June 9, 2020

China Plans to Develop New Solid-Fueled Rocket (Source: Space Daily)
Chinese engineers plan to develop a new solid-fueled rocket with greater carrying capacity than the current model Long March-11 rocket, revealed China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation sources. The upgraded carrier rocket, called the Long March-11A, will be designed for both land and sea launches, and its cost is calculated at 10,000 U.S. dollars per kg of payload. According to the corporation, the design work is slated to complete this year, and the rocket is scheduled to embark on its maiden flight in 2022. (6/7)

SpaceX Launch Opens Era of Amateur Astronauts, Private Space Sstations, Cosmic Movie Sets (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
SpaceX’s astronaut launch is the biggest, most visible opening shot yet in NASA’s grand plan for commercializing Earth’s backyard. Amateur astronauts, private space stations, flying factories, out-of-this-world movie sets — this is the future the space agency is striving to shape as it eases out of low-Earth orbit and aims for the moon and Mars. It doesn’t quite reach the fantasized heights of George Jetson and Iron Man but still promises plenty of thrills.

“I’m still waiting for my personal jetpack. But the future is incredibly exciting,” NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren said the day before SpaceX’s historic liftoff from Kennedy Space Center on May 30. NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, who will test drive Boeing's space capsule next year, envisions scientists, doctors, poets and reporters lining up for rocket rides. (6/8)

UCF Patent Production Boosts Small Businesses (Source: Orlando Business Journal)
The University of Central Florida once again ranks as one of the top universities for generating patents, which are commonly utilized by local tech startups. The Orlando university ranked 29th among public U.S. universities for patent production in 2019 and ranked 65th worldwide, according to a report from the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. UCF improved from its No. 75 ranking last year because it grew its number of patents produced from 32 in 2018 to 44 in 2019.

Patented technologies can be commercialized by both faculty and entrepreneurs, creating jobs for the community and revenue for the university, said Rob Panepinto, director of innovation districts strategy and partnerships for UCF. The presence of a strong university is common in tech hubs across the nation, he told Orlando Business Journal. And that's of interest to the business community, as it’s not uncommon for local startups to license UCF-developed technology.

For example, Sensatek Propulsion Technology Inc. licenses sensor technology from the university to monitor the temperatures of turbine engines and identify hotspots. The Daytona Beach-company completed a $2 million investment round in October 2019 with plans to add up to 20 employees, CEO Reamonn Soto previously told OBJ. (6/5)

DoD Considers LEO Missile Warning Sensor (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is soliciting bids to integrate a missile-warning sensor with a satellite bus and launch it to low Earth orbit by late 2021. SDA issued a solicitation Friday for a "tracking phenomenology experiment" that will develop sensor algorithms for a future missile detection network in space. The contractor in this project will be responsible for taking a sensor payload provided by SDA, integrating it with a satellite bus and putting in on a launch vehicle. SDA plans to field a constellation of about 70 satellites in 2022 or 2023 for tracking of hypersonic missiles. Proposals for this flight experiment are due July 6. (6/8)

Mars Probe Now Underground (Source: Space.com)
An instrument on NASA's InSight Mars lander is finally below the surface. A heat flow probe, or "mole," was supposed to hammer into the surface of the planet last year, going as deep as five meters to measure the planet's interior heat flow. However, the probe had been stuck only about 30 centimeters deep, with part of the mole still protruding above the surface. Recent efforts to use the lander's robotic arm to press down on top of the mole to prevent it from rebounding appear to have been successful, with new images from the lander showing the mole now entirely below ground. Scientists working on the mission hope to soon test if the mole can make further progress into the surface on its own. (6/8)

DoD Failed to Secure Trademark on "Space Force" (Source: Hollywood Reporter)
"Space Force" is beating the U.S. Space Force in one battle. The Netflix comedy series about the creation of a new branch of the military has secured trademarks of the "Space Force" name in several countries. The U.S. government, which in recent years has been more aggressive about securing trademarks related to the military, hadn't filed for Space Force trademarks in those countries, although the Air Force has filed a trademark application for the Space Force in the United States. Trademark lawyers say it's unclear if the government will challenge the Netflix trademarks. (6/8)

ARISS Dedicated to Amateur ISS Communications (Source: Space Daily)
In late May, the USA team of the ARISS International working group became an incorporated non-profit entity in the state of Maryland, officially becoming ARISS-USA. This move allows ARISS-USA to work as an independent organization, soliciting grants and donations. They will continue promoting amateur radio and STEAM-science, technology, engineering, arts, and math within educational organizations and inspire, engage and educate our next generation of space enthusiasts.

