July 13, 2024

FAA Plans Public Meetings on Texas Starship Expansion (Source: ICF)
The FAA is holding public meetings on  Aug. 13, 15, and 20 on the Draft Tiered Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for SpaceX’s proposal to increase the number of launches and landings of its Starship/Super Heavy vehicle at the Boca Chica Launch Site in Texas. The Draft EA will analyze SpaceX’s proposal to increase its launch and landing cadence as follows: up to 25 annual Starship/Super Heavy orbital launches; up to 25 annual landings of Starship; and up to 25 annual landings of Super Heavy. The Draft EA will also address vehicle upgrades. The Draft EA will be released for public review and comment in late July 2024. (7/12)

JAXA Invites Proposals for Technology Development Projects (Source: JAXA)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will begin soliciting technology development projects from private companies, universities, national research and development agencies, etc., based on the government's basic policy and implementation policy for the Space Strategy Fund. (7/5)

House Appropriators Add $1 Billion in Earmarks to CJS Bill, Including for Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Sources: CJS, SPACErePORT)
The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $78.288 billion, which is effectively $1.275 billion (2%) below the FY24 spending level. The bill provides a non-defense discretionary total of $71.932 billion and a defense discretionary total of $6.356 billion. This includes $25.178 billion for NASA, which is $303.640 million (1%) above the FY24 enacted level and $204.100 million below the President’s Budget Request.

The bill includes $1 billion in "community project funding" for 895 member-supported projects. Editor's Note: I've heard that among these is funding sought by Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) to support the expansion of wastewater treatment capacity at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. This expansion has been a priority for allowing the continued growth of launch operations at the spaceport. (7/9)

King and Queen of Denmark, Greenland Prime Minister Visit Space Force Base, Discuss US Space Collaboration (Source: USSF)
Pituffik Space Base hosted King Frederik X, King of the Kingdom of Denmark, his wife, Queen Mary, Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede, June 29, 2024. The visit offered the opportunity to emphasize the U.S. Space Force’s dedication to its partnership with the Kingdom of Denmark, to include Greenland, and its commitment to upholding a safe and secure presence in space. (7/1)

China’s Long March 6A Rocket Appears to Have an Orbital Debris Problem (Source: Space News)
The upper stage of China’s Long March 6A rocket appears to be creating numerous pieces of space debris, adding to the growing issue of orbital debris. The nature and cause of the debris is unclear. It could be related to passivation of the stage or broken insulation. S2a systems, a Swiss company which develops and operates customized systems for optical space surveillance worldwide, detected a series of objects surrounding the Long March 6A upper stage. (7/12)