November 11, 2024

Two Ohio Companies Named to $2.5 Billion Space Contract (Source: Dayton Daily News)
Contractors from Beavercreek and Fairborn were named to a lucrative contract from the Space Systems Command in Los Angeles. BTAS Inc., of Beavercreek, and Solutions Through Innovative Technologies, of Fairborn, were among 12 companies awarded a $2.5 billion multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the command’s “Hemisphere” program. (11/11)

Elon Musk Has Squashed Jeff Bezos’ Space Dreams for 20 Years (Source: Daily Beast)
“Every day SpaceX is accelerating further away from Blue Origin,” said Eric Berger, a long-time chronicler of the new space race between Musk and Bezos, and the author of Reentry. “They’re still trying to do things SpaceX did in 2010.” The Musk-Bezos rivalry is one of the longest running in tech. It has been pockmarked with potshots. Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000. Musk followed with SpaceX in 2002.

The pair met in 2004 for a dinner Musk later recalled in withering terms. “We talked about rocket architectures,” he told Washington Post journalist Christian Davenport. Musk thought Bezos was pursuing “the wrong evolutionary path,” he recalled. “I actually did my best to give good advice, which he largely ignored.” “I asked Elon if he thought Bezos was a good engineer a few years ago,” Berger added. “He said no.” (11/11)

Why Has ISRO Delayed Gaganyaan Astronaut Mission To 2026? (Source: Mashable)
India's plan to launch its astronauts to space has been delayed by a year. The timeline for Gaganyaan has been pushed to 2026 as ISRO is working on ensuring that the trips to space are completely safe. During a recent event in New Delhi, ISRO Chairman Dr. S Somanath revealed what the mission team has in mind and what is causing the delay. Chairman Somanath said that the delay is owing to the extreme caution that ISRO is taking to ensure the safety of astronauts. He also said that there are complex systems that need to be developed without any flaws to ensure a safe trip. (11/11)

Economic Ministry Denies SpaceX has Asked Taiwanese Suppliers to Relocate (Source: RTI)
The Economic Ministry released a statement on Monday regarding reports that an unidentified source for news platforms such as Reuters claimed SpaceX has asked its Taiwanese suppliers to relocate production facilities off the island due to geopolitical tensions. After promptly contacting relevant Taiwanese suppliers, the ministry confirmed that no such relocation requests were made by SpaceX. The ministry advised the public against overinterpreting or embellishing unverified reports, emphasizing the importance of sourcing accurate information. (11/11)

Colorado Rep-Elect Promises to ‘Resist Any Attempt’ to Move Space Command to Alabama (Source: AL.com)
A newly elected member of Congress has promised to “resist any attempt” to move U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville following former president Donald J. Trump’s election. “Obviously, I believe that if it’s down to military value, (then) Colorado is the place for it to be,” said U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Crank, R-Colo., in a report by The Denver Post. (11/10)

Proba-3 to Continuously Monitor Sun's Energy Output (Source: Space Daily)
Proba-3's ambitious mission requires more than one spacecraft to achieve its objectives. To enable the Coronagraph spacecraft to study the Sun's outer atmosphere, the Occulter spacecraft must block the solar disk. This setup places the Occulter in continuous solar alignment, making it an invaluable scientific platform. The Occulter is equipped with the Davos Absolute Radiometer (DARA), a compact instrument developed by the Physical Meteorological Observatory Davos (PMOD) in Switzerland, designed to consistently measure the Sun's total energy output, or total solar irradiance. This variable is crucial for climate research. (11/9)

A Step Forward in Space Export Control Reform (Source: Space Review)
In October, the US Commerce and State Departments published revisions to space export controls, the first major changes in a decade. Jeff Foust reports on the changes and the path ahead. Click here. (11/11)
 
The New Space Race Must Be Run Together (Source: Space Review)
There is a growing sense of competition in spaceflight between the United States and its allies on one side and China on another. Aline Spyrka argues that the US needs to take the lead in creating peaceful precedents for space activities to prevent any race from becoming dangerous. Click here. (11/11)
 
Repurposing Nuclear Reactors Used in Space Propulsion for High-Density Power on the Moon and Mars (Source: Space Review)
NASA and others are exploring the use of nuclear power to provide propulsion, as well as for surface operations. Ajay Kothari discusses how a single system could be able to serve both applications. Click here. (11/11)

Ariane 6 Launch Slips to February (Source: Space News)
The next Ariane 6 launch has slipped to early next year. Arianespace announced Friday that the launch, previously planned for December, is now scheduled for no earlier than mid-February. The company gave no specific reason for the delay but noted the core and upper stages of the rocket have yet to be shipped from Europe to the French Guiana launch site, and that it was working on final preparations to launch facilities at the spaceport. The launch will be the second for the Ariane 6, after a mostly successful inaugural launch in July, and the first operational mission for the rocket, carrying a reconnaissance satellite for the French military. (11/11)