ARISS-USA will maintain its collaborative work with ARISS International as well as with US sponsors, partners, and interest groups. The main goal of ARISS-USA remains as connecting educational groups with opportunities to interact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). ARISS-USA will expand its human spaceflight opportunities with the space agencies, beyond low Earth orbit, starting with lunar opportunities including the Lunar Gateway. ARISS-USA will continue to review and accept proposals for ISS contacts and expand its other educational opportunities to increase interest in space sciences and radio communications. (6/8)

ULA on Track to Launch New Vulcan Rocket in Early 2021 (Source: UPI)
United Launch Alliance, a leading launch provider to the U.S. government for 14 years, is on schedule to launch its next-generation rocket, the Vulcan Centaur, in early 2021, CEO Tony Bruno said. The new rocket is designed to provide a more efficient, more powerful launch vehicle than ULA's workhorse rockets, Atlas and Delta, with engines produced in the United States. The company previously bought Russian rocket engines, which Congress outlawed in a bill passed in 2014. The work on Vulcan proceeds amid a recession and workplace restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (6/5)

GAO: NASA Performance on Major Projects Continues to Deteriorate (Source: Parabolic Arc)
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its latest assessment of NASA’s major projects at the end of April. It found that NASA’s performance on its major projects continued to deteriorate on cost and schedule. Although GAO did not analyze the Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon, the watchdog warned the Trump Administration’s decision to move the landing date up from 2028 to 2024 will put more pressure on the space agency. “Looking ahead, NASA will continue to face significant cost and schedule risks as it undertakes complex efforts to return to the moon under an aggressive time frame,” the report stated. (6/7)

Space Florida, Florida Venture Forum Announce Winners of Aerospace Innovation & Tech Forum (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida and the Florida Venture Forum are pleased to announce Archangel Lightworks, Agriculture Intelligence, Inc., and Vital Vio as the top three winners, respectively, of the 2020 Aerospace Innovation & Tech Forum. Aerospace and innovative tech companies from related industries were invited to apply to present in a first-ever web-based competition for the Space Florida Accelerating Innovation (AI) awards, totaling $100,000. Twenty presenters were selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants by a committee of active venture investors.

A panel of judges reviewed each selected company’s presentation and supporting materials. Archangel Lightworks was named the top company and received $40,000 of Space Florida’s $100,000 Accelerating Innovation Award. Agriculture Intelligence, Inc., and Vital Vio were each awarded $20,000. Additionally, all presenting companies received $1,000. (6/5)

NASA Prepares To Send Artemis I Booster Segments to Kennedy for Stacking (Source: NASA)
As it soars off the launch pad for the Artemis I missions, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is powered by two solid rocket boosters. Critical parts of the booster will soon head to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for the Artemis I launch. Specialized transporters move each of the 10 solid rocket motor segments from the Northrop Grumman facility in their Promontory Point, Utah, to a departure point where they will leave for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cross-country journey is an important milestone toward the first launch of NASA’s Artemis lunar program.

Exploration Ground Systems teams at Kennedy will begin processing the segments with the forward and aft parts of the booster previously assembled in the Booster Fabrication Facility on site at Kennedy. When the boosters arrive, they are moved into the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) that in the past to processed shuttle booster segments. Initial stacking of the aft assembly will occur here, and then booster segments will be kept at the RPSF until stacking on the mobile launcher inside Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building. (6/5)

A Suitcase-Sized Satellite Has Spotted A ‘Diamond Planet’ 40 Light-Years Away (Source: Forbes)
A satellite roughly the size of a briefcase has done something previously thought the reserve of giant-sized space telescopes by detecting a scorching hot exoplanet about 40 light years away. That makes the tiny “cubesat” called ASTERIA—measuring just 10×20×30 cm and weighing a mere 10 kg—now the smallest planet-hunting satellite in history.

After being put into orbit by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) in late 2017, ASTERIA spent 18 months in low Earth orbit, and only in April 2020 burned-up in Earth’s atmosphere. Scientists lost contact with it in December 2019. However, before its demise it was able to detect 55 Cancri e, a planet about twice the size of Earth and thought to have an interior made of diamond. (6/3)

Imagining Safety Zones: Implications and Open Questions (Source: Space Review)
One aspect of NASA’s proposed “Artemis Accords” for international lunar cooperation involves avoiding harmful interference through the use of safety zones. Jessy Kate Schingler describes how such safety zones could work and the policy issues they present. Click here. (6/8)
 
How Has Traffic Been Managed in the Sky, on Waterways, and on the Road? Comparisons for Space Situational Awareness (Source: Space Review)
The growing number of active satellites and debris in low Earth orbit is forcing changes in how satellite operators receive and deal with warnings of potential collisions. In the first of a two-part article, Stephen Garber and Marissa Herron discuss the current state of space traffic management and the roles played by both government agencies and the private sector. Click here. (6/8)
 
Be Careful What You Wish For (Source: Space Review)
Space advocates have long desired that presidents be more involved in space policy. Jeff Foust reports that has become the case for the Trump Administration, but the close connections between space and this administration could have repercussions in the future. Click here. (6/8)
 
Space Alternate History Before For All Mankind: Stephen Baxter’s NASA Trilogy (Source: Space Review)
While the TV series For All Mankind has attracted attention for its alternive history of NASA and the Space Race, it’s hardly the first such fictional account of what could have been. Simon Bradshaw examines how one British science fiction author explored different futures for NASA in a series of novels. Click here. (6/8)

AFRL Rolls-Out New Rapid Contract Award Tool for Space Technology Research (Source: Space Daily)
The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate here is using a rapid acquisition capability called Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR) that accelerates contract award times. Through the STAR solicitation, the lab has made four rapid contract awards totaling $9.8 million. The most recent award was to SolAero Technologies of Albuquerque for $4.5 million to develop "Next Generation Solar Power Modules."

