November 20, 2024

Space-Based 3D Cell Culture Research Paves the Way for New Cancer Therapies (Source: CASIS)
In October, we think pink, and for a good reason—one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and each year, 2 million women are given this frightening diagnosis. Biotechnology startup MicroQuin leveraged the ISS National Laboratory to grow 3D breast and prostate cancer cell cultures to learn more about how these cancers develop and grow. However, the research team found something incredible that could lead to a way to treat not just breast and prostate cancers but all cancers.

Through MicroQuin’s ISS National Lab-sponsored research, the team identified microgravity-induced changes in cancer cell signaling that revealed something critical to cancer cell survival. Cancer cells’ survival depends on their ability to regulate changes in their intracellular environment (the environment within the cells). As part of MicroQuin’s research, the team crystallized a protein called TMBIM6 that plays a key role in regulating cells’ intracellular environment and determined its structure. (11/19)

The One Agency That Might have the Muscle to Oppose Elon Musk (Source: Politico)
One of the most cautious, rules-bound arms of the federal government is on a collision course with possibly its most dangerous opponent yet: “first buddy” Elon Musk.

The Federal Aviation Administration has spent years tangling with Musk’s SpaceX for violations related to its operations, including multiple incidents when the company launched rockets without approval. During the past year, the agency proposed fining SpaceX $633,009 for twice using plans the agency had not green-lighted, and forced the company to idle its launch pads in Texas for months because of a pending Fish and Wildlife Service review.

And go-fast-break-things Musk has responded with scorched earth. He’s used his social media megaphone to threaten to sue the agency for “regulatory overreach,” accused it of “politically motivated behavior,” taunted the FAA with crude humor and poked at the agency’s rules, which he says move too slowly to meet his goal of getting human civilization to Mars. He has also called for the resignation of FAA leader Mike Whitaker — who has four years left on the job, assuming he serves out his term. (11/18)

Could Sale of Boeing's Space Business Benefit the Space Coast? (Source: Florida Today)
Boeing space-business sale would end Space Coast era. But could it create a strong competitor? By ditching its space division, industry experts said Boeing could re-focus on fixing safety and manufacturing issues with its core airplane business. A sale of Boeing’s key space assets could lead to the creation of more jobs on the Space Coast, experts said, but there’s also the risk a deal would eliminate competition. (11/18)

Can the Trump-Musk 'Bromance' Last? (Source: Space Daily)
The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has been an ever-present sidekick for President-elect Donald Trump since the US election at the start of the month. "I can't get him out of here," Trump joked about Musk at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last Thursday. "I like having him here as well. He's done a fantastic job, an incredible mind."

But can the bromance between the world's wealthiest man and the soon-to-be US president survive some major policy differences and their own combustible personalities? Click here. (11/18)

Navigating the Digital Skies: How Adtech is Revolutionizing Space Tourism Marketing (Source: Space Daily)
Imagine you're scrolling through social media when an ad appears: "Book your ticket to orbit - limited spots for 2025!" Adtech is making it possible to reach niche audiences dreaming of the ultimate journey. Space tourism isn't just about selling seats on a spacecraft - it's about weaving the narrative of exploration, luxury, and cutting-edge technology into a brand experience.

Advanced data analytics, programmatic advertising, and precision targeting enable space tourism companies to identify and engage their ideal customers. As Epom, the provider of adtech solutions, aptly demonstrates, robust adtech platforms streamline this process, ensuring campaigns deliver impact without wasting resources. (11/19)

Starship Launches Again at Texas Site (Source: Space News)
SpaceX launched its Starship vehicle on its sixth test flight but called off an attempt to "catch" the booster back at the launch site. Starship/Super Heavy lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, at 5 p.m. Eastern, with President-elect Trump among those in attendance. SpaceX planned to have the Super Heavy booster return to the launch site to be caught by the launch tower as on the previous test flight in October, but controllers aborted that attempt and directed the booster to make a landing in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore.

SpaceX later said that "automated health checks of critical hardware on the launch and catch tower" triggered the abort. The Starship upper stage flew on a suborbital trajectory, testing the ability relight a Raptor engine in flight, before reentering and making a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. (11/20)

IRIS² Approved - Too Little Too Late? (Source: Space News)
While Europe is moving ahead with the IRIS² satellite constellation, some believe the program could be too little, too late. A panel at Space Tech Expo Europe reached that conclusion Tuesday, noting the constellation is not scheduled to enter service in 2030, lagging Starlink and other Western and Chinese competitors. While IRIS² will have military and civil government applications for Europe, it is unclear if it can compete on price and scale with commercial alternatives. Europe also faces hurdles in standardizing satellite and ground systems, which can slow down progress.  (11/20)

Supply Chain Issues Delay SDA LEO Constellation (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is pushing back the first launches of the next phase of its LEO satellite constellation because of supply chain issues. The first launch of Tranche 1 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture was originally scheduled for September 2024, but is now expected in March or April 2025. SDA Director Derek Tournear said Tuesday that his agency has encountered significant hurdles in its supply chain, particularly in optical terminals and specialized encryption devices requiring National Security Agency certification. The deployment of Tranche 1 will require 11 launches, scheduled on a monthly cadence, to deploy 126 communications satellites and 28 missile-tracking sensor satellites. (11/20)

Commission Urges Focus on Countering China's Space Advances (Source: Space News)
A congressional advisory body is calling for urgent measures to counter China's rapid advancements in space and other advanced technologies. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released its annual report Tuesday, highlighting how China has integrated cutting-edge technologies into its economic and military strategies. It noted the growth of Chinese space-based surveillance capabilities and anti-satellite weapons. Among its 32 recommendations, the commission urges Congress to prioritize space as a vital arena of competition and conduct a comprehensive review of the U.S. commercial space industry. (11/20)

ISS Maneuvers to Avoid Debris After Progress Cargo Departure (Sources: NASA, TASS)
The International Space Station had to maneuver Tuesday to avoid a close approach with space debris. A Progress spacecraft docked to the station fired its thrusters for five and a half minutes to raise the station's orbit slightly, giving the station greater clearance with a piece of debris from a U.S. military weather satellite that broke up in 2015. NASA said the maneuver won't affect a planned launch Thursday of a new Progress spacecraft.

The maneuver took pace hours after another Progress undocked from the station. The Progress MS-27 undocked from the station at 7:53 a.m. Eastern and reentered hours later over the South Pacific. Its departure freed up a docking port for Thursday's launch of the Progress MS-29 spacecraft. (11/20)

SEOPS Buys Falcon 9 Mission to GEO (Source: Space News)
Rideshare company SEOPS has purchased a Falcon 9 for a dedicated mission to geostationary transfer orbit. SEOPS announced Tuesday at Space Tech Expo Europe that it purchased a Falcon 9 for a launch in late 2028 to GTO. SEOPS had not identified specific customers for the mission but says it is seeing strong interest from government and commercial customers looking for options to get spacecraft to geosynchronous or other high orbits. (11/20)

Exotrail to Launch Spacevan to GTO on Ariane 6 (Source: Space News)
Exotrail will launch an orbital transfer vehicle to GTO on an Ariane 6. Exotrail and Arianespace announced Tuesday that Exotrail's spacevan vehicle will fly as a secondary payload on an Ariane 6 launch in the second half of 2026. That spacevan vehicle is a version of an orbital transfer vehicle Exotrail launched a year ago and deployed a satellite into low Earth orbit in February. (11/20)

Latitude Signs with Atmos for Multi-Launch Package (Source: Space News)
Latitude signed a multi-launch deal with Atmos Space Cargo. The contract, announced at Space Tech Expo Europe Tuesday, includes a minimum of five launches of Latitude's Zephyr small launch vehicle annually from 2028 to 2032. Each launch will place a Phoenix spacecraft from Atmos into very low Earth orbit to perform microgravity research before returning to Earth. Latitude says it remains on track to conduct a first launch of Zephyr in late 2025. (11/20)

Kepler Seeks Permission for Larger Satellites (Source: Space News)
Kepler Communications is seeking permission to operate larger but significantly fewer satellites for a data relay constellation. The Canadian company is asking the FCC to approve a modified constellation of 18 satellites, 10 with optical payloads, slated to launch late next year. Its original license granted in 2018 covering 140 radio frequency spacecraft about 12 kilograms in size. The company is moving to a smaller number of bigger satellites to accommodate optical terminals that Kepler believes are now sufficiently mature to use in their system. The larger satellites will also accommodate propulsion systems to meet FCC rules that require satellites to deorbit within five years of the end of their lives. (11/20)

NASA to Assign Cargo Missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin for Artemis (Source: Space Daily)
NASA is set to deepen its Artemis campaign, targeting long-term lunar exploration, by assigning key cargo missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin under their current contracts. This move supports NASA's goal of fostering scientific advancement and sustainable operations on the Moon. Following successful design certification reviews, NASA plans to award demonstration missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin to further develop and test their large cargo landers. This initiative stems from a 2023 request for the development of cargo variants of the human landing systems being prepared for Artemis III, IV, and V. (11/20)

Orion Space Solutions Set to Enhance On-Orbit Refueling for U.S. Space Force (Source: Space Daily)
Orion Space Solutions (Orion), a subsidiary of Arcfield, has secured an additional contract from the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) to extend its work on the Tetra-6 mission. This four-year award builds upon Orion's existing Tetra-5 prime contract, focusing on advancing refueling technologies in space. The Tetra-6 mission aims to showcase a distinct refueling approach compared to the one utilized by the Tetra-5 spacecraft. Currently, the Tetra-6 SmallSat prototype is in development with a planned launch in 2027, following the Tetra-5 mission by two years. Both missions will be stationed in geostationary orbit (GEO) and are expected to operate for at least two years. (11/20)

