August 23, 2018

AIA Calls on Senate to Confirm Ex-Im Bank Nominees (Source: AIA)
Earlier today, the Senate Banking Committee passed Kimberly Reed, nominated to be President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, out of committee. Following the vote, AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning made the following statement:

“We welcome the Senate Banking Committee’s vote today to pass Kimberly Reed’s nomination for President of the Ex-Im Bank out of committee and we call on the Senate to confirm her as soon as possible. Other countries around the world are using their export credit agencies to support their industries, while the United States is not utilizing this vital tool in our economic toolbox. Until the Senate approves Ms. Reed and the other nominees for open board positions, the Bank will remain without a quorum and can’t approve deals of more than $10 million." (8/23)

Mike Pence’s Outer-Space Gospel (Source: The Atlantic)
When Mike Pence speaks of space exploration, he speaks not only of the frontier, but of faith. His speeches sometimes sound more like sermons. Here Pence was at the inaugural meeting of the National Space Council, in October of last year: "As President Trump has said, in his words, “It is America’s destiny to be the leader amongst nations on our adventure into the great unknown.” And today we begin the latest chapter of that adventure. But as we embark, let us have faith. Faith that, as the Old Book teaches us that if we rise to the heavens, He will be there."

And then, in April of this year, at a gathering of space-industry professionals: "And as we renew our commitment to lead, let’s go with confidence and let’s go with faith—the faith that we do not go alone. For as millions of Americans have believed throughout the long and storied history of this nation of pioneers, I believe, as well, there is nowhere we can go from His spirit; that if we rise on the wings of the dawn, settle on the far side of the sea, even if we go up to the heavens, even there His hand will guide us, and His right hand will hold us fast.

No leader before Pence has injected this much religious rhetoric into speeches about the space program, according to space historians. Which makes sense, since Pence is an Irish Catholic turned evangelical Christian, and outspokenly so. Pence has a long record of presenting his political beliefs in the context of his religious ones. Pence liked to say he was “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.” As a congressman, he cited scripture to explain his votes and prayed with his staffers. (8/23)

Tucson Factory is Building Rockets and Space City (Source: KPHO)
An Arizona business is hoping to change the space game. Vector is a 2-year-old company, founded by some of the same guys who created SpaceX. They have big plans for Arizona and those plans start with a lighter and less expensive rocket. Vector is building rockets just a block from U of A in Tucson inside a tan warehouse. The Vector-R rockets stand about 45 feet tall, almost as tall as a three-story building. The launch pad is mobile. The rockets cost $1.5 million, compared to $100 million for the traditional large rockets.

Vector could quickly and easily replace satellites that are destroyed in space. "This becomes a deterrent to actual warfare in space," says Cantrell. He hopes to launch his rockets four and five times a week by following the model of the Ford Model T. "Part of what we're doing is we're able to make them cheap. We're able to make them fast and hopefully more reliable because they're simple," says Cantrell.

Like Henry Ford, Cantrell plans to use an assembly line to make his rockets and build many parts on the property. The rockets will be assembled down the road at what Cantrell calls a 100-thousand square foot rocket factory near Tucson International Airport. Construction on that facility has yet to begin but when it does Cantrell envisions a Space City going up around it. (8/23)

Arizona Joins Pursuit of Spaceport Status (Source: Space News)
The new Colorado Air and Space Port is not alone among spaceports that lack space launches. Of the 10 other spaceports licensed by the FAA, three have yet to conduct a launch under an FAA license or experimental permit: Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida; Ellington Airport in Houston; and Midland Air and Space Port in Midland, Texas. A fourth, Oklahoma Air and Space Port in Burns Flat, Oklahoma, hosted only three low-altitude test flights under experimental permits by Armadillo Aerospace in 2007.

The lack of activity has not deterred others from either seeking spaceport licenses for existing airports or developing entirely new commercial launch sites. “We’re trying to stand up a spaceport. We’re in very preliminary talks,” said Julie Engel, president of Arizona’s Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation, during a space conference held at Arizona State University Aug. 20. She sought advice from the conference’s luncheon speaker, Kevin O’Connell, new director of the Office of Space Commerce, on how to work with the government and convey the “seriousness of what we’re trying to do.” (8/21)

Astrobiologist Lays Out Undersea Scenario for Intelligent Life on Alien Water Worlds (Source: GeekWire)
Instead of cave dwellers gathered around a campfire, roasting mastodon meat, imagine an octopus tribe floating around a hydrothermal vent at the seafloor, boiling lobsters. That’s the scenario sketched out by Dirk Schulze-Makuch, an astrobiologist at Germany’s Technical Institute Berlin who’s also an adjunct professor at Arizona State University and Washington State University. Click here. (8/22)

How NASA Built a Shark Tank for Space Inventions (Source: WIRED)
Heather Potters is trying to get to the point. On a stage at Denver's Air & Space museum, a 182,000 square-foot space filled with decommissioned aircraft, she stands in front of a PowerPoint and describes her company's no-needle syringes, which can deliver vaccines by accelerating the liquid into a superfast stream that punctures the skin. Two Air Force jets point their noses at each other to her left, facing off, just like Potters and the other participants in tonight’s NASA iTech competition.

