January 17, 2023

New Small Laser Device Can Help Detect Signs of Life on Other Planets (Source: Space Daily)
As space missions delve deeper into the outer solar system, the need for more compact, resource-conserving and accurate analytical tools has become increasingly critical-especially as the hunt for extraterrestrial life and habitable planets or moons continues. A University of Maryland-led team developed a new instrument specifically tailored to the needs of NASA space missions. Their mini laser-sourced analyzer is significantly smaller and more resource efficient than its predecessors-all without compromising the quality of its ability to analyze planetary material samples and potential biological activity onsite.

Weighing only about 17 pounds, the instrument is a physically scaled-down combination of two important tools for detecting signs of life and identifying compositions of materials: a pulsed ultraviolet laser that removes small amounts of material from a planetary sample and an OrbitrapTM analyzer that delivers high-resolution data about the chemistry of the examined materials. (1/17)

Capella Space Raises $60M to Expand Satellite Imaging Capacity (Source: Space Daily)
Capella Space, a leading American satellite manufacturer and Earth observation company, has closed $60 million in growth equity financing from the U.S. Innovative Technology Fund ("USIT"). Capella will leverage this growth capital to expand its imaging capacity and develop new data products as customer demand grows for its frequent, timely and high-quality SAR imagery and analytics capabilities.

Based in the U.S., Capella is revolutionizing the way that critical industries across the public and private sectors collect and analyze Earth observation data to make informed and accurate decisions. Coming off the heels of the company's $97 million Series C financing in April, this follow-on round reflects the rapidly increasing demand for Capella's end-to-end radar-powered, high-quality SAR imagery and analytics services. (1/17)

SEXBOMB Being Moved to Cornwall Spaceport for Hypersonic Developments (Source: Space Daily)
Space Engine Systems Inc. (SES) is a Canadian based company that claims to be a trucking company to anywhere in space and mainly focussed on the Lunar Mission. SES space planes use air breathing combined cycle engines to get to space. The rocket engines kick in only after a very high altitude. They have Hello-1 X demonstrator which is planned to be launched from the US this year (2023) subject to regulatory approvals.

Hello-1 can carry 550 kg to LEO. Hello-2 will carry 5,500 kgs to LEO and can carry 1,660 kgs to LLO and 760 kgs to the moon. This is planned for 2025. All vehicles except the sexbomb (drone) are piloted with an unmanned option. We want to be there ready to demonstrate to regulatory bodies that it can be flown within a supersonic corridor. (1/17)

Demo of Satellite-Enabled 5G Mobile Backhaul Network in the Middle East (Source: Space Daily)
SES and du from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), a leading telecom operator in the United Arab Emirates, have successfully demonstrated the first satellite-enabled 5G backhaul in the Middle East utilising SES's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, the two companies announced. The aim of the live demonstration was to demonstrate how SES's current O3b constellation could extend 5G coverage to remote locations and support du's enterprise customers including offshore energy sites with highly reliable, high throughput and low latency network connectivity. (1/17)

China's Space Industry Hits New Heights (Source: Space Daily)
China's space industry had a busy year in 2022, the highlight of which was completion of one of the world's largest and most sophisticated orbiting infrastructures, the Tiangong space station. After traveling for 15 months in low orbit, about 400 kilometers above the Earth, Tianhe, the space station's core module, received its first long-term companion - the Wentian lab module - in late July.

Wentian lifted off on a Long March 5B heavy-duty rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province to become Tiangong's first scientific component. Weighing 23 metric tons and with a length of 17.9 meters, Wentian carries eight scientific cabinets, which are mainly used for biological and life science studies, but can also support research on the growth, aging and genetic traits of plants, animals and microbes in space. (1/17)

High-Res Satellites Look to Serve Defense Market (Source: Space News)
A report by Quilty Analytics describes emerging high resolution satellite technology by both established and new providers, technology that will benefit customers such as the US Defense Department. "Defense customers have the highest standards for resolution, latency and tasking, and are often willing to pay a premium for such features," according to the report. (1/16)

Republicans Name Committee Chairs (Source: House Space Subcommittee)
The new Republican leadership of the House Appropriations Committee has announced the chairs of its various subcommittees. Committee chairwoman Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) announced the chairs of the 12 subcommittees Monday. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), a former chairman of the full committee, will chair the commerce, justice and science (CJS) subcommittee, whose jurisdiction includes NASA, NOAA and NSF. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), who had been the top Republican on CJS subcommittee in the previous, Democratic-led House, will instead chair the labor, health and human services, and education subcommittee, which controls a larger amount of money. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) will chair the defense subcommittee. (1/17)