Fort Detrick Maryland Chosen as Permanent Site for Wideband Military SATCOM Training (Source: Space Daily)
Fort Detrick, Maryland, has been designated as the permanent home of the Wideband Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Operations Center (WSOC), which will host the Wideband Transmission Controller Operator Course (WTCOC). This course trains Guardians in managing satellite transmissions across the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) and Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) constellations. This move consolidates training efforts under the U.S. Space Force (USSF), enabling the incorporation of the active Wideband SATCOM Operational Management System (WSOMS) node maintained at Fort Detrick. (11/16)

Morpheus Space Announces Collaboration with D-Orbit for GO-2 In-Orbit Test Mission (Source: Space Daily)
Morpheus Space, a leading innovator in in-space mobility solutions, has revealed a partnership with D-Orbit, a prominent space logistics provider, to conduct an in-orbit demonstration mission aboard the ION Satellite Carrier, D-Orbit's orbital transfer vehicle. This mission will showcase the cutting-edge performance of Morpheus' GO-2 electric propulsion system in an operational space environment. (11/20)

SDA Plans Proliferated Warfighter Solicitation (Sources: Federal News Network, WFED-AM)
The Space Development Agency is working to release its solicitation for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture in January, with Tranche 1 set for launch from March to April and Tranche 2 production underway. Tranche 3 will feature position, navigation and timing services and enhanced missile tracking. (11/19)

Aerospace Firms Call for European defense, Space Unity (Sources: Daily Mail, Reuters)
European aerospace companies, including Airbus and Saab, are calling for increased collaboration among European nations to strengthen the continent's defense and space industries. This push comes amid concerns over the potential policy changes with the re-election of Donald Trump as US president, which could affect European security commitments, and to better compete with companies like SpaceX. (11/19)

November 19, 2024

China Unveils Design for Fully Reusable Heavy Rocket (Source: Xinhua)
China revealed a concept for a two-stage, fully reusable heavy rocket at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, showcasing different recovery methods for the two stages of the launch vehicle. The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) announced that China's future heavy-lift rockets would adopt three configurations: a three-stage model, a two-stage model, and a two-stage fully reusable model, which is displayed at the airshow.

"We've developed a grid-based recovery system for the reusable model and achieved a breakthrough in this novel technology in the past two years by completing a scaled-down recovery test at sea," said Wang Yue, deputy director of the CALT's aerospace department. A CALT animated video shows the reusable rocket's first stage deploying grid fins during its descent and captured by moving rails on an offshore platform, with the grid fins resting on the rails. The second stage performs a powered vertical landing.

The reusable rocket design is pivotal for the nation's space endeavors and also offers new opportunities for the global development of the space industry, Wang said. The CALT plans to develop modules that can be used universally in all three configurations in two phases to achieve the heavy-lift carrying capacity and complete reuse of the heavy rocket. (11/17)

Starships and Space Policy (Source: Space Review)
The next Starship test flight will be very similar to the previous one last month. But, as Jeff Foust reports, it is taking place in a changed political environment that could see the next administration lean heavily on that vehicle for the Moon and perhaps Mars. Click here. (11/19)
 
The Woomera Manual on Military Law in Space (Source: Space Review)
The Woomera Manual is a document that outlines the rules that currently apply to national security activities in space. David Koplow describes the development of the manual and how it can be applied to issues that pose challenges to an incomplete legal regime in space. Click here. (11/19)
 
Blue Streak: Missile in Search of a Mission (Source: Space Review)
When the British government decided to cancel the Blue Streak missile in the early years of the Space Age, it looked for ways to repurpose that technology in launch vehicles. Trevor Williams discusses those efforts and the problems they encountered. Click here. (11/19)

ESA Provides More Funds to European Launcher Startups (Source: Space News)
ESA is providing more funding to four European launch startups. ESA announced Tuesday it was adding $46.7 million through its "Boost!" program to existing contracts with HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, Orbex and Rocket Factory Augsburg. The funding will help the companies with integrated testing activities for the small launch vehicles they are developing. (11/19)

ISAC Expands to Australia (Source: Space News)
The Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) is expanding to Australia. The organization, which monitors threats to space systems, said a new "watch center" in Australia will enhance real-time threat intelligence gathering and defense against cyber attacks on space assets. The move reflects growing international concern about the security of space-based assets, which are increasingly critical to global communications, navigation and defense systems. (11/19)

SpaceX Launches Indian Comsat at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched an Indian communications satellite Monday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and successfully placed the GSAT-N2 satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The spacecraft, also known as GSAT-20, will provide broadband services, including inflight connectivity, in India and the surrounding region. The 4,700-kilogram satellite launched on a Falcon 9 because it is too heavy for the largest current Indian launcher, the LVM3. (11/19)

Layoffs at Intuitive Machines (Source: Washington Business Journal)
Intuitive Machines plans to cut about three dozen jobs under a NASA contract at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The company confirmed it is planning to lay off about 35 employees who have been working there under a contract called OMES III run by Intuitive Machines and KBR, citing NASA's decision to end the OSAM-1 satellite servicing mission that had been part of the contract. NASA confirmed plans this summer to terminate OSAM-1, blaming cost and schedule overruns and changes in topics of interest in satellite servicing technology. (11/19)

USC Team Breaks Amateur Rocket Altitude Record (Source: USC)
A student group has broken the record for the highest amateur launch. The student-run USC Rocket Propulsion Lab launched its Aftershock II rocket last month from the Nevada desert, reaching a peak altitude of about 143 kilometers. That broke a record set in 2004 by the Civilian Space Exploration Team, an amateur group that launched a rocket to about 116 kilometers. The Aftershock II rocket came back to Earth under parachutes "largely intact," the leader of the USC team said, after flying at speeds as high as Mach 5.5. (11/19)

Turner to Lead Space Tech Development at NASA (Source: NASA)
The acting head of space technology at NASA will take the job permanently. NASA announced Monday that Clayton Turner will serve as the new associate administrator for space technology effective immediately. Turner had held the position on an acting basis since July, after the sudden departure of Kurt Vogel.  Turner was previously director of the Langley Research Center and has been at the agency for more than 30 years. (11/19)

Ligado Lawsuit Gets Green Light (Source: Breaking Defense)
A judge is allowing a lawsuit by Ligado against the federal government to proceed. A federal judge Monday allowed the suit to proceed after issuing rulings both in favor and against the company. Ligado is suing the Departments of Commerce and Defense for $39 billion for what it calls "unlawful actions" to seize its L-band spectrum. That spectrum was originally assigned for satellite communications, but Ligado is seeking to use it for a terrestrial network that the government argues would interfere with GPS signals. (11/19)

AeroVironment Seeks Lift From $4.1 Billion Deal for BlueHalo (Source: US News and World Report)
AeroVironment will buy space and defense engineering company BlueHalo in an all-stock deal valued at about $4.1 billion, the companies said on Tuesday, as the drone maker seeks to broaden its portfolio amid rising geopolitical tensions. The company's shares, up 56% this year, fell 3.6% in premarket trade.

AeroVironment, which makes the Switchblade loitering munition systems, will issue about 18.5 million shares to Arlington, Virginia-based BlueHalo as part of the deal. BlueHalo, majority owned by private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, is a defense tech company that makes drone defense systems and laser communication technology used in space missions. (11/19)

Honeywell, ESA Partner to Enhance Satcom Security (Source: Military & Aerospace Electronics)
Honeywell has partnered with the European Space Agency to develop the Quantum Key Distribution Satellite. The project, supported by the UK Space Agency, involves a multinational consortium and aims to protect sectors such as finance and critical infrastructure from data breaches. (11/18)

Kratos to Lead SDA Ground Infrastructure Program (Source: Defense Post)
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has been awarded a $116.7 million contract to lead the development of Advanced Fire Control Ground Infrastructure for the US Space Development Agency. The project will integrate space and ground assets for modern fire control strategies, manage cloud environments and test prototypes for monitoring hypersonic missiles. (11/18)

November 18, 2024

Exploration Company Raises $160 Million for Cargo Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
The Exploration Company has raised $160 million to further development of a cargo spacecraft. The company announced Monday the Series B round led by European VC firms Balderton Capital and Plural. The funding brings the total raised by The Exploration Company to nearly $230 million. It will use the funding to advance development of Nyx, a spacecraft designed to transport cargo to and from future commercial space stations, with potential later applications in cislunar space. The company is working on a subscale demonstrator called Mission Possible it plans to launch next year on a three-hour orbital flight, with a test mission to the ISS proposed for as soon as 2028, pending additional support from ESA. (11/18)

Optimum Wins Space Force Contract for Optical Sensor (Source: Space News)
Optimum Technologies has won a Space Force contract to provide an optical sensor for a future responsive space mission. The company, also known as OpTech, said it received a $4.5 million award to develop an optical imaging payload for a mission called Victus Surgo scheduled to fly in 2026 on an Impulse Space vehicle. The contract covers a telescope, high-resolution camera, advanced processing electronics and proprietary software to inspect and characterize threats like anti-satellite weapons in orbit. (11/18)

