July 15, 2021

More Local Objection to Near-Final Licensing for Georgia Spaceport (Source: Spaceport Facts)
The FAA plans to issue the long-delayed EIS Record of Decision and a decision on the Launch Site Operator License next week for Georgia's Spaceport Camden. After the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the DoD issued highly qualified letters of concurrence within the past two weeks, and after more than five years, almost all FAA checkboxes have been ticked.

Opponents are still hopeful that the FAA will perform its obligations to protect public safety and the environment from what many recognize is an improperly located spaceport. In a letter to FAA Associate Administrator Wayne Monteith, Spaceport Facts identified numerous, significant deficiencies in the Final EIS, including that property required for the Launch Hazard Zone is owned by Bayer CropScience and contains known waste and hazardous landfills including unstable arsenic. Spaceport Facts argues that this was not considered in the environmental review.

Editor's Note: Assuming the Spaceport Camden license is issued, the Georgia county still faces daunting limitations for they types of rockets and missions that might be launched. Once proposed for Falcon 9 rockets, the EIS currently only allows for a conceptual downsized rocket the size of the original Vector-R, which was never produced. The only rocket that would fit is one with about half the thrust of the Astra 3.x. All others would require an additional EIS and licensing review. Spaceport Camden could become the next Oklahoma Spaceport, licensed and taxpayer supported since 2006 but yet to host a single space launch. (7/15)

Oklahoma's Space Port Eying Commercial Space Travel Possibilities (Source: KWTV)
Richard Branson's trip to the edge of space has Americans looking to the stars and officials at Oklahoma's spaceport say it's the perfect time to launch the state's second largest industry into the final frontier. “It is prime time for the state of Oklahoma to be talking about Burns Flat, Oklahoma again,” Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell said. With a nearly 3-mile-long runway and a designated space flight corridor, Space Port Oklahoma is one of 12 FAA licensed space ports in the United States.

According to Oklahoma Space Development Authority Executive Director Craig Smith, spacecraft have never launched or returned to Earth at the western Oklahoma site. However, he says that day may soon be coming. “About 20 years ago when we established the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority, there were only two entities that were putting anything into space and that was United States and Russia,” Smith said. “I think the difference today is the commercial space industry that is about to launch, literally launch in the United States and around the world,” Pinnell said.

State funding of the space port has ranged from a high of nearly a million dollars in 2003 to $290,000 in 2018. It averages around $500,000 each year. Pinnell said he and Gov. Kevin Stitt make weekly calls attempting to recruit aerospace companies to Oklahoma. Currently, aerospace is the state's second largest industry with more than 1,100 employers. (7/14)

The Billionaires’ Space Race Benefits the Rest of Us. Really. (Source: Washington Post)
Quibblers argued that the short suborbital flight didn’t really count as being “in space.” Pundits lamented that Branson is damaging the environment with unnecessary emissions and wasting resources that could have gone to Earth’s needier billions — a complaint they extend to Jeff Bezos. Author Sim Kern pointed out just how difficult it is to keep someone alive in space for any length of time: “I don’t know if they realize the futility … Or if being a billionaire makes you so delusional that they really think they can buy a Mars colony in their lifetimes.”

I’ll pause to note that the few billionaires I’ve met in my professional life have demonstrated a better-than-average familiarity with reality. They also tend to have a better-than-average familiarity with how innovation works. So they probably understand what their critics clearly don’t: how even a fleeting roller-coaster ride into the Earth’s thermosphere can be an enduring contribution to humanity.

True, at this moment, space flight is not very useful. But one could say the same thing about virtually everything humanity has done since we left our fellow apes behind. History is littered with explorers and colonies that failed, the experimental technologies that blew up in the faces of their inventors — metaphorically or literally. Every human alive today is the unlikely heir of adventurers who were willing to dare despite the odds. (7/13)

ispace Submits “Lunar Industry Vision” to the Government of Japan (Source: iSpace)
ispace joined a consortium of industry, legislators and academia, who collectively form a working group called the Lunar Industry Vision Council, in submitting a report to Japan’s Minister of State for Space Policy Inoue Shinji calling for the government to foster the creation of a lunar business ecosystem in Japan. The report includes 6 industry determinations and 7 recommendations for government in order to form a globally competitive industrial base and to ensure the future success of Japanese companies in the lunar industry. (7/13)

NRO Official Nominated to Lead Space Systems Command (Source: Space News)
The White House has nominated the deputy director of the NRO to lead the new Space Systems Command. President Biden this week nominated Maj. Gen. Michael Guetlein for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commander of the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command. Space Systems Command is a new organization the Space Force will stand up in Los Angeles to oversee the development of next-generation technologies and the procurement of satellites and launch services. It will take over activities led by the current Space and Missile Systems Center and launch wings in Florida and California. (7/15)

