April 29, 2025

Quality of 3D Printing with Lunar Regolith Varies Based on Feedstock (Source: Phys.org)
Lately, there's been plenty of progress in 3D printing objects from the lunar regolith. We've reported on several projects that have attempted to do so, with varying degrees of success. However, most of them require some additive, such as a polymer or salt water, as a binding agent. Recently, researchers attempted to make compression-hardened 3D-printed objects using nothing but the regolith itself.

Dr. Julien Garnier hoped to get around that additive requirement by using selective laser melting (SLM) on a specific type of regolith analog. Known as Basalt of Pic d'Ysson (BPY). BPY wasn't up to snuff when 3D printed, at least in terms of the compression strength of the resultant material. Despite the moon's lower gravity, there are still stresses on the structures of buildings and equipment on the moon. If a material's compressive strength can't handle that weight, even in the lower gravity, then it's not much use as a building material.

Optimizing that mix between amorphous and crystalline structure remains on the list of things to do for future work, as well as optimizing the size of particles in the feedstock and the parameters used in the SLM process to create the final material. (4/28)

Vega-C Rocket Launches European Forest-Monitoring 'Biomass' Satellite to Orbit (Source: Space.com)
A European forest-monitoring satellite headed toward orbit from South America early Tuesday morning. The ESA's Biomass spacecraft lifted off atop a Vega-C rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on Tuesday. It was the fourth launch overall for the four-stage, 115-foot-tall Vega-C, and the second since an anomaly in the rocket's second stage led to a mission failure in December 2022. (4/29)

1 Billion Years Ago, a Meteorite Struck Scotland and Influenced Life on Earth (Source: The Conversation)
We’ve discovered that a meteorite struck northwest Scotland 1 billion years ago, 200 million years later than previously thought. Our results are published today in the journal Geology. This impact now aligns with some of Earth’s earliest known, land based, non-marine microbial fossils, and offers new insights into how meteorite strikes may have shaped our planet’s environment and life. (4/28)

Slingshot Targets International Market with Sovereign Space Tracking Systems (Source: Space News)
Slingshot Aerospace, a company that specializes in tracking satellites and analyzing orbital data, is seeking to expand internationally with a new service that allows countries to build independent space monitoring capabilities. The service, called Sovereign Space Object Tracking, is designed to “give nations control over their own space domain awareness capabilities,” CEO Tim Solms said in a news release April 29. (4/29)

Firefly Launch From California Places Satellite in Lower-Than-Planned Orbit (Source: Reuters)
Firefly Aerospace said the sixth mission of its Alpha rocket suffered a mishap in space after launching from California on Tuesday, failing to put a satellite owned by Lockheed Martin into orbit. Firefly said the mishap occurred during a faulty stage separation where the Stage 2 Lightning engine nozzle extension was damaged. (4/29)

The Perils of Letting Capitalism Colonize the Cosmos (Source: Guardian)
A new report by the Common Wealth thinktank, titled Star Wars, warns that a powerful coalition – composed of private corporations, billionaires such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, and “neoliberal” thinktanks – is working to extend earthly ownership structures to space. The report’s author, Durham University’s Carla Ibled, calls it “the transfer of shared resources into the hands of a few”. The 1967 treaty bans state exploitation of space, but is vague on private claims – a loophole now fueling a tycoon-led scramble for the stars. The aim is obvious: to act first, shape norms and dare others to object. (4/27)

Boeing and NASA Halt Work on X-66 Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft (Source: AutoEvolution)
For years American space agency NASA has been trying to turn its ideas for the aviation industry into a reality. The organization is actively working on projects that are meant to make flying more eco-friendly and cheap, but also to bring back the notion of supersonic civilian travel. But not all its ideas, it seems, are easy to make a reality. Back in 2023 NASA awarded aerospace giant Boeing an award to work on something called the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (SFD).

The idea was to build an aircraft that's shaped pretty much as all the others flying in the skies of the world are today, but with diagonal struts tying the wings of the plane to its body. This design, known as transonic truss-braced wing (TTBW), could in theory allow the plane to generate more lift, thus reducing the amount of fuel it needs for certain portions of the flight. NASA and Boeing have been working on the project for almost two years now.

The plane was supposed to have its first flight in 2028, but Boeing, after looking at the data gathered during these past two years, decided the TTBW approach might not be a good idea after all. But work on getting more efficient aircraft into this world is not over. While researching TTBW, Boeing found that it would be a better idea to focus on something called thin-wing technology, which could be incorporated into multiple aircraft configurations. (4/28)

Astronomers May Have Just Found the First Real Clue to Planet Nine! (Source: Daily Galaxy)
Using far-infrared data from the IRAS and AKARI all-sky surveys, the research team may have identified a promising candidate that fits the elusive profile of the long-theorized Planet Nine.

The key to their success was the use of the AKARI Far-Infrared Monthly Unconfirmed Source List (AKARI-MUSL), a specialized catalog designed for identifying faint, moving sources, rather than relying on the standard bright source catalog. Researchers carefully estimated Planet Nine’s expected brightness and motion based on models assuming a mass between 7 and 17 Earth masses and distances ranging from 500 to 700 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.

