April 25, 2024

Live From the Clean Room - Building Europa Clipper (Source: NASA JPL)
Watch live as NASA's next outer solar system mission, Europa Clipper, is built and tested in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Click here. (4/22)

Signs of 'Spider' Phenomenon on Mars (Source: Phys.org)
ESA's Mars Express has snapped the telltale traces of "spiders" scattered across the southern polar region of Mars. Rather than being actual spiders, these small, dark features form when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over the dark winter months. The sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at the bottom of the layer to turn into gas, which subsequently builds up and breaks through slabs of overlying ice. The gas bursts free in Martian springtime, dragging dark material up to the surface as it goes and shattering layers of ice up to a meter thick. (4/24)

Commercial Satellite from China Managed to Capture Images of the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers (Source: Zona Militar)
A commercial satellite from China known as Ku Taijing-4-03 managed to capture images of one of the United States Navy bases, showing the presence of three aircraft carriers, as well as other vessels of the fleet. In the various circulating images, three aircraft carriers can be distinguished along with more than three docks corresponding to the Naval Station Norfolk.

The Taijing 4-03, the first Chinese commercial satellite of phased-array radar imaging in the Ku band, is part of the Taijing series. These satellites play a crucial role in China’s remote sensing capabilities, offering various applications such as disaster and environmental surveillance, natural resource exploration, agricultural yield estimation, and land and maritime mapping. (4/23)

10 Ways Earth is Interconnected (Source: ESA)
On this Earth Day, we reflect on the importance of protecting our planet for future generations. Understanding the Earth system and the complex interactions that shape our planet is paramount for addressing environmental challenges, mitigating climate change, preparing for natural disasters, managing resources sustainably and conserving biodiversity.

Each component of the Earth system – from the atmosphere and oceans to land surfaces and ice sheets – influences and interacts with one another in complex ways. ESA works all-year round to provide satellite data to monitor the health of our planet. Here are 10 examples of how Earth’s systems intertwine and how satellite measurements are key to understanding these complex processes. Click here. (4/22)

Experts Suggest Using SpaceX's Starship to Rescue Stranded Samples on Surface of Mars (Source: Futurism)
The space agency announced this week that it would solicit proposals from the private space industry for "innovative designs" to return Martian samples collected and bagged by its Perseverance rover over the last couple of years. And, as Scientific American reports, SpaceX's mammoth Starship spacecraft may just fit the bill.

"Starship has the potential to return serious tonnage from Mars within [around] five years," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk suggested, responding to the announcement. "[NASA is] encouraging companies to use infrastructure built for Artemis," Casey Dreier said. "The only conclusion you can really draw from that is they’re hoping Starship somehow is the solution here." (4/20)

NASA Planning September Launch of Mars Smallsat Mission on First New Glenn (Source: Space News)
A NASA Mars smallsat mission is slated to launch in late September on the first flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, assuming the vehicle is ready in time. In a presentation on April 24, NASA's Nick Benardini listed a Sep. 29 date for the launch of Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, a pair of smallsats that will go into orbit around Mars to measure the interaction of the planet’s magnetosphere with the solar wind.

NASA selected Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to launch ESCAPADE, awarding the company a $20 million task order through the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract in February 2023 for the mission. The award at the time mentioned only a late 2024 launch, with the expectation that ESCAPADE would be on one of the first, if not the first, flight of the rocket. (4/23)

UK Spaceport Gains Another License (Source: BBC)
A spaceport in the Shetland Islands has received another license from U.K. regulators. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Thursday that it has issued a range license for SaxaVord Spaceport. That license handles airspace and maritime controls needed for launches from the facility. The CAA issued a license for the spaceport itself last December. SaxaVord Spaceport hopes to host its first launch as soon as this summer. (4/25)

TSS Could Accommodate Space Tourists (Source: Nikkei)
China's Tiangong space station could accommodate space tourists. The deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency said Wednesday that his agency would "quickly examine" allowing astronauts from other countries, including commercial spaceflight participants, to visit Tiangong. The agency didn't provide further details, or a potential schedule, about such missions. (4/25)

China on Track for Landing Astronauts on Moon by 2030 (Source: Space News)
Chinese officials say they are on track to land the country's first astronauts on the moon by 2030. Officials with the China Manned Space Engineering Office provided an update on the country's lunar exploration plans Wednesday, saying that work was proceeding well on major aspects of the architecture for a crewed lunar landing. That approach involves the launch of two Long March 10 rockets, one carrying the Mengzhou crew spacecraft and the other the lunar lander Lanyue.

The spacecraft would rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit before Lanyue takes two astronauts down to the lunar surface, where they would perform a six-hour spacewalk before returning. The crewed lunar landing mission is part of China's broader plans to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a crewed and robotic base at the south polar region of the moon. The update came ahead of the launch of the next crew to China's space station, scheduled for this morning. (4/25)

China Signs Nicaragua, Others to Lunar Base Program (Source: Space News)
China also announced new partners for the ILRS. Nicaragua formally joined the ILRS initiative, the tenth country to do so, in a signing announced as part of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Countries Space Cooperation Forum this week. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) also reached agreements with the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, and the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences. CNSA separately announced new participants in the Chang'e-7 mission to the lunar south pole set for 2026, with Egypt, Bahrain, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand and the International Lunar Observatory Association contributing payloads to that mission. (4/25)

Russia Vetoes UN Nuclear Space Weapons Resolution (Source: Space News)
Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday regarding the placement of nuclear weapons in space. The resolution, drafted by Japan and the United States, reiterated existing prohibitions on nuclear weapons in space and called on countries not to develop such weapons. The resolution came after reports in February that Russia was developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Russia cast the only no vote, with China abstaining and the other 13 members supporting the resolution, but Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, is able to veto resolutions. The U.S. and Japan sharply criticized Russia for blocking the resolution. (4/25)

Space Force’s Saltzman: New Readiness Model ‘Fundamentally Alters’ Space Combat Prep (Source: Breaking Defense)
Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman urges service leaders to urgently implement the service’s new readiness model — a rotating training-to-operations process he says represents the “most drastic change accompanying the establishment of the Space Force.” The April 19 CSO Notice to Guardians (C-Note) stresses that the new Space Force Generation (SPAFORGEN) model to build readiness “fundamentally alters how we prepare for operations.” (4/22)

Space Force Continues Work on Civilian Space Reserve (Source: Space News)
The Space Force is still working on plans for creating a commercial reserve of private space capabilities. Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, said Wednesday that the Space Force is in the midst of figuring out how to establish such a commercial reserve, which will require intricate negotiations with satellite operators to hash out binding agreements. The Space Force first suggested last year creating a "commercial space reserve" modeled on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, allowing the Space Force to access commercial satellites in the event of a conflict. (4/25)

Lockheed Martin Projects Potential $1 Billion Loss on Classified Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin took a $100 million loss on a classified program inside its missiles and fire control unit and could rack up an additional $225 million in losses by the end of the year. News of the classified program loss comes on the heels of a major win on the Next Generation Interceptor program by Lockheed’s space unit, which beat out Northrop Grumman. (4/23)

Non-Geostationary Orbit Constellations Redefining the High Throughput Satellites Market Landscape (Source: NovaSpace)
Significant and ongoing transformations in the High Throughput Satellites (HTS) market are confirmed in the 7th edition of the High Throughput Satellites; report from leading space consulting and market intelligence firm Novaspace, a merger between Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners. The report underscores the pivotal role of Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations in reshaping the satellite connectivity industry, with the latter to emerge as the primary driver in coming years.

Novaspace’s report reveals that to date, approximately three quarters of the 50+ active satellite ,operators have invested in HTS systems. The vast majority of HTS players have satellites in GEO orbit. Despite the NGSO potential, high capital expenditure (CapEx) requirements remain a significant barrier for most players, with investments typically between $2-4 billion and exceeding $10 billion for a megaconstellation. As a result, only a select few of the ‘leading’ satellite operators are pursuing plans for full NGSO constellations, with three expected to be operational during 2024. This includes SpaceX’s Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and O3b mPOWER from SES. (4/25)

Researchers Detect a New Molecule in Space (Source: Phys.org)
New research from the group of MIT Professor Brett McGuire has revealed the presence of a previously unknown molecule in space. To detect this molecule using radio telescope observations, the group first needed to measure and analyze its rotational spectrum on Earth. The researchers combined experiments from the University of Lille (Lille, France), the New College of Florida (Sarasota, Florida), and the McGuire lab at MIT to measure this spectrum over a broadband region of frequencies ranging from the microwave to sub-millimeter wave regimes (approximately 8 to 500 gigahertz).

"Ultimately, we observed 25 rotational lines of 2-methoxyethanol that lined up with the molecular signal observed toward NGC 6334I (the barcode matched), thus resulting in a secure detection of 2-methoxyethanol in this source." (4/23)

RTX to Focus on Satellite Components Business (Source: Defense One)
RTX (formerly Raytheon) has decided not to compete as a prime contractor in building satellites, shifting its focus to supplying components to other companies, according to RTX President and COO Chris Calio. This strategic pivot leverages RTX's historical strengths in critical space components. (4/23)

Starfighters Space Reports Progress Toward Air Launch, Hypersonic Programs Support (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space, operating the only commercial fleet of Mach-2+ aircraft in the world, with the capability to air-launch payloads at altitude, delivered its Q1 2024 update and shareholder guidance. “With new contracts, fleet upgrades and spaceport expansion opportunities, we continue to lay a strong foundation on the ground so that we can execute in the sky,” said Founder and CEO Rick Svetkoff. “We are now well off the drawing board and deep into the real-world execution on a range of critical initiatives.”

