July 31, 2019

Humans Will Never Colonize Mars (Source: Gizmodo)
The suggestion that humans will soon set up bustling, long-lasting colonies on Mars is something many of us take for granted. What this lofty vision fails to appreciate, however, are the monumental—if not intractable—challenges awaiting colonists who want to permanently live on Mars. Unless we radically adapt our brains and bodies to the harsh Martian environment, the Red Planet will forever remain off limits to humans.

The Red Planet is a cold, dead place, with an atmosphere about 100 times thinner than Earth’s. The paltry amount of air that does exist on Mars is primarily composed of noxious carbon dioxide, which does little to protect the surface from the Sun’s harmful rays. Air pressure on Mars is very low; at 600 Pascals, it’s only about 0.6 percent that of Earth. You might as well be exposed to the vacuum of space, resulting in a severe form of the bends—including ruptured lungs, dangerously swollen skin and body tissue, and ultimately death.

The thin atmosphere also means that heat cannot be retained at the surface. The average temperature on Mars is -81 degrees Fahrenheit (-63 degrees Celsius), with temperatures dropping as low as -195 degrees F (-126 degrees C). By contrast, the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was at Vostok Station in Antarctica, at -128 degrees F (-89 degrees C) on June 23, 1982. Once temperatures get below the -40 degrees F/C mark, people who aren’t properly dressed for the occasion can expect hypothermia to set in within about five to seven minutes. Click here. (7/30)

NASA Announces US Industry Partnerships to Advance Moon, Mars Technology (Source: NASA)
NASA has selected 13 U.S. companies for 19 partnerships to mature industry-developed space technologies and help maintain American leadership in space. NASA centers will partner with the companies, which range from small businesses with fewer than a dozen employees to large aerospace organizations, to provide expertise, facilities, hardware and software at no cost. The partnerships will advance the commercial space sector and help bring new capabilities to market that could benefit future NASA missions.

The projects supported by Kennedy Space Center include a SpaceX project "to advance their technology to vertically land large rockets on the Moon. This includes advancing models to assess engine plume interaction with lunar regolith"; and a Lockheed Martin project "to test technologies and operations for autonomous in-space plant growth systems. Integrating robotics with plant systems could help NASA harvest plants on future platforms in deep space." Click here. (7/30)

NASA Announces Call for Next Phase of Commercial Lunar Payload Services (Source: NASA)
NASA has announced the latest opportunity for industry to participate in its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) efforts to deliver science and technology payloads to and near the Moon. The newest announcement calls for companies to push the boundaries of current technology to support the next generation of lunar landers that can land heavier payloads on the surface of the Moon, including the South Pole, as part of the agency’s Artemis program, which will send the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024, setting the stage for future human exploration of Mars.

NASA anticipates the need for both small and mid-size lunar landers to enable a variety of science investigations and larger technology demonstration payloads that will meet science objectives and human exploration goals. Future payloads could include rovers, power sources, science experiments, and technology to be infused into the Artemis program. Any companies newly selected under this call will join the nine CLPS providers already contracted to provide services to the lunar surface to support NASA exploration priorities and use the Moon as a proving ground for systems and technologies that will enable humans to explore Mars. (7/30)

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage to be Converted into a Historical Museum (Source: Florida Today)
After the Civil War, the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse's keepers and their families lived "lonely, hot, buggy" lives amid salt marsh mosquitoes, armadillos and coral snakes along the desolate shoreline. The 151-foot-tall lighthouse was crafted of cast iron — so it functioned "like a pizza oven" during sweltering summer months, described James Underwood, president of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation.

The museum may open by early November, Underwood  Located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the historic lighthouse was completed in 1868 near the beach. Threatened by shoreline erosion, crews and mule-drawn carriages hauled the lighthouse inland, where workers reassembled and re-lit the tower in July 1894 atop the Florida sand roughly 1 mile from the Cape's eastern tip.

"This building has, in all these years, just a 3-degree tilt. Considering the Leaning Tower (of Pisa), we don't have that problem," Brooks told a tour group Thursday. "It really is an amazing structure. It is still functioning. It's one of the few lighthouses in America that is still working," Brooks said. (7/30)

Lockheed Martin Set to Unveil Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile Operation in Titusville (Source: Florida Today)
Lockheed Martin on Tuesday will officially mark the transition of its fleet ballistic missile headquarters from California to the Space Coast, reinforcing the region's critical role in the nation's nuclear deterrence triad. During a morning ceremony at its Titusville facility, company, local and military officials will gather to mark the move of the program that supports submarine-launched Trident missiles.

Test flights are often conducted – unannounced in advance for security reasons – by the Navy's Naval Ordnance Test Unit off the coast of Cape Canaveral. Of the 700 program employees once in Sunnyvale, California, a total of 350 have already found or will find their way to the Titusville campus. The remainder were transitioned to roles in Colorado. (7/30)

This Apollo 11 Experiment is Still Happening on the Moon (Source: CNN)
When astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface of the moon 50 years ago, they took photos, collected lunar rock samples and left behind an experiment that's still sending back data. Aldrin placed an array -- an arrangement of 100 quartz glass prisms in rows -- on the surface. Later, the Apollo 14 and 15 missions would also add similar arrays to the surface. The simple experiment doesn't require any power, which is why it's still serving a purpose.

The arrays reflect light, which is full of valuable insight, back towards Earth. Observatories in Italy, France, Germany and New Mexico regularly aim lasers at the arrays and note the time it takes for the light to return to Earth, according to NASA. Scientists can measure that distance down to a few millimeters. This allows researchers to determine the moon's orbit, rotation and its current orientation, which will be needed to land on the moon. They also act like mile markers for the cameras attached to spacecraft. (7/29)

Sun’s Puzzling Plasma Recreated in a Laboratory (Source: Quanta)
The sun’s magnetic fields form enormous loops that extend from the sun’s surface into space. Some of these loops are small enough to fit entirely within the sun’s corona, while others stretch to the edges of the solar system. In general, these loops trap plasmas because charged particles travel along magnetic fields rather than across them. Some plasmas escape from the sun by following the loops that extend far into the solar system. These plasmas become the so-called “fast” solar wind.

Scientists think that blobs of plasma can also break out of the smaller loops to generate the “slow” solar wind. The loops break and reattach themselves in a process called reconnection, sloughing off some of the trapped plasma. But the details of where and how magnetic reconnection happens have eluded us. So a team of researchers decided to try to re-create the sun’s magnetic field structure in a ball of plasma in their laboratory. (7/30)

Russia Launches Military Satellite (Source: TASS)
Russia launched a military communications satellite early Tuesday. The Soyuz-2.1a rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 1:56 a.m. Eastern and placed the Meridian-M satellite into its planned orbit. The satellite will provide communications services from its inclined, elliptical Molniya orbit. (7/30)

X-37B Foils Tracking Attempts (Source: Popular Mechanics)
Former Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson says the Air Force's unmanned space plane, the X-37B has capabilities to avoid tracking by US adversaries. "They don't know where it is going to come up next, and we know that that drives them nuts," she said while speaking at the Aspen Security Forum. Click here. (7/29)

Air Force Seeks Transfer of Appropriated Funds to Missile Warning Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Air Force is asking Congress to transfer funding previously appropriated for other programs to its next-generation missile warning satellites. A request submitted by the Air Force earlier this month would shift $93.2 million from programs funded in fiscal year 2019 and $67.5 million from programs funded in fiscal year 2018 for the next-generation Overhead Persistent Infrared system, or next-gen OPIR. The $160 million request submitted this month is far smaller than the $632 million reprogramming that Air Force officials said months ago was needed to deliver next-gen OPIR by 2025, but the service didn't explain why the request has been reduced. (7/30)

OrbitBeyond Backs Out of NASA Lunar Deal (Source: Space News)
One of the first companies awarded contracts by NASA for commercial lunar lander services has backed out. OrbitBeyond informed NASA that "internal corporate challenges" would prevent it from carrying out a $97 million task order awarded by NASA at the end of May for a lunar lander mission scheduled for September 2020. The company didn't elaborate on the reasons it was not able to perform the mission. OrbitBeyond, along with Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, received awards from NASA as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. OrbitBeyond will still be eligible for future CLPS task orders. (7/30)

Hyten Poised for Confirmation (Source: Breaking Defense)
Air Force Gen. John Hyten, arguably the leader of the military space community, appears before the Senate today regarding his nomination to become vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Much of his confirmation hearing this morning by the Senate Armed Services Committee is likely to center on allegations of sexual misconduct made by a former Army officer who worked for him. An internal Air Force investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing, but some question the way the Pentagon handled the case. Hyten, currently the head of U.S. Strategic Command, has been dubbed the "real father of the Space Force" for his advocacy of space issues. (7/30)

Italy to Increase Space Projects with “Mirror Programs” of European Agencies (Source: Space News)
Italy is seeking to increase the capabilities of its space sector through programs that mirror European initiatives. Italian Space Agency President Giorgio Saccoccia said the Ital-GovSatCom satellite contract announced last week inaugurates an initiative to create "mirror programs" where Italy provides its own supplemental spacecraft to European Commission-led programs. That effort could include in the future spacecraft linked to the Galileo navigation and Copernicus Earth observations programs by the EU. The $335 million Ital-GovSatCom is being financed through a public-private partnership, with the private sector paying half the cost of the satellite. (7/30)

Arianespace Reschedules Ariane 5 to Aug. 6 (Source: Arianespace)
Arianespace has rescheduled an Ariane 5 launch postponed by the Vega launch failure. The company said Monday the Ariane 5 launch of the Intelsat 39 and ERDS-C satellites is now scheduled for Aug. 6 from French Guiana. The launch was scheduled for this month but postponed in order to study common systems between the Ariane 5 and the Vega after the Vega launch failure earlier this month. (7/30)

Japan Schedules Cargo Launch to ISS in September (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
The next Japanese cargo spacecraft to the ISS is scheduled for launch in September. The Japanese space agency JAXA announced Monday that the HTV-8 cargo spacecraft will launch on an HTV rocket Sept. 10. The spacecraft will deliver 3.5 metric tons of cargo to the station, including six new batteries for the station's power system. (7/30)

