July 14, 2022

SpaceX Rapidly Stacking Florida Starship Launch Tower, Blue Origin Progress Too (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
The Florida Starship Launch Tower at Pad 39A is growing rapidly with two more tower sections set to roll to the pad. Blue Origin moved its Jarvis test tank off of the test stand, and SpaceX loses a fairing half for the first time in over a year. Click here. (7/13)

NSU Broward Center of Innovation Announces Strategic Collaboration with the Space Foundation (Source: Medium)
The Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation, an industry magnet for talent and innovation in technology, is pleased to announce its new strategic collaboration with the Space Foundation, beginning in July 2022. As part of the new relationship, the Space Foundation will create programming for the Levan Center of Innovation’s LEVL5: SPACE DOCK at NSU initiative using the Levan Center of Innovation’s four core programs (Ideate, Incubate, Accelerate, Post-Accelerate) as the baseline.

The LEVL5: SPACE DOCK at NSU promotes space entrepreneurship connecting the South Florida region to the Space Coast and the national and international space networks. It creates a collaborative environment in the space sector for industry, government, academia, entrepreneurs, and investors to pursue entrepreneurial activities for the advancement of the South Florida economy. Through the collaboration, the Space Foundation will bring to LEVL5: SPACE DOCK at NSU its space industry expertise to identify specific topic areas, facilitators, mentors, industry partners, and sponsors. In addition to the core programming, a series of workshops and panel discussions will be created to increase awareness about the opportunities in the space industry. (7/12)

Finally, Despite the Complaining, Space Command Heads to Alabama (Source: AL.com)
In May, after two years of political push-back from Congressional delegations not chosen to house SPACECOM (U.S. Space Command) , the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) confirmed that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) process to decide the best location for U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) was appropriate, comprehensive, and permissible. SPACECOM is heading to Huntsville, Alabama.

Politics are almost always involved when the federal government decides to move work to a state. For example, the country’s largest employer, the DoD, spends over two billion dollars each year on installations and sometimes derelict infrastructure because well-funded and motivated politician’s rebuff another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). This means that Members of Congress, who are tasked with being good stewards of our country’s purse, spend taxpayer dollars every year to keep funding unnecessary things. So, it’s not surprising that the stakes were high with SPACECOM, it’s just unfortunate it put the brakes on national security for multiple years. (7/13)

As Rumors Swirl About His Future, Russia’s Space Chief Darkens His Rhetoric (Source: Ars Technica)
Rumors on Russian social media networks and in select publications are swirling that the bombastic director general of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, will soon lose his position. The Interfax news agency reports that Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, who oversees the Russian space and defense industry, may be moved into the leadership of Roscosmos. Separately, Telegram channels have been citing other media making similar claims about Borisov and Rogozin.

To be clear, these remain rumors. And this is not the first time that speculation has intensified about the future of Rogozin, who took over command of Roscosmos—a sprawling, state-owned corporation responsible for the vast majority of Russia's spaceflight activities—four years ago. His has been a troubled and controversial tenure, which, in addition to heated and destructive rhetoric, has seen the reliability and launch rate of Russian space vehicles decline.

The renewed speculation comes as Rogozin has continued to cut ties with—and speak belligerently about—the United States, Europe, and other partners in spaceflight who have supported Ukraine in the months since Russia's invasion of that country. (7/13)

Making Space Travel Accessible For People With Disabilities (Source: NPR)
This week NASA released some of the sharpest images of space ever from the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope's camera gives us a glimpse into distant galaxies and a picture of the makings of our universe. Tomorrow, we'll nerd out about those photos. But today, we're revisiting the idea of space travel. This encore episode, science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel talks to New York Times Disability Reporting Fellow Amanda Morris about one organization working to ensure disabled people have the chance to go to space. (7/14)

Air Force Completes Draft Environmental Review of U.S. Space Command Candidate Locations (Source: Space News)
A draft environmental assessment released July 13 by the Air Force said the proposed relocation of U.S. Space Command to Alabama would have “no significant impacts on the human or natural environment.” The Air Force also conducted environmental assessments of five other locations considered “reasonable alternatives” — Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Port San Antonio, Texas; and Florida's Space Coast. No environmental impacts were found at any of these other locations. Before Air Force makes its final decision, it will review concerns expressed by the DoD IG and GAO about the basing selection process. (7/13)