The company is transitioning to a Phase II Contract on “HyCat”, with a goal of allowing any federal agency to access Starfighters resources with a simple PO. Under the Atlas project, Starfighters is expanding a relationship with GE Aerospace for flight testing. Starfighters is also negotiating an Air Force project to provide an airborne testing platform. And, after completing a captive carry test, Starfighters is moving forward with its StarLaunch I program, with a drop test planned in September to advance plans for air-launch operations. Starfighters has hired of David Whitney as the company's CFO, and has completed a PCAOB audit.  (4/24)

Robotic Helpers Test New Technology on the Space Station (Source: CASIS)
Engineering firm Bosch partnered with aerospace company Astrobotic to use the Astrobees to test smart microphone technology that can identify anomalies in spacecraft and other equipment by making sense of sounds. In another project, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the German Space Agency used the robots to test algorithms and technology that could help recover tumbling satellites in space. (4/24)

Ariane 6 to Launch OOV-Cube Mission with Internet of Things Applications (Source: Space Daily)
The Ariane 6 inaugural flight will feature a diverse range of payloads, from satellites scrutinizing Earth to those venturing into deep space, highlighting the new rocket's capability to handle versatile missions. Among the missions, the OOV-Cube (On Orbit Verification Cube), a 25-by-25 cm nanosatellite developed by the Technical University of Berlin and RapidCubes, will be placed into a low Earth orbit at 580 km altitude. OOV-Cube aims to integrate wildlife tracking with advanced Internet of Things technology. This mission encompasses multiple experiments designed to open new possibilities for small satellite constellations. (4/24)

Collaboration to Bolster Satellite Ground Station Capabilities in Southeast Asia (Source: Space Daily)
Thailand's mu Space and Advance Technology and RBC Signals International have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as of March 1, 2024. This agreement initiates a partnership to develop Satellite Ground Station Facilities in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. (4/24)

Asterra Debuts Groundbreaking L-Band SAR API for Commercial Use (Source: Space Daily)
ASTERRA has introduced a new application programming interface (API), which expands the capabilities of SAR analytics by enabling collaboration with partners. This marks ASTERRA as the sole commercial provider of L-band SAR analytics technology with an open API for integration with Earth observation and GIS partners, thereby enhancing the overall solution. (4/24)

China Emphasizes Commitment to Peaceful Space Activities (Source: Space Daily)
China has reaffirmed its dedication to the peaceful use of space, according to a recent statement by the Ministry of National Defense. The declaration was made last Friday, emphasizing the role of China's Aerospace Force. "The space domain is humanity's communal asset, and ensuring its security is vital for both national and societal progression," stated Wu Qian, the ministry's spokesperson.

He highlighted the importance of the Aerospace Force in maintaining safety and transparency in space operations, which is crucial for crisis management and effective governance. "Building the Aerospace Force is key to our ability to navigate space safely and to use it openly, which is critical for the peaceful exploration and use of this domain," Wu added. (4/22)

West Needs to Divest From China to Avoid Space Wars, Rocket Scientist Warns (Source: Epoch Times)
A leading American rocket scientist says the United States and its like-minded allies still have an opportunity to cripple China’s rapid weaponization of space, which is reliant on ongoing foreign investment, to prevent a potential war breaking out in space. However, that window of opportunity is closing. ULA's Tory Bruno told lawmakers the CCP, after investing billions of dollars and years of effort, now has four to five times as many rockets, launch sites, and space personnel as the US.

They have been able to achieve this primarily through technology mostly stolen from the United States, but also due to the vast volume of Western investment dollars that have flowed into China since the 2000s. He advocated for Congress to create the right conditions for private enterprise to compete for space contracts, allowing America’s entrepreneurs to “commercialize as much of these capabilities as possible” in order to free themselves from the fluctuations of NASA’s budget.

“We can’t out-centrally-plan China but what we can do is we can out-entrepreneur China, and that’s where the innovation takes place,” he said. Mr. Bruno also urged Congress to end China’s access to the U.S. technologies needed by their acquired capabilities. “While they have developed space weapons of novel types, they remain very, very dependent on acquiring technology from the United States on an ongoing basis, so this must be curtailed as well,” he said. (4/23)

April 24, 2024

Creature Comforts in Space: Designing Enjoyment and Sustainability for Off-World Living (Source: Retro-Futurist)
After 50 years of space exploration, off-world living is still like going on an extreme camping trip. Living out there is uncomfortable at best. This book tackles the challenge of Creature Comforts: those hard-to-describe things that make life more enjoyable, have mental health benefits, and are fun! Using the analogy of building a homestead on the high frontier, early space settlers need to develop long term sustainability techniques with limited resources. This book isn't just about making life better beyond our planet; it's a blueprint for enhancing life on Earth through thoughtful, space-inspired design. Click here. (4/24)

Streaming and Texting on the Moon: Nokia and NASA are Taking 4G Into Space (Source: CNN)
Texting on the Moon? Streaming on Mars? It may not be as far away as you think. That’s the shared vision of NASA and Nokia, who have partnered to set up a cellular network on the Moon to help lay the building blocks for long-term human presence on other planets. A SpaceX rocket is due to launch this year — the exact date has yet to be confirmed — carrying a simple 4G network to the Moon. The lander will install the system at the Moon’s south pole and then it will be remotely controlled from Earth.

“The first challenge to getting a network up and running is having a space-qualified cellular equipment that meets the appropriate size, weight, and power requirements, as well as being deployed without a technician,” Walt Engelund, deputy associate administrator for programs at NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, told CNN. No less of a challenge, it will need to operate in the harsh lunar environment of extreme temperatures and radiation.

The 4G network unit is being built by Nokia’s Bell Labs using a range of off-the-shelf commercial components. It will be loaded onto a lander made by US company Intuitive Machines, and once deployed it will connect the lander via radio equipment to two roaming vehicles with their own special mission: to search for ice. (4/24)

Congress Pushes DoD to Deliver (Source: Space News)
In the $825 billion defense spending bill Congress passed March 21, one of the under-the-radar winners was the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit, which saw its 2024 budget skyrocket to $945 million, up from the $107 million enacted for 2023. The eye-popping increase sends the Pentagon a loud and clear message: It’s time to get serious about transitioning cutting-edge technologies into real military capabilities. It also reflects Capitol Hill’s growing impatience with DoD’s sluggish adoption of emerging private sector technologies in artificial intelligence, space, and autonomous systems. (4/19)

Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth's Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago (Source: Phys.org)
Earth's magnetic field protects us from the dangerous radiation of space, but it is not as permanent as we might believe. Scientists at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly present new information about an 'excursion' 41,000 years ago where our planet's magnetic field waned, and harmful space rays bombarded the planet.

Magnetic field excursions are brief periods in which the intensity of the magnetic field wanes and the dipole (or two magnetic poles) that we're familiar with can disappear, replaced with multiple magnetic poles. The Laschamps excursion that occurred around 41,000 years ago is among the best studied. It features a low magnetic field intensity that implies less protection for Earth's surface from harmful space rays. Periods of low magnetic field intensity could correlate to major upheavals in the biosphere. (4/19)

Ambitious Houston Spaceport Takes Off with 2nd Phase of Development (Source: Houston CultureMap)
Since the Houston Spaceport secured the 10th FAA-Licensed commercial spaceport designation in 2015, the development's tenants have gone on to gain billions in NASA contracts. Now, the Houston Spaceport is on to its next phase of growth.

“Reflecting on its meteoric rise, the Spaceport has seen remarkable growth in a short span of time. From concepts on paper to the opening of Axiom Space, Collins Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines, the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary,” says Arturo Machuca, director of Ellington Airport and the Houston Spaceport, in a news release. “These anchor tenants, collectively holding about $5 billion in contracts with NASA and other notable aerospace companies, are not just shaping the future of space exploration but injecting vitality into Houston’s economy.”

The next phase of development, according to Houston Airports, will include: construction of a taxiway to connect Ellington Airport and the Spaceport; construction of a roadway linking Phase 1 infrastructure to Highway 3; and expansion of the EDGE Center, in partnership with San Jacinto College. (4/23)

Satellites Watch as 4th Global Coral Bleaching Event Unfolds (Source: Space.com)
Multiple major coral reefs around the world are getting paler due to warming sea temperatures in the fourth-ever global bleaching event, and satellites are keeping tabs on the carnage. The grim event, the second in a decade, is affecting over half the world's coral area across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. The toll includes what could be the worst bleaching ever experienced by Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef, according to NOAA and the International Coral Reef Initiative, which confirmed the bleaching event on Monday. (4/22)

ESA Debris Removal Mission Changes Targets (Source: Space News)
ESA has revised the ClearSpace-1 debris removal mission. The agency announced Wednesday that the spacecraft, originally designed to capture and deorbit a Vega payload adapter called Vespa left in low Earth orbit, will instead seek to deorbit the defunct Proba-A satellite. The change came after Vespa apparently suffered a collision last year that generated debris in its vicinity. The mission, which had been under development by Swiss startup ClearSpace, will now be led by German company OHB, with ClearSpace handling proximity operations and capture. (4/24)

China Military Reorganization to Affect Space Operations (Source: Space News)
A reorganization of China's military is likely to affect the country's space operations. Xi Jinping, China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, established last week the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Information Support Force (ISF), which effectively replaces the Strategic Support Force (SSF) that commanded the PLA's space forces. The move appears to represent a strategic shift toward prioritizing information warfare, which includes cyber operations, electronic warfare, and potentially space aspects such as satellite communication and reconnaissance. The move is the biggest PLA reorganization since 2015, when the SSF was created. (4/24)

Space Fore's Commercial Strategy to Identify Useful Capabilities (Source: Space News)
A Space Force official says the service's new commercial space strategy will start an effort to see what private sector capabilities will be of real utility to the military. Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, said at an Atlantic Council event this week that potential commercial capabilities, like in-space refueling, are currently immature, and the Space Force is still trying to understand what is possible and useful. Many questions have yet to be answered about how to employ new commercial space services, he said. The Space Force's watchword is "understanding the art of the possible." (4/24)

Companies Pitch Concepts for Asteroid Visit (Source: Space News)
Companies are pitching concepts for missions to visit an asteroid that will make a close approach to Earth in five years. The asteroid Apophis will pass closer to the Earth than the GEO satellite belt in April 2029, but with no risk of impact, and scientists are eager to send spacecraft to study Apophis both before and after the flyby. At a workshop this week, Blue Origin said it is offering its Blue Ring spacecraft for an Apophis mission, with room for up to 13 instruments or deployable spacecraft. JPL is working with startup ExLabs on another Apophis mission concept that could be privately funded. Short timelines for the missions and constrained government budgets, though, may make it difficult for many of the proposed missions to launch. (4/24)

China Names Crew for Next TSS Mission (Source: Xinhua)
China has named the crew for its next space station mission. The crew of Shenzhou-18, named Wednesday, includes commander Ye Guangfu along with Li Cong and Li Guangsu. The flight is the second for Ye, who was on the Shenzhou-13 mission in 2021-2022, and the first for the other two. Launch of Shenzhou-18 is scheduled for Thursday. (4/24)

Rocket Lab Launches Solar Sail Mission From New Zealand (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab launched a South Korean imaging satellite and a NASA solar sail experiment Tuesday. An Electron rocket lifted off at 6:32 p.m. Eastern from the company's New Zealand launch site. It first deployed into a 520-kilometer orbit NEONSAT-1, the first spacecraft in an 11-satellite constellation by South Korea to provide imagery for civil and national security applications. It then placed into a 1,000-kilometer orbit ACS3, a NASA cubesat that will test a solar sail deployment system. The launch was the fifth this year for Rocket Lab. (4/24)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From Florida, Achieves 300th Booster Landing (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX achieved its 300th booster landing on a launch Tuesday evening. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 6:17 p.m. Eastern and placed 23 Starlink satellites into orbit. The booster landed on a droneship in the Atlantic, the ninth flight for that particular booster and the 300th time that SpaceX has landed a booster. (4/24)

