October 22, 2024

Body of Missing SpaceX Employee Found at Boca Chica Beach (Source: Valley Central)
The body of the missing SpaceX employee who was last seen swimming near Boca Chica Beach has been found, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The body was recovered by Cameron County local authorities at Boca Chica Beach near the original point where he was lost shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Monday. The Cameron County Sheriff’s Office stated that deputies stationed at SpaceX were notified of a swimmer in distress at Boca Chica Beach. (10/21)

Britain in the Early History of the James Webb Space Telescope (Source: Space Review)
The James Webb Space Telescope has demonstrated the ability to develop a large space telescope that can operate in the infrared without the need for life-limiting consumables like liquid helium. Harley Thronson describes how this concept had its origins in concepts for smaller infrared space telescopes developed in Britain more than three decades ago. Click here. (10/22)
 
Weighing Overall Societal Benefit: Case Studies on Deciding When to Deorbit Satellites (Source: Space Review)
Satellite operators face tough decisions with aging satellites, balancing continuing the services they provide against the need to deorbit them to avoid creating more orbital debris. Marissa Herron examines those competing factors and offers case studies of how NASA has made those decisions for some of its missions. Click here. (10/22)

A New Space Race: Bloomberg's Critique, NASA's Future, and the Geopolitical Stakes (Source: Space Daily)
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, it's clear that the stakes extend far beyond domestic issues like healthcare and the economy. The next administration will inherit a pivotal moment in space exploration - particularly NASA's Artemis program, which has faced growing scrutiny for cost overruns and delays. In a recent op-ed, Michael R. Bloomberg sharply criticized the program, framing it as a colossal waste of taxpayer money. While his arguments focused on efficiency and technological alternatives, it's hard not to see this critique as more than a simple commentary on government mismanagement. Instead, it seems Bloomberg may be positioning himself for a potential role as NASA Administrator, should Kamala Harris win the presidency.

Bloomberg's critique of Artemis isn't coming out of nowhere. The program, designed to land the next American astronauts on the moon, has ballooned in cost and complexity. The Space Launch System (SLS) alone has burned through nearly $24 billion, with each launch projected to cost at least $4 billion - quadruple the original estimates. This inefficiency is glaring, especially as private companies like SpaceX demonstrate much more cost-effective solutions with reusable rockets.

Bloomberg's focus on fiscal mismanagement is compelling, but it may also signal a broader appeal to the Harris campaign. If Harris wins the election, she will likely pursue a vision for NASA that emphasizes scientific exploration, international collaboration, and equity. Bloomberg's experience as a businessman and a public leader may make him a prime candidate for NASA Administrator in such an administration. His critique could easily be read as an implicit pitch to reform NASA from the inside, bringing a more streamlined, innovation-driven approach to the table. (10/22)

ESA Funds Development of CRIMSON Project for Space Debris Removal and In-Orbit Servicing (Source: Space Daily)
In September 2024, AROBS Polska and AROBS Engineering, both part of the AROBS Group, initiated the "Close Proximity Operations Control Unit Development and Qualification" (CRIMSON) project. This initiative, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) under its Clean Space program, addresses the critical need for a versatile control unit for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions, including Active Debris Removal (ADR) and In-Orbit Servicing (IOS). CRIMSON aims to develop a modular, flexible control unit capable of handling image processing, robotics control, and other essential tasks without requiring extensive nonrecurring engineering. (10/22)

NASA Funds Two Teams to Push Life Sciences Research in Space (Source: Space Daily)
NASA announced two significant awards aimed at advancing scientific consortia to conduct ground-based studies that contribute to the agency's goals of sustaining human life in space. These consortia will focus on biological research involving human, animal, plant, and microbial models. The total funding for these efforts will amount to about $5 million once fully implemented.

NASA's space biology research leverages the unique space environment to perform experiments that cannot be conducted on Earth. The results support astronaut health and also contribute to discoveries related to conditions like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, providing benefits for humanity on Earth. The two consortia that received awards are: 1) Studying the space biosphere, and 2) Converting human waste into materials for space biomanufacturing. (10/22)

Astronomers Find Webb Data Conflict with Reionization Models (Source: Phys.org)
Reionization is a critical period when the first stars and galaxies changed the physical structure of their surroundings, and eventually the entire universe. Established theories state that this epoch ended around 1 billion years after the Big Bang. However, if calculating this milestone using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), reionization would have ended at least 350 million years earlier than expected. (10/10)

