November 27, 2024

Overregulation is Stifling the Commercial Space Industry. The Launch Communications Act is a Good Start (Source: Space News)
As America’s presence in space expands, the FCC must update its spectrum licensing process for commercial space launches to ensure the U.S. maintains its all-important comparative advantage in this 21st-century space race against China. This is precisely why I led efforts in Congress to modernize the FCC’s licensing process for commercial launches. Recently, after an almost two-year effort, the Launch Communications Act was signed into law.

The Launch Communications Act will create an immediate solution to the current FCC spectrum licensing challenge. This legislation will create a new process for the FCC to issue spectrum licenses for commercial launches. This updated process not only helps eliminate outdated and redundant processes but also improves interagency coordination over the use of spectrum frequencies, while protecting federal users. (11/26)

Six Science Experiments Launched From Sweden onboard SubOrbital Express 4 (Source: Space Daily)
A key moment in space science unfolded Tuesday as six cutting-edge experiments launched aboard SubOrbital Express-4 from SSC's Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden. The rocket, carrying international contributions from six countries, achieved six minutes of microgravity, advancing research in medicine, green energy, and cosmic origins. SubOrbital Express-4 reached an altitude of 256 kilometers. (11/27)

Large Fire at Japan Rocket Test Site, No Injuries Reported (Source: Space Daily)
A huge fire erupted Tuesday at a Japanese rocket testing station, sending flames and smoke soaring into the sky, in the latest mishap for the country's ambitious space program. There were no reports of injuries in the incident, in a remote area of Kagoshima in southern Japan, where a solid-fuel Epsilon S rocket was being tested. Footage on national broadcaster NHK showed towering balls of fire and white fumes rising from the Tanegashima Space Center. (11/26)

NASA Partners Advance Projects for LEO Space Economy (Source: Space Daily)
NASA and its commercial partners are achieving significant milestones in the advancement of low Earth orbit (LEO) projects. These accomplishments are driving innovation in human spaceflight and enhancing commercial capabilities, with progress ranging from safety advancements to technological developments. Through the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative, NASA is working with seven U.S. companies to meet commercial and governmental needs for LEO operations. Click here. (11/26)

Spire Global Partners with LatConnect60 to Enhance Data-Driven Agriculture Practices (Source: Space Daily)
Spire Global has been selected by LatConnect60, a data and analytics company specializing in Earth Observation, to deliver Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) data and Soil Moisture Insights. These tools aim to improve sustainable agriculture practices through precise environmental monitoring.

The World Bank emphasizes the high return on investments in climate-resilient agriculture, estimating benefits between three to eight times the costs. With this in mind, LatConnect60 will integrate Spire's GNSS-R data and Soil Moisture Insights into its platforms to support water management, optimize efficiency, and monitor crop stress levels. These tools are tailored to benefit farmers, policymakers, and resource managers. (11/26)

HyImpulse Secures Funding to Advance Small Launcher 1 (Source: Space Daily)
HyImpulse Technologies GmbH, a prominent European company specializing in launch systems for small satellite transportation, has announced the acquisition of euro 11.8 million in funding through the European Space Agency's (ESA) Boost! Program. This funding, structured as a co-funded contract extension, aims to expedite the development of HyImpulse's Small Launcher 1 (SL1) orbital vehicle. The SL1 is designed to provide affordable and dependable orbital access for payloads up to 600 kilograms, supporting missions across Europe and globally. (11/26)

PLD Space Partners with Deimos for MIURA 5 Guidance System Development (Source: Space Daily)
PLD Space has announced the selection of Deimos to co-lead the development of the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system for its MIURA 5 orbital launcher. Scheduled to commence its launch campaign in late 2025, this collaboration aims to enhance MIURA 5's capability to deliver both dedicated and rideshare small payload missions efficiently and reliably. Deimos joins a growing consortium of high-profile partners contributing to the MIURA rocket family. (11/26)

America's First Liquid Hydrogen Rocket Engine Is Now Partially 3D Printed (Source: AutoEvolution)
With an avalanche of private space companies upon us, the number of engines meant to carry rockets and their cargo into space has grown rapidly over the past few years. This world is now dominated by powerplants named Raptor (made by SpaceX), BE (of Blue Origin), or Archimedes (the work of Rocket Lab). And yet, despite their success and exposure, they still haven't been able to remove the legacy rocket engines like the RS-25 or the RL10 from the picture.

