October 6, 2022

SpaceX Launches Starlink Satellites From California (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX's second launch Wednesday placed another batch of Starlink satellites in orbit. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 7:10 p.m. Eastern, deploying 52 Starlink satellites into orbit about an hour later. The rocket's booster, on its fifth flight, landed on a droneship in the Pacific. (10/6)

SpaceX More Concerned About 5G Interference with Starlink (Source: Space News)
SpaceX warned the FCC that proposed terrestrial 5G services could disrupt Starlink more than first thought. SpaceX said a third-party analysis validates its in-house study in June when it warned Starlink would be unusable for most Americans if a 5G high-power mobile service is allowed to operate in the United States at the 12-gigahertz band. The new study indicates that interference could be worse than SpaceX's own estimates. Satellite broadcaster Dish Network uses frequencies in the band to provide linear TV programming, and is seeking permission from the FCC to upgrade its license to provide terrestrial 5G services. A Dish executive dismissed the study as "a flawed technical analysis" that conflicts with others that conclude that Starlink and 5G services can coexist. (10/6)

NOAA's Next Weather Satellite Prepares for November Launch (Source: Space News)
A new weather satellite is launching just in time to replace an aging spacecraft. NOAA is preparing to launch the Joint Polar Satellite System-2 on Nov. 1 from Vandenberg on an Atlas 5. JPSS-2 will replace Suomi NPP, running out of propellant after nearly 11 years of operations. Because the Suomi NPP instruments continue to function well, NOAA is considering options to extend its life, like allowing the satellite to drift in orbit, once JPSS-2 is in orbit and commissioned. (10/6)

Falcon Heavy On Track for Long-Delayed Mission This Month (Source: Spaceflight Now)
A long-delayed national security mission could finally launch on Falcon Heavy this month. The Space Force is planning a launch as soon as Oct. 28 for the USSF-44 mission, which will carry a classified payload on a Falcon Heavy. That mission was originally planned to launch in late 2020 but delayed by issues with the payload. For that launch, the two Falcon Heavy side boosters will land back at Cape Canaveral, but the center booster will be expended. This will be the first Falcon Heavy launch since June 2019, a gap caused by delays with multiple customers for the vehicle. (10/6)

Report Highlights U.S. Concerns Over China’s Space Infrastructure in South America (Source: Space News)
A new report raises concerns about Chinese expansion of ground stations in South America. The report released this week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) examined development of ground stations by China in countries including Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela as well as through services provided by the Swedish Space Corporation in Chile. Whle those ground stations can support exploration missions, the opacity of the agreements with host countries and China's space industry raises concerns of the potential for military applications of what is inherently dual-use technology, the CSIS report states, including spying on U.S. assets. (10/6)

Japan's Next Epsilon Launch Delayed (Source: Jiji Press)
A rare tracking issue will delay the launch of a Japanese small rocket. The Japanese space agency JAXA said it was delaying the launch of an Epsilon rocket that had been scheduled for Thursday night, citing conditions that will be unsuitable for tracking the launch. JAXA said satellite positions and other conditions are expected to be unfavorable for tracking the launch, but didn't elaborate other than to say this was a "rare case." The launch will likely be rescheduled for some time next week. (10/6)

Firefly’s Successful Launch Helps Fill a Big Gap in the Market, CEO Says (Source: CNBC)
Firefly is the fifth U.S. rocket builder to reach orbit in the past 15 years — joining a select group that includes SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Virgin Orbit and Astra. Standing at 95 feet tall, Firefly’s Alpha rocket is designed to launch as much as 1,300 kilograms of payload to orbit – at a price of $15 million per launch. This puts Firefly in the “medium-lift” category of rockets, in between “small” launchers and the “heavy” rockets. “There’s a business case that is just screaming to be addressed” in the middle part of the launch market, CEO Bill Weber said.

