June 13, 2023

SSC, Sandia Review System Requirements of Next-Gen Nuclear Detection System (Source: Executive Gov)
Space Systems Command and Sandia National Laboratories have completed the systems requirements review for the ground segment of the former’s United States Nuclear Detonation Detection System. SSC said Thursday its next-generation USNDS ground system is slated to undergo a preliminary design review in February 2024 in preparation for its scheduled deployment in 2028.

In collaboration with Sandia, the lead contractor of the USNDS, SSC reviewed the two critical components of the system, the NDS Analysis Package Ground Station and Sandia Data Analysis and Display System, in May at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. The team initially reviewed the requirements of the Integrated Correlation and Display System USNDS ground systems in February. The space-based USNDS system consists of sensor payloads hosted on GPS satellites that work to provide real-time information on nuclear events in Earth’s atmosphere and near space. (6/12)

Next Generation Experimental Aircraft Becomes NASA’s Newest X-Plane (Source: NASA)
NASA and Boeing said Monday the aircraft produced through the agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project has been designated by the U.S. Air Force as the X-66A. The new X-plane seeks to inform a potential new generation of more sustainable single-aisle aircraft – the workhorse of passenger airlines around the world. Working with NASA, Boeing will build, test, and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft with extra-long, thin wings stabilized by diagonal struts, known as a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept. (6/12)

Why Laws and Norms Matter in Space (Source: Space Review)
Growing activity, and threats of conflict, in space emphasize the need for rules for responsible use of space. Senjuti Mallick explains why such rules are more essential than ever. Click here. (6/12)
 
Mars 2033: Can We Do This? (Source: Space Review)
For several years, Mars exploration advocates have proposed a human mission to orbit or fly by Mars in 2033, a particularly favorable launch window. Jeff Foust reports that, even with only a decade to go, some still believe such a mission is feasible. Click here. (6/12)
 
A Case for Space in the Caribbean: a Historic and Strategic Perspective (Source: Space Review)
The island nations of the Caribbean are often overlooked in discussions about the future of space exploration and commercialization. Kaylon Paterson examines how those countries can benefit from, and contribute to, the growing space economy. Click here. (6/12)

Thales Alenia Space Joins Tema to Develop Destination Earth Core Service Platform (Source: Space Daily)
Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), will partner with Serco, the leader of the consortium awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA) to implement the DestinE Core Service Platform (DESP), a key element of the European Commission's flagship initiative Destination Earth (DestinE). The objective of DestinE is to develop a highly accurate digital models of the Earth in order to monitor and predict the interaction between natural phenomena and human activities, anticipate extreme events and adapt policies to climate-related challenges. (6/9)

Settling the Guidelines to Cover the Entire Life Cycle of Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
In a significant step towards sustainable satellite production and operation, microsatellite pioneer Axelspace Corporation has announced the establishment of the "Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0." This new guideline is aimed at ensuring that the satellite lifecycle adheres to environmentally-friendly practices, in a bid to make sustainable operations the norm within the space industry.

This standard, known as the Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0, is a comprehensive set of guidelines devised by Axelspace. The company has been at the forefront of the space industry since the early 2000s, and its new standard will apply to all future operations, including the AxelLiner project, in collaboration with other spacecraft manufacturing alliance companies. (6/12)

SpaceX Launches Rideshare Mission From California Spaceport (Source: Space News)
A Falcon 9 launched several dozen smallsats on its latest rideshare mission Monday. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 5:35 p.m. Eastern on the Transporter-8 mission. The rocket carried 72 payloads for a variety of companies as well as the Space Force and DARPA. Included on the mission were the first satellites for several startups such as Varda, which will test its space manufacturing technology and bring samples back to Earth in a return capsule. SpaceX continues to see high demand for its dedicated smallsat rideshare missions, with future launches sold out into 2025 according to the company's website. (6/13)

Space Force Sorting Out Complexities of Wartime Contracting (Source: Space News)
An initiative to ensure the U.S. military has access to commercial space industry services during conflicts is gaining support inside the Pentagon. Under an initiative known as Commercial Augmentation Space Reserves, or CASR, the Space Force is looking at establishing agreements with companies to ensure services like satellite communication and remote sensing are prioritized for U.S. government use during national security emergencies. The Commercial Space Office within the Space Force's Space Systems Command is working on a plan for how the CASR initiative could be implemented. However, officials said it will take some time to work out how to address various scenarios for it. (6/13)

Draft House Defense Bill Would Speed Hypersonic Missile Defense Interceptor (Source: Breaking Defense)
The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee in its fiscal 2024 draft defense policy bill would speed delivery of a new Missile Defense Agency interceptor specifically designed to shoot down hypersonic missiles. The legislation would also demand better Space Force integration with commercial industry — including demanding routine integration of commercial space monitoring data and improved sharing of threats with corporate partners. (6/12)

