October 17, 2024

Behind Boeing’s Long Decline: “Putting Mediocre Things Together Doesn’t Create a Great Thing.” (Source: Marketplace)
Boeing’s spiral started before the strike, before the pandemic, before faulty planes and fatal crashes. Marcel Zondag leads the supply chain management program at Western Michigan University. He said it began back in the ’90s. “The downfall of Boeing was driven by the merger of McDonnell-Douglas,” Zondag said.

Editor's Note: That's when Boeing inherited the Delta rocket. Meanwhile, Lockheed inherited the Titan rocket with its Martin Marietta merger. They handled these major acquisitions very differently, with Boeing creating a vertical management structure and Lockheed Martin creating a horizontal one, which at the time seemed to place divisions of the company in competition with each other. Boeing narrowed its personnel hierarchy while you couldn't swing a stick without hitting a Lockheed Martin vice president. At the time I was convinced that Boeing was doing it right. (10/15)

Argotec and Thales Alenia Share Contracts for IRIDE Constellation (Source: Space News)
Argotec and Thales Alenia Space have signed contracts to build additional satellites for an Italian Earth observation constellation. Thales Alenia Space will contribute six radar satellites and Argotec will provide 15 optical satellites for the IRIDE constellation under contracts signed Wednesday at IAC. IRIDE, a project funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan and managed by the European Space Agency and the Italian space agency ASI, is an ambitious campaign to launch Europe’s largest Earth-observation constellation. (10/17)

Spire and Mission Control to Collaborate on Persistence AI Project (Source: Space News)
Spire Global and Canadian startup Mission Control will collaborate on a space-based AI experiment. The Persistence mission, housed in a six-unit Spire Lemur cubesat with an optical camera, will test the use of AI to enable spacecraft autonomy. Through Persistence, Mission Control plans to demonstrate its Spacefarer AI platform, which is designed to streamline the deployment and update of AI models for spaceflight applications. The Canadian Space Agency is providing 75% of the funding for the Persistence mission, with Mission Control contributing the remainder. (10/17)

Artemis Nations Seek to Expand Partnership (Source: Space News)
Countries who have signed the Artemis Accords are redoubling their efforts to encourage more to sign. While 45 countries have signed the Accords, which outline best practices for sustainable space exploration, over four years, some officials noted at IAC this week that other countries are either not familiar with the Accords or their benefits. They said they will be making more efforts to reach those countries to build up their expertise and show the benefits of the Accords. (10/17)

AI and Advanced Robotics Could Replace Spacewalks (Source: Space News)
AI and advanced robotics could take the place of spacewalks. In a presentation at IAC, a  researcher noted that spacewalks are high-risk activities that require extensive training and preparation. Tasks currently done on ISS spacewalks could instead be done by robotics powered by AI systems that can carry out complex tasks. That greater use of advanced automation is likely to find other applications in space exploration. (10/17)

Rocket Lab Adds Mission to 2024 Launch Schedule, Prepares for Launch in Days (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket Lab USA announced a new addition to its 2024 launch schedule, with a commercial Electron rocket mission set to launch in just three days. The mission, named 'Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes,' will lift off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, starting October 19th, to support a confidential commercial client. The launch marks Rocket Lab's fastest turnaround time, with the interval between signing the contract and the scheduled launch date being under two months. (10/17)

India's Reliance Jio Opposes Starlink Spectrum Allocation (Source: Mint)
One company is criticizing India's plan to allocate satellite spectrum to services like Starlink. Reliance Jio argued that Indian regulators should auction spectrum, as it does for terrestrial mobile services, rather than allocate it through an administrative process as the government currently proposes. Other companies, including SpaceX, Amazon and Eutelsat, back the use of an administrative process. Reliant Jio said it may go to court if the government doesn't change its stance. (10/17)

NASA Considers Mars Sample Alternatives (Source: NASA)
NASA has set up a panel to review alternative concepts for Mars Sample Return. NASA announced Wednesday the formation of a strategy review team led by former administrator Jim Bridenstine and that includes other former NASA officials as well as representatives from academia. They will examine 11 proposals for alternative approaches to MSR recently completed by companies, a group of NASA Centers, JPL and APL. The panel is expected to complete their work by the end of the year, recommending a specific approach or a combination of several of the alternatives. (10/17)

