October 8, 2022

Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Triggered A ‘Mega-Earthquake’ That Lasted Weeks To Months (Source: Forbes)
Some 66 million years ago, a 10-kilometer asteroid hit Earth, triggering a firestorm engulfing most of the North American continent, a tsunami with mountain-sized waves, and an earthquake so massive that it shook the planet for weeks to months after the collision. The amount of energy released in this "mega-earthquake" is estimated at 1023 joules, which is about 50,000 times more energy than was released in the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra earthquake in 2004 - one of the most powerful earthquakes ever experienced by humankind. (10/7)

Mysterious Reflections on Mars Might Come From Something Stranger Than Water (Source: Space.com)
Scientists revisiting a mysterious signal from the south pole of Mars have suggested a new potential explanation, and it doesn't bode well for hopes of finding liquid water on the Red Planet. In 2018, scientists using data from ESA's Mars Express orbiter's Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) instrument announced that they'd observed a radar signal that could be interpreted as evidence of liquid water.

That signal, a strange bright reflection, came from the Martian south pole in a region known as Ultima Scopuli. Researchers investigating the reflection now suggest that the signal didn't come from the ice itself, or even from liquid water, but from underlying geological layers made of minerals and frozen carbon dioxide. In particular, it turned out that the thickness of these layers, rather than what they're made of, creates the otherworldly reflection. (10/6)

Uranus' Weird Tilt May Be the Work of a Long-Lost Moon (Source: Space.com)
Uranus is just plain weird, and one of the weirdest things about it is its tilt. Uranus has the largest tilt in the solar system, at 98 degrees, which means it spins almost perfectly perpendicular to the direction of its orbit. Astronomers have long suspected that a series of giant impacts early in the planet's formation did the job of flipping Uranus on its side, but new research suggests a much less violent cause: a satellite of Uranus that wandered away. (10/6)

There’s Hope for Life on Europa, a Distant Moon (Source: The Atlantic)
Europa might be the best place to search for life elsewhere in the solar system. Scientists are almost certain that beneath the Jovian moon’s frozen surface is a salty ocean with more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. And such a watery subsurface environment could provide a comfortable home for small Europan life forms.

Two years from now, another NASA spacecraft will depart for the Jupiter system, specifically designed to study Europa. The probe will swing past the moon dozens of times, sometimes coasting just 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the surface. Each pass will bring scientists closer to understanding the workings of this celestial truffle and its mysterious interior. Beneath that frosty coating could be the answer to one of our biggest questions: Is there life anywhere else in the universe? (10/6)

Galileo’s Next Ride Moving Toward Operational Status (Source: Inside GNSS)
ESA’s Ariane 6 launch vehicle, on which the deployment of the EU’s Galileo GNSS satellite constellation now depends, has taken another step towards first flight. A fresh series of hot fire tests of the rocket’s upper stage and all-new Vinci engine is now underway at Germany’s DLR center for engine and stage testing in Lampoldshausen.

The tests, which began on 5 October 2022 within the specially-built P5.2 test bench, are a significant step forward for the flagship program. The test bench subjects the entire upper stage to all of the conditions under which it will operate during a real flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with the exception of vacuum and microgravity. (10/6)

Kim Kardashian Reveals Space Talks With Jeff Bezos: 'Can It Blow Up? (Source: Newsweek)
Kim Kardashian has shared her fears over Pete Davidson's space flight, revealing that Jeff Bezos himself assuaged her concerns. In the latest episode of The Kardashians, the reality TV star was in Milan for fashion week earlier this year and still dating the Saturday Night Live comedian, who at the time, made headlines for his invitation on the Amazon founder's Blue Origin space flight. (10/7)

Shatner: My Trip to Space Filled Me With ‘Overwhelming Sadness’ (Source: Variety)
I looked down and I could see the hole that our spaceship had punched in the thin, blue-tinged layer of oxygen around Earth. It was as if there was a wake trailing behind where we had just been, and just as soon as I’d noticed it, it disappeared. I continued my self-guided tour and turned my head to face the other direction, to stare into space.

