September 5, 2024

Rocket-Powered Sleds Poised to Launch Space Planes Into Reality (Source: TechSpot)
Instead of a traditional vertical rocket launch, Radian's innovative solution involves having the Radian One take off from a two-mile-long electromagnetic rail. A rocket sled would accelerate the plane to over 500 mph before releasing it, allowing its onboard engines to complete the final push into orbit. Radian explains that this unconventional two-part system, along with lightweight landing gear and aerodynamic wings, is crucial to making their single-stage space plane a reality. (9/5)

The Case of the Universe’s “Extra” Light (Source: Sky & Telescope)
Astronomers may have finally solved the mystery of how dark space really is. Using NASA’s New Horizons probe, they’ve shown that the faint background glow of empty space is due to the light from galaxies alone, ruling out the need for anything more exotic. Using new data from the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite, the team estimated the effect of light scattering off dust within our Milky Way Galaxy. When this effect is taken into account and combined with new LORRI images designed to minimize interference from galactic dust, the previous excess background disappears. (9/5)

NASA's Newly Unfurled Solar Sail Has Started 'Tumbling' End-Over-End in Orbit (Source: LiveScience)
A NASA spacecraft that recently unfurled a state-of-the-art solar sail in Earth orbit is "tumbling or wobbling" through space as it circles our planet, new observations show. NASA representatives said the unusual motion was expected but did not explain exactly what is happening. (9/4)

Astronomers Scan Over 2,800 Distant Galaxies for Signs of “Super Civilizations (Source: The Debrief)
Researchers from the SETI Institute, the Berkeley SETI Research Center, and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research have announced a potentially groundbreaking study of over 2,800 distant galaxies for signs of highly advanced “super civilizations.” Unlike previous efforts by SETI researchers that scanned our local Milky Way galaxy for signs of advanced technology, dubbed “technosignatures,” this latest effort utilized the large viewing area and overall scanning power of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia to look at thousands of galaxies all at once. (9/4)

Dark Matter Search in Gravitational-Wave Data (Source: APS)
LIGO and other gravitational-wave observatories detect gravitational waves through miniscule changes—as small as one millionth the width of an atomic nucleus—in the length of the kilometer-long interferometer arms. These detectors might also be sensitive to a specific type of dark matter, called scalar-field dark matter, that is expected to cause size changes to the interferometer equipment. A new analysis of LIGO data finds no size-change signal, implying new constraints on this dark matter model. (9/4)

UK May Allow Amazon’s Starlink Rival to Offer Broadband Services (Source: Bloomberg)
The British telecommunications regulator proposed allowing Amazon.com Inc. unit Project Kuiper to operate a rival satellite network to Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide high-speed broadband services. Ofcom requested comments on Amazon Kuiper Services Europe SARL’s application and the regulator’s proposal to grant the licence, by Oct. 4, it said in a statement on Thursday. (9/5)

Vega Makes Final Flight with Sentinel-2C Satellite (Source: Space News)
A Vega rocket launched a European Earth observation satellite Wednesday night in the final flight of the original version of that vehicle. The Vega rocket lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 9:50 p.m. Eastern and deployed the Sentinel-2C satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit nearly an hour later. Sentinel-2C will ultimately replace Sentinel-2A, providing medium-resolution visible and infrared imagery in 13 bands as part of the Copernicus Earth science program. The launch was the final one for the original version of Vega. The larger Vega C, which failed in its second launch in late 2022, is still on track to return to flight in late November, launching another Sentinel satellite. (9/5)

SDA Uses SpaceX Satellites to Test Laser Comm Terminals (Source: Space News)
Two SpaceX satellites exchanged data using Tesat laser communications terminals in a first for a Space Development Agency (SDA) program. The satellites, part of SDA's Tranche 0 experimental spacecraft in low Earth orbit, used laser terminals manufactured by Tesat-Spacecom to communicate. This marks the first time the agency has demonstrated laser communications in space using optical terminals compliant with military standards required for SDA satellites. The laser communications test is a crucial step in SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture program that aims to create a network of hundreds of small satellites to enhance military communication and surveillance capabilities. (9/5)

