January 11, 2022

SpaceX Confirms Shift to Starship for Deploying Starlink Deployment (Source: Space News)
SpaceX says it plans to rely on its new Starship vehicle for deploying the second generation of its Starlink constellation. SpaceX said in a filing with the FCC that it no longer proposes to launch the 30,000 satellites of that Starlink Gen2 system using its Falcon 9, which would have required far more launches than the larger Starship. That constellation is separate from its first-generation Starlink system that the company is now deploying, which is authorized for 4,408 satellites. The FCC has not yet approved SpaceX's plans for Starlink Gen2, but SpaceX asked the FCC to expedite approval now that it has settled on the use of Starship to launch those satellites.

The proposed Starship configuration, which SpaceX had earlier said was its preferred option, comprises 29,988 satellites at altitudes of between 340 and 614 kilometers across nine inclined orbits. The now-abandoned Falcon 9 configuration would have spread 29,996 satellites across 12 orbital inclinations, at altitudes between 328 and 614 kilometers. Amazon and other SpaceX rivals had called on the FCC to dismiss the amended plan, saying requesting permission for more than one configuration encourages speculative application behavior from future constellation operators.

Editor's Note: Unless SpaceX intends to launch these Starship missions from Florida (and even if they do), this could result in a steep drop in Florida's annual launch rate. (1/11)

Biden Nominates Whitworth to Lead NGIA (Source: Space News)
President Biden nominated U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth to be the next director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). Whitworth currently serves as director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. NGA provides geospatial intelligence, or data derived from satellites, to the Defense Department, the intelligence community and homeland security agencies. (1/11)

Spare Parts Shortage Could Hinder Increased Launch Cadence at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Spaceports (Source: Space News)
A lack of spare parts for some range equipment could hinder projections of growing launch activity at two launch sites. A report by the Pentagon's inspector general found that 28% of range equipment at the Eastern and Western Ranges lacked spare parts, often because the equipment was obsolete and the companies that produced them are no longer in business. A lack of spare parts has not affected launches in recent years, but the Space Force is projecting a sharp increase in launches at both ranges in the next five years, driven by commercial activity.

The Space Force is working on range modernization efforts to address the concerns in the report, a project called Range of the Future. “It’s an unfortunate name,” said Col. James Horne, deputy director of launch and range operations for Space Systems Command at Patrick Space Force Base, at the Global Spaceport Alliance meeting. “We believe that it’s the ‘range of the now.’ There’s so many things that we’ve done just to enable the current surge we’re seeing in launch.” (1/11)

Russian Debris Hits Chinese Satellite (Source: Space News)
A piece of debris from a Russian launch hit a Chinese satellite last year. China’s Yunhai-1 (02) satellite, launched in 2019, suffered a breakup event in March 2021. The U.S. Space Force concluded that Yunhai-1 (02) collided with a small, mission-related debris object from a Zenit-2 launch vehicle that launched the Russian Cosmos 2333 military signals intelligence satellite in 1996. The breakup of Yunhai-1 (02) is the fifth confirmed accidental collision between two cataloged objects. Despite the impact, there is evidence that the Chinese satellite is still operational to some degree. (1/11)

SOFIA's Increased Productivity Cited to Keep Telescope Alive (Source: Space News)
NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory, targeted for cancelation, is making its case for continued operations. NASA's fiscal year 2022 budget proposal called for terminating the program because of its high cost and low scientific productivity, and the astrophysics decal survey published in November also recommended shutting down SOFIA. At a town hall meeting Monday, SOFIA officials said that its scientific productivity had increased significantly in recent years, with more time available for observations and an increase in publications based on data obtained by SOFIA. They argued that SOFIA can address a third of the scientific priorities of the decadal survey. Congress has yet to decide on funding SOFIA as it has yet to pass a 2022 spending bill. (1/11)

Lyten Develops Advanced Battery Prototype for Small Satellites (Source: Space News)
A battery manufacturer has prototyped an advanced battery design for small satellites under a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Lyten was one of 12 companies that submitted bids in response to a January 2020 solicitation from DIU seeking energy storage and management solutions to improve the duty cycle of small satellites. The company received an other transactions authority award that spring to demonstrate a lithium-sulfur battery capable of three times the energy storage capacity of current lithium-ion batteries. (1/11)

NASA's Calvin Takes Dual Role (Source: NASA)
A climate scientist is taking on two roles at NASA. The agency announced Monday that it selected Katherine Calvin as both the new chief scientist of the agency and its senior climate adviser. Calvin had been an Earth scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Joint Global Change Research Institute, working on models examining the interactions between human and Earth systems. As chief scientist, she succeeds Jim Green, who retired from NASA at the beginning of the month. Gavin Schmidt, who had been acting senior climate adviser since the agency established the position nearly a year ago, returns to his role as director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. (1/11)