DoD's DIU Director Withdraws Bid to Become Undersecretary (Source: Space News)
The director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has withdrawn his nomination to be undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. Michael Brown said he is dropping out due to an ongoing DoD inspector general investigation into personnel practices at DIU that could last up to a year. The DIU is the Pentagon's commercial outreach office based in Silicon Valley that has supported launch and other space startups. (7/15)

Seraphim Starts Trading on London Stock Exchange (Source: Space News)
Space startup investor Seraphim Capital's investment trust started trading on the London Stock Exchange Wednesday. Seraphim Space Investment Trust is initially taking over Seraphim Capital's stakes in 15 of the 19 space technology companies it has invested in, and will add the other four once those companies' own funding activities close later this year. Seraphim raised $250 million through the public listing, which the firm says gives it "the firepower to become really impactful in this market" by investing in more space companies. (7/15)

Yahsat Shares Rise on Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (Source: Gulf Business)
Yahsat shares closed higher on its public debut. Shares in the satellite operator closed up 1.8% Wednesday on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange, after being up as much as 13% earlier in the day. The company sold 40% of its shares in the public listing, the second largest ever in the United Arab Emirates. (7/15)

Planet's SPAC Benefits From ESG Investing (Source: Quartz)
One key angle for Planet’s arrival on the public markets is the rise of ESG investing, short for “Environmental, Social and Governance” rules that investors want to see companies adopt. Mega-asset manager Blackrock, a key advocate of this practice, is among the private investors joining Planet’s SPAC transaction, alongside Google and Salesforce founder Marc Benioff. “BlackRock has said you’re not really an investable company if you don’t track your ESG scores,” Niccolo de Masi, the investor who led the SPAC taking Planet public, said last week. “Planet helps companies do that.” (7/15)

NASA Issues RFP for Commercial Space Stations (Source: Space News)
NASA issued a call for proposals to support development of commercial space stations despite the threat of budget cuts to the program. The Commercial LEO Destinations program will provide up to $400 million, spread over as many as four companies, for initial design work for commercial space stations that could eventually succeed the ISS. Proposals are due in late August. NASA requested $101.1 million for its commercial LEO development programs in its 2022 budget proposal, but a House spending bill would provide less than half that amount, as appropriators question a lack of "clear goals and metrics" for the ISS transition. (7/15)

NASA Prepares 1st Moonbound Orion Spacecraft to Receive its Launch Abort System (Source: Space.com)
NASA's new Orion space capsule is one step closer to returning to space, this time for a mission around the moon. The moonbound spacecraft was moved between buildings at Kennedy Space Center as part of launch preparations for Artemis 1, which is targeting an uncrewed trip around the moon by the end of 2021. The capsule will be integrated with the launch abort system. (7/14)

Astranis Accelerates Production with Four More Small GEO Satellites (Source: Space News)
Astranis has started building four very small geostationary orbit satellites as it gears up to produce dozens and later hundreds of them simultaneously. “This is the beginning of a ramp-up of our production rate,” Astranis CEO John Gedmark said. The San Francisco-based company has placed orders worth more than $30 million with aerospace component suppliers to kick-start manufacturing operations.

Suppliers include L3 Harris Technologies, RUAG Schweiz, Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, Aitech Systems and Moog. Gedmark said three of the four new spacecraft under production have secured a customer, “and we have multiple parties in advanced stages of negotiations for the fourth one.” The company recently said that Arcturus, its first commercial satellite that U.S.-based telco Pacific Dataport Inc. (PDI) plans to lease to provide internet services across Alaska, is entering final assembly for a launch next year on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. (7/15)

Branson Did Not Ride a Bike to His Spaceport America Launch (Source: Reuters)
Virgin Galactic acknowledged on Tuesday that billionaire founder Richard Branson never rode a bicycle to the launch site of his space flight on Sunday, as depicted in a highly publicized video included in the company's webcast of the event. The video clip showed Branson riding his bike toward New Mexico's state-owned Spaceport America near the town of Truth or Consequences, flanked by two SUVs, and handing his safety helmet to an assistant upon arrival.

Branson, 70, is then seen greeting crewmates dressed in their flight suits with a hug, with one of them, Beth Moses, the company's chief astronaut instructor, telling him, “You’re late, hurry up.” On Tuesday, a Virgin Galactic official, speaking anonymously, affirmed to Reuters by text that the video in question was filmed on July 5, the Monday before the flight, and that Branson did not ride his bike at all the day of the launch.

