November 12, 2021

The Uncomfortable Truths of American Spaceflight (Source: The Atlantic)
There are many, many, many more pressing matters to occupy Americans’ minds than what NASA may or may not be doing, and when. The Biden administration isn’t really talking it up either. Artemis arose during the Trump administration. After NASA officials made clear, to Donald Trump’s annoyance, that they couldn’t pull off a Mars landing before the end of his first term, the president pivoted to the moon, and in 2019 directed NASA to land Americans on the lunar surface in 2024, shaving four years off the agency’s then-goal of 2028.

The Biden administration embraced the Artemis program in February and, until now, NASA had held onto 2024, reworking the previous administration’s promise to take “the next man and the first woman” to the moon to “the first woman and the first person of color.” The White House has barely breathed a word of it all year. President Joe Biden hasn’t publicly name-checked the program, and during a speech at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland last week, Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned only one moon landing—one that happened more than 50 years ago.

But as the new delay shows, it’s not. NASA and its commercial contractors are developing an arsenal of new equipment for these missions—rocket, lander, life-support systems—and they have a tremendous amount of work left to do. The spacesuits that NASA began developing in 2007 won’t be ready until at least 2025. The agency is not entirely starting from scratch—after all, it did this 50 years ago!—but the effort to return to the moon seems almost like a hassle now. So why is America going back at all? Click here. (11/10)

Starlink Reveals Smaller, Rectangular Dish to Connect to Satellites (Source: The Verge)
SpaceX’s internet-from-space initiative Starlink has unveiled a new rectangular dish that interested customers can buy to tap into the company’s growing satellite constellation in low Earth orbit. It’s a thinner and lighter weight option than the circular dish that Starlink beta users have been testing over the last year. In August, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell argued that SpaceX’s new dishes would be much more cost effective. “The ones we will have later this year will cost roughly half of what our current user terminals cost,” Shotwell said. (11/11)

Will Water Bears be the First Interstellar Astronauts? (Source: Universe Today)
When it comes to interstellar missions, there are no plans for crewed missions on the table. While there are proposals for sending robotic missions, sending astronauts to nearby stars and exoplanets simply isn’t feasible yet. However, according to new research led by the University of California, interstellar missions could be conducted in the near future that would have tardigrades (aka. “Water Bears”) as their crew.

The study, titled “The First Interstellar Astronauts Will Not Be Human,” was conducted by researchers from UC Santa Barbara, the UCLA Health Center, the University of Florida, and Ruhr-University Bochum. The team considered how the NASA Starlight program could enable interstellar biological studies using radiation-tolerant microorganisms capable of cryptobiosis. The Starlight program, also known as the Directed Energy Propulsion for Interstellar Exploration (DEEP-IN) and Directed Energy Interstellar Studies (DIES) was founded with funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC). (11/5)

Russia Successfully Tests 'Space Radiation Shield' (Source: Sputnik)
Space radiation may ride roughshod over a satellite's electrical circuits and result in a full-fledged burnout of its onboard systems. This remains one of the main headaches for satellite manufacturers. Specialists from the Russia have successfully tested a miniature device designed to protect the electronic onboard systems of state-of-the-art satellites from cosmic radiation. The "space radiation shield" would be part of "the onboard equipment for advanced navigation spacecraft and next-generation Earth observation satellites of future generations." (11/12)

Astronaut Training in the Land of Volcanoes (Source: Space Daily)
A team of astronauts, engineers and geologists is traveling to Spain's Canary Islands, one of Europe's volcanic hot spots, to learn how to best explore the Moon and Mars during ESA's Pangaea geological training course. This edition's participants are ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, ESA engineer Robin Eccleston and NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins, who is part of the group of NASA astronauts selected to potentially land on the Moon for the Artemis missions, where research on lunar geology will be crucial.

