October 10, 2024

Industry ‘Hamstrung’ by Space Force-intel Community’s Turf War (Source: Defense One)
The space industry is waiting for the Space Force and intelligence community to come to an agreement over buying commercial satellite imagery and related analysis—a fight, some say, that is preventing troops from making the fullest use of orbital capabilities.

Currently, the National Reconnaissance Office is in charge of buying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance imagery from commercial space providers, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in charge of purchasing analytic products. But in the five years since the Space Force was created, the young service has increasingly pushed for funds and leeway to work directly with commercial firms, arguing that it can more quickly get important information to combatant commands.

Earlier this year, Space Force launched a $40 million pilot program to show just how fast it could move information and insights from orbiting sensors to troops on ground. It began soliciting bids for “tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking,” or TacSRT, through a “marketplace,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman told reporters last month. (10/9)

Five Reasons to Join the European Space Agency! (Source: ESA)
In 2023, ESA published more than 400 vacancies in engineering, science and business and administration and more positions continue to be published as we are always on the lookout for talented new colleagues to join us. So, what does it mean to join ESA? Here are five reasons why you should consider ESA as the next step in your career! Click here. (10/9)

Virgin, Blue Origin Maintain Vision for Space Tourism (Source: Financial Times)
The suborbital space tourism sector, led by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, is gaining momentum. Private astronauts who have flown with these companies attest to the experience as spaceflight for the masses moves closer to reality. (10/9)

Policymakers Should Acknowledge Importance of Space (Source: Space News)
Paragon Space Development Corporation CEO Grant Anderson underscores the space sector's rising importance for national security and the economy, arguing for the next administration to focus on space policies. "At the top, we must continue to support human spaceflight endeavors to low-Earth orbit, the moon and, yes, even Mars," he writes. (10/9)

No 'Doomsday' Asteroids Hide in Famous Broken Comet's Debris Stream (Source: Space.com)
A swarm of interplanetary dust, rocks, comets and asteroids thought to be responsible for two famous impacts here on Earth has been found to be not quite as menacing as astronomers had feared. "Our findings suggest that the risk of being hit by a large asteroid in the Taurid swarm is much lower than we believed, which is great news for planetary defense," said astronomer Quanzhi Ye. (10/10)

Amentum Wins $256M NASA Contract to Support Space Exploration (Source: Space Daily)
Amentum has secured the Fully Integrated Lifecycle Mission Support Services II (FILMSS II) contract, valued at up to $256 million, to advance NASA's space exploration and aeronautics initiatives at the Ames Research Center. Through this agreement, Amentum will implement cutting-edge technologies and project management tools to strengthen NASA's capabilities in both space science and aeronautics.

The contract will provide comprehensive support in program management, science, engineering, and project operations. High-priority projects include biosciences flight development, astrobiology research, and advanced aeronautics initiatives. The two-year base contract includes three one-year options, with most work conducted on-site at NASA's Ames Research Center in California. (10/8)

NASA Eyes Starship Testing as Key to Artemis (Source: Space News)
As SpaceX continues to prepare for its next Starship test flight, NASA is among those keeping a close eye on it. SpaceX is pressing ahead with a launch as soon as Sunday from Boca Chica, Texas, although the FAA has yet to issue an updated launch license for it. At a National Academies committee meeting Wednesday, a NASA official said the agency was "really looking forward" to the launch as part of efforts by SpaceX to accelerate its flight rate. NASA said key issues it is watching in Starship's development include tests next year of propellant transfer in orbit and bringing up its flight rate to a level that can fill a propellant depot in orbit required for Starship lunar lander missions for NASA's Artemis lunar exploration campaign.

 The upcoming Starship test flight will also attempt a "catch" of the Super Heavy booster by the launch tower, which NASA said SpaceX moved up from a later planned launch. At another committee meeting Wednesday, a SpaceX executive expressed confidence in the catch attempt, noting the high precision of an ocean booster landing on the previous flight. (10/10)

Hurricanes a Boost for Space National Guard? (Source: Space News)
The role of satellite services in disaster relief may provide a new argument for a Space National Guard. At an event Wednesday, some experts said they were rethinking previous opposition to a National Guard component to the Space Force. That is based on the increasing role satellites play in disaster relief, such as the recent Hurricane Helene. National Guard units are uniquely positioned to provide these services during domestic crises under legal authorities active-duty military do not have. Currently, about 700 members of the Air National Guard support space operations, including satellite communications. (10/10)

