April 4, 2024

New Shepard's 25th Mission Includes America's First Black Astronaut Candidate (Source: Blue Origin)
Blue Origin today revealed the six-person crew flying on its NS-25 mission. The crew includes: Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller, Gopi Thotakura, and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, who was selected by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the nation’s first Black astronaut candidate but was never granted the opportunity to fly to space. This mission will be the seventh human flight for the New Shepard program and the 25th in its history. To date, the program has flown 31 humans above the Kármán line. (4/4)

Georgia County Reluctantly Considers Surrendering FAA Spaceport License (Source: Camden 1st)
The subject of surrendering the worthless FAA Spaceport Site License to the FAA was on last night’s Camden County Commission Meeting Agenda. After the Motion to surrender the license was presented by Commissioner Jim Goodman, a second to the motion could not be found from Chairman Ben Casey or Commissioners Lannie Brant and Martin Turner.

The FAA license is also being litigated in Federal Court. Camden County voluntarily joined the case which was specifically between Defendant FAA and Plaintiff Little Cumberland Island Homeowners Association and several environmental organizations. The FAA License revocation case appears to have merit and remains very much alive. If Camden County voluntarily surrenders the FAA license, the case would be moot and the County's fruitless and wasteful spending on spaceport lawyers should finally end. (4/3)

How NASA Spotted El Niño Changing the Saltiness of Coastal Waters (Source: NASA)
After helping stoke record heat in 2023 and drenching major swaths of the United States this winter, the current El Niño is losing steam this spring. Scientists have observed another way that the climate phenomenon can leave its mark on the planet: altering the chemistry of coastal waters. A team at NASA JPL used satellite observations to track the dissolved salt content, or salinity, of the global ocean surface for a decade, from 2011 to 2022. At the sea surface, salinity patterns can tell us a lot about how freshwater falls, flows, and evaporates between the land, ocean, and atmosphere – a process known as the water cycle. Click here. (4/3) https://www.nasa.gov/earth/oceans/how-nasa-spotted-el-nino-changing-the-saltiness-of-coastal-waters/

Agile Space Industries Fires Up Animas Test Stand to Meet Soaring Demand (Source: Tech Crunch)
Despite the space industry’s incredible growth over the past 10 years, there are still few places in the United States dedicated to testing rocket and spacecraft engines. This isn’t a problem for large companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, which can afford to build their own, but almost everyone else is stuck with long wait times and high costs. Agile Space Industries is looking to change that.

Founder Daudi Barnes started the company in 2019 to augment the work of his previous company, Advanced Mobile Propulsion Test (AMPT). AMPT provided hypergolic engine testing, but as Agile, the company has expanded into propulsion systems, thrusters, rocket engines, and ground support equipment. The Colorado-based startup already operates one test stand, called Sunshine, which AMPT stood up in 2010. Last week, it inaugurated a second stand, called Animas — the only commercial facility capable of vacuum testing hypergolic engines more than 300 pounds and up to 6,000 pounds of thrust, the company says. (4/3)

Say 'Cheese,' Universe: Scientists Complete Construction of the Biggest Digital Camera Ever (Source: Gizmodo)
Nine years and 3.2 billion pixels later, it is complete: the LSST Camera stands as the largest digital camera ever built for astronomy and will serve as the centerpiece of the Vera Rubin Observatory, poised to begin its exploration of the southern skies. The Rubin Observatory’s key goal is the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a sweeping, near-constant observation of space. This endeavor will yield 60 petabytes of data on the composition of the universe, the nature and distribution of dark matter, dark energy and the expansion of the universe, the formation of our galaxy, our intimate little solar system, and more. (4/3)