The crew learned how to identify interesting rock samples and traces of life during field trips to the Italian Dolomites and the Ries crater in Germany in September. (11/11)

The Moon's Top Layer Has Enough Oxygen to Sustain 8 Billion People for 100,000 Years (Source: Space Daily)
Alongside advances in space exploration, we've recently seen much time and money invested into technologies that could allow effective space resource utilisation. And at the forefront of these efforts has been a laser-sharp focus on finding the best way to produce oxygen on the Moon. In October, the Australian Space Agency and NASA signed a deal to send an Australian-made rover to the Moon under the Artemis program, with a goal to collect lunar rocks that could ultimately provide breathable oxygen on the Moon.

Although the Moon does have an atmosphere, it's very thin and composed mostly of hydrogen, neon and argon. It's not the sort of gaseous mixture that could sustain oxygen-dependent mammals such as humans. That said, there is actually plenty of oxygen on the Moon. It just isn't in a gaseous form. Instead it's trapped inside regolith - the layer of rock and fine dust that covers the Moon's surface. If we could extract oxygen from regolith, would it be enough to support human life on the Moon? (11/12)

Dragon Docks at ISS With Crew-3 (Source: Space News)
A Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station Thursday evening. The Crew Dragon spacecraft Endurance docked with the station's Harmony module at 6:32 p.m. Eastern, and the four Crew-3 astronauts on board entered the station about two hours later. The spacecraft, launched Wednesday night, approached the station smoothly, with the docking taking place nearly 40 minutes ahead of schedule. (11/12)

Space Force Orders More GPS Satellites From Lockheed Martin (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force ordered three more GPS 3F satellites from Lockheed Martin. The service exercised an option in an existing contract last month for the satellites, at a total value of $737 million. This is the third contract option awarded to Lockheed Martin under a 2018 agreement worth $7.2 billion for up to 22 satellites. The GPS 3F satellites feature several upgrades over the original 10 GPS 3 satellites, including more advanced anti-jamming capabilities and an upgraded nuclear detection detonation system payload. (11/12)

Chinese Firms Advance Rocket Plans (Source: Space News)
Several Chinese launch firms have taken steps towards realizing vehicle plans in recent days. Beijing-based iSpace, the first Chinese private company to launch a satellite into orbit, signed an agreement to establish a subsidiary in the Wenchang International Aerospace City that could potentially lead to iSpace launching medium and heavy-lift reusable launchers from Wenchang.

The country’s first private launch company, Linkspace, has reemerged after a hiatus of nearly two years. It announced it tested an independently-developed electric pump-fed methane-LOX engine named Fengbao-1 as a step towards suborbital launch and landing tests. Galactic Energy, which became China's second private launch firm to place a satellite in orbit in November 2020, is nearing its second launch. (11/12)

Space Force Adviser: Dept of Education Should Join Space Council (Source: Space News)
The Space Force's top enlisted adviser says that the Department of Education should be included on the National Space Council. Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman said Thursday that early education about the value created by space technology should be a national priority, and that could be done by including the education secretary on the council. "How do we have a holistic conversation about what should the 'brand of space' and what are we doing in elementary schools to build that passion?" he said. (11/12)
 
Astra Focused on Launch But Files for Broadband Constellation Too (Source: Space News)
Astra Space says its focus remains on launch even as it files an application for a broadband megaconstellation. The company reported its third quarter financial results Thursday, using the earnings call to explain that it filed the application with the FCC last week for a 13,620-satellite system in order to reserve "incredibly hard to get" spectrum for future use. The company's near-term focus remains on its small launch vehicles, executive said, with the next launch of its Rocket 3.3 vehicle scheduled for some time in the next week from Alaska. (11/12)

Redwire Delays Earning Report (Source: Redwire)
Redwire delayed its quarterly earnings report this week because of a potential accounting issue. The company was scheduled to release its third quarter results Wednesday, but postponed the release and earnings call on short notice. The company later said it discovered late last week "potential accounting issues with a business subunit" that prompted the delay. The company has not announced when it expects to release those financial results. (11/12)