L3Harris Specifies Layofff Plans with 2,500 to Lose Jobs (Source: Reuters)
L3Harris plans to lay off 2,500 employees this year to reduce costs. An email to company employees Tuesday announced that the company will reduce its 50,000-person workforce by 5% this year as part of efforts to find $1 billion in savings in the next three years. The layoffs will target redundant functions at the companies, with a source stating it is not specifically targeted at Aerojet Rocketdyne, the propulsion company acquired by L3Harris last year. (4/24)

Japan's Lunar Lander Wakes Again After Lunar Night (Source: AP)
Japan's SLIM lunar lander has once again awakened after an extended lunar night. The Japanese space agency JAXA said that the lander resumed communications with Earth on Tuesday after its third lunar night. SLIM, or Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, landed in January and was not designed to survive the two-week lunar night. However, the spacecraft awakened in February and March before this latest revival. JAXA plans to continue monitoring the spacecraft to see how the wide temperature swings between lunar day and night degrade its systems. (4/24)

NASA Ends CloudSat Mission (Source: NASA)
An Earth observation mission launched by NASA almost 18 years ago has formally ended. NASA announced Tuesday that it has decommissioned the CloudSat spacecraft, launched in April 2006 to study the vertical structure and water content of clouds using a W-band radar. The spacecraft, originally designed for a two-year prime mission, operated the radar until last December. Controllers then lowered the spacecraft's orbit to ensure it will deorbit with 25 years. (4/24)

Geoengineering Could Save the Ice Sheets – But Only If We Start Soon (Source: New Scientist)
Shading Earth’s surface from sunlight could postpone or even avoid the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet – but only if we start soon and only in conjunction with substantial emissions cuts, according to two computer modeling studies by independent teams. “There’s a time window that we can do this, and if we dither, there’s just no point in doing it,” says John Moore at the University of Lapland in Finland. (4/22)

China and Russia's 'Unfriendly' Space Behavior 'Concerning' (Source: Business Insider)
Russia and China appear to be actively looking into ways to watch and potentially incapacitate US satellites in space, and defense analysts are concerned. "China and Russia are both operating satellites that attempt to better understand high-value U.S. government satellites" and engaging in other alarming activities, analysts at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said. "These developments are concerning and will likely continue in the coming years."

"Both Russia and China routinely maneuver their satellites near Western government and commercial satellites, sometimes remaining close by for months at a time," the report's six expert authors said. (4/22)

Former NASA Engineer Says He's Invented a Thruster That Doesn't Require Propellant (Source: Futurism)
Space startup Exodus Propulsion Technologies claims to have achieved a breakthrough, stumbling upon an entirely new force of nature that could power thrusters that don't need propellant to work. As The Debrief reports, co-founder Charles Buhler — a former NASA engineer who's worked on a number of major programs including the ISS, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Space Shuttle — said the discovery could be a major turning point in humanity's quest to explore space. Buhler makes some wildly ambitious claims that will likely face plenty of scrutiny from the scientific community — and it's unclear if his startup's claims will survive. (4/22)

How Could Life Survive on Tidally Locked Planets? (Source: Space.com)
The famed science fiction author Isaac Asimov called them "ribbon worlds" — planets forced to always show one face to their parent star. The star side is locked in perpetual day, its sun never dipping below the horizon; indeed, its sun never even moving at all, fixed in place as if time itself stood still. The far side is trapped in perpetual night, a sky blazing with the light of thousands of stars, never knowing the warmth of its parent star.

And in between those two extremes, there's a special place: a terminator line, the boundary between night and day, a region of infinite twilight. Caught between the two extremes, this ribbon that stretches like a girdle around a planet might — might — just be a home for life, neither too hot in the never-ceasing glare of the star nor too cold in the infinite night. (4/22)

E-Space to Build Manufacturing Plant in Texas; More Than 3,000 Jobs Forecast (Source: Fort Worth Report)
Satellite communications startup E-Space is moving ahead with its North American expansion, a project that could bring a minimum of 400 high-tech jobs with an average annual salary of $95,000 within its first five years of operation in Arlington. At full capacity, the project will create 3,355 jobs and provide over $8 billion in salaries and wages over the 30-year term lease, according to the city’s staff report.

The Arlington City Council will vote on a resolution to authorize the Arlington Economic Develop Corp., to enter a public-private partnership with E-Space and the city of Arlington. That partnership will allow the company to build a headquarters and manufacturing plant at the Arlington Municipal Airport. After construction is completed, the economic development corporation will lease the project back to the company for a term of 30 years with two renewal options with a base rent of $2 million per year of occupancy and a 3% increase every five years thereafter.

The economic development corporation will contribute up to $50 million from cash and/or proceeds from sales tax revenue bonds toward the project’s development and construction. E-Space will have to meet some requirements before the economic development corporation moves forward with construction of the facility, according to Wieder. (4/22)

50 Years Later, This Apollo-Era Antenna Still Talks to Voyager 2 (Source: IEEE Spectrum)
For more than 50 years, Deep Space Station 43 has been an invaluable tool for space probes as they explore our solar system and push into the beyond. The DSS-43 radio antenna, located at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, near Canberra, Australia, keeps open the line of communication between humans and probes during NASA missions. Today more than 40 percent of all data retrieved by celestial explorers, including Voyagers, New Horizons, and the Mars Curiosity rover, comes through DSS-43. (4/18)

If Photons Have Mass, Could They Explain Dark Matter? (Source: Big Think)
We know that the stars and galaxies in the Universe have grown up and evolved as the Universe has aged. We know that gravitation has formed the large-scale structure in the Universe, and that structure has grown more complex over time. And we also know how much normal matter, altogether, is present in the Universe, and that it isn’t sufficient to explain the full suite of the gravitational effects that we see on its own.

So if the normal matter can’t be all that there is, what else can there be? The leading idea is dark matter, but we don’t know precisely what it is. What if it’s just light? Is that possible?

Is deep space entirely dark? You might think it ought to be, but that’s not what the New Horizons team found. There was excess light from expected sources: camera noise, scattered sunlight, excess off-axis starlight, crystals from the spacecraft thrust, and other instrumental effects all create an excess of light. But those effects can all be modeled, and when they are, their magnitudes and contributions can be quantified. Still, when they were subtracted out, an incontrovertible excess remained. Click here. (4/22)

This Crater Could Be Where Earth's 'Second Moon' Broke Off The First One (Source: Science Alert)
The provenance of asteroid Kamo'oalewa, discovered in 2016, is something of a mystery, but astronomers believe it may be a chunk of the Moon. A new analysis has even identified the crater from which it may have been gouged. Using numerical simulations, a team led by astronomer Yifei Jiao of Tsinghua University in China has determined the properties of the crater most likely have to produced the asteroid, and found a real one that matches those properties: the Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the Moon. (4/22)

Tsinghua University Advances China's Lunar Habitat Construction Techniques (Source: Space Daily)
Tsinghua University's latest research emphasizes the critical importance of in situ lunar construction as we shift from exploration to the establishment of Moon habitats. Focusing on regolith solidification and formation, the study, led by Professor Feng, evaluates nearly 20 techniques for creating building materials directly from lunar soil, aiming to maximize efficiency and reduce dependency on Earth-based resources.

The research classifies regolith solidification methods into four primary categories: reaction solidification (RS), sintering/melting (SM), bonding solidification (BS), and confinement formation (CF), each suited to specific aspects of lunar construction. These categories further divide into specialized techniques that consider the lunar environment's unique challenges, such as extreme temperatures and resource scarcity. (4/22)

Exploring Venus Could Redefine Search for Life in Universe (Source: Space Daily)
Though Venus is a harsh environment with extreme temperatures and toxic clouds, it provides crucial data on the conditions that might limit life on other planets, according to a recent study. "Earth is often seen as a model for habitability; however, without comparing it to other planets, we remain unaware of the potential boundaries," stated Stephen Kane. The research uses Venus as a comparative basis to enhance our understanding of planetary environments that may inhibit life.

The study underscores the importance of further exploration missions to Venus, such as NASA's upcoming DAVINCI and VERITAS missions. These missions aim to provide deeper insights into Venus's atmosphere and surface conditions, which could refine our understanding of climate models applicable to Earth and other planets. (4/23)

April 23, 2024

Starship Faces Performance Shortfall for Lunar Missions (Source: America Space)
NASA understood that it was accepting a degree of risk when it selected Starship as the solitary lunar lander design for Artemis 3 and 4. The only alternatives were an overweight Dynetics lander and a Blue Origin lander which would need a substantial redesign to achieve NASA’s long-term goal of landing four astronauts on the Moon. In this context, Starship had significant upside, as it far exceeded the HLS performance requirements.

SpaceX claimed that it could deliver 100 tons of cargo to the lunar surface, which would reduce the operating costs of the Artemis Base Camp. In addition, SpaceX’s $2.9 billion bid was half the price of its competitors’ landers, since the company could offset Starship’s development cost by also utilizing it to launch satellites. However, its ability to reach the Moon was cast into doubt by an announcement by Elon Musk two weeks ago.

The most important part was arguably contained within one sentence:  “Currently, Flight 3 would be around 40-50 tons to orbit.” Prior to this, Starship’s estimated payload capacity had ranged between 100 and 150 tons to LEO. The most straightforward interpretation of Musk’s comment is that the rocket is suffering from a 50% underperformance. SpaceX is already designing an upgraded “Starship 2.”  Both stages of the rocket will be slightly longer and they will feature the improved Raptor 3 engine. (4/19)

Starship Will Be 500 Feet Tall for Mars Missions, Elon Musk Says (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX's Starship, the largest rocket in the world, will get even bigger as the company continues to target Mars missions in the future. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX, told employees on April 4 that Starship will eventually be as tall as 500 feet (150 meters), roughly 20% higher than the massive system aboard the Super Heavy rocket right now.

What's more, advances in reusability will have each launch cost roughly $3 million each, Musk predicted; that's less than a third of what a (much smaller) Falcon 1 rocket launch cost in 2004 when inflation is taken into account. (The figure two decades ago was $5.9 million, according to NBC, which is roughly $9.5 million in 2024 dollars.) (4/13)

Startups Want to Cool Earth by Reflecting Sunlight. There Are Few Rules and Big Risks (Source: NPR)
In the past year, the conversation around solar geoengineering as a climate solution has become more serious, says David Keith, geophysics professor and head of a new University of Chicago initiative to study a broad array of climate geoengineering ideas. "Suddenly we're getting conversations with senior political leaders and senior people in the environmental world who are starting to think about this and engage with it seriously in a way that just wasn't happening five years ago," Keith says.

