April 25, 2024

Live From the Clean Room - Building Europa Clipper (Source: NASA JPL)
Watch live as NASA's next outer solar system mission, Europa Clipper, is built and tested in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Click here. (4/22)

Signs of 'Spider' Phenomenon on Mars (Source: Phys.org)
ESA's Mars Express has snapped the telltale traces of "spiders" scattered across the southern polar region of Mars. Rather than being actual spiders, these small, dark features form when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter months. The sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at the bottom of the layer to turn into gas, which subsequently builds up and breaks through slabs of overlying ice. The gas bursts free in Martian springtime, dragging dark material up to the surface as it goes and shattering layers of ice up to a meter thick. (4/24)

Commercial Satellite from China Managed to Capture Images of the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers (Source: Zona Militar)
A commercial satellite from China known as Ku Taijing-4-03 managed to capture images of one of the United States Navy bases, showing the presence of three aircraft carriers, as well as other vessels of the fleet. In the various circulating images, three aircraft carriers can be distinguished along with more than three docks corresponding to the Naval Station Norfolk.

The Taijing 4-03, the first Chinese commercial satellite of phased-array radar imaging in the Ku band, is part of the Taijing series. These satellites play a crucial role in China’s remote sensing capabilities, offering various applications such as disaster and environmental surveillance, natural resource exploration, agricultural yield estimation, and land and maritime mapping. (4/23)

10 Ways Earth is Interconnected (Source: ESA)
On this Earth Day, we reflect on the importance of protecting our planet for future generations. Understanding the Earth system and the complex interactions that shape our planet is paramount for addressing environmental challenges, mitigating climate change, preparing for natural disasters, managing resources sustainably and conserving biodiversity.

Each component of the Earth system – from the atmosphere and oceans to land surfaces and ice sheets – influences and interacts with one another in complex ways. ESA works all-year round to provide satellite data to monitor the health of our planet. Here are 10 examples of how Earth’s systems intertwine and how satellite measurements are key to understanding these complex processes. Click here. (4/22)

Experts Suggest Using SpaceX's Starship to Rescue Stranded Samples on Surface of Mars (Source: Futurism)
The space agency announced this week that it would solicit proposals from the private space industry for "innovative designs" to return Martian samples collected and bagged by its Perseverance rover over the last couple of years. And, as Scientific American reports, SpaceX's mammoth Starship spacecraft may just fit the bill.

"Starship has the potential to return serious tonnage from Mars within [around] five years," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk suggested, responding to the announcement. "[NASA is] encouraging companies to use infrastructure built for Artemis," Casey Dreier said. "The only conclusion you can really draw from that is they’re hoping Starship somehow is the solution here." (4/20)

NASA Planning September Launch of Mars Smallsat Mission on First New Glenn (Source: Space News)
A NASA Mars smallsat mission is slated to launch in late September on the first flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, assuming the vehicle is ready in time. In a presentation on April 24, NASA's Nick Benardini listed a Sep. 29 date for the launch of Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, a pair of smallsats that will go into orbit around Mars to measure the interaction of the planet’s magnetosphere with the solar wind.

NASA selected Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to launch ESCAPADE, awarding the company a $20 million task order through the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract in February 2023 for the mission. The award at the time mentioned only a late 2024 launch, with the expectation that ESCAPADE would be on one of the first, if not the first, flight of the rocket. (4/23)

UK Spaceport Gains Another License (Source: BBC)
A spaceport in the Shetland Islands has received another license from U.K. regulators. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Thursday that it has issued a range license for SaxaVord Spaceport. That license handles airspace and maritime controls needed for launches from the facility. The CAA issued a license for the spaceport itself last December. SaxaVord Spaceport hopes to host its first launch as soon as this summer. (4/25)

TSS Could Accommodate Space Tourists (Source: Nikkei)
China's Tiangong space station could accommodate space tourists. The deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency said Wednesday that his agency would "quickly examine" allowing astronauts from other countries, including commercial spaceflight participants, to visit Tiangong. The agency didn't provide further details, or a potential schedule, about such missions. (4/25)

China on Track for Landing Astronauts on Moon by 2030 (Source: Space News)
Chinese officials say they are on track to land the country's first astronauts on the moon by 2030. Officials with the China Manned Space Engineering Office provided an update on the country's lunar exploration plans Wednesday, saying that work was proceeding well on major aspects of the architecture for a crewed lunar landing. That approach involves the launch of two Long March 10 rockets, one carrying the Mengzhou crew spacecraft and the other the lunar lander Lanyue.