Hispasat Prepares for Amazonas Satellite Launch From Florida (Sources: Hispasat, Inmarsat)
Hispasat says its next GEO communications satellite has arrived at Cape Canaveral for launch. The company said Monday that the Amazonas Nexus has arrived at the spaceport from the Thales Alenia Space factory in France for processing ahead of a launch on a Falcon 9 in February. Inmarsat, meanwhile, said it was taking an unusual approach to shipping its Inmarsat 6-F2 satellite from an Airbus factory in France to the Cape. Inmarsat said that an Airbus Beluga plane will transport the satellite, making multiple stops along the way. That is in place of the Antonov An-124 plane typically used for ferrying satellites; those planes have become scarce since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Inmarsat 6-F2 is also scheduled to launch in February on a Falcon 9. (1/17)

Sidus Space Expands Commercial Data Distribution Strategy Through Agreement with SkyWatch (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space signed an agreement with SkyWatch for use of its TerraStream data-management platform. This agreement is expected to accelerate the expansion of Sidus’ commercial data distribution strategy which includes white labeling data for existing customers as well as driving growth of new data customers. The TerraStream platform provides end-to-end data management and distribution capabilities to satellite operators, and provides an accelerated path to grow revenue and new markets through EarthCache, SkyWatch’s remote sensing platform. (1/17)

Unlocking the Next Great Observatories (Source: Space Review)
At a conference last week, astronomers celebrated the James Webb Space Telescope as it continued to surpass expectations. Jeff Foust reports that they also discussed how to develop future space telescopes, including a series of new “great observatories” that may take decades to launch. Click here. (1/17)
 
From the Sand to the Stars: Saddam Hussein’s Failed Space Program (Source: Space Review)
Shortly before the first Gulf War, Iraq embarked on an effort to launch its own satellite. Dwayne Day examines what we know about efforts to build a satellite and small launch vehicle, and potential ties to missile development. Click here. (1/17)
 
China’s New Space Station Opens for Business in an Increasingly Competitive Era of Space Activity (Source: Space Review)
China effectively completed its space station last year, enabling it to be permanently crewed for research. Eytan Tepper and Scott Shackelford discuss the geopolitical ramifications of that station as the International Space Station enters its final years. Click here. (1/17)

The space industry is developing a growing number of satellites capable of taking very high resolution images as the demand for such industry soars. A combination of fleet upgrades by incumbent operators and new satellites from emerging players will result in a nine-fold increase in very high resolution satellites — those capable of producing images at a resolution of 50 centimeters or sharper — by 2028, or more than 100 satellites in orbit, according to a report released Monday by Quilty Analytics. These advances will benefit "demanding customers" with large budgets, such as U.S. defense and intelligence agencies, the report stated, with demand stimulated by the war in Ukraine and geopolitical tensions in places like North Korea and Taiwan. (1/17)

Sweden's Esrange Spaceport Inaugurated (Source: Space News)
Swedish and European officials inaugurated what they called mainland Europe's first orbital launch site, although it may not host the first orbital launch from Europe. A ceremony Friday formally inaugurated the new orbital launch facility at Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden, an event that attracted the king and prime minister of Sweden and the president of the European Commission. They said the site will play a key role in providing independent European access to space.

The Swedish Space Corporation says the first orbital launch there could take place as soon as late this year but did not disclose who would conduct it. Two German launch vehicle developers who conduct testing at Esrange, Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg, plan to perform their first orbital launches later this year from Norway and the United Kingdom, respectively. (1/17)

NASA's GOMAP Advances Planning for Future Space Telescope (Source: Space News)
NASA is preparing to take the next step in the long-term development of a future large space telescope. At a conference last week, agency officials said they would soon move into the second stage of the Great Observatory Technology Maturation Program, or GOMAP, which will advance technologies needed for observatories recommended by the Astro2020 decadal survey. That work will start with planning for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a large space telescope operating in ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared wavelengths. NASA says its work on the observatory will be guided by several principles, including evolving technologies developed for the James Webb Space Telescope and other missions, while taking advantage of new launch vehicles and satellite servicing. (1/17)

India's Venus Mission Delayed (Source: The Hindu)
India's first mission to Venus could suffer an extended delay. The Indian space agency ISRO planned to launch the Shukrayaan 1 mission, a Venus orbiter, as soon as late 2024. However, in a talk last week, an ISRO official said the mission was still pending formal government approval, making a late-2024 launch unlikely. The mission could slip to 2031, the next particularly favorable launch window. (1/17)

Space Florida Provides Quarterly Media Update (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, hosted its first quarterly update to the media on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 11:30 a.m., highlighting key Space Florida milestones and a look ahead at the aerospace industry in the state. Click here for a video of the presentation. (1/11)

Are They Out There? Gov't Report on UFOs Leaves Unanswered Questions (Source: CBS News)
This week a new report from the Director of National Intelligence examined scores of sightings of unidentified flying objects that have baffled experts. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports on the findings. Click here. (1/14)

AstroAgency Secures UK Space Agency, Euroconsult, Spire, ClearSpace Projects (Source: AstroAgency)
Edinburgh-headquartered AstroAgency, has secured three further projects with the UK Space Agency, whom they are currently supporting to promote the benefits of the Clearing the LEO Environment with Active Removal (CLEAR) mission, led by ClearSpace, to remove defunct satellites from orbit.

