James Webb Space Telescope Has Solved
a Lot of Puzzles, and Created a Few More (Source: Space.com)
In science, it’s often said that the data doesn’t care what you think.
That is especially true when it comes to sophisticated new tools like
the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). So it hasn’t been a shock that
some of the data from the JWST isn't quite what scientists expected.
Click here.
(4/4)
Opening the Moon for All with NASA's
Lunar Terrain Vehicle (Source: Lockheed Martin)
NASA has selected the Lunar Dawn team to develop a next-generation
lunar terrain vehicle under its LTV contract as part of the Artemis
program. Led by Lunar Outpost, the Lunar Dawn team includes us, GM,
Goodyear and MDA Space. The lunar terrain vehicle enables unprecedented
exploration of the Moon with autonomous, telerobotic and manual
operation, providing unmatched capabilities through the application of
aerospace and automotive innovations in power systems, reliability and
mission operations. Click here. (4/3)
How Satellites Help Put Breakfast on
the Table (Source: TEDx)
As a commercial space industry expert, Caryn has found her passion in
investigating the ways space can help us understand our own planet. Not
many would immediately associate distant satellites with imminent
problems, but Caryn knows that space-based Earth observation holds the
key to answering many of humanity’s most complex questions, from food
insecurity to ecosystem conservation. If to understand our planet is to
observe it, then the sky is no longer the limit – it’s the start. Click
here. (4/4)
Kratos Demos Satellite Broadband with
Virtual Ground System (Source: Space News)
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has completed a demonstration
of satellite-based broadband for the U.S. Army using a virtual ground
system. The demonstration was performed as part of a contract awarded
in 2022 by the Army as it seeks to modernize voice and data
communications for its tactical units. Kratos showed how it could use a
software-defined alternative to traditional hardware-based ground
stations for controlling satellite constellations, linking an antenna
to Telesat’s LEO 3 broadband demonstration satellite. (4/5)
Virgin Galactic Countersues Boeing
(Source: Space News)
Virgin Galactic is countersuing Boeing over a project to develop a new
mothership aircraft for its suborbital spaceplanes. Boeing filed suit
against Virgin last month, claiming that Virgin refused to pay more
than $25 million in invoices for the project and has misappropriated
Boeing trade secrets. Virgin, in a suit filed Thursday, alleges that
Boeing performed "shoddy and incomplete" work on initial phases of the
project and that the trade secrets in question are intellectual
property that either belongs to Virgin or which Virgin has a license to
use under a master agreement between the companies. (4/5)
SpaceX Launches Pre-Dawn Starlink
Mission From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Florida Today)
SpaceX launched a set of Starlink satellites early this morning. A
Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 5:12 a.m. Eastern and placed
23 Starlink satellites into orbit. SpaceX is also preparing for another
Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites Friday night from Vandenberg
Space Force Base in California and a rideshare mission, Bandwagon-1,
Sunday from the Kennedy Space Center. (4/5)
Hydrosat Wins NOAA SBIR Contract
(Source: Space News)
Geospatial analytics company Hydrosat has won its first NOAA contract.
