October 23, 2022

Starlink Signals Can Be Reverse-Engineered to Work Like GPS—Whether SpaceX Likes it or Not (Source: MIT Technology Review)
Todd Humphreys’s offer to SpaceX was simple. With a few software tweaks, the Starlink constellation could also offer precise position, navigation, and timing. The US Army, which funds Humphreys’s work, wanted a backup to its venerable, and vulnerable, GPS system. Could Starlink fill that role? When the idea was first proposed in 2020, executives at SpaceX were open to the idea, says Humphreys. Then word came from on high. “Elon told the leaders we spoke to: every other LEO communications network has gone into bankruptcy,” Humphreys said. “And so we have to focus completely on staying out of bankruptcy. We cannot afford any distractions.”

But Humphreys wouldn’t take no for an answer. For the past two years, his team at UT Austin’s Radionavigation Lab has been reverse-engineering signals sent from thousands of Starlink internet satellites in low Earth orbit to ground-based receivers. Now Humphreys says his team has cracked the problem, and he believes that regular beacon signals from the constellation, designed to help receivers connect with the satellites, could form the basis of a useful navigation system. Crucially, this could be done without any help from SpaceX at all.

“The Starlink system signal is a closely guarded secret,” says Humphreys. “Even in our early discussions, when SpaceX was being more cooperative, they didn’t reveal any of the signal structure to us. We had to start from scratch, building basically a little radio telescope to eavesdrop on their signals.” To get the project started, UT Austin acquired a Starlink terminal and used it to stream high-definition tennis videos of Rafael Nadal from YouTube. This provided a constant source of Starlink signals that a separate nearby antenna could listen in on. (10/21)

U.S. Space Command to Transfer Space Object Tracking to Department of Commerce (Source: DoD)
Right now, U.S. Space Command tracks more than 47,000 objects in space. But there are plans to transfer that responsibility to the Department of Commerce, an effort that will allow Spacecom to focus more on what's happening in space rather than just on the tracking of objects there, the Spacecom commander said.

"Operationally our allies and partners are increasing their investments in [space domain awareness], offering enhanced capabilities that can augment U.S. Space Command's globally-distributed sensor network," Dickinson said. "We must find innovative ways to create an integrated sensor network on a global scale. Through an integrated network we can build knowledge of the environment. Through knowledge, we know we can gain better wisdom." (10/21)

U.S. DOT Names New Members to the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (Source: USDOT)
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) FAA is welcoming 21 new members to the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg approved the nominations along with the re-appointment of seven members. Committee members provide information, advice and recommendations to the FAA and DOT about technology, business and policy issues regarding oversight of the U.S. commercial space transportation sector.

COMSTAC membership consists of senior executives from the commercial space transportation industry; manufacturers and customers from the satellite industry; state and local government officials; representatives from firms providing insurance, financial investment and legal services for commercial space activities; and representatives from academia, space advocacy organizations and industry associations. Editor's Note: Dale Ketcham from Space Florida was among the members reappointed to COMSTAC. Click here. (10/21)

Space Tourism Experiments Could Add To Mankind’s Knowledge Bank. Don’t Poo Poo The Movement Just Yet (Source: Forbes)
As with anything reaching pop-culture status, there are naysayers. They poo poo the space tourism movement as a waste of money, something only the rich can do, that it contributes to pollution in the atmosphere, and more. They say that wealthy participants do nothing more than sit in a big tin can for 11 minutes, just to brag that they’ve been to space - defined by NASA as 50 miles above Earth - when they return.

One way to dampen this kind of criticism is by trying to do something that contributes to the knowledge bank of mankind, perhaps conduct an experiment or two up there, as Shift4 Payments billionaire Jared Isaacman plans to do on his three upcoming SpaceX Polaris orbital missions. Isaacman wants to test a new, less-cumbersome space suit on an EVA (spacewalk), and head out to the far reaches of the Van Allen Belt, quite a bit higher than ISS, to test the effects of radiation on the crew and delicate electronic equipment in preparation for future trips to Mars.