Sierra Space Developing ISS Trash Compactor (Source: Sierra Space)
Sierra Space is developing a trash compactor for the ISS. The company announced Wednesday that it won a NASA contract to develop the Trash Compaction and Processing System (TCPS), which is intended to capture water from trash for reuse, compacting the remaining material into square tiles that can be easily stored or be used for additional radiation protection. TCPS will be tested on the ISS in late 2026. (10/17)

NASA: Robots Could Represent "Human Presence" in Space (Source: Space News)
NASA says its desire to maintain a "continuous human presence" in low Earth orbit after the retirement of the ISS may not mean having humans continually present. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said that discussions about transitions about the ISS transition have resulted in two options for maintaining a continuous human presence. One, "continuous heartbeat," would maintain humans in orbit continuously. However, a "continuous capability" alternative would allow for crew-tended missions to commercial stations, at least initially. That discussion is part of the development of a LEO microgravity strategy by NASA as well as planning for the next phase of its Commercial LEO Destinations program. (10/17)

SpaceX Plans Starship (Upper-Stage) Chopstick Catch Next Year (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX aims to do the same with Starship's 165-foot-tall upper-stage spacecraft — known as Starship — in the coming months as well, according to company founder and CEO Elon Musk. "Hopefully early next year, we will catch the ship too," Musk said Tuesday. Launch-tower catches of Ship likely won't apply to all of the vehicle's missions, however. For example, the upper stage will carry people to the surface of the moon and Mars, if all goes according to plan — jaunts that will presumably require propulsive, vertical touchdowns made with the aid of landing legs. (10/16)

Aerospace Market is Projected to Reach Almost $260 Billion by 2034 (Source: Sarens)
The global aerospace market is estimated at $373.61 billion in 2024 and is forecast to exceed $791.78 billion in 2034. In the U.S., the aerospace market size is valued at $120.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $259.57 billion in 2034, according to Precedence Research, a leading provider of strategic market outlooks.

The region has a mature aerospace market with a strong focus on innovation and advanced technology. Notable trends in the United States include the push for sustainable aviation, the rise of space exploration driven by companies such as SpaceX, and scientific missions including satellite technology. The emerging space tourism sector presents exciting business opportunities, with numerous companies venturing into commercial space travel. (10/17)

General Dynamics, Iridium Support SDA Ground Systems (Source: GovConWire)
The Space Development Agency has awarded Iridium Communications and General Dynamics Mission Systems a joint $491.6 million contract modification to provide ground management and integration support for SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Iridium's portion of the contract is valued at $239 million over five years. (10/16)

The Origin of Most Meteorites traced to Three Asteroid Families (Source: Space Daily)
An international research team, including scientists from the CNRS, the European Southern Observatory, and Charles University, has traced the origins of 70% of known meteorite falls to three asteroid families in the main asteroid belt. These families - Karin, Koronis, and Massalia - were formed by collisions occurring 5.8, 7.5, and around 40 million years ago. The new findings, which have identified the origins of over 90% of all meteorites, are published in three scientific papers. (10/17)

Astronomers Use New Technique to Search for Alien Signals Between Planets (Source: Space Daily)
A new search technique has allowed astronomers to target exoplanets that align with Earth and each other in search of radio signals that could indicate interplanetary communication. Penn State researchers, in collaboration with the SETI Institute, recently conducted a 28-hour search of the TRAPPIST-1 system using the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), marking the most extensive investigation of its kind for this star system. Although the search did not uncover any signs of extraterrestrial technology, the project introduced an innovative approach that could enhance future efforts to detect such signals. (10/17)

NASA Shifts to Commercial Satellite Services, Phases Out Legacy TDRS Network (Source: Space Daily)
NASA is advancing its strategy to adopt commercially operated satellite communications for near-Earth missions, aiming to enhance service coverage, availability, and accelerate data delivery. Beginning Friday, Nov. 8, the agency's legacy Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system, which is part of the Near Space Network, will cease onboarding new missions. The system will continue to support existing projects, while upcoming missions will transition to commercial services. (10/17)