Swedish SmallSat Express Planned for 2021 Launch (Source: Swedish Space Corp.)
To meet the increasing need for launch opportunities for small satellites, CubeSats in particular, SSC has initiated SmallSat Express, a European launch capability for small satellites. In 2021, Swedish Space Corporation plans to launch satellites from Esrange outside of Kiruna in the North of Sweden. (7/30)

China Moving to Normalize Sea Launch Operations at Port City (Source: Weixin)
In June of this year, the Long March 11 rocket developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Group arrived at Haiyang Port, Yantai, Shandong Province, and successfully completed its first sea launch mission. It is reported that the "China Eastern Space Port" project is planned to be implemented within the year, and it is planned to build China's first sea launching mother port in Haiyang to promote high-frequency, normalization and systemization of sea launch. (7/30)

A New Path for Space Investment? (Source: Space Review)
A lot of money has flowed into space startups in recent years, but there have been few exits by companies that were acquired or went public. Jeff Foust reports on Virgin Galactic’s non-traditional approach to raising money and going public, and whether other companies will follow its lead. Click here. (7/29)
 
How Space Technology Benefits the Earth (Source: Space Review)
There are many examples, both well-known and more obscure, of how space applications provide benefits, and produce profits, on Earth. Jeff Greenblatt and Al Anzaldua outline both those existing applications and those that may emerge in the near and long term. Click here. (7/29)
 
The Apollo 11 50th Anniversary at EAA AirVenture (Source: Space Review)
One of the final commemorations of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 took place last week at the EAA AirVenture show. Eric Hedman provides an overview of how Mike Collins and others in attendance reflected on the mission. Click here. (7/29)
 
Apollo as Viewed From a Jungle (Source: Space Review)
When Apollo 11 returned to Earth 50 years ago this month, one young boy listened to the spacecraft’s return in a remote part of India. Ajay Kothari describes how that inspired him to pursue a career in aerospace, and how it can be an inspiration again for a return to the Moon. Click here. (7/29)

Russia Launches Cargo to Space Station (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
Russia launched a Progress spacecraft on a quick trip to the International Space Station Wednesday. The Soyuz-2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodome at 8:10 a.m. Eastern, placing the Progress MS-12 spacecraft into orbit less than 10 minutes later. The Progress is making a two-orbit approach to the ISS, with docking scheduled for 11:35 a.m. Eastern. That same approach will be used for crewed Soyuz missions to the ISS starting next year. The Progress is bringing about two and a half metric tons of cargo and other supplies for the station. (7/31)

Hyten Wins Support for Nomination (Source: Space News)
Air Force Gen. John Hyten won key endorsements Tuesday in support of his nomination to be vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, former Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said allegations of sexual misconduct by Hyten were false. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ), a committee member and who herself a victim of sexual assault when she served in the Air Force, also said Hyten was innocent.

The majority of the committee members at the hearing, including chairman Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), said they supported his nomination. Hyten, the current head of U.S. Strategic Command, was asked about space issues at the hearing, and said while there's a "good transition" for creating a Space Force in the Senate's defense authorization bill, he had issues about making the head of Space Command also the leader of the new Space Force. (7/31)

Challenges Ahead for ISS (Source: Space News)
NASA's ISS program manager said there are "significant challenges" ahead for the station because of uncertainty of when commercial crew vehicles will enter service. Kirk Shireman, speaking at the ISS R&D Conference Tuesday, said there's "significant uncertainty" about when Boeing and SpaceX will be ready to start routine missions carrying astronauts to and from the station. He said the agency was looking at a number of options involving crew time and resources on the station, depending on when those vehicles are ready. While the transition to commercial crew vehicles may be shaky, he said he was optimistic that NASA will soon enjoy a "normal cadence" of missions again. (7/31)

Intelsat Believes Satellite Loss Not Caused by Design Flaw (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
Intelsat believes an external event, and not a design flaw, disabled one of its satellites earlier this year. The company announced Tuesday that investigators concluded either a harness flaw in conjunction with electrostatic discharge linked to solar weather activity, or a micrometeorid impact, caused the sudden failure of the Intelsat 29e satellite in April. The investigation appeared to rule out an issue with the design of the Boeing-built satellite that could affect other Intelsat satellites. Intelsat stated that it concluded there was a "very low risk" of a similar problem occurring on those other satellites. (7/31)

China Using SpaceX-Style Grid Fins to Control Stage Falls (Source: Space News)
A recent Chinese launch used technology similar to that on SpaceX's Falcon 9 to guide the descent of the rocket's first stage. The Long March 2C launch last week was the first time the rocket flew with grid fins attached to the first stage. The fins were used to guide the first stage to a more precise drop zone, addressing concerns about spent stages falling on towns and villages. The technology is also a step toward controlled descent and landings, which could lead to reuse of rocket stages. (7/31)

China's iSpace to Increase Launch Rate (Source: Reuters)
Chinese commercial launch company iSpace plans to increase its launch rate now that it has successfully reached orbit. The company's Hyperbola-1 rocket successfully launched several payloads into low Earth orbit last week, making it the first private country in China to reach orbit. With that sucecss under its belt, iSpace says it will perform up to eight launches next year. It was also critical of other Chinese startups that have tried and failed to reach orbit: "If you don't have a rocket that can go into orbit, that shows that you don't have a product. What business model can you speak of then?" a company vice president said. (7/31)

Japan and India Discuss Lunar Collaboration (Source: NHK)
A Japanese government official confirmed that discussions are underway with India about a joint lunar mission. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday Japan's space agency, JAXA, is in talks with its Indian counterpart, ISRO, about a lunar lander mission, but offered few details about the mission itself. Reports in India last week after the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-2 mission said that a Chandrayaan-3 mission in the early 2020s could be done in cooperation with Japan. (7/31)

SpaceX Tests Next-Gen Rocket Starhopper in Texas, Builds in Florida (Source: Space Daily)
SpaceX is marching on with tests of its next-generation Starship rocket and spacecraft, with test fires in Texas and construction in Florida. Elon Musk tweeted video showing a test on Thursday of a prototype for the new system, called Starhopper, at the company's facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The test was a short launch, or hop, that lifted the Starhopper a few dozen meters into the air, untethered. The company is testing how its new engine, the Raptor, will work with the new Starship.

The Texas video, shot from a drone, showed the shiny metal Starhopper, which is covered in stainless steel, lifting off as it was surrounded by a large cloud of smoke. Tests have not been obvious at the Florida location, which is in an isolated industrial park in Cocoa, but a tall prototype of the Starship is visible from the surrounding area. Musk previously said both Florida and Texas sites will make many Starships. (7/31)

3D Printed Rocket Fuel Comparison at James Cook University (Source: Space Daily)
James Cook University scientists in Australia are using 3D printing to create fuels for rockets, and using tailor-made rocket motors they've built to test the fuels. JCU lecturer in mechanical engineering Dr Elsa Antunes led the study, which made use of the revolutionary and rapidly advancing 3D printing technology. The JCU scientists 3D printed fuel grains (solid, plastic-based fuel) for the hybrid rockets using plastics and other materials. (7/31)

July 29, 2019

Clashing Measurements Make the Universe's Expansion a Lingering Mystery (Source: Scientific American)
How fast is the universe expanding? One might assume scientists long ago settled this basic question, first explored nearly a century ago by Edwin Hubble. But right now the answer depends on who you ask. Cosmologists using the Planck satellite to study the cosmic microwave background—light from the “early” universe, only about 380,000 years after the big bang—have arrived at a high-precision value of the expansion rate, known as the Hubble constant (H0).

Astronomers observing stars and galaxies closer to home—in the “late” universe—have also measured H0 with extreme precision. The two numbers, however, disagree. According to Planck, H0 should be about 67—shorthand for the universe expanding some 67 kilometers per second faster every 3.26 million light-years. The most influential measurements of the late universe, coming from a project called Supernova H0 for the Equation of State (SH0ES), peg the Hubble constant at about 74.

This discrepancy—the so-called Hubble tension—has been growing for years, increasing as study after study of both the early and late universe yield ever more precise results and leave scientists on both sides anxious and bewildered. After all, it could be that either faction is somehow just mismeasuring the universe. But the tension may be a true reflection of reality, requiring exotic new physics and a dramatic revision to our understanding of cosmic evolution. (7/29)

Why Space Agencies, Companies World Over are Looking to Mars as the Next Frontier (Source: FirstPost)
The interest in Mars is more than just scientific. There are currently people working on trying to establish a permanent human colony on Mars. The logic of this is as follows. Mars is the closest to earth in terms of its environment. It has an atmosphere, albeit one that is made up almost completely of carbon dioxide. And it has a 24 and a half hour day, almost the same as earth. Then it is about half the size of earth and so it has a gravity that will be familiar to us, though it is less. Someone weighing 50 kilos on earth will weigh less than 20 kilos on Mars.

The other planets of our solar system are very different from earth. They are very far away from the sun and therefore are very cold, some like Jupiter are huge and with gravity that is very high and some have atmospheres that are poisonous.

Mars also has plenty of water in ice form. And because it has carbon dioxide, it is possible to make hydrocarbons, meaning plastics, from the materials already available there. The other big issue of space travel is that of fuel, and there are rockets being designed today that will be powered by methane and liquid oxygen, both of which can be produced on Mars. (7/28)

Next Generation Space Suit Being Designed for Extended Trips (Source: Hartford Courant)
United Technologies Corp. and a Delaware space systems manufacturer have introduced their newest space suit for extended trips as the U.S. prepares for an eventual Mars mission. Collins Aerospace, a unit of UTC, and ILC Dover of Frederica, Del., unveiled the Next Generation Space Suit system prototype at a Capitol Hill event in Washington, D.C., Thursday.

The two companies funded and designed the space suit system with NASA and commercial customers in mind, including lunar surface missions in partial gravity, orbital space station missions and “future planetary missions.” It features new ways to remove carbon dioxide regenerated while in use, allowing missions of extended duration and reducing dependency on resupply and cutting crew maintenance time.

