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January 17, 2022
What is this SPACErePORT?
The SPACErePORT is a free weekly chronicle for space industry insiders, investors, policy makers, and enthusiasts. It is distributed to ~1500 subscribers and is supplemented by a daily-updated SPACErePORT blog; a Twitter feed with ~1800 followers; and a spaceports-focused LinkedIn Group with ~290 members. (I also manage the National Space Club's Florida Committee LinkedIn and Twitter feeds.) If you appreciate this free resource, donations are encouraged using the PayPal tip jar, or Venmo using @Edward-Ellegood. I can also publish banner advertisements at affordable rates, or sometimes for free if I support the cause. Thanks!
Falcon-9 Delivers 100+ Satellites to Orbit with Latest Polar Launch From Florida (Source: Space News)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched more than 100 smallsats on a rideshare mission Thursday. The Transporter-3 mission lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and deployed its payload of 105 spacecraft into a sun-synchronous orbit. Several companies that operate satellite constellations used the launch to replenish and augment their fleets, with some first-time customers on the launch as well. The flight was SpaceX's third smallsat dedicated rideshare mission. This was also the first of as many as four such launches planned for 2022. The rocket's first stage returned successfully to the spaceport with a sonic boom. The fairing recovery was planned downrange between the Bahamas and Cuba. (1/14)
SpaceX’s Third Rideshare Competes with Smaller Rockets (Source: Teslarati)
One week after SpaceX and the world’s first orbital launch of 2022, the company is a few days out from its second launch of the year – this time carrying dozens of small satellites for a variety of rideshare customers. Aside from potentially being the world’s second orbital launch of the year, the mission – known as Transporter-3 – will be the third Falcon 9 launch dedicated to SpaceX’s Smallsat Rideshare Program, which offers what is likely the world’s most affordable ticket to orbit.
Prospective customers buying directly through SpaceX can currently pay just $1 million to launch up to 200 kg to sun-synchronous low Earth orbit (LEO). In just two Transporter launches, the company has delivered almost 220 small satellites to orbit for dozens of different customers – including startups, universities, space agencies, student groups, science teams, and more. While rideshare payloads lose out on the benefits of hands-on, white-glove customer service and a more direct, tailored orbit insertion offered by a dedicated launch, the small rockets that offer direct launch services for small satellites are extremely expensive.
There are only two relatively affordable small rockets that are active today and have successfully launched at least a few times. Rocket Lab’s Electron is capable of launching 200 kilograms to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) for about $7.5 million – $37,500/kg if fully exploited. While it’s only completed two successful launches, Virgin Orbit’s air-launched LauncherOne rocket is capable of delivering 300 kg to the same orbit for $12 million ($40,000/kg). Astra’s Rocket 3.0 vehicle will cost at least $2.5 million to launch 150 kg to SSO – about as good as dedicated small launch affordability is ever going to get. (1/10)
Astra Testing Underway for Potential 18 January Launch From Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: SpaceFlight Now)
Astra is gearing up for its first launch from Cape Canaveral as soon as next week. The company has been testing its Rocket 3.3 vehicle at Space Launch Complex 46, with a launch possible as soon as the afternoon of Jan. 18. The rocket will be carrying a set of cubesats under a NASA Venture Class Launch Services contract. Astra’s rocket, in its current configuration, stands 43 feet (13.1 meters) tall and measures 4.3 feet (1.3 meters) wide. That’s somewhat narrower than — and about the same height as — the payload fairing on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. As soon as this week, Astra plans a test-firing of the rocket’s five kerosene-fueled main engines. (1/12)
Space Force, Space Florida Put Astra on a Fast Track for New Eastern Range Launch Capability (Source: Space Coast Daily)
Astra Space has announced that it plans to deploy its first satellite in orbit for NASA when it launches a Astra Rocket 3 (VCLS Demo 2) on Tuesday, January 18, from Cape Canaveral. The launch from Cape Canaveral will be conducted out of Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46) and will be Astra’s first launch out of Cape Canaveral. Launch window will be open from 1:00-4:00 p.m. EST.
