August 8, 2022

Inflatable Systems Can Make Small Satellite Exploration of Other Planets Possible (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Small satellites could explore Mars and Venus cheaply and efficiently using inflatable structures that would enable them to more easily enter orbit around these planets. The spacecraft would use a technical called aerocapture in which they would skim off the outer edges of the atmospheres of Mars or Venus. An inflatable structure would deploy prior to atmospheric interface to protect the spacecraft, and then be jettisoned after the spacecraft had cleared the atmosphere. The spacecraft would then use on-board propulsion to adjust its orbit around the planet.

Aerocapture would allow small satellites to explore Mars and Venus without the extra mass and expense of large propulsion system needed to place them into orbit, according to Shelly Mann, a Ph.D candidate in aerospace engineering at Old Dominion University. Small satellites could be built more quickly and inexpensively than the large spacecraft now launched on planetary missions. (8/7)

Telesat's Anik F2 Satellite Running Out of Fuel Early (Source: Space News)
Telesat says one of its GEO communications satellites will run out of fuel three years earlier than expected. The aging Boeing-built Anik F2 satellite has been operating under a workaround mode for the past year after two of its four station-keeping thrusters suffered an anomaly. This requires the satellite to use fuel faster than planned and will force Telesat to put it into an inclined orbit at the end of this year rather than 2025, as previously expected. Anik F2 currently represents about 8% of Telesat's revenue, and Telesat warned it could lose a third of that if mitigation efforts are not successful. The news comes as Telesat disclosed higher costs and additional delays for Telesat Lightspeed, its proposed low Earth orbit broadband constellation. Costs have increased 5-10% because of inflation even after the company cut the size of the constellation by a third. (8/8)

AASC Providing Electric Propulsion Tech to Benchmark (Source: Space News)
Benchmark Space Systems is acquiring electric propulsion technology from another company. Benchmark announced Monday it is buying technology developed by Alameda Applied Science Corp. (AASC) that provides propulsion by creating a metal plasma. AASC developed thrusters it calls Xantus that will be flown in space for the first time later this year. Benchmark intends to pair its own Halcyon high-test peroxide thrusters with Xantus thrusters in a turnkey propulsion system that Benchmark argues can combine the benefits of chemical and electric propulsion. (8/8)

NASA's MAIA Instrument May Fly on Italian Satellite (Source: Space News)
A NASA Earth science instrument originally intended to launch on a commercial smallsat may fly on an Italian satellite instead. NASA officials said last week they were in discussions with the Italian Space Agency to fly its Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) instrument on a future Italian satellite. MAIA, designed to study particulate matter air pollution in urban areas, was to launch on the Orbital Test Bed 2 satellite from General Atomics. However, NASA and General Atomics "mutually agreed" to terminate that agreement, citing technical and programmatic issues. NASA has been separately working with General Atomics to resolve problems with TSIS-2, another spacecraft the company is building for the agency. (8/8)

NASA's PUNCH Smallsats Will Fly on SpaceX Rideshare Launch (Source: Space News)
A NASA space science mission will hitch a ride with an agency astrophysics spacecraft. NASA announced last week that its Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission, a set of four smallsats, will fly as a rideshare on the Falcon 9 the agency previously acquired to launch an astrophysics mission called SPHEREx. The two missions will share the Falcon 9 launch in April 2025. NASA has been working to make greater use of rideshare opportunities on science missions in recent years. (8/8)

India Pressing Sri Lanka to Keep Chinese Space Tracking Surveillance Vessel From Port (Source: Times of India)
India is pressuring Sri Lanka to stop a Chinese space tracking ship from docking at a port in the country. The Yuan Wang 5 ship, used by China for tracking launches, is scheduled to dock at Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka Aug. 11 for refueling and resupply. Indian officials, though, have pressured Sri Lanka's new government to stop the visit as it considers Yuan Wang 5 a surveillance vessel. Sri Lanka's foreign ministry has requested China postpone the visit indefinitely, but it is unclear if China will agree. (8/8)

French Scientist Posts Sausage Pic as Proxima Centauri (Source: Space.com)
A French scientist tweeted a photo he said was of a nearby star taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. It was instead a piece of sausage. Étienne Klein tweeted the photo, showing a reddish object with white spots, that he claimed was the nearby star Proxima Centauri taken by JWST. The image sparked widespread praise, but he soon acknowledged it was not an image of the star but instead a slice of chorizo. He said he posted the image as "a form of amusement" but also as a warning "to be wary of arguments from authority as much as of the spontaneous eloquence of certain images." (8/8)

Northrop Grumman Teams with Firefly to Develop Upgraded Antares Rocket (Source: SpaceFlight Insider)
Northrop Grumman is teaming with Firefly Aerospace to create an upgraded version of the Antares rocket following supply disruptions caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Firefly Aerospace, which is currently developing its own line of rockets starting with a small satellite launcher called “Alpha,” is expected to build the first stage of this new upgraded Antares 330 rocket. Northrop Grumman will provide the avionics and software as well as the upper stage of the vehicle.

Antares’ primary purpose since its inception in 2013 has been to send Northop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Over the years, there have been several upgrades to the rocket, increasing its capabilities. The current version of Northrop Grumman’s Antares, 230+, utilizes a first stage built in Ukraine with RD-181 engines supplied by Russia. Its upper stage is a Castor 30XL solid rocket motor, built by Northrop Grumman. The Antares 330 rocket is also expected to use the same launch pad as previous versions, Pad 0A at Wallops Island, Virginia. (8/8)

Northrop Grumman Space Sees Growth Despite Industry Woes (Source: Flying)
Despite a second-quarter sales decrease, Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems saw promising growth, according to the company’s latest financial report. Northrop Grumman reported a $350 million decrease in sales across its aeronautics systems, defense systems, and mission systems, but this was partially offset by an 8 percent increase in its space systems segment.

According to the report, the company’s space system’s growth totaled $231 million, owing in part to increased sales in its launch and strategic missiles business area. Space systems previously projected double-digit growth for 2022, and it is currently on track to do that. (8/5)