“The footage of Sir Richard Branson shown during the event Sunday was prerecorded and misidentified in the broadcast. We regret the error and any confusion it may have caused,” the official said in a text message. It was unclear whether the disclosure that the Sunday cycling ride was fictional would complicate Virgin Galactic's cross-promotional deal with Wisconsin-based Trek Bicycle Corp. Trek had claimed that Branson rode one of its custom-made bikes to the spaceport on launch day. Editor's Note: No such thing as 'bad publicity' here for Trek. (7/14)

NASA Prepares 1st Moonbound Orion Spacecraft to Receive its Launch Abort System (Source: Space.com)
NASA's new Orion space capsule is one step closer to returning to space, this time for a mission around the moon. The U.S. space agency released photos of the moonbound spacecraft moving between buildings at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of launch preparations for Artemis 1, which is targeting an uncrewed trip around the moon by the end of 2021. On July 10, Orion moved from a payload processing facility to another building where it will receive the launch abort system. (7/14)

First Paying Customer on New Shepard Will Be the Youngest to Fly to Space, Alongside Oldest (Sources: Blue Origin, Ars Technica)
Oliver Daemen will be the first paying customer to fly on board New Shepard, marking the beginning of commercial operations for the program. He will join Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, and Wally Funk aboard the first human flight on July 20. At 18-years-old and 82-years-young, Oliver Daemen and Wally Funk represent the youngest and oldest astronauts to travel to space.

Oliver graduated from high school in 2020 and took a gap year before continuing his studies to obtain his private pilot’s license. This September, Oliver will attend the University of Utrecht to study physics and innovation management. Meanwhile, the winner of Blue Origin’s auction, who has asked to remain anonymous at this time, has chosen to fly on a future New Shepard mission due to scheduling conflicts. It appears that Blue Origin offered the seat to the runner up, hedge fund manager Joes Daemen, who presumably chose to give the seat to his son. (7/15)

FAA: Super-Heavy Infrastructure Construction Complicates Starship Environmental Review (Source: Reuters)
The FAA has warned SpaceX it is building launch infrastructure for its Starship/Super Heavy vehicles at its own risk in Texas. The agency informed SpaceX in May that construction of a launch tower for the Starship vehicle and its Super Heavy booster could "complicate" an ongoing environmental review, and that the company may have to modify or even remove the tower depending on the outcome of that review.

The environmental review is a condition of a launch license the FAA would consider for orbital launches from Boca Chica, since the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle exceeds those vehicles included in the original environmental review of the site. The FAA has not provided a timetable for completing that review. (7/15)

Bezos Donates $200 Million to Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (Source: Space News)
Jeff Bezos overshadowed Blue Origin’s $19 million in grants to space education/advocacy organizations with a much larger one of his own July 14. He is giving $200 million to the National Air and Space Museum that will go toward renovations of the museum and a new educational center. The Smithsonian Institution called the donation the largest single gift it received since its founding by James Smithson in 1846. (7/15)

Former DoD Official to Lead Momentus as New CEO (Source: Momentus)
A former Defense Department official will be the next CEO of Momentus. The company said Wednesday that John Rood, who served as undersecretary of defense for policy from 2018 to 2020, will take over as CEO on Aug. 1. Dawn Harms, who has been interim CEO of the in-space transportation company since January, will return to her original job as chief revenue officer. The announcement came a day after the company settled charges by the SEC that it made false claims about its technology and national security concerns regarding its co-founder and former CEO, Mikhail Kokorich, while negotiating a merger with a SPAC. (7/15)

India Tests Engine for Human-Rated Launch Vehicle (Source: Hindustan Times)
India conducted a successful test of an engine that is part of its human spaceflight program. The Indian space agency ISRO said it completed a third long-duration test of the Vikas engine this week. The test is part of the qualification effort to human-rate the engine, used on the GSLV rocket, for its Gaganyaan program. (7/14)

NASA Pinpoints Cause of Hubble Troubles (Source: NASA)
NASA says it's identified the cause of a computer problem on the Hubble Space Telescope. Technicians believe the payload computer malfunctioned a month ago because of a problem with a power control unit. Spacecraft controllers are preparing to shift to a backup data handling unit with a working power control system, a process that will take several days to complete. If successful, it would allow the telescope to resume normal science operations. (7/14)

ESA is Looking for Canadian Partners for ScyLight Program and HydRON Project (Source: MIST)
SatCan is holding an industry webinar on July 28 so the European Space Agency can present the opportunities available for the ScyLight program and HydRON project. As Canada is an associate member of ESA through the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), opportunities to participate in some ESA projects present themselves from time to time. Currently ESA is looking to gage the interest of Canadian organizations for the Secure and Laser Communication Technology (SciLight) program and the High Throughput Optical Network (HydRON) project as the invitation to tender for these projects is open. (7/15)

Second Launch Facility Licence Granted for South Australia (Source: Hon. Christian Porter)
The Morrison Government continues to support the growth of Australia’s civil space sector, with Commonwealth approval granted for a second rocket launch facility licence in South Australia. The licence, awarded to Southern Launch, will enable the company to establish a sub-orbital rocket testing facility at Whalers Way, 680km West of Adelaide. If tests are successful, the site could be used for much larger orbital rocket launches in the future. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter congratulated Southern Launch on the approval.

The Whalers Way site will initially support a test launch campaign for up to three suborbital rockets. Data will be collected during those launches to measure environmental impacts to assist in determining the site’s viability as a possible launch location for future suborbital and orbital launches. Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo said the approval of the Whalers Way launch facility licence is a strong signal of the nation’s maturing launch capability. (7/14)