SPAC of COVID-19: Where Are They Now? (Source: Space News)
Space companies that went public through SPAC mergers a few years ago have experienced wildly varying outcomes since then. A few companies have managed to do relatively well, while others have suffered setbacks and one, Virgin Orbit, went bankrupt. Nearly half the class of companies has also announced significant workforce reductions since going public as funds from investors increasingly wary of post-SPAC companies failed to materialize and companies failed to hit overly optimistic revenue projections they made as part of going public. Click here. (9/5)

Branson Dumped $1 Billion in Stock on Space Hype, Suit Says (Source: Bloomberg)
Richard Branson exploited bogus hype about the capabilities of Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc.'s spacecraft to make $1 billion worth of illegal insider stock sales, an unsealed lawsuit says.

A shareholder sued the British industrialist, saying he spent years misleading the public about the readiness of Virgin Galactic’s flagship space tourism vessel, the Unity, then dumped “massive portions of his stock” across 2020 and 2021. The sales included $300 million in August 2021, before the public learned his own trip to space almost ended in disaster, according to the lawsuit, which also targets other board members. (9/4)

Senegal Joins China's Lunar Station Program (Source: Space News)
Senegal is the latest country to join the China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program. The Senegalese Space Study Agency signed an agreement on cooperation on ILRS at a Chinese space exploration conference Thursday. Senegal joins 11 other nations that have agreed to work with China on ILRS. China also signed up several companies and organizations to participate in ILRS. The new partners reflect an established trend of China attracting participants from the Global South, and engaging in subnational diplomacy, somewhat mirroring the country's wider diplomatic moves. (9/5)

China Plans 2028 Mars Sample Launches (Source: Xinhua)
China is planning launches in 2028 of its Mars sample return mission. The chief designer of the mission, speaking at a space exploration conference Thursday, said two launches are projected in 2028 for the Tianwen-3 mission, which will land on Mars to collect samples for return to Earth. The report did not disclose when the samples will be returned. However, if that schedule holds, the samples would likely be returned before NASA's own Mars Sample Return program, which the agency is currently revising to reduce its cost. (9/5)

Relativity Space Increasingly Using Non-Printed Parts (Source: Ars Technica)
Relativity Space is relying more on traditional assembly technologies and suppliers for its Terran R rocket. When the company unveiled plans for Terran R three years ago, the company planned to make heavy use of 3D-printing technologies for a fully reusable rocket. The company has since moved away from 3D printing of some components of the rocket and acknowledged that some elements, like the rocket's payload fairing, will come from suppliers like European company Beyond Gravity. Those changes, and a shift to reusing only the first stage, are in response to customer demand, the company argues. (9/5)

Asteroid Discovered Hours Before Entry (Source: New Scientist)
Astronomers discovered a very small asteroid hours before it burned up over the Philippines. The Catalina Sky Survey detected the asteroid, named 2024 RW1, several hours before it burned up in the atmosphere Wednesday, creating a brilliant meteor seen in the northern Philippines. The asteroid, estimated to be about one meter across, was too small to survive entry and posed no risk to people on the ground. It is one of just a handful of asteroids spotted before hitting the Earth. (9/5)

AiRANACULUS Expands NASA Contract for Innovative Space Communications Technology (Source: Space Daily)
AiRANACULUS, a Massachusetts-based technology firm specializing in advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions, has announced an extension of its NASA Small Business Innovation Research contract. The contract, now in its Phase II-E stage, focuses on developing a cutting-edge space communications system aimed at supporting upcoming lunar and Martian missions.