I love the mystery of the universe. I love all the questions that have come to us over thousands of years of exploration and hypotheses. Stars exploding years ago, their light traveling to us years later; black holes absorbing energy; satellites showing us entire galaxies in areas thought to be devoid of matter entirely… all of that has thrilled me for years… but when I looked in the opposite direction, into space, there was no mystery, no majestic awe to behold . . . all I saw was death.

I saw a cold, dark, black emptiness. It was unlike any blackness you can see or feel on Earth. It was deep, enveloping, all-encompassing. I turned back toward the light of home. I could see the curvature of Earth, the beige of the desert, the white of the clouds and the blue of the sky. It was life. Nurturing, sustaining, life. Mother Earth. Gaia. And I was leaving her. (10/6)

Will Colorado Company’s Coffee Be 21st Century Version of Tang? It Hopes So (Source: Denver Post)
At 8,900 feet, First Ascent Coffee in Crested Butte is closer than most coffee businesses to the heavens. Now its handcrafted instant coffee is in space, where it will keep astronauts on the latest NASA mission caffeinated. Sam Higby, a co-owner of First Ascent Coffee Roasters, watched a livestream of Wednesday morning’s launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The crew of two NASA astronauts and one from Japan and one from Russia will spend six months on the International Space Station.

“That felt pretty cool for us, just one more small part of Colorado going to space,” said Higby, referring to the state’s robust aerospace industry. The coffee company’s adventure began about a year ago when Higby opened an email inquiry about buying a large amount of instant coffee. “I noticed the email address included at NASA.gov,” he said. (10/6)

Moon Food is Next Step on Path to Establish Moon Colony (Source: Cosmos)
Will a plant grow faster under one-sixth of Earth’s gravity? Would a succulent survive the extremes of space travel? Or would adding water to a dehydrated husk be the best way to seed the Moon? It’s not blue-sky science. Growing plants in space is an absolute necessity if humans are to establish an enduring presence off-planet. It’s already been found that Martian soil might be very conducive. But given NASA is planning to build a Moon base, testing the capacity of plants to survive and thrive on the lunar surface has become a priority.

Australian space-startup Lunaria One wants to put plants on the Moon by 2025. It’s partner is the Israel-based non-profit SpaceIL. Every space-grown tomato, potato and lettuce will reduce the need for food to be carried aboard a rocket. For example, a 1kg punnet of avocados on a Russian Soyuz rocket would cost about $25,000 to boost into orbit. Delivering them to the Moon would multiply this figure. “We need to know how the germination of different plants responds to the crazy experiences they go through while in space,” she says. “And that’s before we figure out what it takes to keep them healthy once they get to the Moon.” (10/7)

Space Advertising Would Cost $65 Million to Set Up—and the Ads Would Cost Less Than Super Bowl Commercials (Source: Fortune)
As flying cars, space tourism, and robot pizza trucks edge toward becoming reality, it feels like we’re living in the future. Now billboards in space might be next on the agenda. The concept of advertising in space, although distasteful to some, isn’t a new one, and the technology to do so exists. But considering the sheer amount it was expected to cost, money has been the limiting factor. Now, however, a new study has found that space billboards could actually turn a profit.

Researchers have calculated that it will cost roughly $65 million to use 50 satellites to create an advertisement visible for months from around the world. To get into the specifics, it would involve sending up 12U-CubeSat–volume satellites into sun-synchronous orbit so that they are always in direct sunlight. They would deploy parabolic reflectors to catch the sunlight, thus making them visible from Earth; the satellites would act like pixels, together creating images for a few minutes.

