May 30, 2024

Scottish Space Firm Start-Up Secures £320,000 Investment (Source: The National)
A Scottish space firm has been awarded a cash boost of hundreds of thousands of pounds to help “pioneer” a space flight technology. Following funding from the European Space Agency in 2023, Aurora Avionics has this year secured an investment of more than £320 000 from Gabriel Investment Syndicate and Scottish Enterprise. Based at Edinburgh’s Royal Observatory, Aurora specializes in producing the electrical systems necessary for flight – the avionics. (5/29)

South Korea to Push for Reusable Space Rocket Development, L4 Exploration (Source: Yonhap)
South Korea's national space agency said Thursday it will work to develop small reusable space rockets in collaboration with the private sector and explore one of the stable Lagrange points in a bid to become a top-five global space power. In a press briefing, Rho Kyung-won, deputy chief of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), said KASA plans to assign the reusable rocket development project to the private sector.

These reusable rockets will be capable of launching a 500-kilogram payload into an orbit with an altitude of 500 kilometers, aligning with the "new space" trend. (5/30)

McGregor Officials: Area Unaffected by Fireball at SpaceX Rocket Test Stand (Source: Waco Tribune-Herald)
An explosion described as a “fireball” occurred when SpaceX tested a Raptor 2 engine May 23 in McGregor, but it appeared to largely escape notice in the surrounding community. The blast reportedly took place 14 seconds after ignition late that afternoon at SpaceX’s sprawling Rocket Development and Test Facility in the community 15 miles west of Waco.

“Initially, everything seemed normal, but lingering vapor soon gave way to a small fire under the engine, which then erupted into a massive fireball that engulfed the entire testing stand,” the trade magazine Techstory reported. SpaceX as of late Tuesday afternoon had not issued a statement, and it is not known if the explosion will cause testing delays. (5/30)

Sidus Space’s LizzieSat-1 Transmits Data with AI Rapid Delivery Platform (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space's high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) delivery platform, FeatherEdge, successfully transmitted data back down to Earth for the first time on May 24, 2024. The LizzieSat-1 mission demonstrated FeatherEdge’s ability to upload new algorithms post-launch, run a machine vision algorithm on the hardware accelerator capable of processing data 300 times faster than a CPU, and downlink health and status data to Sidus Mission Control Center in Merritt Island, FL.

The Google-powered AI processor sets the groundwork for substantial upgrades on future launches, which is expected to include NVIDIA-powered AI accelerators in early 2025, resulting in the highest performance edge computing capability on orbit. This milestone marks the beginning of customized rapid intelligence delivery missions for industry, academia, and government customers. (5/30)

Virgin Galactic Battles to Retain New York Listing (Source: The Telegraph)
Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism venture Virgin Galactic is scrambling to save its US listing after its share price fell below the minimum required under stock exchange rules. On Wednesday night it said it had received a notice from the New York Stock Exchange that its shares had traded at an average price below $1 – the Wall Street minimum – for 30 days, putting it in potential breach of listing rules. It means Virgin Galactic is at risk of being kicked off the New York Stock Exchange unless it can boost its share price. (5/30)

Europe’s Only fully Licensed Vertical Launch Spaceport Declared Open (Source: Shetland News)
Western Europe’s first fully licensed vertical launch spaceport is officially ready for take-off after it was declared open this afternoon (Wednesday). SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst received its spaceport and range licences from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in December 2023 and April this year. The first launch, by German rocket manufacturer Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), is scheduled for later this summer following an engine testing campaign currently underway on the company’s launch stool at the site. (5/29)

Las Vegas Spaceport Seeks to Build a Space Economy From the Ground Up (Source: Las Vegas Weekly)
The Entertainment Capital of the World, the Sports Capital of the World and now … the Space Capital of the World? That’s the vision of Robert Lauer, CEO of Las Vegas Spaceport. The company received unanimous approval from the Clark County Board of Commissioners in early May to build an airstrip for the future Las Vegas Executive Airport, which Lauer says will be the beginnings of a spaceport.