This leading candidate displayed all the hallmarks expected: the IRAS and AKARI sources showed an angular separation between 42 and 69.6 arcminutes, with no repeat detections at the same position across the two epochs. Further supporting its credibility, the AKARI detection probability maps confirmed the object’s consistency with a slow-moving body, showing detections only at the expected time frames and none six months earlier. (4/28)

First Operational Kuiper Satellites Launch on ULA Atlas 5 at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Space News)
The first operational satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband constellation are in orbit after a launch Monday night. An Atlas 5 lifted off from Cape Canaveral and placed 27 Kuiper satellites into orbit. Amazon confirmed several hours later that the satellites were functioning. The satellites are the first in a constellation of 3,236 spacecraft Amazon plans to deploy to provide global broadband services.

That deployment is running behind schedule, making it likely that Amazon will request an extension of an FCC deadline to have half the constellation in orbit by July 2026. Amazon is relying primarily on new rockets — Ariane 6, New Glenn and Vulcan — to launch most of those satellites, and those vehicles have suffered delays entering commercial service. (4/29)

Apex Raises $200 Million (Source: Space News)
Satellite manufacturer Apex has raised $200 million. Apex, which raised $95 million in a Series B round last year, said it will use the new funding to increase vertical integration and other measures to accelerate production of its satellite buses. The company says it is seeing strong demand, particularly for national security applications, but has not disclosed how many satellites it has sold. (4/29)

Pettit: ISS Can Remain Operational Past 2030 (Source: Space News)
A veteran NASA astronaut said the ISS can operate well past 2030. At a press conference Monday, Don Pettit, who just completed his third long-duration mission to the station, described the ISS as "a well-oiled machine" operating at peak efficiency. He said he thought the station could operate well past 2030 provided NASA continued to invest in refurbishment, comparing the station to B-52 bombers that continue to fly more than 60 years after they were built. Pettit, who turned 70 years old as he returned to Earth earlier this month, said he would like to go to space again. (4/29)

China Considers Developing Spaceport in Malaysia (Source: Space News)
China is exploring the development of its first overseas launch site with a proposed equatorial spaceport in Malaysia. The China Great Wall Industry Corporation signed a letter of intent with two Malaysian entities earlier this month to perform a one-year feasibility study for a proposed spaceport in the Malaysian state of Pahang, just north of the Equator. If the project goes forward, it could ease bottlenecks in existing Chinese launch sites and enhance relations between China and Malaysia. (4/29)

China Launches Third Set of Guawang Constellation Satellites (Source: Space News)
China launched a third set of satellites for its Guowang constellation Monday. A Long March 5B heavy lift rocket with a Yuanzheng-2 upper stage lifted off at 4:10 p.m. Eastern from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology said the launch of the Guowang satellites was a success but did not disclose any additional details. A mission patch with 10 stars on it suggests the rocket carried 10 satellites. An estimated 29 Guowang satellites are now in orbit for a constellation intended to have as many as 13,000 satellites. (4/29)

SpaceX Launches Florida and California Starlink Missions on Monday (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched two sets of Starlink satellites on opposite coasts Monday. One Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 4:42 p.m. Eastern and put 27 Starlink satellites into orbit. A second Falcon 9 lifted off at 10:34 p.m. Eastern from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, putting 23 Starlink satellites in orbit. The Florida launch involved the rare flight of a new Falcon 9 booster, while the California launch used a booster on its 25th flight. (4/29)

China Delays TSS Astronaut Return (Source: Xinhua)
Chinese astronauts are getting an extra day in space. Chinese officials said they postponed the scheduled return Tuesday of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft from the Tiangong space station, citing poor weather conditions at the Inner Mongolia landing site. The landing will instead take place no earlier than Wednesday. The spacecraft will return three Chinese astronauts who spent the last six months on Tiangong. (4/29)

Texas Legislature Blocks SpaceX Beach Control Bill (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
The Texas legislature has blocked a bill that would have given SpaceX more authority over beach closing at its Starbase site. A committee of the Texas House of Representatives voted against the bill Monday, keeping it from going to the full House. The bill would have given SpaceX, and not Cameron County, more authority to close the single road leading to both the Starbase test site and Boca Chica Beach for launches and other test activities. Some local residents opposed the bill, arguing it gave SpaceX too much control over beach access. (4/29)

USSR's Cosmos 482 Spacecraft to Fall in Early May (Source: Space.com)
A wayward Soviet-era spacecraft, intended to go to Venus, will instead soon reenter the Earth's atmosphere. Cosmos 482 was launched in 1972 on a mission to Venus, but a failure of its rocket's upper stage instead stranded the spacecraft in low Earth orbit. That orbit has been gradually decaying and the spacecraft is now expected to reenter around May 9 or 10. The spacecraft includes a descent probe designed to enter the atmosphere of Venus, and thus would likely survive an Earth reentry. (4/29)