The extended contract enables AiRANACULUS to advance the Intelligent Network Slicing and Policy-based Routing Engine solution (INSPIRE). This innovative system is designed to manage diverse traffic across shared satellite networks by utilizing Network Slicing features within 5G technology. These features allow for the logical partitioning and secure management of various application services while introducing enhanced policy control capabilities. (9/3)

Starion to Develop ESA's New Space Weather Payload Data Center (Source: Space Daily)
Starion Group has secured a contract to spearhead the development of the ESA Space Weather Payload Data Centre, aiming to strengthen Europe's defense against the potentially severe impacts of solar activity. Quick access to up-to-date solar activity data is essential, as phenomena such as solar flares, radiation storms, coronal mass ejections, and geomagnetic storms can disrupt power supplies, communications, and the provision of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) information, leading to significant consequences. (9/3)

Bright Ascension and ERETS Forge Partnership to Boost Global Space Debris Solutions (Source: Space Daily)
Bright Ascension Ltd., a leading space software technology provider, has formalized a partnership agreement with ERETS Space, a company specializing in in-space debris removal services. This Memorandum of Understanding marks an important step in Bright Ascension's global expansion and highlights its dedication to fostering international collaboration and innovation.

ERETS, a pioneering UK startup with a research and development division in Australia, plans to utilize Bright Ascension's advanced space software technology to create a tailored Value-Added Reseller (VAR) partnership in the region. This partnership will not only bolster Bright Ascension's presence in the Australian market but also aligns with its goal of promoting international cooperation to tackle key challenges in the space industry. (9/3)

After Starliner, NASA Has Another Big Human Spaceflight Decision to Make (Source: Ars Technica)
Now that NASA has resolved the question of the Starliner spacecraft and its two crew members on the International Space Station, the agency faces another high-stakes human spaceflight decision.

The choice concerns the Orion spacecraft's heat shield and whether NASA will make any changes before the Artemis II mission that will make a lunar flyby. Although Starliner has garnered a lot of media attention, this will be an even higher-profile decision for NASA, with higher consequences—four astronauts will be on board, and hundreds of millions, if not billions of people, will be watching humanity's first deep space mission in more than five decades.

The issue is the safety of the heat shield, located at the base of the capsule, which protects Orion's crew during its return to Earth. During the Artemis I mission that sent Orion beyond the Moon in late 2022, without astronauts on board, chunks of charred material cracked and chipped away from Orion's heat shield during reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Once the spacecraft landed, engineers found more than 100 locations where the stresses of reentry damaged the heat shield. (9/4)

Space Force Defends Plan to Buy Smaller, Cheaper Satellites to Reinforce GPS (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is exploring strategies to bolster the resilience of the Global Positioning System (GPS) amid growing concerns about the constellation’s vulnerabilities. One option favored by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall is to use smaller, lower-cost satellites to augment the existing GPS infrastructure.

Known as Resilient GPS (R-GPS), these smaller satellites would provide the U.S. military additional sources of positioning, navigation and timing data. Kendall has identified R-GPS as a high priority that should move forward as soon as possible. However, the future of the program is uncertain as lawmakers are questioning its effectiveness and cost. (9/4)

India’s Nuclear Rocket Program Takes Flight (Source: IDRW)
The Indian Space Research Organization is at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative to develop nuclear-powered rockets for satellite launches. This ambitious project aims to revolutionize space exploration by providing a more efficient and sustainable propulsion system. Last year, a significant milestone was achieved when the first stage of an atomic-powered engine--a radioisotope heating unit (RTG)--was successfully tested on India's lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3. The RTG is currently powering the propulsion module, which remains in orbit around the Moon.

ISRO sources have revealed that the agency is collaborating with Bhabha Atomic Research Center to build a 100-watt RTG, crucial for powering future nuclear rockets. The ability to harness the power of nuclear energy for propulsion could open up new frontiers and enable missions to distant planets and beyond. (9/3)

Artemis 3 Astronauts Will Walk on the Moon with 4G-Equipped Spacesuits (Source: Space.com)
When NASA's Artemis 3 crewed mission lands on the lunar surface a few years from now, the first astronauts to walk on the moon since the Apollo age will be able to take advantage of something their antecedents could not: cellular network technology.