Brigadier General Stephen Purdy, Commander of Space Launch Delta 45 and Director of the Eastern Range, said: “SLD 45, Space Florida, and Astra have moved at a rapid speed to demonstrate critical and responsive launch capabilities. We are excited to welcome Astra to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.” Astra and Space Launch Delta 45, a part of the United States Space Force, enabled Astra to launch out of Cape Canaveral in record time – shortening the multi-year approval time to months. (1/14)
SpaceX Confirms Shift to Starship for Starlink Deployment (Source: Space News)
SpaceX says it plans to rely on its new Starship vehicle for deploying the second generation of its Starlink constellation. SpaceX said in a filing with the FCC that it no longer proposes to launch the 30,000 satellites of that Starlink Gen2 system using its Falcon 9, which would have required far more launches than the larger Starship. That constellation is separate from its first-generation Starlink system that the company is now deploying, which is authorized for 4,408 satellites. The FCC has not yet approved SpaceX's plans for Starlink Gen2, but SpaceX asked the FCC to expedite approval now that it has settled on the use of Starship to launch those satellites.
The proposed Starship configuration, which SpaceX had earlier said was its preferred option, comprises 29,988 satellites at altitudes of between 340 and 614 kilometers across nine inclined orbits. The now-abandoned Falcon 9 configuration would have spread 29,996 satellites across 12 orbital inclinations, at altitudes between 328 and 614 kilometers. Amazon and other SpaceX rivals had called on the FCC to dismiss the amended plan, saying requesting permission for more than one configuration encourages speculative application behavior from future constellation operators.
Editor's Note: Unless SpaceX intends to launch these Starship missions from Florida (and even if they do), this could result in a steep drop in Florida's annual launch rate. (1/11)
SpaceX Working on Several Starship, Super Heavy Upgrades and Design Changes (Source: Teslarati)
Not long after Elon Musk confirmed plans to add three more Raptor engines to Starship and stretch the upper stage’s propellant tanks, the SpaceX CEO has confirmed one of several smaller design changes planned in the interim.
On January 3rd, Musk confirmed that SpaceX is entirely relocating one of two secondary ‘header’ tanks that Starships use to store landing propellant. A graphic sketched on the side of future Starship rings further revealed plans to tweak most of the subsections that SpaceX stacks to form a Starship, complementing an upgraded nosecone design. Finally, another design change was spotted on hardware that will eventually become part of the first full-thrust Super Heavy booster. (1/11)
NASA Hopes for March Launch of First Artemis SLS (Source: Space News)
NASA officials remain hopeful the first SLS launch could take place in March despite a delay in an upcoming key test. NASA said last week the rollout of the SLS to its launch pad for a fueling test and practice countdown, called a wet dress rehearsal, is now scheduled for mid-February. At a conference this week, agency officials said they were hopeful that would still allow a first launch of the SLS on the Artemis 1 mission in March, a schedule some in industry believe too optimistic. Bob Cabana, NASA associate administrator, acknowledged in a speech Tuesday that a March launch "might be tight." (1/13)
NASA Prepares SLS Moon Rockets for First Crewed Artemis Missions (Source: Parabolic Arc)
As teams continue to prepare NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for its debut flight with the launch of Artemis I, NASA and its partners across the country have made great progress building the rocket for Artemis II, the first crewed Artemis mission. The team is also manufacturing and testing major parts for Artemis missions III, IV and V.
The first piece of rocket hardware – the ICPS – for Artemis II arrived in Florida July 28, 2021. It is undergoing final preparations at lead contractors Boeing and United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) facilities and will soon be delivered nearby to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The ICPS fires its RL10 engine, provided by Aerojet Rocketdyne, to send the Orion spacecraft toward the Moon. ULA is already building the Artemis III ICPS in its factory in Decatur, Alabama. (1/13)
SpaceX Simulates Lifting Starship with Launch Tower ‘Arms’ at Texas Starbase (Source: Teslarati)
SpaceX has taken Starbase’s rocket-catching launch tower ‘arms’ to new heights during the latest series of proof tests. That process began in earnest on January 4th, when SpaceX lifted, opened, and swung the tower’s building-sized arms for the first time. Four days later, SpaceX performed a variation on the first round of tests, again slowly lifting the assembly up the side of the launch tower and opening and closing the arms.
The most notable difference was the addition of a pair of tandem swing tests, which hinted at more applied tests that were soon to come. While subtle, SpaceX also performed some basic tests with a third Starship fueling arm higher up on the tower, very slowly swinging it towards where Starship would be standing. On Sunday afternoon, a third major round of testing kicked off. This set of tests was considerably more focused than the prior two, suggesting that it was more of a simulation of the main purpose of the arms.