Hurricane Prompts FCC Approval for Florida Starlink Service (Source: Space News)
Starlink has expanded its emergency direct-to-device phone services to Florida as Hurricane Milton strikes the state. The FCC granted SpaceX a 15-day special temporary authority (STA) for the storm’s projected path across central Florida. SpaceX said it has enabled basic texting services on T-Mobile phones in areas affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, and will also deliver emergency alerts to all phones and carriers used by those affected by the hurricanes. (10/10)

SpaceX Spectrum Demands Prompt Complaint to DoJ (Source: Wall Street Journal)
SpaceX has reportedly required companies launching competitors to Starlink on its rockets to agree to share spectrum. These spectrum-sharing agreements, which allow Starlink to use spectrum allocated to those other companies, were signed with Kepler Communications and OneWeb before SpaceX launched their satellites, helping Starlink expand its service. The agreements prompted one law firm to meet with the Justice Department to discuss possible antitrust issues, but the department has taken no action so far. SpaceX argued that the spectrum-sharing agreements are equitable because they have to be ratified by governments. (10/10)

Scientists Worry About Deorbited ISS Damage to Ocean (Source: Space News)
Ocean scientists are concerned about the environmental impacts of deorbiting the International Space Station. Debris from the eventual deorbiting of the ISS is likely to splash down at a remote location in the South Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo that is currently used as a target for many spacecraft reentries. Environmental groups say they are worried about potential deleterious effects, citing uncertainties about what is on the station and what will survive reentry. The EPA plans to evaluate NASA's plans but does not have a schedule for completing that work. (10/10)

NASA Report Raises Concerns About Russian ISS Segment (Source: Washington Post)
NASA has identified 50 "areas of concern" on the Russian segment of the station. Those areas of concern could be similar to cracks seen in one part of the Russian service module that have caused a persistent, but small, air leak there, but could also be "benign imperfections" like scratches. NASA has expressed its concerns to Roscosmos and a report last month by NASA's Office of Inspector General noted the leaks in the Russian service module to its highest level of risk. NASA noted last month, though, that the leak rate in the service module fell recently after some repair work by cosmonauts. (10/10)

Incoming Solar Storms Could Compound Hurricane Damage to Power Grids (Source: AP)
A solar storm could stress power grids damaged by recent hurricanes. NOAA issued a watch for a severe geomagnetic storm Thursday and Friday after a solar outburst earlier this week. The storm is not expected to be as strong as the one that hit in May, but the effects of it could cause disruptions on power grids damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The storm could cause aurora displays visible as far south as the lower Midwest. (10/10)

NASA Seeks Logistics Designs for Artemis Moon Missions (Source: UPI)
Private industry in the United States will have an opportunity to provide NASA with designs for a lander and vehicle that will help supply future Artemis missions to the moon. NASA in September announced its request for proposals for lunar vehicle designs to overcome deficiencies in its lunar mobility and provide logistics that are needed to support planned missions to the moon's surface.

"NASA relies on collaborations from diverse partners to develop its exploration architecture" and "leverage the incredible expertise in the commercial aerospace community," NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Nujoud Merancy said. (10/8)

Astronomers Race to Capture Image of Exoplanet Near Star (Source: Phys.org)
Planet AF Lep b is a world of firsts. In 2023, it was the lowest-mass planet outside our solar system to be directly observed and have its mass measured using astrometry. This is a technique that charts the subtle movements of a host star over many years to gain insights about orbiting companions, including planets. Now, AF Lep b is the lowest-mass planet with the smallest angular separation—that is, how close it is to its host star as seen from Earth—that has been directly observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). (10/9)

Startup Trek: Blue Origin Vets Go to the Frontiers of Space and Tech with New Studio (Source: Geekwire)
Two former employees of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space company are striking out on their own with Actuate Ventures, a venture studio that specializes in supporting startups in the space industry and other deep-tech markets. Actuate’s founding partners, Chris Le and Andrew Woodfield, set up shop less than a year ago — but the studio is already building up connections with collaborators, investors and entrepreneurs.

This week, they’re participating in events at SF Tech Week, and they’re also in the midst of a campaign to create their first $25 million venture fund for investment. Le said it’s not just about the money. “We think of ourselves as ‘co-founders in a box,'” he told GeekWire. “The venture studio model in particular is a hybrid. It’s like if an incubator and a VC had a baby. We’re here to be in it with you and help grow your company, and not just be a check in the door.” (10/8)

Journey Through Stars with NASA in New Minecraft Game (Source: NASA)
NASA invites gamers, educators, and students to grab their pickaxe and check out its latest collaboration with Minecraft exploring a new world inspired by the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope. The partnership allows creators to experience NASA’s discoveries with interactive modules on star formation, planets, and galaxy types, modeled using real Webb images. (10/8)

