June 12, 2024

Space Florida Pushes for Approval of Law to Increase Spaceport Investment (Source: Space Florida)
Through a joint letter to members of Congress, Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with eleven other aerospace organizations across the nation, expressed support for the Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act of 2024 (H.R. 7470 and S. 3823). The legislation would make spaceport facility bonds tax-exempt, in line with most airports and seaports, solidifying America’s position as the global leader in the space economy.
 
This important legislation aims to significantly expand private sector investment in America’s spaceports, enhancing national security and fostering growth in space-based technologies that benefit the economy. Tax-exempt bonds have been leveraged for decades to finance essential community infrastructure projects such as airports, seaports and railways through private investment. (6/12)

Elon Musk’s Boundary-Blurring Relationships With Women at SpaceX (Source: Wall Street Journal)
When Elon Musk personally contacted a former SpaceX engineering intern to discuss a role on his executive staff in 2017, the woman spoke with excitement to her friends about a high-profile problem-solving role at the rocket company, a dream for someone a few years out of college.

She and Musk had met years earlier during her internship, when she was still in college. She’d approached him with ideas for improving SpaceX. Her outreach had led to a date, which led to a kiss, and eventually sex, she told friends. The year after her internship, the billionaire had the fresh college graduate flown out to a resort in Sicily, before they ended things. Another employee had a month-long relationship with Musk that ended badly. Musk did not comment on the allegations in the article but SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell called them "untruths, mischaracterizations, and revisionist history" that create "a completely misleading narrative." (6/12)

Apex Raises $95 Million for Satellite Buses (Source: Space News)
Satellite manufacturer Apex has raised $95 million to accelerate production of larger buses. The company announced the Series B round Wednesday, led by XYZ Venture Capital, an early investor in Apex, and co-led by CRV, a new investor. The company says the funding will allow it to ramp up production of its Aries satellite bus, the first of which it launched in March, and advance the development of a larger bus, Nova. The company says it is seeing growing interest in Nova, particularly from government agencies and defense primes. (6/12)

DoD Wants SpaceX Starshield, Militarized Starlink (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon wants to buy more than 100 Starshield spacecraft from SpaceX to provide broadband communications. Those satellites would be militarized versions of Starlink satellites that would be owned and controlled by the government. Col. Eric Felt, director of space architecture at the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, said at a conference this week that the goal is to acquire more than 100 Starshield satellites by 2029, pending appropriations. He said that while the military is currently using Starlink services, Starshield would provide better cybersecurity. (6/12)

Konsberg Aims for More Government Work (Source: Space News)
The new CEO of smallsat manufacturer Konsberg NanoAvionics wants to expand the company's business with government agencies. The company selected Atle Wøllo as CEO on Monday, replacing Žilvinas Kvedaravičius, who had been interim CEO following the departure of co-founder Vytenis Buzas last year. Wøllo, who spent three decades at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which acquired NanoAvionics in 2022, said he wants to bring in more government business to the company. About 80% of Konsberg NanoAvionics' business is commercial today, but Wøllo said prime government missions with potentially larger contracts are becoming an increasingly lucrative growth area for the company. (6/12)
 
Anduril Wins $19 Million for Navy Missile Motors (Source: Space News)
Defense contractor Anduril Industries has won a $19 million contract to develop motors for Navy missiles. Under the contract, Anduril will develop a high-performance second-stage motor for the Standard Missile 6, a surface-to-air missile used to intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles. Anduril, a defense contractor known for its use of robotics and artificial intelligence in military drones, has set its sights on becoming a major supplier of solid rocket motors to the Pentagon. (6/12)

NASA Awards Concept Studies for Space Weather Mission (Source: NASA)
NASA has awarded three concept studies for a space weather mission. The agency said Tuesday it selected proposals led by two different researchers at the University of Colorado and a third from Virginia Tech for the Dynamical Neutral Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (DYNAMIC) mission. That mission, recommended by the previous heliospheric decadal survey, would use multiple spacecraft to study the Earth's upper atmosphere and how space weather phenomena there can affect spacecraft. Each team will receive $2 million to conduct a nine-month concept study for DYNAMIC. (6/12)

