April 29, 2022

Rubio, Scott Lead Bipartisan Push to Bring Space Force Training HQ to Space Coast (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott are on board to bring the Space Force’s training headquarters to the Space Coast. So is a bipartisan group that includes U.S. Reps. Bill Posey, Charlie Crist, Stephanie Murphy, Darren Soto, Matt Gaetz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, among others.

The state’s two senators and 23 of its 27 members of the U.S. House signed onto a letter to SECAF Frank Kendall this week asking for STARCOM, the Space Training and Readiness Command, which is one of three Space Force field command units, to be based at Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Air Force announced earlier this month that Patrick SFB was one of six candidates being considered for its headquarters, which has been located temporarily at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado.

The other headquarters candidates include two locations in California: Los Angeles AFB and Vandenburg SFB, and three locations in Colorado: Buckley SFB, Schriever SFB and Peterson SFB. Site surveys for the six candidates are set to begin in late April or early May, assessing factors related to mission, infrastructure capacity, community support, environmental considerations and cost. (4/27)

China Launches Imaging Satellites (Source: Space News)
China launched a pair of imaging satellites early Friday but postponed another launch from a ship. A Long March 2C rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:11 a.m. Eastern and placed the Siwei-01 and 02 satellites into their planned sun-synchronous orbits. The satellites, also known as Superview Neo-1 01 and 02, each have a mass of around 540 kilograms and will deliver 0.5-meter resolution optical imagery. However, the planned launch at around the same time of a Long March 11 solid rocket from a platform in the East China Sea was scrubbed because of weather. The launch, rescheduled for early Saturday, is expected to deliver new Jilin-1 satellites into orbit. (4/29)

Space Force to Combine Full- and Part-Time Guardians Into Single "Component" (Source: Air Force Magazine)
Leaders of the Space Force reinforced their idea to depart from the typical military component structure of separately organized Active and reserve forces in favor of a single hybrid component structure they called the “Space Component.” The Space Component would merge full- and part-time Guardians into one component. How it might incorporate existing Air National Guard space troops remained up for debate. (4/28)

Space Force Wants More Launch Providers for Competition (Source: Space News)
The head of the Space Force says the service might work with more than two major launch providers in the future. Gen. John Raymond told the House Armed Services Committee this week that there's a real possibility that more than two launch providers could be selected for the Space Force's future National Security Space Launch Phase 3 competition to promote competition. He cited growing demand for launches, and a "manifest that's becoming more significant in numbers," as reasons the service might select more than two companies in Phase 3. The Space Force selected SpaceX and ULA for Phase 2 contracts in 2020. (4/29)
 
Space Force Can't Get Enough Geospatial Intel (Source: Space News)
The Space Force also has an "insatiable" appetite for geospatial intelligence, a general said. Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, U.S. Space Force deputy chief of space operations, said at this week's GEOINT Symposium that the service plans to request funding in the 2024 budget for space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). He said the service is looking at its role in space-based ISR, adding it would complement what other agencies, like NGA and NRO, are doing. (4/29)

SOFIA Cancelation Now Likely (Source: Space News)
NASA and the German space agency DLR will end operations of the SOFIA airborne observatory in September. The agencies announced Thursday they agreed to terminate operations by the end of September, at the conclusion of SOFIA's current extended mission. About 70 more flights of the Boeing 747 with a 2.7-meter infrared telescope are planned through September, including a campaign of flights in New Zealand. NASA had previously sought to cancel SOFIA, citing its high cost and low scientific productivity, and last year's astrophysics decadal survey agreed that SOFIA should be shut down. (4/29)

Cosmonauts Set Up Robotic Arm on ISS (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
Two Russian cosmonauts performed a lengthy spacewalk Thursday to set up a robotic arm on the International Space Station. Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev started the nearly eight-hour spacewalk at 10:58 a.m. Eastern, working to release thermal blankets and launch locks for the European Robotic Arm on the exterior of the Nauka module. That allowed the arm to maneuver in space for the first time. The cosmonauts also set up handrails on the robotic arm and inspected a Kurs rendezvous radar antenna on the Prichal module. (4/29)

Inmarsat Offers Launch Telemetry Service (Source: Space News)
Inmarsat is preparing to use its telemetry relay network to support rocket launches this year for the first time. Using Inmarsat's L-band constellation, Inmarsat says InRange will save launch providers from spending money on ground stations and other terrestrial infrastructure for tracking rockets in flight. Peter Hadinger said "some customers" are looking at using the operator's new InRange launch support service in 2022 after it demonstrated the capability during ground tests. Inmarsat also recently won a NASA award to demonstrate how InRange and other services can be used to communicate with low Earth orbit satellites. (4/29)

China's 'Aerospace City' Aims for Frequent Launches (Source: Space News)
A Chinese city home to the country's newest, transformative spaceport is pushing to become a hub for commercial and international space activity. Wenchang International Aerospace City will accelerate efforts to establish a commercial launch site and rocket assembly plants, Chinese media reported. The efforts aim to put in place infrastructure to allow regular commercial launches by 2024. The site seeks to attract space startups and will include rocket and satellite assembly and testing plants and satellite data application centers. (4/29)