Something Massive Is Shifting Deep Inside the Moon (Source: Futurism)
Something is moving inside of the Moon. Yes, you read that correctly. A recent study from scientists at NASA and the University of Arizona found that a layer of low-viscosity goo sits between the Moon's rugged mantle and its metal core. This goo is rising and falling beneath the lunar surface — not unlike, say, ocean tides — which they concluded is likely caused by the gravitational push and pull of the Sun and Earth. (10/7)

NASA Spacecraft Receives Laser Signal from 290 Million Miles Away (Source: Independent)
NASA has sent a laser signal about 290 million miles, smashing previous records and potentially transforming our exploration of the solar system. The milestone was reached by NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration, which is exploring whether it is possible to use lasers to send messages deep into space. Lasers can send data at rates up to 100 times that of the radio frequencies used today, allowing for more complex and high-definition data, but they also require much greater precision to work.

It was sent to the Psyche spacecraft, which launched in October 2023. Its main mission is to study an asteroid with the same name, but it is also carrying the NASA experiment to test laser communication through space. The distance is roughly the same as that between the Earth and Mars when they are their most distant. NASA hopes that the laser technology can help empower future crewed missions to Mars, among other exploration of our solar system, and so the successful test marks a major breakthrough. (10/8)

Jared Isaacman, Commercial Spaceflight Pioneer, On His Recent Mission (Source: Forbes)
In the private space effort, there are the suborbital space tourism pioneers and the orbital commercial spaceflight pioneers. They are not the same. The former includes Jeff Bezos of Blue Origin, and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic. Both take wealthy folks to suborbital space on short rides. Little or no real research can be done on these flights, however, as the time spent in micro-gravity on each is only about five minutes.

Some participants on these flights like to call themselves astronauts. I’m not sure what the late John Glenn, first American to orbit Earth, or Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, would say about that. The FAA had been giving these folks Commercial Space Astronaut Wings, but stopped at the end of 2021. Aviator Jared Isaacman represents the latter category - orbital commercial space flight pioneer - along, of course, with SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Musk’s company, in addition to regularly supplying the International Space Station, flies Isaacman orbitally on research missions. Click here. (10/10)

Tissue Chips Accurately Model Organs in Space (Source: NASA)
The International Space Station offers a unique microgravity environment where cells outside the human body behave similarly to how they do inside the human body. Tissue chips are small devices containing living cells that mimic complex functions of specific human tissues and organs. Researchers can run experiments using tissue chips aboard space station to understand disease progression and provide faster and safer alternatives for preparing medicine for clinical trials.

Researchers placed engineered heart tissues on tissue chips sent to study how microgravity impacts cardiac functions in space. Data collected by the chips showed these heart tissues experienced impaired contractions, subcellular structural changes, and increased stress, which can lead to tissue damage and disease. Previous studies conducted on human subjects have displayed similar outcomes. In the future, engineered heart tissues could accurately model the effects of spaceflight on cardiac function. (10/8)

4 Futuristic Space Technologies — and When They Might Happen (Source: Space.com)
World Space Week this year, which runs between Oct. 4-10,is celebrating how space technology is aiding us in our fight against climate change on Earth — but sometimes it pays to also look outward at what technology can offer us as we expand into space to harness the energy and the worlds that lie out there. Here we highlight four technologies, look at the challenges that they pose and give some indication of when they might come to fruition — if ever. The time estimates are not necessarily a prediction of when they might happen, but are intended to give a rough idea of how much work still needs to be done on them. Click here. (10/8)

NASA’s First Lunar Rover Since Apollo Is An Adorable Little Moon Tractor (Source: Jalopnik)
The last time anyone drove on the Moon was way back in 1972 when the astronauts of Apollo 17 took the Lunar Roving Vehicle for one last spin. Now, NASA is plotting a return to the Moon’s surface that will include taking an all-new lunar rover with it, and it’s just started testing out prototypes for its latest Moon buggy. Officially called the Lunar Terrain Vehicle this time around, the new craft could take one of three different forms after NASA recruited three different firms to submit designs. Click here. (10/7)

Space Command Working With Office of Space Commerce for Spaceflight Safety (Source: Space Daily)
US Space Force and the Department of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Space Commerce, have commenced a dual-track approach for delivering space situational awareness (SSA) services to satellite operators. The two agencies are transitioning spaceflight safety services, currently offered through space-track.org, from US Space Command (USSPACECOM) to the Office of Space Commerce's (OSC) new Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS). This system began operations on September 30 for a beta group of satellite owners and operators. (10/4)

