LLC are competing to launch satellites and take humans to the moon. They are also paying big salaries to hire so many young and tireless engineers that old-line aerospace employers like Boeing Co. and NASA are finding it harder to fill positions. Most aerospace students really covet jobs at SpaceX and Blue Origin, recruiters say. The private firms are run by two of the three richest men in the world, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who ultimately imagine people living and working in Earth’s orbit and on the surface of Mars. (3/20)

Space Tourism Firm Announces Saudi Test Flight Ahead of Out-of-This-World $164,000 Orbital Experiences (Source: Arabian Business)
Saudi tourists could soon be offered an out-of-this-world “near-space” experience with stratospheric trips 32km above the surface of Earth. HALO Space announced it will blast off a sixth test flight in Saudi Arabia this June with conditional approval from the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST). The near space tourism company specialises in stratospheric commercial flights says this is a significant milestone for the near-space sector and launch HALO’s second real-size prototype capsule 32km above the Earth’s surface. (3/20)

Nuclear Weapons in Space are Bad News for the Entire Planet (Source: The Verge)
A nuclear weapon in space would cause much more destruction than previous anti-satellite weapons tests, as existing space-based weapons typically destroy just one satellite at a time. In the age of huge satellite constellations such as Starlink, knocking out a single satellite is more of an annoyance than a major threat. To destroy satellites at scale, you need a different weapon, such as a directed energy weapon based on the ground. Or, you could use a nuclear weapon in space, which creates not only shock effects but also heat, radiation, and an electromagnetic pulse — giving it the ability to take out or impair entire networks. (3/20)

NASA Sees Progress on Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Life Support System (Source: NASA)
A NASA-funded commercial space station, Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef, recently completed testing milestones for its critical life support system as part of the agency’s efforts for new destinations in low Earth orbit. The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement originally awarded to Blue Origin in 2021 and focused on the materials and designs for systems to clean, reclaim, and store the air and water critical for human spaceflight.

NASA is working closely with commercial companies to develop new space stations capable of providing services to NASA and others, which will ensure that the U.S. maintains a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit and provides direct benefits for people on Earth. (3/20)