Project Nivelir: Russia’s Inspection Satellites (Source: Space Review)
Russia has launched a series of satellites in the last several years designed to inspect other spacecraft. Bart Hendrickx examines what is known about these satellites that could also serve as counterspace weapons. Click here. (4/29)
 
The Real Space Race: China Will Send a Crew to Orbit Mars by 2050 (Source: Space Review)
While China is pressing ahead with plans to land astronauts on the Moon by the end of the decade, its ambitions in space don’t stop there. Kristin Burke explains why it is likely China will also push to send astronauts to Mars by 2050. Click here. (4/29)
 
Isaacman Revisited (Source: Space Review)
The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to vote this week to advance Jared Isaacman’s nomination to be NASA administrator to the full Senate. Jeff Foust reports on what additional insights Isaacman offered in followup questions from members of the committee. Click here. (4/29)
 
Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence (Source: Space Review)
Astronomers announced earlier this month that they had detected a molecule in the atmosphere of an exoplanet, a finding that many other scientists have disputed. Chris Impey discusses the challenges in making a firm claim about finding life beyond Earth. Click here. (4/29)

Lessons for Space Force From Commercial Space (Source: Forbes)
The commercial space sector has transformed space capabilities with faster timelines and lower costs, and the US Space Force can learn from this by ensuring mission requirements lead to resource planning, acquisitions promote competition and financial health is prioritized. Charles Beames of the SmallSat Alliance highlights these points, emphasizing the need for Space Force to align with commercial capabilities to maintain national security. (4/28)

What’s it Like To Be 70 Years Old in Space? (Source: Ars Technica)
After every one of his missions, Pettit said the readjustment to gravity for him has been a challenge. "A week ago, I was on station, and I was doing really heavy squats, I was doing dead lifts, I could float around with the greatest of ease, even though I had no trapeze," he said. "I was at the peak of my game. And then you come back to Earth, and it's like, God, I can't even get up from the floor anymore. It's humbling," he said.

"But it isn't about the large muscle groups. It's about the little, tiny muscles that everybody forgets about because they're just there and they work. When you're in weightlessness, these muscles don't work anymore. And they take a six-month vacation until you come back to Earth. And now, all of a sudden, they start groaning and talking to you, and it takes a while to get all these little muscles tuned back up to being an Earthling." (4/28)

NASA Soars to New Heights in First 100 Days of Trump Administration (Source: NASA)
Today is the 100th day of the Trump-Vance Administration after being inaugurated on Jan. 20. In his inaugural address, President Trump laid out a bold and ambitious vision for NASA’s future throughout his second term, saying, “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.” NASA has spent the first 100 days in relentless pursuit of this goal, continually exploring, innovating, and inspiring for the benefit of humanity. (4/29)

Radian Unveils Multirole Reusable Reentry Vehicle Plan (Source: Aviation Week)
Seattle-based space startup Radian Aerospace has revealed ambitious near-term plans to build and flight test a reusable reentry vehicle for hypersonic and low-Earth-orbit space missions. The Radian Reusable Re-entry Vehicle, or R3V, was envisioned originally as a high-speed testbed to evaluate the company's Dur-E-Therm thermal protection system for the Radian One, its single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane. (4/29)

The Starlink Takeover: Are Traditional Satellite Phones Obsolete? (Source: Space Daily)
Let's give credit where credit's due. Starlink is impressive. Those speeds are game-changing for remote locations. Imagine running a remote office, a construction site, or even a live stream from the middle of nowhere with fiber-like speeds. We've seen clients ditch expensive, unreliable terrestrial connections for Starlink, and they haven't looked back. But (and there's always a but) - Starlink isn't a magic bullet. It requires a clear view of the sky, a power source, and it's not exactly something you slip into your pocket.

So, are satellite phones obsolete? Absolutely not. They're more relevant than ever. They're your insurance policy, your backup plan. The smartest players in the game are adopting a hybrid approach. Starlink for base camp, providing high-bandwidth connectivity for data-intensive tasks. Satphones for teams on the move, ensuring reliable communication no matter where they go. It's the perfect blend of power and portability. (4/28)

How Space Exploration Opens Up New Horizons for Global Security and Governance (Source: Space Daily)
There's no questioning the fact that space has become an increasingly crucial aspect affecting international relations and the rule of law among nations. Apart from opening up new frontiers for exploration and discovery, this ever-widening scientific field will also lead to the development of new laws regulating how countries invest in research and development, focusing on turning outer space into a vital sector encompassing commerce and scientific innovation.

Considering how rapidly current technology is advancing, space exploration will go beyond understanding outer space and shape the future of global politics, economics, and cultures. Indeed, this will also lay down legal and political implications as global superpowers see outer space as a vital source for maintaining strategic advantages over each other. Conflicts become inevitable as a result, and these can only be mitigated with the establishment of a legal framework governing all aspects of space exploration and research. (4/27)