July 10, 2020

Japan, US Sign Deal for Lunar Project Cooperation (Source: NHK)
Japan's science ministry and the US space agency NASA have agreed to discuss cooperation plans that could lead to Japanese astronauts visiting the moon. Science minister Hagiuda Koichi and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine held a virtual meeting on Friday, Japan time, and signed a joint declaration of intent for discussing Japan's contributions to the US-led Artemis program. NASA plans to use the "Gateway" space station for sustainable exploration of the lunar surface. It aims to achieve the program's first human landing, including the first woman on the moon, by 2024.

The two sides will discuss four areas in detail. Topics include the number of Japanese crew members on the Gateway, cargo delivery by Japanese spacecraft, and the development of a manned lunar rover. Government sources say a Japanese astronaut could set foot on the moon in the late 2020s, and that nearly 2 billion dollars will be needed by the end of fiscal 2026 to fund projects in the four areas. (7/10)

SpaceX Sees Ex-Im Bank as ‘Critical’ in Winning Global Market Share From Foreign Competitors (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX pointed to support from the U.S. Export-Import Bank as critical in helping the space company compete against foreign, government-backed rocket builders. “I think it’s fair to say that SpaceX may view Ex-Im as an extension of our sales force and an asset that’s really critical to help us win international business,” SpaceX commercial sales director Stephanie Bednarek said on Thursday. U.S. space companies are hoping to get more help against foreign competitors such as China through financing from Ex-Im. (7/9)

China's New Kuaizhou-11 Rocket Fails During Maiden Launch (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
China’s new solid rocket motor Kuaizhou-11 launch vehicle has failed on its first mission. China conducted the inaugural launch of the long-delayed Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11) rocket at 04:17 UTC from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Friday, carrying two satellites, before confirming the failure of the mission in the latter stages of flight, although specifics are not yet forthcoming.

This was the third launch failure for China in 2020. This follows the loss of Xinjishu Yanzheng-6 satellite on the inaugural launch of the Chang Zheng-7A launch vehicle out of Wenchang on March 16 and the loss of the Indonesian Palapa-N1 communications satellite due to a problem with its Long March-3B/G2 launcher out of Xichang on April 9. Like the Kuaizhou-1A launches, the new launcher is managed by Expace. (7/10)

Mississippi Senators and Reps Oppose Removing Racist Senator's Name From Space Center (Source: Sen. Wicker)
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and Representatives Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., Trent Kelly, R-Miss., and Michael Guest, R-Miss., today issued a statement opposing a new effort to rename The NASA John C. Stennis Space Center. “We strongly oppose any effort to rename the John C. Stennis Space Center. In serving the people of Mississippi and the United States for more than 40 years in Congress, Senator Stennis was known above all as a principled and fair-minded leader with a keen interest in promoting our national security."

"He was also a strong advocate for American leadership in space exploration. As President Reagan noted in his 1988 executive order to rename the facility, the Stennis Space Center would not exist without his strong support for our nation’s fledgling space program and his personal advocacy for the project to the residents of Hancock County. Removing Senator Stennis’s name from the facility he was instrumental in creating would do nothing to advance the cause of justice in our nation.”

From the Wikipedia page on Sen. Stennis: "Stennis was a zealous supporter of racial segregation. He signed the Southern Manifesto, which called for Massive Resistance to the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. He also voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968." (7/9)

Lunar Dust Allergies? (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Scientists are studying if astronauts can be allergic to lunar dust. Some of the Apollo astronauts reported allergy-like symptoms, but it wasn't clear if those were reactions to lunar dust or simply terrestrial allergies. Researchers at the Johnson Space Center plan to test how blood cells react to lunar dust, seeing if they develop reactions like those exposed to terrestrial allergens like pollen and dander. That knowledge will help NASA prepare astronauts for future lunar missions, including adding appropriate medication on future lunar landing missions. (7/10)

Orion: The Right Tool to Go to the Moon (Source: Politico)
I read the Washington Post guest opinion article “Send the SpaceX Dragon to the Moon” and was disappointed to see that even experienced space enthusiasts missed the mark on such a fundamental concept – picking the right tool for the job. As a former Naval aviator, test pilot, two-time space shuttle pilot, and now Lockheed martin's mission director for Orion’s Artemis II, I’ve come to appreciate having the right tool for the job.

Whether I’m outfitting my teammates for their ISS space walks or working with technicians to put the finishing touches on the Orion spacecraft, I’ve learned exactly when and why to trust my life – and that of my teammates – to the hardware, software, and systems built specifically for those missions. A spacecraft is more than a collection of hardware bolted together. Contrary to the iconic scene from “Apollo 13,” we don’t aspire to dumping a box of parts on a table and trying to make it work.

