April 20, 2023

Starship/Super Heavy Achieves Launch, Explodes in Flight (Source: SPACErePORT)
SpaceX achieved a major objective of its first Starship/Super Heavy launch on Thursday by rising above its Texas launch complex without destroying the infrastructure there. This was the second attempt to launch the world's most powerful rocket after FAA approval was received on April 14. The first attempt was scrubbed on April 17, requiring dozens of tanker trucks to replenish the fuel/fluids that boiled off or could not otherwise be re-captured into the tank farm. (The tanker convoy approach seems unsustainable for SpaceX's plans for frequent launches.)

After the rocket cleared the pad on Thursday, it seemed to ascend with about six of its 33 methane/oxygen first-stage engines out. As it passed 'max-q' and readied for stage separation the vehicle appeared to veer to the right and began a wide corkscrew tumble before exploding. The first stage's engines were scheduled to shut down after 169 seconds, followed by stage separation after three more seconds. The rocket seemed to begin an anomalous corkscrew at about 140 seconds into flight, which worsened until about 237 seconds when the rocket exploded, without stage separation.

This suggests multiple problems, perhaps cascading from whatever caused the corkscrew spin. Without stage separation the first stage may have begun its pre-programmed flip/boostback maneuvering while still attached to the Starship. Seeing video of the rocket's errant flight path, I'm surprised the automatic destruct system didn't destroy the vehicle earlier. Perhaps it was so far downrange that auto-destruct parameters weren't a factor. Indeed, it is unclear if the destruct system engaged at all, as it may have been aerodynamic pressures that destroyed the vehicle. Looking forward to the official SpaceX/FAA failure analysis. (4/20)

Suggestions of Hydraulic System, Pad Debris, Aerodynamic Stability as Causes of Starship/Super Heavy Test Failure (Source: SPACErePORT)
Post-launch views of SpaceX's Starbase launch site indicate that the massive rocket's ignition pushed a lot of stuff around, with GSE, fences, cars, cameras, and other equipment damaged by blast and debris. Some observers suggest launch pad debris may have caused damage to the engines or affiliated hardware on the first stage. Some say the rocket left the pad slower than expected, and at an odd angle.

Multiple engines failed to properly ignite or failed during flight, which may not have been fatal as SpaceX designed the vehicle to reach orbit with some engines out. However, during the rocket's ascent, what may be a hydraulic power unit (HPU) seems to have failed explosively, blasting debris around the engine chamber. This could have been a result of launch pad debris blowback. Other observers speculate the engine/hydraulic failures could have inhibited the rocket's ability to steer itself as Starship's nose flaps imparted directional drag pressure on the rocket's trajectory.

This was an old version of the Super Heavy stage, with newer versions already in the hangar, replacing the HPUs with an electric system for engine orientation. Also, in a post-launch statement, SpaceX clarified that the rocket's flight termination system was indeed activated to destroy both the first stage and the Starship. According to @ESGhound, "SpaceX has shut access to the Wildlife Refuge surrounding Boca Chica for an additional 24 hours due to 'power outage at the launch site,' preventing the State Parks service or FWS from assessing damage to the area for now." Spectators in Texas and Mexico should expect to find interesting pieces of debris on the shoreline in coming days. (4/20)

There's No Way to Make Space Travel Good for Planet Earth Right Now (Source: TIME)
Since 2010, 217 Falcon 9s have flown, with 61 launches in 2022 alone, making it the workhorse of the current global space fleet. So what’s not to like? Plenty, actually—at least if you care about the environment.

The Falcon 9 uses a fuel mixture of liquid oxygen and simple kerosene, and while the oxygen does not do any harm to the skies, the black soot created by the burning kerosene is injected directly into the stratosphere—the layer of air ranging from 12 km (7.5 mi.) to 50 km (31 mi.) above the Earth. There the soot lingers for up to five years, absorbing heat, contributing to climate change, and damaging the ozone layer, which exposes the planet to dangerous ultraviolet (UV) radiation. And SpaceX is not remotely alone. (4/19)

Phantom Space Selects Arnhem Space Center for New Dedicated Launch Site (Source: Space Daily)
Phantom Space Corp. has announced the selection of Arnhem Space Center (ASC) on the Gove Peninsula in Australia's Northern Territory for a dedicated launch site. The Arnhem Space Center expands Phantom's space launch capabilities with direct access to very low-inclination and equatorial orbits.

