June 4, 2020

FAA's Space Data Integrator Aims to Harmonize Space and Aviation Traffic (Source: FAA)
The Space Data Integrator (SDI) is the first of several new capabilities that the FAA is developing to safely integrate commercial space vehicles into the National Airspace System (NAS). Today, launch and reentry operators monitor data on the status of their missions and vehicles in real-time. To monitor a mission, a team of FAA air traffic and aerospace experts known as the Joint Space Operations Group (JSpOG) gathers operational data and sends the data using FAA communications tools to adapt airspace usage with incoming and outgoing operations. SDI will provide some much needed automation to improve the current operation.

SDI will provide capabilities that will receive and distribute launch and reentry data for initial use within the NAS to ensure public safety and allow for improved situational awareness and improved airspace management decision making. Initial NAS integration is anticipated with the FAA’s Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS) and the Range Risk Analysis Tool, which the FAA uses to generate aircraft hazard areas (AHAs). AHAs identify the airspace that could potentially contain falling debris from a launch or reentry vehicle that would be hazardous to aircraft.

This helps to create a common operating picture designed to ensure safety, promote efficiency, and maintain air travel safety. With SDI, the FAA will begin to safely reduce the extent and duration of closed airspace to other NAS users as the mission progresses, respond effectively to contingencies, and quickly release airspace back to the NAS. SDI will allow the FAA to safely continue integration as well as keep pace with the increasing frequency and complexity of commercial launch and reentry operations. (5/1)

China's Solar Ring Mission (Source: Space Daily)
Professor Wang Yuming and his team from the University of Science and Technology of China, in collaboration with the teams from Purple Mountain Observatory of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of CAS, Shandong University, and the University of CAS, proposed a new concept of space exploration for understanding Sun and the inner heliosphere, which was published online in "Science China Technological Sciences".

This concept for the first time proposes to deploy six spacecraft, grouped in three pairs, in three elliptical orbits between the earth and Venus around the Sun to observe and study the Sun and the inner heliosphere in a full 360-degree perspective. The separation angle between two spacecraft in each group is about 30 degrees, and that between every two groups is about 120 degrees. Through this configuration, the mission will be able to image the vast area from the photosphere to the inner heliosphere with high resolution, and perform the in situ measurements. (6/3)

Space Foundation Launches Center for Innovation and Education (Source: Colorado Springs Bisiness Journal)
The Colorado-based Space Foundation today launched its Center for Innovation and Education, focusing on inclusive, innovative and sustainable workforce development and economic opportunity programs for the $415 billion global space economy. “Every person on planet Earth can find a place in the space economy, regardless of the present state of the job market,” Space Foundation CEO Tom Zelibor said, introducing the center in a video posted to the organization’s website.

“The space industry has remained one of the most resilient business sectors throughout the COVID-19 crisis. With 80 percent of business coming from private enterprise, and ample time for building awareness and skills, a rare opportunity exists to solve the workforce shortage and drive innovation forward in the space economy.” The center is putting out a call for corporate members, partners, sponsors, grantors and donors. (6/4)

Space Club Accepting Nominations for Annual Awards (Source: NSCFL)
Nominations for the National Space Club Florida Committee 2020 Lifetime Achievement, Rising Star, Kolcum News & Communications, and Space Worker Hall of Fame Awards are now open. The deadline is June 30th. Each year the National Space Club Florida Committee recognizes deserving individuals who make significant contributions to the U.S. space program. Click here. (6/3) https://www.nscfl.org/awards/

SpaceX Demo-2 Astronauts Get to Work on Space Station Science (Source: Space Daily)
During their stay on the space station, the Demo-2 crew has joined the Expedition 63 crew in working on maintenance of the station and scientific research onboard the orbiting laboratory. This week, one of the first experiments Hurley and Behnken will work on is a project from a Massachusetts-based startup that aims to bring benefit back those of us here on the ground. The project, co-sponsored by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory and The Boeing Company, seeks to enhance a drug delivery device for use in patients with conditions that require frequent injections, such as diabetes.

The project is from Cam Med Inc., a company that designs and builds microfluidics-based medical devices aimed at improving quality of life for patients. Cam Med has developed the Evopump-the first truly bandage-like patch pump for subcutaneous delivery of one or more medications. The thin and flexible pump adheres to a patient's skin and infuses medications instead of injecting them.

