October 9, 2024

Startup Takes New Approach to Space-Based Solar Power (Source: Space News)
A startup led by a founder of a financial services company is taking a new approach to space-based solar power intended to be more scalable and affordable than previous concepts. Aetherflux announced Oct. 9 plans to develop and ultimately deploy a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit that will collect solar power and beam it to Earth using infrared lasers. The company is planning to demonstrate this technology with a small satellite launching by early 2026.

The concept is a departure from many previous concepts for space-based solar power (SBSP), which have involved large arrays in geostationary orbit. Those systems would transmit their power using microwaves to large rectennas on the ground. Such concepts have been studied for more than half a century but have not advanced beyond the drawing board. (10/9)

UTSA Leads DOE Project to Advance Nuclear Energy and Space Exploration (Source: Space Daily)
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) to lead a multimillion-dollar initiative aimed at driving nuclear energy research at the university. The funding is part of the DOE's Nuclear Energy University Program's Integrated Research Projects (IRPs), which are designed to provide research and development solutions relevant to DOE priorities. (10/8)

UTA Physicists Explore Possibility of Life Beyond Earth (Source: Space Daily)
Are there planets beyond Earth where humans can live? The answer is maybe, according to a new study from University of Texas at Arlington physicists examining F-type star systems. Stars fall into seven lettered categories according to their surface temperature. They also differ in other factors including mass, luminosity, and radius. F-types are in the middle of the scale, hotter and more massive than our sun. F-type stars are yellowish white in color and have surface temperatures of more than 10,000 degrees. (10/8)

China Satellite Completes AI Large-Model Tests in Orbit (Source: Space Daily)
ADA Space, a Chinese AI satellite internet technology company, has successfully completed in-orbit testing of its AI large-model technology aboard a recently launched satellite. Between Sep. 25 and Oct. 5, the satellite conducted 13 tests of its AI large model. These tests examined various inference questions under a range of operating and temperature conditions, ensuring the model's performance in space. The tests confirmed that the company's AI large model is well-suited for space environments. Additionally, the satellite demonstrated the reliability of its computing platform and the high-performance payloads' ability to operate effectively in space. (10/8)

TransAstra Using Sutter Technology for Space-Based Matched Filter Tracking (Source: Space Daily)
TransAstra, a leader in space technology, has successfully used its proprietary Theia tracking software in space for the first time. This marks a major advancement in Space Domain Awareness (SDA) by achieving the first-ever synthetic tracking or matched filter detection from a space-based telescope. Theia's use directly in space, rather than solely on the ground, significantly boosts detection capabilities of existing orbital assets and opens new possibilities for the future of space observation.

Collaborating with Terran Orbital, TransAstra integrated Theia onto the GEOStare 2 cubesat, launched to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in 2021. After being uploaded to GEOStare's onboard system, Theia autonomously detected SDA targets in near real-time following image collection. Both the raw images and tracking data were then sent to Earth for further analysis. (10/8)

Curiosity Rover Finds Clues to How Mars Became a Lifeless Wasteland (Source: Gizmodo)
NASA’s Curiosity rover has added a new wrinkle to the theory that the surface of Mars was once hospitable to alien life. New chemical analysis of Martian dirt hints at eras in the planet’s past where the conditions necessary for life may have been met, but only for relatively short periods of time. The very processes that led to elements vital to life being present in Martian soil, may also have led to the waterless conditions currently present. Click here. (10/8)

Team Discovers Three New Magnetic and Helium-Enriched Hot Subdwarf Stars (Source: Phys.org)
An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of three new helium-enriched hot subdwarf stars with strong magnetic fields. The finding, made with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), is detailed in a research paper published Oct. 3 on the preprint server arXiv. Helium-rich subdwarf O stars (He-sdOs) are hot compact stars in a pre-white dwarf evolutionary state. They are the natural outcome of double helium white dwarf (WD) mergers. They are helium dominated, and most of them have effective temperatures between 40,000 and 50,000 K. (10/9)

SDA Outlines Plans for 200 Satellite Procurement (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is outlining plans to procure a new set of 200 satellites. Last week, satellite vendors were notified of an upcoming solicitation for about 200 satellites and associated ground services under Tranche 3 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).  SDA says it will look for "improved and more focused proposals" that will enhance the capabilities of the constellation while preparing for its long-term sustainment.

Tranche 3 will be the first procurement of replacement satellites as some Tranche 1 spacecraft reach the end of their operational life, projected at about five years. Tranche 3 will involve approximately 140 satellites for the Transport Layer, which provides low-latency communication, and 54 satellites for the Tracking Layer, which detects and tracks advanced missile threats. (10/9)

NASA Adds Rocket Lab to Mars Sample Return Study Group (Source: Space News)
NASA has added Rocket Lab to the group of companies studying alternative concepts for Mars Sample Return (MSR). The company said this week it received a contract to study a different approach to MSR that would reduce its costs and shorten its schedule. NASA picked seven companies in June for similar studies, and didn't elaborate on why it later added Rocket Lab to the group. Rocket Lab did not disclose details about its proposal, but a public abstract of its concept states that the company is proposing to launch a lander and return orbiter on two flights of its Neutron rocket, leveraging technologies from various spacecraft programs at the company. Rocket Lab claims it could complete MSR for as little as $2 billion and return samples as early as 2031. (10/9)