Artemis 3's astronauts will wear spacesuits equipped with 4G connectivity — the same 4G that makes up the majority of Earth's mobile phone networks today. The spacesuits, Axiom Space's AxEMU models, will be able to connect to a 4G network designed by Nokia. Astronauts can use the network to perform feats like broadcasting high-definition video. (9/3)

Zachary Morse Hikes Hilltops, Caves Lava Tubes to Ready Moon Missions (Source: NASA)
“I work with teams that integrate field instrumentation into future lunar and Mars exploration missions,” said Zachary. “We go to analog field sites, places on Earth that are geologically similar to the Moon or Mars, to test field instruments.” Click here. (9/3)

Carbon Nanotubes and the Search for Life on Other Planets (Source: NASA)
A NASA-developed material made of carbon nanotubes will enable our search for exoplanets—some of which might be capable of supporting life. Originally developed in 2007 by a team of researchers led by Innovators of the Year John Hagopian and Stephanie Getty at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, this carbon nanotube technology is being refined for potential use on NASA’s upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO)—the first telescope designed specifically to search for signs of life on planets orbiting other stars. (9/3)

This Latin American Country Could be a Launch Center (Source: EFE)
This Latin American country has the conditions to become a possible space center for the region thanks to its geographic location, according to experts, who value its position on the equator as an advantage for launching rockets and capturing capsules returning from space , which could also encourage the manufacturing of space products. Indeed, it is Ecuador.

Among the reasons that favor it becoming a space center, is the equatorial line , which gives the country its name. “With the wealth and human talent that Ecuador has, there is no reason why we cannot be part of this space process,” Robert Aillon said. This possibility was analyzed in the discussion 'The role of Ecuador in the space economy', in which the Universidad Hemisferios and the Milo Institute of Space Sciences brought together experts on this topic to assess the country's possibilities as a launch platform for space missions. (9/3)

Sidus Space Appoints Former Airbus Executive Director to Board of Directors (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Lavanson Coffey as an Independent Director, effective August 27. He brings nearly four decades of aerospace experience and leadership to Sidus Space. Following his time at Ball Aerospace, LC joined Airbus U.S. Space & Defense as Vice President & Business Enabler and later served as Executive Director for their Space line of business. (9/3)

Polaris’s Dawn (Source: Space Review)
As soon as late this week SpaceX will launch the Polaris Dawn private astronaut mission. Jeff Foust reports on the key objectives and challenges facing this mission, including the first spacewalk on a non-governmental spaceflight. Click here. (9/4)
 
Measuring the Depth of India’s Space Program (Source: Space Review)
The Indian government has bold plans for its space agency, including development of a space station and human lunar landings. Namrata Goswami examines where the country’s space program is excelling and where it is falling short. Click here. (9/4)
 
To Guard Against Cyberattacks in Space, Researchers Ask “What If?” (Source: Space Review)
Cybersecurity of space systems is a growing concern as society becomes increasingly reliant on space services. Patrick Lin discusses how a recent study sought to explore a wide range of space-related cyberattacks to help defend against them. Click here. (9/4)

Blue Origin Droneship Arrives in Port Canaveral ahead of New Glenn Launch (Source: Florida Today)
Pulled by Blue Origin's support ship, Harvey Stone, a droneship like no other arrived in Port Canaveral Wednesday morning. What arrived can only be described as a floating first-stage rocket center − a "landing platform vessel" complete with buildings on the front and back which sported the words "Blue Origin" and "New Glenn".

Jacklyn is the name of this droneship. That also happens to be the name of the mother of Blue Origin founder, Jeff Bezos. What Jacklyn's arrival at Port Canaveral means is that soon SpaceX will not be the only space company landing rockets on droneships in the Atlantic Ocean. Blue Origin has ambitious plans to do the same with the first stage of their New Glenn rocket. (9/4)

Slow Burn: How Starliner’s Crewed Test Flight Went Awry (Source: Space News)
When Starliner arrived at the ISS on June 6, it was suffering two problems. A single helium leak, detected on the spacecraft after a launch scrub a month earlier, had now become three leaks, with two more detected around the time of docking. Separately, on the spacecraft’s approach to the station, five of its reaction control system (RCS) thrusters were shut down by the spacecraft’s computer because of degraded performance. However, controllers were able to get four of them working again to allow the docking to proceed.

