June 27, 2024

SpaceX Stock Sale Values Company at $210 Billion (Source: Bloomberg)
An ongoing stock sale values SpaceX at $210 billion. The tender offer, where the company allows employees to sell stock to investors, set a price of $112 per share, higher than expected, boosting the company's valuation from $180 billion in December. Sources said strong demand for the shares led to the higher price. That valuation would be the highest for a privately held American company, trailing only China's ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. (6/27)

ULA Swaps Dream Chaser for Inert Payload on Second Vulcan Launch (Source: Space News)
ULA will launch an inert payload, rather than Sierra Space's Dream Chaser, on the second Vulcan launch. ULA announced Wednesday that the Cert-2 mission, scheduled for September, will carry only that inert payload and instrumentation after Sierra Space informed ULA that there was "significant risk" for Dream Chaser being ready in time for that launch as previously planned. ULA wants to fly Cert-2 in September to win Space Force certification for Vulcan, allowing it to perform two national security missions before the end of the year. Sierra Space said it understood ULA's decision and will work with the company to find a new launch slot for Dream Chaser, a cargo spaceplane that will fly to the International Space Station. (6/27)

Elon Musk Explodes with Fury at Jeff Bezos (Source: Futurism)
Blue Origi, filed documents with the FAA last week, arguing that SpaceX's plans to launch Starship rockets from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport should be limited to ensure "minimal impact on the local environment, locally operating personnel, and the local community." Musk didn't take to the suggestion kindly, firing back on his social media platform X. "An obviously disingenuous response," he posted.

"Not cool of them to try (for the third time) to impede SpaceX's progress by lawfare." He then followed up with his favored derogatory nickname for his competitor and its legal maneuvering: "Sue Origin." In 2021, Amazon-owned broadband satellite company Kuiper Systems also attempted to prevent SpaceX from expanding its Starlink constellation. At the time, Musk accused Bezos of retiring "in order to pursue a full-time job filing lawsuits against SpaceX." (6/26)

SpaceX Sets Booster Reuse Record (22) With Florida Starlink Launch (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
SpaceX set another booster reuse record with a Starlink launch Thursday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 7:14 a.m. Eastern carrying 23 Starlink satellites. The Falcon booster, making its record-setting 22nd flight, landed on a droneship. The launch was the 350th flight of the Falcon 9. (6/27)

North Korean Test of Likely Hypersonic Missile Fails (Source: Space Daily)
North Korea test-fired what appeared to be a hypersonic missile on Wednesday, but the launch ended in a mid-air explosion, an official from Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The early morning launch came just hours after Pyongyang sent another flurry of trash-bearing balloons southward, this time forcing a three-hour halt to flights in and out of South Korea's Incheon airport.

The missile took off from an area in or around Pyongyang at about 5:30 am (2030 GMT) and South Korean and US intelligence agencies were conducting a detailed analysis, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The JCS official said the test of what appeared to be a hypersonic missile ended in failure after a journey of some 250 kilometres (155 miles). (6/26)

'Power Rivalry in Space': China Lunar Mission Fuels US Misinformation (Source: Space Daily)
A historic lunar mission has demonstrated China's growing scientific prowess, but the feat has set off a torrent of misinformation targeting the United States that researchers say reflects their bitter competition in space. China is celebrating the return of the Chang'e 6 probe to Earth on Tuesday bearing rock-and-soil samples from the little-known far side of the Moon, following a 53-day mission that reignited old conspiracy theories about NASA's Apollo Moon landings.

AFP's fact-checkers have debunked a litany of Chinese-language posts suggesting NASA's historic mission in 1969 -- that first landed humans on the Moon -- was staged as well as posts misrepresenting decades-old photos from subsequent landings. The falsehoods, researchers say, risk stoking anti-US perceptions in China amid already fraught relations between Washington and Beijing, as the superpowers engage in an intensifying space race. (6/27)

20 Years After 'Hyper-X', UVA Team Makes NASA Hypersonic Breakthrough (Source: Space Daily)
In 2004, NASA's final X-43A unmanned prototype tests were a milestone in the latest era of jet development - the leap from ramjets to faster, more efficient scramjets. The last test, in November of that year, clocked a world-record speed only a rocket could have achieved previously: Mach 10. NASA culled a lot of useful data from the tests, as did the Air Force six years later in similar tests on the X-51 Waverider, before the prototypes careened into the ocean.

Although hypersonic proof of concept was successful, the technology was far from operational. The challenge was achieving engine control, because the tech was based on decades-old sensor approaches. This month, however, brought some hope for potential successors to the X-plane series.