China Launches Cargo Craft to TSS (Source: Space News)
A Chinese cargo spacecraft launched to the Tiangong space station Friday. A Long March 7 rocket lifted off at 10:13 a.m. Eastern Friday from the Wenchang spaceport on the island of Hainan and placed the Tianzhou-8 spacecraft into orbit. That spacecraft docked with Tiangong at 1:32 p.m. Eastern Friday. The spacecraft is carrying around 6,000 kilograms of supplies to support the current Shenzhou-19 crew at the station and the future Shenzhou-20 crew. (11/18)

SpaceX Launches California and Florida Missions Within Eight Hours (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 missions less than eight hours apart this weekend. A Falcon 9 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 5:28 p.m. Eastern Sunday carrying a payload identified only as Optus-X or TD7. The payload is believed to be a GEO communications satellite for Australian operator Optus, potentially for military applications. Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 12:53 a.m. Eastern Monday. It deployed a set of 20 Starlink satellites, 13 with direct-to-cell payloads. (11/18)

Carr to Lead FCC (Source: AP)
Brendan Carr will be the next head of the FCC. The incoming Trump administration announced Sunday that Carr, currently one of five FCC commissioners, will take over as chairman when Trump takes office in January. Among other issues, Carr has been publicly critical of the FCC's decision to revoke rural broadband subsidies from SpaceX after the commission concluded in 2023 that the service did not meet its broadband standards. (11/18)

China's CASC Gears Up for First Launches of New Rockets (Source: Space Daily)
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), the country's primary space contractor, is preparing for the inaugural flights of two new carrier rocket models in the coming months. Ma Tao, deputy head of spacecraft operations at CASC, announced that the first launch of the Long March 8A is planned for January 2025 at the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center in Wenchang, Hainan province. The Long March 12 is also expected to make its debut at the same facility within weeks. These initial flights will signify the start of operations at the newly established launch complex, Ma emphasized. (11/16)

China Advances Crewed Lunar Rover Development (Source: Space Daily)
The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) announced that its prototype lunar rover, developed for upcoming manned lunar missions, has advanced to the initial phase of development. The rover, designed with a modular, foldable structure, is capable of carrying two astronauts for surface operations. A released concept image depicts the vehicle as an open-top off-road model, inspired by the design of ancient Chinese chariots.

CAST credited contributions from auto manufacturer GAC Group, Tsinghua University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University in shaping the design of the rover. Simultaneously, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) is conducting a parallel development program for its version of the lunar rover. (11/16)

NASA Receives 14th Straight 'Clean' Financial Audit Result (Source: Space Daily)
For the 14th consecutive year, NASA has earned an unmodified, or "clean," audit opinion on its fiscal year 2024 financial statements from an independent external auditor. This top-tier audit result indicates that NASA's financial statements align with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for federal agencies and accurately represent the agency's financial status. The result underscores NASA's dedication to maintaining transparency in managing taxpayer funds. (11/16)

NASA Aims to Cut Costs, Speed Mars Sample Return (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA is reviewing 11 proposals to reduce costs and accelerate the Mars Sample Return mission, aiming for decisions by year-end. The proposals include studies by Aerojet Rocketdyne, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Lab and others. (11/18)

Barnard’s Star Finally Has a Planet, and Possibly More (Source: New York Times)
In 1963, long before the search for exoplanets became a respectable endeavor, Peter van de Kamp, a Dutch astronomer at Swarthmore College’s Sproul Observatory in Pennsylvania, announced that Barnard’s Star had a planet. Astrometric measurements, he said, showed that the star wobbled in its path across the sky. Dr. van de Kamp attributed the wobble to the gravitational tug of a planet with the mass of Jupiter.

The claim made headlines, but nobody else could replicate the finding. The wobble was eventually traced not to a planet but to anomalies in the 24-inch telescope. But as Paul Butler, an astronomer with the Carnegie Institution for Science, told The Washington Post, Barnard’s Star is “the great white whale” of exoplanet hunts.

Dr. Butler was part of a team in 2018 that announced having found a much smaller planet orbiting Barnard’s Star, as part of what they called the Red Dots campaign. Barnard Star b, as the entity was designated, was about three times as massive as Earth and circled the star every 233 days — but at too great a distance to be warmed sufficiently to support life. (11/18)

Japan Confirms US Space Force to Launch Unit in Tokyo in December (Source: The Mainichi)
Japan and the United States have confirmed that the U.S. Space Force will launch a unit in Tokyo in December as planned, the Defense Ministry said, with the aim of strengthening bilateral deterrence capabilities. The Japanese ministry said the arrangement was reaffirmed by Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin during their meeting on Sunday in Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory. (11/18)

A Six-Step Plan for Keeping Space Command in Colorado (Source: The Gazette)
Trump wants to reward his Alabama buddies, Rep. Mike Rogers and Sen. Tommy Tuberville. Trump reportedly promised Tuberville he would move Space Command in exchange for Tuberville refusing to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. Tuberville was one of only eight senators who would not certify. But Colorado is not going to let the command go without a fight. Click here. (11/17)

SpaceX Domination of U.S. Launch Contracts is Poised to Grow (Source: Washington Post)
Musk’s prowess in space comes as he has formed a close relationship with Trump, the president-elect, who has invited him to participate in calls with foreign leaders and appointed him to lead a commission to shrink the federal government. Musk’s role in the new administration, alongside his status as the leader of a prominent government contractor, has led to questions about how he would handle potential conflicts stemming from his dual roles.

The company’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket has become the launch vehicle of choice for NASA, the Defense Department and the intelligence community. Out of 67 launches that were wholly or partially funded by the U.S. government since the beginning of 2022, 47 went to SpaceX, according to Harrison’s database.

And it is continuing to win federal contracts that will fund launches in the coming years. SpaceX was recently awarded an eight-launch $733 million contract by the Space Force. It is also a prime contractor on the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch program. The Wall Street Journal reported that it holds a $1.8 billion national security contract. SpaceX has handled 19 out of 24 government-sponsored launches so far this year. (11/17)

How Likely is it That Colorado Loses Space Command Under Trump? (Source: The Colorado Sun)
Colorado’s fight to keep Space Command will be an “uphill battle,” said former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, who alongside the state’s top political leaders vowed last week to push back on any effort by President-elect Donald Trump to move its headquarters from Colorado Springs to Alabama.

The yearslong tug-of-war over the military base appeared to be far from over after a Republican Alabama congressman, Mike Rogers, told a Mobile radio station last week that Trump committed on the campaign trail to reverse President Joe Biden’s decision to permanently place the headquarters in Colorado Springs and that he was confident Trump would follow through on the promise within his first week of office. (11/17)

An Elon Musk-Inspired Pivot to Mars Would be a Mistake (Source: The Hill)
Elon Musk is one of the biggest winners of the 2024 presidential election, next to President-elect Donald Trump. He went all in to reelect Trump, spending millions of dollars and even personally campaigning in the pivotal state of Pennsylvania. Musk will have an outsized influence in the coming second Trump administration, particularly regarding space policy.

One of the major effects that Musk could have on a Trump space program may be in the Artemis program. That effect may be concerning as it involves Musk’s Mars ambitions. The last thing Trump would want would be for China to steal a march on the United States and get back to the moon first while NASA is bogged down trying to get to Mars. That kind of legacy seems too much like losing. Trump does not like to lose. Firming up plans to go to Mars would be fine, so long as it is not done at the expense of returning to the moon. (11/17)

New Study Reveals Starship’s True Sound Levels (Source: NSF)
A team of scientists from Brigham Young University traveled to Starbase for Starship’s fifth flight test to collect sound data from launch and booster landing. The team is back at Starbase for Flight 6. Their results show that some sound metrics agree with those presented in the FAA’s most recent Environmental Assessment (EA) from 2024, while some predictions made by the EA are off. Moreover, the team compared Starship’s launch and landing noise levels to those of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rockets.

They were able to identify the four most significant acoustic and pressure events during the launch and landing sequence: launch, Super Heavy’s sonic boom, the noise produced by Super Heavy’s engines during the landing burn, and the sonic boom produced by the hot stage ring during its landing in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, the team noted that the intense crackle noise produced by Super Heavy’s Raptors during launch and landing led to the production of shocklike waveform characteristics.

The most important conclusions from their data is the differences between Starship’s launch noise levels and those of SLS and Falcon 9. The team found that Starship produces significantly more noise at liftoff than both SLS and Falcon 9. When compared to Falcon 9, the noise produced by a single Starship launch is equivalent to, at a minimum, 10 Falcon 9 launches. Despite SLS producing more than half of Starship’s overall thrust at liftoff, Starship is substantially louder than SLS. (11/17)

'Lunik Heist:' A Real-Life CIA Rocket Kidnapping Goes to Hollywood (Source: Space.com)
Now in the works is a retro look back in time at a bizarre Cold War caper by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) thanks to a forthcoming, star-studded comedy/drama movie called "Lunik Heist." The film is based on a real-life incident that saw CIA operatives plot to disassemble and inspect one of the Soviet Union spacecraft overnight while on exhibit during a 1959 expo in Mexico City. (11/18)

Space-Flown Choctaw Nation Seeds to be Planted on Earth for STEM Experiment (Source: Space.com)
Seeds flown to space last year will be planted on Earth this spring as part of a cultural and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) study. Five varieties of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma — including Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash), Tobi (Smith Peas), Tanchi Tohbi (Flour Corn), Tvnishi (Lambsquarter), and Chukfi Peas — were flown to the ISS in November 2023. (11/17)

November 17, 2024

SpaceX Launches Mystery Payload at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
SpaceX on Sunday launched a Falcon 9 rocket with a payload that has been shrouded in secrecy to the point of not disclosing any specifics of the mission, and not using its original name. Some publications have offered speculation regarding the functionality of the Optus-X spacecraft, claiming that it is the fulfillment of a contract announced in 2022 between Northrop Grumman and SpaceLogistics for a Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft on behalf of Optus Networks Party Limited (Optus), an Australian telecommunications company.

Filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) state that Optus is a subsidiary of Singtel Optus Pty. Ltd., which in turn is a subsidiary of Singapore Telecom Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., which is in turn is a subsidiary of SingTel Australia Investment Ltd., a British Virgin Islands investment holding company. A Northrop Grumman official referred questions about the mission to Optus, which has not responded to Spaceflight Now’s requests for additional information. (11/17)

Texas A&M Marks $200 Million Space institute Groundbreaking (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Texas A&M University made a giant leap toward bolstering its contributions to space exploration on Friday, when university officials marked a groundbreaking ceremony for its $200 million space center in Houston. Work will begin in January on the Texas A&M University Space Institute, which is designed to support efforts in aeronauts, robotics and space engineering.

Just eight days ago, the Texas A&M University System's Board of Regents approved $200 million to construct the four-story facility on a 32-acre lot next to NASA's Johnson Space Center. The building will have landscapes the size of Kyle Field mimicking the surfaces of the moon and Mars, plus research "garages" for experimental robots and vehicles, along with lab spaces, offices, classrooms and an auditorium. (11/16)

Rivada Suffers Liechtenstein Blow (Source: Advanced Television)
Liechtenstein, which has licensed the transmission frequencies for Rivada Space Networks, has cancelled its authorisation. It says Rivada hasn’t paid the annual fee, and moreover has not supplied a credible business plan. Two days previously Rivada had announced it had secured “expansion bandwidth” from Germany, but failed to say that it had lost its priority access to the Liechtenstein frequencies. The blow is potentially extremely damaging in that Liechtenstein can ‘re-allocate’ the ‘priority’ frequencies and would be normally considered a key asset for any operator. (11/15)

Senate Concerns About Musk Reliance (Source: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen)
Following reports of Elon Musk’s regular contact with Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials for the last two years, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, and Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, are calling for the Departments of Justice and Defense to investigate whether this behavior should force a review of Musk’s continued involvement in SpaceX’s contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and Intelligence Community (IC). (11/15)

JWST Data Points to Alternate Theory of Gravitation (Source: The Debrief)
The MOND theory, first proposed in 1983 by Israeli physicist Mordehai Milgrom, suggests modifying Newton’s second law to account for discrepancies observed in galaxy rotation curves without invoking dark matter. These modifications are relevant in regions of tiny accelerations, such as those experienced at the universe’s periphery, where JWST is now observing. JWST’s data aligns more closely with predictions made by MOND proponents than with Lambda-CDM models. (11/15)

‘Possibility of a Catastrophic Failure’: Inside the ISS Leak Problem That Has NASA Worried (Source: CNN)
A Russian-controlled segment of the International Space Station is leaking, allowing pressure and air to bleed out. The situation has reached a fever pitch as cosmonauts scramble to patch problem areas and officials from Roscosmos and NASA disagree about the severity of the problem. Problematic leaks were first identified in 2019 in a tunnel that connects a Russian module, called Zvezda, to a docking port that welcomes spacecraft carrying cargo and supplies.

But the rate at which the module is bleeding air hit a new high this year. Oversight officials in the United States now consider this issue to be the most pressing problem facing the aging space station, one that could threaten the safety of the crew, according to a recent Inspector General report. But while Roscosmos has directed its cosmonauts to search for and address problematic areas — which has reduced the leak rate — the Russian team “does not believe catastrophic disintegration … is realistic,” Bob Cabana said. (11/15)

November 16, 2024

NASA KSC Applied Chemistry Lab Achieves Agency First (Source: NASA)
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida has a long record of achievements in sustainability and recently added another to the list when the spaceport’s Applied Chemistry Lab became the first in the agency to be certified for its environmentally conscious practices. The My Green Lab Certification recognizes sustainability best practices in research facilities around the world. The certification program run by My Green Lab, a non-profit dedicated to creating a culture of sustainability through science, is considered a key measure of progress towards a zero-carbon future by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign. (11/8)

Mexican Ambassador, ISRO Chairman Discuss Space Collaboration (Source: The Hindu)
Mexican Ambassador to India Federico Salas recently met Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath in Bengaluru and lauded the country’s achievements in space, especially the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 lander on the lunar’s south pole, which had garnered global acknowledgement. Mr. Salas emphasised the need for exploring additional opportunities for space cooperation, as India and Mexico will enter into the 75th year of diplomatic relations in 2025. He has expressed interest in expanding the ongoing successful ISRO-AEM cooperation with the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency. (11/15)

SpaceX to Launch India’s GSAT-20 Satellite (Source: Hindustan Times)
SpaceX has reportedly secured a major deal with India’s space agency, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), to launch the GSAT-20 communications satellite. The launch will use SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. This marks the first of many commercial collaborations between ISRO and SpaceX and also the maiden deal under the administration of US President-elect Donald Trump, whose ‘First Buddy’ is Elon Musk. (11/16)

Two Senate Space Leaders Call for Investigation into Musk-Putin Relationship (Source: Space Policy Online)
Two Democratic Senators with considerable influence over space program policy and spending are urging an investigation into reports that Elon Musk is in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite U.S. sanctions against Putin.  They also are concerned about DOD’s “overreliance” on SpaceX for national security space activities. (11/15)

SpaceX Eyes Hundreds of Starship Launches During Trump Presidency (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The executive who has long steered operations at SpaceX wants to sharply increase the number of flights of its huge, new rocket during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. Gwynne Shotwell, president at SpaceX and Elon Musk’s longtime second-in-command, said Friday at an investor event she wouldn’t be surprised if the company conducted 400 launches of Starship, as the vehicle is called, over the next four years. (11/15)

Is There a Business Case for the Moon? (Source: Space News)
Enough commercial activity is heading to the moon in the next few months to create a traffic jam. Firefly Aerospace, ispace and Intuitive Machines are all launching commercial lunar lander missions by early 2025, all on Falcon 9 rockets. That surge of missions makes it uncertain who exactly will be launching when. Firefly’s Joseph Marlin declined to offer a more specific launch date for its Blue Ghost 1 lander than some time in the fourth quarter of this year. “SpaceX is still sorting out its schedule,” he said.

At first glance, that surge in activity would appear to be a sign of an expanding market for commercial activities at the moon. But both Blue Ghost 1 and Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 missions have NASA as its largest customer by far, accounting for most of the payload and most of the revenue for them through the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The ispace lander for its M2 mission does not have NASA as a customer, but its manifest of payloads is relatively modest, ranging from the company’s own rover to “Moonhouse,” a small model house by a Swedish artist.

“There is no indication of a lunar gold rush because there are no strong revenue-generating businesses centered around cislunar activities anchored by commercial customers,” the report stated. The activity seen today, it noted, has government agencies, like NASA, as primary customers. “Truly commercial uses of the moon remain a chimera, with no obvious sign this could change in the next several years,” the report concluded.  (11/15)

Shotwell Predicts Starship to be Most Valuable Part of SpaceX (Source: Space News)
While the Starlink constellation is becoming a moneymaker for SpaceX, the company’s president believes that the Starship launch system will have a bigger long-term impact. Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer at SpaceX, said that Starship will “take us over the top” to become one of the most valuable companies in the world. (11/15)

FAA Moves Forward with Committee to Review Launch Licensing Regulations (Source: Space News)
The FAA is moving ahead with a long-awaited committee to evaluate ways to improve launch licensing regulations as one executive calls for far greater changes. The FAA announced Nov. 14 the establishment of an aerospace rulemaking committee, also known as a SpARC, that would examine potential changes to the FAA’s Part 450 rule for licensing launches and reentries. The SpARC is expected to hold its first meeting in early December. (11/15)

Humanoid Robot May Fly on China's Chang'e 8 Moon Mission in 2028 (Source: Space.com)
A Chinese mission to test resource technologies at the moon's south pole is taking shape — and may even include a humanoid form. Wang Qiong, chief designer of the Chang'e 8 lunar mission, recently presented an update on the project. The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 and will aim to land near the moon's south pole. A rover with four wheels and a humanoid-shaped top was included in Wang's presentation. It is unclear what the purpose of the rover is, or the importance of its intriguing appearance. (11/15)

To Lead the Next Wave of Space-Based Radar, U.S. Must Learn From GPS Success (Source: Space News)
As the U.S. government considers new export regulations under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for commercial SAR technology, we have an opportunity to learn from the GPS experience. The proposed rules would restrict U.S. companies to exporting SAR systems with a maximum bandwidth of 500 MHz — well below the 1,200 MHz that has emerged as the global commercial standard. Artificially limiting U.S. exports to 500 MHz would mean trying to sell yesterday’s technology in tomorrow’s market. (11/15)

A Lot of People are Mistaking Starlink Satellites for UAPs (Source: Ars Technica)
SpaceX's Starlink Internet satellites are responsible for more and more public reports of unexplained anomalous phenomena (UAPs), but most recent cases remain unsolved, according to a US government report released Thursday. Starlinks often move across the sky in "trains" that appear like gleaming gems in the blackness of space. They are particularly visible to the naked eye shortly after each Starlink launch. (11/15)

As ABL Space Departs Launch, the 1-Ton Rocket wars Have a Clear Winner (Source: Ars Technica)
Over the last half decade or so, three US companies have credibly vied to develop rockets in the 1-ton class in terms of lift capacity. ABL has been competing alongside Relativity Space and Firefly to bring its rockets to market. ABL never took off. In March 2023, Relativity reached space with the Terran 1 rocket, but, due to second-stage issues, failed to reach orbit. Within weeks, Relativity announced it was shifting its focus to a medium-lift rocket, Terran R. Since then, the California-based launch company has moved along, but there are persistent rumors that it faces a cash crunch.