But Potters isn't competing with other medical startups for bio money. Here at NASA's iTech competition, the co-founder of PharmaJet is vying for access to expert advice from the space agency. She and 14 other researchers are pitching diverse terrestrial technologies that they hope to level up to space. Each team has three minutes each—after which “shark music,” an off-brand Jaws theme, plays them out like a shepherd’s crook—to convince a panel of judges (not including Barbara Corcoran or Mark Cuban) they are worthy of the agency's wisdom. Tonight's winner will become one of 10 finalists chosen from similar events across the country, who will then compete for just three mentorship slots. Click here. (8/23)

APT Filing Insurance Claim for Malfunctioning Satellite (Source: Hong Kong Stock Exchange)
APT Satellite is filing an insurance claim for Apstar-6, a 13-year old satellite that lost some power due to a malfunctioning solar array in May. The Hong Kong-based company said it placed the satellite in an inclined orbit and is finalizing the compensation amount. Built by Thales Alenia Space, Apstar-6 was two years away from completing a nominal 15-year service life.  APT Satellite sped up the deployment of the recently launched Apstar-6C satellite to replace Apstar-6. APT Satellite reported $79.5 million in revenue for the first six months of 2018, up 4.1 percent from the same time last year. (8/22)

Vega Soars with ESA’s Aeolus Wind-Monitoring Satellite (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Arianespace successfully sent Europe’s wind-monitoring satellite named Aeolus to orbit on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The France-based firm used the smallest launch vehicle in its catalog, Vega, to carry out the first part of Aeolus’s mission underway. The rocket lifted off at 6:20 p.m. local time from the Vega Launch Complex (SLV) located in Kourou, French Guiana.

Manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space, Aeolus is an Earth observation satellite that weighs in at about 1.36 metric tons. The satellite platform, fitted with two solar arrays, is based on the same design as ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, with dimensions of 13.12 by 14.27 by 5.25 feet. Aeolus is described as the world’s first space mission to acquire profiles of Earth’s wind on a global scale. The satellite is therefore equipped with an advanced laser system, the Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument, or Aladin for short is designed to timely and accurately measure global wind-profiles from space. (8/22)

Shrink-Wrapped SpaceX Falcon Rocket Escorted Through Blountstown (Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Blountstown Fire Chief Ben Hall has now seen the Falcon 9 shrink-wrapped and space bound. He was at Cape Canaveral for history in February 2017 when the SpaceX rocket launched from the historic NASA launchpad that kickstarted the Apollo moon missions. He was there in Blountstown for the routine Monday when the reusable Falcon rocket body made its way again through downtown.

It's become a somewhat regular site to residents of this small town just an hour from Tallahassee, according to Hall. "They come right through Blountstown every few weeks," he said. "I would assume this was the same one that was Eastbound on July 30th. The launch was early in August." The rocket, wrapped in black plastic, was transported on a giant flatbed truck bearing an "OVERSIZE LOAD" sign and was escorted by Florida Highway Patrolmen and pickup trucks. (8/22)

Senate Emerges as Obstacle to Trump’s 'Space Force' (Source: The Hill)
The Senate has emerged as a major impediment to President Trump’s hopes for a new "Space Force." While the House GOP has been largely supportive of the idea of creating a new military branch for space, skeptics in the Senate from both parties have raised concerns about its cost — and the potential for adding to bureaucratic overhead at the Pentagon.

There’s a recognition that players like China are increasingly turning to space, leaving a risk that the U.S. could be left behind. But there are also fears that it will turn into an expensive boondoggle. “There is an absolute threat, and we need to figure out how to counter that,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). “How do we make sure we're protecting taxpayer dollars and making sure they're most efficiently used while achieving that objective?” (8/21)

NASA Langley Collaborates with Industry to Develop Space Technologies (Source: NASA)
NASA is partnering with U.S. companies and small businesses to develop technologies that have the potential to significantly benefit the economy and future NASA missions. Recent announcements of selections for the agency's Tipping Point solicitation and Phase II of NASA's competitive Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program include several proposals with NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

NASA selected 10 Tipping Point proposals totaling approximately $44 million and Langley is a partner on one $3 million proposal. The agency also selected 20 research and technology proposals -- valued at $15 million -- from 19 American small businesses for STTR Phase II and Langley will manage three of the selected proposals totaling $2.25 million. (8/22)

Trump Risks Leading the World Into a Space Arms Race (Source: The Hill)
Vice President Mike Pence’s call last Thursday for the creation of a U.S. Space Force to achieve “American dominance in space” reflects a risky agenda on the part of the Trump administration, one that could propel the world into a global arms race in outer space.  Echoing a speech that President Trump gave in June, Pence declared space a “warfighting domain” and asserted the need for American superiority in that arena.

