November 21, 2024

Northrop Grumman Workers at KSC Win Red Bull Competition (Source: Florida Today)
A group of Brevard aerospace engineers never dreamed they'd have a shot at winning a Red Bull competition, therefore they didn't even tell many coworkers they were entering Red Bull Flugtag Tampa. But they returned to work Monday at Kennedy Space Center, displaying their trophy which weighs more than 30 pounds.

Around 90,000 spectators were watching live as the team took their shot at winning the flying machine contest on Nov. 9. Red Bull Flugtag Tampa took place at the Tampa Bay Convention Center, with teams ranging from Tampa, St. Petersburg, South Carolina, Utah, and of course the Space Coast. During the event, the teams build and launch human-powered aircrafts over the 27-foot platform and into a pool of water. Teams run and push their aircraft up the platform before one team member goes overboard with the craft, hopefully taking flight. It is the aircraft that travels the furthest before smacking down into the water that wins.

Robert Cekosh was joined by teammates Jentry Miskin, Nicholas Cushing and Matthew Winch, who work as engineers for Northrop Grumman at Kennedy Space Center. Their everyday job consists of working on the solid boosters for NASA's Artemis Space Launch System or SLS rocket. Team Captain Jon Farrington is based in Utah. (11/15)

What the Department of Government Efficiency Could Mean for NASA and Space (Source: Florida Today)
While it remains to be seen what that effort will produce, expect some of the focus to be trained on space, a sector that Musk has already shaken up with SpaceX. While SpaceX holds multiple government contracts and has received billions in government funding over the years, opening the door for a potential conflict of interest, Musk has given no indication that NASA or space would be off his radar as he advises President-elect Donald Trump. While campaigning with Trump, Musk often turned to his own experiences with SpaceX for examples of what he deemed to be over-the-top regulations. (11/17)

Foundation Hopes to Transform Port Canaveral's Exploration Tower Into Space Attraction (Source: Florida Today)
The U.S. Space Force Historical Foundation wants to transform Port Canaveral's landmark Exploration Tower into an immersive public learning center showcasing "the past, present and future of space exploration" via exhibits, interactive technology and educational programs. The seven-story Exploration Tower has remained closed to the public since July 2022, and Port Canaveral Authority officials have engaged in talks this year to lease the structure to another entity.

After elevating its discussions during the past several months, the nonprofit space foundation outlined its vision in a Friday letter to port officials, said Jim Thomas, foundation executive advisor. And Thomas said Jared Isaacman's undisclosed donation this spring — which clocked in as the biggest private donation in the foundation's 35-year history — provided momentum for the Exploration Tower project, which is themed “Exploration from Sea to Space."

No decisions have been made on the Cape Canaveral-based foundation's vision for Exploration Tower. Thomas said the organization seeks at least a 10-year term. Formerly called the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Museum Foundation, the U.S. Space Force Historical Foundation supports construction, maintenance and restoration of roughly 100 rockets, missiles, related hardware and exhibits at Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, the Sands Space History Center near Port Canaveral, and Hangar C next to the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. (11/20)

‘Mass Head-Count Reductions’ at NASA, Other Agencies (Source: Washington Post)
To reduce federal spending, Musk and Ramaswamy propose eliminating programs that Congress funds but where specific spending authorization has lapsed, an idea that would ax critical measures including veterans’ healthcare, initiatives at the State and Justice departments and NASA, and multiple major antipoverty programs.

Some experts have noted that reducing the federal workforce would not meaningfully alter the budget gap. The federal government spends about $305 billion per year on salary and benefits for federal employees, excluding military personnel, which amounts to roughly 4 percent of the more than $6 trillion federal budget, said Brian Riedl, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a center-right think tank, citing White House statistics.

