June 30, 2020

US May Freeze OneWeb Sale in Blow to UK Hopes for Own Sat-Nav System (Source: Sputnik)
The UK government is working on its own satellite navigation system after Brexit saw it lose membership in Europe's joint project, Galileo. It is understood that Britain could now splash more than $600 million on the ailing satellite operator OneWeb. The United States has warned that it may block the sale of OneWeb to foreign investors over national security concerns in a particular blow to the satellite-hungry UK.

Audrey Strauss, the newly-appointed acting US attorney for the southern district of New York, has written in a legal notice that US regulators may review any merger or acquisition "by or with a foreign person that could result in foreign control of any United States business". OneWeb is headquartered in London and in Virginia in the United States. It maintains most operations in the US, with offices in California and a manufacturing plant in Florida (a joint venture with France's Airbus). (6/30)

Sausage Making in Space: the Quest to Reform Commercial Space Regulations (Source: Space Review)
The administration has made regulatory reform one of its space policy priorities, but that effort has faced challenges. Jeff Foust reports on the outcome of one effort to revise commercial remote sensing regulations and an ongoing effort regarding commercial space transportation rules. Click here. (6/29)
 
THESEUS: a High-Energy Proposal for a Medium-Sized Mission (Source: Space Review)
In the conclusion of a three-part examination of proposed ESA space science missions, Arwen Rimmer discusses a concept for a mission to detect and precisely locate gamma-ray bursts that could support a wide range of astronomical research. Click here. (6/29)
 
The Artemis Accords: Repeating the Mistakes of the Age of Exploration (Source: Space Review)
NASA’s proposed “Artemis Accords” is intended to provide a framework for cooperation in space exploration, including on the Moon, through a series of principles. Dennis O’Brien argues that the proposed accords ignore an alternative, more inclusive approach. Click here. (6/29)
 
Enhancing Space Deterrence Thought for Nuclear Threshold Threats (Source: Space Review)
American military satellites could face a wide range of threats in a conflict. Christopher Stone begins a look at some of those threats and implications for military strategy. Click here. (6/29)

For SpaceX, Falcon 9 Reuse is Now Essential (Source: Ars Technica)
The success of the Block 5 rocket means that SpaceX has had to devote less time and resources to building Falcon 9 first stages. Since May 2018, it has launched 31 times on a Block 5 version of the Falcon 9 rocket—while using just 10 cores. Put another way, reuse has saved SpaceX the cost of 189 Merlin rocket engines, dozens of fuel tanks, and many complex avionics systems.

But just four of these ten first stages remain. In the last two years, SpaceX has lost a couple of the first stages—for example, in December 2018 a grid fin pump failure caused a first stage to land just offshore Florida—and it has purposely expended some during the launch of particularly heavy payloads.

SpaceX will have to be careful in managing its fleet. The company has a busy second half of 2020 planned, with approximately six additional Starlink internet satellite launches, several commercial missions, a couple of NASA launches, and a couple of US military launches on its manifest. To complete all of these missions will require the company to continue to successfully return its first stages, push beyond five flights per booster, and possibly further reduce the turnaround time between missions. (6/30)

This is What Space Smells Like (Source: CNN)
A kickstarter was recently launched for a new fragrance called Eau de Space. The fragrance was developed by Steve Pearce, a chemist and the founder of Omega Ingredients, a company focused on the "creation of the highest quality, provenance driven, natural flavors and ingredients for the food and beverage industry," its website says. Pearce was originally contracted by NASA to recreate the smell in 2008. It was created to help astronauts train before launching in orbit, and it was part of NASA's goal of eliminating any potential surprises astronauts might encounter or experience in space, according to the Kickstarter. (6/28)

Supersonic AS2 Just a Starting Point for Aerion (Source: AIN)
As Aerion Supersonic targets the middle of the decade for first flight of its AS2 supersonic business jet and service entry by 2027, the company is taking a multi-decade view of its business plan with aspirations to build an AS3 that would dwarf the size of the business jet, move into hybrid and all-electric power, and eventually offer hypersonic aircraft. All the while, its Aerion Connect initiative would enable an ecosystem approach for the customer to reach the destination from door-to-door, rather than airport-to-airport.