Hurricanes Highlight Value of Satcom Services (Source: Space News)
Hurricanes Helene and Milton are showing the value of satellite communications services. In the aftermath of Helene in North Carolina, SpaceX provided free Starlink services in affected regions, while other satellite operators like Intelsat also shipped terminals. Providing emergency connectivity is one of the near-term use cases highlighted by companies developing satellite constellations capable of directly connecting to existing smartphones. (10/9)

Starlink to the Rescue, With a Catch (Source: The Register)
The "free" service Starlink is offering people in regions affected by Helene comes with a catch. While SpaceX says customers in those areas can get one month of free service, they are still responsible for buying a Starlink terminal, which costs nearly $400 when including shipping and tax. Customers are automatically enrolled in a $120/month plan once the free month of service expires. (10/9)

Project Kuiper Investment Affecting Amazon's Bottom Line (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Some analysts are concerned that Amazon's investment in its Project Kuiper constellation is weighing down the company's finances. Amazon has committed to spending at least $10 billion on Kuiper, although some estimates suggest the actual figure could be far higher. One analyst noted that forecasts of Amazon's operating income could decrease by 6% in 2025 because of spending on the constellation as the company ramps up construction and launch of the satellites. (10/9)

UAE Creates Supreme Space Council (Source: The National)
The United Arab Emirates has established its own version of a national space council. The Supreme Space Council, announced this week, will oversee overall development of the country's space sector, including laws and policies. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, will chair the council, with several government ministers as members. (10/9)

JAXA Affected by Cyberattack (Source: Asahi Shimbun)
A cyberattack compromised the accounts of top officials with the Japanese space agency JAXA. In the cyberattack, hackers gained control of the accounts of five JAXA board members, including president Hiroshi Yamakawa. They used the compromised accounts to access thousands of files, such as confidential information provided by companies and international partners. JAXA has suffered four cyberattacks since June of last year. (10/9)

Starfighters' Expansion to Texas Spaceport Aims to Boost Hypersonic Research (Source: Starfighters Space)
Starfighters Space, operating the world's only commercial fleet of aircraft capable of flying at sustained MACH 2+ and able to air-launch payloads at altitude, announced the addition of its second launch facility in Midland, Texas. Starfighters Space sees Midland as the anchor of what Rick Svetkoff calls a "Hypersonic Test Corridor" with Starfighters providing an airborne testbed for hypersonic research. Midland's 'test range' allows for operations as far west as California's Mojave and Vandenberg spaceports.

Key to the partnership, Starfighters Space and MDC are working to secure FAA approval and certification for the corridor initiative. "As a strategic southwestern hub, Midland will enable our aircraft to reach these various military operating areas much quicker and in a more cost-effective manner," Svetkoff said. Midland also provides an alternate location for StarLaunch, an air-launch capability for small suborbital and orbital payloads now in development with GE Aeronautics. (10/8)

NASA Seeks Innovative Artemis Lunar Logistics, Mobility Solutions (Source: NASA)
NASA is asking U.S. industry to submit innovative architecture solutions that could help the agency land and move cargo on the lunar surfaced during future Artemis missions. Released in September, the agency’s request for proposal also supports NASA’s broader Moon to Mars Objectives. Previously, NASA published two white papers outlining lunar logistics and mobility gaps as part of its Moon to Mars architecture development effort that augmented an earlier white paper on logistics considerations. The current ask, Lunar Logistics and Mobility Studies, expects proposing companies to consider these publications, which describe NASA’s future needs for logistics and mobility. (10/8)

China to Launch New Quantum Communications Satellites in 2025 (Source: Space News)
China will launch new quantum satellites into low Earth orbit next year, according to a scientist leading the project. Two to three quantum communications satellites will be launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) next year according to Pan Jianwei, the scientist behind China’s 2016 Mozi/QUESS quantum experiments satellite, China Business News reported Oct. 3. (10/8)

Astronomers Just Found a Galaxy Way Too Advanced for its Time (Source: Mashable)
Imagine archaeologists excavating an old cave where they believed they'd see primitive ape-like ancestors and instead found a fossil almost indistinguishable from a modern human. That might be what astronomers felt when they discovered an evolved galaxy similar to the Milky Way, but lighting up space when the universe was merely 700 million years old. Given that most scientists believe the universe is 13.8 billion today, that period could still be considered the universe's toddler era, shortly after the Big Bang. (10/8)

SpaceX Breaks Silence On Starship Flight 5 – Sunday Launch & Catch Abort In-Play (Source: WCCF Tech)
SpaceX has picked up the pace with its Starship Flight 5 preparations in Texas, as after tank tests yesterday, the firm confirmed on social media that Starship Flight 5 could take place as soon as Monday. The announcement was the first for Starship after SpaceX's previous post confirmed that the launch could be delayed until November because of regulatory approvals. SpaceX's objectives for Flight 5 shared before today's announcement had included a tower catch for the Super Heavy booster as part of the firm's bid to build the world's first super heavy lift reusable rocket system. (10/8)