January 24, 2020

Russia Delays Soyuz Launch for Unspecified Problem (Source: TASS)
Russia's first launch of the year has been delayed at least a day because of an unspecified problem. A Soyuz-2.1a rocket was scheduled to lift off Friday from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a Meridian-M communications satellite, but officials said the launch was scrubbed. The cause of the problem was not identified beyond being an issue with either the rocket or ground equipment, and one source warned the launch could be delayed indefinitely. (1/24)

NASA Will Shut Down Spitzer This Week (Source: Space News)
NASA will shut down a space-based infrared observatory next week. Controllers will send commands to the Spitzer Space Telescope Jan. 30 to put it into a hibernation mode, effectively ending its mission more than 16 years after its launch. NASA announced last year it would wind down the mission because Spitzer is drifting far enough away from the Earth to complicate spacecraft operations, and that it would soon be impossible to operate it effectively. Much of the infrared astronomy that Spitzer had been doing will be continued by the upcoming JWST and WFIRST observatories. (1/24)

SpaceX Picked to Launch Nilesat (Source: BroadcastPro Middle East)
SpaceX has signed a contract to launch a communications satellite for Nilesat. The Egyptian operator will launch its Nilesat-301 satellite in 2022 with SpaceX. Terms of the contract, signed earlier this week, were not disclosed. Nilesat awarded a contract to Thales Alenia Space in December for construction of Nilesat-301. (1/24)

Initial Dragon Test Data Looks Good (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
Initial data from the Crew Dragon in-flight abort test by SpaceX Sunday indicates the abort system worked as expected. The data showed the capsule's SuperDraco thrusters ignited 85 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center, when the rocket was traveling at 536 meters per second. The thrusters pushed the capsule away from the rocket with a peak acceleration of 3.3g, getting it a "comfortable" distance of 1.5 kilometers from its Falcon 9 by the time aerodynamic forces caused the rocket to break up. A complete analysis of data from the test is expected to take several weeks. (1/24)

Why Is Virgin Galactic Stock Soaring? Short Sellers? (Source: CNBC)
Analysts say they've seen a "significant increase" in interest in the stock among investors, which may be due to broader interest in the space industry. Another reason for the increase may be from traders who shorted the stock and are now buying shares to cover their positions, pushing up the price. The company has made few major announcements in recent weeks that would drive the share price either up or down, but is scheduled to release fourth quarter results Feb. 25. (1/23)

SpinLaunch Flourishing in New Mexico (Source: Albuquerque Journal)
SpinLaunch is revolutionizing access to space by developing the world’s lowest-cost space launch system to place constellations of small satellites into low earth orbit. We have revisited fundamental principles of physics to conceive a completely new launch system, based on the use of kinetic energy in the first stage. This also makes SpinLaunch the first truly environmentally responsible launch system. And because of our innovative approach to launch, we also require innovative partners. This is why we selected to build and test our first mass accelerator at Spaceport America.

New Mexico has a long history of “firsts.” Spaceport America offers a plethora of assets to test new launch systems, including a unique geographic location in the continental United States, strategically located adjacent to historic White Sands Missile Range, allowing for restricted airspace and almost unrestricted test capabilities. And while the Spaceport is in a remote section of the state, it offers strategic access to Las Cruces, home to New Mexico State University with its excellent engineering school. Further, New Mexico historically has been the genesis of innovation in aerospace, dating back to the early days of rocketry, and we are proud to continue this tradition. (1/24)

North Texas Woman-Owned Business Helping NASA Send First Woman to the Moon (Source: KDFW)
A North Richland Hills company is helping NASA get back to the moon. Sey Tec specializes in parts for aerospace, commercial use and defense. The woman-owned company was able to put a face to the missions they work so hard to support. NASA is recognizing the business for its contributions by making key components for its aircraft. A NASA mission to the moon in 2024 is getting a boost from a small, unassuming North Texas company. “Nuts, bolts, screws and washers. We are a woman-owned small business, and we are celebrating 31 years here in North Richland Hills,” said Sey Tec CEO Stephanie Seybert. (1/23)

Blue Origin Ramps Up Team for Blue Moon Lander as it Waits for Word From NASA (Source: GeekWire)
Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has posted more than 50 job openings for its Blue Moon lunar lander program, which is currently under consideration for NASA funding. The online listings put out the word about positions at Blue Origin’s home base in Kent, Wash., ranging from chief engineer to administrative assistant. Most of the positions focus on software engineering and systems development. For what it’s worth, a mockup of the Blue Moon lander is the centerpiece of the O’Neill Building, the company’s new headquarters in Kent.

