March 5, 2021

NASA Hikes Prices for Commercial ISS Users (Source: Space News)
NASA has sharply increased the prices it charges commercial users of the International Space Station for cargo and other resources, a move that has left some companies confused and frustrated. NASA announced Feb. 25 that it was revising the commercial marketing pricing policy it first published in June 2019 as part of a new low Earth orbit commercialization strategy. That policy, which set aside a fraction of station resources for commercial applications beyond research and development, included a price list for resources for cargo to and from the station and crew time to carry out work.

By removing the subsidy, the prices of those services went up significantly. The cost to transport one kilogram of cargo up to the station, known as “upmass,” went from $3,000 to $20,000. The cost to bring that one kilogram back down from the station, “downmass,” went from $6,000 to $40,000. One hour of crew member time, previously $17,500, is now $130,000. The sudden change in prices, which took effect immediately, took some ISS users by surprise. (3/4)

Creator of the First Private Spaceport in Russia Complained About the Bureaucracy (Source: RIA)
The construction of the first private cosmodrome in Russia is being hampered by bureaucracy, Pavel Pushkin, general director of the CosmoKurs company, told RIA Novosti.A cosmodrome and a reusable suborbital space complex were planned to be built in the Nizhny Novgorod region, but, according to Pushkin, the project has been suspended. "Nothing is coordinated on the cosmodrome. Everyone is nodding at each other. We have worked a lot on technology, but in such conditions we have stopped work," the agency's source said.

He said that a year ago the company agreed with the authorities of the Nizhny Novgorod region that, first of all, the sanitary protection zones of the cosmodrome would be coordinated. The corresponding project was sent to the Nizhny Novgorod institute of Rospotrebnadzor, from there to the FMBA, and then to the federal Rospotrebnadzor, but no response has yet been received. According to Pushkin, the regional ministries refuse to help, and Roscosmos cannot do anything, because the coordination of the environmental standards of the cosmodrome is not its specialty. (3/4)

What Blue Origin Has in Store for its Demo on the Moon (Source: Politico)
Blue Origin, which assembled a national team to compete for NASA’s lunar lander, is one of three companies selected last year to begin designing and building vehicles to bring astronauts to the moon. But it plans to do more than prove its concept on the demo mission ahead of delivering astronauts, Brent Sherwood, vice president of Advanced Development Programs at Blue Origin, tells us, by laying the cornerstone for a lunar outpost.

The Demonstration Cargo Landing mission, which will land less than 100 meters from where NASA intends to land crew, will carry a ton of cargo, allowing the space agency to preposition supplies for subsequent missions. And the lander itself is being designed to act as a node for power, Wi-Fi and other communications, Sherwood said. “Our approach is to commission Artemis base camp on that very first demonstration mission,” said Sherwood. “That enables the first crew a year later to be landing at the beginnings of a base.”

Blue has teamed with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper. (SpaceX and Dynetics also both won design contracts for the program.) The company is also aiming for more than just NASA missions. Because the lander will have built-in power, computers and telecommunications, it’s well-suited for potential commercial customers who want to work on the moon’s surface, Sherwood said. (3/5)

Massive ‘Space Hurricane’ Captured Spinning Over Earth for the First Time (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
While Florida is no stranger to hurricanes at ground level, the Earth once experienced a 620-mile-wide “space hurricane.” That’s what researchers were calling a phenomenon that formed over the North Pole in 2014 captured for the first time by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. Instead of wind and rain, though, the “space hurricane” was whipping around electrons. Made up of plasma, the vortex spun counter-clockwise and lasted about eight hours, according to the research compiled by scientists from the University of Reading and Shandong University in China. (3/4)

Some Warm to Nelson for NASA (Source: Politico)
The space community seems to be warming to the prospect that former Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida may be nominated to lead NASA. “I’ve heard agreement on the value of his connectivity to the president and his connectivity to the Hill,” Mike French, vice president of space systems at the Aerospace Industries Association, described the sentiment among member companies. “I think that’s a widely shared view, how that can be very helpful to the agency.”

Nelson, who flew aboard the space shuttle, was also instrumental in writing the 2010 NASA authorization bill, which set the framework for the pioneering programs that now deliver cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station relying on commercial providers, French added. NASA declined to comment on any pending nomination. (3/5)

Agile Space Industries Testing and Now Building 3-D Propulsion Systems (Source: Politico)
Agile Space Industries is trying to do for propulsion what SpaceX did for launch, the company’s chief executive officer, Jeffrey Max, tells us. The company has existed for more than 10 years as a place for organizations such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies and NASA to test their propulsion platforms, but about three years ago it began building its own propulsion systems with additive manufacturing. And 3-D printing will allow the company to offer prices 40 to 60 percent lower than traditional companies, Max said, adding “that’s what SpaceX did for launch.”