Instead of lifting a few dozen feet and performing basic actuation and coordination tests, SpaceX simply lifted the arm assembly up along the tower’s exterior and didn’t stop. There were a few temporary pauses but the arms ultimately reached the approximate height they’d need to reach to stack a Starship on top of a Super Heavy booster. In fact, despite being (in)famous for being partially designed to catch boosters and ships out of mid-air, the main purpose of the arms – and likely the only reason they exist at all – is to safely, accurately, and precisely lift, install, and stack Starships and Super Heavy boosters. (1/10)
Texas Awards Spaceport Grants to Support Houston and Cameron County Projects (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Two Texas facilities have won spaceport grants from the state government. The Texas Spaceport Trust Fund awarded $5 million to Spaceport Houston at Ellington Airport and $5 million to the Cameron County Spaceport Development Corporation in South Texas. While not hosting any launches, Spaceport Houston is seeking to become a hub for space companies such as Axiom Space and Intuitive Machines. Cameron County is home to SpaceX's Starship test site at Boca Chica. The Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is seeking an FAA spaceport operator's license, for horizontal launch operations. (1/14)
A Visit to AST SpaceMobile's Satellite Factory at Midland TX Spaceport (Source: AST SpaceMobile)
AST SpaceMobile is developing satellites to provide cellular broadband coverage to phones all over the world — on land, at sea, and in the air — without any extra hardware or software. Follow Jason Silva, a friend of the AST SpaceMobile mission to connect the unconnected, as Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO, leads a first-ever public tour of the company's headquarters and satellite manufacture, testing, and assembly operation. Click here. (1/5)
Virginia a Finalist for Rocket Lab Expansion, Including Neutron Launch and Manufacture (Source: WAVY)
Virginia's governor says the state is a finalist to host a new Rocket Lab factory. Rocket Lab is planning to build a new factory for its Neutron medium-class launch vehicle, with a preference of building the factory near the launch site to ease transportation of the vehicles. Accomack County in Virginia had long been considered a leading contender for the site since it is located near Wallops Flight Facility, a likely site for Neutron launches. The announcement did not disclose what other finalists might be in the running for the factory or when the company will make a final decision. Click here. (1/11)
Virgin Orbit Delivers Seven Satellites to Orbit From California (Source: Space News)
Virgin Orbit placed seven cubesats into orbit Thursday on its third operational LauncherOne mission. The company's 747 carrier aircraft took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California at 4:39 p.m. Eastern, releasing the LauncherOne rocket a little more than an hour later. The company later said all seven payloads were successfully deployed into a mid-inclination orbit. The launch carried satellites for the Defense Department's Space Test Program, Polish smallsat developer SatRevolution and Spire. This was the first of six launches Virgin Orbit has scheduled for this year, including two launches from Spaceport Cornwall in England. (1/14)
Blue Origin Leases Washington Warehouse Space for Further Expansion (Source: Kent Reporter)
Kent-based Blue Origin keeps on growing its aerospace business in town as well as other companies. “I do not have a lot of details but Puget Sound Business Journal recently reported they are leasing 210,000 square feet of warehouse space,” said Bill Ellis, city economic development manager, about Blue Origin. Ellis said the warehouses will be at the Pannatoni Business Center, property formerly owned by Boeing near its Space Center in Kent.
Pannatoni plans to eventually build an industrial park comprised of six separate warehouse and manufacturing buildings totaling approximately 807,897 square feet in floor area, with associated parking, landscaping, utilities, stormwater facilities and street improvements, according to city of Kent documents. (1/11)
Airbus Books Loft Orbital Order for Florida Satellite Factory (Source: Space News)
Condosat operator Loft Orbital has ordered more than 15 satellite buses from Airbus in a deal announced Jan. 14 that calls for building the initial OneWeb-derived platforms in France before shifting serial production to Florida. Loft Orbital expects to receive the buses in 2023, leveraging the automated production line that Airbus is using to build hundreds of satellites for OneWeb’s broadband megaconstellation under the Florida-based Airbus OneWeb Satellites joint venture.
Work to modify the Arrow satellite platform, including extending operational life and broadening the range of capabilities beyond broadband, will initially take place at Airbus facilities in Toulouse, France. After building the first few in France, Airbus said the remaining Arrow-derived platforms would be made at scale by Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS). The joint venture’s automated production line in Merritt Island, Florida, was designed to produce up to two satellites per day. (1/14)
L3Harris Reorganization Gives Boost to Company's Space Coast Operations (Source: Florida Today)
A just-implemented corporate reorganization by L3Harris Technologies Inc. will give Brevard County an even-greater presence in the company's overall operations. The Melbourne-based aerospace and defense technology company said it is moving from four to three focused segments — the company's term for its major business units.
