April 23, 2021

Biden's Climate Focus Presents Opportunity/Challenge for NASA (Source: Space News)
A new emphasis on climate change by the Biden administration presents opportunities and challenges for NASA. The White House has made climate change a priority, and in its fiscal year 2022 budget proposal added $250 million to NASA's Earth science program to accelerate work on a new generation of satellites to support climate change studies. NASA has also added a senior climate adviser position to promote NASA's work in the field and to coordinate with other agencies and organizations. However, the agency was left off the original roster of the White House's new National Climate Task Force, and was only added weeks later. NASA's role in climate initiatives included in the White House's infrastructure plan also remains uncertain. (4/23)

LeoLabs Activates Costa Rica Radar for Satellite/Debris Tracking (Source: Space News)
LeoLabs says its latest radar used to track objects in Earth orbit is now operational. The Costa Rica Space Radar is the fourth radar the company has installed worldwide, which together gives the company complete coverage of low Earth orbit. The Costa Rica radar operates at S-band, allowing it to track objects smaller than 10 centimeters. LeoLabs says it will continue to establish radars around the world to provide additional observations. (4/23)

Albedo Raises $10 Million for Imagery Satellite Constellation (Source: Space News)
A startup planning a constellation of ultra-high-resolution satellites has raised a seed round. Albedo said Thursday it raised $10 million in a seed funding round led by Initialized Capital. Albedo plans to operate a fleet of refrigerator-size satellites to gather electro-optical imagery with 10-centimeter resolution and thermal imagery with two-meter resolution. The company says the funding will go toward hiring more engineers and working on its first satellite. (4/23)

OQ Technology to Launch 5G IOT Satellite (Source: Space News)
A company working to connect internet of things devices to 5G technology using satellites signed a launch deal with Spaceflight. OQ Technology will launch its first satellite this year, followed by another no later than next year. The deal includes six more satellites scheduled for launch through 2022. NanoAvionics is building a 6U cubesat for OQ Technology. The company has been running tests on satellites owned by Denmark's Gomspace, demonstrating narrowband spectrum capabilities on the 3GPP standards used by terrestrial wireless providers. The company plans to offer services for customers that do not need more than a few updates from sensors per day. (4/23)

India's Latest COVID Wave Impacts ISRO (Source: The Hindu)
The Indian space agency ISRO is taking new precautions amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the country. ISRO centers in the Indian state of Kerala have shifted to telework for all but the most senior personnel as a second wave of the disease hits the region hard. The effect of this new wave of the pandemic on upcoming launches and other major programs is not clear, with one satellite launch scheduled for this month already delayed because of technical issues. (4/23)

Germany Plans Experiment on Astrobotic's Peregrine Lunar Lander (Source: DLR)
The German space agency DLR will fly an experiment on an American commercial lunar lander. DLR said Thursday its M-42 radiation detector will fly on Astrobotic's Peregrine 1 lunar lander, scheduled for launch late this year. The sensor will measure levels of galactic cosmic radiation on the lunar surface, and is identical to sensors embedded in two mannequins that will fly on the Orion spacecraft on the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission. (4/23)

Why We Should Be Spending More on Space Travel (Source: TIME)
Let’s stipulate one thing: there’s absolutely no reason for us to go to space. It does nothing to feed us, to clothe us, to protect us, to heal us. It’s dangerous and hideously expensive too, a budget-busting luxury that policy makers and administrators have spent decades trying to defend—always unsuccessfully because the fact is, there’s no practical defense for it. So stand down the rockets, take down the space centers, pocket the money and let’s move on. Still want the adventure of going to space? That’s what they make movies for.

Now that we’ve established that, let’s stipulate the opposite: Space is precisely where the human species ought to be going. We accept that we’re a warring species. We accept that we’re a loving species. We accept that we’re an artistic and inventive and idiosyncratic species. Then we surely must accept that we’re a questing species. Questing species don’t much care for being stuck on one side of an ocean and so they climb aboard boats—indeed they invent boats—to cross it. They don’t much care for having their path blocked by a mountain and so they climb it for no reason other than finding out what’s on the other side. Accept that, and you can’t not accept that we have to embrace space.

