March 21, 2020

Blue Origin Pressing On with Rocket and Engine Development as Industry Copes with Coronavirus (Source: Space News)
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to shake up every sector of the U.S. economy, including the space industry, Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith says the company so far has been able to continue on with the development of its space vehicles and engines. The response to this crisis is fast moving and shifts from day to day, Smith said. The company is headquartered in Kent, Washington, near one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak. Blue Origin weeks ago stood up a task force to lead response efforts. “We meet with our task force every day,” Smith said. “It’s a changing environment, and we make adjustments and continue to operate,” he said. “We’re just trying to respond to the changing environment.” (3/20)

Planetary Science Decadal Survey to Include Astrobiology and Planetary Defense (Source: Space News)
NASA and the National Academies are set to start the next planetary science decadal survey, one that will place an increased emphasis on areas like astrobiology and planetary defense. In a virtual town hall meeting March 16, representatives of NASA and the National Academies’ Space Studies Board (SSB) said they have approved the “statement of task,” the document guiding the scope and content of the decadal survey over the next two years.

Much of the content of the decadal will be similar to the previous one, said Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s planetary science division. That includes providing a broad overview of the field and identification of the most important science questions. As in past decadals, the report will rank the most important large and medium space missions NASA should pursue over the next decade to help answer those questions.

Unlike previous decadals, though, this study will expand beyond traditional planetary science topics. “There is an increased emphasis on the astrobiology part of our program, which spans beyond even planetary science, and is increasingly becoming an important part of NASA’s work,” she said. (3/18)

ULA Atlas Launch of a Space Force Satellite Is On...For Now (Source: Florida Today)
The coronavirus pandemic isn’t stopping the first national security space mission for the U.S. Space Force, slated to launch March 26th aboard a United Launch Alliance rocket from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. “We are full steam ahead for the launch,” ULA spokesperson Julie Arnold said Wednesday afternoon.

The company said in a statement, "At ULA we are taking the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) seriously. We are taking steps to safeguard the health and safety of our employees, guests and businesses. We have a cross-functional team monitoring and assessing the situation. We are educating and informing our employees and have adjusted our travel policy, visitor policy and are increasing the ability for our employees to work remotely. We are following protocols outlined in our internal Pandemic Plan and recommended guidelines by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)." (3/19)