Born into this world as America's first liquid hydrogen rocket engine, it was continuously improved, and it will continue to be so for many years to come. The newest iteration of the powerplant? A variant called RL10E-1. The unit is mostly the same as the version that preceded it, with one key difference: it features a 3D-printed copper thrust chamber that allows for a massive reduction of 98 percent in the number of parts that usually make up this structure. (11/26)

FCC Grants SpaceX Approval for Direct-to-Smartphone Service in US (Source: Space News)
The FCC has granted SpaceX conditional approval to provide direct-to-smartphone services in the United States. The FCC said Tuesday that SpaceX could use its Gen2 satellites to provide those services on cellular frequencies assigned to T-Mobile, SpaceX's partner. Of the more than 2,600 Gen2 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit, around 320 are equipped with direct-to-smartphone payloads, enough to enable the texting services SpaceX has said it could launch this year.

The FCC deferred deciding whether to allow these satellites to increase their radio emission power, which SpaceX has said is needed to support higher bandwidth capabilities such as real-time voice and video calls, but will allow SpaceX to operate satellites in lower orbits, at altitudes of 340 to 360 kilometers. The FCC's approval for nationwide service came after temporary authorizations in Florida and North Carolina this fall after hurricanes there. T-Mobile said Starlink handled more than 100,000 text messages and 120 wireless emergency alerts. (11/27)

NASA: Proceeding with VIPER Lunar Rover Would Requiring Canceling Other Commercial Rover Missions (Source: Space News)
NASA says it would have to cancel up to four commercial lunar lander missions if it decided to fly its VIPER lunar rover. NASA canceled VIPER in July, stating that the additional costs to carry out the mission would force it to cancel or delay an unspecified number of Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions, but did not specify a number.

In a response last month to the House Science Committee, which raised concerns about NASA's decision to cancel VIPER, NASA said it would have to cancel between one and four CLPS missions, depending on when VIPER launched and if NASA continued to use Astrobotic's Griffin lander or sought an alternative lander. Up to four other CLPS missions could be delayed by one to two years. NASA is continuing to evaluate proposals by companies and organizations to take over VIPER, and plans to announce "next steps" in that effort by early next year. (11/27)

Slingshot Aerospace to Develop Interface for TraCSS Space Traffic Coordination (Source: Space News)
The Office of Space Commerce has selected Slingshot Aerospace to provide the web interface for its space traffic coordination system. The office announced Tuesday it awarded a contract worth $5.3 million to develop the "presentation layer" for the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), creating a web interface that will allow public access to the data in TraCSS. TraCSS will be available through a TraCSS.gov website by late 2025, eventually replacing the Pentagon's Space-Track.org service. (11/27)

D-Orbit Picks Spectrum Advanced Mfg Technologies to Support OTV Satellites (Source: Space News)
Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies will produce components and assemble satellites for D-Orbit USA. The companies announced Tuesday an agreement whereby Spectrum AMT will manufacture printed circuit board assemblies and harnesses as well as perform final assembly of D-Orbit USA satellite buses. D-Orbit USA, a joint venture of European space transportation company D-Orbit and a group of American co-founders, was established in July to develop a satellite bus based on D-Orbit's ION orbital transfer vehicle. (11/27)

NASA Venus Mission Faces More Potential Delays (Source: Space News)
The leader of a NASA Venus mission already delayed by three years is trying to avoid a further delay. NASA pushed back the launch of the VERITAS orbiter from 2028 to 2031 to address "workforce imbalance" problems at JPL. The mission is currently working towards a June 2031 launch, but at a recent meeting, the mission's principal investigator said there was a "real possibility" that it would be delayed to November 2032. Such a delay could cause development issues with instruments already being built by European partners, which could be delivered before the spacecraft completes a preliminary design review. It could also create conflicts with the operations of ESA's EnVision Venus orbiter, which would arrive at Venus at almost the same time as VERITAS if VERITAS is delayed to late 2032. (11/27)

