October 10. 2018

New Competitors to Bring Volatility in Launch Prices (Source: Space News)
Companies in the space industry are expecting volatility in launch prices in the next few years. Industry officials speaking at the Satellite Innovation 2018 conference Tuesday said they expect potentially wild swings in launch prices given changing demand for launch services and the large number of new small launch vehicle entrants. Dan Hart, president and CEO of Virgin Orbit, reiterated past comments predicting a shakeout in the small launch vehicle market in the next few years, after which he predicted prices would stabilize. (10/9)

Shakeout Looming for Proposed Satellite Megaconstellations (Source: Space News)
Another shakeout is likely looming in the satellite market, as analysts project a demand for only two to three "megaconstellations." Those systems of hundreds to thousands of satellites will struggle to find sufficient financing to develop them, analysts predicted, citing the high costs that will make it difficult to raise money for any of them. Systems serving an existing customer base should find it easier to raise money, though, than those seeking to open new markets with their broadband communications services. (10/9)

Draper Bidding on NASA Lunar Lander Opportunity with Japanese Partner (Source: Space News)
Draper announced Wednesday it's bidding on NASA's commercial lunar lander competition with an industry team that includes a Japanese lunar lander company. Draper said it submitted a proposal for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services competition Tuesday, the deadline for bids. The Draper team includes ispace, a Japanese company developing lunar landers who will serve as the "design agent" for the Draper team. Ispace can't compete directly for CLPS since the competition is restricted to U.S.-based companies. Other team members include General Atomics, who will manufacture the landers, and Spaceflight Industries, which will provide launch services. (10/9)

There’s a New Report on SLS Rocket Management, and it’s Pretty Brutal (Source: Ars Technica)
Boeing has been building the core stage of NASA's Space Launch System rocket for the better part of this decade, and the process has not always gone smoothly, with significant overruns and multiyear delays. A new report from NASA's inspector general makes clear just how bad the development process has gone, laying the blame mostly at the feet of Boeing.

"We found Boeing’s poor performance is the main reason for the significant cost increases and schedule delays to developing the SLS core stage," the report, signed by NASA Inspector General Paul Martin, states. "Specifically, the project’s cost and schedule issues stem primarily from management, technical, and infrastructure issues directly related to Boeing’s performance."

As of August 2018, the report says, NASA has spent a total of $11.9 billion on the SLS. Even so, the rocket's critical core stage will be delivered more than three years later than initially planned—at double the anticipated cost. Overall, there are a number of top-line findings in this report, which cast a mostly if not completely negative light on Boeing and, to a lesser extent, NASA and its most expensive spaceflight project. Click here. (10/10)