Military Plans to Create Canadian Space Division in Coming Weeks (Source: Ottawa Citizen)
The Canadian Forces will create a new group to focus on the growing importance of space to military operations and the country’s security. The idea of establishing a Canadian Space Division has been circulating at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa since 2019, but it is now expected to be in place by September. Royal Canadian Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael Adamson said earlier this year that Canada was looking at following its allies who had created similar organizations. Australia earlier this year announced it was creating a defence space command, but no details were available on the size of the organization. (7/13)

Inmarsat and hiSky Complete Tests for IoT Service Offering (Source: Via Satellite)
Inmarsat and hiSky have completed testing of hiSky’s Smartellite terminals with Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) network. The two companies announced the successful testing July. 5. The move marks the first step in a long-term partnership between the two companies, utilizing Inmarsat’s Geostationary (GEO) Ka-band capabilities to provide a low-cost, high-value offering to hiSky’s IoT customers. (7/6)

SpaceX Starship Booster 'Probably' Returning to Pad After Explosion (Source: Reuters)
The Starship rocket booster SpaceX plans to use for an inaugural flight to orbit will "probably" return to its launch mount in Texas next week following a testing explosion on Monday, according to Elon Musk. The company has targeted the end of summer for the debut orbital flight, aiming to achieve a long-delayed pivotal milestone in the rocket's development, but Monday's explosion called that timeline into question. The FAA, which oversees launch and rocket re-entry safety, said it was in "close contact" with SpaceX following the explosion, but that it would not open a formal investigation because the incident did not occur during a formal launch campaign. (7/13)

Lunar Outpost Eyes Up First-Mover Advantage for Moon Markets (Source: Tech Crunch)
“This is going to be the largest market in human history.” Justin Cyrus, co-founder and CEO of Lunar Outpost, is referring to the space economy: The slew of activities that could take place around or on the moon, in the orbital space around Earth or beyond. Lunar Outpost, a company that is developing rovers and other technologies for terrestrial and space applications, is determined to have a stake in this future, even amidst an increasingly crowded playing field of startups and primes also looking for their slice of the pie.

That’s part of the reason why, five years after being founded and trucking along with remarkable profitability for a space startup, Colorado-based Lunar Outpost decided to seek venture funding for the first time. The result was an oversubscribed $12 million seed round the company closed in May, led by Explorer 1 Fund with participation from Promus Ventures, Space Capital, Type 1 Ventures and Cathexis Ventures.

Lunar Outpost is banking on early experience giving it a big boost against competitors, and so the company already has a handful of space missions lined up for 2023 and beyond. For the first mission, Lunar Outpost will send a 10-kilogram rover, called the Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP), to the moon’s south pole on a mission in partnership with Nokia and Intuitive Machines in early 2023. (7/13)

SSC to Hold Industry Day on Space Domain Awareness (Source: ExecutiveGov)
Space System Command is slated to host an industry day on July 28 in Colorado Springs to meet with industry and government leaders for a discussion on space domain awareness. SSC said Monday its officials and subject matter experts will seek information from the commercial technology industry on challenges facing the U.S. Space Force to help the service branch identify priority acquisition areas.

“Strengthening partnerships with industry and having valuable dialogue is critical as the space acquisition community seeks the most innovative and creative solutions in order to get after the threat and challenges facing the nation today in space,” said Col. Rich Kniseley, chief of the Enterprise Requirements and Architectures Division at SSC’s Space Systems Integration Office. (7/12)

Space Force Considers Asking Satellite Firms to Host Payloads for Tactical ISR (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force’s acquisition arm is considering asking commercial operators of large satellite constellations to host payloads designed to provide battlefield commanders with rapid-turn-around intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data, according to a senior official.

