May 25, 2023

Could This Tech Help Astronauts Journey to Distant Worlds? (Source: Daily Beast)
A team of scientists at Washington University published a study on Thursday in the journal Nature Metabolism where they successfully used ultrasound to induce a hibernation-like state in mice and rats. The approach is non-invasive and targets regions of the brain to induce the torpor state in the rodents.

“Ultrasound is the only available energy form that can noninvasively focus on any location within the brain with high precision and without ionizing radiation,” Hong Chen, a medical ultrasound researcher at Washington University in St. Louis and co-author of the paper, told The Daily Beast in an email. “We were curious whether ultrasound could noninvasively turn on the switch to induce the torpor-like state.”

The team developed an ultrasound emitter and mounted them on the heads of mice. They then triggered 10-second pulses of ultrasound on the hypothalamus, which caused an immediate drop in the creatures’ body temperature by an average of 6 degrees Fahrenheit, heart rate, and oxygen consumption. The team was also able to automate their device so it would blast the mices’ brains with ultrasound whenever their body temperature rose, allowing them to safely maintain the torpor-like state for up to 24 hours. Within two hours after the experiment, the animals were able to fully recover. (5/25)

At Long Last, the Glorious Future We Were Promised in Space is On the Way (Source: Ars Technica)
Last Friday, NASA awarded a $3.4 billion contract to a team led by Blue Origin for the design and construction of a second Human Landing System to fly astronauts down to the Moon. The announcement capped a furious two-year lobbying campaign by Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos to obtain a coveted piece of NASA's Artemis program. NASA also notched a big win, gaining the competition with SpaceX it sought for landing services. But there is a more profound takeaway from this. Click here. (5/25)

Kleos Enters Partnership with General Atomics (Source: Space Daily)
Kleos Space announced a strategic partnership with General Atomics Commonwealth Computer Research, Inc (GA-CCRI) to integrate GA-CCRI's proven OPTIX platform into the launch of two new cutting-edge, geospatial intelligence industry disruptive products. The first product, LOCATE X, will empower users with unprecedented RF geospatial situational awareness. Leveraging advanced technologies powered by OPTIX, LOCATE X will enable customers to gain valuable insights into RF activity like never before. (5/24)

NASA Continues Test Series with Rocket Engine Hot Fire (Source: Space Daily)
NASA completed a full duration hot fire of the RS-25 certification engine May 23, continuing a critical test series to support future SLS missions to deep space. The test on the Fred Haise Test Stand at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, marked the eighth in a 12-test certification series that will support production of RS-25 engines by lead engine contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, beginning with Artemis V. Engineers fired the RS-25 engine for almost eight-and-a-half minutes (500 seconds), the same amount of time it must operate to help send astronauts in the Orion spacecraft to space. (5/25)

Space Hero and Partners Launch Innovative Space Village, Boosting Space Tourism (Source: Space Daily)
Space Hero, in partnership with the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) and One Digital Entertainment, has announced the ambitious Space Village project. This project involves the creation of 10 futuristic space-themed landmarks in different locations worldwide, providing unique attractions for space enthusiasts and the general public alike.

The Space Village project capitalizes on the potential market size for space tourism and entertainment. While it necessitates substantial capital investment, funding sources and risk management strategies have been carefully considered to ensure the project's viability and success. Each Space Village will feature a large space center showcasing cutting-edge technology. Key attractions include a media studio to produce the Space Hero series - a global competition where contestants vie for a once-in-a-lifetime $55-million seven-day trip to space.

To maintain competitiveness with other space-themed destinations, the Space Village attractions are being priced strategically. As an immersive and interactive experience, it aims to attract and engage visitors, enhancing their overall experience at the Space Village. The competition also marks significant progress in the global space industry, as it scouts for the first-ever global space hero. (5/25)

Rocket Engine Renaissance (Source: Quartz)
Investment in new propulsion systems has soared in the US. Now, it seems like new engines are being announced every day. SpaceX, of course, needs its new, more powerful Raptor engine to prove as reliable as Merlin if it wants its next rocket, Starship, to succeed. And Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has developed a series of new engines, first for its New Shepard suborbital rocket, and now for two orbital rockets—its own forthcoming New Glenn and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, which might fly for the first time this summer.

Thanks to the growing space economy, small companies that specialize in rocket engines, but not rockets, are gaining traction, in the process experimenting with a diverse array of designs. Click here. (5/25)

Impulse and Relativity Target 2026 for Launch of First Mars Lander Mission (Source: Space News)
Two companies have pushed back the launch of a commercial Mars lander mission by two years. Impulse Space and Relativity Space announced the lander mission last year, with launch then slated for 2024. The companies said last week the mission, flying on Relativity's Terran R, is now scheduled for 2026. They plan to launch similar lander missions during every Mars launch opportunity, roughly once every two years, offering low-cost missions for governments and companies. The lander will use propulsion developed by Impulse Space but a design that leverages heritage from NASA's InSight lander. (5/24)