Firefly has another Alpha launch scheduled for this year, and plans to launch as many as six in 2023 and 12 in 2024. “We don’t want to just do this once. We want to do this once a month and then ultimately once a week,” Weber said. “There is more demand in the market than rockets we’re going to build and that’s a great place to be from a growth perspective.” (10/3)

After Parroting Putin's Propaganda, Musk Says He's 'Obviously' Pro-Ukraine and Says SpaceX Has Spent $80 Million on Starlink for Ukraine (Source: Business Insider)
Elon Musk is embroiled in a new Twitter spat, this time with Ukrainian government officials. It started on Monday, when Musk posted a poll on Twitter about a peace plan for the war in Ukraine. The poll triggered backlash, with Ukrainian diplomats lambasting Musk over the poll, which seemingly parroted the Kremlin's talking points. Late on Monday night, Musk said he is "obviously" pro-Ukraine, writing on Twitter that SpaceX has spent $80 million running Starlink in Ukraine. (10/4)

Africa in Space: Continent Has a Lot to Gain, But Proper Plans Must Be Put in Place (Source: The Conversation)
There is potential to apply space technology in various areas, including agriculture, transport, urban planning, environmental management, disaster management and natural resource management. The UN-affiliated regional centres in Morocco and Nigeria have trained several hundred Africans in these areas.

In addition, some African countries have procured small satellites, mostly through the help of academic or commercial institutions abroad. Unfortunately, there has been little or no technology transfer. Similarly, the technology and knowledge from externally funded programs have yet to be properly internalized, codified and diffused.

Some African countries have commenced academic programmes in areas such as astronomy, remote sensing, space weather, satellite communication, satellite geodesy, satellite meteorology and space law. The challenge is that there are few jobs for the graduates. Africa eventually loses them to countries where their knowledge and skills are better used. Africa, therefore, needs to be strategic in its engagements and programs. (10/4)

Space Tourism: From Arizona to the Stratosphere (Source: KOLD)
It is National Space Week. Just one year ago, World View announced space tourism, giving regular people the opportunity to go to space. Right now, capsules are being built and tested. World View is based in Tucson and KOLD News 13 got to go inside the explorer space capsule. It is still in the mock phase. But soon, it will be an out-of-this-world experience.

“And to think about one year now, we will really be entering into the final stages of preparing to take people into the stratosphere,” said World View CEO Ryan Hartman. World View is creating a customer experience around “the view.” “It is not a thrill of a rocket ride, the thrill of zero gravity. It is really about experiencing a gentle ascent in a luxurious environment where you will be served a cocktail and eat a light meal,” Hartman said. (10/4)

UK SaxaVord Team Could Play a Role in Supporting Future Space Travel for Europe (Source: Shetland News)
The SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst will be at the “center” of space travel for Europe in decades to come, according to its team. In a new education strategy, under a section called ‘what does 2050 look like?’, the SaxaVord team said: “As a champion for space for all, SaxaVord will be the premier facility for providing young persons opportunities to travel to live, work and play in space.” But a spokesperson for the company clarified that no human spaceflight is on the cards at the spaceport, which is set to host satellite launches. (10/5)

SpaceX Has Been Bidding Against Itself for NASA’s Science Missions for a While (Source: Ars Technica)
On Friday NASA closed the bidding process to select a launch vehicle for an upcoming Earth science mission to measure changes in sea level, Sentinel-6B. The mission is expected to launch into low Earth orbit about four years from now, and the space agency is finalizing its choice of a rocket. Such bidding processes are secretive to protect the competitive interests of the bidders in terms of prices and capabilities. However, realistically, there is no mystery about who will win the Sentinel-6B contract. Like the spacecraft's twin, Sentinel-6A, we can expect this mission to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket sometime in 2026.

This is because, at present, there are no other bidders for NASA's medium and large science missions beyond SpaceX and its fleet of Falcon rockets. In response to questions about this lack of competition for its science missions, including Sentinel-6B, NASA declined to provide answers to questions from Ars. Rather, spokesperson Leejay Lockhart issued the following statement, "NASA is not able to share the number of bids or waiver request information as they are considered competition sensitive."

However, it seems likely that at least the last three awards under NASA's Launch Services II contract have all seen SpaceX bidding against itself. United Launch Alliance chief executive Tory Bruno confirmed this after NASA's announcement in September 2021 that the GOES-U satellite would launch on a Falcon Heavy rocket. Bruno said his company had "withdrawn" its bid after all of its Atlas V rockets were sold out. (10/4)

Mangata Networks Selects Honeywell to Provide SATCOM Control Systems (Source: Military Aerospace)
Honeywell in Phoenix has announced that Mangata Networks - a telecommunications company also in Phoenix - has selected the company's space integrated attitude control system (IACS) in support of its new constellations comprising 32 satellites. Mangata's new highly elliptical orbit (HEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations provide communications and weather monitoring in areas that typically lack in quality internet connectivity. (10/5)

James Webb Telescope’s Powers Get Boosted with X-Ray Vision (Source: Daily Beast)
As images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope have been released to the public, people have reacted as if they’d seen a magic trick. Isn’t modern technology just incredible? It is, but the state-of-the-art telescope is joining forces with an unlikely partner to enhance its images: the 23-year-old Chandra X-ray Observatory.