The company said it received a $175,000 Small Business Innovation
Research contract to provide high-resolution measurements of
Earth-surface temperatures and geotechnical analysis using thermal
infrared imagery. The data is intended to offer insights for wildfire,
drought, urban heat, agriculture and aquaculture monitoring. (4/5)
Astroscale Could Go Public
(Source: Reuters)
Satellite servicing company Astroscale is considering going public. The
Tokyo-based company has lined up financial managers for a public
offering that could take place as soon as June on the Tokyo Stock
Exchange. Astroscale is developing technologies to refuel and service
satellites and to remove orbital debris. If it does go public, it would
follow ispace, a lunar lander company, and iQPS, a radar imaging
company, that went public in Japan last year. (4/5)
Corrupted Memory Unit Blamed for
Voyager 1 Glitches (Source: NASA)
NASA says it has identified the cause of a computer problem on the
Voyager 1 spacecraft. NASA said Thursday that engineers believe a
memory unit on the spacecraft, accounting for 3% of its overall memory,
has been corrupted. That corruption could have been caused by a cosmic
ray strike or simply because the unit has worn out on the spacecraft,
launched in 1977. Engineers are working to rewrite flight software to
avoid using the corrupted memory, a process that could take weeks or
months. (4/5)
D-Orbit and Plan-S Forge Strategic
Partnership for Satellite Deployment (Source: Space Daily)
D-Orbit has sealed a launch agreement with Turkish New Space pioneer,
Plan-S. The partnership entails the deployment of eight 6U satellites
across two missions scheduled between late 2024 and early 2025,
utilizing D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier for effective constellation
placement. (4/5)
DESI Achieves Unprecedented
Measurement of Universe's Expansion (Source: Space Daily)
With 5,000 tiny robots in a mountaintop telescope, researchers can look
11 billion years into the past. The light from far-flung objects in
space is just now reaching the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument
(DESI), enabling us to map our cosmos as it was in its youth and trace
its growth to what we see today. Understanding how our universe has
evolved is tied to how it ends, and to one of the biggest mysteries in
physics: dark energy, the unknown ingredient causing our universe to
expand faster and faster.
To study dark energy's effects over the past 11 billion years, DESI has
created the largest 3D map of our cosmos ever constructed, with the
most precise measurements to date. This is the first time scientists
have measured the expansion history of the young universe with a
precision better than 1%, giving us our best view yet of how the
universe evolved. (4/5)
Muon Space Launches Muon Halo,
Securing Over $60M for LEO Satellite Missions (Source: Space
Daily)
Muon Space, a leader in space systems, unveiled Muon Halo, a solution
to enhance the deployment and performance of low Earth orbit (LEO)
small satellite constellations. This integrated hardware and software
suite aims to streamline mission processes, from design to operation,
ensuring quicker launches and improved functionality in space. The
company also disclosed securing contracts worth over $60 million to
develop, manufacture, and manage a fleet of 10 satellites slated for
launch in 2025 and 2026. (4/5)
Tyvak International Wins EDA Contract
to Develop VLEO Satellite Technology (Source: Space Daily)
Tyvak International, a subsidiary of Terran Orbital located in Torino,
Italy, announced its role in a major European Defense Agency (EDA)
initiative. As a leading European nano and microsatellite provider,
Tyvak International has been awarded a service subcontract for the
EDA's Hub for EU Defense Innovation (HEDI) proof-of-concept prototype
for 2023. This project focuses on exploring the capabilities of Very
Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites, representing a major advancement in
military space technology. (4/5)
China Putting Finishing Touches on
Seaside Spaceport for Commercial Launches (Source: Space.com)
China is making progress on two new pads for commercial space launches
from the island of Hainan. Launch Pad Number 1 at Hainan International
Commercial Space Launch Center was completed late last year, while
progress on a second pad has entered the equipment-installation phase
and will be completed by the end of May. The first pad will support
high-frequency launches of the Long March 8 rocket. The second is
designed to facilitate the launches of 19 different rockets operated by
nine companies. At least 9 companies plan to use the two new coastal
launch pads. (4/4)
SpaceX’s Historic Polaris Dawn Mission
This Summer First-Ever Commercial Extravehicular Activity
(Source: Satnews)
No earlier than summer 2024, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the
Polaris Dawn mission from historic Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space
Center in Florida. Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew will spend up to
five days in orbit. This Dragon mission will take advantage of Falcon 9
and Dragon’s maximum performance, flying higher than any Dragon mission
to date and endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown.
Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn
will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects
of spaceflight and space radiation on human health. Research partners
include the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH),
BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado Boulder,
Space Technologies Lab at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Weill
Cornell Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory,
the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
At approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth, the crew will attempt
the first-ever commercial extravehicular activity (EVA) with
SpaceX-designed extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, upgraded from
the current intravehicular (IVA) suit. The Polaris Dawn crew will be
the first crew to test Starlink laser-based communications in space.