An idea can be on the test stand in just 48 hours, he explained. “We can evaluate test results, modify the design, do a reprint, get back onto the test stand in another 48 hours,” he said. “This rapid iteration and rapid and design development is … really revolutionary. [The industry would] normally spend several months machining parts and hoping it works.”

This rapid testing ability was an important selling point for Astrobotic, which selected Agile last month to build the propulsion system for its Griffin Mission One, which will deliver a lunar rover to the moon in 2023 under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. “When we claimed that to Astrobotic, they were like, ‘Yeah, whatever.’ Then they came to the facility and we showed them and they were like, ‘OK, done, you got this.” (3/5)

SpaceX: More Risks, Better Rockets? (Source: Space Daily)
A prototype of SpaceX's unmanned rocket Starship exploded on Wednesday, the third time a test flight ended in flames. The mishaps may seem like disasters but experts say these incidents are part of the spaceship's development, and even, in a way, beneficial. The repeated test launches are possible due to SpaceX's status as a private company.

"To the best of my knowledge, Elon is using his own money for the Starship tests. Thus he doesn't have to answer to NASA, the Congress or anyone but his own shareholders," said G. Scott Hubbard, who previously worked for NASA and now chairs the SpaceX Commercial Crew Safety Advisory Panel. Meanwhile NASA depends on Congress for its budget, and ultimately answers to the American taxpayer. SpaceX is free to take more risks.

"In the development phase of a project it's much better to try something quickly," McDowell said. "Once you put people on the rocket of course you need to change the approach, but at this stage SpaceX is doing exactly the right thing," he said. Added Lightsey: "By accepting more risk and potential for failure as a privately held company, SpaceX and other companies like it are disrupting the space industry." (3/5)

China's Tianwen-1 Probe to Land on Mars in May or June (Source: Space Daily)
China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 is traveling at a speed of 4.8 km per second in the Mars orbit, and is expected to land on the red planet in May or June, a senior space expert said on Thursday. The probe is functioning normally and has sent home China's first high-definition images of Mars, which contain a large quantity of scientific information, said Bao Weimin, director of the Committee of Science and Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

The probe will survey the topography of the pre-selected landing area and conduct weather observation along the flight routes to avoid dust when landing on Mars, said Bao, who is also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. (3/5)

Mission Commander Thrives as 'Space Gardener' (Source: Space Daily)
NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins' enthusiasm for learning to grow plants in space has proven fruitful for the agency's Vegetable Production System (Veggie). The Expedition 64 crew member, who arrived at the International Space Station in November 2020 aboard NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 for a six-month science mission, has tended to multiple plant experiments on station.

Astronaut Kate Rubins had already started growing the first of two crops of radishes in the Advanced Plant Habitat when Crew-1 arrived, and Hopkins quickly started assisting with the radishes. He harvested the second crop on Dec. 31, and the space station's crew were able to eat the freshly harvested radishes. On Jan. 4, Hopkins initiated two experiments, VEG-03I, which involved the first successful plant transplants in space, and VEG-03J, which featured the use of new seed film developed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (3/5)

Florida Ends Up With Three Members on House Space Subcommittee (Source: SPACErePORT)
Membership on the House Space Subcommittee has been established by both Democratic and Republican caucuses. The subcommittee now includes Republicans Bill Posey and Daniel Webster, and Democrat Charlie Crist. (3/5)

Rumor Mill: National Space Council Will Continue (Source: SPACErePORT)
Sources say it appears that the Biden administration will retain the National Space Council as an organization responsible for coordinating interagency space policy. Unless its structure is changed, the NSC would be led by Vice President Kamala Harris. (3/5)

DoD Space Development Agency Seeks Proposals for 150-Satellite Constellation (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon's Space Development Agency (SDA) will solicit proposals later this year for up to 150 satellites to be launched in late 2024. Derek Tournear, director of SDA, said Thursday he expected the call for proposals for the "Tranche 1" satellites will be issued in August, with multiple companies selected before the end of the year. The SDA is building a fleet of satellites in low Earth orbit that includes a Transport Layer of data-relay satellites and a Tracking Layer of sensor satellites to detect and track missiles. The specifics of the Tranche 1 procurement, such as what sensors and capabilities these satellites will have, are still being hashed out, Tournear said. (3/5)

Whitesides Moves Further From Virgin Galactic Operations (Source: Space News)
The longtime CEO of Virgin Galactic, who moved to a new position at the company past year, is stepping down. George Whitesides is leaving Virgin Galactic as its chief space officer, but will continue to chair its Space Advisory Board established last month. Whitesides joined Virgin Galactic as CEO in 2010, and moved into the newly created post of chief space officer last July when the company hired Michael Colglazier as its new CEO. His departure is part of a broader change in the company's leadership, which included the recent hiring of a new CFO, president of aerospace systems and vice president of engineering. (3/5)

