June 22, 2021

Students Showcase Aerospace Concepts in 2021 RASC-AL Forum (Source: NASA)
NASA’s 2021 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts – Academic Linkages (RASC-AL) competition culminated in a virtual forum June 15-17 when university team finalists presented their space mission designs to NASA leaders and industry judges.

Taking home top prize, University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez presented their concept for Discovery and Endeavour – Ceres Interplanetary Pathway for Human Exploration and Research (DECIPHER). The University of Texas at Austin took second place overall for their concept for Regolith-Volatile Extraction and Return Expedition (ReVERE). These teams receive a travel stipend and presentation slot to present their concepts to aerospace industry professionals at the 2021 ASCEND Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada Nov. 15-17, 2021. (6/18)

Russian, US Scientists Spar Over Causes of Astronauts' Headaches (Source: Sputnik)
US astronauts on board the International Space Station have been complaining of headaches, with Russian and US scientists divided on whether an increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the station's atmosphere is the reason, according to a fresh report by Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

"NASA put forward in 2008 requirements to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in response to subjective complaints from some astronauts about headaches at agreed CO2 levels of 5-6 millimeters of mercury column. At the same time, no medical examination of the crew was carried out to determine the possible causes of the headache", the report said, as cited in the training centre's scientific magazine.

Though the level of CO2 has since been gradually reduced as requested by the US side, astronauts continue to complain of headaches, with the current concentration at less than 3 millimeters of mercury, the report said. (6/22)

UAE's Yahsat Going Public (Source: Space News)
Satellite operator Yahsat will go public later this year. The Emirati company, owned by UAE state investment company Mubadala since its founding in 2007, will list 30% of its shares on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in the third quarter of this year. Mubadala will remain the majority shareholder after the public listing. Yahsat said the public offering will allow the company to invest in new technologies it says are needed for future growth. (6/22)

Launch Deal Puts Ex-Im Bank Back in the Space Business (Source: Space News)
The Ex-Im Bank has financed its first space deal in six years. The U.S. export credit agency announced Monday it secured $80.7 million in financing, through either a loan or loan guarantee, for a SpaceX launch of Hispasat's Amazonas Nexus satellite. Ex-Im had been a major backer of commercial satellite and launch deals for years, but was sidelined for several years by a lapse in its authorization and then a lack of a quorum on its board. (6/22)

Medium-Orbit Sensors Offer Sweet Spot for Missile Defense (Source: Space News)
Satellites in medium Earth orbit could be a part of a multi-layered missile defense system. The U.S. Space Force last month selected Millennium Space Systems and Raytheon to design sensors that can track hypersonic missiles from medium Earth orbit. Those sensors, if they demonstrate their capabilities in 18 months of testing, could be added to a mix that includes existing SBIRS satellites in geostationary orbit as well as a proposed missile-tracking constellation in low Earth orbit. Sensors in medium orbits may provide better sensitivity than those in GEO and have a wider field of view than those in LEO. (6/22)

Dust is Weakening InSight Mars Lander (Source: Space News)
Dropping power levels on NASA's InSight Mars lander could force the mission to end next year. Dust accumulating on the lander's solar panels has drastically reduced the amount of power they generate, a problem compounded by Mars nearing the furthest point in its orbit from the sun. Efforts to clean the panels have met with only modest success so far. The project's principal investigator warned Monday that unless the panels' performance improves, power levels may drop to levels by mid-2022 that are too low to operate the lander. (6/22)
 
Sentinel-6 Ocean Science Satellite Goes Operational (Source: ESA)
A U.S.-European ocean science satellite is now operational. The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, launched last November, has completed commissioning and is now providing data on sea levels for scientists, succeeding the Jason-3 spacecraft. The spacecraft is part of a joint venture involving NASA and NOAA in the United States and ESA, the European Commission, Eumetsat and the French space agency CNES in Europe. (6/22)

France to Provide Cameras for UAE Lunar Rover (Source: Khaleej Times)
France will provide cameras for the UAE's first lunar rover. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre announced Monday that CNES will deliver two cameras for use on its Rashid lunar rover. One camera will provide panoramic landscape views while the other will examine lunar regolith. Rashid is scheduled to launch next year on a lunar lander developed by Japanese company ispace. (6/22)

Signs of Venus Tectonics From Magellan Data (Source: New Scientist)
The surface of Venus may be made of huge blocks that are still moving today. Scientists analyzing data from the Magellan radar mapper mission three decades ago identified 58 surface structures they called "campi" ranging in size from 100 to 1,000 kilometers across. Modeling of the planet's interior suggests these campi are formed by molten rock moving under the surface, which can cause the blocks to move against each other. Scientists involved in the study say it's evidence that Venus is geologically active today. (6/22)