While many current drug delivery pumps are bulky and complex, the Evopump is designed to be small and discrete. Cam Med hopes their ISS National Lab project, which launched on SpaceX's 20th commercial resupply services mission in March and is supported by Ohio-based engineering services company ZIN Technologies, will help them improve dosage control in the Evopump. (6/4)

US Military in Hawaii Working on Trump's 'Super-Duper' Missiles, to Host Space Force Soon (Source: Sputnik)
The testing of new weaponry is continuing in the state despite opposition from some locals, who say that military test sites have made the islands a potential target for adversaries of the US. The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands (PMRF) located on the Hawaiian island of Kauai will soon be hosting the 293rd Offensive Space Control Squadron of the US Space Force, but will only use the facility's existing capabilities. The squadron will focus on defending US space communication systems from attacks from the outside and conduct electronic warfare in space to disrupt the communications of a potential enemy.

This is not the only important task that the facility is currently doing for the Pentagon. The PMRF is also one of the main testing sites for modern American weapons, specifically missiles, and is used by government agencies and private contractors alike. Among other projects, the PMRF is carrying out tests as part of the common-hypersonic glide body program - the first successful US attempt to catch up with Russia and China in the field of hypersonic weapons. While this hypersonic vehicle has already been branded by Trump as a "super-duper" missile, its development is yet to be completed and its final capabilities are yet to be revealed. (6/2)

NASA Anounces Challenge Seeking Innovative Ideas to Advance Missions (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has opened a pilot Entrepreneurs Challenge to invite fresh ideas and new participants in supporting development of new instruments and technologies to advance the agency's science exploration goals. The agency's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is seeking novel ideas reflective of those currently trending in the commercial sector - particularly in areas such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics and advanced sensors. The Entrepreneurs Challenge aligns with NASA's goal to foster innovation and develop new technologies at lower costs. (6/4)

Xplore to Host Space for Humanity Payload on its First Lunar Mission (Source: Space Daily)
Xplore Inc., a commercial space company providing Space as a Service has announced that space industry leader Dylan Taylor plans to reserve payload space on Xplore's first mission beyond Earth orbit. The payload will be hosted onboard the XcraftTM, Xplore's highly capable, multi-mission spacecraft designed to perform frequent, low-cost missions in the inner solar system. The diverse payload reservations Xplore is attracting now includes private citizens. Dylan Taylor is a successful founder, philanthropist, prominent space investor and also the CEO of Voyager Space Holdings, a multi-national space holding firm that acquires and integrates leading space exploration enterprises globally. (6/4)

Astronaut Mark Kelly Trouncing Incumbent Arizona Senator in Election Polls (Source: Arizona Republic)
In the third statewide poll in as many weeks, Arizona US Sentator Martha McSally (R) is trailing former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly (D) by double digits. This poll of 1,002 voters was conducted May 30-June 2 and has a margin of error of 3%. “The story here is party loyalty,” according to Fox. “Some 88 percent of Democrats back Kelly, while just 73 percent of Republicans support McSally."  A recent poll by OH Predictive Insights shows that McSally is in a free fall in conservative Maricopa County, where Kelly has gone from a five-point advantage in May 2019 to an 18-point cruise in May 2020. (6/3)

Pentagon Notices Pandemic Impacts on Space Industry (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon is seeing some effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the space industry. In a podcast published Wednesday, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Stephen Kitay said results from an industry survey show evidence of schedule delays and strains on the supply chain. The survey was sent to companies last month by the Space Enterprise Consortium, a procurement organization under the Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center. Kitay said there is agreement in the space council that during this downturn the Defense Department has to keep projects moving to help the industrial base. (6/4)

GAO: Missile Warning Satellite Program Complexities Add Risk (Source: Space News)
A GAO report warns the Defense Department may be underestimating risks in a new missile-warning satellite program. The report found that the Next-Gen OPIR program may not have its $2 billion ground system ready by the time the first satellite is launched in 2025. Another concern is that the integration of the sensors with the spacecraft will be more complex than anticipated. The program plans to launch five satellite into geostationary and polar orbits by 2029. (6/4)

SOFIA May Fly Again This Month (Source: Space News)
NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory may resume flights later this month. SOFIA, a Boeing 747 with a 2.5-meter infrared telescope, was grounded in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but work such as aircraft maintenance is underway to allow flights to resume by late June. SOFIA was targeted for cancellation in the administration's fiscal year 2021 budget proposal because of low scientific return, but SOFIA's proponents say they hope Congress will reject that request when it starts to take up spending bills this summer. (6/4)