Polar-Orbiting Missile Warning Satellite Passes Review (Source: Space News)
A polar-orbiting missile-warning has passed a major review. Northrop Grumman said Wednesday the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) polar satellite passed its preliminary design review earlier this month. Northrop Grumman won a $2.37 billion contract in 2020 to develop two Next-Gen OPIR polar satellites with infrared sensors to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles for the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch in 2028. (5/25)

Australia's Fleet Space Raises $33 Million (Source: Space News)
Australian company Fleet Space Technologies has raised $33 million to expand its satellite-based mineral exploration services. The Series C round, led by venture capital firm and existing investor Blackbird, valued the company at more than $230 million. The funds will allow it to expand its ExoSphere mineral prospecting business, which uses low-power ground sensors distributed in areas of interest that send seismic data to customers via Fleet Space’s LEO constellation of seven smallsats. Fleet Space was formed with aspirations to connect a broader range of Internet of Things (IoT) devices with as many as 140 satellites, but the company has since decided to focus on growing its mineral exploration business globally. (5/25)

Bechtel Delivers Mobile Launch Platform Components for SLS at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Space News)
Bechtel has delivered the first steel components of a new mobile launch platform for the Space Launch System. The company said the steel truss segments for Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2) arrived at the Kennedy Space Center earlier this month, allowing assembly to begin this summer. ML-2 will be used for the larger Block 1B version of the SLS, with a first launch currently scheduled for late 2028. The ML-2 project has suffered major cost overruns and delays, prompting criticism from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson last year. NASA officials said earlier this month they were pleased with the progress Bechtel has made more recently on ML-2. (5/25)

Iceye Refines Imaging Capability (Source: Space News)
Iceye unveiled a new imaging mode that distinguishes human-made from natural objects and highlights moving vehicles. The Finnish company, which operates a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, says its new Dwell mode focuses on a specific area for 25 seconds. That is designed to help analysts quickly distinguish buildings and vehicles from forests, fields, ice and water. That model also increases image acuity and clarity. (5/25)

BlackSky and Spire Partner for Global Maritime Monitoring (Source: Space News)
BlackSky and Spire Global are partnering on a new global monitoring service that tracks ships via satellites. The companies said Wednesday their maritime custody service uses radio-frequency (RF) emissions to automatically task imagery, detect and classify vessels, and continuously monitor change. Spire satellites perform the RF tracking, while BlackSky satellites then take images of the ships. The maritime tracking service also relies on SAR data from third-party satellites to supplement visible imagery. (5/25)

Stratolaunch Expands Fleet with Virgin Orbit's Modified Boeing 747 (Source: Stratolaunch)
Upon closing of the acquisition, the additional aircraft will be repurposed as a launch platform for Stratolaunch's Talon-A reusable hypersonic testbeds and is expected to be fully operational in 2024. "With Roc remaining as our mainstay aircraft, an additional 747 brings expanded capabilities and flexibility to our platform. We will be able to increase both our flight test capacity and reach to become an even stronger partner to global customers." (5/25)

Biden is Right to Reconsider Alabama as Home of Space Command Given Tommy Tuberville’s Antics (Source: Denver Post)
"Tuberville should worry less about Colorado’s “abortion tourism” and more about Alabama’s abysmal outcomes for women and children." If Tommy Tuberville, aka “Coach,” wants to prevent members of the U.S. military from having abortions in Colorado, he’ll have to become a constituent and vote here against our safe-haven abortion policies. Until then, the senator from Alabama will just have to live with the fact that he can’t control the reproductive choices of women in the U.S. military.

But Tuberville is prepared to die on this hill. Citing his disgust at the Department of Defense’s “abortion tourism,” Tuberville has been refusing for months to allow the U.S. Senate to process more than 200 promotions of Pentagon leaders both civilian and enlisted. Alabama should be barred from future consideration of base expansions by the Department of Defense for this stunt. (5/24)

New Supernova is the Closest to Earth in a Decade (Source: Space.com)
During the last few days, astronomers have been pointing their telescopes toward a familiar celestial object in our spring night sky for a look at a rare event: A new supernova — a star that has literally, and figuratively, "burst" upon the scene. This new supernova has appeared in a galaxy — a star city — beyond our own. The galaxy is known as the Pinwheel Galaxy, (also designated as Messier 101, or M101) and is a large, loosely wound, spread-out, open-faced spiral galaxy which can be viewed through a small telescope with the proviso if the sky is dark enough. (5/23)

Black Holes Beware: Gravitational Wave Detector Back Online After 3 Year Hiatus (Source: Salon)
After a three-year hiatus, scientists in the U.S. have just turned on detectors capable of measuring gravitational waves — tiny ripples in space itself that travel through the universe. Unlike light waves, gravitational waves are nearly unimpeded by the galaxies, stars, gas and dust that fill the universe. This means that by measuring gravitational waves, astrophysicists like me can peek directly into the heart of some of these most spectacular phenomena in the universe.

