January 28, 2018

Astonomers Not Fans of Rocket Lab's 'Humanity Star' (Source: RNZ)
Earlier this month, Rocket Lab's Electron rocket launched, along with three commercial satellites, an art installation-as-satellite called the Humanity Star. The satellite, a highly reflective 65-faced ball crafted of carbon fiber, will orbit Earth for nine months. Around October, its orbit will decay, and the satellite will disintegrate as it descends in the atmosphere. Until its destruction, the Humanity Star will twinkle so brilliantly it can be witnessed by observers below. It will be most visible at dawn or dusk, creating an effect Rocket Lab likened on its website to a “bright flashing shooting star.”

“Wait for when the Humanity Star is overhead and take your loved ones outside to look up and reflect. You may just feel a connection to the more than seven billion other people on this planet we share this ride with,” founder Peter Beck said.

But it is not a critical hit. Not among professional stargazers. On Thursday, Miriam Kramer collected criticisms from astronomers on Twitter. The scientists described the Humanity Star as vandalism, a disco ball, “space graffiti” and “space garbage.” Naked eyes can already see the International Space Station, astronomer Eric Mamajek tweeted, and sending reflective objects into orbit has not, in the past, prompted “awe and world peace.” (1/26)

Astrophysicist Defends Rocket Lab Over Disco Ball Launch (Source: RNZ)
A California Institute of Technology astronomer, Mike Brown, has described it as "space graffiti". The US magazine a Scientific American published an article titled 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Satellite Vermin': "It's hogging some of that precious resource, the dark night sky, polluting part of the last great wilderness."

But Richard Easther of Auckland University said the launch was a huge achievement and such criticism should be seen as a minor footnote. "If it's a failure it's a failure around communications, rather than an act of vandalism, it's the failure of one group of people to speak effectively to another group of people." Mr Easther said Rocket Lab's founder, Peter Beck, should be in New Zealand history books alongside people like Sir Edmund Hillary. You can track the satellite here. (1/28)

Colorado's Aerospace Alley Being Developed with 'Wings Over the Rockies' Expansion (Source: KMGH)
Like California’s Silicon Valley, Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum is looking to develop “Aerospace Alley” at the Centennial Airport. A 15-acre campus is under construction, with a completion date of Summer 2018, into 2019. The idea of this aerospace "mecca" was recently backed by Governor John Hickenlooper, Harrison Ford, and Boeing.

Aside from the galleries, opportunities for education, flight operations, and certification possibilities are also expected. “This is going to be a wonderful opportunity to continue to have Colorado at the leading edge of aerospace development,” Barry said. He said a major piece of the project is the independently operated aerospace-focused charter schools that would occupy the space as well. (1/27)

Advancements in Space Technology Can Help India's Police (Source: The Hindu)
The satellites launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) can help identify terrain, availability of water and even possible places of ambush. These advances made in space technology would help police in execution of their tasks, said ISRO former chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar. Efforts have been on for a tie-up with strategic and para-military forces to effectively utilize ISRO’s advancements through training programs. (1/28)

White House Seems Interested in the Falcon Heavy Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
As the head of the recently established National Space Council, Vice President Mike Pence is the most important person in the United States when it comes to determining space policy. In this role, Pence oversees the development of US military, civil, and commercial space efforts. Sources have indicated that Pence's office is closely watching the private companies and SpaceX's Falcon Heavy success could have policy implications.

That appeared to be confirmed Saturday in a tweet by Nick Ayers, chief of staff for Pence. Referring directly to the upcoming Falcon Heavy launch, Ayers tweeted, "Major (positive) ramifications for US space industry if this goes according to plan." Here, a key Pence confidant seems to be saying that the Falcon Heavy could prove a game changer by offering the United States a new launch capability at low cost to taxpayers. (1/27)

SpaceX Has Plans for Texas – But Border Wall Could Be Barrier to Progress (Source: Guardian)
If Musk’s SpaceX realises its ambitions, the region will one day be a globally famous symbol of soaring human potential and the genius of American private enterprise. Today it is best known as the spot where a government is spending billions of dollars to restrict the movement of people. A location where barriers are installed, not shattered. Click here. (1/28)

Patrushev: Russia to Continue Supplies of RD-180 Rocket Engines to US (Source: Tass)
Russia will continue its deliveries of RD-180 rocket engines to the United States, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev told reporters on Saturday. "We are taking the high road in our relations with foreign countries and implement the previously agreed decisions. I don’t think the deliveries of those engines need to stop. I think we will continue them," he said when asked whether US sanctions may affect the RD-180 contract, in effect through 2019.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is in charge of the space and defense industry, said that Russia is highly likely to continue supplies of RD-180 and RD-180 rocket engines after 2020. RD-180 engines are used to power the US-made Atlas V rockets. (1/28)

Dust Storms Linked to Gas Escaping Martian Atmosphere (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
A new study using data gathered by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) during the Red Planet’s most recent global dust storm in 2007, suggests that such storms play a role in the escaping of gases from the planet’s atmosphere. That process transformed the warmer, wetter climate of ancient Mars into the arid, frozen conditions found on the surface of the Red Planet today.

“We found there’s an increase in water vapor in the middle atmosphere in connection with dust storms,” said Nicholas Heavens of Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, lead author of the report in Nature Astronomy. “Water vapor is carried up with the same air mass rising with the dust.” (1/27)

SpaceX Sets First Falcon Heavy Launch for Feb. 6 (Source: Space News)
SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said Jan. 27 that the company will attempt a first launch of its Falcon Heavy rocket on Feb. 6. The announcement came three days after the rocket completed a static-fire test at Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, a final test milestone before the launch itself. Musk said the test was “good” shortly after the test, but neither he nor the company provided additional details.

Musk did not disclose a time for the launch, but other documents suggest the company has reserved a three-hour launch window opening at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. A backup launch opportunity exists for the following day. In his comments after the static-fire test, Musk said the launch would take place “in a week or so.” A Feb. 6 launch, though, would give SpaceX time to prepare after its next Falcon 9 mission, of the GovSat-1 communications satellite, scheduled for Jan. 30 from nearby Space Launch Complex 40. (1/27)