May 16, 2021

Telesat Ready to Move Fast on Selling Spectrum to Fund Lightspeed Constellation (Source: Space News)
Telesat could start a spectrum auction to help fund its $5 billion Lightspeed low Earth orbit constellation “in a couple of months” if Canada’s government approves its proposal, according to CEO Dan Goldberg. Canada is considering proposals on how to release satellite C-band spectrum in the country for terrestrial 5G wireless networks, after a sale in the U.S. raised more than $81 billion.

The Canadian government has plans to sell adjacent spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band by the end of June, suggesting a decision on releasing C-band will come before then to give bidders a better picture of the nearby spectrum environment. Telesat proposes running the sale of its C-band sale itself, much like satellite operators requested for in the U.S. (5/14)

Japan's Axelspace Raises $24 Million in Series C Round (Source: Space News)
Axelspace, the Japanese firm planning to offer daily global optical imagery, raised 2.58 billion Japanese yen ($23.8 million) in a Series C investment round announced May 14 in Tokyo, May 13 in the United States. The Space Frontier Fund managed by Sparx Innovation for Future Co. provided funding alongside other venture capital firms and investment funds managed by Global Brain Corp., Japan Post Investment Corp., Kyocera Corp., Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co. Ltd., Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd. and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Investment Co. Ltd. (5/13)

U.S. Senator: China Landing on Mars a Reminder ‘We Don’t Own Space Anymore’ (Source: Space News)
Just hours after a Chinese rover successfully touched down on the surface of Mars Friday evening, Sen. Angus King (I-ME) said the achievement puts to rest any doubt that China is a rising space power that will challenge the United States. “This landing reinforces the point that we don’t own space any more,” King told reporters after returning from a two-day visit to U.S. Space Command and other military installations in Colorado. King, an independent who caucuses with the Senate’s Democratic majority, is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces. (5/15)

Space Force CO Who Got Holiday Call from Trump Fired Over Comments Decrying Marxism in the Military (Sources: Military.com, CNN)
A commander of a U.S. Space Force unit tasked with detecting ballistic missile launches has been fired for comments made during a podcast promoting his new book, which claims Marxist ideologies are becoming prevalent in the United States military. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier, commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, was relieved from his post Friday over a loss of confidence in his ability to lead

Regarding Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, he said, "I don't demonize the man, but I want to make it clear to both him and every service member this [diversity and inclusion] agenda, it will divide us, it will not unify us....  Since taking command as a commander about 10 months ago, I saw what I consider fundamentally incompatible and competing narratives of what America was, is and should be," Lohmeier said. "That wasn't just prolific in social media, or throughout the country during this past year, but it was spreading throughout the United States military. And I had recognized those narratives as being Marxist in nature."

"My intent never has been to engage in partisan politics. I have written a book about a particular political ideology (Marxism) in the hope that our Defense Department might return to being politically non-partisan in the future as it has honorably done throughout history," he said. Jim Golby, an Army veteran, said Lohmeier's advice to the junior ranks potentially undermines good order and discipline, or DoD policies aimed toward diversity and inclusion. "Or maybe both," he said. (5/15)

The New ‘Right Stuff’ Is Money and Luck (Source: The Atlantic)
American spaceflight is changing fast. In the next decade, any rich businessmen with $55 million to spare could become astronauts. So could the founder of a company that processes credit-card payments, and a physician’s assistant who works with cancer patients. Jeff Bezos could count as an astronaut too. That thought might sound more like an SNL skit than a real future, but here we are. Americans who want to fly to space can skip the long and difficult process of becoming a NASA astronaut. Now all that’s necessary is some combination of money and luck.

Three wealthy people are flying via Elon Musk’s SpaceX to the International Space Station. Another rich entrepreneur purchased a SpaceX flight around Earth for himself and three others, two of which he picked from a raffle and a Shark Tank–style competition. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin plans to start flying customers to the edge of space this summer, and the first passenger will be chosen through a live, open auction, like a thirsty eBay bidding war.

