May 8, 2024

White Sands Propulsion Team Evaluates 3D-Printed Engine Component for Orion (Source: Space Daily)
The Orion spacecraft, designated to transport Artemis mission crews to the Moon, will be powered by a European Service Module from ESA. This module is critical for providing power, propulsion, thermal regulation, and storing essentials until its detachment from the crew module upon reentry.
For the initial Artemis missions, Artemis I to Artemis VI, a repurposed Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engine from the retired space shuttle fleet will serve as the primary propulsion. However, post-Artemis VI, a new propulsion system will be required for Orion. (5/8)

Moriba Jah is Paving the Way for Sustainable Space Exploration (Source: National Geographic)
Satellites go up, die in space, and stay there for a long time. They become hazardous junk that threatens to smash into other objects, generating more debris. And at thousands of miles an hour, even something as small as a paint chip could cause significant damage. Moriba Jah of Privateer has been working on sounding the alarm. Guided by Indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)—and a series of thematic epiphanies—he’s forging a new path for sustainable space exploration. Click here. (5/7)

Starliner Crew Flight Slips to May 17 (Source: Space Policy Online)
The launch of Boeing’s Starliner Crew Flight Test has slipped to at least May 17. The United Launch Alliance, which builds and operates the Atlas V rocket, determined that the malfunctioning valve that scrubbed last night’s attempt needs to be replaced. That means rolling the rocket back to ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Willams will remain in quarantine in crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center awaiting the next chance for a “go for launch.” (5/7)

Virgin Galactic Opens Test Facility in Irvine (Source: Orange County Business Journal)
Virgin Galactic Holdings said it has opened a testing site in Irvine. The company (NYSE: SPCE) will use the facility to test its Delta spaceship before it’s even built, greatly cutting down on the need for extended flight testing. The site is located in an industrial park near the Santa Ana Freeway and the San Diego Freeway, Virgin Galatic said. Shares in Virgin Galactic jumped 10% to $1.05 apiece for a market cap of $428 million after the announcement. (5/6)

Virgin Galactic Revenue Falls Short as Launch Pause Looms (Source: Bloomberg)
Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc.’s revenue missed Wall Street expectations in the first quarter as the space tourism company prepares for its second and final launch of the year. Revenue came to $1.99 million, the company said Tuesday, below analysts’ consensus estimate for $2.09 million and also lower than the $2.81 million it posted last quarter. (5/8)

Virgin Galactic to Increase Flights at Spaceport America (Source: Albuquerque Journal)
Virgin Galactic plans to fly to space 125 times per year beginning in 2026 while scaling up its operations at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. (5/7)

Rocket Lab Plans More Launches This Year (Source: LA Business Journal)
Rocket Lab USA Inc. has been busy of late with several launches completed and more planned for the future. The next Electron launch from New Zealand – named “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE” – will take place no earlier than May 22. The second mission for NASA – named “PREFIRE And Ice” – will take place within three weeks of the successful deployment of the first. The missions will be Rocket Lab’s 48th and 49th Electron launches overall and its sixth and seventh launches so far this year. (5/6)

Rocket Lab Delays First Flight of Neutron Rocket to Mid-2025 (Source: Bloomberg)
Rocket Lab USA pushed back the first launch of its larger Neutron rocket by several months to mid-2025 at the earliest, as the small satellite-launch company works through engine development. The reusable Neutron booster is designed to compete against SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9. Long Beach, California-based Rocket Lab had previously been targeting a 2024 launch. (5/6)

Rocket Lab Posts Strong First Quarter with Significant Revenue and Growth Projections (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab shared its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2024. Peter Beck highlighted the progress in the company's Space Systems business, including a $515 million contract with the Space Development Agency for a constellation of 18 satellites. Other notable achievements included significant progress on several spacecraft programs and major developments in Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket program.

Second Quarter 2024 guidance includes anticipated revenue between $105 million and $110 million. Projected Space Systems revenue between $77 million and $81 million. Expected Launch Services revenue between $28 million and $29 million. Operating expenses are expected to range from $62 million to $76 million across different metrics. (5/7)

Rocket Lab Initiates Archimedes Engine Testing Phase Following Build Completion (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab has announced the completion of its first Archimedes engine assembly, the new 3D printed, reusable engine for the Neutron medium lift launch vehicle. The company has launched an intensive test campaign with several engine system activations leading up to the initial Archimedes hot-fire. Testing will occur at Rocket Lab's engine test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Archimedes, powered by liquid oxygen and methane, is designed for high reusability with a stress-minimized operation and a reuse target of 20 launches per engine. (5/7)

Inred and SES Expand Satellite Internet Coverage in Colombia's Amazonas (Source: Space Daily)
INRED, a Colombian local connectivity service provider, in collaboration with SES, has announced the expansion of high-throughput connectivity services to remote areas in the Amazonas department using SES's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. This initiative aims to connect over 500 homes, schools, government entities, and thousands of residents, significantly enhancing digital inclusion under the Amazonas Digital initiative.

