January 29, 2022

New Mexico Hopes to Lure Virgin Galactic Manufacturing to Spaceport America (Source: Parabolic Arc)
The New Mexico Economic Development Department says they have a proposal to bring Virgin Galactic's manufacturing to Spaceport America. Right now, the manufacturing location is in the Mojave desert [at the Mojave Air & Space Port]. Spaceport America has five permanent tenants that are conducting a variety of experiments, including one company that uses laser technology to help land on the Moon. Lawmakers say a bill that would tax Virgin Galactic tickets could help Spaceport America become self-sustaining. (1/28)

Synthetic-Aperture Radar is Making the Earth’s Surface Watchable 24/7 (Source: Economist)
The first time that humans observed a battlefield from a celestial vantage point was in June 1794, scarcely a decade after the Montgolfier brothers had invented the hot-air balloon. The French Aerostatic Corps, a motley crew of chemists, carpenters and hangers on (sometimes literally), flew a tethered hydrogen balloon, l’Entrepenant, over the battlefield at Fleurus, in what is now Belgium. The spotters on board informed their comrades down below about the disposition and movements of their Austrian enemies by semaphore. France won the battle.

The success was not in itself trendsetting. When France, Britain and Prussia met 21 years later at Waterloo, 30km north of Fleurus, no one looked down but the birds: Napoleon had abolished the Aerostatic Corps in 1799. Military ballooning did not really come into its own until the American civil war, and its importance was short lived. When war returned to the low countries in 1914 the balloon was already beginning to give way to the aeroplane; by the end of the war it had been completely eclipsed. By the time nato moved its military headquarters to Mons, 40km west of Fleurus, in the 1960s, satellites had entered the picture. (1/29)

Last-Mile Analogies for a Lunar Communications Network (Source: OpenLunar)
There is an opportunity for actors interested in entering the lunar communications space to learn from the best practices of network infrastructure providers (ISPs/IXPs), as well as the open source community. Sustainable human presence on the Moon necessitates the need for a lunar communications infrastructure. Multiple private and government missions are focusing on various communication elements to support future lunar orbiters and landers.

A key component enabling these plans will be the communication links between the Earth and the Moon, established through data relay satellites, as well as the corresponding ground infrastructure required to disseminate data to end-users. In this piece, our focus will be on the “last-mile” of a lunar communications network i.e. the components required to deliver data to end-users in cislunar space. To conceptualize business and operating models for this future infrastructure, we will draw on learnings from Earth-based communication analogies. Click here. (1/26)

China Releases White Paper on Space Program (Source: Xinhua)
China issued a white paper on the country's space program on Friday. Titled "China's Space Program: A 2021 Perspective," the white paper introduces China's purposes, principles, policies and measures, and cooperative mindset in its space exploration. It summarizes China's achievements in space science, space technology and space application. It lays out key space areas China plans to focus on in the upcoming five years, concerning the space transport system, space infrastructure, manned spaceflight, deep space exploration, space launch sites and telemetry, tracking and command, experiments on new technologies, and space environment governance.

The major achievements in China's space industry since 2016 include a steady improvement in space infrastructure, the completion and operation of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), the completion of the high-resolution Earth observation system, steady improvement of the service ability of satellite communications and broadcasting, the conclusion of the last step of the three-step lunar exploration program, the first stages in building the space station, as well as Tianwen-1's landing and exploration of Mars, according to the paper.

China is ready to explore the moon's polar regions and is mulling over a manned lunar landing. The country vows to improve space debris monitoring and expand the space environment governance system with a near-Earth object defense system and space-ground space climate monitoring system planned. The country will further boost public services with satellites and expand space application industry. China calls on all countries to carry out in-depth exchanges and cooperation in outer space on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful utilization, and inclusive development. More cooperation in astronaut selection and training, joint flights and other fields will take place between China and foreign countries. China will strengthen cooperation in international lunar research station project. Click here. (1/28)

Another Launch Tower Built for the SLS Rocket has “Encountered Some Challenges” (Source: Ars Technica)
Much has already been said and written about the first "mobile launch tower" built for the SLS rocket. The massive, rolling Mobile Launcher-1 supports the 108-meter-tall SLS rocket, provides access to the Orion spacecraft, and supplies power, communications, coolant, and fuel to the rocket. Over a decade, NASA spent about $1 billion to build, redesign, and then complete the structure under a cost-plus contract. Now, as early as next month, this launch tower will be put to the test as it rolls the SLS rocket to a launch pad and the booster is fueled during what is known as a "wet dress rehearsal."