Indian Space Startup GalaxEye to Launch 'Drishti Satellite' (Source: Economic Times)
Space startup GalaxEye is set to launch the first-of-its-kind multi-sensor Earth observation (EO) satellite, 'Drishiti,' in collaboration with Elon Musk's SpaceX, revealed Pranit Mehta, one of the five cofounders and an alumnus of IIT-Madras, in an exclusive interaction with ET. The launch is scheduled for mid-2025. Incubated at IIT-Madras, the company is headquartered in Bengaluru. (10/21)

Boeing Sells Small Defense Surveillance Unit to Thales (Source: Reuters)
Boeing closed a deal this month to sell a small defense subsidiary that makes surveillance equipment for the U.S. military, the company said on Sunday, as the planemaker looks to shore up its struggling finances. Boeing said in a statement that Digital Receiver Technology, which makes wireless equipment used by intelligence services, will be sold to Thales Defense & Security, an arm of Europe's largest defense electronics firm, Thales SA. Boeing did not disclose the terms of the deal. (10/20)

Hybrid-Electric Plane Maker Announces First U.S. Factory, in Daytona Florida (Source: EIN)
A French startup developer of hybrid-electric aircraft plans to build a 500,000-square-foot airplane factory along Florida’s Atlantic Coast — its first facility in the U.S. Aura Aero on Thursday announced its pick of Daytona Beach International Airport as its U.S. headquarters, including a new $172 million production and assembly plant that is expected to eventually create around 1,000 jobs.

The company reportedly has secured some $9 billion in orders for more than 600 ERA planes to date. The Daytona plant would supply around 100 planes each year to the company’s U.S. customers. Aura expects to begin construction in Daytona Beach in 2026, start operations at the plant in late 2028, and make its first deliveries from it in early 2029. Aura is also currently building a 10,000-square-foot hangar at the nearby campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that it said will house “electric aircraft development activities.” (10/18)

Former Nigerian President Urges Effective Policy Implementation in Space Technology (Source: VON)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the Nigerian Government to ensure the effective implementation of policies and statements, particularly in the space technology sector, to drive national development. Obasanjo made this call during a ceremony organized by the Nigerian Institution of Space Engineers (NISE) in Abuja, Nigeria.

The theme of the lecture was ‘Nigeria’s 21 Years in Space: Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects’. He noted that many policies, especially in the area of space technology, remain unimplemented. Obasanjo, therefore, underscored the importance of turning plans into action to harness Nigeria’s potential in space technology. He said Nigeria still has progress to make in achieving its goals. (10/20)

Inflatable Space Habitats Could be Key to Exploring the Solar System (Source: Space.com)
It's high time to crank up the volume in space! That's the shout from several private firms that want to see an inflation factor for the future. What is now being evaluated and tested is the use of "softgoods" to fashion inflatable/expandable airlocks and off-Earth habitats, not only for low Earth orbit, but also to provide comfy housing for future moon and Mars explorers. First, however, there's a memory lane trip about this idea worth taking, one that also underscores how far things have evolved.

Today, several leading firms are pushing forward on expandable structures in space, such as the new startup Max Space, which is working on inflatable habitats for Earth orbit, the moon and Mars. And Sierra Space is involved as well, developing a habitat called the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE). Similarly, Lockheed Martin is testing inflatable structure concepts that offer advantages over all-metal counterparts. Each group is eyeing the promising potential for expandable technology. And each company has its own proprietary "secret sauce" embedded in their products. (10/20)

Trump Links Campaign to Musk Mars Dream (Source; Business Insider)
At a Pennsylvania campaign rally in early October, Trump said he wanted to see human exploration on Mars by the end of his potential second term. "We will reach Mars before the end of my term," the former president told attendees in Pennsylvania. "Elon promised me he was going to do that." Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the GOP vice-presidential nominee, also connected SpaceX's achievement to government aspirations. "I believe the destiny of this country is to conquer the stars," the lawmaker wrote on X. "Whatever your views of Elon's politics, this is something that should inspire all of us." (10/20)

New Zealand and UK Agree Blueprint for Satellite Removal and Servicing Missions (Source: MBIE)
The New Zealand and UK space agencies have signed a blueprint for the removal and servicing of operational satellites that are very close together or making contact with one another. The arrangement is designed to support missions in the fast-growing areas of in-orbit servicing, space debris removal and satellite refueling, known as ‘rendezvous and proximity’ operations. (10/21)