Sidus Space Offers Spacecraft Mission Control Center for Commercial Customers (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space unveils its Mission Control Center (MCC) under the company’s Space-Based Data Solutions business unit. The MCC presents a unique service offering to monitor and support spacecraft missions and generate additional revenue from commercial customers. Sidus’ MCC manages space mission operations for the lifecycle of a spacecraft, from launch to mission completion. The company’s MCC Team has 100% uptime, working 24/7 to monitor every aspect of a mission, from the health and status of the satellite or spacecraft while in orbit, to performing operational tests throughout mission lifecycle. (4/4)

NASA Picks Three Vendors for Lunar Rover Designs (Source: Space News)
NASA has selected three companies to work on lunar rover designs that could be used on future Artemis missions. NASA announced Wednesday that it selected teams led by Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab for its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Services contract. The three companies will each get task orders to spend the next 12 months refining the designs of the rovers and conduct a preliminary design review. NASA will then select one company for a demonstration task order, funding development of the rover and delivery to the moon.

NASA will then procure use of the rover as a service, both for use by astronauts on missions starting with Artemis 5 as well as for robotic exploration when astronauts are not present. Companies can also use the rover for other customers. The contract has an overall maximum value of $4.6 billion over 15 years, but NASA did not disclose the value of the initial task orders. (4/4)

Orbital Sidekick Releases Hyperspectral Images (Source: Space News)
Orbital Sidekick released first images from two hyperspectral satellites launched a month ago. The company says the two Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellites (GHOSts) launched on the SpaceX Transporter-10 rideshare flight are working well and have been returning data since mid-March. The new satellites, the fourth and fifth in the company's constellation, gather data in 468 spectral bands from 400 to 2,500 nanometers with 8-meter resolution. Orbital Sidekick plans to launch a sixth satellite later this year and has a long-term goal of a constellation of 14 to 20 spacecraft. (4/4)

Scout Space Wins SpaceWERX SBIR Contract for SSA Sensor (Source: Space News)
Scout Space is developing a space domain awareness sensor aimed at the military market. The company said Thursday it won a $1.8 million Small Business Innovation Research contract under the SpaceWERX Tactically Responsive Space program. Scout Space is using a portion of the funding to accelerate the development of Owl, an optical telescope designed to track objects in space with great detail and is intended for what the company calls "more exotic deployment opportunities" that include lunar missions. The award comes as the U.S. seeks new ways to monitor and protect its assets in orbit. (4/4)

HawkEye 360 Raises $40 Million (Source: HawkEye 360)
HawkEye 360 has raised an additional $40 million in debt financing. The company, which operates a constellation of satellites to collect radio-frequency geolocation data, said this week it secured the debt deal with Silicon Valley Bank. The company has raised $108 million in the last year between this debt financing and its Series D-1 round, which it said will go towards building out its constellation and other elements of its technical infrastructure. (4/4)

Schedule Cloudy for ULA's Second Vulcan, Carrying Dream Chaser (Source: Ars Technica)
The schedule for the second launch of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket, and its Space Force certification, is up in the air. The Cert-2 mission will carry Sierra Space's Dream Chaser cargo spaceplane, and had been expected to take place by this summer. However, it is not clear when Dream Chaser will be ready to fly, with estimates now ranging from September to next year. ULA needs to conduct two Vulcan launches in order to win Space Force certification for national security payloads, and the company is reportedly looking into "partial certification" of the rocket now so it could carry a military payload on Cert-2 if Dream Chaser is delayed. (4/4)

Colorado Governor Opposes DOD Proposal to Unilaterally Move Space-Focused National Guard Units (Source: Colorado Springs Gazette)
Colorado's governor is opposing a Pentagon proposal to turn some National Guard units into active duty Space Force units. The proposal would move 14 space-focused National Guard units into the Space Force, seven of which are in Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis said he opposed the proposal, which would take authority for National Guard units away from governors and could lead to high attrition as guardsmen elect to leave rather than go on active duty. (4/4)