By combining data from Webb and Chandra, the striking images of far away galaxies and nebulae come into focus. Webb uses four scientific instruments to peer into our cosmic history, all of which measure a range of red and infrared light. Chandra, on the other hand, was designed to detect X-ray emissions, which are higher-energy forms of light than Webb’s instruments can sense. (10/5)

ESA Wants Space Companies to Connect and Guide Moon Missions (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Creating lasting telecommunications and navigation links with the Moon will enable sustainable space exploration for the hundreds of lunar missions that are due to launch within the next few decades. As part of its efforts to promote European leadership, autonomy and responsibility, ESA is inviting space companies in Europe and Canada to provide telecommunications and navigation services to these lunar missions, under its Moonlight initiative.

ESA is completing two studies with two consortia of space companies based in Europe that assess the business case and the technical solutions for building and operating a constellation of lunar satellites. ESA is now asking any space firms to indicate whether they would like to become involved in the ambitious project – or simply to develop lunar telecommunication and navigation technologies and products. The deadline is 28 October. (10/5)

Crew-5 Dragon Launches Astronauts, Cosmonaut to Space Station (Source: Spaceflight Insider)
Three astronauts and one cosmonaut are on their way to the International Space Station after launching to space atop a Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Crew-5 mission. Aboard the Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft are NASA astronauts Nichole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina.

Today’s launch is the fifth ISS crew rotation mission as part of the Commercial Crew Program using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. They are expected to arrive at the orbiting outpost about 29 hours after liftoff. Docking is scheduled for 4:57 p.m. EDT Oct. 6. At that point, they’ll become part of the in-progress Expedition 68 space station crew.

The Crew Dragon capsule that flew in support of this mission previously flew the Crew-3 astronauts to and from the International Space Station between November 2021 and May 2022. After Falcon 9’s stage separation, the first stage, which was a new booster, landed on SpaceX’s drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” staged downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. (10/5)

How Should We Quickly Replace Downed Satellites? (Source: Defense One)
For many years, there has been a debate within the space community about how best to rapidly deploy satellites in a time of need. Should they wait on the ground to be rapidly launched when called upon, or stored in orbit, waiting to be rapidly activated? The answer has become clear: both.

One might wonder if maintaining ground reserve satellites would be prohibitively expensive? The answer is no. You would not build extra satellites; you would only build early satellites. If the constellation is to have six birds, stay one ahead. When you get to the last one, have the first bird of the follow-on constellation also built ahead.

Thus, we see that the answer to this old debate is now clear. We replace casualties during the fight with the rapid activation of on orbit spares for proliferated constellations, while rapidly launching ground reserves for large, high-value assets. (10/5)

BAE Opens New Manufacturing Plant in Austin (Source: AIN Online)
BAE Systems is expanding its innovation and manufacturing capabilities with the opening of a $150 million facility in Austin, Texas. The 390,000-sq-ft facility will provide space for manufacturing, engineering design, lab work, and offices. The facility further includes expansion space for future growth. “Our goal is to double our workforce in Austin over the next several years.”

Nearly 700 BAE workers are based in Austin. The location will focus on a range of programs involving autonomy, cyber, and sensor development. In addition, the facility will accommodate programs surrounding the manufacturing of radio frequency and electro-optical/infrared countermeasure systems, and aircraft electrification technology. (10/4)

SES Closer to $4 Billion Payout After ULA Launch (Source: Space News)
United Launch Alliance launched a pair of satellites for SES Oct. 4 that are vital to the operator’s bid to claim nearly $4 billion in C-band clearing proceeds. Having already launched SES-22 in June as part of its shift out of C-band, the Oct. 4 mission leaves SES with just two more satellites it plans to deploy by early next year to stay on pace to claim the maximum payout from the Federal Communications Commission.

In addition to covering costs to vacate C-band for terrestrial 5G, the FCC is offering satellite operators nearly $10 billion in total incentive payments if they can meet the regulator’s spectrum-clearing deadlines. SES and Intelsat hold the majority of C-band in the United States and are in line for a maximum of $3.97 billion and $4.9 billion, respectively, if they can fully vacate the lower 300 MHz slice of C-band by Dec. 5, 2023, by moving broadcast customers to the upper 200 MHz of the band. (10/5)