NASA Assigns Astronaut to Last Soyuz Seat (Source: NASA)
NASA has assigned an astronaut to the last Soyuz seat the agency expects to purchase from Russia. NASA said Wednesday that Kate Rubins will fly to the ISS with Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov on a Soyuz spacecraft launching in October. Rubins spent 115 days on the station during a 2016 mission. NASA bought the Soyuz seat this spring as insurance in the event of additional commercial crew delays, but with the success of the SpaceX Demo-2 mission so far, NASA does not anticipate buying more Soyuz seats. (6/4)

NEPA Review Requested as SpaceX Explosion Threatens Ecosystem in South Texas (Source: Border Report)
Environmentalists are asking for a review of SpaceX's activities at its South Texas test site after an explosion there. A Starship prototype exploded last Friday after a static-fire test, the fourth such vehicle to be destroyed in testing there. Wildlife advocates say they are concerned about the effects that testing is having on sea turtles who nest on a beach next to the site as well as birds that live in wetlands nearby. They argue that the environmental assessment originally prepared for the site, when SpaceX planned to use it for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches, needs to be revised to examine the impacts of Starship testing. (6/4)

Space Companies Speak Out on Racial Inequality (Source: NanoRacks, Blue Origin, CNBC)
Space companies are among those speaking out about racial inequality amid nationwide protests. In a statement published Wednesday, Jeffrey Manber, CEO of Nanoracks, said the "space community can, and must, do better to become part of the solution to the horrific challenges America faces today" and that the industry has "to get serious about assuring equality in pay and equality in responsibility."

Blue Origin published a letter its CEO, Bob Smith, sent to employees, asking them to "be thoughtful and compassionate with your colleagues who are, today, personally struggling once again with long-standing racism and are demanding solutions today — not in some vague time in the future." SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell sent an email to employees Wednesday stating that she will meet with black employees this week "so that we can have more in-depth conversations about their experiences at work and discuss what we can do to improve." (6/4)

Orbex Urges Action to Approve Scotland Spaceport (Source: The Herald)
A launch vehicle company based in Scotland is calling on the government to speed up approval of a spaceport there. Orbex is developing a small launch vehicle it plans to launch from a spaceport near Sutherland in northern Scotland, but the company says it's worried that other European countries, like Norway, are moving faster to approve launch sites. While Orbex says it's still committed to launching from Scotland, it warned that if alternative sites move ahead faster, "we might decide to go in that direction." (6/4)

Oumuamua Might Be a Hydrogen Iceberg (Source: Scientific American)
An interstellar asteroid that passed through the solar system might be a "hydrogen iceberg." Astronomers have sought to understand the origin of 'Oumuamua, the first small body known to have an origin from outside the solar system. A new paper argues that 'Oumuamua is likely made of molecular hydrogen ice, a composition that could explain anomalous accelerations seen by the object caused by venting of that ice. That composition implies 'Oumuamua formed in a very cold region, such as a molecular gas cloud, and may be left over from a failed effort to form a star. (6/4)

Report: Space Guard Would Cost $100M Per Year (Source: Space News)
A new report by the Congressional Budget Office estimates that standing up a Space National Guard as a reserve component of the U.S. Space Force would cost the Pentagon about $100 million a year. The CBO estimate released on June 2 contradicts arguments made by the National Guard Bureau that if a Space National Guard were established, it would not create additional costs because people and other resources would be transferred from existing organizations.

The cost of a Space National Guard is one of the concerns being weighed by DoD in the face of growing pressure from the National Guard Bureau and its congressional supporters to establish a separate component for space. Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told lawmakers in March that the issue is simple: If there is a Space Force, there should be a Space National Guard. Space units now serving under the Air National Guard and Army National should be aligned with the Space Force, Lengyel said. “We mirror the culture of our parent service.”