Of the three, only Firefly has enjoyed success. The company's Alpha rocket has reached orbit on multiple occasions, and just this week Firefly announced that it completed a $175 million Series D fundraising round, resulting in a valuation of more than $2 billion. The 1-ton rocket wars are over: Firefly has won. Editor's Note: Don't forget Virgin Orbit and Vector Space! (11/15)

Putin, Roscosmos Chief Outline Vision for Russia’s Space Program (Source: TASS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and chief executive of the Roscosmos state corporation Yury Borisov have discussed the country’s space ambitions, including a national project in said sphere . "We held a meeting at the end of last year where we decided to move forward with a project to develop our space activities," Putin said. Borisov provided a brief report about what the National Project consisted of, its main objectives, tasks and expected outcomes. (11/15)

Japan Reboots Supersonic Boom Mitigation (Source: Aviation Week)
As NASA and Lockheed Martin work on getting the X-59 Quest quiet supersonic testbed airborne after long delays, Japan has launched a project to demonstrate robust low-boom design technology in flight. Formally kicked off by JAXA in October, the Robust En-route Sonic Boom Mitigation Technology Demonstration (Re-Boot) program is a follow-on to the D-Send project, which culminated in a 2015 drop test of a low-boom concept model. (11/11)

NASA Foresees Workforce Challenge (Source: Aviation Week)
Among NASA's highest priorities is making sure it will have a skilled workforce to accomplish its mission. "Most of the time, the biggest challenge is having the talent and capability in the pipeline. That's been a concern for industry, and for us as well," said Casey Swails. NASA is looking to build employees' technical chops through public-private talent exchanges and other programs. (11/11)

Global Partnerships Could Ensure Space Access for NATO (Source: Aviation Week)
The Starlift initiatives, which 14 countries (including the US) have expressed interest in pursuing, aims to build a preapproved group of allies that could help one another launch assets on short notice in times of crisis. (11/11)

Space SPACs Are Coming Down to Earth (Source: Aviation Week)
Momentus is one of about a dozen plucky space startups that listed on either the Nasdaq or New York Stock Exchange via a Special-Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) instead of an initial public offering (IPO) in 2021-22. Since they require less due-diligence than traditional IPOs, SPACs can allow startups to go public faster. "There was a monumental amount of capital thrown at this particular investment vehicle," said Quilty. It was symptomatic of excessive liquidity in the market.

Companies that did a SPAC merger early and raised enough cash have fared better. "If you were in the latter phase but you raised less than you planned or needed, those transactions were almost the kiss of death," Quilty says. (11/11)

ABL Pivots From Launching Satellites to Missile Defense (Source: ABL)
After developing multiple small launchers and conducting test campaigns at Alaska's spaceport, ABL announces it is departing the commercial launch sector to instead focus on missile defense. "We have made the decision to focus our efforts on national defense, and specifically on missile defense technologies. We’ll have more to share soon on our roadmap and traction in this area. For now, suffice to say we see considerable opportunity to leverage RS1, GS0, the E2 engine, and the rest of the technology we’ve developed to date to enable a new type of research effort around missile defense technologies." (11/15)

The Future with Hypersonics (Source: Space News)
The US can no longer approach hypersonics as “business as usual.” To stay competitive, NASA must bring the private sector into its hypersonic development plans, expanding on successful public-private partnerships like those DoD has fostered with companies such as Stratolaunch. These government partnerships with our innovative private industry can accelerate technological breakthroughs and produce cutting-edge capabilities, simultaneously advancing scientific research and strengthening American national security goals.

Now, a similar approach to hypersonics must be taken within NASA to complement the DoD’s work with the industry, creating a whole-of-government strategy that leverages NASA’s research and exploration goals alongside DoD’s priorities. That is why I introduced authorization for the Making Advancements in Commercial Hypersonics (MACH) program in an amendment to the bipartisan NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives on September 23.

If it becomes law, this bill could build a bridge to connect NASA and the booming commercial hypersonics industry, unlocking this bold vision for the future. NASA, through the MACH program, must capitalize on existing government infrastructure to amplify an existing, robust private sector that is already fostering rapid advancements in hypersonic technology. (11/13)

The Far Side of the Moon Once Had Erupting Volcanoes Too (Source: ABC)
Volcanoes were erupting on the mysterious far side of the moon billions of years ago just like on the side that we can see, new research confirms. Researchers analyzed lunar soil brought back by China's Chang'e-6, the first spacecraft to return with a haul of rocks and dirt from the little-explored far side. Two separate teams found fragments of volcanic rock that were about 2.8 billion years old. One piece was even more ancient, dating back to 4.2 billion years. (11/15)

SpaceX Hopes to Drastically Reduce Travel Times with Starship (Source: Daily Galaxy)
Starship, currently the most powerful rocket ever built, isn’t just a vehicle for space missions. SpaceX’s ambitions go far beyond the stars, with Musk envisioning a world where long-haul flights are a thing of the past. By utilizing Starship for Earth-to-Earth travel, SpaceX aims to make it possible to reach any location on the planet in less than an hour. This would be a monumental shift in how we think about international travel. (11/15)

November 15, 2024

Metakosmos Launches Revolutionary Spacesuit Platform Kernel360 to Transform Human Spaceflight (Source: Metakosmos)
Metakosmos, a leading name in spacesuit engineering, has unveiled Kernel360, its next-generation bioastronautics suit designed to support human spaceflight across diverse environments, including land, sea, air, and space. This modular platform integrates telemetry software with specialized protective suits, offering real-time performance monitoring and operational insights to improve astronaut safety and reduce training costs. (11/12)

New Shepard's 28th Mission Includes Calandrelli and Two Returning Customers (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin today revealed the six people flying on its NS-28 mission. The crew includes: Emily Calandrelli, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Austin Litteral, James (J.D.) Russell, and Henry (Hank) Wolfond. Sharon and Mark Hagle are both flying on New Shepard for the second time. This mission will be the ninth human flight for the New Shepard program and the 28th in its history. To date, the program has flown 43 humans above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. (11/15)

Musk Says He and Trump Have ‘Mandate to Delete’ Regulations (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
In picking billionaire Elon Musk to be “our cost cutter” for the U.S. government, President-elect Donald Trump won’t be the first American president to empower a business tycoon to look for ways to dramatically cut federal regulations. Musk’s SpaceX holds billions of dollars in NASA contracts. He’s CEO of Tesla, an electric car business that benefits from government tax incentives and is subject to auto safety rules.

His social media platform X, artificial intelligence startup xAI, brain implant maker Neuralink and tunnel-building Boring company all intersect with the federal government in various ways. “There’s direct conflicts between his businesses and government’s interest,” said Ann Skeet, director of leadership ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center. (11/14)

Boeing Hires Northrop Exec to Lead Phantom Works (Source: Space Daily)
Boeing has appointed Colin Miller, a former Northrop Grumman executive, to lead its Phantom Works research division within Boeing Defense, Space and Security. This hire comes as Boeing Defense faces challenges from costly legacy contracts, though CEO Kelly Ortberg has emphasized the unit's importance to the company's future. (11/14)

South Pole Safety: NASA Seeks Innovative Lunar Rescue Solutions (Source: Space Daily)
NASA is prioritizing astronaut safety in the harsh conditions of the Moon, with a focus on developing reliable systems for rescue operations during missions at the Lunar South Pole. With the Artemis III mission set to deploy two astronauts in this region, the agency is preparing for potential emergency scenarios that could incapacitate a crewmember due to medical issues, injuries, or accidents. The Moon's rugged terrain, littered with rocks up to 20 meters and craters as wide as 30 meters, poses significant navigational challenges. These difficulties are further compounded by low gravity, erratic lighting, extreme temperatures, and the need for solo rescue operations.