Virgin Galactic Chairman Sells Personal Stake (Source: Bloomberg)
The chairman of Virgin Galactic has sold his personal stake in the company. Chamath Palihapitiya sold 6.2 million shares in the company this week for $213 million. He sold another set of shares worth nearly $100 million last December. Palihapitiya became chairman of Virgin Galactic when the company merged with Social Capital Hedosophia, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) he founded. He also made a $100 million personal investment in Virgin Galactic as part of the merger. Palihapitiya has become one of the most prominent advocates for SPACs in general, creating several more such "blank check" companies. (3/5)

Justice Department Subpoenas SpaceX Over Hiring Dispute (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX is fighting a Justice Department subpoena about its hiring practices, calling it "the very definition of government overreach." The Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights unit filed the subpoena as part of a probe started last year after a job applicant who is not a U.S. citizen was rejected for a position there. SpaceX is objecting to the subpoena, which seeks detailed records of the company's hiring, saying it is "excessively overbroad." The company said it didn't base its decision not to hire the applicant because of his citizenship but instead because the company was "unimpressed" with him, and ultimately decided not to fill the position at all. A federal court hearing about the subpoena is scheduled for later this month. (3/5)

California's Vandenberg AFB Expects More Launches in 2021 (Source: Noozhawk)
Vandenberg Air Force Base is expecting more launch activity this year after a quiet 2020. Col. David Rickards, director of staff for the 30th Space Wing and Western Range, said Thursday that Vandenberg hosted only five launches in 2020, four of which were tests of Minuteman missiles. That was the slowest pace of activity "in decades," he said, but anticipates more activity this year, including launches as soon as next month by ULA's Delta 4 Heavy and Firefly Aerospace's Alpha. Rickards said he expects the base to be formally renamed Vandenberg Space Force Base in the near future, with the 30th Space Wing becoming Space Launch Delta 30 by the end of the summer. (3/5)

Space Force Seeks Feedback on Rank Insignia (Source: Air Force Times)
The Space Force is seeking input on its new rank insignia designs. The service is conducting what it calls a "scientifically designed survey" of its enlisted personnel, asking for feedback on a set of designs of new rank insignia. Several designs are offered, including one similar to that used by the Air Force and others that incorporate design elements from other services. The Space Force announced earlier this year that its rank structure will follow that of the Air Force, other than replacing "airman" used in some enlisted ranks with "specialist." (3/5)

American Express Ventures Invests In Boom Supersonic (Source: Simple Flying)
One of the world’s best-known brands has teamed up with Denver-based startup Boom Supersonic. Amex Ventures, a venture capital arm of American Express, is investing in Boom Supersonic. Boom is busy developing a supersonic plane called the Overture. Earning Amex miles on Overture’s first flights? It’s a whole new way to look at the American dream. (3/5)

New Incentive Fund Seeks to Diversify Northwest Florida (Source: Great Northwest)
Northwest Florida has a new $10 million economic development incentive fund called the Industry Resilience and Diversification Fund (IRDF). Companies can receive grant awards up to $2 million to grow their operations in the region. Click here. (3/5)

Bezos Overtook Musk in February to Become the World's Richest Person Again (Source: CNN)
Jeff Bezos has reclaimed his title of world's richest person, ending Elon Musk's roughly six-week reign atop the list. Musk lost about $4.5 billion Tuesday after Tesla shares fell 2.4%, which was enough to knock him to second place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranking. Bezos' net worth also fell as the broader stock market lost a bit of ground -- but his loss wasn't as extreme, only taking a hit of about $372 million. The index currently says Bezos is worth $191 billion compared to Musk's $190 billion. (2/17)

Global Alliance for International Collaboration in Space Plans 2021 Space Congress on Mar. 18-19 (Source: GALIX)
GALIX is being established to enable all countries of the world — both developed and developing — to more effectively pursue and realize the benefits of space. This will involve establishing new institutional, financial, and regulatory practices to help advance collaboration in the development of new space technologies and systems that can benefit all of humankind. A March 18-19 GALIX Inaugural Congress event seeks to expand and diversify international collaboration in space.

The development of space programs often focuses on new space technologies and hardware. Yet the ‘softer parts’ of this enterprise — space policies, regulation, law, education, training, safety and environmental standards, institutional development, and global collaborative arrangements — are also critical for holistic space enterprise that ultimately could help reduce the costs, enhance the benefits, and accelerate timetables for space missions. This latter emphasis is the focus of the GALIX Inaugural Space Congress 2021. Click here. (3/1)

Aerion Backlog for AS2 Hits $10 Billion (Source: Reuters)
Boeing-backed supersonic jet maker Aerion said on Wednesday Berkshire Hathaway’s private aircraft firm, NetJets, has obtained purchase rights for 20 of its AS2 business jets. The AS2 will be powered by engineered synthetic fuel and can reach supersonic speeds of up to Mach 1.4, or about 1,000 miles (1,610 km) per hour, which is 50% faster than conventional business jets, Aerion said.