At the time, neither problem appeared serious. “Those are pretty small issues to deal with. We’ll figure them out for the next mission. I don’t see these as significant at all,” Mark Nappi said. The helium leak, at least, did not pose a safety issue. Starliner had enough helium to operate for 70 hours after undocking, 10 times the amount needed for the trip home. Engineers were also investigating why the thrusters malfunctioned on approach to the station.

Brief test firings of the thrusters while Starliner was docked to the station were encouraging, However, by late June it was clear nagging concerns about the thrusters were keeping the spacecraft at the station. Even then, NASA and Boeing said the thrusters didn’t pose a safety issue. “We understand these issues for a safe return,” Nappi said. “But we don’t understand these issues enough yet for us to fix them permanently.” The thrusters, he and others noted, are on Starliner’s service module, which is jettisoned and burns up on reentry. Click here. (9/4)

SpaceX Pulls Employees From Brazil. Discourages Travel There, as Musk Battles in Court (Source: Wall Street Journal)
SpaceX has moved to evacuate employees from Brazil and warned others against traveling to the country, a sign of how Elon Musk’s ongoing battle against Brazil’s highest court over his social-media company X is spilling out to affect some of his other businesses. In an email late last week, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell advised employees not to travel to Brazil for work or pleasure, according to people familiar with the email. The space company also last week took steps to relocate from the country its small group of non-Brazilian employees there, one of the people said. (9/4)

The Bad Side of Alaska's Satellite Internet (Source: Anchorage Daily News)
Reliable and consistent internet access is so important to rural Alaska. It’s key to opportunity and probably key to a sustainable future for many communities. But environmental and safety risks of satellite internet are on the rise not just in Alaska, but globally. The number of satellites in low Earth orbit increased by 127 times in five years, and in 2023, 70% of all satellite launches were for Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX.

The new space race is ramping up quickly: companies have proposed adding another half a million satellites to the mega-constellations that power the internet, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted Starlink more than 30,000 satellite licenses already. The problem? The FCC does not currently require environmental impact studies prior to satellite licensure, and while we don’t know the precise extent of the environmental harm of launching and burning up so many satellites, we know it can’t be good.

Starlink satellites are designed to last only five years. At peak deployment of these disposable satellites, 29 tons of metal will re-enter our atmosphere per day. Earlier this year, a 5,000-pound satellite landed in the Pacific Ocean between Alaska and Hawaii and in May, space debris landed in a farmer’s field in Saskatchewan province, Canada. Satellite companies and the FCC must take this risk seriously, especially given the possibility of space debris hitting a more populated area. The FCC should conduct an environmental impact review of all proposed mega-constellations and satellite companies should have to justify their plans with regard to the public interest. (9/3)

US Navy Is Going All In on Starlink (Source: WIRED)
Life aboard a US Navy warship at sea can be stressful, boring, and lonely, with separation from friends and family and long stretches between port calls both isolating and monotonous. Now, Elon Musk is here to take the edge off. The Navy recently announced that it is experimenting with bringing reliable and persistent high-speed internet to its surface warships. The connectivity comes via a new system developed under its Sailor Edge Afloat and Ashore (SEA2) initiative, which uses satellites from the Starlink network maintained by Musk’s SpaceX and other spaceborne broadband internet providers to maintain a constant and consistent internet connection for sailors—a system that NAVWAR says has “applications across the entire Navy.” (9/3)

Scottish Spaceport’s ‘Floating Road’ Over Peat Bog Nearly Finished Ahead of Test Launch (Source: Independent)
A “floating road” being built over a peat bog near the north coast of Scotland is nearly complete, as work to transform the site into a spaceport for satellite launches continues. The Forres-based company Orbex aims to carry out its first launch from the “carbon neutral” spaceport next year, using a 19-meter-long rocket powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). (9/3)

Council Spends £5.5 Million on Faltering Prestwick Spaceport and Commercial Plans (Source: Insider UK)
Cash-strapped South Ayrshire Council has forked out millions on faltering Ayrshire Growth Deals, including the Prestwick Spaceport. But no money has been forthcoming from the UK or Scottish Governments for four of the five of the projects being led by the local authority. The extent of the troubles facing the council was laid bare at cabinet last week.