As part of a new NASA-funded study, University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science researchers published data in the June issue of the journal Aerospace Science and Technology that showed for the first time that airflow in supersonic combusting jet engines can be controlled by an optical sensor. The finding could lead to more efficient stabilization of hypersonic jet aircraft. (6/27)

China to Begin Megaconstellation Launches in August (Source: Space News)
China will launch the first satellites for a megaconstellation in August. Eighteen satellites for the Starlink G60 constellation will launch on Aug. 5, according to Chinese reports, likely on a Long March 6A rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The Starlink G60 constellation is designed to have more than 12,000 satellites providing broadband global access. (6/27)

Urban Sky to Develop Balloon-Based Wildfire Detection for NASA (Source: Space News)
Urban Sky has won a NASA contract to develop a wildfire detection system using stratospheric balloons. The $2.6 million award from NASA's Earth Science Technology Office, announced Wednesday, will go towards development of a small thermal infrared sensor system that can fly in the stratosphere on "microballoons" that can detect and monitor wildfires, transmitting information about them directly to firefighters on the ground. The company argues that this approach has several advantages over satellite-based systems, including better resolution and the ability to loiter over an area for hours or days. (6/27)

Wyvern Hyperspectral Constellation to Expand with Loft Orbital Satellites (Source: Space News)
Wyvern will use Loft Orbital satellites to expand its hyperspectral imaging constellation. The companies said Wednesday that Wyvern will have access to hyperspectral imagers on Loft Orbital satellites, allowing it to virtually expand its constellation. Wyvern has launched three cubesat-class satellites, built by AAC Clyde Space, with hyperspectral instruments to serve agricultural and other markets. Loft Orbital says the agreement is part of its efforts to offer "virtual missions" on its satellites that carry imagers and other payloads. (6/27)

Perseverance Instrument Back Online (Source: NASA)
After months of effort, scientists and engineers have gotten an instrument on the Perseverance Mars rover working again. NASA said in January that a dust cover on an instrument called SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) on the rover's robotic arm was stuck partially open, keeping the instrument from operating. Engineers concluded that a motor used for opening the cover, as well as focusing the instrument, had malfunctioned. Efforts to shake the cover open eventually worked, and scientists then worked to calibrate the instrument to find the best focus. Earlier this month, scientists said that SHERLOC's camera and spectrometer were operational again. (6/27)

SpaceX Wins $843 Contract for ISS Deorbit Vehicle (Source: Space News)
SpaceX won a $843 million NASA contract to build a vehicle to help deorbit the ISS. NASA said Wednesday it selected SpaceX to build the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), a spacecraft that will dock to the station near the end of its life and perform the final maneuvers needed to bring the station down over an empty region of the ocean. Neither NASA nor SpaceX disclosed details about SpaceX's design for the USDV. NASA, in a white paper released Wednesday, said that deorbit vehicle is "the safest and only viable method" of decommissioning the station at the end of its life, currently planned for around 2030. (6/27)

Intelsat Signs On to Use Starfish Life Extension (Source: Space News)
Intelsat will be the first commercial customer for Starfish Space's life extension vehicle. The Otter spacecraft being developed by Starfish will launch between late 2025 and mid 2026, first docking with a retired Intelsat satellite in a graveyard orbit to test its capabilities before then docking with an active Intelsat spacecraft, taking over stationkeeping to extend its life. The companies did not disclose financial details of the agreement. Starfish launched a prototype spacecraft, Otter Pup, last year, but a problem with the transfer vehicle carrying it prevented it from carrying out its original mission. (6/27)

Planet Lays Off 17% of Workforce (Source: Space News)
Planet is laying off 17% of its workforce. The company said in an SEC filing Wednesday it was laying off 180 employees as the company works to become profitable. Planet did not disclose details of specific parts of the company impacted by the layoffs, the second in less than a year. Planet reported a net loss of $29.3 million in the quarter ending April 30, and executives at the time said they were making good progress towards profitability. (6/27)

China’s ‘Worst-Case Thinking’ Could Spark Space Crisis, Study Finds (Source: Space News)
A Chinese approach to "worst-case thinking" could lead to a space crisis with the United States, according to a new report. The RAND Corporation report released this week concluded that China's approach to space competition with the United States could increase the risk of unintended military escalation. That approach includes deep suspicions in China about American activities, growing assertiveness by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and a historical reluctance to engage in crisis communication. The report recommends the U.S. should avoid investing heavily in establishing crisis communications mechanisms with the PLA, as these efforts are unlikely to be reciprocated in good faith. (6/27)

