April 25, 2020

NASA: Do Not Come to Florida for SpaceX's Historic Astronaut Launch (Source: CNN)
The head of NASA is urging space enthusiasts not to show up to Florida for the launch of SpaceX's first crewed mission next month. The historic launch, slated for May 27, will be broadcast online, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said that is where the general public should plan to watch astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken fly into space atop a SpaceX rocket. It will mark NASA's first human spaceflight launch from US soil in nearly a decade.

Bridenstine said NASA and SpaceX are pushing forward with the mission amid the pandemic because it is critical for the space agency to maintain normal operations on board the International Space Station, where rotating crews of astronauts have lived since 2000. NASA said it is not inviting any spectators to the launch site at Kennedy Space Center. In Brevard County, Florida, county officials are also discouraging tourists from showing up to the area's beaches and other popular launch viewing sites.

If people do flock to Brevard County, Walker added, they should expect "a headache and a half." Public parking is closed along the county's entire 72-mile stretch of coastline. Restaurants are still shut down, and hotels are not welcoming guests. If that is still the situation next month, Walker said an influx of tourists could leave people gridlocked in traffic and stranded on roadways. (4/24)

Divestiture of GPS and Other Business Required for UTC/Raytheon Merger (Source: Federal Register)
The United States filed a civil antitrust Complaint alleging that the proposed merger of United Technologies Corp. and Raytheon would violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18. The proposed Final Judgment, filed at the same time as the Complaint, requires the Defendants to divest the military GPS and optical systems businesses of UTC and the military airborne radios business of Raytheon.  The proposed merger would eliminate competition between UTC and Raytheon for military GPS systems for these applications, likely resulting in higher prices, lower quality, and diminished innovation for these critical defense products.

The merger also would substantially lessen competition through the vertical integration of the two companies. UTC and Raytheon each have capabilities in critical inputs for electro-optical/infrared (“EO/IR”) reconnaissance satellites, which provide images for DoD and U.S. intelligence community customers. UTC and Raytheon merged would create the nation's second-largest aerospace and defense contractor. Public comment is invited within 60 days. (4/24)

The History of Fixing Things in Space (Source: Space Daily)
A 30th birthday is a big milestone for anyone, and a spacecraft is no exception. Tomorrow, the Hubble Space Telescope celebrates its 30th year in space, but it didn't get to this point without having to overcome its fair share of challenges. Over the years, it has not only been fixed, but continuously upgraded to make it the discovery-producing machine that it is today. Servicing (refueling, fixing and upgrading) spacecraft helps make spaceflight more sustainable, affordable and resilient. Here's a look back at how human and robotic satellite servicing became a reality and a glimpse at where we're headed. Click here. (4/24)

UF Establishes Second "Innovation Station" Near Eglin AFB (Source: GCAC)
The University of Florida announced establishment of its second Innovation Station, UFIS at the REEF. The new engineering extension program in Northwest Florida near Eglin Air Force Base will leverage the infrastructure and resources afforded by the UF Research and Engineering Education Facility (REEF) while providing further expansion of community outreach and workforce development to Eglin and surrounding community. Established in 2016, UF Innovation Stations (UFIS) are regionally based locations dedicated to driving economic and workforce development.

They are designed to meet the university’s goal of serving its land grant mission by providing measurable impact to Florida’s tech economy through access to UF talent, technology, infrastructure, and students. REEF, which opened its campus in Shalimar, Fla., in October 1995, will continue to provide support for the graduate education needs of the Eglin community in concert with UFIS. REEF will also continue to respond to Air Force research needs and opportunities through collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory. (4/23)

US Government is Helping Get Cash to Private Space Companies, Replacing Frozen Venture Capital (Source: CNBC)
Frozen private capital has led U.S. civil and military agencies to step up or accelerate funding to space companies during the coronavirus crisis. “We kicked into high gear as soon as it was apparent a lot of companies were not going to be able to conduct business as usual due to distancing requirements,” NASA’s Mike Read said. Brigadier General Steven Butow, leader of the Defense Innovation Unit’s space portfolio, said his unit is looking to help space companies survive the crisis.