Russia to Meet with China on Lunar Cooperation (Source: TASS)
The head of Roscosmos says he'll meet with Chinese officials next month to discuss lunar exploration cooperation. Dmitry Rogozin said he would have a "detailed dialogue" with Chinese counterparts on proposed cooperation in lunar exploration, such as the International Lunar Research Station the countries previously announced. Rogozin separately said two future Russian robotic lunar missions, Luna-26 and 27, may be postponed to direct resources to other programs. The Luna-25 lander mission will still launch later this year. (4/29)

JWST Now in Focus (Source: Space.com)
NASA has completed focusing the instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope. The agency said Thursday that all four instruments on the telescope, along with its fine guidance sensor, have demonstrated they can produce images with a sharpness as good as or better than predicted. Telescope engineers will now turn their attention to commissioning of the science instruments and calibration work, after which JWST will be ready to begin science operations. (4/29)

Axiom Lines Up Ride on NASA’s Crew-6 for Middle East Astronaut (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Axiom Space flew its first private astronauts for a short stay on the ISS this month with the AX-1 mission, but it wasn’t their first attempt to get a customer to the station. They had previously purchased a seat on a Russian Soyuz rocket, but ended up trading that seat in 2021 so it could ensure it maintained a continued presence on the ISS.

NASA, though, was hedging its bets in case there were issues with SpaceX’s operations, so a deal was struck. Axiom Space had the right to claim one of the seats on a future flight from Commercial Crew, a straight-up trade with no exchange of funds. Axiom Space is cashing in on that agreement with the announcement it had inked a deal to send up a professional astronaut for the United Arab Emirates, a country that doesn’t have direct access to the station like the U.S., Russia and members of the European Space Agency. (4/29)

British Rocket Launch Being Delayed By Icelandic Government (Source: Grapevine)
Skyrora, a British space company based in Scotland, is all set to begin Europe’s biggest rocket launch, but they say they are being delayed by red tape from Icelandic authorities, City A.M. reports. Skyrora has had their sights set on a launch from Iceland for a long time now, and are now preparing to launch from the UK. However, much of the necessary infrastructure needed for the launch is still lying in wait in Iceland. (4/28)

SpaceX Apologizes for 'Falling Behind' in Starlink Customer (Source: Business Insider)
Elon Musk's SpaceX has apologized to some customers for its lack of customer support with Starlink as it's expanded the satellite internet network. The Starlink team said in a message, posted on Reddit by a customer called Robert Smith, that it has "fallen behind in our normal response time" and "this is not the level of support we aim to provide." The company said it's making improvements to its service, including hiring more people for its support team. (4/29)

Arabsat Orders First Fully Software-Defined Satellite (Source: Space News)
Saudi Arabian fleet operator Arabsat has ordered its first fully software-defined geostationary satellite to provide flexible coverage across the Middle East, Africa and parts of Europe. The company said April 29 it signed a contract for Arabsat 7A with Europe’s Thales Alenia Space, which will build the satellite based on its Space Inspire platform.

Although launch plans were not disclosed, the companies said Arabsat-7A will replace the bulk of the existing C and Ku-band capacity at 30.5 East on Arabsat 5A, which was launched in 2010 with 15-years of expected operational life. Arabsat 7A will also have extra high-throughput Ku-band capacity to help the company expand its services in the region. (4/29)

Northrop Grumman Expects a $2 Billion Order From ULA for Solid Rocket Boosters (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman is anticipating a $2 billion contract from United Launch Alliance for solid rocket boosters, Northrop Grumman’s president and CEO Kathy Warden said. The contract is expected in the second quarter of 2022. The large order comes on the heels of ULA winning one of three contracts to launch Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband constellation. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said earlier this month that the company plans to make major investments in its supply chain to support as many as 20 to 25 Vulcan Centaur launches a year. (4/28)

Crimes on the Moon Could Soon be Added to Canada's Criminal Code (Source: CBC)
The long arm of Canadian law could extend way out onto the lunar surface as the government seeks to put Canadian astronauts on notice that if they commit crimes on the moon, they'll still face criminal charges. The proposed amendment to the code that would include crimes committed on the moon can be found deep inside the 443-page Budget Implementation Act that was tabled Tuesday in the House of Commons.

The Criminal Code already accounts for astronauts who may commit crimes during space flight to the International Space Station. Any such crime committed there is considered to have been committed in Canada. But with Canada part of the Lunar Gateway project, which also includes a planned trip to the moon, the federal government has decided to amend the Criminal Code to incorporate those new space destinations. (4/28)

How the US Can Lead in the ‘Space Century’ (Source: The Hill)
There is debate as to whether the current century will be another American Century or a Pacific Century. As the tragic events in Ukraine focus our attention on the urgent security crisis in Europe, many caution not to lose sight of the reality that America’s future economic prosperity and security will largely be determined by our engagement in Asia. However true, this view is incomplete. A strong case can be made that we are in a Space Century.