NASA Reveals Surprising Shapes in Jupiter's Upper Atmosphere (Source: Newsweek)
Astronomers have spotted some bizarre patterns in Jupiter's atmosphere, just above its famous Great Red Spot. The region was originally thought of as quite boring, but has now been discovered to be home to a variety of bright spots and dark-colored patterns, according to a new paper. This discovery was made thanks to the extremely sensitive cameras of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). (6/26)

A Glow in Jupiter's Night Could Be The Smoking Gun Signal For Dark Matter (Source: Science Alert)
On the night side of Jupiter, an infrared glow high up in the atmosphere could be produced by an interaction with dark matter. There, charged hydrogen ions called trihydrogen cations (H3+) can be found in abundance. And, while there are several cosmic processes that can produce H3+ in the Jovian atmosphere, an interaction with dark matter could produce an excess beyond what we'd expect to find.

One idea is that dark matter is self-annihilating. When two dark matter particles collide, they wipe each other out, producing a little burst of heat or light or both. Blanco and Leane propose that this annihilation could be occurring high up in the atmospheres of planets, in the layer known as the ionosphere. The dark matter particles are captured by the planet's gravity and slurped into the ionosphere where they risk mutual destruction. Jupiter would be the best place to look for this process, the researchers reason. (6/27)

Atom Bomb-Sized Blast in Russia May Have Been Caused by a Black Hole (Source: Indy 100)
A giant explosion that shook part of Russia more than a century ago has never been categorically explained. And yet, some scientists believe that it could have been the result of a very close encounter with a mysterious form of black hole. The extraordinary blast occurred just after 7am on 30 June, 1980, above the Podkamennaya Tunguska river in what is now modern-day Siberia.

Its force was estimated to have been equivalent to as much as 15 megatons of TNT, making it 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The most puzzling aspect of the whole occurrence was that, despite experts largely concluding that the event must have been the result of an asteroid impact, no crater was left behind. Indeed, the lack of a gaping hole remains a source of great debate.

One outlandish hypothesis is that the blast was caused by a primordial black hole passing directly through the Earth. There are three main types of black hole, of which primordial ones are the smallest. While it’s highly possible that all primordial black holes evaporated as the cosmos aged, it’s also possible that some could still linger across the universe. (6/26)

NASA Concludes We Are Screwed If An Asteroid Was Set To Collide With Earth (Source: Outkick)
NASA has conducted one of its most thorough ‘hypothetical scenarios’ on how humans would do if an asteroid was on a path to collide with Earth, and the results are worse than an Armageddon knockoff sequel. Over 100 governmental groups participated in the Earth-destroying asteroid test under the guise of the "Planetary Defense Coordination Office."

Their task was to find out how society would react and how world governments would respond if we were given a 14-year heads up that the massive asteroid was set to collide and effectively destroy all the Earth. The result? Thirty-three % of the government agencies concluded that we are not ready, nor capable of stopping the massive rock from impacting us. (6/26)

Graphene Find in China’s Chang’e-5 Moon Samples Challenges Lunar Origin Theory (Source: South China Morning Post)
Chinese scientists have discovered graphene – a form of pure carbon – in lunar soil samples collected four years ago by the Chang’e-5 mission, a finding that could challenge a prevalent theory of the moon’s origin. According to the Jilin University-led researchers, the presence of carbon challenges an assumption behind the commonly held view that the moon was formed in a collision between the Earth and another small planet. (6/26)

NASA's ISS Spacesuit Situation Turns Grim (Source: Gizmodo)
Two NASA astronauts were preparing to exit the International Space Station (ISS) for a second attempt at a spacewalk, but it was once again called off due to a concerning malfunction with the spacesuit. NASA was forced to cancel a spacewalk on Monday due to a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit on astronaut Tracy Dyson’s spacesuit. “There’s water everywhere,” Dyson could be heard saying during the live feed from the ISS, pointing to an alarming malfunction with the space station’s aging suits that put other astronauts at risk in the past. (6/27)

The Transformative Power Of Public-Private Partnerships In Space Exploration (Source: Forbes)
Puplic-private partnerships in space exploration offer substantial cost savings. Government agencies like NASA have leveraged these collaborations to mitigate the financial burdens of space missions. For instance, NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which collaborates with SpaceX and Boeing, has drastically cut the cost of sending astronauts to the ISS.