Eight states — Alaska, Hawaii, California, Colorado, Florida, New York, Arkansas and Ohio — and Guam have approximately 1,500 personnel who specialize in space operations. Most are from the Air National Guard and a small number are from the Army National Guard. CBO estimated that if 1,500 personnel in existing Air national Guard and Army national Guard units transferred to the new Space National Guard, DoD would incur about $100 million in annual operations and support costs. There would also be onetime costs of about $20 million for the construction of additional facilities. (6/2)

Meet 8 Teams Sending Payloads to the Moon on Masten’s Lander (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Imagine having the opportunity to send your payload to the lunar surface. Not next decade, but in 2022! Well, that’s the incredible opportunity that the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) project — and Masten Space Systems — has presented for 8 visionary teams and their instruments. Each and every one is cool in their own way and we couldn’t be prouder to be the lunar lander company that will set them down safely on the surface of the Moon. Click here. (6/4)

A Rocket Launch Can’t Unite Us Until the Space World Acknowledges Our Divisions (Source: The Verge)
This kind of cognitive dissonance has permeated SpaceX’s first passenger flight — the first time that NASA astronauts have launched from the US in nearly a decade. NASA has been waiting for this moment since the last Space Shuttle landed in 2011, and now the agency wants to celebrate. It wants the United States and the world to celebrate, too. But if the space community expects the world to care about the things we do in space, there must be an acknowledgment of how broken things are on the ground and the injustices that still exist in the United States.

That might mean passing up the chance to ring the bell on Wall Street while the economy remains in tatters. It might mean a compassionate statement from the crew addressing the people on the Earth below, instead of answering rote questions from dignitaries and press.

There are eerie echoes between this SpaceX launch and Apollo 8, as others have pointed out. That mission, the first to reach the vicinity of the Moon, launched in 1968, a year that mirrors 2020 in its apocalyptic bleakness. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. had sparked protests throughout the country. Space enthusiasts like to look back on that mission with rose-colored glasses, as something that served as a shining beacon of hope during a tough time for the country. (6/3)

Ten Years After its First Flight, SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launches 60 Starlink Satellites (Source: Florida Today)
Ten years ago, the first iteration of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket stood at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, ready for its inaugural launch into the history books. At 2:45 p.m. on June 4, 2010, nine Merlin 1C engines lit under the 180-foot-tall rocket at Launch Complex 40, injecting it into a spot-on trajectory some 155 miles above the Earth. The successful demonstration flight opened a new chapter for SpaceX, an upstart company that had secured a NASA contract to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. It has since launched Falcon 9 nearly 100 times, including its first mission with astronauts last weekend.

Almost exactly ten years later at 9:25 p.m. Wednesday night, a more advanced version of that same Falcon 9 platform – newer Merlin 1D engines, more thrust, near-full reusability, and a growth spurt to 230 feet – vaulted 60 of SpaceX's Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from the same pad. One thing that hasn't changed in the last 10 years? The weather, which was 60% "go" for liftoff in 2010 and Wednesday night.

Despite 10 years of Falcon 9, however, flights these days aren't void of milestones – the company seems to have a new list of firsts several times a year. Wednesday's mission was no exception: it marked the fifth – the most to date – landing for a booster, as well as the first time the Just Read the Instructions drone ship was used on the East Coast. (6/4)

Evaluating SpaceX’s Starlink Push (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
With SpaceX planning to launch another set of Starlink internet satellites on Wednesday, the company will continue the deployment of the initial constellation of approximately 1500 satellites, on the way to building their 4400 satellite Ku-/Ka-band network. How far along is Starlink deployment? Ahead of the latest Falcon 9 mission, SpaceX has conducted six launches of the operational Starlink v1.0 design, for a total of 360 satellites.

A handful of these suffered problems on orbit, with three being actively deorbited so far and SpaceX noting in an FCC filing that six more have had propulsion problems after they began orbit raising.  The current number of functional Starlink satellites for providing service to customers is around 350, not all of which have reached their operational position yet. Each launch of 60 satellites that have been carried so far has aimed to populate three planes of 20 satellites, each plane spaced 20 degrees apart at the equator.  Once they get 18 evenly spaced planes into position, they should be able to test the system with continuous service in the northern United States.

As it takes about four months for the satellites to all reach their operational positions from launch, it appears SpaceX decided to speed up the process a little by using the seventh launch on June 3 to populate the 18th plane. Moving forward, subsequent launches will be used to create more planes in between the existing ones until there are 72 planes spaced five degrees apart. (6/3)

Scientists Create World’s Most Heat Resistant Material With Potential Use For Spaceplanes (Source: Forbes)
Reusable spacecraft would make space exploration both more cost-effective and accessible, which is why space agencies have been actively pursuing their development. However, spaceplanes are subjected to extreme temperatures on exiting and re-entering the atmosphere. So, materials which can withstand the scorching temperatures are needed in their construction. Scientists from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Moscow have now fabricated a ceramic material which is more heat resistant than any other.