Manber Moves to Voyager, Wilson Moves to Nanoracks (Source: Space News)
Nanoracks has hired a new CEO. The company announced Thursday that it hired as CEO Amela Wilson, who previously held executive positions in aerospace and defense companies, most recently as senior vice president and general manager of Mercury Systems. She succeeds Jeffrey Manber, co-founder and longtime CEO of Nanoracks who is now taking a position at Voyager Space Holdings, which owns a majority of Nanoracks, as president of international and space stations. Nanoracks and Voyager, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, announced plans last month to develop a commercial space station called Starlab. (11/12)

Germany's Morpheus Expands Space Product Line (Source: Space News)
German space propulsion startup Morpheus Space has released a new line of products. The Sphere line includes a new nontoxic propellant, plug-and-play autopilot, space mission software and a web application to help customers view and buy the new products. Propulsion systems remain the core of the company's business, but rather than simply selling components, Morpheus developed a line of products and services to simplify the task of selecting, paying for and using thrusters, including a subscription model for the use of the thrusters. (11/12)

VP Harris: France Could Be Next to Sign Artemis Accords (Source: Washington Times)
Vice President Kamala Harris says that France is interested in signing the Artemis Accords. Talking to reporters Thursday in Paris, Harris said she was "very excited" about the prospect of France signing the accords, which outline best practices for sustainable space exploration. The accords were not mentioned in the statement the White House released after Harris's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, although it did mention "norms, guidelines, principles, and rules for promoting the long-term sustainability of the outer space environment and the security of space activities." Thirteen countries have signed the accords, most recently Poland. (11/12)

Could Kamo'oalewa Be a Moon Fragment? (Source: New York Times)
An object orbiting the sun in the close vicinity of the Earth may be a fragment of the moon. Astronomers discovered Kamo'oalewa, an object 50 meters across, in 2016, finding it in an orbit that keeps it within a few dozen million kilometers of the Earth. Observations of Kamo'oalewa show it has a composition more like the moon than common asteroids, leading scientists to suggest it may be a fragment of the moon ejected in an asteroid impact. The object is the target of a Chinese sample return mission launching later this decade. (11/12)

South Korea to Develop Reusable Rocket with 100-Ton Thrust Engines (Source: Space News)
Starting next year, South Korea will develop a reusable rocket with a cluster of liquid-fueled 100-ton thrust engines. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) will be responsible for its development, though a concrete timetable and other details of the mission are up in the air. A ruling party lawmaker announced the plan Nov. 10. The envisioned engine will be “capable of controlling its thrust with four consecutive reburns,” a function which he said would “significantly slash launch cost.” The lawmaker said the government will carry out two-year preliminary research on the issue, with the budget of 12 billion won ($10.2 million) in hand. (11/12)

Orbital Assembly Corp. Pomotes Space Hotels in LEO for Investment (Source: Space Daily)
Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC) a company focused on becoming the leading large-scale space construction company enabling humanity to work, play and thrive in the space ecosystem announces its crowdfunding equity offering (Regulation CF). OAC plans to use the funding to advance its design and construction teams, marketing initiatives and revenue generating goals around space habitation and construction.

OAC is focused on decreasing the price of launching materials into orbit so that materials and client's payloads will be delivered more cost-efficiently. To facilitate more rapid deployment, the company is building patented robotic assembly systems that are designed to assemble facilities in space many times larger than the International Space Station, while accommodating hundreds of tourists, researchers, and technicians.

Earlier this year, the company validated its Demonstrator Station Truss Assembly Robot (DSTAR) by deploying a football-field long, truss structure that can be assembled in space using robots. In 2023, OAC is scheduled to deploy the PSTAR, a space robotic system to further validate OAC's construction capabilities in low orbit. (11/11)

MDA Awarded Initial Design Phase Contract for Lunar Rover (Source: Space Daily)
MDA has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to undertake a Phase A initial design study for a Canadian Lunar Rover mission to the Moon. As part of the CSA's Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), the Lunar Rover will advance eight key technologies that are foundational building blocks for planetary rovers, including mobility, communications, operations, thermal control for lunar night survival, power generation and storage, and semi-autonomous plus autonomous operations.