(4/4)
One Win Changes Everything: Sidus
Space on their 3D Printed Satellite’s Successful Launch (Source:
3Dprint.com)
Sidus recently saw its first satellite, LizzieSat-1, reach orbit, after
launching aboard the SpaceX Transporter-10. A few weeks after that,
Sidus announced it had established two-way communications with
LizzieSat-1 — a satellite largely produced via the Markforged additive
manufacturing (AM) ecosystem — fully validating the launch as a success.
“Something like 80 percent of the satellite is printed,” Tony Boschi
noted. “So making it without [additive manufacturing] just wouldn’t
have been an option. One of the biggest benefits that everyone sees
most immediately is the rail design. The shape of the vertical rail on
our satellite is almost impossible to machine." (4/1)
Why the Moon Needs its Own Time
(Source: The Economist)
At 17 minutes and 40 seconds past eight in the evening, Greenwich Mean
Time, on July 20 it will be exactly 55 years since Neil Armstrong
landed on the Moon. Those 55 years add up to 20,089 days. Of those,
20,062 were 86,400 seconds long and 27 one second longer thanks to the
addition of leap seconds, a practice begun in 1972. So those 55 years
will add up to 1,735,689,627 seconds. Unless, that is, the clock by
which you do the measuring is on the Moon. For a Moon clock those 55
years will have lasted 1,735,689,628 seconds: one second more. This
offset is significant enough to justify a look at the options for a
global agreement defining Co-ordinated Lunar Time (LTC).
Blame Einstein. The curvature of spacetime caused by the mass of the
Earth makes time pass more slowly close to the planet than farther
away. Earth time is defined by UTC, or coordinated universal time
(much the same as Greenwich Mean Time). The ultimate guarantor of UTC is a weighted average of readings of hundreds of earthbound atomic
clocks, a data product known as International Atomic Time (TAI). To
keep UTC coordinated with more parochial Earth-specific measures of
time, the International Telecommunication Union adds occasional leap
seconds to TAI to make up for variations in the Earth’s rotation and
orbit.
Keeping satellites used for navigating the Earth in step with UTC makes
sense. If there is going to be a lot of travel to the Moon, though, a
system of mission-specific hacks which allow positions and timings to
be measured with respect to Earth will be cumbersome. Precision for
spacecraft docking or landing will require greater accuracy. Also some
science needs highly accurate timing. Hence the attraction of a system
which reflects the fact that lunar time really does pass slightly
quicker. In the long run this may require a network of atomic clocks on
the Moon. (4/3)
Video Flyover Shows Progress Among
Launchers at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: NSF)
Here's an aerial tour capturing the dramatic transformations and
feverish activities at the world’s premier spaceport during March 2024.
Dive deep into SpaceX’s unexpected maneuvers at LC-39A's Starship
launch facility, witness the relentless launch cadence of Falcon 9, get
a sneak peek into Blue Origin's New Glenn preparations, and marvel at
Relativity's ambitious expansion for Terran R at LC-16. Click here. (4/4)
NOAA Seeks Comments on Orbital Debris
and Satellite Disposal (Source: NOAA)
To avoid duplicative regulation for remote sensing systems, NOAA defers
to FCC rules on orbital debris & satellite disposal. Given the
evolving regulatory and international business environment, should NOAA
instead develop its own rules? Click here.
(4/4)
Unlocking the Secrets of Lunar Soil
for Future Moon Construction (Source: Space Daily)
Artemis necessitates a deep dive into the composition of lunar soil, a
task undertaken by Northwestern University's mineralogist Steven
Jacobsen with funding from NASA. The collaboration between NASA and
ICON Technology seeks to pioneer construction methods on the moon using
indigenous resources. This initiative marks a shift toward
sustainability in space exploration, as the prohibitive cost of
transporting materials from Earth demands innovative solutions.