Speaking during the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviation Forum this morning, Aerion Supersonic chairman, president, and CEO Tom Vice outlined this vision, saying, “We believe that we are building a future where humanity can travel between any two major city pairs within three hours. We know this is going to take a multi-decade approach [involving] hard technical challenges…It’s about building an entire ecosystem not just the airplane from point to point.”

Describing supersonic as Aerion’s “starting point,” Vice updated the efforts on the GE Affinity-powered Mach 1.4 AS2 business jet, saying it has “made significant progress” in the last two years. However, principal design review has been pushed into 2021 and first flight has slid on the $120 million, 12-place aircraft with plans to fly it from the company’s new complex that will be built in Melbourne, Florida, in 2025, with certification following within two years. “The pandemic has slowed us down a bit,” he said. (6/17)

Pluto’s Subsurface Ocean May Date Back to Planet’s Formation (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Scientists who recently studied the detailed images of Pluto's surface returned by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015 have found evidence that the dwarf planet's subsurface ocean may have been around since Pluto's formation over four billion years ago. Pluto has long been thought to have begun its life as a cold icy rock far from the Sun. Its underground liquid ocean was believed to have been created significantly later through heat generated by the radioactive decay of rock, which melted part of its icy shell.

But now, new evidence in the form of Pluto’s varied surface features suggests it formed as a hot world with a liquid ocean beneath its surface. That heat may have been the product of violent impacts on proto-Pluto, combined with decay of radioactive elements in its rocks. Every impacting object would have generated more heat through the release of gravitational energy. (6/29)

Northrop Grumman to Upgrade Missile Warning Satellite System (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman won a $222.5 million contract Friday to make upgrades to an existing fleet of missile early warning satellites. The contract covers technology upgrades for the Defense Support Program, a constellation of early warning satellites that has been in operation since the 1970s and which could continue working for the next decade. The latest contract, which covers work on the DSP system through 2030, follows a $132 million support contract awarded in 2015 that expired this month. (6/29)

EU May Invest More in Launch Vehicles (Source: Reuters)
The EU commissioner responsible for space promises to invest more money into launch vehicle development. In an interview, Thierry Breton said the EU will guarantee a set of launch vehicle orders, a move intended to support investment in new launch technologies with a focus on reusability. "SpaceX has redefined the standards for launchers, so Ariane 6 is a necessary step, but not the ultimate aim: we must start thinking now about Ariane 7," he said. Breton added he is still seeking a budget of 16 billion euros ($18 billion) over the next seven years for EU space programs. (6/29)

ASTRA Wins NOAA Contract to Study Cubesat Constellation (Source: Space News)
Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates (ASTRA) has won a NOAA contract to study a cubesat weather satellite constellation. The $600,000 contract will examine how a common 12-unit cubesat could host an imager, a suite of infrared and microwave sounders, and a Global Navigation Satellite System sounder. The ASTRA award is part of a series of contracts NOAA is issuing to investigate potential instruments, spacecraft, business models and mission concepts for a next-generation space-based architecture. (6/30)

Senate Approves Bill Renaming Plum Brook to Honor Neil Armstrong (Source: WLIO)
The Senate has approved a bill that would name another NASA facility after Neil Armstrong. The Senate passed by unanimous consent last week a bill to rename the Plum Brook Station in Ohio the Neil Armstrong Test Facility. Ohio's two senators introduced the bill last year to honor Armstrong, an Ohio native. NASA already has the Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. (6/30)