The new space suit improves mobility at the body’s joints. The lower torso is designed to improve walking to allow astronauts to navigate hazardous terrain, perform difficult assembly tasks and examine, handle and collect geological samples from the surface. The suit also includes advanced sizing features for more astronauts to have the best fit in as few as two sizes. (7/26)

USF Researchers Document Cape Canaveral Launch Complexes Before They Slip Into the Sea (Source: TampaBay.com)
The launch complexes at Cape Canaveral have seen better days. The metal beams that helped send the first American into orbit have corroded from salty air. Hurricanes and rising sea levels have carved out escarpments and erased sand dunes. At Launch Complex 34, the encroaching shoreline has not yet reached the launch pad but has reached places where fuel tanks and trucks used to be during the Apollo era. Along the nearby Banana River, the cemeteries of the Cape’s first settlers are eroding away.

It will be 20 to 25 years until the ocean reaches all of the launch complexes, said Tom Penders, the 45th Space Wing's cultural resources manager. But he isn’t panicking. The buildings will live on, not only in memory but also digitally in 3D and sub-millimeter detail put together by laser scanners. For the past five years, Lori Collins and Travis Doering, co-directors of the Digital Heritage and Humanities Collections at the University of South Florida Libraries, have been traveling with a team to Cape Canaveral to collect detailed information about launch complexes and buildings. (7/29)

Federal Grant to Spaceport Bridge and Two Other Projects (Source: Jacksonville Business Journal)
Aerospace economic development agency Space Florida will get almost $90 million in federal funds for an industrial project through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant program. The funds will be used in Brevard County to replace the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Indian River Bridge with new twin high-level bridges, widen about 2.7 miles of Space Commerce Way and rehabilitate 3.7 miles of NASA Parkway West. (7/29)

Space Coast's Industry-Driven Apprenticeship Takes Flight (Source: CFLnews 13)
Nine students have been inducted into the Space Coast Consortium Apprenticeship Program, making its inaugural class. The SCCAP is an industry-driven apprenticeship program created in direct response to HB 7071, which relates to workforce education. Manufacturing companies including OneWeb Satellites, RUAG Space, Rocket Crafters, and Knights Armament are leading the way in the apprenticeships. The program is registered with the Florida Department of Education and will be led in partnership with Eastern Florida State College. The two-year apprenticeship program will develop mechatronics technicians, fiber composite technicians, and advanced CNC/DNC machinists.

The consortium approach to the apprenticeship program is the first of its kind in Florida and comes only weeks after Governor DeSantis visited the Space Coast to sign CS/HB 7071, a broad workforce education bill that includes a number of provisions enhancing apprenticeship programs in Florida. The consortium was formed in 2017 by Kai Schmidt, Human Resources Director of OneWeb Satellites and Bryan Kamm, Founder and Principal of Kamm Consulting, to address a shortage of highly skilled advanced manufacturing workforce on the Space Coast. (7/29)

NASA Fed Some of its Precious Apollo 11 Lunar Samples to Cockroaches (Source: CNN)
Scientists from NASA had a lot more leeway to conduct weird experiments 50 years ago, which included feeding moon dust to German cockroaches. But it didn't stop there. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were able to secure lunar samples from the surface of the moon from the Apollo 11 mission and bring them back to Earth. However, in order to ensure that it was safe to store lunar samples on Earth, scientists had to run a number of tests to make sure contamination was not possible, according to NASA.

Armstrong and Aldrin were quarantined for weeks on their return from the moon, and they had a few extra roommates: mice that had been injected with lunar material. "They always wanted to know how the rodents were doing," Judith Hayes, chief of NASA's Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences division, told Space.com. "If the rodents did well, then they would likely be released on time, if the rodents weren't well, they would likely be examined much more carefully and longer."

NASA also chose a number of different animals to represent other species. Birds were represented by Japanese quail; brown shrimp, pink shrimp and oysters were used to represent shellfish; houseflies and moths joined the cockroaches to represent insects; and guppies and minnows were used to represent fish. As for how they all received the samples, it varied. The quail and mice received injections, moon dust was added to the water for all the aquatic species and the insects had lunar samples mixed into their food. (7/29)

Planet-Hunting Satellite TESS Finds 'Missing Link' Exoplanets (Source: CNN)
NASA's planet-hunting satellite TESS has discovered more than 20 exoplanets during its first year of observations, including some "missing link" planets entirely unlike anything in our own solar system. TESS, which stands for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, began science operations in space in July 2018. TESS focused on the southern skies for the first year and will turn to the Northern Hemisphere for an ambitious observation campaign over the next year.

And the new star system may harbor planets within the habitable zone, in which the temperature on a planet's surface is just right to support liquid water and potentially life. The newly discovered exoplanets are some of the smallest and closest ever found. The three worlds, which include a rocky super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes, orbit a star just 73 light-years from Earth. Sub-Neptunes are smaller than the icy gas giant in our solar system. These two are about half the size of Neptune. (7/29)

Space Grown Crystals Offer Clarity on Parkinson's Disease (Source: NASA)
Parkinson’s disease affects more than 5 million people on Earth. Research on the International Space Station could provide insight into this chronic neurodegenerative disease and help scientists find ways to treat and prevent it. In this video, NASA astronaut Serena Auñon-Chancellor narrates as European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Alexander Gerst uses a microscope to examine and photograph the LRRK2 crystals. Click here. (7/29)

Japan's Symspective Raises $100M for SAR Satellites (Source: Space News)
A Japanese startup developing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites has now raised $100 million. Tokyo-based Synspective said 12 firms helped it reach $100 million since the company was founded 17 months ago, but did not disclose how much it raised in its most recent round. Synspective is planning a constellation of around 25 small SAR satellites for global coverage of the Earth, with its first satellite, a 150-kilogram demonstrator, slated to launch on an Arianespace Vega rocket in 2020. By 2022 the startup hopes to have six satellites in orbit, enabling sufficient imaging capacity to cover all of Asia’s major cities. (7/29)

ESA Invites Industry Concepts for 2026 Mars Sample Return (Source: Space News)
Plans to return samples from Mars are taking shape at NASA and ESA, although formal approval and funding is still pending. ESA released last week an invitation to tender to industry for a proposed orbiter that would launch in 2026 to go to Mars and collect samples placed in orbit by a NASA mission for return to Earth in 2031. NASA, meanwhile, held an acquisition strategy meeting earlier this month about the proposed Mars sample return campaign, giving approval to move into budget development for NASA's contributions to the mission and to continue cooperation with ESA. The two agencies have yet to commit to funding for their roles in a Mars sample return effort, with ESA expected to decide whether to fund the orbiter and other contributions at its ministerial meeting in November. (7/29)

DARPA Seeks New Satellite Servicing Demo (Source: Space News)
DARPA is making a second attempt to fly a satellite servicing demonstration mission. Maxar withdrew from the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) project in January, citing its expense and uncertain business case. DARPA's search for a new industry partner led it to solicit proposals from industry, which were due last week. The agency might select a new RSGS partner by the end of the year, but to avoid a repeat of what happened with Maxar, DARPA wants to make sure the bids are solid. (7/29)

Proposed FAA Regulatory Changes Reveal Divisions During Comment Period (Source: Space News)
The commercial launch industry is divided by proposed regulatory reform for launch and re-entry licensing. While the FAA extended the comment period for its proposed rules last week, to Aug. 19, some launch companies and industry organizations are calling for broader changes, including the ability to comment on an updated draft of the rules. They argue the current draft could be worse than current regulations. However, large companies, including Northrop Grumman and ULA, say they support the proposed rules and don't want an "indefinite rulemaking process." (7/29)

Dragon Delivers ISS Cargo (Source: CBS)
A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station early Saturday. The Dragon was grappled by the station's robotic arm a little ahead of schedule Saturday morning and berthed to the station. The Dragon, launched on Thursday, delivered about 2,300 kilograms of cargo, including science experiments and a docking adapter, to the station. (7/29)

Spacecom Seeks Recovery with Amos 17 Launch (Source: Reuters)
Israeli satellite operator Spacecom believes a new satellite will help the company recover from failed satellites and launches. The Amos-17 satellite is scheduled for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Saturday from Florida. The company lost the Amos-6 satellite in a Falcon 9 static-fire test accident in 2016, while its Amos-5 satellite failed in orbit in 2015. Amos-17 will provide communications services for Africa, and Spacecom says it has a sales backlog of $58 million for that new satellite. (7/29)

Japan's Interstellar Loses Another Suborbital Rocket in Failed Launch (Source: Kyodo)
The launch of a suborbital rocket by a Japanese company failed on Saturday. Interstellar Technologies' Momo-4 rocket malfunctioned shortly after takeoff Saturday from a launch site on the island of Hokkaido, reaching a peak altitude of 13 kilometers before falling into the sea. The company suffered two launch failures of the sounding rocket in 2017 and 2018 before the Momo-3 rocket flew to 113 kilometers on a successful flight in May. (7/29)

Starhopper Test Causes Texas Brush Fire (Source: Business Insider)
The Starhopper test flight by SpaceX last week created a brush fire that worried some local residents. The fire, created by the brief free flight of the experimental vehicle late Thursday night, spread into a neighboring wildlife refuge, covering 100 acres and raising concerns from people who live just a few kilometers from the site. The fire was difficult for firefighters to reach because of the "mucky ground conditions" around the site. (7/29)

Women In Defense Group Picks Glasgow for Legacy Award (Source: SCWID)
Every year during the Florida Women In Defense (WID) Chapters’ Board Retreat, the Central Florida Chapter of WID presents the Debbie L. Berry Legacy Award to a woman who provides exceptional leadership, mentoring and support to her local community and the defense industry. This year, Central Florida recognized Susie Glasgow, Kegman, Inc. for her impact on women, students and businesses in the Space Coast region. “I am humbled and honored to accept this award as it highlights WID Space Coast Chapter’s impact on women working in defense, as well as young women who plan to work in defense,” said Glasgow.

The award recognizes Glasgow for her tireless advocacy for women in government and the defense industry, as well as her support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. She was a founding member of Women In Defense Space Coast Chapter in 2013 and has served in several capacities including President and, currently, Special Projects Coordinator. Glasgow is the President/Chief Executive Officer of Kegman Inc. an economically disadvantaged Woman- and Veteran-owned small business that provides scientific, engineering and technical services to the U.S. Government. (7/29)

India to Begin First-Ever Simulated Space Warfare Exercise (Source: Sputnik)
The Indian military plans to begin a two day first-ever simulated space warfare exercise on 25 July to draft a joint military space doctrine to secure outer space assets. "There is a need to explore effective tactical, operational and strategic exploitation on the final frontier of warfare. We cannot keep twiddling our thumbs while China zooms ahead. We cannot match China but must have capabilities to protect our space assets," an official said while providing the rationale behind conducting such a drill.