All of this has renewed debate about who counts as an astronaut and who doesn’t. Most people would agree that the professional astronauts who work for NASA are astronauts. But what about NASA administrator Bill Nelson, who flew to space in 1986 as a member of Congress and has since referred to himself as an astronaut? And what about Bezos, who says he wants to try out his own Blue Origin spacecraft someday? Do you have to reach orbit to become an astronaut, or is simply crossing the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space enough to earn the title? (5/16)

India Faces Calls to Shake Up its Military Space Capabilities (Source: Shephard Media)
There is growing demand for India to enhance its space force structure to meet military needs. The security implications of China’s growing capabilities and investment in space are causing serious apprehension in India. Chinese space militarization directly impacts Indian security. Such geopolitical concerns have led the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), essentially a civil space agency, to expand over the years into a military role.

In a move to integrate space assets of the three services – the army, navy and air force – the Defence Space Agency (DSA) became operational in November 2019. India is yet to take steps to beef up the DSA, Ajey Lele, senior fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, told Shephard. There is an urgent need to evolve from a DSA to an Indian space force along the lines of the US Space Force (USSF), he added. (5/15)

ESA Partners with Startup to Launch First Debris Removal Mission in 2025 (Source: Space.com)
The European Space Agency (ESA) announced plans to launch a space debris removal mission in 2025 with the help of a Swiss start-up called ClearSpace. The mission, dubbed ClearSpace-1, will use an experimental, four-armed robot to capture a Vega Secondary Payload Adapter (Vespa) left behind by ESA's Vega launcher in 2013. The piece of space junk is located about 500 miles (800 kilometers) above Earth and weighs roughly 220 lbs. (100 kilograms). (5/16)

NASA Invests $105 Million in US Small Business Technology Development (Source: NASA)
NASA has a long history of supporting America’s entrepreneurs as they develop technologies from ideas to commercial readiness. The agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is furthering that legacy with 140 new Phase II awards to 127 U.S. small businesses that will help them move their innovations to market.

The awards to these small businesses, located across 34 states and Washington, D.C., total $105 million. NASA’s small business program is dedicated to finding the most useful technologies for the agency and the commercial marketplace, and sourcing those innovations from a diverse group of entrepreneurs with different backgrounds and perspectives. The companies chosen for Phase II funding include 33 women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses.

Three Florida projects are among those selected: Mainstream Engineering of Rockledge will continue two projects: "Leak Mitigating Water Loop Connector" and "Cyclone Precipitator Sub-Micron Particulate Separator." In Gainesville, Interdisciplinary Consulting Corp. of Gainesville is developing "High-Temperature, Flat-Pack Optical Pressure Sensors for Combustion Noise Measurement." (5/13)

Jacksonville Aviation Authority Looks for Next Space Program Head (Source: Jacksonville Business Journal)
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is looking for someone well connected in the space industry to oversee Cecil Spaceport — a strategic priority for the organization — but it's not in a rush to fill the position. The job opened up when Todd Lindner was recruited to became CEO of Mohave Air & Spaceport in California in April. The airport hired Jacksonville-based ADK Consulting & Executive Search to fill the managing director vacancy, with applications closing later this month. Here's the ADK position listing (5/12)

Introducing: Vandenberg Space Force Base and Space Launch Delta 30 (Source: Air Force Times)
Vandenberg Air Force Base will become Vandenberg Space Force Base Friday afternoon — the third installation to adopt the new service’s moniker so far. The California base is home to one of two major military launch ranges that ferry satellites and other spacecraft to polar orbit. It also hosts several other military space organizations, including multiple operations units under the Space Force and U.S. Space Command, and testing for the Minuteman III land-based nuclear missiles and the Ground-Based Interceptor missile-defense system.

Vandenberg’s host wing, the 30th Space Wing, is similarly changing its name to Space Launch Delta 30. The shift is in line with other space-focused wings that are part of the Space Force, which is trying to create an identity separate from the Air Force. (5/14)

As SpaceX Ramps Up Activity In The Rio Grande Valley, Local Concerns Grow (Source: Texas Public Radio)
Local activists in the Rio Grande Valley are frustrated with Elon Musk’s SpaceX operation in Boca Chica, just east of Brownsville. Their concerns range from blocked public access to parks and beaches to long-term ecological damage to region-wide gentrification. Local leaders, including Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez, regularly post on social media to announce meetings and tours with SpaceX officials while providing updates to local media about the developing relationship between the company and the region.