NASA is due to award the first round of 10-month development contracts for a human landing system as early as this month, with an eye toward ordering landers for the 2024 mission and perhaps a 2025 follow-up demonstration. That plan may have to be reworked, however, because Congress approved only $600 million of the $1 billion that NASA sought for the lander program. Boeing and a team including Dynetics and Sierra Nevada Corp. have also proposed lander concepts, and SpaceX is thought to have done so as well. (1/23)

Space Industry Group Focused on Cybersecurity to Begin Operations in Spring 2020 (Source: Space News)
A space industry organization created to share intelligence on cyber threats is holding its first meeting this week with representatives from government agencies to discuss cybersecurity concerns across the national security, civil and commercial space sectors. The Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center, or Space ISAC, was formally established in April 2019 as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. It plans to start operations this spring with the launch of an unclassified portal where companies can share and analyze cybersecurity information. (1/23)

A Space Force Needs Spaceships (Source: Space News)
It has taken until the second decade of the 21st century, but the U.S. government has finally designated space to be a legitimate domain of military operations and has stood up the U.S. Space Force — that’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that the U.S. Space Force has no routine, reliable access to space.

The Space Force will operate in the near-Earth and cislunar domains like our current military operates in the domains of land, sea, and air. The Army and Marines have their land and air vehicles, the Navy has its surface ships and submarines, and the Air Force has its airplanes. But the assets being transferred to the Space Force — satellites and expendable launch vehicles — are akin to lighthouses, buoys, dirigibles, and coastal artillery because we have so far only treated space as a support service.

The U.S. Space Force must acquire responsive, routine, and reliable access to space — starting with launch systems optimize for reaching low Earth orbit (LEO). The Space Force must be equipped with a fleet of responsive, spacefaring vehicles under the operational purview of the Space Force’s equivalent of an Air Force colonel or Navy captain. Currently, the resource requirements for space launch are so large that only a three-star general of above to approve a mission; for launch to be truly operationally responsive, the required resources — and decision-making authority — must be driven down to a level comparable to what’s been required to send a B-2 Stealth Bomber or the now-retired SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft aloft. (1/22)

NASA Administrator Names Director for Center in Maryland (Source: NASA)
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has named Dennis Andrucyk director of its Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, effective immediately. Andrucyk has been serving as the acting director of Goddard since Dec. 31. Prior to becoming Goddard’s acting center director, Andrucyk was the deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. (1/23)

The New U.S.-Russia Space Race Has Begun (But Moscow May Be Bluffing) (Source: Daily Beast)
Russia's space agency has approved the blueprints for the country’s most powerful rocket since the 1960s space race, a 246-foot-tall monster packing 10 separate engines in five stages. In theory, the new Yenisei rocket, named for a river in central Russia, could boost cosmonauts vast distances, allowing Russia to plan independent missions to the Moon. With Yenisei, the Russians could compete with the Americans in a new wave of space exploration.

The idea behind the Yenisei program is to develop a rocket capable of slinging manned capsules the quarter-million miles to the Moon or to a space station orbiting the Moon. The same rocket could also carry extremely heavy satellites weighing 80 tons or more and place them in orbit around Earth. Russia’s current rockets aren’t up to the task. The Proton rocket, Russia’s most powerful at the moment, can carry just 25 tons to low Earth orbit. While Proton is roughly equivalent to America’s biggest operational rocket, the Delta Falcon Heavy, the Americans are working on a much, much more powerful launch vehicle, one that matches the lifting power of the now-retired Saturn V that shot astronauts to the Moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  

There is some question about whether Russia’s Roscosmos space agency actually will build the Yenisei. The potential $22 billion price tag, as well as Moscow’s long history of overpromising when it comes to new space technology, bode poorly for its prospects. It’s also possible the Russian government just wants the Yenisei program for leverage in high-stakes negotiations with the United States over the future of U.S.-Russian collaboration in space. "Work with us on future lunar missions,” Moscow could be saying to the Americans, “or we’ll just ride our new Yenisei rockets to the Moon all by ourselves.” (1/23)

Michigan Airport Awaits Spaceport Decision (Source: WLUC)
K.I. Sawyer officials are anxiously awaiting the decision regarding the potential for a spaceport in Marquette County. The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturing Association is expected to announce next Tuesday January 28 the site for a horizontal launch site in Michigan. If selected the impact to the sawyer community and Marquette County could be huge. Estimates are about 1,000 jobs and an investment of between 8.3 and 12 billion dollar over 10 years. The site would be used for small and mid-sized low earth orbit satellites most likely using horizontal take offs. (1/24)

Where Will Space Command Be Headquartered? Alabama Politicians Try to Make Their Case (Source: WHNT)
As impeachment proceedings continue in Washington D.C., the United States Air Force is starting to lay the framework for the newly formed U.S. Space Force. With the uniforms being the newest announcement, the question begs, where will Space Command be headquartered? That announcement could come any time. However, it is expected to take roughly 18 months to really lay out all the logistics for the Space Force. Still, Alabama politicians in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House are not stopping their pitches for why Huntsville should be considered.