The drill is being held four months after India joined the select group of nations having the capability to shoot down a satellite with their ballistic missiles. The tri-service command of the Indian military will monitor the trials dubbed "IndSpaceEx" on Andaman Island in the Bay of Bengal. In May, the Indian military initiated the formation of tri-service commands to manage space operations, cybersecurity, and special forces, and all these commands are expected to become operational by the end of 2019. (7/26)

Japan's Space Agency Develops New Filter to Recycle Urine (Source: Space Daily)
Japan's astronauts could be drinking water distilled from their own urine in the near future, thanks to the latest innovation from Japan's space agency. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said they have developed a distiller, used during space flight, that converts urine into potable water, Yomiuri Shimbun reported. (7/25)

July 28, 2019

‘Would Dad Approve?’ Neil Armstrong’s Heirs Divide Over a Lucrative Legacy (Source: New York Times)
Last fall, Neil Armstrong’s two sons began a round of media appearances to promote a venture that would make them millions of dollars: a series of auctions of about 3,000 mementos from their father’s moon mission and NASA career. Mark and Rick Armstrong talked up the items — an American flag that had flown to the moon on Apollo 11; a flight suit their father had worn earlier in his career; and many possessions that had nothing to do with space, including Mr. Armstrong’s childhood teddy bear and a preschool report card he signed.

“You just hope that people get positive energy from these things,” Mark Armstrong told “CBS This Morning.” He told The New York Times they had “struggled with” what their father might think of the auctions. “Would Dad approve? Let’s see what positive things we can do with the proceeds,” he said. The auctions would prove lucrative amid the rising wave of publicity leading up to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing this month: $16.7 million in sales to date.

The Dallas auction house advertised the events as sales of the Armstrong Family Collection, though about a quarter of the revenue came from items with other sources, including the astronaut Buzz Aldrin. What the brothers took home after fees is unclear. Another auction, the fourth, is set for November. Those sales by the brothers have exposed deep differences among those who knew Neil Armstrong about his legacy — and what he would have wanted. Some relatives, friends and archivists find the sales unseemly, citing the astronaut’s aversion to cashing in on his celebrity and flying career and the loss of historical objects to the public.(7/28)

Russian Space Agency to Initiate Talks on Banning Anti-Satellite Weapon Tests (Source: TASS)
Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos plans to initiate international negotiations on banning full-scale tests of anti-satellite weapons, Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin said. "Roscosmos plans to initiate international negotiations with the aim of banning full-scale anti-satellite weapon tests held by way of destroying spacecraft and littering low orbits," Rogozin said. The Roscosmos chief said he was concerned over these tests as satellite fragments "may destroy the station." (7/26)

Watch Japan's Hayabusa2 Land on Asteroid Ryugu (Source: Space.com)
An incredible new video from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) shows the Hayabusa2 spacecraft completing its second touchdown operation, on July 11. It shows the spacecraft touching down on, and then receding from, the asteroid Ryugu. Hayabusa2 took the video of the touchdown with its monitor camera, Cam-H, which is pointed past the craft's sampling mechanism (or sampler horn). The craft's sampler horn, which can be seen in the video pointed "downward," toward Ryugu, picked up new samples from the asteroid. (7/27)

Scientists Stunned by ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid That Just Missed Earth (Source: Washington Post)
This asteroid wasn’t one that scientists had been tracking, and it had seemingly appeared from “out of nowhere,” Michael Brown, a Melbourne-based observational astronomer, told The Washington Post. According to data from NASA, the craggy rock was large, an estimated 57 to 130 meters wide (187 to 427 feet), and moving fast along a path that brought it within about 73,000 kilometers (45,000 miles) of Earth. That’s less than one-fifth of the distance to the moon and what Duffy considers “uncomfortably close.” (7/26)

Meet Alyssa Carson, the 18-Year-Old training to Become the First Human on Mars (Source: TNW)
At just three years old, Alyssa Carson knew she wanted to be an astronaut, and since then, she’s worked tirelessly. Carson could soon become the first human to set foot on Mars — even if it means never returning back to Earth. “My fascination with space all started when I watched an episode of the cartoon The Backyardigans called ‘A Mission to Mars,” Carson told TNW.

Growing up, Carson’s imagination blew up with questions about space and space travel which eventually led her today, America’s best chance to landing on Mars. At 16 years old, Carson became the youngest person to have ever graduated from the Advanced Space Academy, the first person to have completed all of NASA’s seven Space Camps, and received the certification in applied astronautics. This officially makes Carson certified to do a suborbital research flight and venture into space, all before receiving her driver’s permit. (7/26)

The Coming End of an Era at NASA (Source: The Atlantic)
For the youngest generations, the idea of the moon landings, captured in crackly black-and-white footage, might seem as distant as the moon itself. The moon was a weird place to be. Aldrin, now 89 years old, felt disoriented as he took in the sight. “On the Earth when one looks at the horizon, it appears flat; on the moon, so much smaller than the Earth and quite without high terrain, the horizon in all directions visibly curved away from us,” he wrote in a memoir in 1974.

Thanks to the airless environment and the lunar soil, as fine as talcum powder, the astronauts never had to worry about getting lost. “Everywhere you walk, you left your footprints,” said Charlie Duke, who visited in 1972, at an event last year. “You just turn around and follow your tracks back.” President Richard Nixon correctly predicted in 1972, as the crew of the last lunar mission flew home, that “this may be the last time in this century that men will walk on the moon.” But after pulling off the feat—six times in three and a half years, at that—it seemed hard to imagine the possibility that no one would ever return. Click here. (7/26)

VAB Architects Honored: NASA's Most Famous Building Receives ‘Test of Time' Award (Source: Click Orlando)
Driving over the Indian River to the Brevard County barrier islands the Vehicle Assembly Building with its football-field size American flag and NASA meatball logo looms large to the east. What would become NASA's most notorious building began with a sketch created in a few hours by a 25-year-old architect.

More than 50 years after that first sketch, the design and project team behind the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and Launch Control Center, will be recognized Saturday by the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects for creating an architectural design that has stood the test of time through the Apollo and space shuttle programs and dozens of hurricanes. Click here. (7/26) https://www.clickorlando.com/news/space-news/vab-architects-honored-nasas-most-famous-building-receives-test-of-time-award

Skyrora Celebrates Successful Rocket Engine Testing (Source: Edinburgh Reporter)
Scottish space company Skyrora has successfully carried out testing on a fully 3D-printed, commercial rocket engine for the first time ever in the UK.
The Edinburgh-based firm used its base in Cornwall to carry out engine checks on its XL rocket, the firm’s main orbital launch vehicle. The engine boasts stop-start technology, meaning Skyrora’s rocket can deliver satellites to different orbits – similar to a school bus dropping pupils off at different locations on its route. (7/26)

Supporters Say Hawaii Telescope Will Bring Jobs, Knowledge (ABC News)
A giant telescope planned for Hawaii's tallest mountain will enhance humanity's knowledge of the universe and bring quality, high-paying jobs, supporters said as protesters blocked construction for a second week. An international consortium plans to build the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope at the top of Mauna Kea, which some Native Hawaiians believe is sacred. Protesters blocked the road to the top of the mountain for the 12th day Friday after more than 100 telescope supporters rallied Thursday in front of the state Capitol.

They held signs with messages like "Support Culture and Science" and "Move Forward Not Backward" and waved at passing cars. Some drivers honked in support. Opponents of the telescope have gotten more attention than supporters as their protest has prevented crews from starting construction. The Hawaii Supreme Court last year ruled that the project had a valid permit, clearing the way for work to begin after a decadelong battle. Protesters say building another telescope on a peak that already has 13 observatories will further desecrate the mountain on the Big Island. (7/26)

Germany Wary of Macron’s Space Force (Source: Politico)
Emmanuel Macron's race into space makes Germans nervous. The French government is poised to lay out details on Thursday of a plan to staff up a “space high command” in Toulouse, as it expands the remit of its air force to cover orbital defense and ward off potential threats to infrastructure in space from big powers including China, Russia and India. Macron unveiled the broad outlines of the plan during Bastille Day celebrations this month, saying it would help the country “better protect our satellites.”

But the French president's agenda, unveiled in the midst of France's biggest national celebration, sits uneasily with Germany's preference for a multilateral approach to military and defense issues. “We need a robust answer to the challenges in space but I see this as a job for the European Space Agency and the EU,” said Thomas Jarzombek, the German government’s coordinator on aerospace and a lawmaker in the Bundestag. (7/26)

Rep. Charlie Crist Embraces Role as Florida Space Coast Booster (Source: Politico)
Fifty years after the moon landing the Florida Space Coast is preparing to once again play a major role in the nation’s space exploration goals — and Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) says he's working overtime to ensure it remains in the driver's seat. Crist, who served four years as Florida's Republican governor before later switching parties, is now a member of both the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and the House Appropriations subcommittee overseeing NASA.

“I want to do everything I can from this platform … to be supportive of whatever NASA is doing, whether that’s going to the moon in 2024 with Artemis or beyond that, in the exploration of Mars," he said. Crist said he also seeking new ways to support the types of public-private partnerships between commercial space companies and government players that he says have already had an "electric effect on the Space Coast and Florida." For example, he "regularly” meets with representatives of SpaceX. “They’ve been a real leader when it comes to public-private partnerships in space. (7/26)

Another Front in the Tensions Between the U.S. and China: Space (Source: Washington Post)
The United States has noticed China’s ambitions, which have touched off a debate over how to respond and what China’s intentions really are at a time when space is seen as a critical warfighting domain. The Trump administration and hawkish conservatives have cast the competition as a power struggle with enormous consequences — the moon as the cosmic equivalent of the South China Sea, where China has expanded a military presence that is of concern to the Pentagon.