U.S. Defense Companies Find Roadblocks in Selling Space Technologies to Allies (Source: Space News)
Defense companies are running into problems selling space technologies to allies. Those countries have increased spending in the last year on satellites, sensors and other technologies to protect assets in orbit. U.S. firms have products to fill these demands but are running into roadblocks because of export control restrictions on the sale of U.S. space technologies to foreign allies. Companies argue that could undermine efforts to ensure interoperability of allied systems with American ones. Space Systems Command has advocated for the development of joint systems with allies, an initiative called "allied by design." (6/13)

Defense Authorization Bill Would Require Threat Info Sharing with Companies (Source: Space News)
A provision in a draft of a defense authorization bill would require the Defense Department to share information on space threats with companies. The initial House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would direct the Space Force and Space Command to develop a plan to expand existing threat-sharing arrangements with commercial space operators that have DoD contracts. It would establish a process to regularly identify and evaluate commercial space situational awareness capabilities. The bill would also establish a Space National Guard in states where existing Air National Guard units perform space missions. A markup of the space-related portions of the NDAA is scheduled for today. (6/13)

Defense Authorization Bill Would Prohibit Space Command Facility Investments in Colorado (Source: Space News)
The NDAA pressures the Air Force on the location of Space Command's permanent headquarters. The "chairman's mark" for the NDAA, released Monday by House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), would prohibit U.S. Space Command from spending money on new or improved facilities at its current headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado until the Secretary of the Air Force releases a report on the selection of a permanent headquarters.

Rogers also would restrict travel funds for Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall until the delivery of the report. In addition, the chairman's mark would prohibit the Space Force from issuing a contract for the WGS-12 communications satellite previously funded by Congress until the service demonstrates that the requirements met by WGS-12 cannot be fulfilled by commercial providers. (6/13)

House Bill Would Give FAA Space Traffic Management Responsibilities (Source: Space News)
A House bill to reauthorize the FAA would also give that agency new space traffic management responsibilities. The bill, released Friday and scheduled to be marked up by the House Transportation Committee today, would direct the FAA to track reentering debris that could pose a hazard to aircraft. It would also allow the FAA to develop space situational awareness capabilities and databases, and provide conjunction notices to satellite operators, capabilities the Commerce Department is already developing. Industry officials believe the intent of the provision in the bill is limited to aviation safety, but some think the language could be refined to make that clearer. (6/13)

Singapore Startup Raises $7.5 Million for Radiation-Hardened Space Electronics (Source: Space News)
A Singapore-based startup working on radiation-hardened electronics has raised $7.5 million. Zero-Error Systems raised a Series A round that was backed by Airbus Ventures to expand its presence in Europe and the United States and build out its product line. The company is developing radiation-hardened electronics for space applications, flying its chips for the first time in 2021 on three satellites developed by Japan's Kyushu Institute of Technology. (6/13)

Japan Considering Investment in Space Startups (Source: Nikkei)
Japan's space agency could soon invest in space startups. Legislation under development would allow JAXA to fund companies working on satellites and related technologies. Any returns from those investments would be reinvested in other ventures. JAXA is currently able to fund companies that use the agency's research, but has made only a couple minor investments to date. (6/13)

India to Launch Lunar Mission in July (Source: ANI)
The Indian space agency ISRO expects to launch its next lunar lander mission in mid-July. ISRO says the Chandrayaan-3 mission is scheduled to launch between July 12 and 19 on an LVM-3 rocket, assuming the spacecraft completes its final tests as planned. Chandrayaan-3 is India's second attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon after the Vikram lander, part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, crashed during a landing attempt in 2019. ISRO made significant changes to the design of the spacecraft to improve its chances of an intact landing. (6/13)

Planet BEBOP-1C Found Orbiting Binary Star System (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers have found another planet orbiting a binary star system. In a paper published Monday, astronomers said they discovered the planet, dubbed BEBOP-1c, orbiting a binary star system. The planet is a gas giant about one-fifth the mass of Jupiter. It is the second planet found orbiting that binary star system, making it only the second binary star known to have multiple planets. Astronomers once doubted planets could form around binary stars because of the disruptions caused by the gravitational interactions of the two stars, but more than 50 circumbinary planets have been found to date. (6/13)

Is it Time to Cancel the Boeing Starliner? (Source: The Hill)
While the SpaceX Crew Dragon has become the basis of a commercial space line, operating since May 2020, the other vehicle in the Commercial Crew Program, the Boeing Starliner, remains snake bit and on the ground. Boeing has vowed to fix Starliner's problems and, eventually, fly it. However, since the company is working from a fixed-price contract, the extra money required to get the spaceship operational is going to come from Boeing and not NASA or the government.

The whole concept of Commercial Crew has been that the government would not cover any cost overruns that have traditionally plagued aerospace projects. The idea was that contractors would have the incentive to keep costs low. Boeing will probably never make a profit on Starliner. The fact is fraught with irony because when the Commercial Crew contracts were first awarded, Boeing was considered the odds-on favorite to have a spacecraft flying astronauts to and from the ISS. NASA cannot wait forever for Boeing to get the Starliner operational.

