August 28, 2022

Grants Fuel Dawn Aerospace Propulsion Development (Source: Space News)
With recent grants from government agencies, Dawn Aerospace is refining its nitrous-based satellite propulsion technology. Dawn, based in New Zealand and the Netherlands, announced in May the first in-orbit demonstration of its B20 thrusters on a D-Orbit ION Satellite Carrier. Since reaching that milestone, the company has been signing up new propulsion customers, primarily in Europe and the United States, every four to six weeks,” Dawn CEO Stefan Powell. (8/27)

US Mint Ornament Features Astronaut Sally Ride Quarter at its Center (Source: CollectSpace)
The U.S. Mint is launching a new collectible celebrating the first American woman to fly into space. The Dr. Sally Ride American Women Quarters 2022 Ornament features the mint's earlier issued 25-cent coin honoring the late NASA astronaut's accomplishments. Set for release on Aug. 26, the keepsake comes five months after the quarter depicting Ride entered circulation as the second of five American Women Quarter being released this year. (8/26)

Texas' Governor Abbott Appoints Machuca To Aerospace And Aviation Advisory Committee (Source: Gov. Abbott)
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Arturo Machuca to the Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee for a term set to expire on September 1, 2023. The Committee assists in the state’s economic development efforts to recruit and retain aerospace and aviation jobs and investments in Texas. Arturo Machuca of Friendswood is the Director of the Ellington Airport and Houston Spaceport for the Houston Airport System. (8/26)

Chinese solid Rocket Launches Mysterious Chuangxin 16 Satellite (Source: Space.com)
China launched a small solid rocket on Monday (Aug. 22), spawning a minor mystery about the number of satellites on the flight. The Kuaizhou-1A solid rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, sending the Chuangxin 16 satellite into a near circular orbit at an altitude of roughly 366 miles. The satellite was developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS).

However, a post-launch report(opens in new tab) from IAMCAS states that the mission was a dual-satellite launch involving the Chuangxin 16 A and B satellites. The discrepancy may be explained by two satellites that are currently joined but will later separate as part of their mission, or it could suggest that a second satellite will join the already launched Chuangxin 16 in orbit on a later flight. (8/27)

Northrop Grumman and STAR HARBOR to Collaborate on Commercial Space Station Research and Astronaut Training (Source: Northrop Grumman)
Northrop Grumman is partnering with Star Harbor for market research and the early development of an astronaut training curricula for the commercial free-flying space station concept Northrop Grumman is designing under a Space Act Agreement with NASA. This collaboration with Star Harbor will provide an expedited access point to get  research and researchers onboard the Northrop Grumman Space Station design. (8/27)

Starlink Wins in Legal Battle With Dish, Viasat Over Lower-Orbit Satellites (Source: PC Magazine)
A US appeals court has rejected lawsuits from Dish Network and Viasat that tried to reverse an FCC decision permitting SpaceX to operate Starlink satellites at lower orbits. At issue is the FCC’s decision last year to allow SpaceX to launch 2,814 Starlink satellites into 540- to 570-kilometer orbits, down from the original 1,110- to 1,300-kilometer operational range.

The FCC made the decision despite objections from several rival satellite operators who argued that Starlink satellites could cause radio interference. In response, both Dish and Viasat filed lawsuits, demanding the US court system overturn the FCC’s decision. But on Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the FCC’s original decision, and said the legal claims from both Dish and Viasat lacked merit or standing. Reuters was first to report(Opens in a new window) the news.

During the court battle, Dish claimed the FCC had failed to fully consider how the Starlink satellites risked causing interference with Dish’s own satellite TV service. This included refusing to review reports from other outside experts. However, in Friday’s ruling(Opens in a new window), the judges said the FCC properly followed its own procedures in determining that the risk of interference was minimal. The ruling even notes Dish itself “acknowledges that SpaceX’s desired changes pass muster under that approach.” (8/26)

SpaceX Launch Sets Record for Falcon 9 Payload Mass (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
SpaceX hauled another 54 Starlink internet satellites into orbit Saturday night from Cape Canaveral, setting a record for the heaviest payload ever launched by a Falcon 9 rocket. With 54 Starlink payloads, this included one more than SpaceX’s recent missions to the same orbit. SpaceX has experimented with engine throttle settings and another minor upgrades to stretch the Falcon 9’s lift capability. (8/28)

Space For Kentucky Roundtable Planned on Sep. 17 (Source: Space for Kentucky)
Space For Kentucky Roundtable is an opportunity for companies and individuals to come together to bring a slice of the space economy to Kentucky. Enjoy speakers, networking, and other events. The space industry is exploding at an unprecedented rate. It is estimated to be close to a trillion-dollar industry by the end of the decade. As cost-for-entry continues to decline, more opportunities are opened for companies to venture beyond the atmosphere! Click here. (8/27)

NASA’s Return to the Moon Reignites Life in Coastal Florida (Source: Daily Beast)
This used to be a lazy paradise. Motels with jalousie windows ushered in the scent of salt and seaweed from the Indian River. Tourists in rented convertibles rumbled down scenic A1A on their way to Marineland. And the monster oysters at Bernard’s Surf in neighboring Cocoa Beach were just 25 cents a pop. The aromas, attractions and oysters are still here, but you wouldn’t recognize it as the same place it was in the 1960s and ’70s. The same goes for any community within 50 miles of where big rockets now light up the sky on their way to more exotic destinations.

No, Titusville and surrounding Brevard County are a buzzing metropolis, thanks in part to NASA, Kennedy Space Center, and the rejuvenated American space program. Even with an increase in construction—there are currently 10,734 hotel rooms in Brevard County—the Artemis demand overwhelmed supply like a tsunami. And most developers are hedging bets that the Artemis program will make long-term investments worthwhile. Planners aren’t just building more hotels—they are tailoring them as platforms with unrestricted views of rocket launches. (8/27)

Russia to Determine Funding for its Future Space Station After Design is Ready (Source: TASS)
The amount of funding required for the future Russian space station and the time when it could be launched will be clear after its design is completed, Roscosmos head Yury Borisov said. He said the Energia corporation is now designing the orbital outpost for Roscosmos. "It should be completed before the end of 2023, after which the look of the station, the parameters of the orbit, the amount of funding necessary for its creation, as well as the possible timing of deployment will become clear," he said. (8/28)

Indian Space Startups Struggle, Global Investors Stay Away (Source: Inventiva)
According to all but two criteria, Pixxel’s $25 million fundraising in March seemed modest. For the first time, an overseas venture capital fund invested in the Indian space industry. Second, it was the largest amount raised by any Indian space company. There has been little foreign interest in Indian private space companies other than Pixxel. It can be quite challenging for Indian space-tech startups to attract larger investments before they can achieve space readiness (SR). Globally, most space agencies and companies use the SR scale of one to nine to measure a company’s maturity or proficiency. (8/26)