Earlier this year, the White House announced NASA would dramatically speed up its own mission to return to the moon, initially planned for 2028, but now, at the direction of Vice President Pence, moved up to 2024. “Make no mistake about it: We’re in a space race today, just as we were in the 1960s, and the stakes are even higher,” he said in a speech in March calling for the shortened timeline. China’s landing on the far side of the moon “revealed their ambition to seize the lunar strategic high ground and become the world’s preeminent spacefaring nation,” he said.

U.S. officials fear the Chinese advance in space. “Looking at Chinese behavior in other shared domains — the South China Sea, cyberspace — they’ve given us pause for concern,” Scott Pace, the executive secretary of the National Space Council, said in an interview. “And so looking out in space, it’s hard to imagine that they will behave any better than they’d behaved in other areas where they felt that their national interests are at stake.” (7/26)

Finding God on the Moon (Source: The Outline)
An astronaut walked into a church, and stepped behind the pulpit. The stained glass windows behind him did not depict a Biblical scene or long-dead saint, but the technicolor reds and blues of deep space nebulae. Draped over the pulpit was a quilted scene of an astronaut climbing a ladder toward a chalice, a perfect circle of a wafer perched upon its lid. He settled in at the podium with the ease of a man often given microphones, and an energy that screamed “friend of your dad’s.” Though he was dressed in business casual, it was not difficult to imagine him confidently donning the traffic cone orange, 14-layer space suit. “Greetings, Earthlings,” he said, looking out across the sea of parishioners.

Retired astronaut Clayton Anderson, 60, had returned to Webster Presbyterian, his former church, to deliver his first sermon on the anniversary of a special event in the community’s history. Fifty years ago, on July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin consumed the symbolic body and blood of Christ on the lunar surface in an act of Holy Communion. In the Moon’s 1/6th gravity, the wine “curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the chalice,” as Aldrin later recalled. Inside the Lunar Module, Neil Armstrong watched quietly. But instead of following along across millions of radios, the world was none the wiser.

Webster Presbyterian isn’t just any church: It’s the “Church of the Astronauts,” located just down the road from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the home of space flight control since 1961 and the “Houston” in “Houston, we have a problem.” Like many other astronauts, Aldrin was a member. According to the 1970 book First on the Moon, he had approached the late Reverend Dean Woodruff in the weeks before the flight for help coming up with a symbolic gesture that “transcended modern times.” Woodruff believed that “God reveals Himself in the common elements of everyday life,” and suggested that Aldrin bring along with him a little silver chalice, a sachet of wine, and a piece of bread. (7/25)

Satellite Manufacturing & Launch Servivces Market to Generate $225 Billion in Next Decade (Source: NSR)
NSR’s Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Services, 9th Edition (SMLS9) report published today forecasts a $225 B market opportunity over the next decade, driven by Situational Awareness and Earth Observation markets. Despite the hype created by smallsat LEO constellations, the traditional market is expected to remain the dominant source of revenue globally for building and launching satellites. While it is not likely to return to heady levels of yesterday, new opportunities are emerging that the industry can grasp if it adapts to a nimbler state of affairs.

The satellite launch market is also going through a period of transition and will experience more competition and diversity in launch options. “New launch actors are poised to enter the market, and traditional launch service providers are retiring and replacing their veteran vehicles on a global scale,” noted Leena Pivovarova, NSR Analyst and report co-author. “All launch service providers are looking to address the global demand in various ways to remain flexible, innovative and stand out among their competitors.” (7/16)

Toyota, Japan to Launch Huge Moon Rover for Astronauts in 2029 (Source: Space.com)
A decade or so from now, astronauts could be cruising around the moon inside a Toyota rover. The carmaker and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) just signed a three-year agreement to jointly develop a pressurized lunar rover, which will incorporate fuel-cell electric-vehicle technologies. "Over the course of the three-year joint research period, JAXA and Toyota will manufacture, test and evaluate prototypes, with the goal of developing a manned, pressurized lunar rover and exploring the surface of the moon as part of an international project," Toyota representatives wrote. (7/23)

Insurance in Space - the Final Frontier (Source: Insurance Business)
Currently, two suborbital space ride firms, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, are theoretically planning to offer to arrange personal accident insurance for their passengers via the established market, but participants will potentially have to pay the premiums themselves.

Under the scheme, the passengers might not be classed as “passengers” in the legal sense, having signed away any liability as part of the deal with the operator, they would possibly become “participants” in the flight. Nevertheless, there is some question about whether such waivers would actually insulate the operator in the event of loss as the families of any lost participant astronauts would not have signed the waiver, and thus could theoretically still sue the operator.

Whilst worldwide travel insurance cover is widely available in 2019, cover for a lunar voyage clearly seems to be a more difficult product to launch. Our fascination with space seems set to continue, suggesting that there is now a genuine need for either some very specific additions to the standard travel policy in relation to space tourism insurance to cover suborbital trips or room in the market for a new bespoke product to be delivered. (7/25)

Can Water Survive in the Moon's Deep, Dark Craters? Maybe Not (Source: CNN)
When NASA lands the first woman and next man on the moon in 2024 as part of the Artemis program, it will be aiming for the lunar south pole region. It's an environment of extremes, full of craters, incredibly cold temperatures, and areas of full sunlight or complete darkness. Some of the craters in this region never see sunlight because of the angle. If you were standing at the south pole, the sun would skim the rims of craters as it hovered on the horizon and shone sideways on the surface.

Temperatures dip to negative 388 degrees Fahrenheit in these craters, according to measurements from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Typically, that means frost would perpetually trap water in the soil. Yet a new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters finds that water is escaping the uppermost layer of moon. Surprisingly, that top layer is thinner than the width of a red blood cell, according to the study.

The moon doesn't have a protective atmosphere like Earth. It's at the mercy of the sun's solar wind, a stream of charged particles that can hit the moon and spray up water molecules. Meteoroids also continuously hit the moon's surface, further disturbing the tiny frost and soil particles. Because there is so little gravity on the moon, the particles can travel as far as 19 miles away from their point of origin. (7/26)

Australia Should Coordinate With New Zealand in Space (Source: The Diplomat)
Australia could soon be a leader in space-based data connectivity. That’s the hope behind the agreement just signed between Australia’s one-year-old space agency and Myriota, an Australian Internet of Things satellite company. Australia’s space agency is aiming high, signing myriad agreements with foreign governments, multinational corporations, and local startups. But critics question whether the agency’s small budget — just $15 million this year — can support Canberra’s goal of building a $12 billion national space industry by 2030.

To increase its likelihood of success, Australia must target its resources. And to do this most effectively, it should coordinate with neighboring New Zealand. Both countries have recently created space agencies to build their space sectors. But New Zealand is further along in its efforts, and Australia should avoid replicating the niche New Zealand is building for itself in the space economy. For the benefit of both countries’ space sectors, Australia should complement, not compete with, New Zealand. (7/26)

'Green Run' Engine Test for Space Launch System to Be in Mississippi (Source: US News)
NASA says it will conduct the "Green Run" rocket testing campaign for the new Space Launch System rocket at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith welcomed Thursday's announcement by NASA's administrator, Jim Bridenstine. Officials say when completed, the SLS will be "the world's most powerful rocket" and is the linchpin within NASA's Artemis deep space exploration program. Wicker says the test is critical in the rocket's development. He says the road back to the moon and to Mars runs through Hancock County. Hyde-Smith echoed Wicker, saying "that if you want to go to space, you've got to first go through Mississippi. (7/25)

Ariane 6 Vulcain Engine: Successful Qualification Testing (Source: Ariane Group)
The qualification tests of the Vulcain 2.1 engine, which will power the Ariane 6 main stage, were completed during the 26th development test. This final qualification test took place on July 16 on the P5 test stand at the DLR site in Lampoldshausen. Both Ariane 6 liquid propulsion engines have now completed their firing qualification tests. The qualification tests for the Vinci re-ignitable engine for the Ariane upper stage were completed in October 2018. (7/26)

Amazon Rain Forest is Disappearing at an Alarming Rate as the Government of Brazil’s Far-Right President Slashes Protections (Source: New York Times)
The destruction of the Amazon rain forest in Brazil has increased rapidly since the nation’s new far-right president took over and his government scaled back efforts to fight illegal logging, ranching and mining. Protecting the Amazon was at the heart of Brazil’s environmental policy for much of the past two decades. At one point, Brazil’s success in slowing the deforestation rate made it an international example of conservation and the effort to fight climate change.

But with the election of President Jair Bolsonaro, a populist who has been fined personally for violating environmental regulations, Brazil has changed course substantially, retreating from the efforts it once made to slow global warming by preserving the world’s largest rain forest. While campaigning for president last year, Mr. Bolsonaro declared that Brazil’s vast protected lands were an obstacle to economic growth and promised to open them up to commercial exploitation. (7/28)

Climate Already Hitting Key Tipping Points (Source: Reuters)
With study-after-study showing climate impacts from extreme weather to polar melt and sea level rise outstripping initial forecasts, negotiators have a fast-closing window to try to turn the aspirations agreed in Paris into meaningful outcomes. “There’s so much on the line in the next 18 months or so,” said Sue Reid, vice-president of climate and energy at Ceres, a U.S. non-profit group that works to steer companies and investors onto a more sustainable path. “This is a crucial period of time both for public officials and the private sector to really reverse the curve on emissions,” Reid said. (7/28)

Quantum Darwinism Could Explain What Makes Reality Real (Source: WIRED)
It's not surprising that quantum physics has a reputation for being weird and counterintuitive. The world we’re living in sure doesn’t feel quantum mechanical. And until the 20th century, everyone assumed that the classical laws of physics devised by Isaac Newton and others—according to which objects have well-defined positions and properties at all times—would work at every scale. But Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr and their contemporaries discovered that down among atoms and subatomic particles, this concreteness dissolves into a soup of possibilities.

An atom typically can’t be assigned a definite position, for example—we can merely calculate the probability of finding it in various places. The vexing question then becomes: How do quantum probabilities coalesce into the sharp focus of the classical world? Physicists sometimes talk about this changeover as the “quantum-classical transition.” But in fact there’s no reason to think that the large and the small have fundamentally different rules, or that there’s a sudden switch between them. Over the past several decades, researchers have achieved a greater understanding of how quantum mechanics inevitably becomes classical mechanics through an interaction between a particle or other microscopic system and its surrounding environment.