The use of SES's MEO satellites, orbiting 8,000 km above Earth, is critical in providing low-latency, high-capacity internet services to Leticia and other rural locales in Amazonas. These satellites are essential in complementing the Colombian government's efforts to ensure comprehensive access to educational, social, and economic opportunities across difficult-to-reach areas. (5/7)

Musk Says AI Has No 'Use' at SpaceX — At Least For Now (Source: Business Insider)
Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX "basically uses no AI." The SpaceX CEO said that although he's open to using it, he hasn't found a use for it yet. "There's still a long way to go," he said.

Musk continued, saying that he's been testing improved AI language models by asking them questions about space — and the results have been disappointing. "With any given variant of or improvements in AI, I mean, I'll ask it questions about the Fermi paradox, about rocket engine design, about electrochemistry — and so far, the AI has been terrible at all those questions," Musk said. (5/6)

I Worked at SpaceX. It Was the Most Ruthlessly Efficient Company I've Ever Worked For (Source: Business Insider)
SpaceX is the most efficient company I've ever worked for. Instead of having a manager and a list of tasks, I was asked to sit in on meetings and add value to projects aligned with my interests or expertise. I thought I would get fired every day during the first six months. There was no one there to tell you what to do. In the military, there was a change of command. At SpaceX, you ask yourself, "How do we do this thing? How do we do it safely? How do we do it so that it's a good value for our customers?" Then you figure it out.

There were no boundaries in my role as long as I was adding value to whatever I was working on. For example, someone would ask if I was interested in flight software, and if I were, I'd be invited to attend those meetings. The directive was if I was in a meeting and it was adding value to what I did daily, stay, or if I was adding value based on my expertise, stay — but if neither of those things were happening, you should get up and respectfully walk out. (5/8)

SpaceX May Extend Starlink Connectivity to Botswana (Source: Bloomberg)
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi met with executives from SpaceX’s Starlink unit, who expressed an interest in obtaining a license to operate in the southern African nation, according to the presidency. Masisi held a meeting with the Elon Musk-owned company’s director of global licensing and activation while in the US for a business summit. (5/8)

SabreSat: Redwire’s Vehicle to Dart Through VLEO (Source: Space News)
SabreSat, Redwire Space’s satellite for very low Earth orbit, looks more like a dart than a traditional spacecraft. “As you think about aerodynamics, you want the dart to be skinny and long, not stubby and fat,” said Spence Wise, Redwire senior vice president for missions and platforms. Redwire is designing SabreSat for government intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. (5/7)

Eutelsat Is Said to Weigh Sale of Ground Station Network (Source: Bloomberg)
Eutelsat is exploring options for its ground station network, including a sale, that could value the portfolio at more than €800 million ($850 million), according to people familiar with the matter. The company is working with advisers to seek a buyer for the assets, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The unit is drawing interest from infrastructure investment firms, the people said. (5/3)

Senate Scrambles to Move Amendment-Laden FAA Bill (Source: Simple Flying)
Senators are urgently working to pass a comprehensive Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, including $105 billion for FAA programs and $738 million for National Transportation Safety Board initiatives, before the current temporary authorization expires this week. The bill, which includes amendments to address a national shortage of air traffic controllers and new safety technologies, faces challenges in maintaining bipartisan support amid numerous new amendments. (5/7)

China's Latest Lunar Mission Enters Moon Orbit (Source: Space News)
China's Chang'e-6 lunar sample return mission has entered orbit around the moon. The spacecraft completed a braking burn at 10:21 p.m. Eastern Tuesday, placing the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit with a low point of about 200 kilometers. The spacecraft's lander will separate to attempt to touch down in the Apollo crater on the far side of the moon likely in early June, collecting up to two kilograms of samples for return to Earth. If successful, Chang'e-6 will be the first mission to return samples from the lunar farside.