They have also won new private sector contracts with leading global space consultancy Euroconsult, following a competitive tender process involving several different marketing agencies, and onboarded space data firm Earthwave for a short-term project to promote its latest products to the US market.

Finally, the company has announced its official role as the marketing-arm for industry-led body, Space Scotland, as well as confirming that leading satellite firm Spire Global will continue to partner with AstroAgency in the year ahead, following the delivery of two successful pilot projects together during 2022. The positive news comes after AstroAgency faced turmoil last year as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A number of the firm’s staff based in the country were caught up in the conflict. (1/16)

Crop Seeds, Microbial Strains Tested in China's Two Space Missions Unveiled (Source: Space Daily)
The China Manned Space Agency on Friday unveiled a detailed list of crop seeds and microbial strains on board the Shenzhou XIV and Shenzhou XV manned spaceships. More than 1,300 pieces of crop seeds and microbial strains from 112 contributors, including Chinese universities, research institutes, and grass-root breeding stations, were brought into space for breeding experiments.

China launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou XIV on June 5, 2022, to dock with its space station combination, and then the Shenzhou XV on Nov 29, to render the country's first in-orbit crew rotation. Astronauts on two missions are tasked with performing breeding experiments in the space station.

Among the seeds are those of staple foods like rice, wheat, and potato, familiar fruits and vegetables, forage grass, and herbal materials used in traditional Chinese medicine. A variety of probiotics are on the experimental list. Space breeding involves exposing seeds and strains to cosmic radiation and microgravity during a spaceflight mission to mutate their genes. (1/15)

US Government Examining over 500 'UFO' Reports (Source: Space Daily)
The US government is examining 510 UFO reports, over triple the number in its 2021 file, and while many were caused by drones or balloons, hundreds remain unexplained, according to a report released Thursday. The 2022 report by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) said that 247 "unidentified anomalous phenomena" or UAP reports have been filed with it since June 2021, when it revealed that it had records of 144 sightings of suspicious aerial objects under examination.

In addition, the report said, another 119 reports that had been buried in old records from the past 17 years had been unearthed, leaving it with 510 in total. Most of the new reports come from US Navy and Air Force pilots, it said. (1/12)

The World in Grains of Interstellar Dust (Source: Space Daily)
Understanding how dust grains form in interstellar gas could offer significant insights to astronomers and help materials scientists develop useful nanoparticles. Laboratory and rocket-borne studies have revealed new insights into how interstellar dust grains came into being before our solar system formed. The results, published by Hokkaido University researchers and colleagues in Japan and Germany in the journal Science Advances, might also help scientists make nanoparticles with useful applications in more efficient and eco-friendly ways.

These 'presolar' grains can be found in meteorites that fall to Earth, allowing laboratory studies that reveal possible routes for their formation. Understanding how dust grains form in interstellar gas could offer significant insights to astronomers and help materials scientists develop useful nanoparticles. Laboratory and rocket-borne studies have revealed new insights into how interstellar dust grains came into being before our solar system formed. The results, published by Hokkaido University researchers and colleagues in Japan and Germany in the journal Science Advances, might also help scientists make nanoparticles with useful applications in more efficient and eco-friendly ways. (1/15)

Mounting the first human mission to the Lunar South Pole (Source: Space Daily)
Following two Artemis test missions, Artemis III, currently planned for 2025, will mark humanity's first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. NASA will make history by sending the first humans to explore the region near the lunar South Pole. NASA's Orion spacecraft will be the crew's ride to and from Earth and into and out of lunar orbit. Orion is the only spacecraft capable of returning crews to Earth at lunar reentry velocities.

The crew will be selected from among the most diverse astronaut corps in history, each equipped with unique skills and intensively trained. After touchdown, the surface crew's first task will be to ensure all systems are ready for their lunar surface stay. Then they will rest, eat, and recharge for the first full day of the expedition.

During their time on the Moon, the astronauts will do scientific work inside Starship and conduct a series of moonwalks, exiting Starship to explore the surface. The astronauts will don advanced spacesuits, exit through an airlock, and descend on Starship's elevator. NASA has selected Axiom Space to provide the Artemis III surface suits and spacewalk systems. These suits will give the astronauts increased range of motion and flexibility to explore more of the landscape than on previous lunar missions. (1/15)

Seven Nations Meet to Address Space Security (Source: Space Daily)
The Department of Defense participated in the annual Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Initiative Principals Board, hosted by the New Zealand Defense Force and New Zealand Ministry of Defense, December 6-8. The annual event brought together counterparts from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with a focus on advancing collaboration and information sharing on space security topics.

CSpO is an initiative that seeks to generate and improve cooperation, coordination, and interoperability opportunities to sustain freedom of action in space, optimize resources, enhance mission assurance and resilience, and deter conflict. During this year's event, defense leaders emphasized the need to continue to promote a rules-based international order and responsible behaviors in space, while collaboratively addressing challenges to the safety and security of space-related operations. (1/13)