Understanding the moon's soil is the first step in this process, with
Jacobsen and his team embarking on a mission to analyze its variability
and composition.
The study delves into the hazardous nature of lunar dust, which poses
significant risks to both equipment and human habitats due to its
abrasive qualities. NASA's strategy includes developing a reliable
landing pad to mitigate these dangers, with ICON's advanced 3D-printing
technology playing a major role. The project, supported by a $57.2
million grant from NASA, builds upon ICON's expertise in terrestrial
construction to adapt these techniques for lunar environments. (4/4)
Kayhan Space Welcomes Mark Mueller to
Spearhead Government Growth in Space Traffic Management (Source:
Space Daily)
Kayhan Space, a frontrunner in space automation and flight safety
software, has appointed Mark Mueller as Vice President of Government
Growth. Mueller, a distinguished veteran with over 35 years of
experience in the U.S. Intelligence Community, Air Force, and Space
Force, will lead Kayhan Space's efforts in delivering comprehensive
Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and space control solutions tailored for
both classified and unclassified government operations. (4/4)
Lack of Funding Pushes Back Space
Force Satellite Plan (Source: Defense News)
The US Space Force has postponed the Mobile User Objective System
satellite program due to a reallocation of funds to higher priority
programs and contract delays. Edgar Nava, a spokesman for the Space
Systems Command, explained that the delay is a "fact of life change."
(4/3)
The Future of Space and Tech
Exploration in Colorado Springs (Source: CPR)
Colorado Springs is set to become the hub of the international space
community on April 8 when 12,000 people from more than 40 countries
arrive to hear the latest about what’s ahead for the industry. They’ll
be talking about what is, by the latest count, a $546 billion global
economy that is set to grow to $1 trillion over the next several years,
according to Heather Pringle, who heads the Colorado Springs-based
non-profit Space Foundation, which sponsors the annual Space Symposium.
“It is the only event that brings together the diversity of space
leadership around the globe,” including the military, scientists, major
corporate players, and small start-ups, she said. (4/3)
Mitsubishi Corporation Joins Starlab
Space as Strategic Partner, Equity Owner in Joint Venture (Source;
Starlab)
Starlab Space, the joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus,
today welcomed Mitsubishi Corporation as a strategic partner and equity
owner in Starlab Space. This partnership expands Starlab Space's reach
beyond a transatlantic partnership and transforms the joint venture
into a global organization. Mitsubishi is expected to leverage its
capabilities to significantly increase the value of Starlab, using
space research to enhance and accelerate terrestrial product
development in multiple industries and expand access to space-based
technologies globally. (4/4)
Texas Beach Closed Due to Anticipated
Testing Activity at SpaceX (Source: My San Antonio)
Launch after launch, SpaceX's productivity has increased over the past
year. Its test site is once again closing a South Texas beach for
anticipated activity ahead of a May launch. Cameron County Judge Eddie
Treviño, Jr. issued a temporary closure to Boca Chica Beach and State
Highway 4 from Oklahoma Avenue to the beach entrance on Tuesday, April
2. (4/3)
‘Military Force’ Could Be Directed to
Protect Private Sector Orbital Assets, DOD Strategy Says
(Source: NextGov)
The Department of Defense released a new strategy on Tuesday outlining
its intent to tie critical private sector space technologies with
national security interests, including using military force when
necessary to protect satellites and other orbital capabilities.
DOD’s commercial space integration strategy — the first such document
released by the department — emphasized the growing importance of
commercial space solutions to the U.S. government and military, as well
as the need to better safeguard these capabilities from adversaries who
could target them to disrupt key services. (4/3)
Russia Lauds India's Space Sector
(Source: NDTV)
Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin hailed India's
remarkable achievements in space exploration and underscored Russia's
unwavering support for its space endeavors. On the 40th Anniversary of
the spaceflight of the first Indian cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma, aboard
the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 in 1984, Babushkin emphasized the
enduring partnership between Russia and India in the space sector.