NZ Space Agency Hopes Agreement Will Result in More Joint Missions (Source: RNZ)
The New Zealand and UK space agencies have come up with principles to make it easier for companies to do work in space. These outline ways to enhance cooperation in operations such as refueling or removing debris, where spacecraft get close to each other. This builds on a 50-year-old convention around liability, from back when governments, not industry, put up most spacecraft. The New Zealand Space Agency said it hopes the new move will help foster international missions. (10/21)

Northrop Grumman to Expand on Space Coast with Large Facility Featuring 50' High Bay (Source: Florida Today)
Northrop Grumman is expanding its campus at Melbourne Orlando International Airport with a large facility that includes a 50-foot-tall high bay. The expansion is code-named "Project Daisy" and is located on NASA Boulevard. The expansion includes a 303,600-square-foot office building, a 17,000-square-foot high-bay building, and a 14,400-square-foot mechanical yard.

The expansion is intended to modernize Northrop Grumman's engineering-design hub for advanced aircraft, including the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. The expansion is expected to create high-wage employment and career-growth opportunities for hundreds of Floridians over the next five years. (10/15)

NRO Speeding Contracting to Support Commercial Partners (Source: Breaking Defense)
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has been moving to speed its processes for acquiring commercial imagery in order to help support a robust US industrial base, according to the spy satellite agency’s deputy. Meink explained that tapping commercial innovation — in remote sensing, in launch, in data processing and in artificial intelligence/machine learning — is critical to helping the NRO meet one of its key challenges: keeping up with the pace of technological change. (10/18)

Mars, Morals, and the War (Source: Kyiv Post)
Today, while Ukraine fights for its existence, advances continue to be made in space exploration. Starship, a superlative technical achievement of the company SpaceX, presages a new era when great quantities of material can be launched into space, eventually allowing for the permanent settlement of Mars. Where does our morality sit within these stupendous developments?

Whatever our yearnings and aspirations for the future, surely we should never consider the dignity of human beings and their lives to be a dispensable sideshow, a compromise to be made, in the furtherance of our lofty plans. We cannot be starstruck by a future among the planets and yet find it difficult to obtain moral clarity on the fate of millions of Ukrainians. (10/20)

End-of-the-World Warning as Experts Fear Mystery Dark Energy Could Spark 'Big Freeze' (Source: Express)
Researchers have been left alarmed after finding a potential form of dark energy that could create a "long-freeze" and end the universe. This could result in the universe expanding while everything gets so cold that all activity would just die out. Dark energy is what causes the universe to expand. Scientists discovered it in the 1990s, but a lot of questions about it still remain.

Some researchers believe in an idea called holographic dark energy, which claims that gravity and space is just an illusion. The theory also states that the universe is two-dimensional, and the appearance of gravity is caused by quantum forces. (10/21)

Space Force Is Tracking New Debris Field After Communications Satellite Breaks Apart (Source: Gizmodo)
A communications satellite broke apart into smaller fragments in geostationary orbit after an unexpected failure rendered it irrecoverable, littering space with more junk that increases the chance of collision with other spacecraft. The Intelsat 33e satellite, designed to provide communication services to Europe, Africa, and parts of the Asia-Pacific region, lost power after experiencing an anomaly on Saturday, satellite provider Intelsat announced.

Shortly afterwards, the U.S. Space Force confirmed the breakup of Intelsat 33e and began tracking 20 pieces of debris associated with the satellite. “S4S [U.S. Space Forces-Space] has observed no immediate threats and is continuing to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain,” the Space Force wrote on X. It’s not clear why the satellite broke apart, but it may have been due to its propulsion system exploding. (10/21)

Robinhood Cofounder's Aetherflux Aims to Commercialize Lazer-Beamed Space Solar Power (Source: Business Insider)
Baiju Bhatt, the cofounder of trading app Robinhood, has a new space startup. Aetherflux aims to create a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that will collect solar power and beam it down to receptors on Earth using infrared lasers. Just as Elon Musk's Starlink constellation has transformed communications, Bhatt hopes Aetherflux will revolutionize energy. The receptors will be just 10 meters in diameter, Bhatt said, meaning they can be placed virtually anywhere and theoretically provide power to remote locations that would otherwise be too expensive or dangerous to reach. (10/22)

Weather a Continuing Issue for Crew-8 Departure From ISS (Source: NASA)
Weather is further delaying the return of the Crew-8 mission from the International Space Station. NASA said Monday it was waving off an undocking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft planned for Monday evening after weather conditions did not sufficiently improve at splashdown locations off the Florida coast. NASA said forecasts remain "marginal" for undocking opportunities Tuesday and Wednesday but are expected to improve later in the week. The departure of the Crew Dragon to conclude the Crew-8 mission has been delayed more than two weeks because of weather. (10/22)