China's Landspace Launches Two Satellites on Zhuque-2 Rocket (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch startup Landspace put two satellites into orbit late Tuesday with the first launch of an improved version of its Zhuque-2 rocket. The Zhuque-2 enhanced version, or ZQ-2E, lifted off at 9 p.m. Eastern from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and placed into orbit the Guangchuan 01 and 02 satellites. Few details about the satellites were disclosed. The launch is the fourth for the Zhuque-2 and third successful one after a failed inaugural launch in late 2022. The ZQ-2E features an upgraded engine in the second stage and use of fully supercooled propellant loading. (11/27)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 late Tuesday. The rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 11:41 p.m. Eastern and deployed its Starlink satellite payload about an hour later. The launch was delayed one day for reasons SpaceX did not disclose. (11/27)

Judge Blocks Injunction to Halt More Texas Starship Launches (Source: myRGV)
A federal judge has blocked a request by an environmental group for an injunction halting Starship launches from Boca Chica, Texas. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera said SpaceX made a "good faith mistake" when it operated a water deluge system at the pad without proper permits, and noted that the system did not appear to cause significant environmental impacts and that SpaceX was now working to get the proper permits. The environmental group Save RGV filed suit in October, arguing that the company had violated environmental laws by operating the system without a permit. While the judge denied the request for a restraining order halting launches, the case will continue. (11/27)

Transition 'Landing Parties' Heading to DoD, NASA (Source: Politico)
The incoming Trump administration has finally reached an agreement to allow formal transition teams to start work at federal agencies. The Trump transition signed a memorandum of understanding with the White House Tuesday that will allow the incoming administration to send agency review teams, or "landing parties," to federal agencies including the Defense Department and NASA. Trump had rejected using traditional agreements with the General Services Administration that would have given it access to office space and funding to support the transition. The incoming administration plans to privately fund the transition, but with no legal requirements to disclose the source of that funding. (11/27)

ISS Dodges Debris Again (Source: Space.com)
For the second time in less than a week, the International Space Station had to maneuver to avoid debris. A Progress cargo spacecraft docked to the station fired its thrusters for three and a half minutes Monday to raise the station's orbit by half a kilometer, providing additional clearance from an unspecified piece of debris that would have passed close to the station. The station made a similar maneuver last week to avoid a close approach by debris from a U.S. military weather satellite. (11/27)

Space Firms See Government Contracting Shakeup in Second Trump Term (Source: Space News)
The incoming Trump administration’s close ties to Elon Musk and other tech billionaires could upend traditional Pentagon procurement practices, space and defense industry executives said at last week’s Baird Defense & Government Conference in McLean, Virginia. One theme that emerged from the conference is that the established defense contractor ecosystem might face disruption from newer, tech-focused players.

“Cost minus” is a new buzzword circulating among Trump transition team insiders, according to Gabe Dominocielo, co-founder and president of Umbra Space, an Earth observation satellite operator. What this means is “whatever the opposite of what we’re doing now,” he said. This would pose a direct challenge to the traditional “cost plus” model where the contractor is compensated for all direct costs incurred during a project along with an additional fee that serves as profit and is typically a percentage of the total project costs. (11/25)

CNES to Once Again Launch Suborbital Rockets From French Guiana (Source: European Spaceflight)
The French space agency, CNES, has announced plans to reopen the Guiana Space Centre’s sounding rocket launch complex. The agency has signed an agreement with the French launch startup Opus Aerospace, which will use the previously abandoned facility to launch its 4.7-metre suborbital Mésange rocket in 2025.