Look at the old footage of the global reaction to the Apollo 11 moon landing. Watch the worldwide relief when the Apollo 13 crew—three people the vast majority of the planet had never met—made it home safely. Consider the reaction today when a rover lands on Mars or a spacecraft whizzes past Pluto or a pair of women aboard the space station perform the first all-female spacewalk. Yes, we can live without traveling to space. Indeed, we did perfectly well over all of the millennia that preceded April 12, 1961. We can meet most of our needs when we stay on Earth—we can raise our families and earn our salaries and feed our bellies. But we feed something less literal, more lyrical when we extend ourselves as far as we can. (4/12)

Senator: Arrival of New Rocket in Florida Heralds New Beginning for Space (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Florida is home to the second highest number of aviation and aerospace sector businesses in the nation. With more than 17,000 aerospace-related companies employing over 130,000 Floridians, it is easy to see why the industry is so important to our economy. Together with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, this sector serves as a prominent economic engine. In 2019, NASA alone accounted for 33,093 direct and indirect jobs and had an economic impact of approximately $6 billion throughout the state.

As we push forward into the next great era of space exploration, there is incredible opportunity to grow and expand here in Florida, where so many of the greatest moments in space history have taken place. In fact, we’re embarking on the next step in our space journey right now as the Space Launch System (SLS) prepares to launch on its first mission. SLS is the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, even bigger than the storied Saturn V.

Florida must continue to cultivate our space program, and I am proud of the work we have accomplished in the Legislature to ensure that our workforce, whether recent graduates or transitioning service members, is ready to meet current and future industry needs. This endeavor can be achieved on multiple fronts. As part of a cost-effective approach, we are using resources currently in place to bolster Florida’s space program. The growth of Florida’s workforce is integral as we identify existing programs that aid in uniting employers with Floridians eager to contribute to the mission at hand. (4/22)

Florida Legislators Seek Non-Voting Seats on Space Florida Board (Source: Florida Politics)
Florida legislators will rejoin the board of Space Florida under a bill approved by the state Senate Thursday. The legislation would add one senator and one representative to the 13-member board of directors of the state space development organization. They would serve in an ex officio capacity, participating in meetings but not voting. Legislators were part of the Space Florida board until 2010, and they say it's important to be included on the board for oversight and to ensure cooperation. (4/23)

It’s Dinner Time on the Space Station. Lobster or Beef Bourguignon? (Source: New York Times)
A French astronaut who leaves Earth these days does not leave French food behind. On Friday morning, Thomas Pesquet, a French astronaut with the European Space Agency, is to launch on a SpaceX rocket with three other astronauts to the International Space Station. Here are some of the foods that Mr. Pesquet will enjoy during his six-month stay in orbit: lobster, beef bourguignon, cod with black rice, potato cakes with wild mushrooms and almond tarts with caramelized pears.

“There’s a lot of expectations when you send a Frenchman into space,” Mr. Pesquet said during a European Space Agency news conference last month. “I’m a terrible cook myself, but it’s OK if people are doing it for me.” Space cuisine has come a long way since Yuri Gagarin, the Soviet astronaut who in 1961 was the first to reach space, squeezed puréed beef and chocolate sauce from toothpaste-like tubes. The food for John Glenn, who 10 months later became the first American in orbit, was not any tastier. He swallowed some apple sauce.

