January 23, 2025

Space Force Plans $2.3B in Contracts for Satcom Services (Source: Space News)
The US Space Force's Commercial Satellite Communications Office has announced $2.3 billion in contracting opportunities for commercial satellite services, with a major focus on maneuverable satellites. The largest initiative, valued at around $900 million, aims to leverage small satellites in geostationary orbit for greater agility and cost efficiency. Another major program is the Army's Satcom as a Managed Service program, worth about $200 million. (1/22)

NASA Moves Swiftly to End DEI Programs, Ask Employees to “Report” Violations (Source: Ars Technica)
NASA's acting administrator is moving swiftly to remove diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility—or DEIA—programs from the space agency. In an email sent to agency employees on Wednesday afternoon, acting administrator Janet Petro wrote, "We are taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions."

During his run for a second term as president, Trump campaigned on ending programs in the federal government that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. (1/22)

Rocket Lab to Launch OroraTech Satellites (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab announced a contract Wednesday to launch a set of wildfire detection satellites. The company said it would launch eight smallsats for German company OroraTech in the next few weeks on an Electron rocket from New Zealand. OroraTech has three satellites in orbit now and plans to launch two sets of eight this year to improve its ability to provide early detections of fires to aid first responders. Rocket Lab argued the contract demonstrates the advantages of dedicated small launch as such rockets face price competition from rideshare services. (1/23)

China Launches Megaconstellation Batch (Source: Space News)
China launched another batch of megaconstellation satellites Thursday. A Long March 6A lifted off at 12:11 a.m. Eastern from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and placed into orbit 18 satellites for the Qianfan, or Thousand Sails, constellation. There are now 72 satellites in orbit for a constellation intended to ultimately reach 14,000 satellites. This was the tenth launch of a Long March 6A since its introduction in 2022, and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said it is planning to conduct more than 10 launches of the rocket this year. (1/23)

Eutelsat Shares Fall with OneWeb (Source: MarketScreener)
Eutelsat shares fell this week after a rating downgrade linked to OneWeb. Moody's downgraded Eutelsat from B2 to Ba3, citing limited revenue contributions from the OneWeb constellation. It added concerns about the "prospect of significant refinancing" for the company at a time when borrowing costs are high. Eutelsat shares fell after the ratings announcement Tuesday, causing shares to return to historic lows. (1/23)

Thales Alenia to Build NASA Spacecraft and Science Instruments for SBG-TIR (Source: Thales Alenia)
Thales Alenia Space signed a contract to build a NASA Earth science mission. The contract between Thales and the Italian space agency ASI, announced Wednesday, covers development of the Surface Biology and Geology - Thermal Infrared (SBG-TIR) mission. ASI and NASA previously agreed to cooperate on the SBG-TIR mission, with NASA providing one instrument and ASI another. Thales will build the spacecraft, based on its PRIMA-S bus, and integrate payloads into it. (1/23)

Comet Breakup (Source: Sky & Telescope)
A comet that passed very close to the sun appears to have broken up. Images of Comet ATLAS taken shortly after it passed closer to the sun show the head of the comet becoming more diffuse, indicating that its icy nucleus had broken up. The comet remains visible in southern hemisphere twilight skies, as its tail contains dust ejected before the nucleus broke up. The comet came within 13 million kilometers of the sun earlier this month. (1/23)

Chinese Astronauts Install Debris Shields on TSS (Source: Space.com)
Two Chinese astronauts have completed the second spacewalk of their six-month-long mission in Earth orbit. Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, part of China's three-person Shenzhou 19 mission, completed an 8.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) — or spacewalk — to perform multiple tasks, including the installation of space debris protection devices and inspecting the exterior of the space station. (1/22)

Lunar Moonpiece (Source: NASA)
A tiny asteroid that became a temporary moon of the Earth last year is, in fact, a piece of the moon. The asteroid, 2024 PT5, is 10 meters across and was discovered last year in an orbit that kept it in the vicinity of the Earth for several months. Spectra of the asteroid showed that it did not match any known asteroid types but instead more closely resembled the moon, with silicate minerals seen in lunar rocks but not on asteroids. That composition, as well as its orbit, led scientists to conclude the asteroid is a piece of the moon ejected in an impact, likely in the last few thousand years. (1/23)

This Florida Landmark Among Largest Buildings Worldwide. How Big is it Really? (Source: Click Orlando)
Florida’s no stranger to strange and awe-inspiring locales, but it turns out that the Sunshine State also gets points for size. According to CNET’s list of the biggest buildings in the world, NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the Kennedy Space Center comes in at No. 7. In total, the building is 525 feet tall and 518 feet wide, spanning around 8 acres on its own, NASA reports. Of course, the VAB would have to be pretty large to accommodate the spacecraft inside. (1/22)

Helms Selected for Inaugural AMF 'Spirit of Space' Award (Source: AMF)
The Spirit of Space Award, presented by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, honors an exceptional individual whose contributions have profoundly shaped the American space program and reflects the courage, dedication, and spirit of our fallen heroes memorialized at the National Space Mirror Memorial. Recipients embody the values of sacrifice and perseverance, ensuring that the aspirations of the past are carried forward into the future of space exploration through assured access to space. The first annual award will be presented to Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms, USAF (Ret.) at SpaceCom | Space Congress in Orlando, Florida. (1/23)

Patrick Space Force Base $9.7 Million South Gate Construction Project Set to Begin (Source: Space Coast Daily)
A major infrastructure project is set to begin with the construction of a new South Gate Entry Control Facility at Patrick Space Force Base. The $9.7 million initiative is scheduled to kick off on January 27 and is projected to be completed by mid-2026. This significant development aims to improve the safety, security, and efficiency of the South Gate, ensuring it meets modern standards for both functionality and traffic flow. The project will bring updated infrastructure to accommodate the growing needs of the area while enhancing entry processes. (1/22)

Why Organizing the White House for Sustained Space Leadership is Necessary (Source: Space News)
Without a team dedicated to space policy, the sheer volume of issues White House staff must tackle on a daily basis quickly crowds out any space agenda, whose successes and failures are typically measured in months or years, not the hours, days and weeks that drive activity at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Additionally, a White House space policy coordinating function must be large enough to effectively manage the many facets of space policy that rightfully deserve White House attention — from space exploration to space security, and everything in between. While there is a fine line between having a staff large enough to exercise effective oversight and a staff that is so large that it creeps into micromanagement, a staff that is too small simply will not be effective.

When matters arise that require the president’s attention, the head of the White House’s space policy group must have a sure and speedy path to the president’s ear. Whether that path is through the vice president as Chair of the National Space Council or via a member of the president’s senior staff, such as the White House Chief of Staff or National Security Advisor, is not important. What is important is that this individual has the trust and confidence of the president and can access him when the need arises. (1/20)