Let’s take the Dragon. You could add more backup computers, strings of communications, the ability to fly for days after loss of air pressure, and the ability to navigate in deep space without GPS and return to the Earth without the help of Mission Control. But it would no longer be a Dragon. It would be some new, untested vehicle that is bigger, heavier, less understood, and less capable than Orion, which the best engineers and scientists from around the world have designed for the sole purpose of opening the Moon and Mars to humanity. (7/8)

Astronauts Bound for Mars Should swing by Venus First, Scientists Say (Source: Space.com)
The roads of human spaceflight all seem to lead to Mars. For decades now, it's been the logical next step after the moon. But if you're an astronaut or a cosmonaut on your way to or from Mars, you might make a surprising pit stop along the way: Venus. A flight to (or from) Mars can happen more quickly and cheaply if it "involves a Venus flyby on the way to or on the way home from Mars," said Noam Izenberg. (7/8)

Northrop Grumman Readies for Maiden Minotaur IV Launch From Virginia Spaceport (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
For the first time in its 10-year flight history, the Minotaur IV rocket is preparing to make its inaugural launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, MARS, on Wallops Island, Virginia. The classified mission from the National Reconnaissance Office, known as NROL-129, will launch sometime within a launch window that opens at 9:00 a.m. EDT on 15 July. Overall, the Minotaur IV has a 10-year launch history spanning six missions to date, with next week’s being the seventh.  All missions have been successful, giving the rocket a coveted and undisputed 100% success rating.

The mission will not only mark the first time a Minotaur IV flies from MARS but also the first time it will be used by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the first time it will fly a classified payload to orbit. At present, it has launch locations at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, Kodiak Island, Alaska, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Virginia — making it one of the most versatile rockets in terms of launch locations in the U.S. fleet. (7/9)

China Launches Commercial Communications Satellite (Source: Space News)
A Long March 3B rocket successfully launched the Apstar-6D communications satellite Thursday. The rocket, lifting off at 8:11 a.m. Eastern from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, placed the 5,500-kilogram satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. The satellite is the first commercial success of China’s enhanced Dongfanghong-4 platform, the DFH-4E, which includes upgraded components to lighten the satellite platform and allow more room for communications payloads. APT Mobile has described Apstar-6D as the first of a global system of three or four satellites for broadband connectivity to aircraft, ships and remote locations. (7/10)

Inaugural Ariane 6 Launch Slips to Latter Half of 2021, Pandemic to Blame (Source: Space News)
The first launch of the Ariane 6 has slipped to no sooner than the second half of next year. ESA confirmed Thursday that the rocket's inaugural flight, previously planned for late this year, will be delayed to the latter half of 2021 at the earlierst, although the agency said it will be a few months before it has a more precise launch date. ESA officials warned in the spring that the pandemic had caused delays for construction of the rocket's launchpad and testing of its solid rocket boosters. There are also reportedly issues with access arms on the launchpad used for loading cryogenic propellants on the rocket. (7/10)

NASA Europa Clipper Instruments to Change Amid Cost/Schedule Issues (Source: Space News)
Cost overruns have led to changes in some instruments on NASA's Europa Clipper mission. NASA officials said Thursday that three instruments with cost and schedule problems went through a "confirmation/termination review" this spring. All three instruments will be retained, but two of them, a camera and mass spectrometer, will undergo changes, including cost caps and revisions to mission requirements. The principal investigator for the mass spectrometer will also be replaced. Europa Clipper is currently scheduled to launch in 2024 on a mission to study Europa, the icy and potentially habitable moon of Jupiter. Project leaders are hoping for a final decision on the mission's launch vehicle, either the SLS or a commercial alternative, by the end of the year. (7/10)

Mars 2020 Spacecraft Mated to Rocket for July 30 Launch (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
NASA's Mars 2020 spacecraft is now mated to its launch vehicle amid coronavirus causes among the launch team. The spacecraft, encapsulated inside its payload fairing, was attached to the Atlas 5 launch vehicle this week ahead of a launch now scheduled for July 30. A NASA official said a couple members of the launch crew tested positive for COVID-19 during launch preparations, which required other people to go into isolation and be tested. That and other issues could cause an additional couple of days of delays, although the launch period for the mission is open through Aug. 15 and could be extended to at least Aug. 17. (7/10)