The report highlighted the inviability of the spaceport, commercial development and subsea cable project, along with the difficulties around an Aerospace Technology Application Centre (ASTAC) and improvements to the surrounding road network. Earlier this year, South Ayrshire Council agreed that the spaceport was no longer viable under the terms of the Growth Deal and that no more money would be spent on it.

However, neither the UK or Scottish Government has signed off on the decision. In April, the main partner for the commercial build, satellite manufacturer Mangata, announced it would no longer be developing a factory at Prestwick. (9/4)

Chinese Scientists Achieve Major Step Toward Mars Base Construction (Source: Xinhua)
A study by Chinese researchers has confirmed the feasibility of continuously producing fiber materials from Martian soil, indicating that "in-situ resource utilization" could be achieved in the construction of future Mars bases. A research team successfully simulated Martian soil using Earth-based basalt and produced continuous Martian soil fibers through melt-drawing experiments, the ScienceNet.cn reported on Monday.

The researchers also analyzed the impact of factors such as Martian low gravity and the planet's unique atmosphere -- characterized by low pressure and inert atmosphere -- on the fiber production process and performance.

The research findings confirm the feasibility of producing continuous, controllable-diameter fiber materials from Martian soil. These fibers could be used in the preparation of fiber-reinforced composite materials, which have important application value for using Martian soil to build future Martian bases, said Ma Pengcheng, who led the research team. (9/3)

KBR Finalizes Buy of LinQuest, Expanding its Space Support Ops (Source: Breaking Defense)
Houston-based KBR has finalized its purchase of LinQuest — expanding its reach into the space sector, KBR announced today. “The acquisition strengthens KBR’s capabilities across space, air dominance and connected battlespace missions. LinQuest also has a heritage of serving important U.S. government customers including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force and other U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence agencies,” the announcement explained. (9/3)

SpaceX to Relocate Starhopper From Boca Chica Site (Source: Valley Central)
A tourist staple at the Boca Chica SpaceX launch site is being relocated. Many space enthusiasts who have been following SpaceX’s progression in the Rio Grande Valley know that the Starhopper started it all for the space flight company in South Texas. In 2019, the Starhopper prototype performed its first successful 150 meter flight at the SpaceX Starbase (Boca Chica) site. Since then, the company has continued to test its flight engineering with different SN rockets.

Today, the Starship stands at the site, with the power to carry up to 100 people on interplanetary flights, according to SpaceX. The company stated it would move its Starhopper from the launch site to a nearby lot sometime this week. (9/3)

FCC Rejects Citizen Effort to Revive $886M in Funding for SpaceX's Starlink (Source: PC Magazine)
For a third time, the Federal Communications Commission is denying $886 million in federal funding to SpaceX’s Starlink, this time by dismissing a citizen-led petition. On Friday, the commission rejected a petition from Virginia resident Greg Weisiger, who urged the FCC to reverse its controversial August 2022 decision to deny SpaceX the funds.

In December 2023, the FCC shot down SpaceX's official appeal to secure the funding, its second rejection. The next month, Weisiger sent a petition, requesting the FCC once again reconsider the matter, which would source the $886 million from the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). In Friday’s four-page dismissal, the FCC said Weisiger had failed to provide any new information. Weisiger also filed the protest nearly four years too late, according to the FCC, which said Weisiger's main gripe appeared to be with its rules for the RDOF program itself. (9/3)