But as money flows in – some from investors who hope to profit from this technology – regulations around outdoor experiments and possible broader deployments aren't keeping up, experts say. Because of the way the stratosphere works, a large-scale release of particles in one part of the world could impact a large part of the planet. Questions persist about possible risks of solar geoengineering for everything from global crops to droughts. And there are risks of unintended consequences that scientists and investors haven't yet imagined – the unknown unknowns of trying to engineer a cooler Earth. Click here. (4/21)

Chiefs of South Korea’s JCS, US Spacecom Meet (Source: Korea Herald)
Kim Myung-soo, the chair of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Stephen Whiting, the commander of the US Space Command, met on Monday in Seoul. According to the JCS, Kim and Whiting held a meeting to discuss close two-way cooperation and to enhance South Korea-US alliance’s space capabilities amid growing North Korean threats in space and ongoing military exchanges between Russia and North Korea. North Korea launched its first military reconnaissance satellite in November last year, with plans to launch several more in the next few years. (4/22)

Are We Prepared for Chinese Preeminence on the Moon and Mars? (Source: Space.com)
The rate at which the Chinese have been catching up is alarming. According to a 2022 Pentagon report, the U.S. could lose its lead in space technology as soon as 2045. The report notes that, while U.S. industrial capacity is expanding, "the upward trajectory of the People's Republic of China…is even steeper, with a significant rate of overtake, requiring urgent action."

The report added that "the U.S. lacks a clear and cohesive long-term vision, a grand strategy for space that sustains economic, technological, environmental, social and military (defense) leadership for the next half century and beyond." With so many other major national issues that hold center stage, the Administration and Congress also do not appear to be appropriately focused and motivated in what truly constitutes the new Space Race. Stable bipartisan support remains, but we seem to lack a sense of national urgency. (4/22)

NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth (Source: NASA)
After some inventive sleuthing, the mission team can — for the first time in five months — check the health and status of the most distant human-made object in existence. For the first time since November, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is returning usable data about the health and status of its onboard engineering systems. The next step is to enable the spacecraft to begin returning science data again. The probe and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft to ever fly in interstellar space (the space between stars). (4/22)

How Rocket Lab Outgrew Billionaire Elon Musk's Space Company in Q1 (Source: Motley Fool)
Rocket Lab stock is on a tear. Over just the past week, Rocket Lab has announced a $32 million U.S. Space Force contract to put a "VICTUS HAZE Tactically Responsive Space" satellite in orbit. Another Space Force contract will see Rocket Lab launch a DISKSat into very low earth orbit for $14.5 million. The company plans to reuse one of its Electron first-stage rockets in an orbital launch for the first time ever.

You might not guess it from the stock price (which is down 13% since the end of March), but all of the above follows Rocket Lab's announcement that it launched its 46th successful mission in March, and is planning to launch No. 47 later in April. As Rocket Lab gears up to report its financial results for first-quarter 2024 on May 6, the company clearly has some momentum. But the truth is even bigger than that: Rocket Lab is now growing faster than SpaceX. (4/22)

Astronomers Find Evidence Of A Massive Object Beyond The Orbit Of Neptune (Source: IFL Science)
Ateam of researchers say they have found the "strongest statistical evidence yet that Planet 9 is really out there" in the solar system after studying a population of distant, unstable objects that cross Neptune's orbit.

When it comes to discovering planets, finding them around other stars is actually a little easier than locating them around our own. Astronomers can watch for dips in light as planets pass their host star and block the light reaching our telescopes on Earth or in space, known as the "transit method"; or by observing the wobble of a star caused by planets orbiting it and the knock-on effect that has. Through these methods, and a few others, we have discovered thousands of exoplanets in the last few decades, while the number of planets in our solar system has remained at eight. (4/22)

Work Underway on Large Cargo Landers for NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions (Source: NASA)
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency and its partners will send large pieces of equipment to the lunar surface to enable long-term scientific exploration of the Moon for the benefit of all. NASA’s human landing system providers, SpaceX and Blue Origin, are beginning development of lunar landers for large cargo deliveries to support these needs.

NASA has contracted SpaceX and Blue Origin to provide landing systems to take astronauts to the Moon’s surface from lunar orbit, beginning with Artemis III. The agency has asked the two companies to develop cargo versions of their human lunar landers as an option under their existing contracts. These cargo variants are expected to land approximately 26,000 – 33,000 pounds (12 to 15 metric tons) of payload on the lunar surface and be in service no earlier than the Artemis VII mission. (4/19)

NASA Still Investigating Orion Heat Shield Issues from Artemis 1 Moon Mission (Source: Space.com)
Earlier this year, NASA announced it had delayed until September 2025 the crewed Artemis 2 swingby of the moon, a practice run to prepare for 2026's Artemis 3 mission, which will land astronauts near the lunar south pole. One reason cited for the 10-month delay was getting to the bottom of reentry heat shield data from Artemis 1, which sent an uncrewed Orion capsule to lunar orbit and back.

Engineers have been analyzing data from that shakeout cruise, which began with a launch by NASA's Space Launch System megarocket on Nov. 16, 2022. The 25-day Artemis 1 mission ended on Dec. 11, 2022, with the Orion capsule splashing down under parachutes in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California.

Orion's heat shield took on the 25,000 mph (40,000 kph) reentry speed that day, protecting the capsule ably. But soon thereafter, NASA and contractors began wrestling with the discovery that Orion's ablative heat shield wore away differently than predicted. Some areas of expected charred material ablated away in a manner not forecast by computer modeling and ground testing. Also, there was slightly more liberation of the charred material during reentry than anticipated. (4/18)

Head of NASA Says China Is Hiding Military Experiments in Space (Source: Futurism)
NASA's administrator is once again making outrageous claims about China's space capabilities — and in the process, fueling the off-world rivalry between the two. "We believe that a lot of [China's] so-called civilian space program is a military program," Administrator Bill Nelson said during remarks on Capitol Hill this week, per The Guardian. "And I think, in effect, we are in a race." (4/20)

The Ongoing Triumph of Ingenuity (Source: Space Review)
NASA sent its final commands to the Ingenuity Mars helicopter last week, three months after the helicopter’s final flight. Will Pomerantz describes the remarkable achievements of Ingenuity and its influence on future missions. Click here. (4/22)
 
NASA’s Strategy for Space Sustainability (Source: Space Review)
Earlier this month NASA announced a new Space Sustainability Strategy that outlines how the agency would address the growing threats posed by orbital debris. Jeff Foust reports on the strategy, which initially emphasizes getting a grasp on the problem rather than technological solutions. Click here. (4/22)
 
Tintin, the First Man in Space and on the Moon (Source: Space Review)
Years before Yuri Gagarin went into orbit or Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon, the Belgian cartoon character Tintin did the same. Anusuya Datta looks at Tintin’s exploits and how the cartoonist Hergé was able to make the journey realistic. Click here. (4/22)
 
Preventing Space Contamination Rises Up the Agenda (Source: BBC)
Hundreds of scientists from around the world are meeting in the UK this week to discuss the best ways of protecting our planet and other celestial bodies from contamination. Representatives from Nasa, the European Space Agency and agencies from China, Japan and India, as well as private companies, will be sharing techniques on how to explore other worlds responsibly. (4/22)

Jamming, Spoofing, Hacking: Today's Most Pervasive Counterspace Threats (Source: Space Policy Online)
While speculation about Russian nuclear weapons in space and actual destructive antisatellite tests grab the headlines, experts from two organizations that track “counterspace” activities are pointing out more immediate threats to satellite systems do not require such sophistication. Jamming or spoofing navigation satellites or hacking communications satellite ground terminals is much easier and can be disruptive not just to militaries, but the civilian population. Click here. (4/21)

Make Money in Your Sleep: How to Earn €18,000 in Bed for 2 Months and Help Future Space Missions (Source: EuroNews)
Long periods spent in space can impair sensory perceptions and motor reactions. This study hopes to tackle those challenges so missions aren't jeopardised. Earning money without ever having to get out of bed sounds like the dream job. Even better when you’re being paid thousands of euros. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is looking for 12 candidates to spend 60 days in bed for its study in collaboration with NASA. Candidates who complete the two-month programme will be paid €18,000. (4/21)

L3Harris Strengthens Smallsat Supply Chain (Source: Defense News)
L3Harris has chosen Maxar to construct the satellite bus for its Space Development Agency Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 satellites, and Kelle Wendling, president of L3Harris' space systems sector, recently discussed the challenges and strategies in developing a mature supply chain for small satellites. Wendling shared insights from early lessons learned in the SDA's missile tracking satellite project, emphasizing the ongoing complexities of the supply chain and the importance of early and collaborative engagement with suppliers. (4/22)

Spain's PLD Space Raises $83 Million for Launcher Development (Source: Space News)
Spanish launch vehicle developer PLD Space has raised additional funding. The company announced Tuesday that it has raised a total of 78 million euros ($83 million) in outside investment to date, but did not disclose the size of the latest tranche of funding from its shareholders. The company has also received 42 million euros from the Spanish government in the last year. The funding will allow PLD Space to expand its manufacturing and test facilities for its Miura 5 small launch vehicle. That rocket is slated to make its first flight in 2025 and enter commercial service in 2026. (4/23)

Space Force Adjusts Classification for Some Tech and Training (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has declassified some information about space electronic warfare technologies and training. Space Force Col. Christopher Fernengel said on a recent podcast that the service has moved that information, which had been at a "top secret special access program" level, down to secret or top secret, making it easier for the Space Force to collaborate with allies. Space electronic warfare involves manipulating the electromagnetic spectrum, including offensive actions like jamming or spoofing to hinder adversaries as well as defensive measures to protect friendly space assets. (4/23)

NASA Continues Assessment of Decadal Survey Mission Options (Source: Space News)
NASA is continuing efforts to respond to a decadal survey that set lofty goals for its biological and physical sciences (BPS) research. That report, released last September, recommended NASA pursue 11 key science questions and implement two research campaigns in those fields with costs in the billions of dollars. It also called for increasing NASA's BPS budget by a factor of 10 over the decade.

