July 26, 2022

Billionaires and Backlash: Suborbital Spaceflight a Year After Branson and Bezos (Source: Space Review)
It’s been a year since Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos flew on their companies’ suborbital vehicles days apart from each other. Jeff Foust reports on the status of the suborbital human spaceflight industry today and the backlash against those flights. Click here. (7/26)
 
The Rebirth of NASA (Source: Space Review)
Just as the James Webb Space Telescope begins science operations, the Space Launch System is finally nearing its first launch. Roger Handberg argues these developments demonstrate what NASA is good at, and what it should instead hand over to the private sector. Click here. (7/26)
 
Advanced Gambit and VHR (Source: Space Review)
Newly declassified documents indicate that the National Reconnaissance Office studied another version of the Gambit reconnaissance satellite in the 1970s. Philip Horzempa discusses what the documents reveal about Advanced Gambit-3. Click here. (7/26)
 
Will NASA Rename the James Webb Space Telescope? (Source: Space Review)
While the James Webb Space Telescope is now fully operational after major cost and schedule overruns, it has not completely escaped controversy. Alice Gorman explains why some continue to push NASA to rename the observatory. Click here. (7/26)

Lockheed Considers Future of Military GPS (Source: Air Force Magazine)
Lockheed Martin continues to refine and improve Global Position System technology and the company sees "the opportunity to expand beyond just that concept of a singular [medium Earth orbit] constellation," according to Johnathon Caldwell, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's military space division. Varying orbits would provide resiliency to the system, he says. (7/25)

DIU Focuses on GEO Satellite Support Capability (Source: Space News)
The Defense Innovation Unit is supporting the development of geostationary infrastructure to support satellite upgrades in orbit. "If we can deliver new transformative capabilities to the GEO belt, the cislunar domain is literally open for business as well," said Steve "Bucky" Butow, director of DIU's space portfolio. (7/25)

SAIC Seeks to Support DoD Satellite Constellations (Source: Breaking Defense)
SAIC sees new opportunities working with the Defense Department as the Pentagon shifts to satellite constellations. The longtime contractor for classified programs says it is looking for ways to assist efforts by the Space Development Agency to develop and operate constellations for communications and missile tracking. That work could include support for the constellation itself as well as ground systems integration and work on space traffic management. (7/26)

Kitt Peak Observatory Returing to Normal Operations After Wildfire Threat (Source: Space.com)
The organization that operates an Arizona observatory threatened by a wildfire last month is making gradual progress to resume operations there. The Contreras fire swept across Kitt Peak, home of the Kitt Peak National Observatory, in mid-June, destroying several buildings. The National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, which operates the observatory, said it is still working to evaluate damage to telescopes and instruments there. Access to the summit remains restricted and the observatory won't be connected back to the electrical grid for several weeks. (7/26)

Andrucyk Announces Goddard Retirement (Source: NASA)
The director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center announced his intent to retire Monday. Dennis Andrucyk, who has been director of Goddard since January 2020, plans to retire after more than 30 years at the agency. He will stay on in the role until after NASA completes a nationwide search for a replacement and through a short transition period. Because of that, there is no firm date for his retirement. (7/26)

Gernhardt Retires From NASA Astronaut Corps (Source: NASA)
Longtime NASA astronaut Michael Gernhardt has also retired from the agency. Gernhardt was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1992 and flew on four shuttle missions between 1995 and 2001. He helped develop and test new spacewalking technologies and techniques on those missions. As a management astronaut, he continued work on EVA activities and participated in two underwater expeditions through NASA's NEEMO program. (7/26)

Eutelsat and OneWeb Confirm Merger Plan (Source: Space News)
Eutelsat and OneWeb announced early Tuesday their intent to merge. The companies said they signed a memorandum of understanding to combine through an all-share transaction that would result in Eutelsat taking over OneWeb. However, the British government would continue to hold a share in the British startup with priority voting rights. OneWeb's shareholders would contribute their stake in the startup to Eutelsat in exchange for newly issued shares in the French company, valuing OneWeb at $3.4 billion.

OneWeb would continue to operate the LEO business from its headquarters in the U.K. following the deal, and Eutelsat would remain headquartered in France and listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange. The companies expect the deal, which requires regulatory approvals and a vote by Eutelsat shareholders, to close by mid-2023. (7/26)

DoD Encouraging Commercial Investment in In-Space Satellite Servicing (Source: Space News)
The Defense Department wants to spur commercial investment in servicing technologies for satellites in geostationary orbit. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is investing an unspecified amount in systems such as in-space refueling and robotic servicing vehicles for GEO satellites. DIU's long-term vision is to establish a set of commercial capabilities that could upgrade GEO satellites every few years to take advantage of the latest technologies. "We want to make GEO cool again," says Steve "Bucky" Butow, director of DIU's space portfolio. (7/26)

HawkEye 360 Opens Virginia Payload Production Facility (Source: Space News)
HawkEye 360 opened a new facility in Virginia where it will build its radio-frequency (RF) monitoring satellites. The facility, located near its northern Virginia headquarters, will produce both the RF payloads for satellites as well as the spacecraft themselves. The company has previously worked with Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) in Toronto for the satellites, but the new facility will offer a second production line for the satellites. HawkEye 360 has 15 satellites in orbit with a goal of 60 by the end of 2025. (7/26)

UAE Selects ISS Astronauts (Source: The National)
The UAE has selected the astronaut who will fly a long-duration mission on the International Space Station next year. The government said Monday that Sultan Al Neyadi would go to the ISS next spring on the SpaceX Crew-6 mission. Al Neyadi was one of the first two Emirati astronauts selected in 2018; the other, Hazza Al Mansouri, flew to the ISS on a brief Soyuz mission in 2019. The UAE signed a contract with Axiom Space in April for the seat, which Axiom obtained from NASA as part of an earlier deal for a Soyuz seat for a NASA astronaut. [The National (UAE)]

Russia to Quit ISS Partnership (Source: New York Times)
Russia says it will quit the International Space Station After 2024. The move could lead to the end of two decades of cooperation in space between the United States and Russia, which jointly operate the station. Whether the station can operate after 2024 is uncertain. The outpost in orbit consists of two sections, one led by NASA, the other by Russia. (7/26)