Col. Dennis Birchenough, senior materiel leader at Space System Command (SSC) Environmental and Tactical Surveillance Acquisition Delta, said Monday that the Space Force might not be ready to buy services directly like a typical customer of commercial operators — for example, nuclear missile warning and tracking. But in some of those cases, like tactical ISR, putting payloads on commercial satellites might make sense. (7/12)

Two Super-Earth Exoplanets to be Among Future Webb Targets (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Scientists have identified two relatively close super-Earth exoplanets to be studied by the now operational James Webb Space Telescope. One of JWST’s major functions will be to study the atmospheres of exoplanets in an effort to determine whether they are habitable for life as we know it. Habitability means the planet has surface temperatures that can support the presence of liquid water.

Because it is an infrared telescope and has a mirror much larger than that of Hubble, Webb is capable of peering inside exoplanets’ atmospheres. Super-Earths are a class of rocky planets not found in our solar system. They are between two and 10 Earth masses and are common in our galaxy. (7/13)

Advanced Navigation Sets Sight to be the First Australian Company to Reach the Moon (Source: Space Daily)
Advanced Navigation, one of the world's most determined innovators in AI robotics, and navigation technology has announced its ambitions to be the first Australian company to reach the Moon through its development of two unique navigation systems. "The team is absolutely thrilled to see years of research in development progress into successful technology. We look forward to being the first Australian company to reach the Moon in 2024, this will be a huge milestone for us," said Xavier Orr, CEO and co-founder at Advanced Navigation. (7/12)

Safran Purchases Atomic-Clock Builder Orolia From Eurazeo for $192M, Says it Will Be Global Resilient-PNT Leader (Source: Space Intel Report)
Safran Electronics & Defense, a diversified aerospace and defense contractor that also builds inertial navigation systems, has purchased atomic-clock manufacturer Orolia from private-equity investor Eurazio for 189 million euros ($192.4 million) to consolidate its position in resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems. The transaction had been expected since Safran and Orazio announced in December that they had entered exclusive negotiations in view to a sale. (7/8)

MIT Design for Mars Propellant Production Trucks Wins NASA Competition (Source: Space Daily)
Using the latest technologies currently available, it takes over 25,000 tons of rocket hardware and propellant to land 50 tons of anything on the planet Mars. So, for NASA's first crewed mission to Mars, it will be critical to learn how to harvest the red planet's local resources in order to "live off the land" sustainably. NASA announced that an MIT team received first place in the annual Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts - Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) competition for their in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) design that produces propellant on Mars from local resources instead of bringing it from Earth.

Their project "Bipropellant All-in-one In-situ Resource Utilization Truck and Mobile Autonomous Reactor Generating Electricity" (BART and MARGE) describes a system where pairs of BART and MARGE travel around Mars in tandem; BART handles all aspects of production, storage, and distribution of propellant, while MARGE provides power for the operation. After presenting their concept to a panel of NASA experts and aerospace industry leaders at the RASC-AL Forum in June, the team took first place overall at the competition and was also recognized as "Best in Theme." (7/12)

Can China Claim Ownership Rights on the Moon (Source: Space Daily)
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson recently expressed concerns over China's aims in space, and in particular, that China would, in some way, claim ownership over the Moon and stop other countries from exploring it. In an interview with a German newspaper, Nelson cautioned, "We must be very concerned that China is landing on the Moon and saying: 'It's ours now and you stay out.'" China immediately denounced the claims as a "lie." This spat between the administrator of NASA and Chinese government officials comes at a time when both nations are actively working on missions to the Moon - and China has not been shy about its lunar aspirations.

There is big difference between China - or any state for that matter - setting up a lunar base and actually "taking over" the Moon. As two scholars who study space security and China's space program, we believe that neither China nor any other nation is likely to take over the Moon in the near future. It is not only illegal, it is also technologically daunting - the costs of such an endeavor would be extremely high, while the potential payoffs would be uncertain. (7/10)