The director of NASA's BPS division says the agency is developing a strategy to implement the decadal's recommendations while acknowledging a 10-fold increase in the budget may not be realistic in the current fiscal environment. The strategy will also address a shift in research from the International Space Station to commercial stations as well as lunar and Mars research. (4/23)

SpaceX Injury Rates Continue to Exceed Industry Averages (Source: Reuters)
Injury rates at SpaceX continue to exceed industry averages. Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 2023 showed that SpaceX had injury rates higher than the space industry average and, in some cases, higher than the company reported in 2022. Its Starbase facility in Texas, for example, reported 5.9 injuries per 100 workers in 2023 compared to 3.8 injuries per 100 in 2022 and an industry average of just 0.8 injuries per 100. One expert warned that high injury rates could be a sign of poor production quality. (4/23)

India Readies Drop Test for Gaganyaan (Source: India Today)
The Indian space agency ISRO is gearing up for a drop test of its Gaganyaan spacecraft. In the upcoming test, a capsule will be dropped from a helicopter at an altitude of 3.5 to 4 kilometers to confirm the performance of the spacecraft's parachutes before splashing down. ISRO has not announced a date for the test, but it could take place within a week depending on the status of test preparations and weather conditions. (4/23)

Australia Criticized for Funding Astronaut Training (Source: The Guardian)
Australia's space agency is facing criticism for spending money training an astronaut who will have few opportunities to fly. The agency spent $466,000 to include Katherine Bennell-Pegg, its space technology director, in a European Space Agency astronaut training class that graduated on Monday. Unlike the ESA astronauts in that class, Bennell-Pegg is not eligible for ESA flight assignments, leaving commercial missions as the most likely option for her to go to space. The cost of seats on commercial missions to the ISS, though, exceeds the agency's annual budget of $34 million, prompting one senator to formally question the agency about its human spaceflight plans. (4/23)

Blue Origin Adds New Shepard Suborbital Flight (Source: SERA)
A private organization says it has signed an agreement for a dedicated Blue Origin New Shepard flight. The Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) announced Monday that it will buy all six seats on an upcoming, but unscheduled, New Shepard flight, reserving five of the seats for participants from countries that have none or only a few people into space. The sixth seat would be open people from any nation. SERA, previously known as the Crypto Space Agency, arranged the flight of one person on a New Shepard flight in 2022, funded through the sale of digital collectibles called non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. (4/23)

April 22, 2024

Space Force Moves to Scale, Enhance Terrestrial Data Transport Prototype (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Space Force’s acquisition arm plans to award a follow-on production contract in the coming months for a ground-based system that provides a “data-transfer-as-a-service” capability for the service and other partners. In 2021, Space Systems Command (SSC) awarded a $46.5 million pathfinder contract to Sev1Tech to prototype meshONE-T, a terrestrial network of data transport nodes that facilitates secure and rapid communications between sites located around the world. (4/18)

Japanese Satellite Will Beam Solar Power to Earth in 2025 (Source: Space.com)
apan is on track to beam solar power from space to Earth next year, two years after a similar feat was achieved by U.S. engineers. The development marks an important step toward a possible space-based solar power station that could help wean the world off fossil fuels amid the intensifying battle against climate change.

"It will be a small satellite, about 180 kilograms [400 pounds], that will transmit about 1 kilowatt of power from the altitude of 400 kilometers." One kilowatt is about the amount of power needed to run a household appliance, such as a small dishwasher, for about an hour, depending on its size. Therefore, the demonstration is nowhere near the scale required for commercial use. (4/19)

Why Is It So Hard to Send Humans Back to the Moon? (Source: Space.com)
Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo missions sent a total of a dozen astronauts to the surface of the moon — and that was before the explosion of modern technology. So why does it seem like our current efforts, as embodied by NASA's Artemis program, are so slow, halting and complex? There isn't one easy answer, but it comes down to money, politics and priorities. Click here. (4/21) https://www.space.com/why-is-getting-to-the-moon-so-hard

America's Next Great Space Station Gets a Vote of Support From Japan (Source: Motley Fool)
Four teams of space companies are working to replace the International Space Station when it's shut down in 2030. One of the leading teams, known as Starlab, attracted a new partner in the form of Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation this month. Mitsubishi is the third major industrial corporation to sign onto the Starlab project. (4/20)

NASA Reveals 'Glass-Smooth Lake of Cooling Lava' on Surface of Jupiter's Moon Io (Source: Live Science)
The new images show Loki Patera, a 127-mile-long (200 km) lava lake on Io's surface. Scientists have been observing this lava lake for decades. It sits over the magma reservoirs under Io's surface. The cooling lava at the center of the lake is ringed by possibly molten magma around the edges. "The specular reflection our instruments recorded of the lake suggests parts of Io's surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth," Scott Bolton said. (4/21)

New Study Says We May Be Living in a Variable Universe (Source: Popular Mechanics)
The standard cosmological model known as Lambda-CDM (ΛCDM) proposes that dark energy is a constant force in the universe. However, an early “hint” in a new detailed map from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument shows that dark energy can actually grow stronger and weaker over time. While this evidence isn’t enough to be considered a discovery, it does call into question some underlying assumptions about how the universe formed and is expanding. (4/18)

NASA Commits to Titan Mission Despite Cost Increase (Source: Space News)
NASA has confirmed plans for a mission to Saturn's moon Titan despite costs that have doubled. NASA said last week that the Dragonfly mission, which will send a rotorcraft to Titan to study its habitability, had been confirmed to go into full-scale development ahead of a launch in mid-2028. The total cost of the mission, including launch and operations, is now $3.35 billion, far higher than when NASA selected the mission in 2019 as the latest in the New Frontiers line, which had a cost cap excluding launch and operations of $850 million.

NASA said that the costs included in the cap had doubled because of a series of replans to the mission caused by budget pressures, as well as supply chain and related pandemic impacts. NASA will also spend more on a heavy-lift launch vehicle to allow Dragonfly to reach Titan on schedule in 2034 despite two years of launch delays. (4/22)

Blue Halo Wins $24.4 Million AFRL Contract (Source: Space News)
Defense contractor BlueHalo has won a $24.4 million Air Force Research Lab contract to study vulnerabilities of space systems. BlueHalo will be tasked to "accelerate the advancement of the directed energy modeling, simulation and analysis, assessment expertise, and highly technical capabilities to safeguard strategic U.S. space interests," according to a contract announcement last week. AFRL's Satellite Assessment Center, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, evaluates the vulnerabilities of space vehicles to lasers and laser radiation. (4/22)

ESA Graduates Five Astronauts (Source: ESA)
ESA's latest class of astronauts have graduated. The agency held a ceremony Monday to mark the completion of the year-long training program for the five astronauts selected in November 2022. The five were joined by an Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate. The new ESA astronauts are now eligible for assignments for future ISS and other missions. (4/22)

Syrian Astronaut Passes Away at 72 (Source: CollectSpace)
The first Syrian to go to space has died. Muhammed Faris died last week in Turkey at the age of 72 after a long illness. Faris flew to the Mir space station in 1987, spending a week in space as Syria's first and, to date, only space traveler. A Syrian Air Force pilot, he served in the country's military after his flight, rising to the rank of general before detecting with his family to Turkey in 2012. (4/22)

Germany's Reflex Aerospace and South Korea's Flexell Space Team Up to Power Next-Generation Satellites (Source: Reflex)
Reflex and Flexell Space have signed a LOI to collaborate on integrating Flexell’s state-of-the-art solar cells into Reflex’s rapidly manufactured satellite platforms, the companies announced. This international partnership brings together two NewSpace innovators at the cutting edge of satellite manufacturing and solar power to usher in a new era of high-performance, low-lead-time satellites.

Reflex is pioneering new ways of improving satellite design and production, enabling the serial production of tailored satellites. Flexell Space, a Hanwha Group company, has developed groundbreaking solar cell technology that reduces mass while increasing durability and efficiency. Together, they are both working to meet the growing demand for flexible, resilient and high-performance satellites. (4/20)

Israel's Momentick Raises $6.5M for Satellite Methane Monitoring (Source: Axios)
Emissions detection service Momentick closed a $6.5 million seed round to expand the range of greenhouse gasses that it tracks, the company tells Axios. Leaks from fossil fuel infrastructure are responsible for 40% of human-caused methane emissions. Momentick is among a handful of startups using satellites to detect plumes of invisible gas leaking from fossil fuel infrastructure.

Unlike the Environmental Defense Fund's MethaneSat or the publicly traded earth imaging service Planet Labs, both of which launched their own satellites, Momentick is purely a software company, using an algorithm it developed to interpret images taken by others' satellites. The approach enables Momentick to be cost-efficient and cover a broader swath of territory, CEO Daniel Kashmir says. The company says it can detect leaks below 1,000 kilograms/hour, which is about standard for a satellite. (4/18)

ST Engineering and EY Sign MOU in Space Technology and Geospatial Analytics for Sustainability Purposes (Source: EY)
ST Engineering Geo-Insights and EY Corporate Advisors announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in space technology and geospatial analytics, aimed at tackling pressing environmental challenges. The companies will explore co-developing a geospatial platform, integrating ST Engineering Geo-Insights’ capabilities into EY’s existing infrastructure resilience services that focus on rail, roads, water utilities, pipelines and powerlines.

Both parties will explore using geospatial data to co-develop sustainability roadmaps and form a joint sustainability product development working group to focus on five key areas, namely deforestation; water management and quality; compliance with Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures or Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures requirements; carbon accounting; as well as baselining environmental impacts. (4/17)

2024 KSC Community Leaders Update Planned in May (Source: NASA KSC)
The KSC Community Leaders Update will bring together influential individuals from our community to update them on the changes taking place at NASA/KSC. This in-person gathering will take place on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 2:00 PM at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation's Center for Space Education within the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Mingling starts at 2:00 PM, the presentation begins at 2:30 PM. (4/22)

April 21, 2024

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck on Challenging Elon Musk’s SpaceX (Source: Opto)
Out of necessity, Peter Beck, Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, built his company as a smaller, scrappier underdog. However, he believes that these humble beginnings now give the company an advantage compared to larger competitors, particularly Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Since the early days of Rocket Lab [RKLB], Founder and CEO Peter Beck was used to coming up against larger, better-funded competitors.

“We were tracking, at one point, 140 start-ups in small launch,” Beck tells OPTO Sessions. “We were not picked to be the favourite. I think Virgin Orbit had over $1.2bn poured into it; that’s $1.1bn more than we spent getting our first rocket into orbit.” Virgin Orbit ceased operations in May 2023, following a major mission failure, and sold its assets for less than 1% of the $3.5bn valuation it reached in 2021, according to the Guardian. Rocket Lab, however, is still going strong.

The valuations of their competitors perplexed Beck and his team at the time but fostered an intense focus on delivery, which he feels has given Rocket Lab an edge. “Sometimes having too many resources makes you lazy,” he says. “We can’t outspend our competitors. We have to outthink them or outwork them.” Click here. (4/20)

Japan to Create a 1-Trillion-Yen Fund to Bolster Space Business (Source: Asahi Shimbun)
Setting its sights on becoming a key player in the global space industry, Japan will set up a 1-trillion-yen ($6.47 billion) fund to achieve that goal. The space strategy fund will be managed by the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency over a 10-year period to support technological innovation by companies and universities.

As early as this summer, JAXA will begin soliciting private-sector organizations that have the expertise to make things happen with the aim of bringing them aboard by the end of this fiscal year. Specific areas of technological development will be decided at a meeting of the Committee on National Space Policy under the Cabinet Office this month at the earliest.