Former JPL Director Dies (Source: NASA JPL)
Ed Stone, former director of JPL and longtime project scientist for the Voyager mission, has died. JPL announced Tuesday that Stone passed away two days earlier at the age of 88. Stone, a Caltech professor, became project scientist for the Voyager mission in 1972 and held that position until his retirement 50 years later. In that role, he managed the science from the two Voyager spacecraft as they traveled through the outer solar system and into interstellar space. He also served as director of JPL from 1991 to 2001. (6/12)

ISS 90th Spacewalk Will Retreive Microorganisms From Exterior of ISS (Source: Space Daily)
NASA astronauts will venture into space Thursday to scrape microorganisms from the outside of the International Space Station and study the origins of life. Their spacewalk also will include some repairs. "U.S. Spacewalk 90" is estimated to last about six and a half hours. Dyson and Dominick will collect samples for future analysis to understand how microorganisms can survive and reproduce on the exterior of ISS, where solar radiation can vary between 248 and -148 degrees Fahrenheit. (6/11)

NASA Satellite Detects Smaller Object in Black Hole Pair (Source: Space Daily)
Several international research groups have confirmed that two black holes exist at the center of the distant galaxy OJ 287, a theory first suggested by astronomers at the University of Turku, Finland. A new study shows that satellite observations conducted in 2021 revealed the smaller black hole of the pair for the first time. (6/12)

China's Hainan Launch Center Completes Construction for First Mission (Source: Space Daily)
Construction of the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center has been completed in Wenchang, Hainan province, after nearly two years of work, the center announced. The center's second launch service tower was finished on Thursday, and engineers have started preparing it for its maiden launch mission - the debut flight of the Long March 12 carrier rocket.

Construction of the No 2 tower began in October 2022. It can service more than 10 types of liquid-propellant carrier rockets, including those in the Long March series and models developed by private companies, according to the center. The No 1 service tower was completed in late December and is specifically tasked with servicing Long March 8 carrier rockets. The center is a joint venture between the Hainan provincial government and three State-owned space conglomerates. (6/12)

NASA's Repository Advances Research on Commercial Astronaut Health (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's Open Science Data Repository provides valuable information to researchers studying the impact of space on the human body. Nearly three years after the Inspiration4 commercial crew launch, biological data from the mission represents the first comprehensive, open-access database to include commercial astronaut health information. Access to astronaut research data from astronauts has historically been limited, due to privacy regulations and concerns, but the field of astronauts is changing as commercial spaceflight becomes feasible for civilians.

"Open-access data is fundamentally transforming our approach to spaceflight research," said Dr. Sylvain Costes, project manager of the Open Science Data Repository. "The repository is instrumental in this transformation, ensuring that all space-related biological and biomedical data are accessible to everyone. This broad access is vital for driving innovation across fields from astronaut health to terrestrial medical sciences." The collaborative efforts in opening data researchers has led to multiple scientific papers on astronaut health. (6/12)

Slingshot Aerospace and DARPA Create AI to Detect Anomalous Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. has collaborated with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop Agatha, an AI system designed to identify anomalous spacecraft in large satellite constellations. With over 10,000 satellites planned for deployment by various international entities, verifying the operation of these satellites is critical. (6/6)

Diagnosing Damaged Infrastructure From Space (Source: Space Daily)
as infrastructure ages, it becomes more susceptible to failure, which can cause safety and mobility concerns for drivers and pedestrians, and economic woes for taxpayers. A recent study published in "Transportation Research Record shows that high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite data can detect infrastructure issues early on, which can help prevent further damage to roads in the same way that annual checkups can help prevent more complex health issues in humans. (6/12)

Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) Across Orbits (Source: Nature)
Civilians traveling briefly in space experience some of the same physical and psychological shifts as astronauts who spend months in orbit but return to normal within a few months, according to new research. The findings, released yesterday, represent the most comprehensive analysis of the effects of spaceflight on the human body and come amid growing investments in commercial space travel.