But even though NASA has not yet launched the SLS rocket or shown its capabilities, Congress has already been insistent that the agency develop a larger and more capable version. This "Block 1B" version of the SLS will have a larger and more powerful upper stage. Because this cannot be accommodated by the Mobile Launcher-1, a new launch tower is needed. (That's right—NASA is going to spend $1 billion for some launch infrastructure, Mobile Launcher-1, that may be used just two or three times.)

Bechtel National won this contract to design and build the second larger mobile launcher for $383 million by March 2023. "This would be for about one-third the cost of the first mobile launcher in half the time." The 90-percent design, review, and fabrication drawings for the large structure are behind schedule. NASA has issued a "second letter of concern" to Bechtel requesting an assessment of project risks and impediments, plus a corrective action plan, as well as an identification of opportunities to reduce costs and mitigate schedule disruptions while improving efficiency. (1/28)

SpaceX Reveals Starship “Marine Recovery” Plans in New Job Postings (Source: Teslarati)
In a series of new job postings, SpaceX has hinted at an unexpected desire to develop “marine recovery systems for the Starship program.” Since SpaceX first began bending metal for its steel Starship development program in late 2018, CEO Elon Musk, executives, and the company itself have long maintained that both Super Heavy boosters and Starship upper stages would perform what are known as return-to-launch-site (RTLS) landings. It’s no longer clear if those long-stated plans are set in stone.

SpaceX’s recent “marine engineer” and “naval architect” job postings never specifically mentioned the company’s well-established plans to convert retired oil rigs into vast floating Starship launch sites. Weighing several thousand tons and absolutely dwarfing the football-field-sized drone ships SpaceX recovers Falcon boosters with, it goes without saying that towing an entire oil rig hundreds of miles to and from port is not an efficient or economical solution for rocket recovery. It would also make very little sense for SpaceX to hire a dedicated naval architect without once mentioning that they’d be working on something as all-encompassing as the world’s largest floating launch pad.

That leaves three obvious explanations for the mentions. First, it might be possible that SpaceX is merely preparing for the potential recovery of debris or intact, floating ships or boosters after intentionally expending them on early orbital Starship test flights. Second, SpaceX might have plans to strip an oil rig or two – without fully converting them into launch pads – and then use those rigs as landing platforms designed to remain at sea indefinitely. Those platforms might then transfer landed ships or boosters to smaller support ships tasked with returning them to dry land. Third and arguably most likely, SpaceX might be exploring the possible benefits of landing Super Heavy boosters at sea. (1/27)

SpaceX Starbase Review Meets Resistance From Natural Resources Agencies (Source: KRGV)
Rocket launches at Boca Chica remain on hold while SpaceX waits for the go-ahead from the FAA. The company is waiting for a federal review on its expanded plans to launch bigger and more powerful rockets, but comments from the U.S. Department of the Interior, a federal agency in charge of natural resources, could ground the launches for even longer.

When it first opened the site about eight years ago, SpaceX wanted to use the site to launch the smaller Falcon rocket and test prototypes. The company now wants to use the site for the much larger Starship, the current design said to be setting records. The review looks at the safety and environmental impact of them. One of the big problems for SpaceX is that the Boca Chica site it selected eight years ago is surrounded on all sides by protected resources: state-owned beaches to the east, a state park to the west, and a federal wildlife refuge to the north and south.

Historical sites, like the Palomito Ranch battlefield, is also located along the highway. In its comments to the FAA, the Department of Interior says it has concerns about air quality, impacts to endangered species, ongoing road closures, blast hazards and noise, among other things. The Department of Interior response saying a stricter review may be necessary, which would mean more delays, potentially jeopardizing SpaceX’s investment. It's an issue local municipalities are thinking about, after recent benefits of grants and business growth. (1/27)

Texas School District Gets Second Round of Funding from Musk Foundation (Source: KRGV)
The Brownsville Independent School District announced Wednesday that it has received a second round of funding of $2.5 million from the Musk Foundation. SpaceX's Elon Musk previously donated $2 million to the school district in April 2021. School officials said the disbursement of funds is based on school enrollment.