Nowadays, astronauts get to share the culinary creations of their countries, and the world’s space agencies are showing that while life in space is hectic, an astronaut should at least be able to enjoy a quality meal now and then. That’s why Mr. Pesquet and his crewmates aboard the station will get to dine on dishes prepared by three separate French culinary institutions. “Obviously, all my colleagues are expecting good food,” he said. (4/22)

SpaceX Launches Crew of Four to ISS, Recovers Booster (Source: Space News)
SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft with four astronauts on board Friday morning, heading toward the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 lifted off at 5:49 a.m. Eastern and released the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit 12 minutes later. The spacecraft, flying a mission called Crew-2, is carrying NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide to the station for a six-month stay. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station at about 5:10 a.m. Eastern Saturday. (4/23)

China Rocket Prepped to Launch New Space Station's First Module (Source: Space News)
China rolled out the rocket Thursday that will launch the first module of its space station next week. The Long March 5B rocket is now on its launch pad at the Wenchang spaceport on the island of Hainan for a launch expected to take place April 29. The rocket will launch the 22-ton Tianhe core module of China's space station, placing it into a 370-kilometers orbit. The module will provide regenerative life support and living space for three astronauts as well as propulsion to maintain the orbit of the entire complex. If the launch is successful, China will launch a cargo spacecraft to the station in May and the Shenzhou-12 crewed mission in June. (4/23)

Space Force Picks Boeing and Northrop Grumman for Jam-Resistant Satellites (Source: Space News)
The Space Force selected Boeing and Northrop Grumman to provide jam-resistant communications payloads. The Space and Missile Systems Center awarded Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman contracts for $191 million, $240 million and $253 million, respectively, last year to design prototype payloads for the Protected Tactical Satcom (PTS) program. However, only Boeing and Northrop will go to the next phase, developing payloads to be launched to space in 2024 on a military or commercial satellite for an on-orbit demonstration. The PTS prototypes will be evaluated by the Space Force as possible solutions for its next-generation secure communications satellites. (4/23)

DARPA Increases Blackjack Satellite Funding for Lockheed Martin (Source: Space News)
DARPA added $27.3 million to a Lockheed Martin contract for satellite integration work for the Blackjack program.DARPA selected Lockheed Martin a year ago as the satellite integrator for Blackjack, a project to demonstrate a network of small satellites in low Earth orbit for military communications, missile warning and navigation. The new contract modification includes the integration of the various Blackjack components into a launch vehicle for on-orbit testing. The Phase 2 addition to its contract brings the total value to $40.4 million. (4/23)

New SEC Rules Slow SPAC Acquisitions (Source: Space News)
A new accounting rule has slowed the wave of special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deals, including for the space industry. The SEC now says that warrants, which give investors the option to buy shares at specific prices in the future, need to be classified as liabilities instead of equity instruments in a company's accounting books. It is already prompting some space companies to redo paperwork, clogging up accountancy firms that are being overwhelmed by filings from other sectors. While this change affects all SPACs, one analyst warns that space companies could feel the effects of a slowdown in SPAC deals more strongly than other sectors since space is seen as particularly risky. (4/23)

The Senator and the Commander (Source: Space News)
If NASA is to truly explore Mars and its mountains, astronauts need flexibility and mobility not offered by the heavy and bulky suits that carried the Apollo astronauts to the moon. We envision astronaut athletes, modular life support systems, advanced cheetah-like robotic scouts, and team members on earth immersed in near real-time scientific data. Our focus is just one piece of a vast, complex, and expensive undertaking to land human boots on Mars and beyond.

Leading NASA requires political and policy expertise to gain congressional support for projects that, as visionary as they are, won’t come to fruition for a decade or more. While I served as deputy administrator of NASA under President Obama and Vice President Biden, I worked closely with Sen. Bill Nelson. He co-authored with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson the 2010 NASA Reauthorization Act, which set NASA on its current path of significant investments in the nascent commercial space sector, including SpaceX, through disruptive public-private partnerships. Though it was initially met with skepticism by many lawmakers, Nelson created bipartisan support and through passage of the act secured billions in funding.