UN General Assembly Debates Russia Space Nuclear Weapons Veto (Source: AP)
Russia's veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution banning nuclear weapons in space was the subject of a General Assembly debate Monday. In the debate, required when any U.N. Security Council permanent member vetoes a resolution, Russia said it was instead seeking a resolution banning weapons of all kinds in space, calling the resolution's sponsors, Japan and the United States, guilty of "hypocrisy and double standards." The U.S. countered that Russia has tested conventional anti-satellite weapons and that there is "credible information" it is developing a nuclear ASAT. (5/8)

NASA's TESS Back Online (Source: NASA)
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission has returned to normal operations after its second safe mode in a month. NASA said Tuesday that the spacecraft had resumed science observations last Friday after going into a safe mode April 23. The cause of this safe mode, the second in a month, was linked to a failure to unload momentum from reaction wheels used for attitude control. That failure was, in turn, caused by a propulsion system that was not properly repressurized when the spacecraft came out of an earlier safe mode. NASA says engineers are still investigating what caused TESS to go into the first safe mode earlier last month. (5/8)

NASA Increases Funding for Railway on the Moon (Source: The Telegraph)
NASA has increased funding for a magnet-powered lunar railway that could move materials around the moon’s surface as part of a scheme exploring various sci-fi-style innovations. Float (Flexible Levitation on a Track) is a project run by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and has been advanced to phase two of NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC) studies. (5/7)

Venus and Earth Used to Look Like 'Twin' Planets. What Happened? (Source: NPR)
Ask which planet in the solar system is Earth's closest sibling, and many people might point to Mars. It orbits nearby, just a little farther from the Sun. It was born at the same time and with the same stuff as Earth. And it is thought to have once had rivers and lakes, even oceans. NASA has sent rovers to its surface to help us learn whether the 'red planet' could have once hosted life.

Scientists who study Venus affectionately call themselves Venusians. They like to refer to Venus as Earth's twin. Martha Gilmore is a proud Venusian and a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Wesleyan University. She says that in the past, our planet would not have looked so different from its two neighbors. "If you were an alien visiting our solar system 4 billion years ago, you would see three rocky planets, each of which had oceans," Gilmore says. (5/8)

Stingy Intel-Sharing a ‘Recipe for Losing,’ Space Force’s Miller Says (Source: C4ISRnet)
Overly restrictive handling of U.S. intelligence and battlefield insights that boxes out allied forces is a failing move, according to the leader of Space Operations Command. DoD and the intelligence community increasingly view a successful fight with Russia and China as requiring teammates: France in a battle for Europe, for example, or Australia in the Indo-Pacific. Hesitancy to share data between countries could translate to disjointed operations and confusion on the front lines. (5/7)

NRO Should Concentrate on Bigger, Badder ‘Tripwire’ ISR Birds (Source: Breaking Defense)
Rather than fixating on large constellations of small satellites, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) should be looking to build satellites even bigger and more capable of pinpointing targets than today’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance birds to stay ahead of China and Russia, according to a new report. (5/8)

Bipartisan Opposition Builds to Biden’s Plan for Military Space Personnel (Source: Politico)
A bipartisan group of 85 House and Senate members is lining up against the Biden administration’s push to shift space-focused Air National Guardsmen into the Space Force. The lawmakers urged leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees in a letter Monday to reject the Pentagon push when their panels consider annual defense policy legislation in the coming weeks. (5/7)

Space Force Taps Commercial Satellites to Fill Demand for Global Insights (Source: Space News)
A Space Force online marketplace that taps into commercial satellite data has executed around $8 million worth of contracts over the past four months. About 25 defense, intelligence, and civilian federal agencies are now buying data and analytic services from the Space Force-run marketplace, said Col. Richard Kniseley, senior materiel leader of the Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office. The marketplace was created to support a new program run by the Space Systems Command called Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Tracking (TacSRT). (5/7)

Air Force Museum Adds Restored Atlas Rocket to Collection (Source: Dayton Daily News)
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio has welcomed a restored replica to its permanent collection, and you can see it today after three years of preparation by museum personnel. The museum added an LV-3B / SM-65D Atlas rocket for permanent display in the Missile Gallery collection. (5/8)

Coming to Chicago Museums: SpaceX Dragon at MSI (Source: Chicago Tribune)
A SpaceX Dragon and a biofeedback belt worn by astronaut Mae Jemison will go on display May 19 as part of the newly renovated Henry Crown Space Center at the Museum of Science and Industry. Jemison, who was raised in Chicago, was the first Black woman astronaut in space. (5/8)

Hilton Chocolate Chip Cookie – First Food Ever Baked in Space – Touches Down in New Display at the Smithsonian (Source: Hilton)
DoubleTree by Hilton made history when its signature, warm chocolate chip cookie became the first-ever food baked in space, in experiments designed to make long-duration space travel more welcoming and hospitable. Today, the famous chocolate chip cookie baked aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has landed at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.  (5/8)