If Musk and Ramaswamy eliminated 25 percent of all federal employees, Riedl added, federal spending would be reduced by roughly 1 percent. Even that estimate is probably high, because the government would have to turn to contractors for at least some of the functions fulfilled by the laid off workers, Riedl said. (11/20)

Space Force Chief Attends Starship Launch (Source: Space News)
The head of the Space Force attended the latest Starship launch, showing the interest of the Pentagon in that launch vehicle. Gen. Chance Saltzman, the U.S. Space Force's chief of space operations, was invited to attend Tuesday's launch, the Space Force confirmed, and also participated in two days of program reviews. While no immediate commitments have been made to integrate Starship into military operations, Saltzman's presence signals military interest in the technology.  Starship, with its massive payload capacity, has the potential to support military logistics and space operations, including rapid cargo delivery. (11/21)

A New Wave of Space Investment? (Source: Space News)
The incoming Trump administration may spur a new wave of space industry investment. Attendees of an investment conference Wednesday said that they expect increased defense spending in both the U.S. and Europe, providing certainty in long-term spending that will prompt investors to put money into space companies. The potential for reduced regulations may also benefit space companies and trigger more investment, they said. (11/21)

European Investors Want More Government Investment in Space Companies (Source: Space News)
European investors and companies want governments there to provide more contracts to space companies. At Space Tech Expo Europe on Wednesday, panelists said European governments should be willing to take more risk and provide contracts to companies for new capabilities, following the models of U.S. agencies like NASA and the Space Development Agency. That is preferable, they added, to simply providing technology grants that can advance technologies but not necessarily business models. (11/21)

Inversion Space Raises $44 Million for Reentry Vehicles (Source: Space News)
Inversion Space has raised $44 million to continue work on reentry vehicles. The company announced the Series A round Wednesday led by Spark Capital and Adjacent, with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, Kindred Ventures and Y Combinator. The funding will allow the company to grow and complete development of Arc, a reentry vehicle capable of high-precision landings on Earth that it plans to start flying in 2026. The company is preparing to launch a technology demonstrator for Arc, called Ray, on the upcoming Transporter-12 rideshare mission. (11/21)

Lockheed's LM 400 Satellite Line Ready for 2025 Debut Launch, on Firefly Alpha Rocket (Source: Space News)
Lockheed Martin plans to launch the first of a new line of satellites next year. The company says it will launch its first LM 400 satellite on a Firefly Alpha rocket in mid-2025 on a tech demo mission. The LM 400 satellite bus, roughly the size of a household refrigerator, represents Lockheed's bid to capture a sweet spot in the satellite market: missions requiring more power and payload capacity than small satellites can provide, but not demanding the complexity of traditional large satellites. (11/21)

Lunar Outpost Signs with SpaceX for Starship Lunar Launch (Source: Space News)
Lunar Outpost will use Starship to deliver an Artemis lunar rover to the moon. The company announced Thursday it signed an agreement with SpaceX to use Starship to land its Lunar Outpost Eagle rover on the moon, concluding it was the best, most mature options of several it considered. Lunar Outpost is developing the rover as one of three companies in the first phase of NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) services program. The company says it will continue work on the rover to serve commercial customers even if it is not selected by NASA for the next phase of the LTV program. (11/21)

Russia Launches Cargo Craft to ISS (Source: NASA)
A Progress cargo spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station after a launch this morning. A Soyuz-2.1a lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 7:22 a.m. Eastern and placed the Progress MS-29 spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft, with a payload of 2.5 metric tons of cargo for the station, will dock with the station's Poisk module on Saturday. (11/21)

Lockheed Martin Links with Iceye to Develop AI-Assisted Targeting (Source: Space News)
Lockheed Martin is working with Finnish radar imaging company Iceye on how to use AI for improved targeting. The initiative leverages Lockheed Martin's automated target recognition (ATR) algorithms, which use artificial intelligence to analyze satellite imagery and identify objects or targets. The company will develop AI algorithms using Iceye's synthetic aperture radar imagery. Finland's military plans to use the technology for mobile intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. (11/21)

China Tests Long March 10 Fairing (Source: Space News)
China has successfully tested the payload fairing for its Long March 10 rocket. The fairing separation test was conducted recently, according to a statement Wednesday from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. A short clip of the separation test shows the 5.0-meter-diameter, 5.0-meter-high fairing, designed to protect spacecraft from the atmosphere during ascent, falling away to reveal a structural test article. The separation test is one of a number of milestones needed in order to get the Long March 10, a key element of China's human lunar exploration plans, ready for a first launch currently targeted for 2026. (11/21)