By comparison, the Apollo Program, a benchmark of government-led space missions, cost about $25.8 billion—approximately $257 billion in today’s dollars. In contrast, SpaceX's Crew Dragon program, developed under the Commercial Crew Program, has significantly reduced costs while maintaining high safety and reliability standards. Click here. (6/24)

Time to Build Zero-Debris Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is dedicated to achieving Zero Debris by 2030. To ensure the timely design and construction of compliant satellites, ESA is supporting the industry through this significant technological transition. On June 25, 2024, three major European space industry companies signed contracts with ESA to develop large low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite platforms that meet Zero Debris standards. Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space will design and develop zero-debris platforms for large LEO satellites. (6/27)

Moon Base Construction: ESA's Innovative Use of 3D-Printed Space Bricks (Source: Space Daily)
ESA scientists have been exploring how a future Moon base might be built from materials on the lunar surface. Inspired by LEGO building, they have used dust from a meteorite to 3D-print 'space bricks' to test the idea. ESA's space bricks are on display in selected LEGO Stores from 20 June to 20 September, helping to inspire the next generation of space engineers.

The idea seems simple. Rather than take building materials all the way to the Moon, we could use what is already there to construct a Moon base. The surface of the Moon is covered with a layer of rock and mineral fragments known as lunar regolith. This material could be used to make space bricks. The only problem was that there's not much lunar regolith available on Earth to experiment with. (6/27)

Office of Space Commerce Releases Compendium of Space Industry Technical Standards (Source: Executive Gov)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Space Commerce has published a collection of technical standards related to space traffic coordination and space situational awareness. OSC said Tuesday the Space Industry Technical Standards Compendium is a searchable spreadsheet that provides a summary of space-related standards, reports, best practices and other documents developed and coordinated by several organizations and agencies.

These organizations include the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, the Consultative Committee on Space Data Systems, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NASA and ASTM International. According to OSC, space standards play a key role in the design, success and operation of space missions and activities by providing space agencies and organizations with a common language and framework to meet their goals. (6/26)

Blue Origin Files Public Comment Asking FAA to Cap SpaceX Launches (Sources: Teslarati, Business Insider)
Blue Origin has filed its latest legal action against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, this time requesting that an airspace regulator limit the number of launches the Musk-led company can perform in Florida. Blue Origin filed a public comment last week recommending that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put a limit on how many launches SpaceX can perform with its Starship Super Heavy (Ss-SH) booster and rockets at Launch Complex 39A at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

The filing comes as a part of the ongoing preparations of a Proposed Action Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the regulator. The company recommends the following mitigation: “Capping the rate of Ss-SH launch, landing, and other operations, including but not limited to test firings, transport operations, and fueling, to a number that has a minimal impact on the local environment, locally operating personnel, and the local community, in consideration of all risks and impacts, including but not limited to anomaly risks, air toxin and hazardous materials dispersion, road closures, and heat and noise generation.”

Along with requesting a max number of Starship launches at the site, Blue Origin argues that the government increase launch infrastructure that opens other launchpads to nearby lessees when roads are forced to be closed for SpaceX launches. Blue Origin wrote in the filing that it's concerned because it also conducts operations nearby: the company occupies a large manufacturing site at Kennedy Space Center, where SpaceX's leased Launch Complex 39A for its Starship operations is located. It also employs multiple properties "all within the vicinity " of SpaceX's proposed Starship-Super Heavy launches, Blue Origin said. (6/25)

Europe’s Ariane 6 Managers: Competing Against SpaceX is No Longer Relevant to Us (Source: Space Intel Report)
On the eve of the Ariane 6 rocket’s inaugural flight, government and industry program managers of Europe’s Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket are only now starting to say publicly what they have known for at least two years: Ariane 6 will not “compete” with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 or future Starship vehicles in any sustained or meaningful way. The days when Ariane 5 and Falcon 9 battled for leadership of the commercial market are long gone. (6/26)

Korean Steel Giant with SpaceX Ties Plans to Build $110M Texas Facility (Source: My San Antonio)
A possible steel supplier for Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is reportedly eyeing a new location about 70 miles north of Austin. The Austin Business Journal reports that SeAH, a big Korean steel company, appears to be moving forward with plans to build a $110 million metals and fabrication facility that would create at least 100 full-time jobs. SeAH is joining the trend of overseas companies seeking to expand its US roots in Central Texas. Public filings reveal that SeAH Group is linked to Project Astro LLC which aims to construct the facility in Temple. (6/26)

AI and Space Are on a Collision Course (Source: Times of India)
One of the most fundamental principles in many scientific disciplines is the search for patterns. This is especially true for astronomy. Improving observational skills to discover patterns amidst mountains of data to try and prove theories is something that has defined the marks of great astronomers for generations.