Production of the jets will begin in 2023 at the firm’s Aerion Park facility in Melbourne, Florida, with the first 300 AS2 aircraft planned for the first decade of production, the company said. The company said it will also develop a supersonic flight training academy for civil, commercial and military supersonic aircraft in collaboration with Berkshire’s professional aviation training provider, FlightSafety International. (3/3)

Failure to Build the Workforce is Bad for Business (Source: Future Aviation Aerospace Workforce)
It is difficult to pin down the actual number of workers needed for the different segments of the aviation/aerospace industry because some segments of the industry simply do not track future workforce requirements. Complicating this is the fact many reports are years old, compounding the confusion from different studies telling us different things.

For instance, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) assesses the state of the workforce annually in partnership with the American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA) and Aviation Week & Space Technology (AvWeek). However, it does its workforce projections only periodically, with the last published in 2017. On the other hand, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) does not track future workforce needs and the AIA/AIAA projections do not include GAMA needs.

That leaves us without concrete goals since we don’t know how many people will be needed or how many we need to move from not knowing what they want to do to aviation/aerospace. The conclusion is universal, failure to build the workforce needed is bad for business and increasing automation will not make a difference. (3/2)

AFRL, NORTHCOM Eye Commercial Internet Satellites For Arctic (Source: Breaking Defense)
Northern Command is working with Air Force Research Laboratory to test commercial SATCOM capabilities in the Arctic, Air Force officials say — a key part of NORTHCOM head Gen. Glen VanHerck’s new strategy for beefing up joint operations in the ever-more contested far north.

“Communications is incredibly challenging north of 65 [i.e., the 65th parallel] in the Arctic. We’re working with Congress and Space Command and others. I’m encouraged by where we’re going,” NORTHCOM commander Gen. Glen VanHerck told the Air Force Association’s winter meeting Friday. “We’ll have communications capability up there within the next year or so — not only communications capability that that benefits the military, it’ll benefit industry and the civilian partners as well as the Navy in the Alaskan region and across Canada. (3/3)

Hubble Solves Mystery of Monster Star's Dimming (Source: NASA)
The red hypergiant VY Canis Majoris — which is far larger, more massive, and more violent than Betelgeuse — experiences much longer, dimmer periods that last for years. New findings from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope suggest the same processes that occurred on Betelgeuse are happening in this hypergiant, but on a much grander scale.

"VY Canis Majoris is behaving a lot like Betelgeuse on steroids," explained the study's leader, astrophysicist Roberta Humphreys of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. As with Betelgeuse, Hubble data suggest the answer for why this bigger star is dimming. For Betelgeuse, the dimming corresponded to a gaseous outflow that may have formed dust, which briefly obstructed some of Betelgeuse's light from our view, creating the dimming effect. (3/4)

South Korea’s Kencoa Aerospace Expands Space Business in U.S. with New Capital (Source: Space News)
Kencoa Aerospace Corp., a South Korean aircraft assembler and parts supplier that has NASA, SpaceX and Blue Origin as clients, is planning to expand its U.S. parts manufacturing plant in Georgia. The company raised 30 billion won ($26.6 million) in February by issuing convertible bonds to domestic institutional investors and will use a third of the newly raised fund for the expansion of its Eastman, Georgia-based affiliate, Kencoa Aerospace LLC, said a Kencoa investor relations manager.

It has another affiliate, Los Angeles-based California Metal & Supply Inc., producing special materials and alloys for space rockets, engines and other products. Kencoa established its U.S. footholds through a pair of 2017 acquisitions. Kencoa made headlines in late February after announcing its first rocket engine supply deal with Blue Origin. Under the contract, Kencoa Aerospace LLC will produce parts for Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engines. (3/4)

NASA Awards Mars Ascent Propulsion System Contract for Sample Return (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded the Mars Ascent Propulsion System (MAPS) contract to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation of Elkton, Maryland, to provide propulsion support and products for spaceflight missions at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Coupled with the successful touchdown of the Mars Perseverance rover, this award moves NASA and ESA one step closer to realizing Mars Sample Return (MSR), a highly ambitious planetary exploration program that will build upon decades of science, knowledge, and experience of Mars exploration. 

The cost-plus, fixed-fee contract has a potential mission services value of $60.2 million and a maximum potential value of $84.5 million. Work on MAPS begins immediately with a 14-month base period, followed by two option periods that may be exercised at NASA’s discretion. In the next steps of the MSR campaign, NASA and ESA will provide components for a Sample Retrieval Lander mission and an Earth Return Orbiter mission. The Sample Retrieval Lander mission will deliver a Sample Fetch Rover and Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) to the surface of Mars. (3/4)

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