Germany's Exolaunch to Support Six Constellation Launches (Source: Space News)
German launch services provider Exolaunch will use its new Exotube adapter for six constellation launches starting in 2026. Exotube is a universal modular adapter for integration, launch and deployment of spacecraft ranging from cubesats to 500-kilogram satellites. An unidentified constellation developer is a customer for six Exotube launchers starting in 2026. Exotube is designed for use on multiple launch vehicles and is intended to serve growing demand for rideshare launches as SpaceX Transporter missions fill up years in advance. (11/21)

Teledyne and Satlantis Developing Space Sensor Electronics (Source: Space News)
Teledyne Space Imaging is collaborating with Satlantis to develop key electronics for an Earth and deep space sensor. Satlantis will develop electronics for the CIS125 TDI detector that Teledyne is making for high-resolution imaging, the companies announced Wednesday at Space Tech Expo Europe. The partnership is a significant step forward in making such imaging sensors accessible to the commercial space sector, according to Teledyne.  (11/21)

Australia and India to Collaborate on Human Spaceflight (Source: ISRO)
Australia's space agency will help India's human spaceflight program. India's space agency ISRO signed an implementing agreement with the Australian Space Agency Wednesday regarding Australia's support for the Ganganyaan program. That includes Australian assistance in search and rescue activities when Gaganyaan spacecraft splash down near Australian waters in the event of a launch abort. (11/21)

Young Transiting Planet Reshapes Theories of Planetary Formation (Source: Space Daily)
Researchers have uncovered a striking discovery: a planet named TIDYE-1b, just 3 million years old - the planetary equivalent of a two-week-old baby. This unprecedented find challenges existing models of planet formation, which suggest that planets take much longer to form. Unlike Earth, which took 10 to 20 million years to develop, TIDYE-1b emerged in only 3 million years and completes an orbit around its star approximately every week. This discovery provides a rare and vital insight into the earliest phases of planet formation, establishing a new reference point for the age of transiting planets and advancing our comprehension of planetary systems outside our own. (11/21)

USF Research Delves Into Volcanic Caves for Mars Life Insights (Source: Space Daily)
An international research team, led by Bogdan P. Onac from the USF School of Geosciences, has conducted an in-depth study of volcanic caves called lava tubes. This investigation sheds light on how such structures may offer valuable insights for detecting life on Mars. The team, including experts from Portugal, Spain, and Italy, focused on six lava tubes on Lanzarote, a Spanish island near North Africa. Known for their substantial size - sometimes hosting underground events - the tubes offered rich samples of mineral deposits. (11/19)

PIAP Space Enhances Satellite Docking for Refueling and In-Orbit Servicing (Source: Space Daily)
As the space sector experiences rapid growth in satellite operations and diversified space missions, the demand for in-orbit servicing has risen. PIAP Space has met this need with its innovative Docking System, aimed at boosting satellite longevity, serviceability, and sustainability. This system facilitates satellite operators in extending missions, performing essential repairs, refuelling, and managing deorbiting processes, contributing to more sustainable space practices and reducing orbital debris while optimizing satellite investments.

PIAP Space's Docking System consists of two primary operational approaches tailored for different mission needs. The Direct Docking method enables quick and efficient attachment for satellites with compatible structures. The Berthing approach, utilizing the TITAN robotic arm, ensures precise maneuvering and alignment, supporting non-cooperative or unprepared satellites and adding flexibility for various satellite configurations. (11/19)

Beyond Gravity Unveils Modular Satellite Electronics and Expands Product Line (Source: Space Daily)
Beyond Gravity, a prominent space industry supplier based in Switzerland, has launched a modular electronics platform called FoX, designed for satellites and featuring off-the-shelf components. This new platform includes single-board computers, navigation receivers, mass memory units, and time-sensitive networking (TSN) Ethernet switches, among other components. Tom Seeman, Director of Marketing and Sales Electronics at Beyond Gravity, stated, "Our electronics platform is very flexible and delivers high performance at affordable price. (11/19)