“Again, we are very grateful for the Musk Foundation and its ongoing commitment to support our mission to graduate students who are prepared to excel in higher education and successfully pursue career opportunities in a changing global society,” said Brownsville ISD Superintendent Dr. René Gutiérrez. “The district plans on using these funds to purchase technology equipment such as, interactive panels, desktop computers, iPads, and laptops. This will provide our students the necessary tools to fill in the learning gaps that were felt during the COVID-19 pandemic.” (1/27)

Five Space Station Research Results Contributing to Deep Space Exploration (Source: Space Daily)
More than 3,000 experiments have been conducted aboard the International Space Station during the 21 years humans have been living and working in space. These experiments have provided insights helping improve life back on Earth and explore farther into the solar system. Researchers have shared these results in thousands of scientific publications. Over the past few months, scientists shared the outcomes of space station studies that could help us recover more water from life support systems, construct Moon bases, grow plants in space, and more. Click here. (1/25)

Hibernating Ground Squirrels Could be Key to Enhancing Space Travel (Source: Toronto Star)
A squirrel’s ability to repurpose its own pee to help it build muscle during hibernation might have important implications for the future of space travel, theorizes one Montreal researcher. In a new research paper, Matthew Regan at the Université de Montréal, confirmed a theory that’s been bouncing around since the ’80s, one that hypothesizes that some animals are able to break down their urea — usually excreted as urine — and use the nitrogen extracted to build other proteins, and from there to build muscle tissue.

That “urea nitrogen salvage” theory was first advanced as an answer to the tricky question of how hibernating species — such as bears and squirrels — manage to last the winter on the fat reserves they’ve stored up in their bodies without significantly reducing the mass of their muscles. And it’s possible, he says, that those kind of gut microbes might be adaptable to humans. (1/27)

Yet More Delays to Space Force Protected GPS Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force program to enable jam-resistant GPS access is facing yet more delays, according to the latest report from the Pentagon’s operational tester, caused by the same old problems that have been troubling the effort for decades. Both the infamously troubled OCX ground control system for the newest GPS III satellites, and efforts to build M-Code radios/receivers for troops, vehicles, planes and ships remain far behind schedule, according to the report by Director, Office of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E).

“Full control of modernized civil and M-code signals and navigation warfare functions, as well as improved cybersecurity, continue to be delayed due to ongoing development and deployment delays of the next generation Operational Control System (OCX), along with delays in the fielding of M-code capable receivers for use by the U.S. and allied warfighters,” the report says. The M-Code signal is a more powerful and encrypted signal to help military users overcome jamming and protect against false GPS signals being used to spoof users by misdirecting them.

The long-delayed OCX software being developed by Raytheon Technologies is required to command and control the most modern GPS satellites. Those are the GPS III sats, five of which are now on orbit and built by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, which can broadcast an even more powerful M-Code signal. In particular, DoD’s inability to field radios and modern receivers to access the signal, being developed under the Military User GPS Equipment (MGUE) program, has been one of the banes of the GPS program for more than two decades. (1/27)

Unknown Spinning Space Object Beaming Out Radio Signals Every 18 Minutes Remains a Mystery (Source: CNN)
While mapping radio waves across the universe, astronomers happened upon a celestial object releasing giant bursts of energy — and it's unlike anything they've ever seen before. The spinning space object, spotted in March 2018, beamed out radiation three times per hour. In those moments, it became the brightest source of radio waves viewable from Earth, acting as a celestial lighthouse. Astronomers think it might be a remnant of a collapsed star, either a dense neutron star or a dead white dwarf star, with a strong magnetic field — or it could be something else entirely. (1/27)

Space Power to Revolutionize Satellite Power Using Laser Beaming (Source: Space Daily)
The University of Surrey and Space Power are tackling the problem of powering satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) during their eclipse period when they cannot see the sun. By collaborating on a space infrastructure project, the joint team will develop new technology which uses lasers to beam solar power from satellites under solar illumination to small satellites orbiting closer to Earth during eclipse. The wireless, laser-based power beaming prototype will be the first developed outside of governmental organisations and is aiming for commercialisation by 2025.