Phantom is also developing a dedicated launch site, SLC-5, at Vandenberg Space Force Base for access to polar, sun synchronous and high-inclination orbits as well as a launch site, LC-13, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for direct access to mid- and low-inclination orbits. ASC is also Phantom's first launch site outside the United States providing service to the Australian market and Asia-Pacific region. (4/20)

Vaya Space and The Spaceport Company Announce Partnership (Source: Vaya Space)
Vaya Space, the vortex-hybrid rocket engine company and emerging leader in sustainable space access, has announced its partnership with The Spaceport Company, builder of a network of distributed launch sites on mobile offshore platforms solving the problem of spaceport congestion and enabling point-to-point transportation. Vaya and The Spaceport Company are negotiating a campaign of orbital launch operations to commence as early as Q1 2025.

The Spaceport Company's sea-based platforms will complement Vaya's existing launch site at Cape Canaveral, guaranteeing Vaya will always have launch pad access to deliver customer payloads to orbit on schedule, and ensuring Vaya can scale its launch cadence as demand grows. The Spaceport Company provides infrastructure solutions for a variety of deeptech industries, including orbital launch. They signed an agreement with the Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority, and plan to conduct their first offshore launch platform demonstration in May 2023. (4/18)

Cleveland-area Council Approves Sale of Land for Blue Abyss Astronaut Training Facility (Source: WEWS)
An out-of-this-world project is in the works in Brook Park, Ohio. A British company is looking to build a new space research center and astronaut-style boot camp near NASA's facility. The project is garnering major support from city leaders. In fact, Brook Park City Council suspended the rules and passed the sale of land for Blue Abyss at a meeting Tuesday evening. Blue Abyss out of England sees promise near the NASA Glenn Research Center.

They're looking to fill a gap and pump roughly $250 million into an astronaut civilian training space, microgravity center, and 150-room hotel. Construction is currently underway at a similar facility in Cornwall, England. The Brook Park location will be built around a very large, 150-foot deep, multi-level pool. (4/19)

Texas Gets Ready for Spaceports and Flying Vehicles (Source: Dallas Morning News)
Outer space travel and flying cars may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, but Texas legislators are taking significant steps today to seize the opportunities these fast-growing multi-trillion-dollar industries present. Companies, entrepreneurs, universities and community colleges across the state are already working to advance various aspects of the burgeoning aerospace industry.

Here in North Texas, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Bell Flight and Boeing are examples of a thriving aerospace industry. The University of Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas and Tarrant County Community College also offer aerospace and engineering programs. In addition, NASA-based programs inspire Texas K-12 students to study STEM programs and engineering.

These private and educational efforts are not just happening in North Texas, but all over the state. That includes West Texas, where Blue Origin has its spaceport, and Houston, where NASA’s Johnson Space Center has served as a hub for spaceflight for more than 60 years. NASA estimates that its economic output alone in Texas totaled $9.3 billion in fiscal year 2021. Click here. (4/20)

Judge Orders Release of Georgia Spaceport Records (Source: Brunswick News)
A court order released Wednesday requires the release of all records withheld on the Georgia Open Records Act's real estate exemption for a spaceport in Camden County by May 1. The lawsuit was filed by the environmental organization One Hundred Miles when Camden County officials continued to deny access to the records after 72% of voters in March 2022 approved a referendum prohibiting county officials from spending more money on the project. An estimated $12 million has been spent on the project. (4/20)

Firefly Plans Medium-Class Rocket for National Security Launches (Source: Space News)
Firefly Aerospace says it plans to offer a new medium-class rocket for the Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) competition. The medium-lift rocket it is developing in partnership with Northrop Grumman, projected to launch in 2025, is being designed to compete for NSSL Phase 3, the company said. Firefly expects its two-stage medium vehicle, projected to lift 16,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, to be able to challenge Rocket Lab's Neutron and Relativity Space's Terran R for NSSL awards. (4/20)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Satellites From Florida, Recovers Booster (Source: NasaSpaceFlight.com)
SpaceX launched a set of second-generation Starlink satellites Wednesday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 10:31 a.m. Eastern and deployed 21 "V2 mini" Starlink satellites into orbit a little more than an hour later. This is the second set of V2 mini satellites launched after SpaceX encountered some problems with the first set launched in late February. (4/20)

