March 1, 2025

Florida Outdoes SpaceX Megabay with Cape Canaveral Gigabay (Sources: Florida Today, Spectrum News)
Construction of a large SpaceX facility that could become a recognizable structure at Kennedy Space Center could begin this spring — bringing the possibility of a SpaceX Starbase in Florida closer to reality. A document listed with the FAA shows that SpaceX is looking to break ground as soon as April on what it is calling its Starship Gigabay out at Kennedy Space Center.

Filed late last month, the document is listed as "in progress." Coordinates listed show the Starship Gigabay will be at the site of SpaceX's Roberts Road facilities. This location sits beyond the KSC Visitor Complex, past the security gate. The location itself is not visible to the general public, as in the case of SpaceX's Starbase in Texas − at least not currently. The Gigabay will rival NASA's VAB, supporting the simultaneous assembly and processing of several Starship/Superheavy launch vehicles.

The Gigabay is likely also Space Florida's codenamed "Project Hinton", touted as a "global hub for interplanetary commerce" during public meetings. It is forecasted to create 600 jobs with an average salary of $93,000. Space Florida's board unanimously approved grant negotiations with the Florida Department of Transportation to help lay the groundwork for the project. (2/18)

Unlocking the Heart’s Potential Through Space-Based Research (Source: CASIS)
Researchers from Emory University have taken their cardiac research to extraordinary heights. The team recently published findings from a study leveraging the ISS National Laboratory in the high-impact journal Biomaterials. The investigation, which launched to the ISS on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission, examined the effects of microgravity on three-dimensional clusters of heart muscle cells.

By studying how heart muscle cells grow and function in the unique space environment, the research team aims to revolutionize cell therapy, opening new pathways to repair damaged hearts in patients on Earth. Results from the investigation revealed that spaceflight increases the expression of genes involved in stress response and cell survival. Understanding these spaceflight-induced changes could lead to new ways to produce heart muscle cells on Earth that are better able to respond to stress and survive when transplanted into a patient, which is critical for successful regenerative therapies. (2/28)

Narrowing the Gap Between Air and Space Travel (Source: Space Daily)
Chinese scientists have successfully tested the world's first oblique detonation engine, powered by conventional aviation kerosene, a breakthrough that has generated significant interest. While some analysts view this as a military advancement, the technology's real potential lies in revolutionizing civilian aviation and space travel. The new engine is capable of achieving speeds between Mach 6 and Mach 16. Traditional air-breathing engines struggle to reach such velocities, making this innovation a major leap forward in aerospace propulsion. (2/28)

NASA Selects Scientists to Join Lucy Mission Studying Jupiter's Trojan Asteroids (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has chosen eight scientists to participate in its Lucy mission, an initiative aimed at studying the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. These celestial bodies, considered remnants from the early solar system, follow stable orbits linked to Jupiter but remain at significant distances from the planet. The Lucy mission's Participating Scientist Program for the L4 Trojans enables researchers to contribute new insights into the nature and composition of these asteroids. (2/28)

CTO Unveils VLEO Payload (Source: CTO)
Less than six months after securing €9.3 million in funding, Constellation Technologies & Operations (CTO) is delivering on its ambitions. The startup is developing a constellation of VLEO satellites to enable telecom operators to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access from space—just as they do today with terrestrial networks. Today, CTO unveils its first regenerative operational payload, the Early Test.

Tested on the ground under simulated space environmental conditions, the Early Test payload has been integrated into D-Orbit’s ION satellite platform, which will allow it to operate in orbit. It is now scheduled to be launched into space in June 2025—a pioneering milestone in space telecommunications, marking the first-ever use of the 5G millimeter wave (5G mmWave) spectrum for high-speed, low-latency internet data transmission via satellite, anywhere on the planet. (2/28)

Those DOGE Emails to Federal Workers Are Going to be a Weekly Thing (Source: Washington Post)
Federal workers are slated to receive a second email as early as Saturday asking them for a bullet-point description of what they did in the past week — only this time, a new strategy from the Trump administration means they might have to respond, according to three people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private talks.

The emails are slated to become a weekly requirement, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post and a person briefed on the Office of Personnel Management’s decisions. In part, the responses will serve to gauge agencies’ alignment with President Donald Trump’s agenda and executive orders, according to the documents and the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. (2/28)