Since 2020, the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory — commonly known as LIGO – has been sitting dormant while it underwent some exciting upgrades. These improvements will significantly boost the sensitivity of LIGO. (5/24)

BlackSky, Spire Roll Out Space-Based Maritime Tracking Service (Source: Space News)
The geospatial intelligence companies BlackSky and Spire Global announced May 24 they are offering a new global monitoring service that tracks ships via satellites. The “maritime custody service” uses radio frequency emissions to automatically task imagery, detect and classify vessels, and continuously monitor change, the companies said. The service combines data from Spire’s radio-frequency monitoring satellites that detect emissions from ships and locate dark vessels that manipulate their reported position in order to conceal nefarious activities. The system automatically tips BlackSky’s satellites to collect imagery. (5/24)

SmartSat Targets Australian Agricultural Intelligence From Space (Source: Space Daily)
SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), Australia's leading space research centre, has launched a new research program, 'Maya Nula', to develop Australian satellite Earth Observation (EO) capability with space sensor technology to advance Australia's agriculture industry. The name Maya Nula, which translates to "eyes here, there, everywhere" in the Dharug language of the Eora nation, aims to create an agricultural intelligence capability from space.

The SmartSat-led initiative will facilitate innovative research projects to address the growing need for Australian farmers to reduce risk and boost agricultural productivity through environmentally friendly processes. It will also support implementing and reporting on improved climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices. (5/24)

Space-Based Internet Program Puts Iceland on Front Foot for ‘High North’ Satcomms Connectivity (Source: OneWeb)
The Icelandic government has initiated a program to assess the suitability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space-based connectivity across the Arctic nation in partnership with satellite communications company, OneWeb. The satellite company, which offers complete coverage over the Icelandic region via its Global Connectivity Solution, began the program at the beginning of 2023, by installing a pair of Dual Parabolic User Terminals (UTs) on the rooftop of a government building in Reykjavik with its strategic partner, GRC.

The installation offers the country unrivalled connectivity via OneWeb’s resilient and robust network. Iceland will initially evaluate OneWeb’s Global Connectivity Solution over the course of a three-month trial period. It will then have the option to extend services indefinitely, which could include the deployment of additional ground-based infrastructure as well as airborne, maritime and on-the-pause/on-the-move UTs. (5/24)

Iridium Adds to Constellation Resilience with Launch of Spare Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
Iridium Communications announced a key milestone in its long-term constellation resilience and redundancy planning, with the successful launch and deployment of five spare satellites. This launch brings the total number of spare Iridium satellites on orbit to 14. In total, 81 next-generation Iridium satellites were built, and 80 of them have now been deployed. The Iridium constellation remains unique in the industry, featuring 66 operational crosslinked satellites, enabling truly global, weather-resilient connectivity everywhere on Earth. (5/24)

Nature Conservancy Seeks Full EIS For SpaceX Operations at Texas Launch Site (Source: TNC)
The Nature Conservancy in Texas continues to request a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address the full scope of impacts that SpaceX’s facilities expansion has had and may have on Boca Chica’s unique and productive natural environments. South Texas is a conservation priority for The Nature Conservancy. TNC has partnered with government agencies and local groups for more than 30 years to conserve land at Boca Chica—one of the most sensitive natural areas in the state of Texas and the southwestern United States. (5/23)

No One Should Be Surprised Virgin Orbit Failed—it Had a terrible Business Plan (Source: Ars Technica)
After six years, Virgin Orbit is done, and its LauncherOne will fly no more. In truth, VO's engineering teams did a magnificent job of getting a liquid-fueled rocket to drop from a 747 aircraft, ignite its engine, and reach space. No, the problem was Virgin Orbit's management, including Chief Executive Officer Dan Hart and its founder, Sir Richard Branson. Due to their leadership, the company had a terrible, unsupportable business plan and compounded those issues by hiring an unsustainable workforce of 700 people.

This business ran fairly lean until Virgin Orbit was separated from its parent company in 2017, and Branson hired Hart, who had spent decades as a system engineer at Boeing’s Space division as its president. Hart instituted a more cautious approach and began staffing up the company. A planned first launch in 2018 was delayed by more than two years. When LauncherOne finally took flight for the first time in May 2020, the company had spent a staggering amount of money, nearly $1 billion, developing the rocket and air-launch system.

It was clear at the time that Virgin Orbit was never going to make that money back by charging $12 million to $15 million to launch a few hundred kilograms per mission. Assuming a profit of $10 million per launch—an exceedingly generous figure—Virgin Orbit would have to launch something like 30 times a year to break even. Other small launch companies have solved VO's dilemma by pivoting to a much larger rocket, such as SpaceX with the Falcon 9 in 2009, Rocket Lab with Neutron, and Relativity Space with Terran R. But Virgin Orbit was constrained by the size of the rocket its 747 aircraft could carry. (5/24)

UK Announces £50 Million Government Fund to Build Space Infrastructure (Source: UKSA)
The Space Clusters and Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) – the first dedicated fund for UK space infrastructure – will award match funding to UK organisations to develop the R&D infrastructure needed to make space products mission-ready and sell them into commercial markets. Investment in space R&D infrastructure is essential for building and testing new UK space and satellite capabilities, supporting innovative missions that can benefit people, businesses and communities across the country. (5/24)