L3Harris Receives NASA Contract for SLS Rocket Booster Support (Source: Executive Biz)
L3Harris Technologies will work on enhancing the performance of Northrop Grumman-manufactured solid rocket boosters that will be used for NASA’s upcoming Space Launch System Block 2 flights. Under a $27 million contract, L3 Harris will provide avionics, including system control performance, to tackle booster obsolescence and environmental impacts to ensure the safety of the first two minutes of flight. The contract supports the space agency’s Space Launch System Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension program and ultimately, NASA’s Artemis missions. (4/19)

Virgin Orbit Seeks Quick Exit From Bankruptcy (Source: Washington Post)
The CEO of Virgin Orbit says the company hopes to quickly exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Dan Hart said he has been in "a lot of discussions" with potential buyers of the company, which would be done through a bankruptcy sale the company hopes to concluded in late May. He acknowledged that the company made mistakes, including deciding in late 2021 to go public through a SPAC merger. "I'd say our timing for this SPAC was less than ideal." (4/20)

NASA COSMIC to Focus on ISAM (Source: Space News)
NASA has established a new consortium for developing satellite servicing technologies. The Consortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities, or COSMIC, will start this fall to help coordinate development of in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) technologies. A White House national ISAM implementation plan in December directed NASA to set up the consortium that will include companies, universities and government agencies. The Aerospace Corp. will run COSMIC, with NASA providing funding. (4/20)

Intuitive Machines JV Lands $719M NASA Contract (Source: Yahoo! Finance)
A joint venture led by Intuitive Machines with KBR has secured a contract from NASA. The single-award contract has a five-year base performance period and a maximum ordering value of $719 million. The cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is meant to support work related to the Joint Polar Satellite System, NASA's Exploration and In-space Services. (4/19)

Leidos Teams with NASCAR for Lunar Rover Design (Source: Space News)
Leidos is partnering with NASCAR on a lunar rover design. Leidos unveiled its design for  a rover it will propose to NASA for the agency's Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) project. Leidos said it elected to work with NASCAR to tap its expertise in automotive technologies as well as marketing. Several other companies have announced their intent to bid on the LTV later this year, with NASA using a services approach to procure the rover that will be used on missions starting with Artemis 5. (4/20)

Wanted: New Ideas to Live Off Moon Resources (Source: ESA)
A new campaign on ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform – seeking out community input to accelerate ISRU – aims to identify knowledge and technical gaps in our current lunar space resources value chain. Such gaps shall in turn define future contests supported by ESA in partnership with the European Space Resources Innovation Centre, ESRIC, in Luxembourg. This Identifying Challenges along the Lunar ISRU Value Chain campaign invites people to submit one or more ideas across three areas tackling crucial steps in the extraction of lunar resources. (4/20)

Aerojet Rocketdyne Wins $67M Contract for Orion Thrusters Built in Seattle Area (Source: GeekWire)
Aerojet Rocketdyne says it’s received a $67 million contract award from Lockheed Martin to provide propulsion systems for the Orion spacecraft during three missions planned for the 2030s. The contract option for NASA’s Artemis 6, 7 and 8 missions follows up on Aerojet’s work on earlier missions in the Artemis program — including the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission that flew around the moon last year, and the history-making Artemis 3 mission that’s due to put a crew on the lunar surface in the mid-2020s. (4/19)

Sweden Intends to Send ESA Astronaut to the International Space Station with Axiom (Source: ESA)
ESA signed a letter of intent with the Swedish National Space Agency to send an ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station on an Axiom mission. The flight and the name of the astronauts assigned to the mission will need to be approved by the partners of the International Space Station as well as the commercial flight operator Axiom. (4/19)

NASA and Japan Team Up for Unprecedented Martian Moon Mission (Source: Gizmodo)
NASA signed a memorandum of understanding with JAXA to join its upcoming mission to the two Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, which is scheduled to launch in 2024. NASA has assembled a team of scientists and prepared two instruments to board JAXA’s spacecraft to Mars. The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission will not only visit the two mysterious moons that whirl around Mars, it will also land on the cratered surface of Phobos to snag a sample from the largest of the two moons. (4/19)

JAXA and JICA Host RSA Delegates to Discuss Enhancing Partnerships between Japan and Rwanda (Source: Space in Africa)
A team of delegates from the Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) were hosted by the President of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) during a week-long strategic visit to enhance the space partnership between Rwanda and Japan. On the sidelines of the delegation visit, the parties discussed opportunities, collaborations and the utilization of space technologies for mutual benefits and the advancements of their space sectors for socio-economic development. (4/19)