Naysayers or not, one can’t argue that valuable information about the human psyche and hard-core science can be gleaned from private spaceflight, including the space tourism element. Bottomline, maybe we as a society should be more positive than negative, embrace rather than denigrate, new developments such as private spaceflight and space tourism. Maybe Isaacman and O’Brien have the right idea with their experiments. (10/21)

Chang'e-5 Samples Reveal How Volcanism Takes Place on Moon (Source: Xinhua)
A Chinese group analyzed lunar samples returned by China's Chang'e-5 mission and proposed a new mechanism for how young volcanos took shape on the cooling moon 2 billion years ago. Scientists previously speculated that the elevated water content or radioactive elements in the lunar interior might have driven volcanism in the late stage of the moon's life. But the Chang'e-5 data found its mantle source region both dry and lacking in heat-producing substance. The study showed that the mantle melting-point depression due to the presence of fusible, easily-melted components could generate young lunar volcanism. (10/22)

Hale Urges More Transparency in Artemis Commercial Contracts (Source: Space Policy Online)
The chairman of a NASA advisory committee, Wayne Hale, is urging NASA to avoid contracts that prevent release of information to the public because companies claim it as proprietary. That applies particularly to Public-Private Partnerships like the Human Landing Systems being developed for the Artemis program to return astronauts to the  Moon. In a discussion with the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) yesterday, Hale urged them “to encourage NASA not to get tied up in proprietary contracts where they can’t release all the details” because the “taxpayers have a stake and need to know.” (10/21)

Take the Handcuffs Off the US Space Force (Source: The Hill)
The Heritage Foundation recently published its “Executive Summary of the 2023 Index of U.S. Military Strength,” an annual report put out by the foundation to “gauge the U.S. military’s ability to perform its mission in today’s world.”  In it, there is reference to the newly formed United States Space Force asserting there is “little evidence it has improved its readiness to provide nearly real-time support to operational and tactical lees of force operations or that it is ready in any way to execute defensive and offensive counterspace operations to the degree envisioned by Congress.”  Let’s examine the impacts of this statement.

If the USSF is not successful in its ability to contest space, the other branches of the armed forces will struggle to meet military objectives against an adversary capable of using space-enabled weapons for targeting or other purposes.  All other military services and their respective operations rely on the use of the space domain. Without freedom of action to move in and through space, those operations effectiveness become greatly challenged. One only need look at the effectiveness of commercial space in supporting Ukrainian command and control mission to determine how necessary space-based capabilities are.  These are the types of capabilities the USSF deliver to ensure other military services can accomplish their objectives.

The budget and personnel need to be adjusted due to the criticality of the USSF mission. Because the success of the USSF is critical to the joint fight, it is noteworthy that it is only given about 2.5 percent of the Department of Defense budget. Congress needs to examine whether this amount can provide the necessary systems the USSF will need to accomplish their assigned tasks. (10/21)

Space Force to Award Up to $50 Million in Contracts for Space Test Program Experiments (Source: Space News)
The Space Force is changing its approach to buying satellites for the Space Test Program, which for decades has launched experiments for the U.S. government and allies. Instead of awarding separate contracts for STP missions, the Space Force will select a group of vendors that will compete for $50 million worth of task orders under a five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract.

The plan is to select a mix of vendors that can produce spacecraft ranging from 12U cubesats to 180-kilogram ESPA-class satellites. These contractors will be responsible to design, develop and manufacture the spacecraft, integrate experimental payloads, test the integrated space vehicle, support the launch and post-launch mission operations. (10/21)

