November 27, 2021

Starbase Setting the Stage for Ambitious 2022 Launch Campaign (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
SpaceX is lining up a fleet of vehicles for an ambitious 2022 test campaign, opening with the first orbital velocity test in January or February, followed by the potential of around 12 flights during the year. Backing up that ambition is the production cadence at Starbase, with sections for Ship 24 recently spotted while numerous additional vehicle sections – such as a herd of nosecones – are amassing inside the production tents.

The current plan is to fly Booster 4 with Ship 20 on an orbital velocity test, ending with a splashdown landing. The Booster will land in the Gulf of Mexico, while Starship will return around 100 km off the northwest coast of Kauai, Hawaii. Numerous milestones will be undertaken with this first flight of the full-stack Starship vehicle, with the launch under the Booster’s 29 Raptor engines, ascent trajectory control, staging, Starship ignition, and return just some of the highlights. (11/26)

Northrop Grumman Proposes Lunar Rover for Artemis (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
A team of companies led by Northrop Grumman has put forth a proposal for an astronaut-driven lunar rover for the agency’s Artemis Moon program. Earlier this year, NASA asked American companies for input on approaches for surface transportation at the Moon’s south pole by proposing a Lunar Terrain Vehicle, LTV, which would be used for multiple Artemis missions over at least 10 years.

“Most people do a lot of research before buying a car,” said Nathan Howard, project manager for the LTV at NASA’s Johnson Space Center via an Aug. 31, 2021, news release. “We’re doing extensive research for a modern space vehicle that will be provided by industry. As we plan for long-term exploration of the Moon, the LTV won’t be your grandfather’s Moon Buggy used during the Apollo missions.”

The Artemis program LTV will need to operate in extreme environments, drive autonomously, surviving long cold lunar nights and have an open, unenclosed design so astronauts can drive on the Moon while in their spacesuits. NASA expects the design will incorporate advances in electric vehicle capabilities and be able to transport cargo as well as crew. Northrop Grumman, in partnership with ALV, Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Michelin, proposed an LTV design that can support human and robotic exploration of the Moon’s surface and on to Mars. (11/27)

China's Space Program Going Nuclear for Moon/Mars Missions (Source: South China Morning Post)
China is developing a powerful nuclear reactor for its moon and Mars missions, according to researchers involved in the project. The reactor can generate one megawatt of electric power, 100 times more powerful than a similar device Nasa plans to put on the surface of the moon by 2030. The project was launched with funding from the central government in 2019. Although technical details and the launch date were not revealed, the engineering design of a prototype machine was completed recently and some critical components have been built. Secrecy surrounding most Chinese space nuclear reactor programs means there is no government regulation or law on clean-up after an accident. (11/24)

China Successfully Launches Tactical Military Communications Satellite (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
Continuing a recent streak, Friday saw the fourth successful orbital launch from China in one week. This time, the Zhongxing-1D (ChinaSat-1D) satellite was inserted into orbit by a Chang Zheng 3B rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The ChinaSat (Zhongxing) series of satellites, built by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), fall under the communications category. The ChinaSat-1 series is specifically designed for military communications, with the first of this type launched in 2011. (11/26)

Chinese Space Firms Present Big Ambitions at Commercial Space Forum (Source: Space News)
Players in China’s emerging commercial space sector have outlined big plans for the coming years. State-owned defense and space giant China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp., (CASIC), and a variety of private and state-owned companies present updates and plans for the future. CASIC and its subsidiaries are pushing ahead with an 80-satellite narrowband constellation named Xingyun. The satellites are expected to be launched in pairs by Kuaizhou-1A rockets operated by subsidiary Expace.

A presentation from CASIC notably included a statement that a flight test of a turbine-based combined cycle engine had been completed, indicating progress in the company’s plans to develop the Tegnyun spaceplane. The announcement follows cryptic posts from subsidiaries on combined propulsion tests in the Gobi Desert. Beijing-based private firm iSpace also presented plans for a spaceplane at CCAF. The vehicle, still at the concept stage, would launch on a future Hyperbola-3 methane-liquid oxygen launch vehicle and could offer both suborbital and orbital tourist flights.

Deep Blue Aerospace, a startup developing kerosene-LOX reusable launchers, unveiled a plan to build on its in-development Nebula-1 launcher with the Nebula-1H, a three-core rocket which would apparently take a similar approach to SpaceX in its development of the Falcon Heavy from the Falcon 9. (11/26)

India's Govt: Starlink Not a Licensee; Public Asked Not to Subscribe to Service (Source: Live Mint)
SpaceX's satellite broadband arm Starlink is not licensed to offer satellite-based internet services in India. "Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Government of India has pointed out that 'Starlink Internet Services' is not licensed to offer satellite-based internet services in India being advertised to the public."

It has also cautioned the public not to subscribe to the services that are being advertised by Starlink. The Department of Telecom has directed Starlink to comply with the regulatory framework for offering satellite based communication services, and refrain from booking/rendering the satellite internet services in India "with immediate effect". (11/26)

Italy and France Sign Agreement on Space Launchers (Source: Reuters)
Italy and France clinched an accord on Friday to strengthen their cooperation on space launchers as part of a broader bilateral treaty. Among the goals laid out in the bilateral treaty were pledges to reinforce military connections, including at an industrial level, and work together in the space sector. The two countries agreed to work together on liquid and solid propulsion and press ahead with the development of launchers Ariane 6 and Vega C, Italy's innovation minister and France's economy minister said. (11/26)

ESA Helps Greece to Boost its Space Investments (Source: ESA)
Ambitious plans to expand the nascent space industry in Greece – enabling the digital transformation of society while creating jobs and generating prosperity – have received support from ESA. On 26 November, the Ministry of Digital Governance in Greece announced the implementation path to materialise its Greek National Satellite Space Project, with the technical support of ESA. The project is part of the nation’s Recovery and Resilience Facility plans, which aim to enhance Greece’s capabilities in satellite technologies and applications, and to empower the country to exchange satellite data. (11/26)

Space Force and USO Embark on First-Ever Holiday Tour (Source: USO)
U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Roger Towberman, and actor/author Kal Penn, on break from touring for his current memoir "You Can't Be Serious," brought holiday cheer to Guardians and Airmen at two locations, including Thule Air Base – located just 450-miles south of the North Pole. "Our men and women are working day and night to keep Americans safe and ensure space capabilities are always available in support of daily life and the joint force," said Raymond. "Visiting these servicemembers and government civilians is just one small way of showing our appreciation for their dedication to the Space Force mission and to the nation." (11/24)

Promising New Electric Iodine Thruster Passes Key Test in Orbit (Source: Space.com)
A new electric thruster that blasts out iodine has now been successfully tested in orbit, a milestone that could help lead to significantly tinier, simpler, cheaper and higher-performance engines for satellites and spacecraft. Currently, xenon gas is the propellant of choice in electric thrusters. However, xenon is rare, making up less than 1 part per 10 million in Earth's atmosphere. It is also expensive, at about $3,000 per 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram). Moreover, the gas requires bulky pressurized tanks, as well as complex networks of pipes, valves and pumps to shuttle it around a propulsion system.

A possible alternative to xenon that researchers have explored over the past 20 years is iodine, the same element often packaged with table salt and used as an antiseptic. Iodine is cheaper and more abundant than xenon and can be stored unpressurized as a solid that changes directly into a gas when heated, potentially enabling significant miniaturization and simplification. (11/26)