One of the most remarkable ideas in this theoretical framework is that the definite properties of objects that we associate with classical physics—position and speed, say—are selected from a menu of quantum possibilities in a process loosely analogous to natural selection in evolution: The properties that survive are in some sense the “fittest.” As in natural selection, the survivors are those that make the most copies of themselves. This means that many independent observers can make measurements of a quantum system and agree on the outcome—a hallmark of classical behavior. (7/28)

July 26, 2019

The Outdated Language of Space Travel (Source: The Atlantic)
Half a century ago, there was only one kind of astronaut in the United States. Men launched atop rockets to space. Men maneuvered landers down to the surface of the moon. Men guided spacecraft safely home. From start to finish, they were at the controls. So it makes sense that the effort to send people to orbit and beyond was called “manned” spaceflight. But when Peggy Whitson hears someone call the spaceflight program “manned” today, she can’t stifle her physical reaction.

“I cringe a little bit,” Whitson says. The terminology is simply no longer accurate, and Whitson, a former astronaut at NASA, is just one example why. Whitson served as commander on two missions to the International Space Station, and spent 665 days in space, more than any other American astronaut, man or woman. NASA retired the description years ago, saving it for historical references to its early days, and now uses human and crewed.

It shouldn’t happen again. Manned is a woefully outdated choice of vocabulary to describe the actions of an organization that has employed female astronauts for the majority of its existence. Language matters, and this particular vernacular reinforces the notion, once held to be true, that space exploration is for men only. It does a disservice to the dozens of women who became astronauts after Apollo, and to those who dream of doing the same. (7/25)

GOP Rep. Pete Olson of Texas Won't Seek Reelection in 2020 (Source: Politico)
Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) announced that he won't seek reelection in 2020, opening up a potential battleground district in the Houston suburbs. Olson, who was first elected in 2008, said he was leaving the seat to spend more time with his family. While the district has been solidly Republican for decades and was once represented by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Democrats have made inroads in recent years, and the race could shape up to be one of the most competitive House battles in the country next year.

President Donald Trump won 52 percent of the district in 2016, down from Mitt Romney's 62 percent four years earlier. Olson defeated Democrat Sri Kulkarni in 2018, 51 percent to 46 percent — down from Olson's 19-point victory two years earlier. Kulkarni is running again and had $345,000 in cash on hand as of June 30. On the Republican side, Troy Nehls, the outgoing sheriff of Fort Bend County, was reportedly exploring a campaign, even before Olson's announcement. (7/25)

Catholic Law Places Moon Under Orlando Diocese (Source Aletia)
In 1968, William Donald Borders was named the first bishop of Orlando. When Apollo 11 launched, one year later, the 1917  Code of Canon Law was in effect, stating that any newly discovered territory would fall under the bishopric from whence the discovering expedition departed. Since Cape Canaveral was under the purview of the Diocese of Orlando, Bishop Borders was effectively the first bishop of the moon.

The story goes that following the success of Apollo 11, Bishop Borders made an ad limina visit to Pope Blessed Paul VI, during which he casually added, “You know, Holy Father, I am the bishop of the moon.” The Pope seemed perplexed until Borders explained that under the Code of Canon Law, he had become bishop of the “newly discovered territory” of the moon. (08/2018)

SpaceX Launches Twice-Flown Dragon Capsule to Space Station, Lands First Stage at Florida Spaceport (Source: Space News)
SpaceX successfully launched a Dragon cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station Thursday. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 6:01 p.m. Eastern after a one-day delay because of weather, with the first stage making a successful landing back at the Cape. The CRS-18 Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the ISS Saturday morning, bringing more than 2,300 kilograms of supplies and equipment for the station. This is the first Dragon spacecraft to make a third flight into space, having previously flown cargo missions to the station in 2015 and 2017. (7/26)

China Launches Reconnaissance Satellites (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
China launched a set of reconnaissance satellites overnight. A Long March 2C lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 11:57 p.m. Eastern carrying three Yaogan-30 reconnaissance satellites. The launch came with little advance notice by Chinese authorities. The rocket's first stage was seen sporting grid fins, like those on the first stage of the Falcon 9, apparently used to help guide the stage to a more precise crash landing zone. (7/26)

NASA Confirms Plans for "Green Run" Test of SLS Stage, Despite Schedule Impact (Source: Space News)
NASA announced Thursday it will proceed with a "Green Run" test of the SLS, four mounts after the agency's leader suggested it could be skipped. NASA said the Green Run test of the SLS core stage will take place as planned next year at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. In March, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said NASA was considering skipping the test in order to accelerate the schedule for the rocket's first launch. Some members of Congress, as well as outside advisers, opposed that plan because of safety concerns. (7/26)

UK's Cobham Acquired by Advent for $5 Billion (Source: Space News)
British aerospace company Cobham has accepted a buyout offer as it looks to increase its satellite component business. Cobham, a provider of satellite components and ground systems, said Thursday its board unanimously approved a $5 billion offer from Advent International Corp. The deal is now pending approval from the company's shareholders. Cobham is widely known for its aviation and defense business, but is also a supplier for many satellite programs. Cobham is taking several steps to position itself to win more space business, particularly with megaconstellations. (7/26)

Senate Proceeds with Hyten Confirmation Hearing, Despite Misconduct Allegations (Source: Defense News)
The Senate Armed Services Committee is moving ahead with a confirmation hearing for Gen. John Hyten's nomination to be vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The committee announced Thursday that it's scheduled the hearing for Tuesday. Hyten, the current head of Strategic Command, met with lawmakers in a private session Thursday about allegations of sexual misconduct, and his accuser met with the same committee earlier in the week. An earlier Air Force investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by Hyten. (7/26)

Starhopper Hops at Boca Chica Site (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX's Starhopper prototype made its first, brief free flight late Thursday. The vehicle lifted off its pad at the company's South Texas test site at about 11:45 p.m. Eastern and rose a short distance off the ground before touching down about 10 seconds later. The vehicle was largely obscured by the plume from its Raptor engine during the free flight. Starhopper, a first prototype of SpaceX's Starship next-generation launch system, may fly to an altitude of 200 meters "in a week or two," Musk tweeted after the test. (7/26)

Boeing Drops Out of ICBM Competition (Source: Space News)
Boeing says it's withdrawing from the Air Force competition to build a next-generation ICBM. The company said that "the current acquisition approach does not provide a level playing field for fair competition" and thus won't submit a proposal to compete with Northrop Grumman. Boeing concluded months ago that it faced an insurmountable disadvantage because of Northrop's dominance of the solid rocket motors market following its acquisition of Orbital ATK in June 2018. While Aerojet Rocketdyne also produces solid rocket motors, Northrop, through Orbital ATK, had an overwhelming dominance in the large solid rocket motors that are used in ICBMs, based on that company's work on both missiles and launch vehicles. (7/26)

France Plans Anti-Satellite Lasers (Source: AFP)
The French defense minister said Thursday the country is working on anti-satellite lasers as part of its efforts to defend its own satellites. Florence Parly said France reserves the right to use "powerful lasers" on its own satellites or "patrolling nano-satellites" to blind satellites of its adversaries. A French government source also said the country was studying "machine guns" that could disable solar panels of enemy satellites. Those capabilities, Parly said, will be developed over the next several years and deployed by 2030. (7/26)

Pakistan Plans Astronaut Program (Source: Reuters)
The government of Pakistan says it will send a person into space by 2022. Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, minister of science and technology in the Pakistani government, said the country will start selecting candidates for the flight next year. He didn't say how it will launch that astronaut. The comments appear to be in response to plans by India announced last year to launch its first crewed spacecraft by 2022. (7/26)

Washington's King County Declares Lunar Landmarks (Source: GeekWire)
A local government in Washington state has given historical landmark status to three Apollo rovers. The King County Landmarks Commission unanimously approved a proposal to declare the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 lunar rovers, built in the city of Kent, Washington, as historical landmarks. The designation is a ceremonial one, but could lead the Washington state government to also place the rovers on Washington Heritage Register. (7/26)

NASA Clears Trees to Secure KSC Launch Pad View (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The last astronauts to launch from KSC did so on the space shuttle Atlantis in 2011. Since then, trees have grown so thick that the view of launch pads from the press site a few miles away had been somewhat obstructed. In need of a better view for launches, NASA has cut down more than 385 acres of trees at Kennedy Space Center. NASA officials said the move was necessary in preparation for the return of human spaceflight. A tree-cutting contract for $80,207 was awarded to CORE Engineering and Construction of Winter Park. (7/26)

Chinese Rocket Flies with Falcon 9-Style Grid Fins (Source: Parabolic Arc)
A Chinese Long March 2C rocket launched Friday included grid fins that are similar to the ones that SpaceX uses to guide the first stage of its Falcon 9 booster to landings on land and at sea. The Chinese appear to be experimenting with controlled descent and moving toward reusable first stages. That would be good news for people living down range from China’s interior launch sites. Boosters fall uncontrollably from the sky and land near villages and towns. Here's a video. (7/26)

We Have Already Entered The Sixth And Final Era Of Our Universe (Source: Forbes)
As the Universe expands, the relative importance of radiation, matter, neutrinos, and dark energy all change. The temperature of the Universe changes. And what you'd see in the sky would change dramatically as well. All told, there are six different eras we can break the Universe into, and we're already in the final one. Everything that exists in our Universe has a certain amount of energy in it: matter, radiation, dark energy, etc. As the Universe expands, the volume that these forms of energy occupy changes, and each one will have its energy density evolve differently. Click here. (7/26)

July 25, 2019

Canadian Government Pledges $521 Million for Telesat LEO Constellation (Source: Space News)
The Canadian government is investing 85 million Canadian dollars ($64.7 million) into research and development for Telesat’s broadband satellite constellation, and has agreed to spend up to 600 million Canadian dollars ($456.6 million) more on capacity. Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains said July 24 that the Canadian government views Telesat’s future low Earth orbit broadband constellation as the only means to connect the country’s most remote citizens. (7/24)

China's First Commercial Rocket Delivers Satellites to Orbit (Source: Space News)
A Chinese startup became the first private company in the country to place a payload into orbit Thursday. The Hyperbola-1 rocket from iSpace lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 1 a.m. Eastern. The company reported the small solid-fueled rocket successfully placed several small satellites into orbit, making iSpace the first private Chinese company to reach orbit. Two other companies, Landspace and OneSpace, attempted orbital launches in the last year but suffered failures. (7/25)

Another Starhopper Test Aborted in Texas (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX aborted what was to be the first free flight of its Starhopper prototype Wednesday. The vehicle was set to perform a hover test, flying to an altitude of 20 meters above its launchpad at SpaceX's South Texas test site. However, the vehicle's Raptor engine shut down moments after ignition at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, with the vehicle remaining on the pad. Company founder Elon Musk later said that the engine's chamber pressure was too high because of "colder than expected" propellant flowing into it. SpaceX hasn't announced when the test flight will be rescheduled. (7/25)

Artemis Schedule Pressure Increases Costs, Harms Other Priorities (Source: Space News)
A key House appropriator said Wednesday he is concerned about the cost of speeding up NASA's plans to return humans to the moon. At a hearing about the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Rep. José Serrano (D-NY), chairman of the commerce, justice and science appropriations subcommittee, said the additional funds needed to land humans on the moon by 2024, versus earlier plans for a 2028 return, could have "grave consequences" for other programs.