Leicester Spinout Perpetual Atomics to Pioneer Space Nuclear Power Solutions (Source: Space Daily)
A new start-up, Perpetual Atomics, is poised to revolutionize space missions by leveraging nuclear technology to provide reliable power in the harsh conditions of deep space. The company, launched from the University of Leicester's Space Park Leicester, aims to commercialize over 20 years of research in space nuclear power, transforming the way space exploration is powered. Perpetual Atomics focuses on space nuclear power systems and is expected to provide innovative solutions for long-term, sustainable power for spacecraft. (10/10)

Volta Space Technologies Unveils Plans for Lunar Power Satellite Network (Source: Space News)
A startup has unveiled plans to develop a network of satellites around the moon to provide power to spacecraft on the lunar surface. Volta Space Technologies, headquartered in Montréal and with offices in the United States, revealed plans Oct. 10 for satellites that would collect power and transmit it via lasers to spacecraft on the lunar surface, helping them survive the two-week lunar night or operate in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles. (10/10)

Near-Earth Asteroid Data Offers Insights Into Possible Fifth Force in the Universe (Source: Space Daily)
In 2023, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission returned a sample of dust and rocks from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Beyond the immediate scientific value of the samples, data from OSIRIS-REx has opened the door to investigating new physics. A study published in *Communications Physics*, a Nature journal, details how an international research team led by Los Alamos National Laboratory used Bennu's tracking data to explore the possible existence of a fifth fundamental force of the universe. (10/10)

Scientists Unveil Efficient Method for Detecting Atmospheres on Distant Planets (Source: Space Daily)
Finding planets that could support life is a critical objective in astronomy, with the presence of an atmosphere being a key factor in determining a planet's habitability. Though scientists have discovered Earth-like exoplanets, none have been confirmed to possess atmospheres. A new study led by Qiao Xue, a PhD student at the University of Chicago, introduces a simpler and more efficient method to determine if exoplanets have atmospheres. Working with Prof. Jacob Bean's team, the researchers showed how the method could identify atmospheres more effectively than prior techniques. Xue's study could accelerate the search for habitable planets by revealing patterns in atmosphere formation. (10/10)

NASA Selects Two Mission Proposals for New Astrophysics Program Studies (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has chosen two mission proposals to undergo further review as part of its new Probe Explorers class, a major step in its astrophysics research. The missions, focused on observing X-ray and far-infrared light from space, will each receive $5 million to conduct a 12-month study to refine their concepts. NASA expects to make a final selection in 2026, with the chosen mission slated for launch in 2032.

These missions will inaugurate a new class of astrophysics programs, falling under NASA's Explorers Program. Known as Probe Explorers, this class will bridge the gap between smaller, principal investigator-led missions and large flagship initiatives, helping NASA continue its exploration of the universe's hidden mysteries. (10/7)

Pentagon's Secret UFO Data Retrieval Program 'Immaculate Constellation' Revealed in Whistleblower Report (Source: Daily Mail)
A secretive Pentagon UFO data retrieval program has been hidden from Congressional oversight since 2017, a new report claims. Whistleblowers assert the program — codenamed 'Immaculate Constellation' — was established to 'detect' and 'quarantine' the military's best UFO imagery, as well as its best videos, eyewitness testimonies and electronic sensor evidence. This trove of high quality, multi-sensor UFO data is so tightly held that 'talking about it will put you in the danger zone,' according to a US official who confirmed the leak.

The quite literally 'above top secret' program allegedly sprang into action in the wake of the 2017 leak of three, still-as-yet unexplained US Navy infrared UFO videos. A Pentagon spokesperson denied the existence of the program Tuesday evening, telling reporters: 'The Department of Defense has no record, present or historical, of any type of SAP [Special Access Program] called 'IMMACULATE CONSTELLATION.'' (10/10)

A Massive Space Junk Disaster in Orbit Is Inevitable Now, Scientists Warn (Source: Futurism)
Researchers from the orbital mapping firm LeoLabs are raising alarm bells about the dangerous amount of space junk littering our planet's orbit that will inevitably create a catastrophe. In an interview with Forbes, LeoLabs senior technical fellow Darren McKnight described the issue as a "ticking time bomb" waiting in the wings.

With our planet veritably surrounded by almost 30,000 objects bigger than a softball hurtling through space at extremely fast speeds, McKnight and his colleagues are looking for solutions to head off tragedy — but they might not be able to make it in time. (10/9)

Vast Unveils Its Final Haven-1 Space Station Design (Source: Vast)
Vast, the US-based space habitation technology company pioneering the path to long-term living and thriving in space, today unveiled its interior design features aboard Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station. Vast’s inaugural station combines the functionality of its state-of-the-art facilities for scientific research, technological advancement, and global collaboration in low-Earth orbit (LEO) with its remarkable dedication to sophisticated and human-centric design. (10/10)