Two of the three segments are based at the L3Harris Technology Center in Palm Bay. One is integrated mission systems; the other is space and airborne systems. The third remaining segment — communication systems — is based in Rochester, New York. The segment that was eliminated — aviation system — had been based in Arlington Texas. Its operations now come under the two Palm Bay-based segments as part of the reorganization. (1/10)
Court Hearing Held to Decide if Commissioners Can Move Forward with Spaceport in Georgia County (Source: WTOC)
Courts in Camden County must decide if commissioners can move forward with a planned spaceport. County administrators say it would attract aeronautics companies and have rockets launch from the Georgia coast. But some citizens want more say in what could be coming. Both sides spent the day making their case why the judge should, or should not, allow the development to continue while signatures on a repeal petition get counted.
Paul Harris took the stand and testified on why he and others filed to block Camden County’s plan to buy land to develop the proposed Spaceport. “After being here a couple of years and learning more about it, I became convinced that it wasn’t the best path for Camden County,” Harris said. Attorneys outlined a petition that’s been circulating for as many years as the county has discussed the project. Last month, they presented the county with thousands of signatures, asking to stop the development and put it to a public vote.
“Talking to my friends and gathering information, I thought this was important. This is probably the most important decision the county will make in decades,” said Jackie Eichhorn who signed the petition. The county’s attorney questioned her and several other signees to point out multiple duplicate signatures. Those numbers could call into question if the petition has enough signatures to earn a repeal. County leaders asked Judge Stephen Scarlett to let them move forward because the option to buy property could end this week. The plaintiffs argued the county could extend those negotiations. The judge said he’ll have a decision in the case by January 23. (1/12)
Camden County Leaders Approve Extension of Georgia Spaceport Land Deal as Court Fight Delays Sale (Source: WJXT)
The Camden County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an extension of a tentative deal to buy a portion of land for the planned Spaceport Camden. This represents the fourth extension of the county’s arraignment with the chemical company Union Carbide, which has been in place since 2015.
“Last night, the Camden County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the land option extension terms offered by Union Carbide in order to preserve its investment in the recently issued Launch Site Operator License for Spaceport Camden,” said John Simpson, a Camden County spokesperson for the spaceport project.
Simpson declined to provide any other details about the terms of the extension, including what it cost. The county paid more than $900,000 to the company to facilitate two of the previous extensions. Simpson also declined to provide the new expiration date on the land deal. Brunswick Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Stephen Scarlett said he’ll make a decision by Jan. 23 on whether Camden County can purchase land for its planned spaceport — or if the sale will first have to secure voter approval. (1/14)
Space Florida Announces Space Transportation Call for Projects (Source: Space Florida)
Space Florida solicits proposals to continue the development of space transportation infrastructure that supports Space Florida’s legislative intent and Florida spaceport territory master plans. Each year, Space Florida invites the aerospace industry to submit projects for consideration into the subsequent year’s Work Program and Spaceport Improvement Program. This year, Space Florida will be accepting Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Fund applications for 2024 to 2028. Applications are due March 16. Applications and additional information can be found here. (1/14)
Bills in Tallahassee Seeks to Establish Northeast Florida Regional Spaceport Authority (Source: SPACErePORT)
Companion bills in the Florida House and Senate have been introduced to create a regional spaceport authority to serve the northeastern area that is home to the Cecil Spaceport. Cecil is an FAA licensed site for horizontal launch and landing operations. It currently is managed by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. The bill would empower the new spaceport authority in ways that borrow from Chapter 331, Florida Statutes, which is the enabling legislation for Space Florida. Click here. (1/14)
Florida Defense Grant Funding Sought for Spaceport Wastewater Improvements (Source: SPACErePORT)
Florida's annual grant program for defense community improvement initiatives could provide funds needed to improve wastewater treatment at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, under a grant application being considered by the local economic development agency. Such a grant would open access to larger federal funding available for community development. Improved wastewater treatment is vital for saving the Indian River Lagoon and surrounding waterways. (1/14)
FAA Plans to Check Launch/Landing Operators' Financial Compliance for Covering Potential Damage/Injury (Source: FAA)
The FAA invites public comments on their plan to request OMB approval to renew an information collection to determine if licensees have complied with financial responsibilities for maximum probable loss (MPL) determination as set forth in FAA regulations. The MPL determination forms the basis for financial responsibility requirements issued in a license or permit. Licensed/permitted launch/landing operators must be able to cover claims by a third party for bodily injury or property damage, and the United States, its agencies, and its contractors and subcontractors for covered property damage or loss. Click here. (1/13)
Spare Parts Shortage Could Hinder Increased Launch Cadence at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Spaceports (Source: Space News)
A lack of spare parts for some range equipment could hinder projections of growing launch activity at two launch sites. A report by the Pentagon's inspector general found that 28% of range equipment at the Eastern and Western Ranges lacked spare parts, often because the equipment was obsolete and the companies that produced them are no longer in business. A lack of spare parts has not affected launches in recent years, but the Space Force is projecting a sharp increase in launches at both ranges in the next five years, driven by commercial activity.