According to a statement from Clark County, the approval is only for an airstrip at this time, conditional upon approval of the Federal Aviation Administration. Expansion or use of the airstrip for any other purpose would require subsequent applications to the county and additional FAA approvals. (5/30)

NASA Welcomes Peru as 41st Artemis Accords Signatory (Source: NASA)
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson welcomed Peru as the newest nation to sign the Artemis Accords Thursday during a ceremony with the U.S. State Department at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Peru joins 40 other countries in a commitment to advancing principles for the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond. (5/30)

Cavossa to Lead CSF (Source: CSF)
The Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), an industry group, has a new president. CSF announced Wednesday that David Cavossa will take over as president of the organization next week, succeeding Karina Drees. Cavossa was, earlier in his career, executive director of another space industry trade group, the Satellite Industry Association, and most recently was an executive with satellite operator ABS. (5/30)

Verizon to Invest $100 Million in AST SpaceMobile (Source: Space News)
Verizon will invest $100 million into AST SpaceMobile to support its direct-to-smartphone services. The $100 million commitment comprises $65 million in commercial prepayments and $35 million in convertible debt. AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan called the deal a "transformational commercial milestone" for the venture's proposed constellation, paving the way to fully cover the continental United States. It comes after another mobile operator, AT&T, made a $20 million prepayment to AST SpaceMobile earlier in the year; AT&T, Google and British telco Vodafone have also banded together to provide $110 million in funding to AST SpaceMobile via convertible debt. (5/30)

China Threat Elicits Call for More Space Force Funding (Source: Space News)
The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee called for a major increase in defense spending that includes enhancing space capabilities. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)  released a white paper Wednesday calling for an increase in defense spending to fund cutting-edge technologies.

He took particular aim at China's recent space advancements, warning that Beijing is pushing a "strategic breakout" and that its growing reliance on space assets is creating new vulnerabilities that the U.S. should be prepared to exploit. The paper calls for the Space Force to invest in designing a more capable, layered and networked satellite architecture across multiple orbits, and to upgrade satellite cybersecurity and anti-jamming features. (5/30)

MDA Space Joins Starlab Space Station Venture (Source: Space News)
Canada's MDA Space is joining the Starlab Space joint venture to develop a commercial space station. MDA Space will take an equity stake in Starlab Space, joining Voyager Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and Mitsubishi Corp., the companies announced Wednesday. In return, MDA Space will provide robotics capabilities such as a robotic arm based on a new line of space robotics products called MDA Skymaker. The announcement comes a day after Starlab Space signed an agreement with The Exploration Company, a European space transportation startup, to use that company's Nyx vehicle to transport cargo to and from Starlab. (5/30)

FCC Chair Seeks Rules to Prevent Space Explosions (Source: Space News)
The chair of the FCC, Jessica Rosenworcel, is calling for new rules to reduce the risk of accidental explosions in orbit. The new rules, announced Wednesday, would require applicants for FCC licenses to assess and limit the probability of accidental explosions to less than one in a thousand for each satellite they submit for approval. Currently, FCC rules only require satellite licensees to affirm they have effectively mitigated the risk of debris-generating explosions in space. (5/30)

Vega-C Prepping for Flight Return (Source: Space News)
Europe's Vega C is rocket is a step closer to returning to flight. Avio, the prime contractor for the rocket, said Tuesday it performed a successful static-fire test of the Zefiro-40 motor used in the rocket's second stage, confirming the performance of a redesigned nozzle. That motor was the cause of a Vega C launch failure in December 2022 and later tests led to a redesign of the nozzle. The test keeps Avio and ESA on track to return Vega C to flight by the end of the year. (5/30)

Ursa Major Tests Hypersonic Rocket Engine (Source: Space News)
Ursa Major has completed ground tests of a new hypersonic rocket engine. The hot-fire tests of the Draper engine validated the basic design, the company said this week. The engine, which produces 4,000-pounds-force of thrust, uses storable kerosene and peroxide propellants. Ursa Major envisions using Draper for hypersonic missiles and in-space applications where propellants need to be stored for extended periods. (5/30)

Progress Cargo Craft Launches to ISS (Source: Space.com)
A Progress cargo spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station after a launch early Thursday. A Soyuz-2.1a rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:43 a.m. Eastern and placed the Progress MS-27 spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft, carrying about three tons of supplies and fuel, is scheduled to dock with the station at about 7:47 a.m. Eastern Saturday. (5/30)

India's Angikul Launches Suborbital Rocket (Source: Outlook India)
Indian startup Agnikul launched its first suborbital rocket Thursday. The vehicle, called Agnibaan Suborbital Tech Demonstrator or SOrTeD, launched from the Sriharikota spaceport, and the company called the suborbital flight a success. The vehicle was designed to test technologies, such as a 3D-printed engine, that will be used on a small orbital launch vehicle that Agnikul is developing. (5/30)

Wallaroo.AI Joins Space Force Accelerator (Source: Space News)
Wallaroo.AI, a startup that helps businesses deploy machine learning models, will participate in a Space Force accelerator program. Wallaroo will prototype an AI platform to help Space Force teams quickly operationalize their machine learning models using unclassified data. Wallaroo will focus on object detection, like identifying deceptive spacecraft behavior, and launch warnings using data like seismic signatures.