The previous material to hold the title, hafnium carbide, melted at just under 4000 degrees Celsius. Using a laser heating technique which allowed them to test the material at extreme temperatures, they calculated that a chemical compound of the elements hafnium, a transition metal, and carbon had the highest melting point ever recorded at the time. Researchers from Brown University used computer modeling to predict that a material made from hafnium, carbon and nitrogen (halfnium carbonitride) would be more heat resistant, with a melting point of about 4100 degrees.

Knowing the predictions made by the researchers at Brown, the NUST scientists set out to fabricate hafnium carbonitride and test it in comparison to hafnium carbide. Because the melting point of hafnium carbonitride is so high — above 4000 degrees Celsius — it could not be measured precisely in a laboratory. The material’s ability to withstand high heats as well as it’s mechanical toughness makes it a promising candidate for use in the areas of aircraft which are exposed to the highest temperatures including the nose fairings, jet engines, and wings. Additionally, the researchers intend to test hafnium carbonitride in hypersonic conditions. (5/31)

More Details of China's Space Station Unveiled (Source: Space News)
After the successful maiden flight of the Long March-5B large rocket and the testing of China's new-generation manned spaceship, more details of China's space station have been unveiled. The space station, expected to be completed around 2022, will operate in the low-Earth orbit at an altitude from 340 km to 450 km for more than 10 years, supporting large-scale scientific, technological and application experiments, according to a report in the People's Daily. The space station Tiangong, meaning Heavenly Palace, will be able to accommodate three astronauts in normal circumstances and up to six during a crew replacement. The station will be a T shape with the core module at the center and a lab capsule on each side.

Each of the modules will be over 20 tonnes, with the total mass of the station about 66 tonnes, said Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program. If China's Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 space labs are like one-bedroom apartments, the space station is equivalent to an apartment with three bedrooms, a living room, a dining room and a storage room, said Zhu Guangchen, deputy chief designer of the space station from China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). The core module of the station, named Tianhe, has a total length of 16.6 meters, a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters and a takeoff mass of 22.5 tonnes, and is currently the largest spacecraft developed by China.

The Tianhe core module will be the management and control center and the main living space of the crew, and will support some scientific and technological experiments. The living space in the core module is about 50 cubic meters. Combined with the two lab capsules, the whole living space could be up to 110 cubic meters, according to CAST. The core module has two berth ports connecting to the two lab capsules, and three docking ports for the crew spacecraft, cargo and other craft. It also has an exit for astronauts to conduct extravehicular activities. (6/3)

"Space For Humanity" Reserves Payload Space on Xplore's First Moon Mission (Source: HobbySpace)
Xplore is a company founded to provide low cost access to the inner solar system for missions ranging from government sponsored scientific studies to commercial endeavors. They also want to invite public participation such as a program to send names to the Moon. The company today announced the first customer to place a payload on their Moon mission.

Xplore Inc., a commercial space company providing Space as a ServiceTM today announced that space industry leader Dylan Taylor plans to reserve payload space on Xplore’s first mission beyond Earth orbit. The payload will be hosted onboard the XcraftTM, Xplore’s highly capable, multi-mission spacecraft designed to perform frequent, low-cost missions in the inner solar system. (6/3)

$10 Billion Space Telescope May Be Delayed By Covid-19, Says NASA (Source: Forbes)
A slowdown in integration and testing caused by the global pandemic is expected to lead to a delayed launch for NASA’s long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the space agency said today. The most ambitious and complex space science telescope ever constructed, “Webb” will study the solar system, directly image exoplanets, photograph the first galaxies, and explore the mysteries of the origins of the Universe.

Still officially scheduled to launch from French Guiana during March 2021, the $10 billion JWST is currently in a cleanroom at Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California. Tuesday, March 30, 2021 had been the official target date for launch from French Guiana. However, in the wake of doubts about a March 2021 launch even before the coronavirus slowdown, the pandemic has caused delays in on-site work on the telescope’s integration and testing, including a reduction in shifts. It now seems that the March 2021 launch date will be delayed. (6/3)

NASA Launches Production of COVID-19-Specific Ventilators (Source: Becker's Healthcare)
NASA selected eight manufacturers to produce its new ventilator designed by agency engineers to specifically treat COVID-19 patients. NASA developed the ventilator, dubbed the Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally, as part of its NASA@Work initiative. The program encouraged NASA employees to submit prospective projects in support of COVID-19 medical responses.