Iridium Sheds More Light on Direct-to-Smartphone Plan (Source: Space News)
Initial direct-to-smartphone services from Iridium’s constellation will support occasional communications for emergencies and other unforeseen needs in remote areas worldwide, CEO Matt Desch said Oct. 20. Similar to rival low Earth orbit (LEO) operator Globalstar’s plan to bring basic SOS connectivity to the iPhone 14 next month, Desch said its incoming service is designed for casual use. There will be little overlap with Iridium’s existing personal communications business, he said, which provides remote low-data rate voice and data services to specialized handsets for recreational, maritime, and other less casual users. (10/21)

Grasp Acquires AirPhoton to Form Grasp Global (Source: Space News)
French startup Grasp SAS has acquired Baltimore, Maryland-based AirPhoton to create Grasp Global, a European and U.S. Earth-observation company with plans for a cubesat constellation. Grasp, which stands for Generalized Retrieval of Atmosphere and Surface Properties, was founded in 2015 to provide software and remote-sensing services primarily to agencies including the European Space Agency and Eumetsat, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites. (10/21)

How the Space Race Started a Technological Revolution in Agriculture (Source: Space.com)
The agriculture industry uses a wide array of technology, including sensors, IoT (internet of things), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), all of which work alongside GPS. With the world population projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, subsequent higher demand for food combined with the ongoing impact of climate change, means farmers will be challenged to produce more by improving operations year-over-year. Click here. (10/21)

NASA Astronauts 'Moonwalk' in the Arizona Desert for Our Lunar Future (Source: Space.com)
Two NASA missions in Arizona are attempting to simulate exploration of the moon's south pole. As NASA prepares to launch Artemis 1 uncrewed mission around the moon as soon as Nov. 14, the space agency is thinking even beyond the crewed Artemis 2 mission that will bring humans around the moon. Simulated moonwalks on Earth are NASA's way of preparing those astronauts who may walk upon the lunar surface for Artemis 3 as soon as 2025. This month, astronauts are trekking through an environment where they will be exposed to conditions as close as possible to those on the moon without leaving Earth — the Arizona desert. (10/21)

UAE to Launch First Lunar Rover ‘Rashid’ in November (Source: i24)
'Rashid' – named after Dubai's ruling family – will be propelled aboard a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket. The United Arab Emirates will launch in November from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, The United States, between Nov. 9 and 15. "Rashid" – named after Dubai's ruling family – will be propelled aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and deposited on the moon by a Japanese lander in March 2023. The 22-pound rover is expected to study the lunar surface, mobility on the moon's surface, and how different surfaces interact with lunar particles. It will carry two high-resolution cameras, a microscopic camera, a thermal imaging camera, and a probe, among other devices. (10/21)

Big Hardware Movements for SpaceX and Blue Origin at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
Three massive tanks for SpaceX's Starship Pad at LC-39A were removed and later shipped out for unknown reasons. Meanwhile, fairings and a payload adapter for Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket arrived at the Kennedy Space Center turn basin and were moved to their factory. Click here. (10/21)

Dassault Aviation's Florida Expansion Joins 5 Other Aerospace Projects (Source: Orlando Business Journal)
The secret is out. Space Florida this year has been negotiating with a company known only as "Project Vista" on a potential expansion to the Sunshine State. Project Vista on Oct. 17 revealed itself as French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation. The maker of military and civilian aircraft plans to invest $115 million to build a 175,000-square-foot maintenance facility in Melbourne, creating 400 high-wage jobs in the process.

Why this story matters: Statewide spaceport development authority Space Florida is in negotiations with multiple companies to bring construction, manufacturing and launch projects to Central Florida. These projects stand to create jobs in the region, and most of those jobs will pay wages higher than the regional average. If that facility materializes as planned, it may open as soon as 2024. It's a big win for the region — and it's not the only jobs-generating project Space Florida aims to lure there.

New projects only would add to the Space Coast's identity as a high-wage aerospace hub. The region is home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and it's home to launch and manufacturing operations of space companies like SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin. This concentration of aviation and aerospace employers in Brevard County means a hub of skilled workers, which is one of the main reasons Dassault Aviation picked the area for its biggest U.S. investment in company history, Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said in a prepared statement. (10/21)