In a recent interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Mendez expressed excitement that housing prices in the area were beginning to “shoot up” as a result of SpaceX and the third-party projects that it has already attracted to the area. Those projects include a newly formed out-of-region venture capital firm dedicated to funding space startups and a media channel that will broadcast only news about the space industry. But rocketing housing prices are only the first effect of what many in the Rio Grande Valley see as a coming wave of region-wide gentrification.

Local activists say the enthusiasm that leadership is showing for SpaceX is not balanced with conflicting community interests. Bekah Hinojosa, a longtime resident and a political organizer said the city has been especially difficult to reach to discuss SpaceX, which recently promised a donation of $10 million to revitalize downtown Brownsville. “Right now we’re trying to get an actual city town hall so that way the city and the county will actually hear from the public,” Hinojosa said. “We know that Cameron County and Brownsville are actively meeting with the Elon Musk foundation, meeting with SpaceX officials. The public, we don’t feel heard at all.” (5/12)

Chinese Rocket Debris, Space Junk, Resource Competition Require New Space Diplomacy (Source: Foreign Policy)
Last week, the entire globe nervously gazed skyward, awaiting the uncontrolled reentry of the core booster stage of Beijing’s Long March 5B rocket, which had been launched from China’s Wenchang Space Launch Center on April 29 to deliver a module of its planned Tianhe space station. While the probability that space debris strikes a populated area is always low, the chance is above zero—and it has happened before. This time, we were spared a calamity.

China’s rocket debris reentered over the Indian Ocean and splashed down a few hundred miles west of the Maldives on Sunday. But the seriousness of the situation remains. A similar uncontrolled incident involving a Long March 5B was followed by reports that rocket debris had struck buildings in Ivory Coast. Mercifully, no casualties were reported. These incidents underline the urgency of building out international norms and regulations addressing the dynamics unleashed by the growing list of government and commercial players active in both deep space and low earth orbit. (5/15)

Why the U.S. Needs a Space Czar (Source: Defense One)
When the idea of a Space Czar was mooted in 1960, NASA’s first administrator retorted to the House Committee on Science and Astronautics that the White House was perfectly capable of coordinating the only two relevant federal agencies: NASA and DoD. But today, far more U.S. bureaucratic actors have interests and responsibilities in space policy. The challenges of our era — the accelerating privatization, commercialization, and militarization of space — require better coordination not only across the U.S. government, but between America and the world. The White House’s National Space Council is an important step, but we can increase its Executive Secretary’s bureaucratic and diplomatic clout to make it more effective.

A small change and a smart appointment can help; it’s time for a Space Czar. Aerospace Corp. CEO Steve Isakowitz recently argued that the U.S. needs to implement the “whole of government” approach outlined in the National Space Strategy and establish “a national approach to space safety with clear lanes of authority,” because “responsibility remains fuzzy on emerging regulatory issues.” Other recent reports on U.S. space strategy similarly argue for a national “North Star vision” for space.

For example, space traffic management has become more involved, as more and more entities begin to operate in space, requiring closer attention and organizational and technical adaptations to cope with more congestion. Or take the problem of space debris. As some debris-removal systems can both clean up junk and act as anti-satellite weapons, their development and deployment require not just technical but diplomatic effort. Or take explicit efforts to militarize space. China and Russia, according to a recent report by the nonprofit Secure World Foundation, are “pushing their own initiatives and attempting to seize the diplomatic initiative to advance their own interests” in the space domain. (5/15)

Elon Musk’s “City-State” on Mars: An International Problem (Source: Modern Diplomacy)
In October 2020, Musk, a genius billionaire, quietly declared the independence of a new country on Mars. Musk claimed he will have humans on Mars to start building the new “free” “city-state” by 2026. He also declared the new “country” will not “recognize the laws of Earth.” All three tech billionaires currently face few obstacles to implement their plans. However, one obstacle for all of them will be navigating international law. Musk already appears to be exploiting many soft spots in international politics, which are no competitor to a ruthless tech titan.