Serrano added that he wasn't opposed to sending astronauts to the moon, only that he disagreed with "spending this money on moving something up a couple of years." The House has already passed an appropriations bill that funds NASA, but without the $1.6 billion in additional Artemis funding requested. That bill will have to be reconciled with a Senate version not yet introduced. (7/25)

DoD Not Getting Full Space Force Ask (Source: Space News)
The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee says the Pentagon will not get what it is asking for regarding a Space Force. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said Wednesday that while there is bipartisan support for some kind of Space Force, Congress will likely not include in a final defense authorization bill many of the items that the Defense Department has sought. A conference report reconciling the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act should be complete by Oct. 1, he said, and expects it will include "a lean space force designed to meet the objectives that we all want to achieve." (7/25)

India's Lunar Probe Maneuvers Toward Moon (Source: PTI)
India's Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission has completed its first post-launch maneuver. The Indian space agency ISRO said the maneuver Wednesday raised the perigee of its elliptical transfer orbit from 170 to 230 kilometers. A second orbit-raising maneuver is scheduled for later today. Chandrayaan-2, launched on Monday, will gradually raise its orbit around the Earth until it reaches the moon in mid-August. (7/25)

India Delays Small Launcher Debut (Source: Times of India)
ISRO is delaying the first launch of a new small launch vehicle until after the Chandrayaan-2 landing in September. ISRO previously said it would perform the first test launch of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in June or July, but ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said that launch will be postponed until after the attempted landing. SSLV is designed to place 500 kilograms into low Earth orbit for about one-tenth the cost of the existing, larger PSLV rocket. (7/25)

Air Force's DSX Satellite is Pretty Big (Source: Space News)
The Air Force says its recently launched DSX satellite is the largest structure in space other than the International Space Station. The DSX, or Demonstration and Science Experiments, satellite was launched on the Falcon Heavy STP-2 mission last month. On July 12, the satellite deployed antenna booms spanning 80 meters. The Air Force Research Laboratory says the satellite will be used to study the Van Allen radiation belts and their effects on spacecraft components. (7/25)

Toyota Unveils Its Cosmic Collaboration for Futuristic Moon Rover (Source: Space Daily)
Many major national space agencies are currently looking to utilise the resource of the Moon and its shadowed craters through the development of new technologies. NASA has previously used "moon buggies" on the final three Apollo moon missions, in 1971 and 1972, respectively, and plans to have astronauts on the Moon's south pole by 2024.

Toyota has announced the cosmic-scale launch of its off-road moon rover of the future for astronauts. The joint effort by Japan's world-renowned car company and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been signed for the next 3 years to collaborate in the creation of a pressurised lunar rover and include cutting-edge fuel-cell electric-vehicle technologies.

Toyota announced in a statement that "JAXA and Toyota will manufacture, test and evaluate prototypes, with the goal of developing a manned, pressurised lunar rover and exploring the surface of the moon as part of an international project." They also added that the time-frame which this effort will take place will run starting this fiscal year and through 2021. (7/24)

Monthly Launches Coming for OneWeb (Source: Space Daily)
Internet firm OneWeb plans to begin launching 35 to 40 communications satellites a month in December, and has 27 Soyuz rocket missions lined up through European launch company Arianespace to send them aloft, company officials said in Florida on Monday. "Those are the best rockets we could find for the quality, price and capability we were looking for," OneWeb founder and executive chairman Greg Wyler said. (7/24)

Senate Confirms Former Delta Executive as FAA Chief (Source: UPI)
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Delta Air Lines executive Stephen Dickson to head the Federal Aviation Administration. The chamber voted 52-40 for Dickson to head the agency as it faces scrutiny of its oversight after recent two Boeing 737 Max crashes overseas killed nearly 350 people. Wednesday's was a rare party line vote for the job, the nominees for which typically receive near-unanimous support from the Senate. Sen. Maria Cantrell, D-WA, cited an "ongoing case" regarding whistle-blower retaliation at Delta as a source of concern for Dickson's confirmation. (7/24)

What Will Astronauts Do on the Moon When Humans Go Back? (Source: Space.com)
The timeline is set, and aggressively: Land humans on the moon again by 2024, just five years from Vice President Mike Pence's announcement earlier this year. Those humans have a general destination as well: the moon's south pole, a region no human has explored before. And the grand goal is well-touted: Draw on commercial and international partnerships to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon, one that lasts for more than a handful of years as Apollo did.

"One of the first things we have to do is to commit to it not just being a demonstration flight," former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison told Space.com. "When you first go up, you actually do some stuff that allows you to stay longer and allows other people to come." But the first landed mission is expected to be short, just a couple of days at most on the moon's surface, designed to prove that the technologies NASA is building or commissioning from commercial partners works the way they are designed to. That list includes rocket, spacecraft, a moon-orbiting station and a spacesuit.

"It would almost be redundant, it wouldn't add a lot of scientific value, to have a robotic lunar sample-return mission," Laura Forczyk, who runs a space industry consulting firm called Astralytical, told Space.com. She sees more potential in human-driven science on the lunar surface, which would progress faster and with more finesse than remote or robotic investigations. (7/25)

Spaceport Infrastructure Work Underway at Ellington Field in Texas (Source: Houston Chronicle)
An $18.8 million plan for the Houston Spaceport is coming together in the Bay Area, signaled by the recent groundbreaking for the first phase of work on the planned complex, which will be at Ellington Airport. “We are going to develop about 154 acres with infrastructure — water, power, fiber optics, gas, electricity, roads — essentially the basic services that are necessary and will allow companies to operate,” said Arturo Machuca, general manager of Houston Airport Systems.

The site is in the southeast quadrant of the airport next to the Sonny Carter Training Facility and will eventually feature 53,000 square feet of office and lab space for tenants, who will likely be companies involved in the commercial spaceflight and aviation industries. “Most of these tenants will likely build their own facilities once the infrastructure is in place, but Houston Airport System certainly has the capability to build for them if that were something they needed and we negotiated it with the tenant,” Machuca said.

The target date for completion of the first phase is May 2020. Funding is coming airport system revenues and a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. “The target date is about nine months from now; so there’s already a lot of activity going on at the site,” Machuca said. Building the spaceport, Machuca said, is an important step in keeping Houston relevant in the ever-changing aerospace industry, especially as spaceflight becomes commercialized. (7/23)

China Says Former Senior Space Official Under Investigation for 'Serious Violations of Discipline' (Source: Reuters)
China’s military said a former senior official in the country’s space program was under investigation for “serious discipline violations”, but rejected reports the investigation was linked to espionage allegations. Qian Weiping was formerly the deputy head of the Chinese Central Military Commission’s (CMC) equipment development department which oversaw the design of the space program’s tracking and control systems, according to state media. (7/24)

China, Russia, Europe to Jointly Explore Plan for Research Station on Moon (Source: Xinhua)
Space authorities of China, Europe and Russia have agreed to jointly explore the plan to build a scientific research station on the Moon, a senior Chinese space official said Monday. The joint exploration will focus on the scientific objectives of the station, as well as system-related or mission-based discussions, said Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

Participants will jointly plan and design the station, coordinate their implementation of the plan and ultimately share the scientific results, Wu said at an international conference on the exploration of the Moon and the deep space that opened Monday in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the CNSA, said the construction plan for the station is expected to be completed after two to three years of deliberations by an international team of scientists. An intergovernmental coordination committee on the lunar research station will be established, according to Pei. (7/22)

Pentagon Eyes Medium Orbit For Future Constellations (Source: Aviation Week)
A new leadership team at the Space Development Agency (SDA) is considering a switch to a higher orbit with larger and potentially fewer satellites for the critical communications layer of a proposed future military space architecture. The announcement on July 23 at the SDA Industry Day in Chantilly, Virginia, could rule out participation by commercial space companies that specialize in smaller satellites in low Earth orbit and would imply that higher latencies for data transfer. (7/24)

SoftBank to Support Commercial Partnerships for OneWeb (Source: SoftBank)
OneWeb investor SoftBank says it will help the satellite operator with product development and forming commercial partnerships. SoftBank, which has invested more than $1 billion into OneWeb, said it will leverage its experience in the telecommunications sector with OneWeb, focusing on satellite solutions from a user perspective. OneWeb has six of a planned 650 satellites in low Earth orbit, and intends to start commercial demonstrations in 2020. Full service is anticipated in 2021. (7/24)

Kleos Launch Delayed by Rocket Lab (Source: ITWire)
Signal geolocation company Kleos Space will have to wait a little while longer for its next launch. Rocket Lab, the launch provider for Kleos Space’s second mission, said it may take until October to launch the satellites instead of by August. Kleos Space CEO Andy Bowyer said the company will work on a second generation of satellites, as well as product development and lining up additional customers during the launch delay. “[O]ur team has ensured that our satellites are mission ready, but we cannot launch without a vehicle,” Bowyer said. (7/24)