The Space Force is working on range modernization efforts to address the concerns in the report, a project called Range of the Future. “It’s an unfortunate name,” said Col. James Horne, deputy director of launch and range operations for Space Systems Command at Patrick Space Force Base, at the Global Spaceport Alliance meeting. “We believe that it’s the ‘range of the now.’ There’s so many things that we’ve done just to enable the current surge we’re seeing in launch.” (1/11)
NASA Has Supported Multiple Autonomous Flight Termination Systems (Source: SPACErePORT)
Last week's SPACErePORT included an article on NASA's NAFTU system, now undergoing final certification at the Wallop Island spaceport in Virginia. NAFTU isn't the only such system in development by NASA. The AFTS (also known as Autonomous Flight Safety Systems or AFSS by the military) project began over 20 years ago. Sagrad Inc., based on Florida's Space Coast, developed an AFTU with support from NASA technology transfer office in 2016. The Sagrad AFTU is fully qualified for flight.
While NASA/Wallops has been developing their software for a couple of years now, and Sagrad developed their AFTU software in 10 months and has been consulting with the FAA and the Space Force 45th and 30th Launch Deltas since April 2021. Sagrad's Next Generation AFTU which is called the Integrated Autonomous Flight Termination Unit (IAFTU) will be completed and fully qualified by 4th QTR 2022. They also have been working with vertical launch companies planning operations at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Vandenberg SFB, and Alaska's Kodiak Island spaceport. (1/10)
Advances in Space Transportation Systems Transforming Space Coast (Source: Voice of America)
From a seaside perch overlooking the hustle and bustle of ships coming and going at Port Canaveral on Florida’s east coast, Dale Ketcham reflects on decades of history with nostalgia. “I moved here and learned how to walk on Cocoa Beach three years before NASA was created” in 1958, he said.
Not only can Ketcham trace his life alongside the U.S. space program, he’s had a firsthand view of the transformation of the economies of communities surrounding NASA’s Kennedy Space Center several times since the 1950s. “The space program continued to progress, but it was always government-focused,” said Ketcham, adding that the configuration did not bring long-term stability to the local workforce. Click here. (1/11)
Local Aerospace Projects Generate Space Coast Economic Development (Source: Florida Today)
Morgan Stanley’s Space Team projects the flourishing $350 billion global space industry could triple by 2040, topping the $1 trillion plateau. And Brevard County's expanding space and aerospace sectors may just be warming up their engines, said Brian Baluta, vice president of communications and partner relations for the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. "What we have happening now will be the envy of any community. But it's to say that we're on the cusp of a whole lot more," he said.
Tuesday morning, Baluta delivered a speech touting Space Coast economic growth to the Melbourne Regional Chamber's Small Business Council. He asked attendees to “think about how our community is positioned to capture a piece of this trillion-dollar pie." Click here. (1/11)
New Year, New (and Overdue) Rockets (Source: Space Review)
This year could see the first flights of many small and large launch vehicles, if they can stick to their schedules. Jeff Foust reports on the status of several such rockets, and the issues that caused their inaugural launches to be delayed. Click here. (1/10)
Many New Spacecraft to Launch From Space Coast in 2022 (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The biggest rocket to ever lift off from Earth is on tap for launch from Kennedy Space Center this spring, but it won’t be the only new name to make its Space Coast debut this year. While the Artemis I mission to the moon will carry the new Orion spacecraft into space for the first time, launches in 2022 look to send up missions from new Axiom Space and Sierra Space for the first time while Boeing hopes to finally get its CST-100 Starliner to the International Space Station. Click here. (1/14)
KSC Director Janet Petro Remarks at 48th Spaceport Summit (Source: NASA)
“In the next few weeks, we are planning to conduct the wet dress rehearsal of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System, the world’s most powerful rocket. When Artemis I launches later this year, Orion will make its way around the Moon and back – a critical step as NASA prepares to send the first woman and person of color to the lunar surface. ... Kennedy is poised to support more crewed missions, commercial resupply, and test flight missions to the International Space Station through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. That’s on top of the many launches managed by our Launch Services Program – missions that will advance Earth-facing science, validate technologies for future lunar missions, and further the exploration of our solar system and beyond.