VITAL uses one-seventh of the parts of a traditional ventilator and relies on parts already available in supply chains. The FDA on April 30 granted emergency use authorization of the device, which is designed to last for three to four months and provide respiratory support for patients with respiratory failure or insufficiency. VITAL was tested at New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System. (6/1)

Germany's OHB Refinances (Source: OHB)
Germany satellite and rocket hardware builder OHB has refinanced a 225-million euro ($252 million) credit facility, increasing the total amount to 300 million euros. The credit facility has a five-year term with options that could lengthen it to seven years. OHB said it is shoring up its financial structure “against the backdrop of the current high level of uncertainty concerning the performance of the financial markets.” A syndicate of banks that included Deutsche Bank, Unicredit Bank and Commerzbank financed the credit facility. (6/3)

Sweden's Ovzon Raising Capital (Source: Ovzon)
Swedish satellite company Ovzon is seeking to raise 504 million Swedish krona ($54 million) through new shares. The company hopes to raise the majority, 350 million Swedish krona, through a directed share issue, with the remaining 154 million Swedish krona coming from a fully guaranteed share rights issue to existing shareholders. Ovzon said it aims to accomplish the capital raise over the month of June. (6/3)

SES Closing and Consolidating European Offices (Source: SES)
SES is closing five offices to consolidate its presence in Europe. Offices in Brussels, Central London, the Isle of Man, Warsaw, Poland, and Zurich, Switzerland, will close, with their activities reassigned to SES offices in Kyiv, Ukraine, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockley Park in London and The Hague in the Netherlands, along with SES’s headquarters in Luxembourg. SES said the closures are part of its “Simplify & Amplify” program announced in March that includes a series of “strategic actions” over the course of 2020. (6/3)

Astroscale Acquiring Effective Space Solutions (Source: Space News)
Astroscale is moving into the geostationary satellite servicing market by acquiring another company's technology. Astroscale announced Wednesday it is acquiring the intellectual property of the satellite-servicing company Effective Space Solutions, which had been developing a servicing vehicle known as Space Drone. Astroscale is acquiring the intellectual property associated with Space Drone and is hiring engineers and executives from the program, with Arie Halsband, founder and CEO of Effective Space Solutions, serving as managing director of Astroscale Israel in Tel Aviv. Astroscale has been developing its own technologies for removing dead satellites from low Earth orbit, and is in the middle of a Series E fundraising round. (6/3)

All five satellite operators eligible for FCC’s $9.7 billion accelerated C-band spectrum clearing program have opted to participate, the FCC said June 1. The two largest operators, Intelsat and SES, publicly declared their intent to participate in May, agreeing to clear 300 megahertz of C-band spectrum for 5G networks by December 2023, two years faster than the FCC’s deadline, in exchange for incentive payments. The FCC said it would only go forward with the accelerated clearing program if operators eligible for at least 80% of the accelerated clearing payments agreed to participate, a threshold that required SES and Intelsat. Eutelsat, Telesat and Embratel Star One only account for 9% of the accelerated clearing payments, but will also pursue the 2023 deadline instead of the original 2025 target. (6/3)

Aldrin: After SpaceX launch, We Must Reach for the Moon Again and Mars (Source: Florida Today)
The future is bright. America is back in the human space launch game. SpaceX successfully launched the “Demo-2 Crew Dragon” rocket from Pad 39A at Cape Canaveral, taking two astronauts up to the International Space Station. There is much to be proud of in that launch that took off from the same launch pad that sent Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and myself to the moon. Now, looking forward, we need to get back to human space exploration.

When the Apollo 11 crew launched on our Saturn 5 rocket and headed for the moon, Americans gathered to celebrate not just an American launch — we had sent astronauts up 19 times by then — but a launch aimed at landing men on the moon. That is what should come next: American human missions back to the moon, followed in short order by a long-promised and repeatedly re-engineered human mission to Mars. If getting to Mars will require refining launch trajectories, reentry speeds, radiation protection, and assuring human life support for the duration, getting to the moon should be simpler — and likely require space-based infrastructure that is simpler and more direct than current plans. Click here. (6/3)