HydRON to Revolutionize Satellite Data Sharing with Laser-Based Network (Source: Space Daily)
The European Space Agency (ESA) signed a contract marking the start of HydRON's Element #1. HydRON, which stands for High thRoughput Optical Network, aims to enhance satellite communication using laser technology to enable faster connections between satellites and ground networks. ESA selected Kepler Communications, a Canadian satellite telecommunications company, as the primary contractor for the project's first phase.  (10/17)

Skynopy Partners with Kinéis to Accelerate the Development of Its Satellite Ground Antenna Network (Source: Skynopy)
Skynopy, a French space startup specializing in satellite connectivity, has announced a partnership with Kinéis, a satellite IoT operator, to launch its own network of antennas and further develop its efficient and sovereign turnkey satellite connectivity service. This collaboration responds to the growing needs of the space industry. (10/17)

SpaceX’s Starship and the New Race to the Moon Between America and China (Source: The Economist)
The remarkable recent test flight of SpaceX’s Starship brought the world one step closer to a host of new possibilities beyond Earth (not least the colonization of Mars). But as well as reducing the cost of sending stuff into space and opening up new business opportunities in Earth orbit, Starship will also play an important role in NASA’s plans to return to the Moon. Meanwhile, China has its own lunar ambitions, and a much simpler plan than America’s. Who will win this new space race? (10/16)

Ciseres AI Satellites Aim to Revolutionize Disaster Response (Source: Space Daily)
This week, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Ciseres project at the International Aeronautics Congress in Milan. Ciseres is a small satellite mission designed to speed up emergency response times by employing artificial intelligence (AI). As part of ESA's Civil Security from Space (CSS) initiative, the project aims to deliver critical updates to first responders and government officials within minutes following disasters such as floods, fires, and landslides. The mission is led by Deimos, a European company known for its expertise in small satellite operations. (10/16)

When Will Boeing’s Starliner Fly Astronauts Again? NASA Still Doesn’t Know (Source: Space.com)
NASA is still unsure when it will next put astronauts on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which experienced issues during its first crewed test flight this summer. Starliner's next "potential" crewed mission to the ISS in 2025 "will be determined once a better understanding of Boeing’s path to system certification is established," NASA officials wrote. NASA and Boeing are still reviewing the requirements for Starliner's certification, after propulsion problems arose on the first test flight with astronauts, which launched on June 5, agency officials added. "NASA will provide more information when available," the agency added. (10/16)

Why There's a Rush of African Satellite Launches (Source: BBC)
The cost of launching a satellite has fallen significantly in recent years, says Kwaku Sumah, founder and managing director at Spacehubs Africa, a space consultancy. “That reduction in cost has opened the market up,” he adds. “These smaller nations… now have the opportunity to get involved.” To date, a total of 17 African countries have put more than 60 satellites into orbit and, along with Senegal, both Djibouti and Zimbabwe have also watched their first satellites become operational during the past 12 months.

Dozens more African satellites are expected to go into orbit in the coming years. And yet, the continent currently has no space launch facilities of its own. Plus, powerful countries elsewhere in the world are arguably using nascent African space programs as a means of building relationships and asserting their geopolitical dominance more broadly. Can more African nations chart their own way into orbit – and beyond? (10/14)

Rocket Lab Plans for Accomack County Boat Ramp (Source: WBOC)
Accomack County Administrator Mike Mason is providing further details on how and when Rocket Lab plans to utilize a local boat ramp to bring their rockets ashore while county and state officials weigh the impacts. As WBOC previously reported, space company Rocket Lab has been eyeing the Queen Sound boat ramp off the Chincoteague Causeway as a possible entry point for barges carrying rocket components. Those components would then be transported on the causeway to Wallops Island.