Cost is the key part, and the study estimates that total $65 million expenditure will involve manufacturing the 50 satellites ($48.7 million); testing, support, and engineering ($11.5 million); and launch ($4.8 million). As for turning a profit, the advertisements would target large cities during their winter months—especially effective in warmer climates where the temperatures don’t send everyone into their homes for shelter. SNet income could run to some $111 million, assuming that 24 ads are displayed over the course of three months. That’s $4.6 million per advertisement. (10/6)

Space Force Isn’t Quite What You Think It Is (Source: Gizmodo)
The general public greeted the founding of the Space Force with mockery and disdain, and a satirical Netflix show further entrenched the ridicule. That the new branch was created during the Trump administration didn’t help, as the association only served to foster distrust. Similarities between the new Space Force logo and the Starfleet logo from Star Trek added insult to injury in terms of the public’s perception of the new branch.

And this really is a problem of perception. As an idea, Space Force predates Donald Trump, and while the branch’s purview certainly extends into the final frontier, its roles and capabilities are generally misunderstood. The latest addition to the U.S. Armed Forces is a logical and necessary response to our growing dependence on the space environment. What’s more, it takes a village to defend space, and in this, the Space Force is not alone. (10/6)

Lloyd's to Collaborate on World’s First Space Sustainability Kitemark (Source: Insurance Business)
Lloyd’s, in partnership with the Lloyd’s Market Association (LMA), has announced that it will collaborate with the UK government and industry experts to develop the world’s first kitemark for sustainable space exploration. A kitemark is a UK quality trademark, usually used to identify products where safety is of paramount importance. Lloyd’s has been at the forefront of insuring space exploration since its beginning, including insuring the first commercial satellite in 1965. The development of the Earth & Space Sustainability Initiative kitemark will help shape conversations around extraterrestrial risk, Lloyd’s said. (10/7)

Investing in Space: Houston, We Have Job Openings (Source: CNBC)
In an increasingly tight labor market, the space sector is hiring. There are nearly 8,400 openings at “infrastructure” space companies, the likes of which build and operate rockets and spacecraft, according to venture firm Space Capital and its Space Talent database. A lot of the new hires, according to Justus Kilian, partner at Space Capital, come from the tech sector, which has seen hiring freezes and job cuts as companies brace for economic downturn.

You actually see talent floating around, because their skills are so transferable. They’re going to each of these different industries, job after job, and just following each other working on the biggest, most exciting, most complicated problems,” Kilian said. But Kilian says the space sector often falls short in the competitive talent pool on vision and compensation. Space companies are often led by technical people “fixated on the technical problem” and lacking the ability to inspire, he said. And salary levels at big tech, robotics, autonomous vehicles, motorsports and telecommunications are hard to match. (10/6)

Oman's First Satellite Ready for Launch From UK Spaceport (Source: The National)
Oman’s first satellite is ready to be launched from Cornwall, south-western UK. Aman, a CubeSat that is to be used for environmental surveillance, is expected to enter low Earth orbit after it blasts off from Spaceport Cornwall this month. The satellite was this week integrated with the LauncherOne rocket will carry the device into orbit. “Satellite integration marks an important milestone in the plan to send the first Omani spacecraft into space this year," said Abdulaziz Jaafar, chief executive of Omani technology company Etco. (10/6)

The Commercial Space Industry is Betting on Launch Success From Kodiak, But Some Locals Aren’t So Sure (Source: KMXT)
The commercial space industry could become a $1 trillion industry by 2040, according to some analysts. And companies that build rockets are looking for a place to launch. Some say Kodiak’s Pacific Spaceport Complex could be an opportunity for Alaska to get in on the ground floor, but if the industry is going to grow in Kodiak, it has to overcome some local opposition first.

Milton Keeter is the chief executive officer of Alaska Aerospace, which operates the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak’s Narrow Cape. He said it used to take a year or more for those satellites to get up into space. “So, the new rocket industry has decided to say, ‘Hey, how about I make a smaller rocket that I can launch more often? And then I can get these smaller payloads up more quickly,’” said Keeter. That’s what makes Kodiak’s Spaceport Complex on Narrow Cape unique – it’s one of only four facilities in the U.S. that can launch those types of rockets into orbit.