French Satellite Startup U-Space Partners with Neuraspace for Satellite Safety (Source: Space Daily)
French startup U-Space, an innovator in the design and production of small satellites, has teamed up with Neuraspace to enhance the safety of its upcoming satellite missions. U-Space has chosen Neuraspace's AI and machine learning-driven Space Traffic Management (STM) system to support the secure and effective operation of its two upcoming 12U small satellite missions. These satellites are set for deployment on SpaceX's Transporter-13 Mission in early 2025. (11/19)

NASA Plans to Assign Missions for Two Future Artemis Cargo Landers (Source: NASA)
NASA, along with its industry and international partners, is preparing for sustained exploration of the lunar surface with the Artemis campaign to advance science and discovery for the benefit of all. As part of that effort, NASA intends to award Blue Origin and SpaceX additional work under their existing contracts to develop landers that will deliver large pieces of equipment and infrastructure to the lunar surface.

NASA expects to assign demonstration missions to current human landing system providers, SpaceX and Blue Origin, to mature designs of their large cargo landers following successful design certification reviews. The assignment of these missions builds on the 2023 request by NASA for the two companies to develop cargo versions of their crewed human landing systems, now in development for Artemis III, Artemis IV, and Artemis V. (11/19)

Somewhere in the Multiverse, Dark Energy is Helping Stars and Life Form (Source: Space.com)
Somewhere in the multiverse, there could be universes more predisposed to forming stars, and possibly life, than our own universe -- and a new study has shown that it's all thanks to the most unlikely of suspects: dark energy.

A team of scientists has explored how the strength of dark energy directly affects how easily stars form, and it turns out that the strength of dark energy in our universe doesn't lead to the most efficient star factories. In fact, the researchers say that if you select a random observer from anywhere in the multiverse, chances are they'd come from a universe where the strength of dark energy is much greater than it is in our universe. (11/20)

More Evidence for Ancient Ocean on Mars from Chinese Rover (Source: EarthSky)
Did Mars ever have an ocean? Some studies have suggested it did, in the northern hemisphere lowlands, billions of years ago. A possible ancient shoreline has been found in the region of Mars being explored by the Chinese rover Zhurong, hinting that an ocean may once have covered a vast area of the lowlands in the planet’s northern hemisphere. The ocean covered much of the Utopia Planitia region, the new study suggests. It was at least 1,900 feet deep in the deepest parts. It later froze and then disappeared altogether. (11/20)

Just A Little More (Source: CNBC)
Space companies’ third-quarter results have been rolling in the past couple of weeks. This is the time when year-end totals come into view, so I wanted to run through some of the Q3 results as we head into the close of 2024. Click here. (11/14)

NASA Supercomputer Visualizes Terrifying Threat Facing Mankind (Source: MSN)
NASA used supercomputers to create a data-driven animation showing high levels of global carbon dioxide emissions that pose a threat to humankind. Using the Discover supercomputer at the Center for Climate Simulation at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, visualizers have used datasets from supercomputer models to make "highly detailed, accurate, and stunning visualizations with Hollywood filmmaking tools like 3D modeling and animation."

It demonstrates the impact of power plants, fires, and cities, and how their emissions are spread across the planet by weather patterns and airflow. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, human activities have "unequivocally caused warming" that is leading to severe weather changes, including more intense heat waves, storms, wildfires and rising sea levels. (11/19)

Building Colorado's Economic Case to Keep Space Command Begins (Source: Denver Gazette)
“If it's not broken, don't fix it.” That’s the argument local business leaders may make as debate reignites over whether Space Command should be headquartered in Colorado Springs or Huntsville, Ala. after former President Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, said J. J. Ament, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. (11/14)

Thai Air Force to Change Name to Protect National Space Interests (Source: The Nation)
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has proposed changing its name to the Royal Thai Air Force and Space and establishing a new unit to protect Thailand’s air and space interests, RTAF spokesman Air Marshal Prapas Sornjaidee said. The move is in line with the air force’s policy to protect national air and space interests, which have an estimated economic value of 29 billion baht per year and employ 1.6 million people in the telecoms, broadcasting and related industries, he said. (11/19)

Texas Space Commission Receives Over $2.5B in Space-Related Grant Pitches (Source: Houston Business Journal)
Companies, nonprofits and researchers have shown a strong appetite for space research grants, according to new figures from a state body. Texas Space Commission Executive Director Norman Garza confirmed during a Nov. 19 workshop that applications for the state's first round of Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund grants totaled $2.5 billion by the deadline of Nov. 15. That's stacked against a total of $150 million in state funding allotted to the TSC.