Officially inaugurated in 1968, the Ensemble de Lancement Fusées-Sondes (ELFS) launch complex hosted the Guiana Space Centre’s first launch on 9 April 1968, with a Véronique sounding rocket that reached an altitude of 113 kilometres. Between 1968 and 1992, more than 350 sounding rockets were launched from the facility. On 25 November, CNES announced that it had signed a contract with Opus Aerospace to use the ELFS facility for the launch of its Mésange rocket. (11/26)

Uranus’s Swaying Moons will Help Spacecraft Seek Out Hidden Oceans (Source: University of Texas at Austin)
When NASA’s Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986, it captured grainy photographs of large ice-covered moons. Now nearly 40 years later, NASA plans to send another spacecraft to Uranus, this time equipped to see if those icy moons are hiding liquid water oceans. The mission is still in an early planning stage. But researchers at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) are preparing for it by building a new computer model that could be used to detect oceans beneath the ice using just the spacecraft’s cameras. (11/25)

James Webb Space Telescope 'Pushed to its Limits' to See Most Distant Galaxies Ever (Source: Space.com)
The James Webb Space Telescope has potentially smashed one of its own records again —- if scientists are correct, this trailblazing spacecraft may have glimpsed the earliest galaxies in the universe. The five galaxy candidates are located so far away that the furthest is seen as it was just 200 million years after the Big Bang. Thus, the light from these galaxies has been traveling to Earth for around 13.6 billion years. Because of the expansion of the universe, these galaxies should now lie a staggering 34 billion light-years away. However, to be clear, none of this is yet confirmed. (11/25)

Italy to Reopen Kenya-Based Offshore Launch Facility (Source: European Spaceflight)
An Italian-run space centre located in Kenya will once again host rocket launches from an offshore launch platform. Italy built the Luigi Broglio Space Center near Malindi, Kenya, in the 1960s. In addition to providing ground services for space missions, which it continues to do, the facility also included a launch capability from the San Marco platform. On 26 April 1967, the facility hosted its inaugural orbital launch attempt, with a Scout B rocket delivering the San Marco-2 satellite into low Earth orbit. The final flight was launched from the facility in March 1988. (11/25)

UK's Durham University Unveils £5 Million Space Center (Source: BDaily)
A cutting-edge research center has opened in the North East, aiming to drive innovation and sustainability in space exploration while strengthening the region’s growing space industry. Durham University has launched the £5 million Space Research Centre (SPARC), designed to advance scientific discovery, business development and space law, while nurturing a talent pipeline for the space sector.

The center brings together expertise from the university’s physics, law, computer science, government and international affairs departments, as well as the Durham University Business School, to address the challenges of sustainable space exploration. Dr. Andrew Aldrin, son of Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who is associate professor and chair of the Master of Sciences Space Systems, and the Master of Space Operations programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, USA, delivered a keynote speech at the launch event. (11/25)

Stoke Space CEO Andy Lapsa Explores an Innovative Route to Rocket Reusability (Source; GeekWire)
Unlike Bezos or Musk, Lapsa isn’t a billionaire. Instead, he made his case to backers who have billions of dollars to invest. Those backers include Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose investments in Stoke have been made through Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a fund that focuses on clean-tech innovations for the climate challenge. Rockets that fight climate change? That’s part of Lapsa’s uncommon perspective on the benefits of reusable rocket ships.

Stoke Space won research grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, and raised $9.1 million in seed funding in 2021. The company quickly set up a development and testing site in Moses Lake in central Washington state. Then the startup really took off: Stoke raised $65 million in a funding round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures. It secured the right to use Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 14 — the place from which John Glenn lifted off for his historic orbital flight in 1962. And it built two prototype “Hopper” rockets to test the technologies required for a fully reusable second stage.

If everything goes just right, Stoke Space could launch its first Nova rocket from Florida by the end of next year. Finding a niche alongside SpaceX may sound scary, but Lapsa is undaunted. Lapsa argues that there’ll be room for launch companies that can offer fully reusable rockets with medium-lift capability — that is, the ability to send between two tons and 20 tons of payload to low Earth orbit. (11/26)