China Launches Radar Imaging Satellites (Source: Space News)
China launched four commercial radar imaging satellites late Friday. A Long March 2C rocket lifted off at 10:39 p.m. Eastern from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and placed into orbit four PIESAT-2 (Hongtu-2) satellites. The satellites are owned by Zhuzhou Space Interstellar Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. and are described as being mainly used for high-resolution SAR imaging. The company, which launched four PIESAT-1 satellites last year, expects to have a 16-satellite constellation in orbit by March. (11/11)

China Launches 15 Satellites on Lijian-1 Rocket (Source: Space News)
Another Chinese launch placed 15 satellites into orbit Sunday night. The Lijian-1 rocket lifted off from Jiuquan. The rocket's payload included three Shiyan-26 satellites, six Yunyao-1 radio occultation satellites and two Jilin-1 imaging satellites, among others, as well as one Chinese-built satellite for Oman. (11/11)

UK's Skynet 1A's Odd Location (Source: BBC)
Britain's oldest satellite is not where it's supposed to be. The Skynet 1A satellite was launched in 1969 and placed into GEO over Africa to relay communications for the British military. When it stopped working several years later, it was thought it might drift to a "gravity well" in GEO over India. However, the spacecraft is instead halfway around the GEO belt over the Americas. It's unclear how Skynet 1A ended up there, but observers speculate that the spacecraft, built and launched by the United States for the U.K., might have been taken over by the U.S. at the end of its mission and moved there, for reasons still unclear. (11/11)

Logos Space Plans 1000 Satellite Constellation (Source: Space News)
A startup led by a former Google executive is planning its own megaconstellation. Logos Space says it has early financial commitments needed to deploy 1,000 satellites for global broadband coverage. The company, which emerged from stealth at the end of October, has the backing of Thomas Tull's U.S. Innovative Technology (USIT) fund but has not disclosed how much it has raised. Milo Medin, founder of Logos Space and a former vice president of access services at Google, said the company will focus on engineering and operations, relying on partnerships with others for distribution of broadband services. The company is targeting 2027 for its first launches, pending an FCC license for the constellation. (11/11)

Maxar Sells Unit to ARKA Group (Source: Space News)
Maxar Intelligence has divested a small part of its business focused on supporting classified U.S. government sensor programs. Maxar sold its Radar and Sensor Technology unit to ARKA Group, a government contractor based in Danbury, Connecticut, for an undisclosed sum. ARKA has deep expertise supporting U.S. government-led synthetic aperture radar (SAR) programs. Maxar said it is not exiting the SAR business with this sale, noting its partnership with SAR satellite imagery company Umbra. (11/11)

NASA Extends ISS Cargo Contracts (Source: Space News)
NASA is extending cargo contracts with three companies for the remaining projected life of the International Space Station. In procurement filings Friday, NASA said it is extending its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) 2 contracts with Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space and SpaceX, which had been set to expire at the end of 2026, through 2030. NASA extended the contracts after concluding there were no other companies available to provide such services. NASA awarded the CRS-2 contracts in 2016 and has spent a little less than half of the $14 billion ceiling on them, and the agency said it does not expect to need to increase that ceiling with the extension. (11/11)

Fugro Supports Debut of Lunar Terrain Vehicle Prototype (Source: Space Daily)
Earlier this year, Fugro Australia's Space Automation, AI, and Robotics Control Complex (SpAARC) entered into a partnership with U.S. space exploration company Intuitive Machines to aid their phase 1 feasibility contract with NASA for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). On Friday, JSC's Space Centre Houston, hosted the unveiling of the first prototype, named Moon RACER.

Fugro, known for its expertise in advanced robotics in challenging environments, is contributing to the LTV's development as part of NASA's Artemis program. This initiative focuses on lunar exploration for scientific advancement, technological progress, and the preparation for future human missions to Mars. Fugro's involvement includes designing software architecture, developing mission planning tools, and handling mission operations. The SpAARC facility is set to act as a Mission Control hub in the Southern Hemisphere. (11/9)

GMV Completes FASTNAV Project Advancing Lunar Rover Capabilities (Source: Space Daily)
GMV, a multinational technology company, has concluded the FASTNAV (Multi-range Navigation for Fast Moon Rovers) project, showcasing a navigation system that enables rovers to reach speeds of 1 m/s-unprecedented for autonomous vehicles on planetary surfaces. Funded by ESA under its General Support Technology Program (GSTP) and supported by the UK Space Agency (UKSA), this development marks a significant milestone for future lunar exploration.

Amidst renewed global interest in lunar exploration, equipping rovers and other vehicles with technology capable of handling challenging terrains at higher speeds has become essential. The ability for a rover to traverse distances exceeding 20 km within a single lunar day (about 14 Earth days) is considered vital. FASTNAV has achieved this through a continuous driving paradigm, allowing for constant movement without the need for frequent stops, thereby increasing the average speed from the standard 0.13 m/s to 1 m/s. (11/9)