The science ministry, the industry ministry and the communications ministry have proposed 22 candidate areas. They include a 95-billion-yen project to create a communication network based on satellite constellations; a 23-billion-yen project to develop a fuel-cell system for use on the lunar surface; and a 15.5-bilion-yen project to establish technologies to launch rockets more frequently and cheaply. (4/21)

China Launches New Remote Sensing Satellite (Source: Xinhua)
China on Sunday launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket, placing a remote sensing satellite in space. The rocket blasted off at 7:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan and sent the Yaogan-42 02 satellite into the preset orbit. It was the 517th flight mission of the Long March series rockets. (4/21)

China Publishes World's First High-Definition Lunar Geologic Atlas (Source: Xinhua)
China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This set of geologic atlas, available in Chinese and English, includes the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the Map Quadrangles of the Geologic Atlas of the Moon, according to the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). (4/21)

Space Force Extends Deal with L3Harris to Enhance Space Domain Awareness (Source: Broadcast Pro)
L3Harris Technologies has received an award of option year five of the Maintenance Of Space Situational Awareness Integrated Capabilities (MOSSAIC) programme. The contract, worth up to $187m from the US Space Force, continues the modernisation and sustainment of critical space infrastructure enabling the Space Force core competency of space domain awareness. (4/21)

Archaeological Study of Cape Canaveral's First Rocket Launch Site Expands to 3D Mapping (Source: The Guardian)
Wielding a handheld optical scanner, Jorge González meticulously maneuvered across an archaeological grid of white string and metal pins, creating a 3D digital map of a newly excavated steel-mat corridor that led into the long-demolished Bumper blockhouse. Military technicians walking along that Marston-mat entryway made history on July 24, 1950, by entering that tarpaper shack and using bulky electronics to launch Bumper 8 — America's first rocket to soar skyward from what is now Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

"We're documenting this with 3D technologies. For something like this, we're using what's called a close-range structured light scanner," said Travis Doering, co-director of the University of South Florida's Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information, pointing at the entryway. "This was the first blockhouse ever built out here. And it was built as a temporary one, made out of wood," Doering said. Click here. (4/21)

UF Professor Prepares for a Suborbital Mission (Source: WCJB)
A UF professor is getting ready for a trip as part of a commercial space crew. Rob Ferl, the director of UF’s new Space Institute is conducting an experiment on how micro-gravity impacts humans at the cellular level. He’ll be aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a sub-orbital mission. Blue Origin hasn’t yet announced the target launch date. (4/19)

Lueders: State Highway 4 is Crucial to SpaceX’s Texas Starbase Facility (Source: Rio Grande Guardian)
Kathryn Lueders, general manager of SpaceX’s Starbase, has given an update on the company’s plans for developing its rocket launching facility at Boca Chica. Lueders, the first woman to head human spaceflight when she worked for NASA, gave an in-depth presentation when she spoke at a Border Trade Advisory Committee meeting held at the Brownsville Events Center on April 16.

On more than one occasion, Lueders stressed the importance of State Highway 4. TxDOT has plans to expand the highway to four lanes. “We have over 2,100 personnel go down Highway 4 every day, plus over 500 contractors that are helping support (SpaceX),” Lueders said. Lueders said there is no other way in or out of SpaceX – just SH 4. (4/19)

China Accuses US of ‘Militarizing Space’ with SpaceX’s Starshield Satellite Network (Source: South China Morning Post)
PLA Daily warns that a deal between US military and a new SpaceX unit poses huge security challenges for ‘other countries’. The official newspaper of China’s military has accused the United States of “militarizing space” by supporting Starshield. The Starshield unit is reportedly developing a constellation of hundreds of low-Earth orbit satellites that would allow the US government and military to “quickly spot potential targets almost anywhere on the globe”.

The planned Starshield network “has not only upgraded its secure communication capabilities” from the Starlink satellite internet system, “but further expanded its Earth observation and payload capabilities”, according to the PLA Daily. (4/19)

NASA Flying Drone Planned to Explore Titan (Source: Forbes)
NASA has confirmed that its exciting Dragonfly mission, which will fly a drone-like craft around Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, will cost $3.35 billion and launch in July 2028. Titan is the only other world in the solar system other than Earth that has weather and liquid on the surface. It has an atmosphere, rain, lakes, oceans, shorelines, valleys, mountain ridges, mesas and dunes—and possibly the building blocks of life itself. It’s been described as both a utopia and as deranged because of its weird chemistry. (4/19)

India Needs Regulatory Framework for Financial Risk Coverage of Space Industry (Source: The Hindu)
India urgently needs a comprehensive insurance strategy, combining regulatory clarity, financial market development and alignment with industries to ensure the success of India’s space sector, said Eshaan Bansal, Young Graduate Research Fellow at Spaceport SARABHAI. Mr. Bansal is the author of the report, Financial Risk Coverage of India’s Commercial Space Launch Industry: Need for Developing Insurance and Reinsurance Capabilities, which was released on Friday by Spaceport SARABHAI a dedicated space think tank based in Bengaluru. (4/20)

ESA and the EU Agree to Accelerate the Use of Space (Source: ESA)
ESA will work closely with the EU to use space to improve life on Earth, following an agreement signed today by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence Industry and Space, Timo Pesonen. The world faces challenges stemming from climate change, natural disasters and human actions. Space is crucial to help tackle these challenges, but many organisations have yet to realise its full potential. ESA has proposed three ‘accelerators’ – recent initiatives that contribute to sustainability and resilience on Earth and in space – and will work with the EU to realise their full potential. (4/19)

NASA May Alter Artemis III to Have Starship and Orion Dock in Low-Earth Orbit (Source: Ars Technica)
Although NASA is unlikely to speak about it publicly any time soon, the space agency is privately considering modifications to its Artemis plan to land astronauts on the surface of the Moon later this decade. Multiple sources have confirmed that NASA is studying alternatives to the planned Artemis III landing of two astronauts on the Moon, nominally scheduled for September 2026, due to concerns about hardware readiness and mission complexity.

Under one of the options, astronauts would launch into low-Earth orbit inside an Orion spacecraft and rendezvous there with a Starship vehicle, separately launched by SpaceX. During this mission, similar to Apollo 9, a precursor to the Apollo 11 lunar landing, the crew would validate the ability of Orion and Starship to dock and test habitability inside Starship. The crew would then return to Earth. In another option NASA is considering, a crew would launch in Orion and fly to a small space station near the Moon, the Lunar Gateway, and then return to Earth. (4/19)

Space Tourism: The Next Great Leap (Source: CBS Reports)
In the aftermath of the Titan submersible tragedy, extreme travel has come under fresh scrutiny. But one industry stands out for both its allure and the lack of regulation protecting participants' safety: space tourism. CBS Reports explores the next great leap for humankind and whether regulators and industry stakeholders are striking the right balance between encouraging innovation and ensuring safety. Click here. (4/15)

April 20, 2024

Slovenia Signs Artemis Accords, Joins Pursuit of Safer Space (Source: NASA)
NASA and Slovenia affirmed their cooperation in future space endeavors on Friday as Slovenia became the 39th country to sign the Artemis Accords. The signing certified Slovenia’s commitment to pursue safe and sustainable exploration of space for the benefit of humanity and took place during a U.S.-Slovenia strategic dialogue in Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Offices. (4/19)

NASA Leadership to Visit Mexico, Strengthen Cooperation (Source: NASA)
Continuing their significant engagement with key government officials around the world to deepen ties and strengthen space collaboration, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy will visit Mexico City on April 22-23. Nelson and Melroy will meet with senior Mexican government officials, including President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, pending confirmation, and Mexican Space Agency (AEM) leaders, to strengthen bilateral cooperation across a broad range of innovation and research areas, such as Earth science and exploration. Together, the two nations are working to achieve mutual goals of addressing climate change. (4/16)

Vice President Kamala Harris Launches Call to Action to Bring the Benefits of Space to Communities Across America (Source: White House)
Under Vice President Kamala Harris’s leadership of the National Space Council, the U.S. is continuing to steward the responsible and sustainable use of space to protect our national security interests, address the climate crisis, foster a thriving commercial space sector, and more. In 2022, the Vice President announced commitments to inspire, prepare, and employ the space workforce and ensure that the U.S.’ future in space remains strong.

The Vice President issued a call to action for both the private and public sectors to bring the benefits of space to communities across our Nation. As part of this call to action private and public organizations and institutions are announcing commitments to help achieve that aim. To strengthen U.S. space collaboration and increase public engagement, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Women in Aerospace (WIA), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Club for the Future, and the Space Foundation are collaborating through a Private-Public-Partnership with more than 150 companies to develop Space4All. This is a five-year awareness campaign to raise public understanding of the benefits of space for life on Earth.

In September 2022, Vice President Harris announced a newly formed coalition of space organizations that are working together to meet the rising demand for a skilled technical workforce in the U.S. space industry. The coalition – launched in Florida, the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Southern California – has expanded to include nearly 40 companies, organizations, and academic institutions across the federal, state, regional, and local levels. (4/6)

ULA Plans to Use Vulcan for On-Orbit Services (Source: Defense One)
United Launch Alliance is strategizing to repurpose the upper stages of its Vulcan Centaur rockets to remain in orbit, performing tasks such as satellite towing and defending against Chinese anti-satellite threats, in response to competitors developing reusable heavy-lift rockets. ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained that these stages would be equipped with extra propellant, enabling them to undertake various missions for extended periods. (4/18)

China Launches Space Collaboration Forum with Latin America and the Caribbean (Source: Space Daily)
Next week, Wuhan, Hubei province, will be the site of the first-ever China-Latin America and the Caribbean Space Cooperation Forum, as announced by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). This inaugural two-day event, a collaborative effort among the CNSA, the Foreign Ministry, and the government of Hubei province, is scheduled to begin on April 24, which is celebrated as China's Space Day. (4/18)

FAU Joins NASA for University Nanosatellite Project (Source: Space Daily)
Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science has been chosen as one of eight U.S. university teams to collaborate with NASA and the U.S. military. This partnership aims to boost innovation and expertise in the small satellite sector through the 2024 Mission Concept Program.

The program, a part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI), involves cooperation with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force to utilize nanosatellites. These are research spacecraft about the size of a 4-inch cube, usually weighing less than 5 pounds, and are instrumental in space research due to their size and cost-effectiveness. (4/18)

Knot Theory Aids in Mapping Efficient Space Routes (Source: Space Daily)
Scientists at the University of Surrey have devised a method to chart the most efficient routes for spacecraft, mirroring the way drivers use sat-nav to navigate on Earth. This new technique harnesses mathematics to outline potential paths from one orbit to another, sidestepping the need for extensive computational resources or trial-and-error approaches.

