April 22, 2021

UrtheCast Assets Acquired for EarthDaily Analytics Venture (Source: Space News)
A private equity firm has acquired assets of Canadian remote sensing company UrtheCast and formed a new company. Private equity firm Antarctica Capital has formed a Canadian optical satellite imagery provider called EarthDaily Analytics after buying parts of UrtheCast that sought creditor protection last year to avoid bankruptcy. EarthDaily aims to use these assets to start building a constellation in the middle of this year, aiming to be operational before the end of 2023. The company declined to comment on the constellation design or suppliers, but said it is optimized for automated processing in the agriculture market. (4/22)

MOXIE Produces Oxygen on Mars (Source: Space.com)
A payload on the Perseverance Mars rover has produced oxygen for the first time. The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, or MOXIE, experiment on the rover converted carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere into 5.4 grams of oxygen in a one-hour run this week. MOXIE is intended to demonstrate in-situ resource utilization technology that could be used for future human missions to Mars, generating oxygen for life support and propellant uses. (4/22)

Proxima Centauri Flares (Source: University of Colorado)
Astronomers observed a record-breaking flare from the star closest to our sun. Ultraviolet observations of Proxima Centauri detected a flare that caused the star to briefly brighten by a factor of 14,000 at those wavelengths. The star, about one-eighth the mass of the sun and 4.25 light-years away, has at least one planet in its habitable zone, but astronomers caution that the flare they observed would make that planet inhospitable to life as we know it on Earth. (4/22)

Nelson Breezes Through Confirmation Hearing, Pledges to Accelerate Next Lander Competition (Source: Space News)
Former senator Bill Nelson breezed through a confirmation hearing Wednesday for his nomination to be NASA administrator. Nelson got a warm reception from former colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee, none of whom showed any reservations about him being the next leader of NASA. The committee's chairwoman, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), did raise concerns about NASA's decision to award a single Human Landing System contract last week, but Nelson said he would work to accelerate competitions for later lander services. The committee is expected to report the nomination to the full Senate next week. (4/22)

NASA Not Concerned About Russia's ISS Comments (Source: Space News)
NASA is not publicly concerned about recent Russian comments regarding abandoning the International Space Station partnership as soon as 2025. Asked about those comments Wednesday, NASA Acting Administrator Steve Jurczyk said NASA has a "really strong relationship" with Roscosmos, but noted he had not had any recent discussions with the Russians about their plans. The head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, said a module that was being developed for the Russian segment of the ISS in the mid-2020s would be repurposed as a core module for a Russian space station slated for completion in 2030. (4/22)

Space Command Chief Questioned on HQ Location (Source: Space News)
The head of U.S. Space Command faced sharp questioning about plans to relocate the command's headquarters to Alabama. During a House Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) challenged Gen. James Dickinson, head of Space Command, to explain how a costly relocation of the command's headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville made any sense. Dickinson said that while Space Command has close ties to other military space organizations in Colorado, if it has to move to Alabama it could continue to do its job without major disruption. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) challenged claims that the basing decision was politically influenced, and Dickinson said he had no direct knowledge of political interference in the decision to move Space Command to Huntsville. (4/22)

Space Force Procurement Reforms Won't Come Overnight (Source: Space News)
Procurement reforms sought by the Space Force will take time to implement because of the slow pace of culture change.Gen. David Thompson, vice chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, said Wednesday that he is optimistic the new Space Systems Command will push to accelerate the transition from legacy programs to innovative products and services now offered by the private sector. However, he warned changing from the traditional business model of acquiring hardware to buying commercially provided space services is going to take time and will require a cultural shift, as procurement officials balance risks. (4/22)

China Orbiting 400 Satellites, Heading for 1,000 by 2030, Says US Space Command (Source: Sputnik)
China now has 400 satellites in orbit, second only in number to the United States and it is projected to have at least one thousand of them deployed by the end of this decade, Space Command chief Army General James Dickinson said in congressional testimony on Tuesday. "Back in 2010 they had 70 satellites in orbit: Today they have 400," Dickinson told the US Senate Armed Services Committee. He further projected that Beijing would have deployed "about 1,000" satellites in earth orbit by 2030. (4/21)

China Plans National Megaconstellation for Broadband (Source: Space News)
China is proposing a national satellite megaconstellation with 13,000 spacecraft. Recent comments by senior officials indicate they will alter earlier constellation plans by space sector state-owned enterprises and possibly make these part of a larger "Guowang" or "national network" satellite internet project. ITU filings last year revealed plans to construct two similarly named "GW" LEO constellations totaling 12,992 satellites. Two broadband constellations, Hongyan and Hongyun, proposed by Chinese state-owned corporations will be altered as part of this project. (4/22)

NASA to Participate in Tabletop Exercise Simulating Asteroid Impact (Source: Space Daily)
JPL's Center for Near Earth Object Studies will lead the hypothetical impact scenario to see how international agencies respond to an actual impact prediction. During the week of April 26, members of NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) will participate in a "tabletop exercise" to simulate an asteroid impact scenario.