Babushkin's remarks also highlight the success of the Chandrayaan-3
mission and the collaborative efforts in the Gaganyan project. (4/4)
Thailand Joins China's Lunar Effort
(Source: The Nation)
Thailand's foray into space research will reach a new level after the
Cabinet approved cooperation with China, aimed at extending Thai
capabilities to go beyond the Earth's atmosphere by jointly developing
a moon research station and astronauts. Deputy government spokeswoman
Rudklao Inthawong Suwankiri revealed that the recent Cabinet meeting
had approved two agreements to promote Thai exploration beyond the
Earth's atmosphere. (4/4)
Michelin Tires to Support Next Lunar
Rovers (Source: Michelin)
Michelin is humbled and excited to share that Michelin tires will be
outfitting the NASA lunar terrain vehicle! Michelin is part of a global
team of partners including, Intuitive Machines’ Moon Reusable
Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover (RACER), AVL, Boeing, and Northrop
Grumman Corporation. Collaboratively, this group will provide the
architecture, power management, autonomous driving, communications and
navigation systems for lunar exploration. (4/4)
Rocket at the Ready as Gilmour Space
Launches Bowen Spaceport (Source: The National Tribune)
The site of Australia’s first orbital rocket launch has officially
opened in another significant milestone for Queensland’s burgeoning
space industry. Located within the Abbot Point State Development Area
in North Queensland, the Bowen Orbital Spaceport is operated by Gold
Coast based Gilmour Space Technologies. Gilmour’s 23-meter, 35-tonne
Eris rocket is capable of launching small satellites into low earth
orbits and is now assembled on site in anticipation of its maiden
launch in the coming weeks. (4/4)
Australia's Koonibba Test Range
Spaceport Prepares for HyImpulse Launch (Source; PS News)
A project to build a rocket launch facility in remote outback South
Australia is nearing completion and is preparing for its first launch.
The Koonibba Test Range (KTR) spaceport facility northwest of Ceduna
has been built as a partnership between Southern Launch and the
Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation, and will be the largest
commercial testing range in the Southern Hemisphere when complete.
Subject to regulatory approval by the Australian Space Agency (ASA),
the first launch from KTR is scheduled for the end of April or early
May, and will also be the first launch of a German-made HyImpulse’s
SR75 rocket. (4/4)
Lakshmi Machine Works Hands Over Major
Component of Launch Vehicle to ISRO (Source: The Economic Times)
The Advanced Technology Centre of Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW) has
delivered an indigenously developed component, the ogive payload
fairing, to ISRO. This fairing, the uppermost structure of a launch
vehicle, carries satellites into orbit. LMW, a leading manufacturer
headquartered in Coimbatore, established the LMW Advanced Technology
Center in 2010 to produce composite structural products for the space
and aviation sectors. (4/3)
NASA Astronaut Turned Quilt Artist
Opens New Exhibit in Paducah KY (Source: WKMS)
A former NASA astronaut is sharing her work at the National Quilt
Museum in Paducah inspired by her time in outer space, including some
works she stitched while floating miles above the earth’s surface. In
the exhibit “The Stars are Aligned,” which opened last week, former
NASA astronaut and engineer Karen Nyberg is sharing some quilts she’s
made over the years depicting both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial
subject matter. (4/3)
New Names for the Gateway
(Source: ESA)
The Gateway will support the most distant human space missions ever
attempted. Whereas the International Space Station orbits Earth, the
Gateway will orbit the Moon, acting as a base for scientific research
of the deep space environment, a host for technology development and
demonstration experiments, as well as a staging post supporting
exploration missions to the lunar surface and beyond. ESA is
contributing three key elements to the Gateway; these were previously
known as I-Hab, ESPRIT Refuelling Module (ERM) and ESPRIT HALO-Lunar
Communication System (HLCS). Now they have been renamed: Lunar I-Hab,
Lunar View and Lunar Link. (4/3)
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