Likely Meteorite Flashes Over Kyiv (Source: BBC)
A flash seen in the skies above Kyiv Wednesday night was neither a Russian missile nor an American satellite. The flash was seen by many in the Ukrainian capital that triggered an air raid alert. Ukrainian officials then said they thought that it may have been NASA's Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) spacecraft, which was predicted to reenter Wednesday night, but NASA said the spacecraft was still in orbit at that time. The fireball was instead likely an ordinary meteor. The U.S. Space Force said RHESSI reentered over the border of Egypt and Sudan at 8:21 p.m. Eastern Wednesday. (4/20)

SECAF Asks Congress' Permission to Start Projects Prior to Funding Approval (Source: Space News)
The Secretary of the Air Force is asking Congress to allow the service to start some programs before funding is provided for them. Frank Kendall said it is "troubling" that the Air Force and Space Force have not been able to start critical programs to compete with China because of the lagging budget process. That includes new missile-warning satellites and  remote sensing satellites to track moving targets and hypersonic vehicles, which are on hold until Congress passes a final appropriations bill for 2024, which may not happen if Congress instead passes a full-year continuing resolution. Kendall said he's asked Congress to allow programs to start while funding is finalizing, proceeding to the preliminary design review phase. (4/20)

L3Harris Awarded $145 Million Contract to Modernize US Space Domain Awareness Capabilities (Source: L3Harris)
L3Harris has been awarded option year four of the Maintenance Of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities (MOSSAIC) program. The $145 million contract from the U.S. Space Force continues the modernization and sustainment of critical space infrastructure enabling the Space Force core competency of Space Domain Awareness (SDA). Using centers in Colorado, California and Virginia, MOSSAIC detects, tracks and identifies deep space objects to provide timely and accurate space surveillance information for military, civil and commercial users. (4/19)

Ukraine Fighting Continues to Underscore Importance of Space Capabilities (Source: Space News)
Ongoing fighting in Ukraine continues to underscore the importance of combining military, civil and commercial space capabilities. An international military panel at Space Symposium said the conflict showed how Ukraine could fend off Russian forces with the help of space-based weather data, communications, GPS, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Commercial satellite imagery also played a critical role in helping Ukraine and its allies counter Russian propaganda. However, they said the war also highlighted the growing importance of protecting those space capabilities from threats that include cyberattacks. (4/20)

Ukraine Attempts To ‘Hack’ Russian Satellites With Help From ‘Foreign Countries’; Moscow Says ‘We Have A Right To Respond’ (SourcE: Eurasian Times)
The Russian foreign minister has alleged that Ukraine is attempting to interfere with Russian communication satellites with the help of foreign experts. On April 5, the Russian foreign ministry issued a statement highlighting Ukraine’s alleged endeavor to interfere with Russia’s civilian communication satellites, reported TASS.

The ministry noted that such an act is a severe breach of international law, and Russia has the authority to respond suitably. Furthermore, Moscow highlighted that they have all the required resources at their disposal to take action. Russia has greater capabilities in outer space compared to Ukraine. Based on what space experts have told EurAsian Times, there could be a possibility that Ukraine, with the help of Western countries, might interfere with data flow between Russian satellites and ground stations. (4/7)

Space Investment Activity Picking Up Again (Source: Space News)
Investment activity is picking up again for young space companies as growth-stage capital returns following market uncertainty in 2022. During a panel at Space Symposium this week, Seraphim Space CEO Mark Boggett said there were a record 25 growth rounds, of Series B and later, in the first three months of 2023. Those rounds, though, remain smaller in value than previously seen in the industry. Space companies saw a "huge amount of interest that has now gone wrong to some extent" because of SPAC deals, he said. (4/20)

Google Selects SpaceChain Into its Startups Program (Source: Space Daily)
SpaceChain has been accepted into the Google for Startups program. The Google program is designed for early-stage companies such as SpaceChain to help build a sustainable, successful business over the long-term by providing the support, services and technology to do so. Under the Google for Startups program, SpaceChain will be able to strengthen its position in leading data and transactional integrity with space infrastructure. Google's extensive resources will open multiple opportunities for SpaceChain to explore more advanced processing applications onboard LEO satellites systems as well as future payload launches. (4/13)