The spacecraft would rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit before Lanyue takes two astronauts down to the lunar surface, where they would perform a six-hour spacewalk before returning. The crewed lunar landing mission is part of China's broader plans to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a crewed and robotic base at the south polar region of the moon. The update came ahead of the launch of the next crew to China's space station, scheduled for this morning. (4/25)

China Signs Nicaragua, Others to Lunar Base Program (Source: Space News)
China also announced new partners for the ILRS. Nicaragua formally joined the ILRS initiative, the tenth country to do so, in a signing announced as part of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Countries Space Cooperation Forum this week. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) also reached agreements with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, and the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences. CNSA separately announced new participants in the Chang'e-7 mission to the lunar south pole set for 2026, with Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand and the International Lunar Observatory Association contributing payloads to that mission. (4/25)

Russia Vetoes UN Nuclear Space Weapons Resolution (Source: Space News)
Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday regarding the placement of nuclear weapons in space. The resolution, drafted by Japan and the United States, reiterated existing prohibitions on nuclear weapons in space and called on countries not to develop such weapons. The resolution came after reports in February that Russia was developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Russia cast the only no vote, with China abstaining and the other 13 members supporting the resolution, but Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, is able to veto resolutions. The U.S. and Japan sharply criticized Russia for blocking the resolution. (4/25)

Space Force’s Saltzman: New Readiness Model ‘Fundamentally Alters’ Space Combat Prep (Source: Breaking Defense)
Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman urges service leaders to urgently implement the service’s new readiness model — a rotating training-to-operations process he says represents the “most drastic change accompanying the establishment of the Space Force.” The April 19 CSO Notice to Guardians (C-Note) stresses that the new Space Force Generation (SPAFORGEN) model to build readiness “fundamentally alters how we prepare for operations.” (4/22)

Space Force Continues Work on Civilian Space Reserve (Source: Space News)
The Space Force is still working on plans for creating a commercial reserve of private space capabilities. Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, said Wednesday that the Space Force is in the midst of figuring out how to establish such a commercial reserve, which will require intricate negotiations with satellite operators to hash out binding agreements. The Space Force first suggested last year creating a "commercial space reserve" modeled on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, allowing the Space Force to access commercial satellites in the event of a conflict. (4/25)

Lockheed Martin Projects Potential $1 Billion Loss on Classified Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin took a $100 million loss on a classified program inside its missiles and fire control unit and could rack up an additional $225 million in losses by the end of the year. News of the classified program loss comes on the heels of a major win on the Next Generation Interceptor program by Lockheed’s space unit, which beat out Northrop Grumman. (4/23)

Non-Geostationary Orbit Constellations Redefining the High Throughput Satellites Market Landscape (Source: NovaSpace)
Significant and ongoing transformations in the High Throughput Satellites (HTS) market are confirmed in the 7th edition of the High Throughput Satellites; report from leading space consulting and market intelligence firm Novaspace, a merger between Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners. The report underscores the pivotal role of Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations in reshaping the satellite connectivity industry, with the latter to emerge as the primary driver in coming years.

Novaspace’s report reveals that to date, approximately three quarters of the 50+ active satellite ,operators have invested in HTS systems. The vast majority of HTS players have satellites in GEO orbit. Despite the NGSO potential, high capital expenditure (CapEx) requirements remain a significant barrier for most players, with investments typically between $2-4 billion and exceeding $10 billion for a megaconstellation. As a result, only a select few of the ‘leading’ satellite operators are pursuing plans for full NGSO constellations, with three expected to be operational during 2024. This includes SpaceX’s Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and O3b mPOWER from SES. (4/25)

Researchers Detect a New Molecule in Space (Source: Phys.org)
New research from the group of MIT Professor Brett McGuire has revealed the presence of a previously unknown molecule in space. To detect this molecule using radio telescope observations, the group first needed to measure and analyze its rotational spectrum on Earth. The researchers combined experiments from the University of Lille (Lille, France), the New College of Florida (Sarasota, Florida), and the McGuire lab at MIT to measure this spectrum over a broadband region of frequencies ranging from the microwave to sub-millimeter wave regimes (approximately 8 to 500 gigahertz).

"Ultimately, we observed 25 rotational lines of 2-methoxyethanol that lined up with the molecular signal observed toward NGC 6334I (the barcode matched), thus resulting in a secure detection of 2-methoxyethanol in this source." (4/23)

RTX to Focus on Satellite Components Business (Source: Defense One)
RTX (formerly Raytheon) has decided not to compete as a prime contractor in building satellites, shifting its focus to supplying components to other companies, according to RTX President and COO Chris Calio. This strategic pivot leverages RTX's historical strengths in critical space components. (4/23)

Starfighters Space Reports Progress Toward Air Launch, Hypersonic Programs Support (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space, operating the only commercial fleet of Mach-2+ aircraft in the world, with the capability to air-launch payloads at altitude, delivered its Q1 2024 update and shareholder guidance. “With new contracts, fleet upgrades and spaceport expansion opportunities, we continue to lay a strong foundation on the ground so that we can execute in the sky,” said Founder and CEO Rick Svetkoff. “We are now well off the drawing board and deep into the real-world execution on a range of critical initiatives.”