Space Shuttle Trainer Going to Oklahoma Museum Once Run by Bridenstine (Source: CollectSpace)
A space shuttle trainer is heading to an Oklahoma museum. The Tulsa Air and Space Museum will take ownership of a mock-up of the shuttle's crew cabin used to train astronauts. That trainer is the last shuttle mock-up remaining at the Johnson Space Center facility where astronauts train for future missions. The museum is still working on plans for transporting the trainer to Tulsa, as well as raising funding needed for putting it on display. The museum made a bid for a shuttle orbiter a decade ago when it was run by future NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. (6/30)

NASA Advances Production Contracts for SLS (Source: Space News)
NASA awarded another in a series of contracts Monday for long-term production of the Space Launch System. Northrop Grumman received a letter contract valued at $49.5 million over five months to begin planning for production of boosters for six future SLS rockets, including purchasing long-lead hardware needed for the first of those six. NASA will finalize a contract in the next year for the boosters to cover production through 2030. The contract comes after an award to Aerojet Rocketdyne in May for RS-25 engines used in the SLS core stage as well as an announcement last October it had started negotiations with Boeing for a contract that would cover up to 10 core stages. NASA has argued such long-term contracts will lower costs of the rocket, but hasn't provided specifics on cost savings. (6/30)
 
NRO May Spend Up to $400 Million for Commercial Imagery (Source: Space News)
The National Reconnaissance Office may spend as much as $400 million a year on commercial imagery by 2023. A report by Quilty Analytics found that the NRO currently spends about $300 million a year on imagery provided by Maxar under a sole-source contract known as EnhancedView. The combination of purchases under EnhancedView and additional contracts expected to be signed with other vendors could bring total NRO commercial imagery procurements to $400 million a year. The NRO plans to award multiple commercial imagery contracts later this year. (6/30)

Exolaunch to Fly NanoAvionics Cubesats on Falcon 9 Rideshare (Source: Space News)
Exolaunch will fly a pair of cubesats built by NanoAvionics on future Falcon 9 rideshare missions. The first NanoAvionics 6U cubesat covered by the new contract is scheduled to reach orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 dedicated rideshare mission in December 2020, with the second launching some time in 2021. Exolaunch says it has "numerous international customers" signed up for the December 2020 launch, and extended its contract with SpaceX to meet growing demand. (6/30)

Japan to Launch Spy Satellites and Cooperate with US Under New Policy (Source: AP)
Japan will launch more reconnaissance satellites and increase cooperation with the U.S. in space under a new policy. That policy, announced Monday, supports plans to launch a number of "small-scale" intelligence satellites in order to monitor North Korean missile activity. That policy also backs previous announcements regarding cooperation between the U.S. and Japan in civil space, including participation in the Artemis program. (6/30)

Russia Hopes to Reduce Angara Rocket Costs (Source: TASS)
The manufacturer of Russia's Angara rocket says it will seek to lower the vehicle's cost. The Angara 5 rocket, which has flown only once with a second launch planned for later this year, currently costs about $100 million. Khrunichev, the prime contractor for Angara, said that high cost is due to the rocket still being in its research and development phase. It expects to reduce the vehicles cost to less than $60 million by 2024, when the rocket should be in serial production. (6/30)

India Says Pandemic Won't Delay Human Spaceflight (Source: Live Mint)
The Indian government says the pandemic should not delay its human spaceflight program. Jitendra Singh, the government minister whose portfolio includes space, said Monday that there is enough margin in the schedule for the Gaganyaan program to keep it on track to launch a first crewed mission by the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022. That schedule appeared to be in question after delays in training of the potential astronauts for that mission as well as a likely slip of an uncrewed test of the Gaganyaan spacecraft that had been expected to launch late this year. (6/30)

Betelgeuse Dimming Was Probably Sunspots (Source: BBC)
The sharp, but temporary, dimming of the giant star Betelgeuse early this year was likely caused by giant sunspots. Betelgeuse dimmed to about 40% of its usual brightness early this year, which caused some astronomers to speculate that the dimming was a prelude to a supernova explosion. Instead, astronomers report in a new paper that a more likely explanation was that a massive cluster of dark sunspots caused the star to fade temporarily. That study also ruled out dust as a cause for the dimming. (6/30)