Rocket Lab’s plans drew some concern from neighbors in Chincoteague, who worried the large operations on the causeway would dam up traffic to and from the island, including emergency vehicles. “Rocket Lab's preferred and primary cargo delivery method is to use a dock option directly on Wallops Island,” Mason writes in his Key Points for a presentation scheduled for Wednesday, “Until that is available, they are considering using a barge to perform a beach landing directly on Wallops but Rocket Lab needs an alternative if weather or nesting bird restrictions derail this option which is where Queen Sound comes into play.”

Virginia's Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) owns the Queen Sound boat ramp, so the ultimate decision would be left to the Commonwealth. Mason says DWR has yet to make a decision on whether Rocket Lab will be permitted to off-load using the ramp. Rocket Lab plans to hold multiple community presentations and discussions in the near future to listen and respond to neighbors’ feedback, according to Mason. The space company is also expected to provide updates to both Chincoteague officials and the Accomack Board of Supervisors at their upcoming public meetings in November. (10/15)

South Texans Calling on the Texas Environmental Agency to Act After the Company Avoided Launch Delays (Source: Houston Chronicle)
The South Texas Environmental Justice Network said in a press release Tuesday that the community was "distraught by the negative impacts of the launch" and is frustrated with the "lack of concern for public safety and health." When Starship launched on Sunday, it happened after Elon Musk's company curiously finessed a last-minute launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration. Launches were previously said to be delayed until November.

Now, those opposed to SpaceX are preparing to gather outside a public meeting the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is holding in Brownsville on Thursday to review a permit SpaceX is seeking. The organization says it plans to hold "Fuera SpaceX" signs and hand out information about its concerns specifically over SpaceX's proposed permit to discharge deluge water they describe as polluted into a delicate ecosystem.

The Oct. 17 meeting will come as the latest pushback on SpaceX's intensified activity at its facilities in Boca Chica. In July, the FAA announced SpaceX's plans to launch up to 25 times annually from South Texas. At the time, the fifth Starship launch wasn't expected for some time, and it was eventually announced that it wasn't expected until November due to a possible more expansive sonic boom. (10/15)

Accelerated Model of Age-Related Muscle Loss in Microgravity Could Lead to New Sarcopenia Treatments (Source: CASIS)
According to the World Health Organization, more than 50 million people around the world have sarcopenia. This age-related condition causes loss of muscle mass, strength, and function and increases the risk of falls and bone fractures. Currently, the only treatment for sarcopenia is exercise. Through ISS National Lab-sponsored research, University of Florida researchers successfully modeled age-related muscle loss using tissue chips in microgravity. The model can be used to test new treatments and study sarcopenia in ways not possible on Earth. (10/15)

China Vows Enhanced International Cooperation in Space Science Exploration (Source: Xinhua)
China will pursue extensive and in-depth international cooperation in space exploration, according to a press conference held on Tuesday unveiling the nation's mid and long-term space science development program. Wang Chi, director of the National Space Science Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that international cooperation in space science can significantly multiply scientific output and foster mutual understanding and friendship among countries worldwide.

Wang cited the development of the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer satellite as an example of the comprehensive collaboration between China and Europe, from its development to its operation. The establishment of multinational collaborative scientific teams with complementary advantages will be encouraged in space science projects, and the sharing of scientific data will be expanded to promote significant scientific achievements, Wang said. (10/16)

Canadian Spaceport Project Supports Suborbital Pathfinder Launch Effort (Source: Maritime Launch Services)
Maritime Launch Services and Reaction Dynamics are announcing the next steps in their continuing collaboration with the signing of an agreement for future orbital launches from Canada. This new partnership between the two Canadian space companies will begin with a pathfinder launch designed to reach the edges of space. The low impulse launch will push the limits toward a future orbital launch by reaching the Karman Line, the internationally recognized edge of Space. (10/15)

SpaceX Breaks Own Record for Falcon 9 Launches (Source: Space Policy Online)
SpaceX has set a new record for Falcon 9 launches in a single year, with the 97th successful liftoff overnight. That breaks their record of 96 in 2023 with many weeks still to go in 2024. Add in the three suborbital Starship test flights and they’ve already reached 100 successful launches this year despite one launch failure. They also experienced a landing failure plus a second stage anomaly so the year has not been trouble free, but it is an impressive achievement. (10/15)