A critical mission safety measure is ensuring that one astronaut can transport an incapacitated partner weighing approximately 343 kg (755 lb) while fully suited over distances up to 2 km and slopes up to 20 degrees without rover assistance. NASA's call for innovative, lightweight, and quickly deployable rescue system designs invites contributors to bridge this vital gap, enhancing safety during Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) on future missions. Participants are encouraged to design solutions that will function efficiently in the extreme conditions of the Lunar South Pole, aiming to safeguard astronaut teams and support successful mission outcomes. (11/15)

Impulse Space Plans Trio of Falcon 9 Launches with SpaceX (Source: Space Daily)
Impulse Space has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to conduct three launches using Falcon 9 rockets, aimed at advancing the deployment of its Helios and Mira spacecraft. The first mission, set for mid-2026, will mark the debut of the Helios vehicle. Helios will be loaded with up to 14 tons of liquid methane and liquid oxygen at SpaceX's Florida facilities before integration with Falcon 9. (11/15)

Sierra Space and Oak Ridge Lab Develop Advanced Thermal Protection for Spacecraft (Source: Space Daily)
Sierra Space has announced a significant advancement in thermal protection technology through its collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This development, featuring spacecraft tiles that can endure the intense heat of atmospheric re-entry for numerous missions, aims to support the increasing pace of commercial space travel. The new Thermal Protection System (TPS) is designed to meet the demands of modern spaceflight, which requires more frequent and reliable missions. (11/15)

Booz Allen Invests in Starfish Space to Support Satellite Servicing (Source: Space Daily)
Booz Allen Hamilton's venture capital unit, Booz Allen Ventures, LLC, has made a strategic investment in Starfish Space, a company pioneering satellite servicing technology, including life extension and end-of-life disposal services. This investment is aimed at reinforcing the sustainability and resilience of space infrastructure for both government and commercial missions. This is Booz Allen Ventures' third investment in the space sector, underscoring the growing importance of space-related missions and their diverse needs. (11/14)

Globalstar Secures Terrestrial Spectrum Authorization in Mexico (Source: Space Daily)
Globalstar announced that its Mexican subsidiary has been declared the winner of Auction #13 by Mexico's Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT). This auction pertains to the Complementary Terrestrial Service for Mobile Satellite Service, covering the 2483.5 to 2495 MHz frequency band. (11/15)

New Milestone for FAA-Licensed Commercial Space Operations as Regulatory Update Begins (Source: Space Daily)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concluded Fiscal Year 2024 with an unprecedented 148 licensed commercial space operations, marking a growth exceeding 30 percent compared to the previous year. Looking ahead, the FAA predicts this figure could more than double by FY 2028. In response to this rapid growth, the FAA is initiating an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee to revise its Part 450 launch and reentry licensing rule. (11/15)

SpaceX Preparing to Launch Tender Offer in Dec at $135/Share (Source: Yahoo! Finance)
SpaceX is preparing to launch a tender offer in December to sell existing shares at a price of $135 per share, two sources familiar with the matter said. The tender offer would value SpaceX at more than $250 billion, according to the sources. (11/15)

ESA Releases Findings of Super Heavy-Lift Rocket Studies (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA has revealed the findings of a pair of studies it commissioned to explore how Europe could develop a rocket capable of delivering 100 tonnes to low Earth orbit. In June 2022, the European Space Agency (ESA) published a call for its PROTEIN (Preparatory Activities for European Heavy Lift Launcher) initiative. The initiative aimed to award contracts for Phase 0/A studies that would examine the feasibility of a European super heavy-lift rocket and identify key technologies needed to develop it.

In March 2023, the agency awarded PROTEIN contracts to ArianeGroup and Munich-based launch startup Rocket Factory Augsburg. ESA revealed the findings of the two studies, stating that developing a European super heavy-lift rocket that could be introduced by 2030 was “possible in principle.” However, the agency conceded that it would be “challenging” and would require immediate action. “The Protein studies show we can do it, the next step is political will.” (11/15)

POLARIS Spaceplanes Complete First In-Flight Rocket Engine Ignition (Source: European Spaceflight)
Germany’s POLARIS Spaceplanes has successfully completed the first in-flight ignition of its MIRA II demonstrator’s aerospike rocket engine. The five-metre-long MIRA II demonstrator is one of a pair built by the Bremen-based startup to test key systems, most notably the company’s AS-1 linear aerospike rocket engine. Alongside its 1 kN LOX/kerosene rocket engine, MIRA II is equipped with small jet engines for non-rocket-powered flight phases, such as takeoff and landing. (11/12)

Virgin Galactic: Perfect Execution Is The Only Way To Survive (Source: Seeking Alpha)
Virgin Galactic’s latest $300 million ATM offering to build 2 additional Delta spaceships may actually be critical for the company to fund its operations until 2026. Perfect execution is the only way for Virgin Galactic to survive, in my opinion, ahead of the maturity of their $419.5 million debt in early 2027. Meanwhile, Virgin Galactic’s new mothership could be delayed as the company is yet to announce a new manufacturing partner, with Boeing out of the picture.

Virgin Galactic may be behind schedule for Delta spaceships based on its underspending this year compared to the guidance issued in Q3 2023. And increasing the flight cadence of VMS Eve to 3 flights per week may not be viable due to its old age and condition. (11/13)

Congress Hears More Testimony About UFOs (Source: USA Today)
Legislators have spent the past year pushing laws to boost UAP transparency, with one seeking to create a civilian reporting mechanism, and one directing the executive branch to declassify records. But elected officials and UAP transparency advocates say it's not enough and that the military and intelligence communities have dragged their feet in releasing what they know. One witness, Luis Elizondo, a former military intelligence officer, made it clear: "We are not alone in the cosmos."

While NASA released its own UAP report last September, Michael Gold, a former administrator at the space agency, called on the organization to do more. NASA's investment into UAP research "would make a powerful statement to the scientific community that UAP should be taken seriously," Gold, who is part of an independent NASA UAP study team, testified. Many UAP can often be explained as drones or weather events, Gold admitted. But for those few reports that defy explanation, Gold insisted they'd be better captured with instruments tailored to study the phenomena so as to prevent us relying on cellphones and fighter jets' cockpit gun cameras. (11/13)

India Will Dock Two Satellites to Make One in Space (Source: India Today)
The Space Docking Experiment (Spadex), set to launch in mid-December 2024, will be India's first mission to demonstrate autonomous docking technology in space, a critical advancement for complex future space operations. Spadex will feature two 400-kg satellites, dubbed Chaser and Target. They will be launched together aboard a PSLV-class rocket. (11/13)

Beck a Billionaire as Rocket Lab Shares Surge 45% on Strong Guidance, First Neutron Contract (Source: New Zealand Herald)
Rocket Lab shares were up 45.5% in late Nasdaq trading today, pushing its stock to a record high of US$21.33 - close to its all-time high and a more than 4X gain since August. After the market closed yesterday, the Kiwi-American firm forecast record fourth-quarter revenue and said it had signed its first two customers for its much larger Neutron rocket – which it says is still on track for its first launch next year (although there was no immediate reference to the previously cited “mid-2025″). (11/13)

NASA Administrator to Visit, Sign Agreement with Peru’s Space Agency (Source: NASA)
Continuing his engagement to deepen international collaboration and promote the peaceful use of space, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will travel to Lima on Wednesday. Nelson will meet with Maj. Gen. Roberto Melgar Sheen, director of Peru’s National Commission for Aerospace Research and Development (CONIDA) Thursday, Nov. 14, and sign a non-binding memorandum of understanding to enhance space cooperation. The memorandum of understanding between NASA and CONIDA will include safety training, a joint feasibility study for a potential sounding rockets campaign, and technical assistance for CONIDA on sounding rocket launches. (11/13)

AST SpaceMobile Selects Blue Origin’s New Glenn to Launch Next-Generation BlueBird Satellites (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin announced a multi-launch agreement to deliver multiple next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO) on New Glenn. All launches will occur over a multi-year period from Blue Origin’s Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network designed for both commercial and government applications. It will operate directly with everyday smartphones and allow seamless switching between terrestrial cell towers and satellite signals depending on location and coverage needs. (11/14)

Bridgestone, Astrobotic Collaborate on Lunar Rover Tires (Source: Space Daily)
Bridgestone Corporation announced a new partnership with Astrobotic Technology to jointly develop a specialized tire for lunar rovers.
With over 90 years of experience in tire development, Bridgestone has created first- and second-generation tire models specifically designed for lunar conditions. The company conducted various tests, including simulations and driving trials, drawing on its expertise in supporting diverse forms of terrestrial mobility. Now, Bridgestone aims to extend this support to space exploration, helping to overcome the extreme challenges posed by the lunar surface. Bridgestone's technical knowledge, particularly from its innovations in motorsports, will be instrumental in advancing mobility solutions on the Moon. (11/3)

AST SpaceMobile Spreads Contracts Among Indian and US Launchers (Source: Space News)
AST SpaceMobile announced Thursday launch contracts with Blue Origin and others to deploy a set of direct-to-device satellites. The company said it signed contracts for the launch of up to 45 Block 2 BlueBird satellites, with options for 15 additional satellites, enough to provide coverage across the United States and other key markets, such as Europe and Japan. An Indian GSLV rocket will first launch a single Block 2 BlueBird, followed by two SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets, each carrying four satellites. The remainder would be launched eight at a time on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. AST SpaceMobile expects to start launching Block 2 BlueBirds, with antennas nearly four times the size of those on Block 1 satellites deployed in September, in mid-2025. (11/15)

Altemus: "Reformulation" of Artemis Needed (Source: Space News)
The CEO of Intuitive Machines says some "reformulation" of NASA's Artemis lunar exploration campaign may be needed. Speaking on an earnings call Thursday, Steve Altemus said that "budgetary and schedule realities" may require NASA to alter its approach to Artemis. He advocated for what he called an "infrastructure-first" approach that develops capabilities, such as transportation and communications, needed to support future sustained crewed missions. Such an approach would benefit Intuitive Machines, which has developed lunar landers and won a NASA contract in September for lunar data relay services.