The company is transitioning to a Phase II Contract on “HyCat”, with a goal of allowing any federal agency to access Starfighters resources with a simple PO. Under the Atlas project, Starfighters is expanding a relationship with GE Aerospace for flight testing. Starfighters is also negotiating an Air Force project to provide an airborne testing platform. And, after completing a captive carry test, Starfighters is moving forward with its StarLaunch I program, with a drop test planned in September to advance plans for air-launch operations. Starfighters has hired of David Whitney as the company's CFO, and has completed a PCAOB audit.  (4/24)

Robotic Helpers Test New Technology on the Space Station (Source: CASIS)
Engineering firm Bosch partnered with aerospace company Astrobotic to use the Astrobees to test smart microphone technology that can identify anomalies in spacecraft and other equipment by making sense of sounds. In another project, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the German Space Agency used the robots to test algorithms and technology that could help recover tumbling satellites in space. (4/24)

Ariane 6 to Launch OOV-Cube Mission with Internet of Things Applications (Source: Space Daily)
The Ariane 6 inaugural flight will feature a diverse range of payloads, from satellites scrutinizing Earth to those venturing into deep space, highlighting the new rocket's capability to handle versatile missions. Among the missions, the OOV-Cube (On Orbit Verification Cube), a 25-by-25 cm nanosatellite developed by the Technical University of Berlin and RapidCubes, will be placed into a low Earth orbit at 580 km altitude. OOV-Cube aims to integrate wildlife tracking with advanced Internet of Things technology. This mission encompasses multiple experiments designed to open new possibilities for small satellite constellations. (4/24)

Collaboration to Bolster Satellite Ground Station Capabilities in Southeast Asia (Source: Space Daily)
Thailand's mu Space and Advance Technology and RBC Signals International have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as of March 1, 2024. This agreement initiates a partnership to develop Satellite Ground Station Facilities in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. (4/24)

Asterra Debuts Groundbreaking L-Band SAR API for Commercial Use (Source: Space Daily)
ASTERRA has introduced a new application programming interface (API), which expands the capabilities of SAR analytics by enabling collaboration with partners. This marks ASTERRA as the sole commercial provider of L-band SAR analytics technology with an open API for integration with Earth observation and GIS partners, thereby enhancing the overall solution. (4/24)

China Emphasizes Commitment to Peaceful Space Activities (Source: Space Daily)
China has reaffirmed its dedication to the peaceful use of space, according to a recent statement by the Ministry of National Defense. The declaration was made last Friday, emphasizing the role of China's Aerospace Force. "The space domain is humanity's communal asset, and ensuring its security is vital for both national and societal progression," stated Wu Qian, the ministry's spokesperson.

He highlighted the importance of the Aerospace Force in maintaining safety and transparency in space operations, which is crucial for crisis management and effective governance. "Building the Aerospace Force is key to our ability to navigate space safely and to use it openly, which is critical for the peaceful exploration and use of this domain," Wu added. (4/22)

West Needs to Divest From China to Avoid Space Wars, Rocket Scientist Warns (Source: Epoch Times)
A leading American rocket scientist says the United States and its like-minded allies still have an opportunity to cripple China’s rapid weaponization of space, which is reliant on ongoing foreign investment, to prevent a potential war breaking out in space. However, that window of opportunity is closing. ULA's Tory Bruno told lawmakers the CCP, after investing billions of dollars and years of effort, now has four to five times as many rockets, launch sites, and space personnel as the US.

They have been able to achieve this primarily through technology mostly stolen from the United States, but also due to the vast volume of Western investment dollars that have flowed into China since the 2000s. He advocated for Congress to create the right conditions for private enterprise to compete for space contracts, allowing America’s entrepreneurs to “commercialize as much of these capabilities as possible” in order to free themselves from the fluctuations of NASA’s budget.

“We can’t out-centrally-plan China but what we can do is we can out-entrepreneur China, and that’s where the innovation takes place,” he said. Mr. Bruno also urged Congress to end China’s access to the U.S. technologies needed by their acquired capabilities. “While they have developed space weapons of novel types, they remain very, very dependent on acquiring technology from the United States on an ongoing basis, so this must be curtailed as well,” he said. (4/23)