Aerojet Completes Testing New RS-25 Engine for Artemis SLS (Source: L3Harris)
Aerojet Rocketdyne has completed testing of a new version of the RS-25 engine for the Space Launch System. A final hot-fire test took place Wednesday at the Stennis Space Center to complete qualification of the updated RS-25 engine. Aerojet Rocketdyne, now part of L3Harris, restarted RS-25 engine production to support SLS missions beginning with its fifth launch. The first four SLS launches use RS-25 engines built for the shuttle program. (4/4)

ESA's Proba-3 Missions Could Create Eclipses for Corona Observation (Source: ESA)
ESA is preparing to launch a mission that will make its own solar eclipses. The agency showed off the Proba-3 spacecraft Wednesday at a Redwire Space facility in Belgium where it was built. Proba-3 features two spacecraft that will fly in formation 150 meters apart, with the Occulter spacecraft lined up to block the sun for the Coronagraph spacecraft, allowing it to observe the solar corona. The spacecraft will maintain a separation with an accuracy of millimeters for up to six hours at a time. Proba-3 is scheduled to launch in September. (4/4)

Biden Takes Aim at Tax-Free Rocket Rides Through American Airspace (Source: New York Times)
Every time a rocket soars into the sky, FAA air traffic controllers must take crucial steps to ensure that commercial and passenger aircraft remain safe. The controllers close the airspace, provide real-time information on rockets and their debris and then reopen the airspace quickly after a launch is completed. But unlike airlines, which pay federal taxes each flight for air traffic controllers’ work, commercial space companies are not required to pay for their launches.

The Biden administration is looking to change that. President Biden’s latest budget proposal suggests that for-profit space companies start paying for their use of government resources. Airlines are charged 7.5 percent of each ticket price and an additional fee of about $5 to $20 per passenger, depending on the destination of each flight.

Mr. Biden’s budget proposal vows to work with Congress to overhaul the tax structure and split the cost of operating the nation’s air traffic control system. His promise is based in part on an independent safety review report commissioned by the FAA, which advises that the federal government update the excise taxes to charge commercial space companies. (4/4)

NASA Selects Eight University Teams [2 From Florida] for 2024 CubeSat Development Program (Source: Space Daily)
In a significant move to foster innovation and expertise in the small satellite sector, NASA, alongside the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, has announced the selection of eight university teams for the 2024 Mission Concept Program. This summer program, spanning from May through August, is designed to refine small satellite project proposals from university teams, enhancing their chances of sending their technology to space and potentially kick-starting the students' careers in the aerospace industry.

The CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) program, which is at the heart of this collaboration, will offer participating students invaluable systems engineering training specific to spacecraft development. The aim is to not only prepare these students for future careers in the space sector but also to increase the level of small satellite development knowledge among faculty at participating U.S. universities. Editor's Note: Among those selected are teams from the University of Central Florida and Florida Atlantic University. (4/1)

Impulso Space Inks Deal with Relativity Space for Comprehensive Launch Support (Source: Space Daily)
Impulso.Space has clinched a key contract with Relativity Space, marking a significant step in its journey as a premier provider of full-spectrum launch services. This agreement cements Impulso.Space's role in the aerospace domain, showcasing its dedication to delivering end-to-end global launch solutions tailored for satellite constellations that demand high responsiveness and cost-efficiency.

Per the agreement, Impulso.Space is set to offer a suite of logistical and operational support for Relativity Space's forthcoming launch initiatives. Using its advanced facilities in Florida, the company will be instrumental from the initial stages of mission planning to the final phases of post-launch activities. Impulso.Space, based near the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, offers the following services: integration activities in clean room, payload offload and upload, fueling operations, hardware and personnel safety oversight, security operations, etc. (4/3)

Satcoms Innovation Group Introduces Four New Academic Affiliates (Source: Space Daily)
The Satcoms Innovation Group (SIG) is broadening its academic landscape by incorporating Coleg Cambria, Institute of Physics, The Northern Space Consortium, and Space Wales into its network. SIG, an established entity in promoting satellite communications innovation for enhanced operational efficacy and reduced adverse impacts, seeks to nurture collaborations among industry stakeholders. Through offering a collaborative platform, SIG enables the exchange of ideas and the discussion of industry-related challenges and advancements, aiming for a unified approach towards improving industry standards. (4/2)