The company disclosed on the call that its next lander mission, IM-2, is now scheduled for launch in February. It also said it has taken over operations of the main camera on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter as well as the NASA-funded Shadowcam instrument on the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter after the principal investigator for both cameras joined the company. (11/15)

Northrop Grumman Plans NRL-Supported Satellite Servicing Mission in 2026 (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman plans to launch a satellite servicing mission in 2026 after achieving a key milestone in its development. The Naval Research Lab said Thursday it completed testing of a pair of robotic arms it developed for the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV), delivering them to Northrop for integration onto that spacecraft. MRV will be used by SpaceLogistics, a subsidiary of Northrop, to extend the life of GEO satellites by installing Mission Extension Pods, systems that can take over propulsion for aging satellites for up to six years. (11/15)

Might China and the US Cooperate in Space? (Source: Space News)
A Chinese official endorsed cooperation with the United States in space exploration. Speaking at the Beyond Earth Symposium this week, Zhou Guolin, minister counselor for science and technology at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said his country welcomes participation from all nations, including the U.S., on space exploration, and expressed optimism that such cooperation might one day be possible. He did not offer any specific proposals for cooperation. Bilateral cooperation between NASA and Chinese entities is sharply restricted by the Wolf Amendment, and U.S. officials have shown little interest in removing or otherwise reducing those restrictions. (11/15)

China's Long March 9 Inspired by SpaceX Starship (Source: Space News)
China unveiled the latest version of its Long March 9 heavy-lift rocket that is strongly inspired by SpaceX's Starship. The revised Long March 9 design, unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow, features a two-stage design where both stages land and are reused. Chen Ziyu, a designer at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, said the Long March 9 can place 100 tons in low Earth orbit and 50 tons into a lunar transfer orbit, but said that reusability will come later in the vehicle's development. The design of the Long March 9 has evolved considerably over several years, starting with more traditional expendable concepts. (11/15)

Companies Using AI to Accelerate Proposals (Source: Space News)
Companies are turning to artificial intelligence to handle the more tedious parts of proposal writing for government contracts. Those AI tools can be used to scan government databases to identify the most relevant contract opportunities and to ensure that proposals meet all the requirements and specifications included in requests for proposals. Companies developing such AI tools argue they are intended to accelerate responses to government RFPs, not replace human proposal writers. (11/15)

Impulse Space Picks SpaceX to Launch Helios-Assisted Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
Impulse Space has purchased three Falcon 9 launches for its Helios transfer vehicle. The company said Thursday it signed a contract with SpaceX for the launches, the first of which is scheduled for mid-2026 from Florida. That launch will be the inaugural flight of Helios, carrying a payload for the Victus Surgo mission for the Space Force and Defense Innovation Unit. Impulse said the schedule and payloads for the other two Helios launches will be determined later. Helios is a high-energy kick stage announced by Impulse in January intended to quickly move payloads from LEO to GEO or other orbits. (11/15)

SwRI Wins $60 Million NASA/NOAA Contract for Solar Coronagraph Instruments (Source: Space News)
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) won a $60 million contract to build three instruments for monitoring the sun. NASA, acting on behalf of NOAA, announced Thursday it awarded SwRI the contract to build the coronagraph instruments for the Lagrange 1 Series project, part of NOAA's Space Weather Next program. The coronagraphs, like the other Space Weather Next instruments, are designed to gather data for NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, which issues forecasts, alerts and warnings of geomagnetic activity caused by solar storms. (11/15)

Airbus CEO: SpaceX Would be a Monopoly in Europe (Source: Reuters)
The CEO of Airbus believes that SpaceX would be considered a monopoly in Europe. Speaking at an aviation event in Germany Thursday, Guillaume Faury argued that SpaceX's "super-concentrated" business model that combines satellite manufacturing, launch and operations is something that would run afoul of antitrust rules in Europe. He acknowledged that Airbus and other European companies need to adapt to SpaceX: "If we don't move in launchers and in satellites, if we just stay with where we are, we're going to be obsolete." (11/15)

Ontario Buying Starlink Capacity (Source: CBC)
The Canadian province of Ontario is buying capacity on Starlink. The Ontario government announced the Ontario Satellite Internet program Thursday, spending $92 million Canadian ($66 million) to reserve capacity on Starlink for 15,000 customers in the province, and will pay installation in equipment fees. Officials said they held a competitive procurement that led them to select Starlink but did not disclose what other proposals it received. (11/15)

SpaceX May Abandon Land Swap at Starbase (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX has reportedly dropped plans to swap land for its Starbase site. The company originally proposed a deal with Texas officials to transfer 477 acres near a wildlife refuge to the state in exchange for 43 acres of Boca Chica State Park adjacent to Starbase. However, in a letter to state officials, the company said it is "no longer interested" in that swap, but didn't explain why. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission had approved the swap earlier this year but was then sued by local groups who alleged the agency had not considered alternatives. (11/15)

November 14, 2024

A Spider Stellar Engine Could Move Binary Stars Halfway Across a Galaxy (Source: Phys.org)
Eventually, every stellar civilization will have to migrate to a different star. The habitable zone around all stars changes as they age. If long-lived technological civilizations are even plausible in our universe, migration will be necessary, eventually. Could Extraterrestrial Intelligences (ETIs) use stars themselves as stellar engines in their migrations?

In broad terms, a stellar engine uses a star to generate work. A simple example is solar panels, which use the sun's radiation to generate electricity that we use to perform work. But the scaled-up idea is to use the star to produce thrust. That thrust could be used to move the star itself. An ETI capable of doing that would be a Type II civilization on the Kardashev Scale. (11/13)

It Sounds Like NASA's Moon Rocket Might Be Getting Canceled (Source: Futurism)
NASA's plagued Space Launch System rocket, which is being developed to deliver the first astronauts to the Moon in over half a century, is on thin ice. According to Ars Technica senior space reporter Eric Berger's insider sources, there's an "at least 50-50" chance that the rocket "will be canceled." "Not Block 1B. Not Block 2," he added, referring to the variant that was used during NASA's uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022 and a more powerful design with a much higher translunar injection payload capacity, respectively. "All of it." (11/13)

The Man Picked as Defense Secretary Wants to Purge the Pentagon (Source: The Economist)
Four years ago Pete Hegseth, a telegenic Fox News host and major in the Minnesota national guard, was told that he would be deployed to guard Washington DC, during the inauguration of Joe Biden. The order was revoked, he recalls, when superiors pointed to his prominent tattoos: a Jerusalem cross on his chest and the words “Deus Vult” on his arm, both symbols of the Crusades but now associated with neo-Nazis. “I joined the army to fight extremists in 2001,” he recalled on an episode of Shawn Ryan’s podcast, published on November 7th. “Twenty years later that same army labelled me one.” (11/13)

DoD’s Big Bet on 1 Hour Space Cargo Delivery (Source: Payload)
If the last decade marked a revolution in sending mass to space, the next decade will center on bringing mass back to Earth. Major players in the industry, including SpaceX, Varda, Blue Origin, Stoke, Outpost, Inversion Space, and Sierra Space, view reentry as a critical next advancement in space tech capability. The DoD agrees.

What was once a far-out idea, space-based cargo delivery is now seen as a viable reality for the DoD over the next few years. The capability could allow the Pentagon to transport cargo to any location on Earth in under two hours. In 2024, the DoD emphasized funding reentry and point-to-point transportation, awarding four sizable reentry contracts in the past four months. There are two buckets of cargo delivery capabilities: Orbital cargo drop delivery and point-to-point. (11/13)

New Missile Factory Coming to James City County Valued at $12 Billion (Source: WTKR)
A Norwegian multinational company will soon manufacture missiles for the Navy in James City County. On Wednesday, the U.S. Navy awarded 'Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace' a multi-year procurement contract for the delivery of Naval Strike Missile (NSM) missiles to the Navy and Fleet Marine Force.

Kongsberg recently announced the building of a new $12 billion missile factory in Virginia, creating more than 180 jobs. Officials say the missile factory will provide additional production capacity, sustainment and in-country tech refresh capabilities for Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missiles and Joint Strike Missiles (JSM). (11/13)

NASA Stennis a Leading Hub for Commercial Aerospace Collaboration (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's work has been pivotal in propelling commercial spaceflight, with NASA's Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, serving as a launch point for numerous aerospace endeavors. As the nation's largest propulsion test site, Stennis is recognized for collaborating with aerospace companies to meet their diverse testing needs and aims to expand its commercial partnerships even further. Central to Stennis' offerings is the E Test Complex, equipped with four stands and 12 test cells that support a range of propulsion tests. The E-1 Test Stand with four cells and the E-3 Test Stand with two cells are operated by NASA, while Relativity Space leases the E-2 and E-4 stands for its operations. (11/14)

NASA Stennis Maintains Vital Role in Space Propulsion Testing (Source: Space Daily)
Workers who established NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, likely did not foresee the legacy they were building - one of resilience and enduring impact. Braving mosquitoes, snakes, hurricanes, and the intense heat of southern Mississippi, early crews set the tone for a culture defined by adaptability. That spirit persists at NASA Stennis, now celebrating over 60 years of propulsion testing that underpins U.S. space exploration.

The center's test infrastructure, built over the last five decades, has supported an array of NASA and commercial missions. The Fred Haise (formerly A-1 Test Stand), A-2, and Thad Cochran (B-1/B-2) stands were originally constructed in the 1960s for Saturn V rocket stage tests supporting the Apollo missions. While the Fred Haise and A-2 were single-position stands, the Thad Cochran stand was capable of housing two Saturn V first stages at B-1 and B-2, though only B-2 was used during Apollo. (11/14)

NORR and Fire Arrow Join Forces for Sustainable Spaceport Projects (Source: Space Daily)
The rising demand for space-based insights to bolster industries, environmental efforts, security, and global communities has fueled nations' interest in building their own launch capabilities. Fire Arrow, headquartered in Scotland with international operations, is advancing its efforts to meet this demand by facilitating the development of licensed global launch sites.