The exercise depicting this fictional event is being led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), allowing NASA's PDCO and other U.S. agencies and space science institutions, along with international space agencies and partners, to use the fictitious scenario to investigate how near-Earth object (NEO) observers, space agency officials, emergency managers, decision makers, and citizens might respond and work together to an actual impact prediction and simulate the evolving information that becomes available in the event an asteroid impact threat is discovered.

The fictitious impact scenario will occur during the 7th IAA Planetary Defense Conference, hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in cooperation with ESA, starting April 26. At several points in the conference program, leaders of the exercise will brief participants on the latest status of the fictitious scenario and solicit feedback for next steps based on the simulated data that is "discovered" each day. These type of exercises are specifically identified as part of the National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan developed over a three-year period and published by the White House in June 2018. (4/22)

NASA Study Predicts Less Saharan Dust in Future Winds (Source: NASA)
During 2020, global average surface temperatures were the hottest on record, tying with 2016 as the warmest recorded year. Last year was also the most active hurricane season to date, with many storms quickly intensifying. Temperature and weather systems each interact with, and are influenced by, a multitude of Earth systems, each affected by the warming climate. One of those is the global transport of massive dust plumes from one continent to another.

In June 2020, a “Godzilla” dust plume travelled from the Sahara, the planet’s largest, hottest desert, across the Atlantic ocean to North America. While this eye-catching plume made headlines, NASA scientists, using a combination of satellite data and computer models, predict that Africa’s annual dust plumes will actually shrink to a 20,000-year minimum over the next century as a result of climate change and ocean warming. (4/19)

Arianespace to Launch More OneWeb Satellites This Week (Source: Space Daily)
The next Arianespace mission is planned from Vostochny Cosmodrome with Soyuz on April 26, to deliver 36 OneWeb satellites into orbit. This will bring the total OneWeb fleet to 182 satellites in Low Earth Orbit. Arianespace is proud to share in the fulfilment of its customer's ultimate ambition: providing internet access for everyone, everywhere. (4/21)

Surprise! NASA Artemis Lunar Program Schedule Likely to Slip Again, 2024 Landing Unlikely (Source: Parabolic Arc)
The latest in a series of updates from NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) says that despite making significant progress on the $86 billion Artemis program, the space agency’s schedule for returning astronauts to the moon in four years is likely to slip.

“Nonetheless, the Agency faces significant challenges that we believe will make its current plan to launch Artemis I in 2021 and ultimately land astronauts on the Moon by the end of 2024 highly unlikely,” the update said. The uncrewed Artemis I mission will likely slip into next year due to the “complex and time-consuming process” of integrating the Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft and Exploration Ground Systems for the first time at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the report said. (4/20)

Space Command Views Orbital Congestion and Debris as a Major Concern (Source: Space News)
The head of U.S. Space Command told lawmakers Tuesday that the growing amount of satellites and debris in low Earth orbit is a major concern. Gen. James Dickinson told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that congestion in space, mostly fueled by commercial activity, could create safety problems if it's not managed. U.S. Space Command currently tracks about 32,000 objects on orbit, including more than 3,400 active satellites, with a growing number of commercial satellites. Dickinson warned that "explosive growth" in smallsat constellations "will further stress our existing space surveillance networks." (4/21)

Lockheed Martin Drops Momentus for NASA Demo (Source: Space News)
Lockheed Martin dropped Momentus as a partner on a NASA technology demonstration mission. Lockheed won a NASA Tipping Point contract last fall to demonstrate liquid hydrogen storage technologies in orbit, and at the time said Momentus would provide a ride for the payload on its Vigoride transfer vehicle. But in an SEC filing earlier this month, Momentus said that Lockheed "decided not to proceed with Momentus as their partner" on that project. Neither company would provide additional details. Momentus is dealing with a number of government reviews associated with concerns about its foreign ownership, while also working on a merger with a SPAC, Stable Road Acquisition Corporation. (4/21)

Canada Proposes Ground Station Upgrades and Earth Observation Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Canadian government is proposing funding upgrades to ground stations and starting work on a new Earth observation satellite system. The 2021 federal government budget released this week offers 80 million Canadian dollars ($64 million) over the next 11 years to replace or expand aging ground-based infrastructure to receive satellite data. The budget also includes 9.9 million Canadian dollars for the Canadian Space Agency to start planning for the next generation of Earth observation satellites. That system would be the successor to the Radarsat Constellation Mission launched in 2019. (4/21)

Firefly's Polyakov Seeks Vertical Integration for Space Services (Source: Space News)
Ukrainian entrepreneur Max Polyakov says he wants to create a vertically integrated space business. His Silicon Valley-based investment vehicle Noosphere Ventures Partners founded satellite imagery venture Earth Observation Data Analytics and acquired launch vehicle company Firefly Aerospace out of bankruptcy. Polyakov said in an interview that Noosphere is pursuing vertical integration, from launch vehicles to satellite data analysis, to lower costs for customers interested in integrated solutions. He also took a skeptical view of the recent surge of space SPAC deals, calling it a bubble that could have some negative effects on the space industry. (4/21)