Danny Owen, from the Surrey Space Center, developed the method. He explains, "Traditionally, plotting a course in space could be haphazard, relying on extensive calculations or educated guesses. Our method systematically identifies all viable spacecraft trajectories between two orbits with a shared energy level, much like a tube map guides commuters through metropolitan transit systems." (4/18)

Momentus and Ascent Solar Technologies Announce New Solar Array Partnership (Source: Space Daily)
Momentus and Ascent Solar Technologies unveiled their partnership aimed at jointly marketing innovative solar arrays that integrate Momentus's low-cost Tape Spring Solar Array (TASSA) technology and Ascent's advanced, flexible photovoltaic modules. This collaboration will deliver a solar solution offering significant benefits including cost-effectiveness, durability under extreme space conditions, and high power output capabilities. (4/18)

April 19, 2024

Boeing Layoffs Possible on Space Launch System Program (Source: Ars Technica)
Boeing is considering laying off some workers involved in NASA's Space Launch System program. A company spokesperson said it is evaluating potential reductions in the workforce for SLS because of "external factors unrelated to our program performance." Those factors could include delays in the next two Artemis missions, which slipped because of issues with the Orion spacecraft and development of the Starship lunar lander. (4/19)

ISS NICER Instrument Fix to Require Spacewalk (Source: NASA)
Astronauts will repair an astronomical instrument on the ISS later this year. NASA said this week that astronauts will perform a spacewalk to fix the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, instrument that has been on the ISS since 2017. Astronomers discovered a problem with NICER last year where sunlight would leak into the instrument, dazzling its X-ray sensors. On the spacewalk, astronauts will apply patches to the spacecraft's sunshield and areas where damage has been spotted in a bid to block the light leaks. NASA has not set a specific date for the spacewalk, and the repair materials will be launched to the station on the next Cygnus cargo spacecraft. (4/19)

L3Harris Sues Moog for Smallsat Bus Delays (Source: Space News)
Supply chain problems in the small satellite industry have resulted in a lawsuit. L3Harris Technologies filed suit in late March against Moog, which was supplying satellite buses for a contract L3Harris had with the Space Development Agency. L3Harris alleges Moog repeatedly missed delivery deadlines, with satellite buses arriving 11 to 13 months late, putting its SDA contract at risk.

The lawsuit underscores the challenges facing the space supply chain as it tries to ramp up production to meet soaring demand from the military and the intelligence community. Experts say companies in the defense industry, long accustomed to building a few large, complex satellites, are adapting to the new reality of producing larger quantities of smaller, cheaper spacecraft, exposing weaknesses in segments of the space industrial base. (4/19)

Astra Considered Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (Source: Space News)
Astra flirted with filing for bankruptcy several times in recent months as the company struggled to stay afloat. In recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the spacecraft propulsion and launch vehicle company said that it had considered "and even begun preparations" to file for either Chapter 11 reorganization or Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy in the second half of 2023 and earlier this year. In some cases the company came within days of furloughing staff and filing for bankruptcy.

Astra announced last month that it accepted a proposal by the company's founders to take the company private at $0.50 a share, a deal still scheduled to close in the second quarter. Astra reported Thursday a net loss of $178.4 million in 2023 on $3.9 million in revenue. (4/19)

MDA Space Wins Canadian Contract for ISS Robotic Arm Support (Source: Space News)
MDA Space won a contract from the Canadian Space Agency to provide continued support for the International Space Station's robotic arm. The $182 million contract extension, announced Thursday, covers robotics flight controller duties, in addition to the operational readiness support, through 2030, the scheduled retirement of the station. MDA Space announced last week a new product line of modular robotic technologies and services called Skymaker, which the company hopes will help it secure emerging commercial opportunities following decades of government work. (4/19)

China Plans Commercial Launches for Proposed Megaconstellations (Source: Space News)
China plans to rely on commercial launch companies to help deploy its proposed megaconstellations. China has outlined plans for two separate low Earth orbit communications megaconstellations, called Guowang and G60 Starlink, with Guowang alone featuring 13,000 satellites. A recent report notes that new launch capacity being developed by commercial actors in the country will play a pivotal role in getting the planned satellites into orbit. The move will help traditional state-owned players focus on civil and military programs, including human spaceflight, military and lunar plans, while also boosting China's overall launch and space capabilities and meeting national strategic goals. (4/19)

Virgin Galactic Considers Reverse Stock Split (Source: Space News)
Virgin Galactic will ask shareholders to approve proposals for a reverse stock split. The company released a proxy statement Thursday for its annual general meeting of shareholders, scheduled for June. That statement includes a proposal to allow the board to implement a reverse split of between 1-for-2 and 1-for-20 shares. The reverse split would boost the share price, which the company said would have various benefits, including compliance with requirements to remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares in the company closed Thursday at $0.97. (4/19)

Ghaffarian Sets His Sights on the Stars with a Range of Space Companies (Source: CNBC)
Jeff Bezos wants to build permanent outposts on the moon and colonize space. Richard Branson wants to make spaceflight as commonplace as air travel. Elon Musk wants to settle on Mars to make humanity multi-planetary. IBX’s Kam Ghaffarian wants to go even further: the stars. “The vision for IBX is protecting our home, our planet, and then finding new homes and stars and everything involved to do that. So, on the space side, if we say that the ultimate destiny for humanity is interstellar travel, and going to the stars, then we need to take a lot of intermediary steps to do that.”

It might sound farfetched if it wasn’t for his track record. Ghaffarian has been instrumental in ushering in the new space economy, having co-founded and invested in a cadre of commercial space ventures. Publicly traded Intuitive Machines, where Ghaffarian is co-founder and executive chairman, recently made history when its Odysseus spacecraft successfully landed on the moon. Ghaffarian is also the co-founder and chairman of Axiom Space, which now regularly sends private astronauts on commercial missions to the ISS as it works to build its own space station.

With Quantum Space, where he’s also the executive chairman, the focus is on deep space commerce and communication through a superhighway of satellites stretching from Earth’s orbit to the moon and beyond; X-Energy, which he founded, has developed operating nuclear reactors that, according to the company, are “designed to be intrinsically safe,” as well as nuclear propulsion capabilities. His family office, IBX, which stands for “Imagine, Believe, Execute,” sits at the center of this space exploration constellation. Click here. (4/18)

SwRI Begins Work on 'Spacecraft Bus' (Source: KSAT)
outhwest Research Institute has won a position on Denver-based Astroscale U.S.’s contract with the U.S. Space Force to build and test a small demonstration spacecraft as part of a $25.5 million Space Mobility and Logistics prototyping project. The spacecraft, called the Astroscale Prototype Servicer for Refueling, will refuel other compatible vehicles while in geostationary orbit. “It’s a servicing mission; It’s a demonstration mission. It’s intended to provide a service that the Space Command really wants to have in orbit,” said Michael Epperly, senior program manager within the SwRI Space Systems Directorate. (4/17)

Plasma Physicist Warns That Elon Musk's Disposable Satellites May Be Damaging the Earth's Magnetic Field (Source: Futurism)
Dead satellites and other debris are constantly burning up as they fall out of Earth's orbit. Conventional wisdom is destroying all that space junk is good, because it keeps orbit less cluttered. But it may have harmful effects on our planet's magnetic field, as plasma physicist and former Air Force research scientist Sierra Solter contends.  "After studying the problem for over a year, I have no doubt that the sheer vastness of this pollution is going to disrupt our delicate plasma environment in one way or another," Solter wrote, arguing that big money in "commercial space ventures" could stop us from "discussing this potential crisis." (4/17)

Pluto Gained a ‘Heart’ After Colliding with a Planetary Body (Source: CNN)
A huge heart-shaped feature on the surface of Pluto has intrigued astronomers since NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft captured it in a 2015 image. Now, researchers think they have solved the mystery of how the distinctive heart came to be — and it could reveal new clues about the dwarf planet’s origins. The heart is not all one element, scientists say. For decades, details on Tombaugh Regio’s elevation, geological composition and distinct shape, as well as its highly reflective surface that is a brighter white than the rest of Pluto, have defied explanation.

After an analysis involving numerical simulations, researchers concluded a planetary body about 435 miles in diameter, or roughly twice the size of Switzerland from east to west, likely collided with Pluto early in the dwarf planet’s history. (4/18)

Enceladus Can Support Life − My Research Team is Working Out How to Detect Extraterrestrial Cells There (Source: The Conversation)
Saturn has 146 confirmed moons – more than any other planet in the solar system – but one called Enceladus stands out. It appears to have the ingredients for life. From 2004 to 2017, Cassini – a joint mission between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency – investigated Saturn, its rings and moons. Cassini delivered spectacular findings. Enceladus, only 313 miles in diameter, harbors a liquid water ocean beneath its icy crust that spans the entire moon. Click here. (4/17)

The Strange Theory That There Is Only One Electron In The Universe (Source: IFL Science)
According to a theory proposed by theoretical physicist John Wheeler, who outlined his thoughts in a conversation with fellow physicist Richard Feynman, there is only one electron – it just looks like there are a lot more because it is moving forward and backward in time. As odd as this sounds, it is itself a response to the incredible weirdness of electrons. Electrons, like other elementary particles, are indistinguishable from each other. They have the same negative charge, the same mass, and the same spin. Swap one electron for another, and you won't be able to tell.

Its antiparticle – the positron – are also indistinguishable from each other, identical in their charge, mass, and spin. Strangely, they are identical to electrons, aside from their positive charge. It was these factors that led Wheeler to suggest that electrons and positrons were actually just one particle, negatively charged as it goes forward in time, and positively charged as it goes backward in time. (4/18)

Physicists Suggest Universe is Full of Material Moving Faster Than Light (Source: Futurism)
New research suggests that the universe is filled with particles capable of traveling faster than light, LiveScience reports — and that this scenario holds up as a potentially "viable alternative" to our current cosmological model. The idea is a little far-fetched, sure, but it's worth hearing out. These hypothetical particles, known as tachyons, aren't likely to be real — but they're not some hokey bit of sci-fi, either. The potential for their existence is something physicists have been giving serious thought for decades, raising fundamental questions about the nature of causality. (4/18)

Northrop Grumman Working with SpaceX on U.S. Spy Satellite System (Source: Reuters)
Aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman is working with SpaceX, the space venture of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, on a classified spy satellite project already capturing high-resolution imagery of the Earth, according to people familiar with the program. The program, details of which were first reported by Reuters last month, is meant to enhance the U.S. government's ability to track military and intelligence targets from low-Earth orbits, providing high-resolution imagery of a kind that had traditionally been captured mostly by drones and reconnaissance aircraft.

The inclusion of Northrop Grumman, which has not been previously reported, reflects a desire among government officials to avoid putting too much control of a highly-sensitive intelligence program in the hands of one contractor, four people familiar with the project told Reuters. "It is in the government's interest to not be totally invested in one company run by one person," one of the people said. (4/18)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Satellites on Company's 40th Mission of 2024 (Source: Space.com)
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 of the company's Starlink internet satellites lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida on April 18. The Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth about 8.5 minutes after launch as planned, making a vertical landing on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. (4/18)

Lack of Standards Slows Allied Tech-Sharing, Space Force Official Says (Source: Defense News)
As the U.S. military deepens its technology development and sharing partnerships with international allies, a dearth of government standards for components and interfaces threatens to impede cooperation, according to the Space Force. Chief Master Sergeant Ron Lerch, who serves as the senior enlisted leader for Space Systems Command’s Intelligence Directorate, said that while the issue is often raised by industry, it’s a growing concern from foreign allies as well. (4/17)

FAA to Require Reentry Vehicles Licensed Before Launch (Source: Space News)
The FAA is revising its licensing regulations to prevent a repeat of a situation last year where a spacecraft launched without approvals to return. In a notice published in the Federal Register April 17, the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation announced it will no longer approve the launch of spacecraft designed to reenter unless they already have a reentry license. The office said that it will, going forward, check that a spacecraft designed to return to Earth has a reentry license as part of the standard payload review process. (4/18)

Orbex Secures £16.7m Investment to Accelerate Rocket Development (Source: Orbex)
The UK spaceflight company Orbex has received £16.7m from a group of six significant investors in an update to its Series C funding round. The funding takes the total funds raised by the business to £102 million. With pre-launch testing underway, the funding will help Orbex ramp up the development of Prime, its 19-meter long, two-stage rocket designed to transport small satellites into Low Earth Orbit. The aim is to ensure full readiness and scalability for its launch period.