The Pentagon has opposed creating a space force, and it is of questionable military benefit. Defense Secretary James Mattis registered his opposition to the idea last year, stating that the measure would impair the Department of Defense’s ability to integrate its joint warfighting functions. Congress also has not been enthusiastic, preferring the lesser measure of a “space command” within the military’s operational command structure. What, then, is the administration’s reason for this proposal?  

A motive might be sought in the potentially profitable commercial ventures in outer space, such as asteroid mining, for which the president has voiced support. The president may imagine that a Space Force is the way to gain control over and protect the valuable assets involved. However, this way of thinking is risky. (8/21)

Will 2018 Advance Venture Capital’s Own Space Odyssey? (Source: Wall Street Journal)
These are heady days for space fans. In the movies, the “Star Wars” franchise is steadily churning out new releases. And this year, theaters are celebrating the 50th anniversary of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Stanley Kubrick’s visionary masterwork that is still considered the granddaddy of modern space films.

Closer to real life, depending on your perspective, the Trump administration is beating the drum to establish U.S. military superiority in the stars by building up a “U.S. Space Force.” But space-industry buffs can take heart with all of the investment flowing into their, well, space as venture-backed startups accelerate development of rockets, spacecraft and support services.

Space startups have raised more than $692 million spread over 26 deals so far this year, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. That puts the sector’s deal-making pace already ahead of last year’s 25 funding rounds, and it could end up being one of the industry’s biggest years yet. The standing record is the $1.14 billion invested in 2015, but that included a single $1 billion round raised by SpaceX. (8/20)

China Develops Large Aperture Optical Mirror with High Accuracy (Source: Xinhua)
China has developed a high accuracy four-meter-aperture optical mirror, an important tool for deep space and astronomical observation. Developed by Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics, and Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the silicon carbide aspheric optical mirror measures 1.6 tonnes.

The silicon carbide used in production provides more stability to the surface of the mirror, allowing for greater accuracy at 20 nanometers. In addition to the mirror, the research group also developed the manufacturing equipment used for the mirror's production and owns the IP rights for the equipment. (8/22)

Huge Jets of Water Found Streaming From Distant Protostar (Source: Cosmos)
Astronomers have spotted incredible jets of water vapour streaming away from a protostar in the Cat's Paw Nebula, a star-forming region located about 5500 light-years from Earth. The observations, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, were made by a group from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Virginia in the United States, using the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA), a collection of radio telescopes in Chile, owned by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

Led by the observatory’s Geoffrey Blake, the detected submillimeter-wavelength light emitted by jets of heavy water streaming away from the protostar located in the Cat’s Paw Nebula, known formally as NGC 6334I. Heavy water contains the hydrogen isotope deuterium, instead of hydrogen itself. A product of the Big Bang, there are about 26 deuterium atoms for every million hydrogen atoms across the universe.

The jets are a result of star formation. As a star begin to coalesce out of massive clouds of dust and gas, most of the material surrounding it is pulled towards the mass at the centre. However, some is propelled away from the growing protostar as a pair of jets. (8/22)

New Evidence for Cyclic Universe (Source: Physics World)
Unexpected hot spots in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) could have been produced by black holes evaporating before the Big Bang. So says a trio of scientists led by mathematical physicist Roger Penrose in a paper presenting new evidence that our universe is just one stage in a potentially infinite cycle of cosmic extinction and rebirth. Other researchers, however, remain sceptical that the microwave background really does contain signs from a previous “aeon”.

According to standard cosmology, the universe underwent a very brief but exceptionally intense expansion just after the Big Bang. This period of “inflation” would have ironed out any irregularities in the structure of the early universe, leading to the very uniform cosmos that we observe around us.

However, Penrose, based at the University of Oxford , has developed a rival theory known as “conformal cyclic cosmology“ (CCC) which posits that the universe became uniform before, rather than after, the Big Bang. The idea is that the universe cycles from one aeon to the next, each time starting out infinitely small and ultra-smooth before expanding and generating clumps of matter. That matter eventually gets sucked up by supermassive black holes, which over the very long term disappear by continuously emitting Hawking radiation. This process restores uniformity and sets the stage for the next Big Bang. (8/21)