Five Smallsats Per Day (Source: Space News)
In the coming decade, Euroconsult expects companies and government agencies worldwide to launch 1,846 small satellites annually, an average of five per day, compared with slightly more than one a day from 2012 to 2021. Key forecasts from the consulting firm's "Prospects for the Small Satellite Market 2022" report include: average smallsat mass will jump 40 percent to 198 kilograms; Starlink and other megaconstellations will dominate the market; Asian markets will continue to expand, led by China's campaign to establish a satellite broadband constellation; the smallsat manufacturing market value will triple, from $15.5 billion for the previous decade to $55.6 billion from 2022 to 2031; the smallsat launch market will swell from $7.6 billion to $28.4 billion; and despite growing demand, "the risk of oversupply" in the small satellite launch market "is real and growing." (7/13)

Vega-C Inaugural Launch a Success (Source: Space News)
ESA and Arianespace declared the inaugural launch of the Vega-C rocket a success Wednesday. The rocket lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 9:13 a.m. Eastern and deployed its primary payload, the LARES-2 physics satellite, 85 minutes later. Six cubesat payloads were released 45 minutes later. Arianespace said that, with the success of the inaugural launch, it was ready to move into commercial operations of the Vega-C. The first commercial launch of Vega-C is scheduled for November, when the rocket is slated to place the Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 Earth-imaging satellites for their builder and operator Airbus. (7/14)

Russian ISS Seat Agreement Near (Source: Space News)
NASA says it is "pretty close" to finalizing a seat barter agreement with Roscosmos to enable crew swaps on spacecraft launching to the ISS in September. At a briefing Wednesday, a NASA official said the agreement is in the "final stages of review" between the two agencies. Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina continues training for the Crew-5 Crew Dragon mission launching in early September, while American astronaut Frank Rubio is training for the Soyuz MS-22 mission launching later in September. The seat barter agreement could be finalized as late as the end of next week without disrupting those plans. (7/14)

Commerce Department Developing Space Traffic Management Architecture (Source: Space News)
The executive secretary of the National Space Council expects the Office of Space Commerce to start developing soon an architecture for space traffic management. Speaking at a conference Wednesday, Chirag Parikh said that Richard DalBello, the new director of the Office of Space Commerce, is working closely with the Defense Department on plans to transfer civil space traffic management responsibilities to the office. That effort has been bogged down by studies and lack of funding, but Parikh said he expected more progress now, particularly if the office gets the sharp increase in funding requested for 2023. (7/14)

All Options for Space Command HQ Pass Environmental Assessment (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Air Force says an environmental review found no problems with any of the potential locations for U.S. Space Command's headquarters. The draft environmental assessment, released Wednesday, cleared both the preferred headquarters location of Redstone Arsenal in Alabama and five "reasonable alternatives." The release of the draft environmental review triggers a 30-day public comment period befor a final review, after which the Defense Department will make a final selection. (7/14)

Space Force Considers Placing Recon Instruments on Commercial Satellites (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Force is considering asking commercial satellite operators to host reconnaissance payloads on their satellites. Under the proposal, hosted payloads providing tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data could be incorporated on satellite constellations. Those payloads might be provided directly by the Space Force or the service could be a "matchmaker" connecting satellite operators with ISR sensor developers. (7/14)

North Korea May Be Upgrading Spaceport (Source: NK News)
North Korea appears to have started work on upgrades to a spaceport. Satellite imagery shows work such as a new road, excavation, and construction of a worker camp at the Sohae launch site in recent weeks. Kim Jong Un announced in March plans to upgrade the launch site, which would include new test and integration facilities, launch control center and viewing area. North Korea has not conducted a launch from Sohae since 2016. (7/14)

MDA to Build Antennas for York Satellites (Source: MDA)
MDA Ltd. has won a contract to provide antennas for satellites built by York Space Systems. The contract, announced Wednesday, covers the design and assembly of Ka-band steerable antennas for York satellites. The companies did not disclose the number of antennas or the value of the contract. (7/14)

NASA is the Best Agency for Employees, Again (Source: NASA)
For the tenth year in a row, a survey has named NASA the best large agency to work for in the federal government. The Partnership for Public Service ranked NASA on top based on responses to an Office of Personnel Management survey of federal employees. NASA's score of 85.1 in the 2021 survey was slightly lower than the 86.6 it received in 2020, but well ahead of the 74.4 score of the second-place agency, the Department of Health and Human Services. (7/14)