Hughes Gets $11.8M From Army for Satellite Narrowband Architecture (Source: Hughes)
Hughes Network Systems received an $11.8 million research and development contract from the U.S. Army July 24. The contract tasks Hughes with demonstrating a narrowband satellite communications architecture with machine learning and artificial intelligence features. The demonstration will aim to improve network management, automated control, and system interoperability for the Army. (7/24)

NASA Tracked Three Large Asteroids Zipping By -- and One Was Closer Than the Moon (Source: CNN)
Three asteroids flew by Earth Wednesday, although none of them were considered to pose a threat, according to NASA. The asteroid 2019 OD passed the closest, flying closer to the Earth than the moon. It will cross Earth's orbit within 222,164 miles of the surface. The moon is 238,900 miles away. It was only observed by NASA for the first time three weeks ago. It likely passed by around 9:31 a.m. ET today. The asteroid is 393 feet across at its widest point and passing by at 42,926 miles per hour. (7/24)

July 24, 2019

Lockheed Martin Invests in ABL Small Launcher (Source: Space News)
Lockheed Martin has made a "strategic" investment in small launch vehicle developer ABL Space Systems. That investment, the size of which the companies did not disclose, will support continued development of ABL Space System's RS1 rocket, slated to make a first launch next year. The companies emphasized the role the RS1 could play in responsive space applications for the military. Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture capital arm of the company, previously invested in another small launch vehicle company, Rocket Lab. (7/24)

SecDef Confirmed, Supports Space Force (Source: Politico)
The Pentagon now has its first Senate-confirmed secretary of defense in seven months. The Senate confirmed Mark Esper on a 90—8 vote Tuesday, and President Trump administered the oath of office later in the day. The Pentagon had been run by a series of acting secretaries, including Esper, since James Mattis resigned in December. Esper said at his confirmation hearing last week that he supported the formation of a separate Space Force, and wanted to work with the House and Senate to address issues in language in their defense authorization bills that would establish a separate military branch for space. (7/24)

NASA Plans Sole-Source Contract for Northrop Grumman for Habitation Module (Source: Space News)
NASA plans to issue a sole-source contract to Northrop Grumman for building a habitation module for the lunar Gateway. In a recent procurement filing, NASA said that only Northrop Grumman could provide a habitation module that could be added to the Gateway in time to support a 2024 lunar landing. Northrop Grumman was one of six companies that received awards from NASA in 2016 to begin studies of habitation modules, including recent ground testing of prototypes. Northrop's concept for a "minimal" habitation module is based on its Cygnus cargo spacecraft, which NASA said was a key factor in selecting the company. NASA and Northrop will now negotiate a contract for the module, the value of which the agency did not disclose.


Editor's Note: NASA's rush to meet a 2024 deadline is driving a lot of decisions that might not be consistent with creating a sustainable lunar presence and an optimal Mars mission plan. (7/24)

Boeing Reports Higher Space Revenues, Profits (Source: Boeing)
Boeing's space and defense unit reported an increase in revenue and profits in the second quarter. The company said its Defense, Space & Security unit had revenues of $6.6 billion in the quarter, up from $6.1 billion in the same quarter last year. Earnings from operations also increased sharply, to $376 million last year to $975 million. Boeing said the revenue increase was driven by higher volume on a number of programs, including satellites, while the earnings increase came from a sale of property and lower cost growth on its KC-46 tanker program. (7/24)

Northrop Grumman Reports Higher Revenues, Profits (Source: Northrop Grumman)
Northrop Grumman also reported higher revenues and profits in the second quarter. The company overall had net earnings of $861 million on total sales of nearly $8.5 billion in the quarter, compared to $789 million in net earnings and $7.1 billion in total sales in the same quarter last year. The company's Innovation Systems division, the former Orbital ATK, had $1.5 billion in sales for the quarter compared to pro forma sales of $1.4 billion in the second quarter last year, when the acquisition by Northrop was closing. (7/24)

Planetary Society's LightSail Unfurls for Journey to Outer Orbit (Source: Space.com)
The Planetary Society's LightSail-2 spacecraft appears to have successfully deployed its solar sail. Telemetry from the spacecraft is consistent with a successful deployment of the 32-square-meter sail, project officials said Tuesday, although they weren't able to immediately get images back from the spacecraft confirming that was the case. LightSail-2 launched as part of the Falcon Heavy STP-2 mission last month and was released from another satellite early this month. The spacecraft's mission is to demonstrate the ability of solar sails to propel a spacecraft and change its orbit. (7/24)

Blue Origin Plans More Test Flights Before Tourist Flights (Source: Axios)
Blue Origin still has a few more New Shepard test flights to perform before the company starts flying people on the suborbital spacecraft. Bob Smith, the CEO of Blue Origin, said the company still hopes to perform a first flight of the vehicle with people on board before the end of the year. The vehicle performed its last test flight more than two and a half months ago, and the company hasn't announced when the next will take place. (7/24)

Canada Joins SMILE Mission with China, Europe (Source: SpaceQ)
Canada will join a Sino-European space science mission. The Canadian Space Agency said this week it has formally joined the Solar wind-Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission, providing an ultraviolet imager. SMILE started as a joint project between the European Space Agency and Chinese Academy of Sciences to study the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. SMILE is scheduled for launch in 2023. (7/24)

SpaceX Will Boost the Power of Its Huge Super Heavy Rocket (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX's Mars-colonizing rocket will be even more powerful than we had thought. The Super Heavy megabooster, which will launch SpaceX's 100-passenger Starship vehicle toward Mars, the moon and other distant destinations, was originally envisioned to feature 31 next-generation Raptor engines. But the rocket will actually sport 35 Raptors, company founder and CEO Elon Musk announced. "Starship Super Heavy with 35 Raptors," Musk said via Twitter. "Full stack is 41 rn, but kinda beggin for just one more," he added.

SpaceX envisions Starship and Super Heavy eventually taking over all of the company's spaceflight duties, from launching satellites to lofting astronauts to cleaning up space junk. The company has one Starship-Super Heavy mission officially on the docket, a round-the-moon flight booked by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. That flight is targeted for 2023. But SpaceX hopes to begin commercial operations of Starship and Super Heavy as early as 2021, likely with commercial satellite launches. (7/23)

NASA Prepares Air Traffic Management System For Delivery Drones (Source: OPB)
It’s just a matter of time before retailers make deliveries by drone. The Federal Aviation Administration will manage traffic in the sky but, first, researchers at NASA are developing systems to make it possible. Click here. (7/22)

Russia's Humanoid Robot FEDOR Renamed to Skybot Ahead of Its First Space Mission (Source: Sputnik)
Russia's humanoid robot FEDOR has been renamed to Skybot ahead of its first space mission scheduled in August, according to Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. Energia is the operator of the Russian segment of the International Space Station and the manufacturer of the Soyuz spacecraft, one of which will fly FEDOR into space.

FEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) is an anthropomorphic rescue robot developed by the Android Technology Company as well as the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects. The robot is scheduled to fly on the International Space Station on August 22 on the Soyuz MS-14 unmanned spacecraft. After docking, the cyber-cosmonaut will be transferred from the ship to the Russian segment of the station, where it will perform tasks under the close watch of cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov. (7/22)

Neil Armstrong’s Death, and a Stormy, Secret $6 Million Settlement (Source: New York Times)
When Neil Armstrong died in a Cincinnati hospital two weeks after undergoing heart surgery in 2012, his family released a touching tribute addressing the astronaut’s millions of admirers around the globe. “Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty,” they wrote, telling fans of the first man to walk on the moon that “the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

But in private, the family’s reaction to his death at 82 was far stormier. His two sons contended that incompetent post-surgical care at Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital had cost Mr. Armstrong his life, and even one expert retained by the hospital would find serious problems with his treatment. The hospital defended the care, but paid the family $6 million to settle the matter privately and avoid devastating publicity, documents show. The hospital insisted on keeping the complaints and the settlement secret. (7/23)

Moving From NewSpace to “NowSpace” (Source: Via Satellite)
After reading an interesting Via Satellite article, “Satellite Manufacturing in a State of Transition,” it brought to mind the dynamics that set the industry on the creative manufacturing path we’re on today. Over the last decade, we’ve witnessed a huge disruption in the space industry. Government contracts, have been augmented by the acceleration of commercial entrants focused on agility and innovation, lighting a spark that ignited the entire industry – and leading to a new focus on building satellites faster and making space more accessible.

This conversation about speed continues. But, I would argue that the days of conceptual thinking are over. Our warfighters simply can’t wait. We need to deliver mission relevant capability at unprecedented speed and affordability. It’s no longer about NewSpace; it’s about “Now Space.” To achieve this transformation, satellite manufacturers are reexamining how they work to enable mission affordability.

We’re looking at more mature industries that build in volume and speed for clues. Reconfigurability, architectural accelerators, and advanced manufacturing techniques are three of the areas we are exploring. Reconfigurability has been a game-changer in the space industry. We no longer require a fully defined set of requirements before beginning the development process, and systems are designed to adapt to new applications and missions, even after delivered to orbit. (7/3)

Space Needs to be Regulated Before Humans Ruin It (Source: CNN)
What we're doing in space today is providing incredible benefits right now, right here on Earth. From space, we can monitor, manage, automate and care for our planet. Satellite-based sensors show us the short- and long-term impacts of human activity on our environment. Many entrepreneurs are using their interest in space to help solve problems here at home, from using hyperspectral imaging, which enables us to map vegetation and rainforests, to microsats that provide global connectivity for the internet of things.

The race to space promotes quantities of satellites, not quality. While every few months we will be doubling the number of satellites in space, governments have yet to create meaningful regulation or 'rules of the road' for the use of low-earth orbit. The low-earth orbit is smaller than we think, and low-quality satellites prone to failure, or overlapping constellations with intertwining satellites, is a recipe for disaster.

Objects in low-earth orbit move at great speed. They circle the entire Earth in only 90 minutes. In any given second, a 1m x 1m x 1m satellite takes up over 7,000 cubic meters of space, tearing through anything in its path. It's like a hippopotamus traveling at 17,000 miles per hour on ice skates. In this new crowded space, when satellites collide, as is likely to happen if many of the current proposed systems are launched, they create cascading debris fields that can destroy the remaining satellites around them. This build-up of debris could ruin low-earth orbit for hundreds of years. (7/23)