Maxar Technologies Stockholders Approve Acquisition by Advent International (Source: SpaceRef)
Maxar Technologies announced that at Maxar’s Special Meeting of Stockholders they voted to approve that Maxar will be acquired by Advent International, a global private equity investor. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Maxar stockholders will receive $53.00 per share in cash for every share of Maxar common stock they own immediately prior to the effective time of the merger. Approximately 99.6% of the shares voted in favor of the transaction. (4/20)

Astroport Space Technologies Forms European Subsidiary in Luxembourg (Source: Astroport)
Astroport Space Technologies, headquartered in San Antonio Texas, and Interflight Global Europe, headquartered in Luxembourg, announce their joint partnership for the launch of Astroport Space Technologies (Astroport Europe). Astroport Europe will focus on development of lunar construction and operations technologies needed for the company's goals of emplacing lunar surface infrastructure assets such as roads and landing pads in support of the NASA Artemis program and commercial missions for mining and establishing a permanent presence on the Moon. (4/19)

Odyssey is Zero-G's New CEO (Source: LinkedIn)
Allison Odyssey is Zero-G’s new Chief Executive Officer with responsibility for the overall management of the business, communications with the board and stakeholders, fundraising, high-level sales and marketing, and investor relationships. She also oversees flight operations, training, maintenance, customer service, business systems, IT, and HR. (4/19)

Russia Releases First Feature Film Shot in Space (Source: Times of Malta)
The first feature film shot in space premiered in Russian cinemas on Thursday, as Moscow exulted in beating a rival Hollywood project amid a confrontation with the West. "The Challenge" is about a surgeon dispatched to the International Space Station (ISS) to save an injured cosmonaut. Russia sent an actress and a film director for a 12-day stint on the ISS in October 2021 to film scenes aboard the orbiting laboratory. (4/20)

Australia's Fleet Space Signs Space Defence Contract (Source: Business News Australia)
South Australian commercial satellite company Fleet Space has penned a $6.4 million contract with Australia’s Defence Space Command (DSC), marking the company’s foray into the defence industry. Fleet Space will deploy its next-gen Centauri satellites to create a LEO communications system focused on tactical communications and data transmission where connectivity is limited. According to Fleet Space, the project will see DSC make use of its commercial space tech already used by the mining industry for mineral exploration projects worldwide. (4/20)

ISRO to Carry Out In-Orbit Scientific Experiments Using Spent PS4 (Source: The Hindu)
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which is scheduled to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C55 (PSLV-C55) mission on April 22 with Singapore’s TeLEOS-2 as primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-passenger satellite, will will carry out in-orbit scientific experiments by using the spent PS4 (fourth and final stage of PSLV) as an orbital platform. The PSLV-C55 mission has Bellatrix Aerospace's PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), where the spent PS4 of the launch vehicle would be used as an orbital platform to carry out scientific experiments through non-separating payloads. (4/20)

Pangea Ditches Rocket Development and Signs on to Provide Engines for US Launch Startup (Source: European Spaceflight)
Spanish space propulsion startup Pangea Aerospace has announced that it has entered into a partnership with New York-based launch startup Tehiru. Tehiru is developing a reusable air-launched rocket that will be capable of carrying 550-kilogram payloads to low Earth orbit. The company has stated this it is working on an “innovative electric landing mechanism” that will be used to recover the rocket following a launch. Tehiru projects that it will be capable of reusing its rocket up to 50 times. (4/19)

NASA Creates In-Space Servicing, Assembly, Manufacturing Consortium (Source: SpaceRef)
NASA announced Wednesday a new consortium focused on making in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities a routine part of space architectures and mission lifecycles. Through a range of capabilities, ISAM can enable new mission paradigms and extend the life of spacecraft. In-space servicing encompasses activities including spacecraft repair, refueling, relocation, and retrofitting, while assembly and manufacturing includes abilities like 3D printing and assembling components in space. Together, these capacities can enable a more sustainable, robust, and enduring space ecosystem. (4/19)

NASA’s Photographer of the Year Awards Showcase Stellar Shots (Source: PetaPixel)
NASA has announced the winners of its fifth annual Photographer of the Year awards. The winning photos showcase NASA’s people, places, and projects, as captured by NASA’s talented photographers. 12 photos won awards this year, with first, second, and third-place winners selected across four categories: Documentation, portrait, people, and places. Click here. (4/19)