Frontier Aerospace Raises Funds for Propulsion System Development (Source: Space News)
Frontier Aerospace has raised a "multimillion-dollar" investment from American Pacific Corp., a subsidiary of private equity firm AE Industrial Partners. Frontier will use the funding, the specific amount the companies declined to disclose, to expand its staff and testing operations for developing propulsion systems. Frontier is unusual for a space industry startup because it has not sought outside investment, relying on contracts to fund its growth since the company was founded in 2014. (4/21)

New Zealand's Astrix Raises Funds for Lightweight Solar Arrays (Source: Stuff.co.nz)
A New Zealand startup working on a new kind of solar array has raised a seed round and won support form Rocket Lab. Astrix Astronautics, founded by three students at Auckland University, raised half a million New Zealand dollars ($360,000) to support work on lightweight solar arrays that are deployed using an inflatable structure. That technology is designed to lower mass and complexity for small satellites. Rocket Lab has allowed Astrix to test that technology in a vacuum chamber in its factory, and an Astrix prototype will launch later this year on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket. (4/21)

RBC Raises $1.2 Million for Ground Station Services (Source: GeekWire)
RBC Signals has raised $1.2 million to meet growing demand for its ground station services. The funding, which the company characterized as a "late seed" round, brings the total raised to date by the company to $3.2 million. RBC primarily offers ground station services by using excess capacity on a network of stations owned by others, and the company says the funding will allow it to support an "uptick in demand" it sees for its services. (4/21)

The Great VG Sell-Off - Virgin Galactic Shares Fall as Another Major Investor Sells (Source: CNBC)
Shares in Virgin Galactic tumbled Tuesday after a space-themed exchange-traded fund (ETF) sold off part of its stake. ARKX, the space exploration ETF run by Ark Invest, sold half its shares in the company. It did not disclose why it sold the shares in Virgin Galactic, which now ranks near the bottom of the 39 companies and funds ARKX owns. Shares in Virgin Galactic, which earlier this year traded above $60 per share, closed down 6.6% Tuesday at $20.98. (4/21)

For ESA, a Satellite Collision-Avoidance Maneuver Every 2 Weeks. In 2020, Half Were to Avoid Other Active Satellites (Source: Space Intel Report)
The European Space Agency's space safety office performs around 25 collision-avoidance maneuvers with its satellites every year and has no reason to believe this will improve. The 22-nation ESA's report on satellites in low Earth orbit found that in 2019, 80% of retiring satellites that needed to maneuver to be able to deorbit within 25 years did not do so.

Russia to Pull Out of International Space Station in 2025 (Source: Financial Times)
Russia will withdraw from the International Space Station in 2025, the head of its space programme said on Wednesday, in a move that would sever one of the most prominent and long-lasting areas of co-operation between Moscow and Washington. The US and Russia jointly launched the ISS in 1998 in what was seen as a major step to rebuild ties between the cold war adversaries that had spent more than four decades competing with each other for extraterrestrial supremacy.

The decision to pull out of the ISS, which orbits 420km above the earth, may also imperil co-operation between Russia and the European Space Agency. Since Russia and the US launched the original segments of the ISS, the ESA and space agencies of Japan and Canada have provided modules that have enlarged the station and astronauts to man it.

While their collaboration has survived rapidly souring terrestrial relations between Russia and the west over the past decade, recent years have seen a number of clashes with the US over their competing space activities. Russia’s decision to abandon the ISS within four years also comes as Moscow looks instead to China as a partner for its future space ambitions. Dmitry Rogozin said abandoning its section of the ISS would allow Moscow to launch its own space station by 2030. (4/21)

Final Puzzle Piece for Artemis I Rocket Set for Trip to Kennedy Space Center (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The Artemis I rocket NASA plans to send to the moon will finally be getting its largest piece when the Space Launch System core stage makes its way to the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Prime contractor Boeing has signed off on the stage after going through a full hot fire test last month, the completion of eight “Green Run” tests at NASA’s Stennis Space Center to make sure the 212-foot-tall piece of hardware with four engines converted from the Space Shuttle program would be set to make the flight to the moon.

Earlier this week, the core stage was lifted out of the B-2 Test stand and readied for its upcoming horizontal journey by water. The next step is for NASA to schedule transport of the core stage via its Pegasus barge to KSC, where it will be stacked in the Vehicle Assembly Building with the rest of the SLS components including the external boosters and Orion capsule already on site. The barge trip will take six days through the Gulf of Mexico. (4/21)

ISS sets its Research Scope on Longer Space Missions (Source: Space Daily)
Detect harmful radiation, pilot a rover module, learn better sleep and body maintenance: astronauts aboard the International Space Station are preparing for future missions even further afield -- from the Moon to, one day, Mars. The latest arrival of four more astronauts to the ISS, due to blast off aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida on Thursday, will open the door for new experiments aimed at priming humans for long-distance space travel.

"We're trying out technologies for exploration," said Remi Canton, director of Cadmos, the division of France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) undertaking 12 new experiments. Whether it is humans revisiting the Moon for the first time since 1972 or eventually travelling as far as the Red Planet, the challenges are overwhelming. (4/21)