Musk’s plans are an urgent international problem that requires a new multi-national solution. Musk is an eccentric guy and not everything he says should be taken seriously. However, it is clear Musk is serious about bringing humans to Mars. In 2017 and 2018, he published detailed plans for settling Mars.  In October 2020, Musk published a terms of service agreement for beta customers of his new Starlink wireless internet service. The agreement included a very specific note about the governance of Mars.

In Starlink’s “Pre-Order Agreement,” under “Governing Law,” the contract states: “For Services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities. Accordingly, Disputes will be settled through self-governing principles, established in good faith, at the time of Martian settlement.” (5/15)

Rocket Lab Launch Failure Causes Loss of BlackSky Satellite, But Recovery of First Stage (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from the shores of New Zealand on May 15 but suffered an unexpected anomaly during staging. The Electron rocket assigned to fly the 20th mission of the type flew without problem until stage separation. The first stage made its way back to earth via parachute before splashing down into the Pacific Ocean. It was then recovered by what Rocket Lab refers to as ‘ORCA’, or Ocean Recovery and Capture Apparatus.

The second stage, carrying two BlackSky earth observation satellites, briefly ignited its engine but shut down unexpectedly seconds later, leaving the second stage and its payload spinning out of control, resulting in a loss of payload. While it is too early to identify the reason for the second stage’s failure, the company will spend the next several days analyzing telemetry and downlink data to hopefully find a probable cause for the second stage’s failure. (5/15)

Jay Barbree, Veteran NBC Space Reporter, Dies at 87 in Florida (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Jay Barbree, a longtime space reporter for NBC who began covering U.S. rocket launches before there even was a NASA, has died at age 87, the TV network announced Friday night. Barbree covered his first launch from what’s now known as the Kennedy Space Center in 1957; NASA wasn’t created until 1958. NBC said that Barbree covered more than 166 human spaceflight missions, from the Mercury program to the space shuttle’s days. (5/14)

15th Launch of the Year for SpaceX, as B1058 Flies Again on Rideshare Mission (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from LC-39A at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport on Saturday. A daytime, weekend launch was a welcome sight on the Space Coast, with the Falcon 9 launch visible for miles around. The rideshare mission for SpaceX carried 52 Starlink satellites, a Capella Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, and the Tyvak-0130 on board. Falcon 9 booster B-1058 made its eighth trip to space, following a thirty eight day turnaround.

SpaceX fleet drone-ship ‘Of Course I still Love You’, supported by GO Quest, recovered the first stage 620km downrange. Of note, the SpaceX video feed from the returning booster remained crisp and uninterrupted by any signal or energy interference – this is believed to be a first. The mission brings the total number of Starlink satellites to 1,685, of which 1,614 are still orbiting. (5/15)

'Nine Minutes of Terror' as China Lands Spacecraft on Mars (Source: Sky News)
China Space News said there was "nine minutes of terror" as the landing module entered the martian atmosphere, decelerating and slowly descending to the surface. A solar-powered rover called Zhurong, which is about the size of a small car, will now survey the landing site before conducting inspections. It is named after a mythical Chinese god of fire and is equipped with six scientific instruments, including a high-resolution topography camera. A ground-penetrating radar is set to look for signs of ancient life and sub-surface water and ice.

America's Perseverance rover successfully touched down in February in a huge depression known as Jezero Crater, which is about 1,242 miles (2,000km) away from Utopia Planitia. Another spacecraft launched by the United Arab Emirates is currently orbiting above Mars and is gathering data on its weather and atmosphere, but is not designed to make a landing. The Soviet Union landed on the planet in 1971, but the mission failed after the craft stopped transmitting information soon after touchdown.

According to Xinhua, China is "not looking to compete for leadership in space," but is committed to "unveiling the secrets of the universe and contributing to humanity's peaceful use of space." (5/15)