China's Moon Plans Involve 3D Printing Bricks From Lunar Soil (Source: Space.com)
China aims to test printing bricks from lunar regolith later this decade in a step towards constructing a permanent base on the moon. The country's Chang'e 8 mission is scheduled to land on the moon around 2028 and will likely include in-situ resource utilization tests, or using resources found on the lunar surface. Scientists gathered at a conference in Wuhan this week confirm that they are looking at 3D printing bricks using materials from the lunar surface. (4/18)

We Should Pray that Musk Gets to Space Before China (Source: The Telegraph)
The world is in the first stages of a new space race. Despite some setbacks this will continue and accelerate, with transformative effects for many aspects of life. The “race” or competition is partly between nations, driven by geopolitical concerns. But, unlike in the 1960s or 1970s, it is also, perhaps even primarily, commercial and profit driven. We should not decry this but hope earnestly that it continues and that profit remains the dominant motive in the development of space.

Right now, military action in space is prohibited by treaty. But the great powers are already pushing this (both China and the US have Space Forces as separate branches of their military). As well as a commercial space race there could soon be a serious arms race in space. We should ardently hope that if this does happen, it remains a subordinate and supplementary activity to commercial competition.

Better that near-Earth space remain the arena for Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk than it become the scene for a political and military competition between China and the US (not to mention other powers). We have enough geopolitical tensions here on Earth without adding to them – and the consequences of combat in space could be very severe. Instead, let capitalist competition work its magic, in space as elsewhere, and bring both profit to investors and wider benefits to humankind. (4/18)

The Final Frontiers' Space Junk Problem Has a Denver-Based Solution (Source: Denver Gazette)
The final frontier has a junk problem, and Astroscale is working to change that. Founded and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the company celebrated the grand opening of its United States headquarters at 2201 S. Delaware St., Denver, Sunday afternoon. The location will house 50 of Astroscale's roughly 60 U.S. based employees and features a mission command center and design and testing labs. Colorado plays home to the largest aerospace market in terms of jobs per capita, which convinced Astroscale to select the south/central Denver location.

The metro Denver area plays home to giants like Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace and Northrup Grumman, but also hosts a robust network of smaller space companies of which Astroscale is a part of. "We are building a servicing ecosystem shifting away from the throwaway culture that is so prominent in the way we've done space to date," Dr. Clare Martin, Astroscale's executive vice president, said. (4/17)

Aerospace CEO: More Startups Seek DoD Work Amid Cash Crunch (Source: Space News)
Aerospace Corp.’s commercial space office, established to facilitate connections between startups and government technology buyers, is seeing a surge in activity. With a downturn in venture capital, a growing number of companies are turning to the government for opportunities, Aerospace CEO Steve Isakowitz told SpaceNews. Aerospace is a federally-funded nonprofit based in El Segundo, California, that provides technical guidance and advice to military and civil space agencies.

In light of a somewhat cooled-off space economy, “more and more we’re finding that companies that had been raising rounds of funding are now looking much more to the government as an important customer,” he said. As a result, Aerospace’s Commercial Space Futures office, created approximately one year ago, has been inundated with an increased workload. The office serves in a go-between role, assisting the U.S. Space Force and other agencies in identifying potential commercial solutions that align with national needs. (4/19)

U.S. Space Systems Command Imagines Possibilities With Starship, New Glenn (Source: Aviation Week)
U.S. Space Systems Command is closely watching SpaceX’s launch test of the fully reusable Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle. The U.S. Space Force’s development, acquisition, launch and logistics field arm, Space Systems Command, sees multiple military applications for Starship, including drastically reducing the cost to launch spacecraft to low Earth orbit (LEO) and rocket cargo missions to anywhere in the world.

Starship, as well as Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle, are designed to provide “massive throw weight to LEO, not to any other domain,” Purdy says. “Potentially, long-term, we move to kind of a massive freight-train model of pushing all the customers into LEO.” As part of that concept, SSC envisions using space tugs to transport spacecraft to their destinations, including regions as far as lunar, extra-lunar and Mars orbits, he says.