While Crew Dragon has been functioning splendidly, the strategy of Commercial Crew is to have two operational vehicles capable of taking astronauts to and from low Earth orbit. The approach fosters competition and allows for redundancy in case one vehicle runs into trouble. As it turns out, a potential alternative is waiting in the wings. Space News recently reported that the cargo version of the Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser should be ready to fly in either late 2023 or early 2024. The Dream Chaser is a lift-body spacecraft that will launch vertically on top of a Vulcan Centaur rocket and then land horizontally when it returns to Earth, much like the space shuttle used to do. (6/12)

Beyond SpaceX: 5 Space Technology Startups to Watch in 2023 (Source: JumpStart)
As we venture further into the galaxy, the sky isn’t the limit anymore when it comes to innovation in the world of space technology. While SpaceX is shooting for the stars, there’s a whole universe of up-and-coming space technology startups that are making waves in their own right. Here we unveil five space technology startups that are set to make a galactic splash in 2023: AstroScale, Axiom Space, Helios, Skyroot, and Space Perspective. Click here. (6/5)

One-Third of Red Dwarf Stars Have Habital Zone Planets (Source: Next Big Future)
University of Florida astronomers have discovered that a third of the planets around the most common stars in the galaxy could be in a goldilocks orbit close enough to hold onto liquid water – and possibly harbor life. The remaining two-thirds of the planets around these ubiquitous small stars are likely roasted by gravitational tides, sterilizing them. Red dwarf stars, also called M dwarf or M-type star, the most numerous type of star in the universe and the smallest type of hydrogen-burning star. Red dwarf stars have masses from about 0.08 to 0.6 times that of the Sun. (6/5)

FAA Hesitant for SpaceX to Join Boca Chica Environmental Lawsuit (Source: ESG Hound)
The FAA didn't oppose SpaceX's inclusion in the lawsuit brought against the agency by the Nature Conservancy, they just didn't want to set precedent that SpaceX could join the suit as a matter of *necessity* to defend a NEPA action. Put it this way: they (DOJ and FAA) don't want SpaceX's legal arguments to set future case law about the viability of a NEPA action. A federal agency's decision should stand on their own actions in complying with the law. (6/12)

Space Force Sorting Out Complexities of Wartime Contracting (Source: Space News)
An initiative to ensure the U.S. military has access to commercial space industry services during conflicts is gaining support inside the Pentagon, although the details are still being ironed out. “Every domain needs an industrial base” and that includes space, said Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt. A lesson from the war in Ukraine is that “you have to have the industrial base to produce the stuff and to sustain a fight. We need the same thing in space,” Burt said in an interview with SpaceNews.

Under an initiative known as Commercial Augmentation Space Reserves, or CASR, the Space Force is looking at establishing agreements with companies to ensure services like satellite communication and remote sensing are prioritized for U.S. government use during national security emergencies. (6/12)

Space Domain Awareness Provisions in Draft NDAA Proposal (Source: Space News)
The House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subcommittee is proposing legislation that would require DoD to share threat intelligence with commercial satellite operators. This is one of several proposals in the subcommittee’s draft bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Ranking Member Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) released their proposal June 12 and scheduled a markup of the bill June 13. Click here. (6/12)

U.S. Defense Companies Find Roadblocks in Selling Space Technologies to Allies (Source: Space News)
One of the largest U.S. arms makers, Lockheed Martin, is seeing growing demand for space technologies from U.S. military allies overseas. But selling to these customers is becoming more difficult for American companies due to policy and security barriers, a senior executive said. Some of the U.S. closest allies “have increased the pace of space acquisition tremendously over the last year,” Eric Brown, Lockheed Martin’s senior director of military space mission strategy, told SpaceNews. (6/12)

Stott: US Leadership in Space is Key to Solving Earth's 'Greatest Planetary Challenges' (Source: Fox News)
Retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott spoke with Fox News Digital to discuss the vital role of the United States in leading the space industry, the benefits of public-private partnerships and how space exploration ultimately impacts life on Earth. "If we want humanity to survive into that very distant future, we've got to be thinking about space," Stott said. Click here. (6/10)

SES Shares Fall After CEO Plans Departure (Source: Market Watch)
SES shares fell Monday after the company said Chief Executive Officer Steve Collar will leave at the end of June. At 0731 GMT, shares in the Luxembourg satellite-telecommunications company were down 5.4% to EUR5.29. Collar is leaving to pursue other personal and professional endeavors, SES said. Chief Technology Officer Ruy Pinto will step in as CEO until a replacement is found. (6/12)

Ex Cornwall Spaceport Boss Calls Out Sexism in Sector (Source: BBC)
The departing boss of the UK's first spaceport has spoken out against alleged sexist behaviour in the "male-dominated" space sector. Melissa Quinn is leaving her role as the head of Spaceport Cornwall. In January she oversaw the first satellite launch from UK soil, which ended in failure when the Virgin Orbit rocket suffered an "anomaly." Ms Quinn said she was "left to my own devices" to deal with online and in-person negativity after the launch.

"A lot of the times I was the only woman in the room and I was quite a lot younger than a lot of my male counterparts who are massively experienced but I think we need different ways of thinking." Ms. Quinn said she was able to come up with solutions to problems her male counterparts "would just never have come up with." (6/12)