January 16, 2022

Nuclear Propulsion Would Help Military Satellites Maneuver out of Harm’s Way (Source: Space News)
An experiment planned by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will send to orbit a spacecraft powered by a nuclear propulsion system. Michael Leahy, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said this technology could give the U.S. military an advantage over enemies by making satellites more maneuverable and less vulnerable to attack. But skepticism and fear of nuclear energy is an issue that will require more education and awareness to “get folks comfortable with this,” Leahy said Jan. 14.

DARPA last year announced it will invest nearly $30 million in a project called Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), a spacecraft powered by a nuclear thermal propulsion system. If successful, the project could pave the way for the development of nuclear propulsion systems for military satellites. (1/14)

Space Race Needs Better Cybersecurity (Source: The Hill)
Things are heating up in space in more ways than one. Recently, Russia conducted an anti-satellite (ASAT) test and launched a missile at one of its old spy satellites. The explosion hurtled debris through space, forcing the crew of the International Space Station to take shelter in a spacecraft for protection. ASAT tests are a growing threat to satellites, but they’re not the only threat. Gen. David Thompson of U.S. Space Force told The Washington Post that Russia and China are launching attacks on U.S. satellites every day — using digital attacks, lasers, and radio frequency jamming.

The rise in satellites, rockets and shuttles is creating an expanded attack surface. Just like transportation, energy, and other vital industries, space systems need protection. And while we probably won’t see civilians launching into space anytime soon, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are making such travel more feasible by the day. A proposed bill in the U.S. House of Representatives — the Space Infrastructure Act — would designate space as a critical infrastructure sector. It would be a good first step.

Given how much equipment is in space and how dependent we are on it, it makes sense to classify it as critical infrastructure. There are more than 6,500 satellites in orbit; a record 1,283 launched in 2020 alone. They are integral to cellular communications, Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, monitoring weather and climate, managing Internet of Things systems for agriculture, and keeping energy and other critical infrastructure running. And this infrastructure is disconcertingly fragile. (1/13)

Astronauts Experience 'Space Anemia' When They Leave Earth (Source: CNN)
Space travel is known to be notoriously rough on the human body, but new research has revealed just how hard it hits red blood cells. When we're on Earth, our bodies create and destroy 2 million of these cells per second. In space, astronauts experienced 3 million red blood cells destroyed per second, resulting in a loss of 54% more cells than people on Earth experience, according to a new study.

Lower red blood cell counts in astronauts is known as space anemia. "Space anemia has consistently been reported when astronauts returned to Earth since the first space missions, but we didn't know why," said study author Dr. Guy Trudel, a rehabilitation physician and researcher at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa, in a statement. (1/14)

Space Force, Space Florida Put Astra on a Fast Track for New Eastern Range Launch Capability (Source: Space Coast Daily)
Astra Space has announced that it plans to deploy its first satellite in orbit for NASA when it launches a Astra Rocket 3 (VCLS Demo 2) on Tuesday, January 18, from Cape Canaveral. The launch from Cape Canaveral will be conducted out of Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46) and will be Astra’s first launch out of Cape Canaveral. Launch window will be open from 1:00-4:00 p.m. EST.

Brigadier General Stephen Purdy, Commander of Space Launch Delta 45 and Director of the Eastern Range, said: “SLD 45, Space Florida, and Astra have moved at a rapid speed to demonstrate critical and responsive launch capabilities. We are excited to welcome Astra to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.” Astra and Space Launch Delta 45, a part of the United States Space Force, enabled Astra to launch out of Cape Canaveral in record time – shortening the multi-year approval time to months. (1/14)

Scientists Have iIdentified Why Mars has No Liquid Water on its Surface (Source: Brighter Side of News)
Water is essential for life on Earth and other planets, and scientists have found ample evidence of water in Mars’ early history. But Mars has no liquid water on its surface today. New research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests a fundamental reason: Mars may be just too small to hold onto large amounts of water.

Remote sensing studies and analyses of Martian meteorites dating back to the 1980s posit that Mars was once water-rich, compared with Earth. NASA’s Viking orbiter spacecraft — and, more recently, the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on the ground — returned dramatic images of Martian landscapes marked by river valleys and flood channels. (1/15)

Airbus Books Loft Orbital Order for Florida Satellite Factory (Source: Space News)
Condosat operator Loft Orbital has ordered more than 15 satellite buses from Airbus in a deal announced Jan. 14 that calls for building the initial OneWeb-derived platforms in France before shifting serial production to Florida. Loft Orbital expects to receive the buses in 2023, leveraging the automated production line that Airbus is using to build hundreds of satellites for OneWeb’s broadband megaconstellation under the Florida-based Airbus OneWeb Satellites joint venture.

Work to modify the Arrow satellite platform, including extending operational life and broadening the range of capabilities beyond broadband, will initially take place at Airbus facilities in Toulouse, France. After building the first few in France, Airbus said the remaining Arrow-derived platforms would be made at scale by Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS). The joint venture’s automated production line in Merritt Island, Florida, was designed to produce up to two satellites per day. (1/14)

A Visit to AST SpaceMobile's Satellite Factory at Midland TX Spaceport (Source: AST SpaceMobile)
AST SpaceMobile is developing satellites to provide cellular broadband coverage to phones all over the world — on land, at sea, and in the air — without any extra hardware or software. Follow Jason Silva, a friend of the AST SpaceMobile mission to connect the unconnected, as Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO, leads a first-ever public tour of the company's headquarters and satellite manufacture, testing, and assembly operation. Click here. (1/5)

Camden County Leaders Approve Extension of Georgia Spaceport Land Deal as Court Fight Delays Sale (Source: WJXT)
The Camden County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an extension of a tentative deal to buy a portion of land for the planned Spaceport Camden. This represents the fourth extension of the county’s arraignment with the chemical company Union Carbide, which has been in place since 2015.

“Last night, the Camden County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the land option extension terms offered by Union Carbide in order to preserve its investment in the recently issued Launch Site Operator License for Spaceport Camden,” said John Simpson, a Camden County spokesperson for the spaceport project.

Simpson declined to provide any other details about the terms of the extension, including what it cost. The county paid more than $900,000 to the company to facilitate two of the previous extensions. Simpson also declined to provide the new expiration date on the land deal. Brunswick Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Stephen Scarlett said he’ll make a decision by Jan. 23 on whether Camden County can purchase land for its planned spaceport — or if the sale will first have to secure voter approval. (1/14)

Fisher Debuts Artemis, Moonwalker Space Pens for Return to Moon (Source: CollectSpace)
Fisher Space Pen is ready for NASA's next missions to the moon, 50 years after its writing instruments were used by astronauts on the lunar surface. The Nevada-based, family-run company has introduced its new Artemis Space Pen series, as well as a special edition of its original model space pen that made history on NASA's Apollo missions. All of the new pens feature Fisher's patented pressurized ink cartridge that allows them to write in the extreme environments of outer space, as well as upside down, under water and on almost any surface on Earth. (1/14)

Strahan Football From Blue Origin Space Trip Gets Hall of Fame Display (Source: Fox News)
A football taken into space by retired NFL star-turned-TV personality Michael Strahan has landed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. "Flying to space with Blue Origin was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget," Strahan said, as FOX 8 of Cleveland reported. "It’s an honor to have this special football on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where fans of space travel and the game of football can share in the journey with me." (1/14)