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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