U.S. equity investment in space companies totaled $5.4 billion across 36 deals in the first quarter, according to a report Friday by NYC-based firm Space Capital. But the second quarter is likely to just see a fraction of that investment, according to Space Capital managing partner Chad Anderson, as deal flow in the U.S. will follow China’s path.

There are several companies with projects on board the International Space Station, Read noted. Those NASA partners include companies such as Sierra Nevada Corp., NanoRacks, Made In Space, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Alpha Space and more. When the scope of the coronavirus crisis became apparent, Read said NASA began reaching out to each of the companies to understand their financial positions, as many are small businesses. (4/24)

Recession Impact on Venture Space Ecosystem (Source: Quilty)
Expect an investment course reversal as investors that had piled into Venture Space for outsized returns in recent years see “for sale” signs in other, less-risky industry sectors. Only a subset of space investors are battle-hardened veterans; most of the investment in the last three years has been from newer investors to the sector, some of whom will lack the stomach to continue.

The Venture Space culling has arrived. The COVID-19-induced recession will accelerate a “culling of the herd” that was likely to happen anyway. Less than half of Venture Space companies are revenue-generating today and very few are profitable, making them highly dependent on raising external capital (or achieving an exit). We examined sector analogs and deal activity during the Great Recession to understand likely investor behavior going forward. We expect VCs to favor current portfolio companies over new investments. “Frontier” investment opportunities like Space will see a bigger hit than other sectors. (4/24)

India Invites Technology Proposals for Human Space Flight Missions (Source: The Hindu)
The Directorate of Human Space Program of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has invited proposals to develop indigenous technologies for its future human space flight missions. The concepts can range from food and medicine eaten by astronauts during low-earth space trips; to anti-radiation and thermal protection technologies for the spacecraft, life support systems for astronauts, and inflatable habitats to robotic interfaces during more complex missions. (4/24)

Japanese Astronaut Prepares for Flight Aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon (Source: Space Daily)
Four 50th Wing Staff Agency Airmen attended a SpaceX briefing on its latest developments and future travel plans to the International Space Station, by Soichi Noguchi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut, at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, April 17. Col. Jack Fischer, 50th Space Wing vice commander and former NASA astronaut, shared the conference, "Preparing for flight aboard SpaceX/Crew Dragon: Post Certification Mission 1," to keep Airmen engaged and informed on the cooperative efforts to further the space mission alongside SpaceX, Space Force and NASA. (4/24)

Interstellar Comet Borisov Likely Comes From a Red Dwarf Star (Source: JHU APL)
Comet 2I/Borisov seemingly came out of nowhere late last summer, when comet hunter Gennadiy Borisov in Crimea discovered the vagabond coursing toward our star. Based on its orbit around the Sun, scientists knew Borisov was an interloper from another solar system, the second one ever known to pass through our neighborhood. But it looked very much like any other comet they had seen — until now.

With the help of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, researchers observed vapors rich in carbon monoxide breathing out from Borisov as it veered ever closer to the Sun, a characteristic unlike comets in our solar system. It’s a fact that points to Borisov’s parent star possibly being a cool red dwarf, the researchers suggested April 20 in Nature Astronomy, giving us the first ever glimpse into the chemical building blocks of another solar system. (4/20)

SpaceX Already Prepping for Next Crew Mission to ISS Ahead of May Test Launch (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
SpaceX is already looking past next month’s planned landmark mission of its Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. The "Demo-2" mission is currently slated for May 27, the mission from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport will be the first time astronauts will launch from the United States on any mission since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011.

Following Demo-2, the operational "Crew-1" mission will fly NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and Shannon Walker plus Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. That mission will take place later this year. When both SpaceX and Boeing are certified, the original Commercial Crew agreement called for each company to provide six missions to the space station through 2024, a total of 12 missions between the two companies. (4/25)

Boeing Terminates Joint Venture Deal With Embraer (Source: CNN)
Boeing has terminated its $4.2 billion deal with Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer, the American company announced Saturday. The deal would have given Boeing a bigger stake in the market for smaller jets and help the company develop airplanes more cheaply. Embraer responded Saturday in a press release that it will "pursue all remedies against Boeing for the damages incurred." It called Boeing's decision a wrongful termination. (4/25)