C-LEO Initiative Launches with Big Funding Boost for Constellations (Source: Space Daily)
The UK Space Agency announced the launch of the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) program, outlined in the recent Spring Budget. The Chancellor has earmarked up to GBP 160 million to bolster UK expertise over the next four years, with the program's first funding call making GBP 60 million available today. The initiative is set against the backdrop of the UK's esteemed history in satellite design, manufacturing, and operation of extensive satellite constellations. (4/2)

Thales Alenia Space Completes New Version of Cygnus (Source: Space Daily)
Since the inception of the Cygnus pressurized cargo modules (PCM) in the early 2000s, designed to transport supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), there has been significant evolution in their design and capacity. Initially capable of carrying 2,750 kg and providing a volume of 18 m3, the Cygnus spacecraft, consisting of a Service Module from Northrop Grumman and a PCM by Thales Alenia Space, has served the ISS with vital supplies including food, water, spare parts, and scientific equipment through biannual missions.

In a new development, Thales Alenia Space has completed the primary structure of an even larger Cygnus PCM, designed to carry payloads up to 5,000 kg with a volume of 36 m3. Scheduled for its initial pressure test this autumn to confirm structural integrity, this expanded version aligns with NASA and Northrop Grumman's ambitions for more substantial crewed space exploration missions, set for delivery in 2025. (4/2)

Radian Aerospace Updates its Space Plane Design and Hints at Coming Attractions (Source: GeekWire)
A Seattle-area startup called Radian Aerospace is fine-tuning the design of its orbital space plane, with an eye toward building a subscale prototype. The company is also in the midst of a fresh round of fundraising, following up on $27.5 million in investment that was announced in 2022, according to Livingston Holder, Radian’s co-founder and chief technology officer. Over the past two years, Radian has made progress on an ambitious plan to create a reusable winged space plane that would be launched toward low Earth orbit by a rocket-propelled sled and its own rocket engines. (4/2)

Countries Undergo ‘Mindset’ Shift in Counterspace Capabilities as Israel Makes its Entry (Source: Breaking Defense)
An exoatmospheric intercept by Israel of a Houthi-launched ballistic missile in November 2023 highlighted Jerusalem’s growing counterspace prowess, according to a new report from the Secure World Foundation. That feat, among other new information gleaned from the war in Gaza, earned Israel its own entry into the Secure World Foundation’s annual Global Counterspace Capabilities report this year — the “biggest change” over previous editions.

Israel’s Arrow-3 missile defense system used for the November intercept demonstrates a “theoretical” ability to directly attack satellites on orbit, though it has not been tested for that role. The report notes widespread GPS interference operations connected to Gaza, but also to the war in Ukraine, with spillover effects from both conflicts affecting civil aviation and shipping via attacks on navigational systems. (4/2)

NASA, Lockheed Martin Working to Resolve Artemis II Orion Issues, Deliver Spacecraft Around Summer’s End (Source: NSF)
NASA is working with Orion spacecraft prime contractor Lockheed Martin to resolve a handful of issues that came up late last year during ground testing, forcing the space agency to delay the launch readiness target date for its Artemis II circumlunar mission to September 2025. The Lockheed Martin assembly, test, and launch operations (ATLO) team at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is reinstalling some electronics and implementing workarounds for others affected by an electrical circuit flaw found in digital motor controllers on the spacecraft.

While a resolution to that issue appears to be getting closer, the Orion program and contractor teams are also working through the corrective actions process for a problem with how the Orion batteries handle the shock of an extreme abort case. Resolution of both issues will be necessary to allow Lockheed Martin’s production team to move towards finishing assembly and test of the spacecraft before turning it over to Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) for Artemis II launch processing. (4.2)