Orbex now has 2 active patents in a number of European countries and the United States covering various parts of its rocket technology. It is powered by a renewable biofuel, which allows the rocket to reduce carbon emissions significantly compared to other similarly sized rockets being developed elsewhere around the world. (4/18)

NASA Has Greenlit Plans to Send a Giant Drone to Saturn’s Largest Moon (Source: The Verge)
NASA has been given the go-ahead to send a flying drone-like lander to explore Titan, the largest of Saturn’s 146 moons. Targeting a July 2028 launch, the agency announced on Tuesday that it can now complete the final design for Dragonfly — a Mars rover-sized rotorcraft that will be used to detect “prebiotic chemical processes common on both Titan and the early Earth before life developed.” If all goes according to plan, the eight-rotor drone is scheduled to arrive at Titan in 2034. (4/17)

Mutated Strains of Unknown Drug-Resistant Bacteria Found Lurking on ISS (Source: Gizmodo)
The ISS is home to crews of astronauts conducting research in low Earth orbit, but it also hosts a group of mutated bacteria that are thriving under the harsh conditions of space. A group of researchers took a closer look at bacterial strains on board the ISS and found that they had mutated to a different form that’s genetically and functionally distinct from their Earthly counterparts. In a new study published on PubMed, scientists suggest that bacteria in space becomes more resistant to treatment or drugs, and are able to openly persist in the microgravity environment in abundance.

Although astronauts tend to travel light, they do unintentionally bring their microbes with them to space. As a result, a unique microbial population has grown on the space station. In 2019, researchers conducted the first extensive survey of bacteria and fungi on board the ISS, and found a whole bunch of microorganisms living among the astronauts. The bacteria that live on the ISS are influenced by factors like microgravity, radiation, elevated CO2, ventilation, humidity, air pressure, as well as the number of astronauts on ISS. As a result, the microorganisms have to adapt in order to survive.

The study found that under stress, E. bugandensis mutated to become more resistant to antimicrobial treatment. Also, the bacterial species was found to coexist with multiple other microorganisms, and in some cases may have helped those other organisms survive. E. bugandensis is associated with the human gastrointestinal tract, and the species is known to be highly adaptable and can take advantage of unusual conditions to infect a host. (4/18)

Unidentified Submerged Objects Are What We Should Really Worry About (Source: Jalopnik)
Officially, the U.S. government has no proof that sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena are the result of alien activity. Apparently, though, they have been observed operating unidentified submerged objects in our oceans. They fly, too, but when they want, they just disappear beneath the waves without a trace. Retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet is sounding the alarm on UFOs that can disappear into the water without a splash and without leaving any wreckage behind. (4/18)

This Advanced Quake Detector Will Land on the Moon With Artemis Astronauts (Source: Gizmodo)
NASA is building a compact seismometer for its upcoming Artemis 3 mission to the Moon, hoping to learn more about the internal structure of the dusty satellite from its lunar tremors. The Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) was selected as one of the first three potential payloads for Artemis 3, which is scheduled for launch in 2026. LEMS is an autonomous, self-sustaining station that’s designed to withstand the cold lunar night and operate during the day, continuously monitoring ground motion from moonquakes. (4/17)

After Success of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, ISRO Chief Somanath Makes Big Claim on India's Lunar Mission (Source: DNA)
The chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S Somanath, said India's commitment to continue lunar missions until an Indian astronaut sets foot on the Moon. Speaking at an event organised by the Astronautical Society of India in Ahmedabad, Somanath emphasised ISRO's dedication to the Chandrayaan series of missions and probes until this significant milestone is achieved.

India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole in August 2023, making it the first country to land on the uncharted surface. Chandrayaan 3 module seperated from the rocket 16 minutes after launch and orbited the Earth six times, reaching a maximum distance of 36500 km before the first orbit-raising move on July 15, taking it to a distance of 41,672 km.

Meanwhile, Somanath also revealed plans for an uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, a test vehicle flight mission, and an airdrop test scheduled for 2024. The airdrop test, slated for April 24, is a significant step towards realising India's human spaceflight capability. Somanath outlined a roadmap comprising additional uncrewed missions in the following year, leading up to the manned mission by the end of next year, contingent on successful progress. (4/18)

Engineering India's Lunar Ambitions with AI (Source: DaijiWorld)
Artificial intelligence has been a pivotal technology in ensuring the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. It has significantly enhanced planning, navigation, data analysis, and overall operational efficiency. The integration of artificial intelligence has played a crucial role in the accomplishments of Chandrayaan-3. Let's explore how artificial intelligence has contributed to the mission's triumph. Click here. (4/17)

Air National Guard Transfer Proposal Would Put America Behind in Space (Source: C4ISRnet)
On March 19, the secretary of the U.S. Air Force sent a legislative proposal to Congress that calls for the transfer of Air National Guard space missions, equipment, and personnel to the U.S. Space Force. The proposal, known as LP 480, also includes language that overrides the section of the law that requires governors to consent to changes to their National Guard units.

As an adjutant general, LP 480 presents a multitude of concerns. It would set a precedent for moving state forces to a federal chain of command without the governor’s consent and would reduce a state’s capability to respond to state emergencies without any input from the state. It would also create unnecessary costs for American taxpayers. And LP 480 would degrade America’s space capabilities.

Last year, Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, the chief of Space Operations, told Congress that the Air National Guard’s roughly 1,000 space professionals make more than 30% of American space capability and a whopping 60% of the nation’s electromagnetic warfare capability. LP 480 would move about 1,000 positions (known in the military as billets) from the Air National Guard to the Space Force. However, because the service members that occupy those positions signed contracts with the National Guard, they cannot be forced to transfer to the Space Force and must do so voluntarily. (4/17)

Inversion’s State-of-the-Art Ray Reentry Demonstrator Capsule to Launch This Fall (Source: Inversion)
Inversion, founded in 2021 to build re-entry vehicles to deliver cargo anywhere on Earth in under one hour, announced today that Ray, the company’s technology test platform, will be launching on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of the Transporter-12 Rideshare mission, no earlier than October 2024. The purpose of Ray’s mission for Inversion is to test key technologies for the yet-to-be-announced next generation vehicle that Inversion is developing. (4/17)

SpaceX's Latest $14M South Texas Expansion Adds Rec Center, Sushi (Source: My San Antonio)
SpaceX's South Texas headquarters, located along the coast, is continuing to build its island of resources for its community of space innovators. The astronautics company has now added multi-million dollar projects to its slate of upcoming restaurants and centers. The company plans to build an over $13 million recreation center and a nearly half-million-dollar sushi restaurant. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations filings show that the projects will take full form in over a year of construction. (4/17)

Axiom, LambdaVision, and the Great Commercial Takeover of Low Earth Orbit (Source: MIT Technology Review)
A lot of people are betting that there are fortunes to be made in LEO, and because of that, the US taxpayer is not paying for Axiom Station. Though NASA intends to eventually rent space on Hab One, and has already awarded tens of millions of dollars to kick off early development, the commercial station is being built by hundreds of millions of private dollars. The cultivation of commercial research and manufacturing is ongoing, which was NASA’s aim going all the way back to Dan Goldin’s tenure as administrator.

Axiom built the mock-up to solve an almost comically fundamental challenge that any project such as this faces: turning the pressure shell and the myriad subsystems and components into a human-safe spacefaring vehicle. You can’t just drill holes in the pressure shell, any more than you can punch a hole in a balloon and expect it to keep its shape. Axiom must build the module inside and around it. “It is a spaceship-in-the-bottle problem,” Baine said. “You basically have to feed all your systems through a 50-inch hatch and integrate them into the element.”

As part of its push to encourage companies to develop their own space stations, NASA has committed to leasing space on those that meet the agency’s stringent human-spaceflight requirements. Just as with a major shopping center, an “anchor tenant” can offer financial stability and attract more tenants. To help this along, a US national laboratory based in Melbourne, Florida, is specifically funding and supporting non-aerospace companies that might benefit from microgravity research. Click here. (4/17)

ESA Selects Four New Earth Explorer Mission Ideas (Source: ESA)
From the 17 submissions, which were all thoroughly evaluated, ESA’s Advisory Committee for Earth Observation (ACEO) recommended that four of the ideas should go forward to the assessment study phase. Today, ESA’s Programme Board for Earth Observation formally accepted this recommendation, which means that the proposed CryoRad, ECO, Hydroterra+ and Keystone mission ideas will now be fully assessed and, in effect, take the first competitive steps towards becoming ESA’s twelfth Earth Explorer.

CryoRad would provide direct measurement of low-frequency passive-microwave brightness temperatures using a novel broadband radiometer. ECO would measure the difference between incoming solar radiation and outgoing radiation, which defines Earth’s energy ‘imbalance’, and which fundamentally controls Earth’s climate system. Hydroterra+ would deliver data twice a day over Europe, the Mediterranean and northern Africa to understand rapid processes tied to the water cycle and tectonic events in these regions. And Keystone would provide the first direct observations of atomic oxygen in the altitude range of 50–150 km using a unique combination of limb-sounding techniques. (4/17)

Lunar i-hab Mockup Completes Acceptance Review at Thales Alenia Space (Source: Space Daily)
The European Space Agency's Lunar I-Hab initiative has achieved a significant milestone at the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin with the completion of the Acceptance Review of the mockup, delivered by Liquifer Space Systems. This event underscores the advancement toward a sustained human presence in lunar orbit. The mockup, a full-scale version of the intended flight module, includes a structural representation of the living space and a cabin equipped with volumetric models of actual flight hardware. (4/16)

NASA Seeks Community Input to Refine Space Technology Priorities (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) is revising its approach to technology development as it aims to enhance its missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The agency has identified nearly 190 national space technology needs and is soliciting input from the American aerospace community to prioritize these for future endeavors.

Dr. Kurt Vogel, associate administrator for Space Technology at NASA Headquarters, emphasized the shift towards a more collaborative process to tackle the challenges posed by future missions. "STMD is developing many key technologies, but this open approach helps us better prioritize and align with stakeholder needs, ensuring efficient investment," he explained. (4/17)