Wireless power beaming is a critical and disruptive technology for space infrastructure and will provide auxiliary power to increase the baseline efficiency of small satellites in LEO. The technical side of the project will use the highly specialised laser laboratories and optical systems developed at the University of Surrey's Department of Physics and Advanced Technology Institute, which are world leaders in the development and implementation of laser and photovoltaic-based technologies. The first Space Power product will be designed as a plug-and-play system for satellite manufacturers to include in their offering to their LEO constellation customers.

Without new power technologies like this, which will enable small satellites to function all the time, more satellites are needed, with the resultant costs, launch emissions and contribution to space debris. As humanity finds more ambitious and useful tasks for small satellites, the problem grows. (1/28)

China Welcomes International Cooperation in Space Station, Explorations (Source: Space Daily)
China will employ its space station for carrying out astronomical observations, Earth science and research, and space science experiments in the next five years, according to a white paper published Friday. The white paper, titled "China's Space Program: A 2021 Perspective", was released by China's State Council Information Office.

The country plans to complete the construction of its orbiting space station this year after the launches of the station's two science modules. The current six-month Shenzhou XIII mission by three taikonauts aboard the Tianhe core module is China's longest in manned space program. More extensive cooperation in astronaut selection and training, joint flights and other fields will take place between China and foreign countries, said the white paper.

Cooperation will also be strengthened in the China-led international lunar research station project, as the white paper said China welcomes international partners to participate in the research and construction of the station at any stage and level of the mission. (1/28)

China Releases New-Generation Spacecraft OS (Source: Space Daily)
China has released SpaceOS III, a new-generation operating system for spacecraft. Developed by the Beijing Institute of Control Engineering under China Academy of Space Technology, the operating system has independent intellectual property rights. Earlier versions of SpaceOS have been used in more than 300 spacecraft.

According to SpaceOS developers, the system boasts outstanding reliability and security. It can meet the different requirements of crewed spaceflight, satellite communication, deep space exploration, and satellite constellation. The Beijing Institute of Control Engineering began developing SpaceOS in the 1970s. Its first application was in 2006 in a satellite of the Dongfanghong-4 communication satellite platform. In 2013, SpaceOS II was used in the Chang'e-3 lunar probe. (1/26)

SCOUT Releases Autonomy Software to Enable Safer and Less Complex Space Operations (Source: Space Daily)
SCOUT Inc. has announced its latest Autonomy Software offerings: computer vision and guidance software to make navigation safer and less complex for space operators. These offerings include software-hardware integration providing: next-generation AI/ML-based autonomy, hybrid data fusion from various sensors, and closed-loop optical navigation control algorithms.

"Our first SCOUT-Vision system was launched into orbit in June 2021 and the software packages we're offering today are due in part to the success of that mission," said Eric Ingram, Co-founder and CEO of SCOUT. "SCOUT is working towards a future where spacecraft operations can be autonomous, and space traffic is continuously monitored from orbit. What we're announcing today gets us a few steps further along that journey."

SCOUT's software and hardware together work seamlessly to enable spacecraft to see and understand their surroundings with computer vision, powered by dedicated AI/ML on-board processing. SCOUT-Vision system's closed-loop optical navigation capabilities support proximity operations, complex maneuvers, pose estimation, docking assistance, and more. The step the company is taking today will allow their revolutionary software to operate in a myriad of systems, to more rapidly enable spacecraft autonomy. (1/27)

Deutsche Bank Names Rocket Lab a 2022 Top Pick, Calls for Stock to Climb Over 120% (Sources: CNBC, Seeking Alpha)
Deutsche Bank named Rocket Lab a top pick for 2022 on Friday, calling it “the most promising rocket launch company after SpaceX.” Deutsche Bank in September first listed Rocket Lab as a "buy" stock, assigning a price target of $18 per share. The company's share price is in the neighborhood of $14 per share on 28 January. (1/28)