As America positions itself for leadership in the Space Century, it is important to realize that even as Asia rises in importance, our traditional European partners remain highly relevant to retaining an edge in space. Civil exploration of space, as America and China race to the moon and beyond, will be increasingly important in the broader race for tech supremacy and in determining who captures leadership in the burgeoning space economy.

The European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and others have been essential partners to the combined success with the International Space Station and other exploration efforts. Importantly, a growing list of nations is joining NASA’s Artemis Accords committing to responsible activities in space. Global alliances will be equally as important in the security realm. Space Force is embracing international partnerships to fill strategic gaps and increase resiliency. (4/27)

The Bizarre Drama Behind a Pinch of Moon Dust That Just Sold for $500,000 (Source: National Geographic)
On the precipice of humankind's first step on the moon, Neil Armstrong stood on the lunar module's ladder and described the ground’s peculiar texture. “It’s almost like a powder,” he told the Apollo Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas. Ten minutes later, he scooped up a mound of this lunar dust—the first sample ever collected from the surface of another world. Now, more than 50 years later, a pinch of that dust is going to a new owner: An anonymous buyer who paid just over $500,000 at auction to own a piece of history. Click here. (4/13)

Wyler’s New Startup Wants to Launch a ‘Sustainable’ Satellite Mega-Constellation (Source: Tech Crunch)
Satellite mega-constellations, like those planned by SpaceX, Amazon and Telesat, could generate space debris, if only for the reason that more objects in LEO means more opportunities for those objects to collide. Does that mean mega-constellations are incompatible with cleaning up LEO? Greg Wyler doesn’t think so. His new venture, E-Space, is aiming to reconcile the two by sending up spacecraft that will also capture small debris before deorbiting at the end of their useful life.

The company is staying mum on how, exactly, the satellites will capture and deorbit small debris, citing the proprietary nature of the technology. For now, the company is focused on sending up three demonstration satellites as part of Rocket Lab’s next ride-share mission, currently slated to launch no earlier than April 28 from the launch company’s site on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula. While these demo satellites will not be testing the orbital debris capture mechanism, the company says the trio of spacecraft will validate other systems and technology. (4/28)

Space Force Must Transform to Meet its Goals (Source: Defense News)
Our adversaries understand the importance of space superiority. Countries like China and Russia have worked so hard to rapidly develop, deploy and demonstrate military capabilities that can put our space enterprise at risk. They believe space warfare is inevitable and that they could gain a significant warfighting advantage by attacking our capabilities on orbit.

They’re right, and we need to change our approach. That’s why Kendall stressed the imperative of transforming the Space Force into a full-fledged armed force capable of empowering deterrence and achieving space superiority for U.S. Space Command.

We should expect U.S. Space Command to meet the same expectations we hold for every other combatant command — securing military superiority within its assigned domain, while providing warfighting support as an equal member of the joint force. In addition to its work developing more resilient space architectures, the Space Force should take the lead in defining, developing, and fielding offensive and defensive space capabilities it can provide to U.S. Space Command. (4/27)

The Man Behind the Push to Build Spaceport Nova Scotia (Source: Globe and Mail)
Steve Matier remembers that the toughest question he faced during a community meeting early on in his quest to establish Canada’s first commercial space facility near Canso, N.S., was a simple one: Are you real? “It was disbelief, basically,” said Mr. Matier, who is president and CEO of Maritime Launch Services, based in Halifax. To counter that disbelief, he said he talked about one of his favorite topics: the rare geometry that makes Canso one of the most appealing launch sites in North America.

“We can go from off the coast of Africa to a full sun-synchronous orbit,” said Mr. Matier, referring to the wide angle that extends southward from Canso across thousands of kilometers of open ocean. It encompasses launch trajectories “where everybody wants to put their satellites today.” Nearly five years since relocating his family to Nova Scotia from the United States, Mr. Matier, 63, is several steps closer to realizing his dream. (4/27)

Mexican Officials to Visit Las Cruces and Spaceport America (Source: Las Cruces Bulletin)
Officials representing government, and the business, academic and technology sectors in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, the City of Chihuahua, and Ciudad Juárez will visit Spaceport America and Las Cruces on April 28, 2022, and April 29, 2022. The event will be part of Economic Development Week events in Las Cruces. (4/27)

This Is Why Solar Sails Are The Future Of Space Exploration (Source: Slash Gear)
Solar sails don't have the limitations set by traditional rocket engines because they utilize sunlight — also known as nature's inexhaustible resource. NASA's 2005 description says the technology requires a highly reflective sail made with material 40 to 100 times thinner than your average sheet of paper. Solar sails are deployed only after a ship is floating in space — at which point the sun does most of the work.

As the sun sends photons of energy outward into space, a solar sail is positioned to intercept. At the point of interception, each photon transfers its momentum to the sail and the craft to which the sail is attached, propelling the craft through space. Again, the whole process is similar to how wind pushes a sailboat across a body of water.

NASA is currently working on new deployable structures and materials technologies with their Advanced Composite Solar Sail System. Later in 2022, they plan to launch the Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) with the Orion capsule aboard the Space Launch System rocket. NEA Scout will be NASA's first foray into deep space using solar sails. (4/28)