The TAP (Tools, Applications & Processing) Lab accelerator is focused on the use of commercial technologies for space domain awareness, a capability sought by the U.S. military as threats in the space domain heighten. (5/30)

LEOcloud to Install Data Center on ISS (Source: Space News)
LEOcloud will install a data center on the ISS. Under a cooperative agreement announced Wednesday with the ISS National Lab, LEOcloud will install its first-generation Space Edge virtualized micro datacenter on ISS. Customers will be able to reserve cloud resources and migrate applications from the terrestrial cloud to the space-based cloud. LEOCloud is working with Microsoft and Red Hat on the project along with Sierra Space, which is interested in using LEOCloud's services to support its Dream Chaser spaceplane and future commercial space stations. (5/30)

Asteroid Dinkinesh Has Dual Moons, Researchers Discover (Source: Space Daily)
When NASA's Lucy spacecraft flew past its first official target, Dinkinesh, in November 2023, researchers discovered that the asteroid, known as "Dinky," was accompanied by a satellite asteroid named "Selam." Further data from Lucy revealed that Selam is not a single moon but a contact binary-two moons fused together. (5/30)

New Mapping Technique Enhances Lunar Surface Analysis (Source: Space Daily)
Researchers at Brown University have developed a new approach to mapping the Moon's surface, offering improved precision and efficiency. The study, published in the Planetary Science Journal, introduces enhancements to the shape-from-shading technique, which helps create detailed models of lunar terrain by analyzing light reflections. The technique, refined by Brown scholars, is pivotal for identifying lunar surface features like craters and ridges. These maps are critical for planning safe landing sites and scientific exploration areas. (5/30)

Western Geologists Test Instrument for Mars Rover Mission in Search for Life (Source: Space Daily)
The search for life beyond Earth drives space exploration, and the discovery of clay minerals on Mars continues to captivate scientists. Clay formation, linked to rocks interacting with water, provides insights into the past habitability of Mars. Western planetary geologists Livio Tornabene and Gordon Osinski lead an international team to study clay formation on Mars. Supported by a three-year Canadian Space Agency (CSA) FAST grant, the researchers contribute to the European Space Agency's ExoMars 2028 Rosalind Franklin rover mission. (5/30)

Innovative Startups Join South Australia's Space Ecosystem (Source: Space Daily)
Four innovative space startups from around the globe have joined South Australia's Venture Catalyst Space program. This initiative supports early-stage technology-based space startups in scaling their businesses. Since its inception in 2018, Venture Catalyst Space has supported 36 startups, helping them secure $31 million in investments and grants and create over 220 space jobs. The program is delivered by the University of South Australia's Innovation and Collaboration Center (ICC) with support from the South Australian Government through the South Australian Space Industry Center. (5/30)

Space Piracy Conference Scheduled for February 2025 (Source: Space Daily)
The Center for the Study of Space Crime, Policy, and Governance (CSCPG) announced it will present the first annual Space Piracy Conference on February 11 and 12, 2025. This by-invitation-only symposium will take place in Annapolis, Maryland. The conference will gather leading policy thinkers, financiers, executives, and entrepreneurs to discuss the risks of piracy in space and potential solutions to this economic and legal challenge. (5/30)

Aerojet Rocketdyne Boosts Rocket Motor Production (Source: ExecutiveBiz)
Aerojet Rocketdyne is expanding its operations in Huntsville, Ala., to increase the production of solid rocket motors in response to heightened demand. The company has leased a 379,000-square-foot facility in the Jetplex Industrial Park near Huntsville International Airport. This expansion is part of Aerojet Rocketdyne's ongoing commitment to its presence in Huntsville, which has spanned over 50 years. (5/29)

Rocketry Challenge Supports Florida's Next Generation in Aerospace (Source: 352 Today)
Eighth graders from Cornerstone School in Ocala FL excelled in the American Rocketry Challenge, with one team placing 17th out of 100 in the national finals. Their success earned them an invitation to participate in NASA's Student Launch initiative. "It's clear we are witnessing the ascent of the next generation of aerospace innovators," said Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Eric Fanning. (5/28)