"There are other places that want it. Colorado, Florida, and Texas. It's competition. Stiff competition. I think this is the right place for it and I'm going to advocate for it" said Rep. Bradley Bryne who is also looking to move from the U.S. House to the Senate. What does advocating look like in Washington D.C.? Senator Doug Jones office says he brings the matter up in committee meetings, hearings and he writes letters to top secretarys. Jones is part of the Armed Services Committee. (1/23)

EU to Launch Galileo Satellites on Four Ariane 6 Rockets (Source: Aviation Week)
The European Commission has "prebooked" four Ariane 6 rockets for Galileo positioning satellite launches, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton announced on January 22. Breton suggested that Europe buy one additional European launch annually and "award its capacity to highly innovative projects." (1/22)

Former NASA Astronaut is Using a Super Bowl Commercial to Encourage More Women in Space (Source: CNBC)
In 2017, women in the U.S. workforce represented just 25.5% of computer and mathematical roles and 16.2% of architecture and engineering roles. Retired engineer and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott wants to change that. After spending 27 years working with NASA, Stott retired from the space agency in 2015. Since then, she has devoted her time to being a full-time painter, who uses her experience in space as inspiration for her artwork.

As an advocate for science, technology, engineering and math education, Stott also uses her platform to talk about the value of diversifying the STEM industry. This year, for Super Bowl weekend, the former astronaut is teaming up with Olay to star in its new commercial, that’s inspired by NASA’s first all-female spacewalk that took place in October. (1/23)

SpaceX Again Delays Next Launch From Cape Canaveral Spaceport Due to Weather (Source: Florida Today)
SpaceX has again delayed its next Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, citing inclement weather in the area of the Atlantic Ocean hosting the booster landing. "Weather in the recovery area continues to be unfavorable so team is now targeting Monday, January 27 for launch of Starlink," SpaceX said Thursday.

Liftoff time from Launch Complex 40 is slated for no earlier than 9:49 a.m. Monday. SpaceX was also targeting this Tuesday for the mission with 60 Starlink satellites destined for low-Earth orbit, but had to delay due to the same reason. Flights that include booster landings, which are most SpaceX missions these days, don't just factor in launch weather – teams have to look at conditions in the Atlantic Ocean, too, which is where the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship is stationed to retrieve boosters. (1/23)

Wilbur Ross Fears ‘Wild West Situation’ as International Space Race Gathers Steam (Source: CNBC)
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has questioned whether a lack of agreed international rules concerning space exploration could inadvertently trigger a lawless “Wild West situation.” His comments come as a new era of space discovery gathers pace, with an ever-growing list of space agencies forming around the world. President Donald Trump’s administration has previously pledged to help get Americans back on the moon. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $738 billion defense policy bill, paving the way for the creation of a Space Force — a top military priority for Trump.

“Who owns space? Who owns whatever we find? If you are the first one to the asteroid, does that mean you have a claim on all of the minerals in that asteroid?” Ross said during a session at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. “How does it work? Are we getting into kind of a Wild West situation of claim jumpers or will there be some methodology?” (1/22)

UK Spaceport Plans to be Submitted Next Month (Source: Northern Times)
The controversial proposals to create Britain's first vertical launch spaceport in Sutherland are to be finally submitted next month, after recently having gone back to the drawing board. The news was given to a public meeting in Melness – the area most affected by the £17.3m scheme – on Tuesday night. Part of the scheme, which has split the community where it is planned, has been re-designed after feedback from concerned locals and statutory consultees. It had originally been expected last month.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is heading up the Space Hub Sutherland project and has held a series of consultation meetings with local communities. Under the auspices of Tongue, Melness and Skerray Community Council, officials from HIE gave an update at Tuesday's public meeting. But John Williams, chairman of the Protect the Mhoine campaign group, said some locals were shocked at what was being proposed. (1/24)