Space Command Chief Supports Army's
Space Expansion (Source: Space News)
The head of U.S. Space Command says he supports efforts by the Army to
build up its space expertise. Gen. Stephen Whiting said at a conference
last week that the expertise of the Army and the other services is
"absolutely vital" to military operations in the space domain. His
comments came after an op-ed by senior fellows at the Mitchell
Institute criticized plans by the Army to develop a new space-focused
career field for enlisted soldiers, claiming it duplicated what the
Space Force does. Whiting noted that U.S. Space Command benefits from
the capabilities of all the branches of the military, and pointed out
that the Army needs space expertise for maneuver warfare. (8/19)
NASA ESCAPADE Smallsats Ready for Mars
Mission (Source: Space News)
Two NASA smallsats set to launch to Mars on the first New Glenn flight
have arrived in Florida. The twin ESCAPADE spacecraft are scheduled to
launch in the fall on the Blue Origin rocket, although neither NASA nor
the companies involved have announced a specific launch date or launch
window. The spacecraft arrived from a Rocket Lab facility in California
where they were assembled. Rocket Lab said that design constraints,
like not knowing until a year and a half ago how the spacecraft would
be launched, drove the design of the spacecraft with a focus on
efficiencies. Rocket Lab is leveraging its expertise developing
ESCAPADE for other spacecraft programs at the company. (8/19)
Sierra Nevada to Scale-Up RF
Monitoring Satellite Fleet (Source: Space News)
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) plans to scale up a fleet of satellites
for radio-frequency monitoring. The company launched its first four
satellites last year using a cubesat design developed by Spire. SNC now
plans to deploy 20 larger spacecraft over the next five years, starting
with three built by Muon Space next June that will feature onboard AI
processing capabilities. SNC sees a rising demand in the military
sector for radio-frequency data, which can provide critical
intelligence on activities like GPS jamming and enemy movements. (8/19)
Spectrum AMT Maps Space Expansion
After Evolving From Medical Devices Industry (Source: Space News)
A space electronics company is making plans for further growth as its
founding CEO retires. Spectrum AMT announced last week that Jeff Riggs,
who co-founded the company 25 years ago, is retiring, and will be
replaced by Jeff Gilbert, the company's former chief operating officer.
The company started as a medical device specialist and later expanded
into producing electronics for space systems. Spectrum AMT was sold
last year to Ocutrx Technologies, a Californian medical manufacturing
venture, but expects to see 40% annual growth in its space business
thanks to strong government and commercial demand. (8/19)
Iran Looks to China for Space
Expertise Development (Source: Washington Post)
Iran is seeking help from China to develop more advanced imaging
satellites. Western officials said Iran has been in discussions with
two Chinese companies, Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. and
MinoSpace Technology Co., about technical assistance to produce
satellites with improved imaging resolution or other capabilities that
Iran currently lacks. Those officials said the cooperation could give
Iran improved targeting capabilities for its missiles or early warning
of attacks. However, officials said China likely will be cautious about
any work that could upset larger trade deals it has with Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates. (8/19)
Unpacking the Complexities of SpaceX's
Starship Two-Stage Vision (Source: Space Daily)
SpaceX's Starship program stands as one of the most ambitious endeavors
in the history of space exploration. Envisioned as a fully reusable
spacecraft capable of carrying humans and cargo to destinations such as
the Moon, Mars, and beyond, Starship represents a significant leap in
space travel technology. However, the journey to achieving this vision
is far from straightforward, and the technical challenges, economic
considerations, and strategic decisions involved are as complex as they
are critical. Click here.
(8/16)
GE Aerospace Expanding Hub in North
Texas (Source: WFAA)
GE Aerospace's maintenance arm is moving forward with expansion in Fort
Worth. Fort Worth City Council voted Aug. 13 in favor of a tax
abatement for the company to upgrade and expand its 84,344-square-foot
facility at Carter Field. On Wing Support, a subsidiary of General
Electric, must hire an additional 100 employees with an average salary
of at least $70,000 by 2026, under the terms of the agreement.
Currently, the company employs 65 in Fort Worth.
The company must also invest $50 million: $37.5 million on real
property improvements and $12.5 million on equipment. The company will
expand its footprint by 3.25 acres. Fort Worth agreed to a seven-year
tax abatement of up to 60% of the incremental value of both the
company’s real and business personal property, according to public
documents. (8/15)
Starbase Update Video (Source:
NSF)
SpaceX prepares for Starship's fifth flight with double-chopstick catch
tests and major hardware moves at Starbase. Discover the latest updates
on Ship 26, new tower modules, and the peculiar 'kettle-looking'
methane header tank. Join us as we dive into the details of these
developments in this comprehensive Starbase update. Click here. (8/19)
Senegal's First Satellite Successfully
Launched (Source: Space Daily)
Senegal's first satellite has been successfully launched into orbit,
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said, adding the move marked a major
step towards the West African country's "technological sovereignty".
The GAINDESAT-1A satellite was launched from the Vandenberg base in
California aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission. (8/17)
NASA Hosts Symposium on the
Macroeconomic Impacts of Space Investments (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) is set to host
the "Macroeconomics of Space Symposium" on Thursday, September 5, 2024,
from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT at NASA Headquarters in the James Webb
Auditorium. The symposium will gather government officials and leading
economic researchers to discuss the broader economic effects of public
research and development investments in space. (8/17)
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