The rover will conduct its mission at the South Pole of the Moon, providing the opportunity to explore resources in the permanently shadowed regions, including lunar volatiles and water ice, as well as thermal and radiation safety analysis for future human lunar landings. (11/12)

Supporting Life Beyond Earth Could be Possible Thanks to Graphene Innovation (Source: Inverse)
Advanced manufacturing experts from Manchester have revealed what human life in space could look like – with a graphene-enhanced space habitat developed to meet anticipated demand for human settlements beyond Earth. A community of specialists have teamed up to research the design and manufacturing of space habitats for the space industry.

“A major barrier to scaling up in time to meet this demand is the lack of advanced and automated manufacturing systems to make the specialist structures needed for living in space. One of the space industry’s biggest challenges is overcoming a lack of robotic systems to manufacture the complex shapes using advanced materials.”

The solution is incorporating graphene for advanced structural capabilities, such as radiation shielding, as well as developing and employing a new generation of robotic machines to make these graphene-enhanced structures. This technology has the potential to revolutionise high-performance lightweight structures – and could also be used for terrestrial applications in the aerospace, construction and automotive sectors. (11/4)

Virtual Reality Can Combat Isolation With Awe and Empathy, on Earth and in Space (Source: The Conversation)
The challenges long-duration space travellers experience are not foreign to regular folk, although to a lesser degree. To explore opportunities for supporting future astronauts on their extraplanetary journeys, iSpace Lab at Simon Fraser University collaborated with a research group at Universitätsmedizin Charité in Berlin to create a VR experience designed to elicit feelings of connection.

Self-transcendent experiences are a cluster of phenomena and associated emotional states that are characterized by an increased sense of interconnectedness with the world. Awe is a particular kind of a self-transcendent emotion that can be experienced when witnessing something greater than oneself like standing on a mountain top, impressed by the vastness of a landscape beyond its horizon or witnessing a clear starry night. Awe not only supports our well-being, but also makes us more compassionate and pro-social, and even improves our physical health.

Research investigates the potential of immersive technologies like VR to elicit feelings of connection and support well-being. Together with my colleagues at iSpaceLab, we produced a 30-minute narrated “Earthgazing VR experience” where participants are immersed in a nature scene. We will have the opportunity to study the response to our Earthgazing VR experience in Moscow. The SIRIUS-21 crew will be experiencing this VR experience throughout their mission and they will be recording its effects on their physical and psychological health, stress levels, emotional state and feeling of connection. (10/31)

Hitching Rides on 13 Spacecraft, More Than 600 Humans Have Been to Space (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Transported among the four passengers on SpaceX's Crew-3 launch was the 600th human to make it into space. Three of the four Crew-3 astronauts are space rookies. Based on his mission assignment from NASA, European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer, takes the 600th spot. The flight also took Kayla Barron, the 601st person to space, in that she was the last of the four assigned to the crew in May. No. 599 is mission commander Raja Chari while Dr. Thomas Marshburn punched his first spaceflight ticket in 2009 on STS-127 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour and then again on a Soyuz flight in 2012. This is his third flight.

In all, with SpaceX’s latest, 13 types of spacecraft have made 354 trips to space with humans along for the ride since Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space in 1961.Just since July, five different spacecraft on seven flights have taken 28 people into space. The definition of space includes the lower threshold of 50 miles set by the U.S. Air Force to be considered an astronaut. Others consider 100 km, known as the Karman line, as the altitude needed to have made it to space.

From the 13 spacecraft, four have been created by commercial companies with the other nine from government programs: one from China, three from either the Soviet Union or Russia and five from the U.S. That includes the X-15 rocket powered jet that took eight pilots past 50 miles altitude in the 1960s. (11/12)