Chile Joins Artemis Accords (Source: NASA)
Chile appears to be next in line to sign the Artemis Accords. NASA said Monday it will host a signing ceremony Friday afternoon where Chile's minister of science and the Chilean ambassador to the U.S. will sign the Accords. Forty-five nations have signed the Accords so far, including two earlier this month. (10/22)

Doritos Filmed Ad on ISS (Source: CollectSpace)
Not only did Doritos fly a version of its tortilla chips in space on a recent commercial mission, it filmed an ad there. Members of the Polaris Dawn crew ate the "Zero Gravity Cool Ranch" and filmed themselves doing so, which Doritos turned into an ad. The chips are based on the smaller bite-sized "mini" Doritos, but with the flavoring applied through an oil rather than dusting of powder that could float away in the cabin. "They did taste like Doritos, but they also had a really cool flavor," said one Polaris Dawn astronaut, Anna Menon. (10/22)

China Launches Three Radar Satellites (Source: Space News)
China launched a trio of radar calibration satellites late Monday. A Long March 6 rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 8:10 p.m. Eastern and placed the Tianping-3A (01), B (01) and B (02) satellites into orbit. Chinese media described the satellites as designed for ground radar equipment calibration and radar cross section measurements, which could have military or civil applications. (10/22)

NASA On Track to Decide on Revised Mars Sample Return (Source: Space News)
NASA officials said Monday that they were on track to decide by the end of the year how to revise the agency's Mars Sample Return (MSR) effort. At a National Academies committee meeting, MSR program officials said they had received eight studies from industry and four additional NASA-affiliated ones on ways to reduce the cost and shorten the schedule of MSR.

Those studies will be examined by an independent committee announced last week with the support of an internal NASA team. Officials said they are holding to a schedule that calls for delivering recommendations to NASA leadership in December on the best way to alter MSR to reduce its cost, currently estimated to be as high as $11 billion, and to shorten a schedule that currently projects returning samples to Earth in 2040. (10/22)

Space Force May Extend Commercial LEO Broadband Contracts (Source: Space News)
The Space Force will likely extend contracts for commercial broadband services from LEO constellations because of high demand. The Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) Satellite-Based Services program, which began in 2023 with a $900 million cap over five years, is approaching its projected spending limit much sooner than anticipated. The contract provides access to low-latency satellite communication services from multiple commercial vendors to military users. The military has spent $660 million on the contract after just over a year, which a Space Force official said makes it likely they will soon raise the ceiling to continue providing services. (10/22)

Northrop Grumman's Flying Data Center to Aggregate Satellite Data (Source: Space News)
A flying data center will help the military aggregate data from satellites and other sources. Northrop Grumman said Monday that its Deep Sensing and Targeting (DSAT) system was tested in a U.S. Army exercise last month. DSAT uses a modified commercial aircraft with a data center on board to provide real-time intelligence based on satellite and drone data to troops in the field. The technology could help solve a persistent military challenge: getting precise targeting data quickly enough to guide long-range missiles and artillery in fast-moving combat situations. (10/22)

Luxembourg to Invest in OQ Technology (Source: Space News)
The government of Luxembourg is investing in satellite connectivity company OQ Technology. Luxembourg Space Sector Development (LSSD), which the government co-runs with SES, contributed what the company called a "significant part" of an ongoing 30 million euro ($32 million) Series B funding round. OQ Technology said existing investors, including Saudi oil and gas company Aramco's venture capital arm, are also participating in the funding round. The company has 10 satellites in LEO to provide connectivity to remote monitoring and tracking devices and will use the new funding to expand that constellation while also exploring direct-to-smartphone services. (10/22)

Italy's Argotec Expands (Source: Space News)
Italian smallsat manufacturer Argotec has opened a new headquarters and factory. The company inaugurated its SpacePark facility near Turin Friday, which hosts the company's 200 employees and has the capacity to produce up to one satellite a week. Argotec converted an existing building, a unique round "spaceship" design by famous architect Oscar Niemeyer, rather than build a new custom-designed facility. Argotec will use SpacePark for building satellites such as 25 spacecraft for the Italian IRIDE Earth observation constellation. The company is also considering expansion in the United States to serve U.S. government customers. (10/22)