Leading missions to other worlds, enabling scientific discoveries, investing in innovation and technology, and realizing breakthroughs in aeronautics requires experience, expertise, and vision to successfully manage thousands of NASA and private sector employees and multibillion dollar projects, especially when the lives of explorers are on the line. There is no one that understands this better than Col.  Melroy, a veteran of Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, who has logged more than 6,000 hours of flight time in more than 50 different aircraft. (4/22)

Moon Missions Generate $42 Billion Over Next Decade (Source: SpaceWatch Global)
Moon missions will generate more than $42 billion of revenue for the international space sector, NSR newest Moon Markets Analysis report found. The report forecasts 140 Moon Missions launching over the next decade to generate $42.3 billion, NSR said. Major growth areas include orbital and surface infrastructure building. NSR sees 68% of the total market revenues  to be generated by 2030 and dominated by lunar surface missions. The new report also forecasts the future revenue opportunity for lunar transportation, communications, remote sensing to equal $3.5 billion between 2020-2030. (4/22)

Northrop Grumman Wins $2.3B Deal to Maintain Aging Minuteman III ICBMs (Source: UPI)
Northrop Grumman was awarded a $2.3 billion contract for the propulsion system maintenance of the Minuteman III missile system. The contract, which runs through 2040, calls for "sustaining engineering support and program management support services for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBM] propulsion subsystem," according to a Tuesday night contract announcement. It follows announcement of a $13.3 billion contract between Northrop Grumman and the Air Force, in December 2020, for the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the ICBM system meant to replace the aging Minuteman III. (4/21)

Meet the 'Blobs', French Astronaut Thomas Pesquet's Unusual Space Companions (Source: Raw Story)
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet is due to lift off Friday for his second stay aboard the International Space Station. This time around he is taking four "blobs" with him, strange single-celled organisms that are neither plants nor animals nor funghi. The aim is to study how their behaviour in space is affected by microgravity.

During the Alpha mission, which is scheduled to last six months, Pesquet will carry out numerous scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The programme includes observing how astronauts sleep in space, growing a plant, moving an object with an "acoustic clamp" and also taking care of four blobs, the unicellular organisms that have long fascinated the scientific community.

Blob, or physarum polycephalum, its scientific name, is a living species difficult to classify: it is neither animal, plant, nor fungus. Composed of a single cell and several nuclei, it is one of the few unicellular organisms visible to the naked eye and its yellow colour gives it the appearance of an omelette or cheese gratin. (4/21)

SpaceX and OneWeb Spar Over Satellite Close Approach (Source: Space News)
An alleged close approach between satellites from OneWeb and SpaceX led to a meeting between the companies and the FCC, but the companies don’t completely agree on what resulted from that discussion. OneWeb said in April that they had to move OneWeb-0178 to avoid a close approach with SpaceX's Starlink-1546 as the OneWeb spacecraft was raising its orbit. OneWeb said that initial estimates of the potential conjunction provided by the U.S. Space Force projected that the two satellites would come within about 60 meters of each other, with a 1.3% chance of a collision

OneWeb asked SpaceX to turn off the automated collision avoidance system on Starlink-1546, which SpaceX did, and OneWeb then performed a maneuver of OneWeb-0178 on April 3. By the time of the maneuver, though, the probability of a collision had already become insignificant based on refined orbital data. “In other words, the probability of collision was already below any threshold that required a maneuver and kept dropping,” SpaceX stated. The actual close approach, based on Space Force data, was 1,120 meters.

“SpaceX expressed its disappointment to the [FCC] that OneWeb’s officials chose to publicly misstate the circumstances of the coordination,” SpaceX stated in a filing. “SpaceX was therefore grateful that OneWeb offered in the meeting with the Commission to retract its previous incorrect statements.” OneWeb, though, has yet to make such a retraction. OneWeb spokesperson Katie Dowd referred SpaceNews to OneWeb’s own FCC filing on April 21, in response to the one from SpaceX. “OneWeb made no such offer to retract any previous statements made to the press,” the company said. (4/22)