The studies particularly rely on a historic all-civilian mission launched by SpaceX in 2021. Two women and two men, each representing a different decade of life, spent three days orbiting roughly 360 miles above Earth's surface. The crew was exposed to similar hazards as highly trained astronauts, including altered gravity and radiation. They collected samples of their blood, saliva, and more; tracked other internal data; and completed routine surveys.

While the crew showed signs of aging, 95% of the measurements studied eventually returned to normal. The findings also revealed space travelers have a higher risk of kidney stones. Click here. (6/11) 

Boeing to Locate R&D Center at Embry-Riddle Research Park, Employing 400 (Source: Daytona Beach News Journal)
Boeing and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announced a partnership that will bring a research arm of the multinational aerospace manufacturing giant to Daytona Beach as soon as this fall. By the end of 2026, Boeing officials say they intend to bring 400 high-paying jobs to the soon-to-open Cici and Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology at ERAU's booming research park just south of the university campus. The building's construction was set in motion by a $25 million gift from the Browns and a $25 million match in last year's state budget.

"Embry-Riddle is at the tip of Florida’s Space Triangle, and Boeing selecting ERAU and Volusia County will redefine our university and our community," Mori Hosseini said. "With 400 new, high-paying jobs right here in our backyard, the future has never been brighter in Central Florida and Volusia County." (6/11)

Vast Signs with The Exploration Company for Second Haven Space Station Cargo Services (Source: Vast)
Vast, a pioneer in space habitation technologies, and The Exploration Company, builder and operator of the Nyx reusable space capsule, signed a cargo services agreement for a 2028 mission to Vast’s second Haven space station. The Exploration Company’s Nyx cargo vehicle can carry upwards of 4,000 kilograms to Vast’s second Haven space station. Nyx can also return upwards of 2,600 kilograms of payload (down-mass) from the space station safely back to Earth. (6/11)

Bridging Space, Sustainability, and Climate Science (Source: Zaheer Ali)
Space technology is fundamentally about maximizing efficiency in extreme environments. From the intricate recycling of water aboard the International Space Station to the meticulous management of energy in spacecraft, every element of space technology revolves around the principle of resource efficiency. This intrinsic characteristic makes space tech a prime candidate for driving sustainability on Earth.

The dual themes of 'space for space' and 'space for Earth' encapsulate the essence of how space endeavors are not just about exploration but also about practical applications that benefit our home planet. Click here. (6/6)

Starliner Has 5 'Small' Helium Leaks as Astronauts' ISS Mission is Extended (Source: ABC)
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is experiencing five "small" helium leaks as its first astronaut-crewed flight test continues, the aerospace company and NASA said. While a major milestone was reached when Starliner successfully docked and delivered two NASA astronauts at the ISS on June 6, the leaks mark the latest of several hurdles faced during this mission, including previous helium leaks and a thruster issue. (6/11)

Women May Be More Resilient Than Men to Stresses of Spaceflight (Source: The Guardian)
When faced with acid-dripping aliens, an untested machine that travels through wormholes, or a space station shattered by hurtling debris, it is the tough female astronaut who steps up to save the day. And perhaps Hollywood is on to something. A major study into the impact of spaceflight suggests women may be more resilient than men to the stresses of space, and recover more quickly when they return to Earth.