Colorado's Perlmutter to Leave Congress (Source: Denver Post)
A Colorado congressman active on space issues will not run for reelection this year. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D) announced Monday that he won't seek another term after serving in the House for eight terms. Perlmutter is a member of the House Science Committee and has been a key figure on space topics, from Mars exploration to space weather. At committee hearings he often brandishes a bumper sticker with the words "Mars 2033: We Can Do This," promoting an accelerated schedule for human exploration of Mars. (1/11)

Starlink's Self-Heating Internet Satellite Dishes Are Attracting Cats (Source: Gizmodo)
SpaceX’s Starlink has been making steady gains with its fledgling satellite internet service, surpassing 100,000 terminals shipped in 2021 and showing promising improvements in performance after initial speed tests produced lackluster results. However, the company’s run into an unforeseen hiccup with its dishes: Cats love them. “Starlink works great until the cats find out that the dish gives off a little heat on cold days,” tweeted Starlink user Aaron Taylor.

His recent image of five cats huddled together on top of a Starlink dish went viral. In the photo, the Starlink dish is installed at ground level and surrounded by snow. As noted by the Tesla- and SpaceX-focused news outlet and store Tesmanian, the dish’s Snow Melt Mode may be to blame. Launched in 2020, this feature enables dishes to use self-heating capabilities to prevent snow build-up from interfering with the signal—and apparently provides a toasty outdoor lounge space for critters. (1/8)

NASA Has Supported Multiple Autonomous Flight Termination Systems (Source: SPACErePORT)
Last week's SPACErePORT included an article on NASA's NAFTU system, now undergoing final certification at the Wallop Island spaceport in Virginia. NAFTU isn't the only such system in development by NASA. The AFTS (also known as Autonomous Flight Safety Systems or AFSS by the military) project began over 20 years ago. Sagrad Inc., based on Florida's Space Coast, developed an AFTU with support from NASA technology transfer office in 2016. The Sagrad AFTU is fully qualified for flight.

While NASA/Wallops has been developing their software for a couple of years now, and Sagrad developed their AFTU software in 10 months and has been consulting with the FAA and the Space Force 45th and 30th Launch Deltas since April 2021. Sagrad's Next Generation AFTU which is called the Integrated Autonomous Flight Termination Unit (IAFTU) will be completed and fully qualified by 4th QTR 2022. They also have neen working with vertical launch companies planning operations at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Vandenberg SFB, and Alaska's Kodiak Island spaceport. (1/10)

Going to Mars is Stupid (Source: The Hill)
Going to Mars is stupid. I know, there are hundreds to thousands of people in the United States and around the world who have financial and other reasons for pushing spacefaring nations and private enterprises into sending humans to Mars. To them I will gladly double down and say that going to Mars is stupider than stupid. Going to, and trying to exist on, Mars is fraught with unnecessary risk. The logistical and spacefaring reasons for not attempting the journey are many, each compelling in its own right. Here are but a few lowlights:

The launch window for Mars opens only every two years. When that window is open and Mars is in opposition to our sun, the one-way journey still would take 6 to 10 months. Danger No. 1 is the risk of medical or mechanical emergencies. The crew would be on their own. A round-trip journey of up to two years would subject the crew to immense physical and psychological challenges from living in the tiny confines of their spacecraft. Solar and cosmic radiation would constantly bombard the craft. At what point does such risk become unacceptable?

Once the crew reaches Mars, what then? They’ll plant a flag — say, one from the United Nations — on the surface, look around a little and then begin the journey home. In essence, it would be a $100 billion+ trip to plant a flag. Or, let’s say the crew attempts to stay for a few weeks before heading back to Earth. This would require building a multibillion-dollar facility with an artificial atmosphere and protections. But again, to what end? To prove that humans can stay a few weeks before acknowledging the waste of money? What is the actual point of going to Mars, other than, perhaps, to prove it can be done? There is zero benefit to humanity. (1/10)

Blacker Than a Very Black Thing: the HEXAGON Reconnaissance Satellite Signals Intelligence Payloads (Source: Space Review)
The last, failed launch of a HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite in 1986 had been thought to carry a deployable subsatellite like many other previous such missions. Dwayne Day explains how new historical evidence points to a different payload and a previously unknown NRO program. Click here. (1/10)
 
New Year, New (and Overdue) Rockets (Source: Space Review)
This year could see the first flights of many small and large launch vehicles, if they can stick to their schedules. Jeff Foust reports on the status of several such rockets, and the issues that caused their inaugural launches to be delayed. Click here. (1/10)
 
Steady Growth Beyond the Skies: Five Trends in Outer Space from 2021 (Source: Space Review)
Last year was an active one in spaceflight, from space tourism to Mars rovers. Harini Madhusudan examines some of the biggest trends of the last year and their implications for 2022 and beyond. Click here. (1/10)