AI has already proven to be beneficial in improving mission accuracy, enhancing decision-making processes, and analyzing data at a speed at which humans could previously only dream about. These benefits have helped lead teams around the world to make innovative and stellar discoveries to advance everyone’s further understanding of space. But exactly which of these systems are helping scientists with the mysteries of space? (6/25)

ABL Plans to Launch From Oman Spaceport (Source: Muscat Daily)
A US-based satellite launch company and Oman’s Etlaq Spaceport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday that will see ABL Space Systems launch its space vehicles from Duqm. Civil Aviation Authority hosted the signing of the MoU, with Ana Escrogima, Ambassador of the United States to Oman, in attendance. Under the MoU, ABL and Etlaq will explore launching the former’s RS1 launch vehicle from the Etlaq Spaceport, bringing orbital satellite launch capability to the Gulf region. (6/25)

House Appropriators' NASA Cuts Target Science, STEM (Source: Space Policy Online)
The House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee that funds NASA released its proposals for FY2025 this morning, a day prior to when it will formally mark up the bill. Only top-line numbers are available now, but the news is not good for NASA’s science and STEM programs. NASA’s science portfolio is already coping with significant cuts in FY2024 compared to what it expected and once again bears the brunt for FY2025.

The subcommittee recommends $25.178 billion for NASA in FY2025, one percent more than FY2024, a figure that’s in line with the spending caps imposed by last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act. But the Biden Administration requested $25.384 billion, a two percent increase that would have simply gotten NASA’s total budget back to the level it had in FY2023. (6/25)

Why Are the Boeing Starliner Astronauts Still in Space? (Source; BBC)
The two astronauts testing out Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft were supposed to begin making their way back to Earth on Wednesday night but instead they will stay on the ISS. The vessel's return to Earth had already been delayed because of issues with some of its thrusters and leaks of the helium gas which pushes fuel into the propulsion system. NASA is carrying out a high-level review of the technical problems before deciding when to bring its astronauts home.

NASA stated that flight engineers wanted to study the spacecraft to get to the bottom of the faults before it re-entered into the Earth’s atmosphere. That's because while the crew capsule will parachute to the ground, Starliner’s faulty lower 'service module' will burn up upon re-entry, meaning the loss of some information on what went wrong. The space agency stressed that the astronauts were not stranded and that Starliner was certified to return to Earth in the event of an emergency on the ISS. (6/25)

MLS Receives Additional Canadian Provincial Tax Credits for $30M Satellite Processing Facility (Source: SpaceQ)
Maritimes Launch Services (MLS) said that it will receive additional tax credits under the Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC) Program offered by the Province of Nova Scotia. MLS said it has received approval from the Province of Nova Scotia for the development of a satellite processing facility and that the facility is “eligible project for reimbursement under the Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC) Program.” MLS had previously stated in September 2023 that it had received initial qualification of more than $13 million from the CITC program. (6/25)

NT Pauses OneWeb Satellite Deal (Source: Bangkok Post)
Last week the board of state telecom enterprise National Telecom (NT) put the brakes on the master service agreement between itself and OneWeb, a low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation satellite service owned by the Eutelsat Group, giving NT's legal subcommittee 30 days to scrutinise the conditions and legal terms and evaluate the benefits in the contract.

The panel is also expected to consider whether to submit the agreement to the Office of the Attorney General for legal review for business contracts with a foreign party, in addition to the national security angle, said a source on the NT board who requested anonymity. (6/26)

Pentagon Praises SpaceX Efforts to Stymie Russian Starlink Use (Source: Bloomberg)
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has cooperated extensively with the US military to stop Russia’s illicit use of its Starlink satellite communication terminals in Ukraine, a Pentagon official has assured a lawmaker. SpaceX “has been forward-leaning in providing information to support investigations and denying service” since Russia’s use of the terminals “became known several months ago,” Amanda Dory, acting undersecretary for policy, wrote Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren this month in a letter obtained by Bloomberg News.

Dory wrote that an estimated one in a hundred Starlink terminals in Ukraine were illegitimate and service had been cut to “several hundred unapproved terminals.” The letter reaffirmed a previous Defense Department assurance that SpaceX was helping to curb Russian military use of the terminals, which have become essential communications tools both for Ukraine’s war operations and its civilians. (6/25)