The company specializes in guiding clients through technical and business assessments and the complete lifecycle of spaceport projects, from feasibility to design, construction, and licensed operations. Partnering with prominent organizations, Fire Arrow has formed a consortium model that supports governments and commercial entities in achieving secure and economical space access. The company recently marked progress by signing an Expression of Interest with Malaysia's Gading Group for an Asian horizontal spaceport project. (11/14)

Northrop Grumman Expansion on Space Coast Wins Unanimous Approval (Source: Florida Today)
Defense contractor Northrop Grumman secured approval to build an expansion complex for about 1,200 employees that features a single-story, 50-foot-tall high bay at Melbourne Orlando International Airport. Located just north of NASA Boulevard's 90-degree curve near Northrop Grumman's campus, this 37.7-acre industrially zoned area extends eastward from Satcom Direct's airport facility.

Tuesday night, the Melbourne City Council unanimously approved a site plan for the campus expansion — which bears the secretive code name Project Daisy in agenda documents. Little discussion occurred, and few details have been publicly released.

Blue Origin Stacks Huge New Glenn Rocket Ahead of 1st Launch (Source: Space.com)
Blue Origin's massive new rocket is getting closer to being ready to fly. The company's New Glenn rocket was joined together for the first time in the company's facility on the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. New Glenn is expected to make its maiden flight sometime in November, taking off from Launch Complex 36. The flight will carry one of the company's new Blue Ring spacecraft on a National Security Space Launch certification flight known as DarkSky-1 and sponsored by the Defense Innovation Unit. (11/14)

Rocket Lab Plans Third Launch for Kineis IoT Satellite Constellation (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab has confirmed its next Electron rocket launch for Kineis, a global Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity leader. Named "Ice AIS Baby," the mission is set to launch during a 14-day window starting November 23rd NZDT from Rocket Lab's exclusive Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. This will be the third in a series of five Electron missions contracted by Kineis to deploy a full constellation of 25 IoT satellites. Rocket Lab successfully launched the first two missions in June and September 2024. (11/13)

New Model Estimates Odds of Intelligent Life Across Universes (Source: Space Daily)
A fresh theoretical model developed by astrophysicists at Durham University offers a method to assess the likelihood of intelligent life appearing in our Universe, as well as in possible alternate universes. This concept builds on the legacy of the famous Drake Equation, devised in the 1960s by Dr. Frank Drake to estimate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations within the Milky Way.

The recent model diverges by concentrating on how the expansion of the Universe and star formation rates affect the emergence of life. The expansion is influenced by dark energy, an enigmatic force accounting for more than two-thirds of the Universe's makeup. The model operates under the premise that stars are essential for life to exist as understood. Therefore, it estimates the probability of intelligent life arising based on the density of dark energy and the fraction of ordinary matter converted into stars over the Universe's history.

One significant finding of this study is that typical observers in other universes would expect to encounter a greater density of dark energy than what exists in our own Universe. This suggests our Universe, with its unique balance of dark energy, might be less typical when compared to other potential universes. Predictive outcomes indicate that the most efficient star-forming universe would convert about 27 percent of its ordinary matter into stars, compared to our Universe's 23 percent. This implies that our Universe does not possess the optimal dark energy density for fostering life. (11/13)

Sidus Space Announces Pricing of Public Offering (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 5,600,000 shares of its Class A common stock. Each share is being sold at a public offering price of $1.25 per share for gross proceeds of $7.0 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. (11/13)

Spire Selling Ship Tracking Unit to Belgium's Kpler (Source: Space News)
Spire Global is selling its commercial ship-tracking business to a Belgian company to pay off debt. Spire said Wednesday that Kpler, an analytics company, will pay $241 million to take over Spire's maritime customer contracts and get exclusive rights to sell ship-tracking data from the operator's satellites to commercial entities and governments worldwide. Spire would retain its satellites, technology and other infrastructure following the transaction, which includes $7.5 million for services over 12 months, as well as its current maritime customers in the U.S. government.

The proceeds would help Spire Global pay off all its outstanding debt, which is about $100 million. Spire will focus on near-term growth opportunities across its weather, aviation, radio frequency geolocation and space services markets. Spire is also continuing to review its accounting practices and procedures surrounding the timing of bookings under its space services business, which has delayed quarterly filings with the SEC. (11/14)

Disagreement on Cause of ISS Air Leak (Source: Space News)
NASA and Roscosmos don't agree on the cause and severity of an air leak in a Russian module on the International Space Station. According to statements at an advisory committee Wednesday, NASA and Roscosmos have yet to agree on the root cause of the small but persistent air leak in a vestibule in the Zvezda service module that separates a cargo spacecraft docking port from the rest of the module.

That vestibule is closed off when crews don't need to access the docking port. Roscosmos doesn't believe the leak poses a risk of "catastrophic disintegration" of the vestibule, but NASA remains concerned about its structural integrity. At a briefing last week, a NASA astronaut said that when the vestibule is opened, astronauts close a hatch separating the Russian and U.S. segments as a precaution. (11/14)

Starfish Space Raises $29 Million for Satellite Servicing (Source: Space News)
Satellite servicing company Starfish Space has raised $29 million. The company announced the funding round Wednesday, led by Shield Capital with participation by several other existing and new investors. The completion of the new round brings Starfish's total funding to date to more than $50 million. The funding will allow the company to complete development of its first three Otter servicing vehicles, which will perform missions for Intelsat, the U.S. Space Force and NASA. (11/14)

Rocket Lab Signs Commercial Customer for Neutron Launches (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab has signed up the first customer for its Neutron launch vehicle. The company announced this week it signed a contract with an undisclosed "commercial satellite constellation operator" for two Neutron launches in mid-2026 and 2027, adding that the deal could expand to cover that customer's entire constellation. Rocket Lab said it is continuing to work towards a mid-2025 first launch of Neutron with a gradual ramp-up of launches in 2026 and beyond. Rocket Lab added that it is not selling initial Neutron launches at a discount, and that the value of this contract is "in family" with previous statements that estimated a price of $50-55 million for a Neutron launch. (11/14)

Kratos Wins $116 Million SDA Contract for Missile Defense Satellite Ground Infrastructure (Source: Space News)
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions won a contract from the Space Development Agency (SDA) for a ground system to support missile-defense satellites. The five-year contract, valued at $116.7 million, is part of a program intended to establish a central, cloud-based command hub for missile-tracking satellite systems. Kratos will build the ground infrastructure to facilitate the coordination of real-time data across a constellation of missile-tracking satellites. (11/14)

A More "Offensive" Space Force Possible Under Trump (Source: Space News)
The incoming Trump administration may seek to create a more "offensive" Space Force. Recommendations in Project 2025, a policy package developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation, include a call for the Space Force to adopt "offensive" strategies, emphasizing the need for America to demonstrate stronger deterrence capabilities in space.

Project 2025 advocates for the Space Force to develop capabilities that would ensure not only the protection but also the "deterrence" of threats, citing the need for U.S. assets that can outmaneuver and counter adversarial technologies in space. Although Trump has not endorsed the full breadth of Project 2025, many proposals echo his first-term policies and campaign rhetoric, leading analysts to anticipate that the incoming president may incorporate parts of it in his administration's approach. (11/14)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Missions From California and Florida (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
SpaceX launched a pair of Falcon 9 rockets carrying Starlink satellites. One Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 12:23 a.m. Eastern Thursday, placing 20 Starlink satellites into orbit. Thirteen of the satellites have direct-to-cell payloads. A second Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 8:21 a.m. Eastern, carrying 24 Starlink satellites. (11/14)

China Launches Ocean Science Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China launched an ocean science satellite Wednesday. A Long March 4B lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 5:42 p.m. Eastern and placed the Haiyang 4-01 satellite into orbit. The satellite is designed to measure ocean salinity and support improved maritime forecasting. (11/14)

Boeing Repairs Power Systems on O3b mPower Satellites (Source: Space News)
Boeing has completed the first O3b mPower satellites with repaired power systems. Boeing said Wednesday it shipped two satellites from its California factory to Florida, where they will launch on a Falcon 9 in December. SES announced in August 2023 that electrical issues were sporadically tripping off power modules on in-orbit O3b mPower satellites after deploying the first four spacecraft in the Boeing-built constellation, an issue that reduces the satellites' capacity and lifetime.

SES went ahead with launching two more satellites despite those problems so it could begin commercial service for the mPower system, but delayed others to correct the issue. To achieve the constellation's original performance expectations, Boeing is building two more satellites beyond its initial 11-satellite O3b mPower contract. (11/14)

GITAI Raises $15.5 Million for Space Robotics (Source: Space News)
Space robotics company GITAI has raised $15.5 million. The latest funding, announced Wednesday, came in a round led by a venture capital firm run by Japanese billionaire and commercial astronaut Yusaku Maezawa, and brings the total raised by the company to $83 million. The company, which was founded in Japan but relocated its headquarters to the United States in 2023 to seek U.S. commercial and government business, will use the funding for space robotics technologies currently being tested on the ISS as well as for two test satellites, one scheduled for launch in December and another in October 2025. (11/14)

Denmark Joins Artemis Accords (Source: Space News)
Denmark is the latest country to sign the Artemis Accords. The country's science minister signed the Accords Wednesday in an event in Copenhagen. Denmark is the 48th country to sign the Accords and the fifth to do so since the beginning of October. The Artemis Accords outline best practices in safe and sustainable space exploration. (11/14)

Pakistani Rover Included on China's Chang'e-8 Lunar Mission (Source: The Express Tribune)
Pakistan will fly a lunar rover on a Chinese lander mission. Pakistan's space agency SUPARCO announced Wednesday that it will develop a 35-kilogram rover that will be flown to the moon on the Chang'e-8 mission in 2028. The rover will carry unspecified "state-of-the-art scientific instruments" to study the region around the landing site in the south polar region of the moon. (11/14)