"The STAR announcement was published in July 2019 on the U.S. Government's Contracting Opportunities website (https://beta.sam.gov) and is open to U.S. contractors of all sizes - large or small businesses," said John Beauchemin, acting STAR program manager. AFRL exceeded expectations in taking only 55 days for the SolAero contract award - with a mere 12 days from proposal receipt to award. The average time from proposal receipt to award using traditional contract procedures is about 115 days. (6/8)

Air Force Kicks Off Competition for Potential Military Ops in Space, Promises Funding (Source: Sputnik)
The US Air Force Research Laboratory has announced an internal competition for new projects regarding potential military operations in space. Ideas about how to explore very low Earth orbits alongside offers to operate in the cislunar space between Earth and the Moon are being introduced amid the contest, which was announced amid "growing concerns about future competition" with potential adversaries.

Head of the Space Vehicles Directorate Colonel Eric Felt spoke about the competition, noting that he had four potential project teams and the winner could be announced in July to receive funding for demonstrations. "The best payoff is coming from things that we're not currently doing in space today", Felt said during the webinar. He didn't reveal much about the four candidates, but did outline that one of them is working on possible uses of "vLEO", or very Low Earth Orbits of around 200 to 300 kilometres above the Earth's surface. The project may offer better technology for satellites to operate in those altitudes, since the propulsion systems they currently need to do that are heavy and expensive. (6/9)

SpaceX Scraps its Plan to Build Mars Spaceship at Port of L.A. — Again (Source: LA Times)
Two years ago, SpaceX created excitement when it proposed building its Mars spaceship and rocket booster at a vacant site at the Port of Los Angeles. The company got political backing for the plan, local officials touted it as a win for Southern California manufacturing, and the project got the green light. Then SpaceX changed its mind and withdrew from the agreement.

This year, SpaceX came back around and pitched the idea again, seeking permission to use the same site for the same project. It could create 130 local aerospace jobs and start work quickly, the company said. But just a month after getting the green light from city and port officials, SpaceX decided against it — again. In a letter dated March 27, a SpaceX official gave the Port of L.A. notice of the Elon Musk-led company’s intent to terminate the permit agreement. The date of termination was May 11. In the letter, SpaceX did not explain why it was ending the agreement. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Days before SpaceX sent its letter pulling out of the port site, Tesla began a temporary shutdown of its Fremont auto plant — a culmination of its battle to keep the factory open despite orders from Alameda County that were aimed at stemming the coronavirus outbreak. Last month, Musk threatened to move Tesla’s headquarters from California to Nevada or Texas over coronavirus-related restrictions. (6/9)

DoD Plans Laser Comm Satellite Links (Source: Space News)
The Defense Department plans to test laser inter-satellite communications links on upcoming experimental spacecraft. The Space Development Agency called such links "one of the most critical technologies" it seeks to demonstrate in an initial constellation of communications satellites slated for launch in 2022. DARPA's Blackjack program will also test inter-satellite optical links using a pair of satellites launching next March. Laser communications systems have much higher data transmission rates than radio-frequency systems, but the Pentagon has concerns such as the effects of space radiation on optical terminals and whether the electronics can withstand the stress of space launch. (6/9)

South Korea's Hanwha Acquires Phasor Assets (Source: Space News)
A South Korean company has acquired the assets of a bankrupt phased-array antenna startup. Hanwha Systems, a South Korean defense company, acquired the assets of Phasor Systems in a deal that closed last Friday. Phasor Solutions had entered administration, the U.K. equivalent of bankruptcy, on April 7 after earlier talks for acquisition by a multinational company fell through, which Phasor blamed on the coronavirus pandemic. Electronically steered antennas, like those Phasor is developing, can track two or more satellites simultaneously, a feature widely considered essential to the large-scale success of LEO satellite internet but which face technical and cost challenges. (6/9)

Planet Releases New Tools for Accessing Imagery (Source: Space News)
Planet has released new ways of allowing customers to use its SkySat fleet of high-resolution imaging satellites. The company said a cloud-based dashboard and API will allow customers to autonomously submit, modify and cancel SkySat imagery requests. The new tools are the latest in a series of efforts by Planet to enhance the SkySat product line. Over the last six months, the company has lowered the altitude of 15 SkySats in orbit to improve resolution and purchased rides for six additional SkySats on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets to expand the constellation and improve revisit rates. (6/9)

Space Startup Accelerator Goes Virtual Amid Pandemic (Source: Space News)
A space startup accelerator has made changes in its program because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator and the Techstars Allied Space Accelerator each announced Monday the selection of 10 startups that will be supported by the program over a three-month period. The pandemic means that the accelerators will be entirely virtual this year, rather than have the companies travel to Los Angeles. (6/9)