Garza did not share how much of the $150 million pot would be allotted for the first round of grants, which received over 175 applications in total. The commission was allowed to begin grading applications on Nov. 19, and selected applicants will be receiving calls before the commission's next board meeting on Dec. 10. (11/19)

Oman Set for Experimental Rocket Launch From Spaceport in December (Source: The National)
Oman is preparing to carry out a maiden rocket launch from its under-construction spaceport next month, in a major boost to the region's growing ambitions in the sector. The Etlaq spaceport, being developed in the port town of Duqm, aims to support scientific and commercial launches, with operations expected to begin fully by 2030.

The National Aerospace Services Company, which is overseeing the spaceport, said it will conduct “an experimental vehicle launch” in December. However, the company did not specify a date or the type of launch vehicle involved in the operation. (11/19)

Spaceport Sutherland Developer Orbex Welcomes Boost! Contract Extension and Additional Funding of €5.6m (Source: The Herald)
Scottish launch services company Orbex has extended its contract with the Boost programme run by the European Space Agency (ESA), securing additional funding of €5.6 million. The fresh cash injection will help Orbex move towards the initial launch of its Prime rocket next year, supporting more than 200 jobs at its operations in Scotland and Denmark. Headquartered in Forres, Orbex is one of only two space rocket manufacturers in the UK and also operates the Sutherland Spaceport currently under construction. (11/19)

Astronauts Found to Process Some Tasks Slower in Space, But No Signs of Permanent Cognitive Decline (Source: Frontiers)
In space, astronauts are exposed to extreme stressors our bodies don’t experience on Earth. Microgravity, higher radiation, and a high workload can impact cognitive performance. To find out which cognitive domains are affected by spaceflight, researchers analyzed data from 25 professional astronauts. They found that while on the ISS, astronauts took longer to perform tasks concerned with processing speed, working memory, and attention, but that a six-month stay in space did not result in lasting cognitive impairment once crews returned to Earth. (11/19)

Emergent Gravity May Be a Dead Idea, But it’s Not a Bad One (Source: Ars Technica)
Emergent gravity is a bold idea. It claims that the force of gravity is a mere illusion, more akin to friction or heat—a property that emerges from some deeper physical interaction. This emergent gravity idea might hold the key to rewriting one of the fundamental forces of nature—and it could explain the mysterious nature of dark matter. But in the years since its original proposal, it has not held up well to either experiment or further theoretical inquiry. Emergent gravity may not be a right answer. But it is a clever one, and it's still worth considering, as it may hold the seeds of a greater understanding.

Emergence is an old concept that appears and reappears in many contexts, from physics to philosophy to art. In physics especially, emergence refers to a clear but slightly uncomfortable fact: Despite our deep understanding of the innermost workings of nature at the subatomic scale, we often can’t use that knowledge to describe most of the systems we actually care about. (11/19)

Olive Seeds From China's Space Station Germinate on Earth (Source: Xinhua)
Olive seeds that underwent space mutation experiments aboard the Shenzhou-14 crewed spaceship in 2022 recently germinated in the city of Longnan in Gansu Province, northwest China, according to the state broadcaster China Central Television. Researchers plan to transplant the olive seedlings from 315 grams of seeds outdoors in 2026 to help them gradually acclimatize to the natural environment. (11/19)

USecAF Underscores Vandenberg SFB’s Role in National Security (Source: USSF)
Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton visited Vandenberg Space Force Base, Nov. 14, to meet with Guardians and Airmen and gain a better understanding of the base’s diverse missions. This marked Dalton’s first immersion at a Space Force base in her current role, providing an important opportunity to highlight the operations and capabilities of the Space Force’s West Coast Spaceport and Test Range. (11/18)