The findings are preliminary, not least because so few female astronauts have been studied, but if the trend is confirmed, it could prove important for astronaut recovery programmes and selecting crews for future missions to the moon and beyond. “Males appear to be more affected by spaceflight for almost all cell types and metrics,” scientists write in a Nature Communications paper that examines the effects of space travel on the human immune system. (6/11)

European Mileston in Digital Earth Modeling (Source: Space Daily)
Destination Earth is a major initiative of the European Commission to develop a highly accurate digital twin of the Earth system. This project aims to improve understanding of natural phenomena, hazards, and the impact of human activities related to climate and environmental change. Using advanced digital twin technologies, data analytics, AI, and high-performance computing, Destination Earth provides high levels of accuracy, resolution, and interactivity. This allows users to explore how the Earth system may evolve under different scenarios over the next several decades. (6/11)

European Consortium Receives ~$16 Million for Inflatable Heat Shield Development (Source: Space Daily)
A European consortium, led by Spanish mission and system integrator Elecnor Deimos, is working to develop an inflatable heat shield (IHS) for recovering rocket stages from space. This system could also protect cargo during re-entry and may be used for Mars missions. The ICARUS ("Inflatable Concept Aeroshell for the Recovery of a re-Usable launcher Stage") has received euro 10 million from the European Commission (EC) under the Horizon Europe program. This follows EFESTO-1 ( euro 3 million) and EFESTO-2 ( euro 2 million), funded by Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, respectively. ICARUS consists of three phases.

In the first phase, the consortium will complete the mission and system design and mature key technologies on the ground. The second phase involves a flight test on a sounding rocket with an IHS demonstrator in hypersonic conditions. The IHS will be approximately 50 cm in diameter inside the rocket and will inflate to about 3 m. A commercial full-scale version could inflate to a diameter of 10 m. (6/10)

Redwire to Develop Solar Arrays for Thales Alenia Space's New GEO Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
Redwire Corporation announced it will develop and deliver Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) wings for Thales Alenia Space's Space Inspire satellites, the newest product line of geostationary (GEO) telecommunications satellites. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space is a prime manufacturer providing space solutions for telecommunications, Earth observation, exploration, and navigation. The cooperation between the two companies on this project began last year. (6/11)

National Reconnaissance Program Crisis Photography Concepts (Source: Space Review)
During the Cold War, the NRO explored options for obtaining reconnaissance photos rapidly in a crisis, most of which relied on existing launch systems. Joseph Page discusses one concept that would have instead involved a “Franken-rocket” launched from a fighter jet. Click here. (6/11)
 
Hubble Limps Along (Source: Space Review)
NASA announced last week it is changing how it operates the Hubble Space Telescope after one of its three remaining gyros malfunctioned. Jeff Foust reports on efforts to keep the telescope running as long as possible as the debate about a private servicing mission reached a crescendo. Click here. (6/11)
 
Challenges for India’s Emerging Commercial Launch Industry (Source: Space Review)
An Indian startup successfully carried out a suborbital test of a launch vehicle last month. Jatan Mehta cautions that, despite this milestone, Indian companies face many obstacles entering the commercial launch industry. Click here. (6/11)
 
Prospects for Orbital Data Centers (Source: Space Review)
There is a growing interest among some companies in setting up power-intensive data centers in orbit. Lawrence Furnival examines some of the technical and financial issues regarding the concept. Click here. (6/11)

How Many Moons and Moonmoons Could We Cram Into Earth's Orbit? (Source: New Scientist)
One moon simply isn’t enough. Earth only has one, while some other planets have many – Jupiter has 95 moons, putting our single shining cosmic partner to shame. But it isn’t as easy as just chucking a bunch of rocks into orbit. The bigger problem: the more complex and crowded the orbits get, the greater the risk of these moons and moonmoons smashing together. This could give our planet beautiful rings like Saturn’s, but it could also destroy life on Earth. (6/11)

Zany Ideas to Slow Polar Melting are Gathering Momentum (Source: Economist)
Rises in sea levels threaten coastal properties and the livelihoods and lifestyles of coastal communities, as well as the very existence of low-lying countries. Rising seas not only erode or flood land, they also let destructive storms reach ever farther inland. As melting polar ice becomes an ever more important contributor to sea-level rise, some have begun to embrace the notion that it could be slowed by technological means ranging from underwater curtains to ice-thickening pumps. (6/6)