But shooting things off into space doesn’t come without controversy. Some people never wanted the complex there in the first place, and there’s been launch failures – including one that culminated in a fiery explosion back in 2020. Kodiak’s Spaceport is at the end of the island’s road system near several popular beaches – and within a few miles of some homes. Launch windows shut down the one road that provides access to nearby recreation areas, and impose water and air closures, too. (10/6)

Georgia Supreme Court Hears Spaceport Case with Local Public Ballot Initiatives at Stake (Source: Georgia Recorder)
On Thursday, Camden County argued in front of the Georgia Supreme Court that a local probate judge shouldn’t have ordered a referendum election allowing residents to nix plans for a coastal spaceport. For most of the hour-long hearing, justices questioned attorneys for the probate court judge, county, and the citizens behind the initial lawsuit opposing the $11 million project to launch rockets off Georgia’s coast. The justices’ decision could reverberate throughout the state as residents took advantage of a rarely used clause in Georgia’s Constitution that gives them the power to rein in what they say is an overzealous county government.

On Thursday, arguments focused on Georgia’s home rule discretion, which grants counties the right to make real estate agreements that do not conflict with state law. Camden attorney Pearson Cunningham asked the justices to dismiss the petition that led to the March election in which residents rejected Union Carbide’s agreement to sell 4,000 acres across from Little Cumberland Island to the county.

“If the constitution’s county home rule provision does not provide for this type of referendum election, then it’s the county’s position that (Probate Court Judge Robert Sweatt Jr.) was without jurisdiction to order the referendum in the first place,” Cunningham said. Justices questioned why the county wanted the Supreme Court to prevent a judge from performing a duty defined by law. “How can the probate judge not have jurisdiction to consider the petition that the constitutional home rule provision says that’s the job of the probate judge?” Justice Carla Wong McMillian asked. (10/7)

Brazil’s Concert Technologies Signs Launch Services Agreement with C6 Launch Systems (Source: SpaceQ)
A little over a month after signing an agreement with the Brazilian Air Force Command (COMAER) to develop a new launch area at the Alcantara Space Center, C6 Launch Systems has its first customer. Concert Technologies S.A. who are developing a new small satellite constellation have signed a a non-exclusive letter of intent to launch three small satellites with C6 Launch.

The broad agreement allows for Concert Technologies to schedule more launches to maintain and expand their high-resolution Earth Observation constellation. Richard McCammon, CEO of C6 Launch, said they will provide satellite integration and launch before handing them off to Concert Technologies. The satellites would be launched from their new launch area at the Alcantara Space Center in 2025 and 2026. (10/6)

Russian Space Officials Jettison the Bluster After Rogozin's Departure (Source: Space.com)
When Dmitry Rogozin left the Russian space agency Roscosmos this summer, he apparently took his famous bluster with him. Rogozin headed Roscomos from 2018 until July 15 of this year, when he was  replaced by Yuri Borisov. Rogozin's tenure was a controversial one, marked by a variety of combative statements and stunts that ramped up after Russia invaded Ukraine this past February.

For example, Rogozin threatened to pull out of the International Space Station (ISS) partnership unless the West dropped invasion-related economic sanctions against Russia. And in July, Roscosmos published photos of cosmonauts on the ISS holding up the flags of Ukrainian regions under occupation by Russian forces. This display drew criticism from both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), who decried it as an inappropriate politicization of the orbiting lab.

Borisov, who served as deputy prime minister of Russia before taking the reins at Roscosmos, has taken a more measured approach. Borisov has reiterated Russia's desire to leave the ISS program, but he has stressed that this will happen "after 2024" as part of a highly regulated process. And the Roscosmos chief has said that an exit is unlikely before 2028(opens in new tab), the earliest possible year that Russia's planned Earth-orbiting space station could get up running. (10/6)