Space Systems Command is also working with AFRL’s “Rocket Cargo” program, an effort to examine the possibility of transporting military cargo across the globe using such rockets. Noting that SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell has said the company aims to work toward launching Starship as frequently as once per day—as well as acknowledging the development and testing hurdles the rocket maker must overcome—Purdy says the fully reusable, super-heavy launch capability is fascinating to think about. (4/19)

China's New Space Station, Tiangong, Will Run High-Energy Beam Experiments (Source: Forbes)
China has completed the remarkable feat of building and deploying its third space station, Tiangong, in a mere two years. Translated, Tiangong means "Palace in the Sky," and this new space station aims to test various technologies that could eventually be used on a larger scale, with both civilian and military applications. In addition to its scientific applications, the TSS will be used as a testbed for China's future manned spaceflight program.

The space station comes equipped with a vast array of onboard instruments. For example, it features omnidirectional particle detectors to study the radiation environment and to develop better space-based weather prediction models. TSS is also equipped with an intriguing new microwave beam technology that can transmit power to ground stations around the clock. When most of us think of microwaves, we think of using these frequencies for communications or perhaps to heat food in an oven. But microwaves can be far more potent, and their potential applications include beaming energy from space. (4/18)

Building Telescopes on the Moon Could Transform Astronomy – and it’s Becoming an Achievable Goal (Source: The Conversation)
Lunar exploration is undergoing a renaissance. Dozens of missions, organised by multiple space agencies – and increasingly by commercial companies – are set to visit the Moon by the end of this decade. Most of these will involve small robotic spacecraft, but NASA’s ambitious Artemis programme, aims to return humans to the lunar surface by the middle of the decade. Several types of astronomy could benefit. The most obvious is radio astronomy, which can be conducted from the side of the Moon that always faces away from Earth – the far side.

The lunar far side is permanently shielded from the radio signals generated by humans on Earth. During the lunar night, it is also protected from the Sun. These characteristics make it probably the most “radio-quiet” location in the whole solar system as no other planet or moon has a side that permanently faces away from the Earth. It is therefore ideally suited for radio astronomy.

Another potential application of far side radio astronomy is trying to detect radio waves from charged particles trapped by magnetic fields – magnetospheres – of planets orbiting other stars. This would help to assess how capable these exoplanets are of hosting life. Radio waves from exoplanet magnetospheres would probably have wavelengths greater than 100m, so they would require a radio-quiet environment in space. Again, the far side of the Moon will be the best location. (4/18)

What it Takes to Make a Suit Fit for the Moon (Source: BBC)
First and foremost, of course, the new lunar spacesuits are essential, life-supporting pieces of equipment to supply air and protect astronauts from radiation and micrometeoroids. Despite the legacy, there's always room for improvement. "Apollo used zippers, metal cables and rubber in the suits that were 1960s technology and fine when used for one mission but that's no longer the case," says Bill Ayrey. "The biggest advances came just after Apollo when the Shuttle suit was designed and made up of many components that could be switched out to accommodate a wider range of crew members," says Ayrey, a former space suit test engineer and historian at ILC Dover.

Many spacesuit materials for both environments still originate from the 1950s and 60s and include spandex, in the snug suit layer for liquid cooling ventilation; Mylar for insulation; Kevlar, which is used in bulletproof vests; flame resistant Nomex, worn by racing drivers; and urethane-coated nylon which can have welded seams and is typically used for the innermost airtight pressure garment 'bladder'. "Today's suits will use advanced composites," says Ayrey, "and other materials to provide structural strength and allow for sizing adjustments and provide greater comfort while also providing an extended lifespan of the suit components."

However, since NASA had already begun work on the new suit before turning it over to industry, Axiom did not have to begin with a blank page. "We started making modifications where designs weren't closed or complete or where our team's expertise knew that we could make improvements," says Greeley. "There are a few components, like the hard upper torso and the helmet bubble, that were pretty mature in design but we completely redesigned the pressure garment system. We also reduced [the suit's] mass – a big change, we've taken 20lbs (9kg) out of the suit so far – and we increased mobility." (4/19)

Failure of Epsilon-6 Launch was Caused by Clogging of Fuel Pipe, JAXA Says (Source: NHK)
Japan's space agency says the launch failure of its Epsilon-6 rocket last year was caused by a rubber membrane clogging a fuel pipe for the direction control system. The rocket lifted off from the Uchinoura Space Center in southwestern Japan on October 12. But the command center sent a self-destruct signal minutes later because the vehicle's direction control system did not function properly. (4/18)