Ex-Im Bank Targets China Competition (Source: Space News)
The Ex-Im Bank is offering to help American space companies against Chinese competitors. The bank has a new "Program on China and Transformational Exports" that extends loans to foreign buyers of U.S. goods and services at terms comparable to those offered by the Chinese government. The bank had supported sales of U.S. satellites and launchers early last decade, but was sidelined by a lapse in its authorization and a lack of a board quorum that prevented it from approving large deals. Ex-Im officials now see a higher demand for financing for low Earth orbit satellites, especially for Earth observation and remote sensing, as well as for in-orbit servicing and even space tourism. (7/10)

Swamp Watch: NOAA Nominee Opposed Due to 'Sharpiegate" Role (Source: Space Policy Online)
The top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee now opposes the nomination of Neil Jacobs to lead NOAA. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said she reached that conclusion after the release of an Inspector General report on "Sharpiegate," the alleged political influence over National Weather Service forecasts of a hurricane last year. That report found "significant flaws" in the process that led to a NOAA statement on the issue last September, and that Jacobs, the acting administrator of NOAA, "acquiesced in that Department-led process." Jacobs was nominated in December to be NOAA administrator, and while his nomination was favorably reported by the Commerce Committee, Cantwell said she now opposed the nomination and urged other senators to join her. (7/10)

NASA Astronauts and Russian Cosmonauts Perform Habitability Test of Crew Dragon Capsule (Source: Sputnik)
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, who piloted the Crew Dragon, International Space Station Commander Chris Cassidy, and Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin performed the one-hour habitability test of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, NASA said in a press release. "The crew will arrange the cabin to suit the four-space residents and report their comfort levels to engineers on the ground", the release said on Wednesday. The test aimed at assessing the Crew Dragon's habitability ahead of the SpaceX Crew-1 mission planned for later this year, NASA added.

According to the release, the NASA astronauts also made ultrasound eye scans, conducted microfluid studies and did orbital plumbing work. The two cosmonauts, including Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner, performed Russian space research and tested Soyuz crew ship communications gear. NASA plans to use the Crew Dragon capsule to shuttle up to seven passengers to and from the International Space Station, according to SpaceX. (7/9)

NASA Launching First Mars Life-Detection Mission (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA has had a very deliberate, strategic Mars exploration program, with a combination of orbiters and landers and rovers.  The rovers, in particular, were sent to follow up on the things we saw from orbit and some of the big questions we’ve always had about the presence of liquid water on ancient Mars and the possibility of life. Scientists will be scanning for patterns, textures and substances that cannot be readily explained without the influence of life. Every time we see something on the surface of Mars that gets us asking those questions, we go through the list of possibilities. (7/10)

Reaction Dynamics Receives $1.5 Million from Canadian Space Agency for Rocket Engine Development (Source: SpaceQ)
Ushering in a new generation of entrepreneurs, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has provided companies like Reaction Dynamics, who are developing a new hybrid rocket engine, non-repayable contributions in its latest technologies funding round. The funding announcements in the past month by the CSA has amounted to $13.5 million from their Space Technology Development Program. Over the course of the next few weeks we’ll look at some of the companies that received contributions and the technology being funded. Today we focus on Reaction Dynamics. (7/10)

Space Force’s Stopgap Polar Communications System Passes Another Milestone (Source: C4ISRNet)
The U.S. Space Force’s stopgap Arctic communications system has passed another major milestone, with it’s Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) ground system passing a critical design review. A “delta critical design review” of Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization’s (EPS-R) CAPS design was completed on June 25. SMC noted the assessment included three months of review by the government and contractor teams, covering areas of risk, software and hardware requirement traceability, testing, performance, cost and schedule.

Slated to launch in late 2022, the EPS-R payloads will fill a vital gap in providing secure communications for war fighters in the Arctic. The constellation it’s replacing, the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) is not expected to last until the polar components of the Protected Tactical SATCOM and Evolved Strategic SATCOM are fielded in the 2030s, and so EPS-R will serve as a stopgap measure in the interim. Both EPS-R and EPS are effectively the Arctic components of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency constellation. (7/9)

Air Force Announces First Changes From Diversity Task Force (Source: Air Force Times)
The Air Force has launched a task force to look for, and change, policies or procedures unfairly hurting minorities or other underrepresented airmen. The Diversity and Inclusion Task Force is already putting into place increased ROTC scholarship opportunities for minorities, revised regulations on dress and appearance, produced a new video on unconscious bias training, and lengthened the shaving waivers that are most often used by Black airmen.

The task force is looking for problems that can be solved in the near term, and result in quick improvements to the lives of airmen — particularly minority airmen. It is directed by Brig. Gen. Troy Dunn, the Air Force’s director of military force policy. The task force will focus on five areas: culture and policy; education, training and testing; recruiting and accessions; workforce diversity; and aircrew diversity. (7/9)