“As early as the 1970s, Kennedy Space Center was known as America’s Spaceport, and we didn’t get there by accident. Decades of transformation from a government-only launching facility to a multiuser spaceport have far exceeded the vision of times past. Today, Kennedy has more than 90 private sector partners and nearly 250 partnership agreements, which are critical to the future of space exploration and commercialization of low-Earth orbit.
“Moving into the future, Kennedy expects continued growth of launch capacity and, very likely, an associated increase in jobs. The single-unit tenancies of the past are making way for campus-like arrangements, such as those seen in Exploration Park, which allow companies to consolidate manufacturing, integration, testing, and launch services in a single area to enable more efficient operations. And we remain committed to ensuring this growth occurs in an environmentally responsible way." (1/12)
NASA EUL Bill Could Carry Voting Rights Reform (Source: Bloomberg)
A NASA bill could be used as a vehicle for voting rights reform. The House is expected to take up as soon as today legislation originally intended to extend NASA's authority for enhanced use leases of agency property with industry. That bill, versions of which have already passed the House and Senate, could also be the way for the Democratic House majority to advance a voting rights bill, since the revised legislation would require only a simply majority for passage in the Senate. (1/12)
NASA's Innovative Property Lease Reauthorization Jeopardized by Voting Language in Bill (Source: Space News)
NASA's ability to lease property to companies and other organizations remains in limbo after a bill intended to extend that authority became a vehicle for voting rights legislation. A House bill passed in December extended NASA's enhanced use lease (EUL) authority, set to expire at the end of 2021, for 10 years. After the Senate passed an amended version, it returned to the House, where Democratic leadership replaced the NASA provisions with the text of two voting rights bills. That move was intended to allow the bill to avoid an initial filibuster attempt when it returns to the Senate. The House passed the amended bill on party lines Thursday, but it's unclear how Congress will now extend NASA's EUL authority, which lapsed at the beginning of January.
Editor's Note: NASA and Space Florida were pathfinders in the agency's use of EUL authority, for projects like Exploration Park at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, where Blue Origin has placed its massive New Glenn production facilities. The EUL capability was authorized in 2008 but is expiring. Does NASA require EUL authority to work with SpaceX to develop and expand its infrastructure at the Cape for Starship operations? (1/14)
Space Coast Employers Having Difficulty Filling Open Positions (Source: Florida Today)
Brevard County's unemployment rate had soared as high as 13.2% in April 2020, after many employers laid off staff as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has since steadily decreased, dropping to 3.4% by November, the latest-available figure. "That's super-low. It is a job seeker's market," said Marci Murphy, president of CareerSource Brevard, a nonprofit, regional public/private partnership that operates the workforce development system within Brevard County. CareerSource Brevard works with both employers and job seekers.
Compounding the problem is what's known as "the Great Resignation," largely triggered by the pandemic. The pandemic resulted in many people in their late-50s and early-60s deciding to retire early. Additionally, for various reasons, members of some two-income families opted to become one-income families, with the other worker leaving the labor market. (1/12)
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Congressional Budget CR Forces Space Force to Delay Procurements (Source: Space News)
The lack of a fiscal year 2022 spending bill has put major Space Force procurements on hold, the head of the service said Wednesday. Gen. John Raymond told House appropriators that since the government is operating on a continuing resolution (CR) that funds the service at 2021 levels, the Space Force has delayed military satellite procurements and contracts for launch services. The CR also means that new programs cannot start and unneeded ones cannot be terminated. Raymond warned that since the Space Force is new, it "would be particularly impacted by limits on new starts" if that CR is extended through the rest of the fiscal 2022, which ends on 30 Sep. (1/13)
Unfinished 2021 Budget Work Will Drag DoD into February (Source: Air Force Times)
February will be a critical month not only for next year’s defense spending plans, but also for the current fiscal year budget as well. Typically, White House officials roll out their budget plans for the next fiscal year in mid-February, giving Congress the bulk of the year to debate funding levels and policy priorities.
But this year, the start of the work on the fiscal 2023 budget is likely to be overshadowed by the still incomplete fiscal 2022 budget. Even though the new fiscal year began Oct. 1, lawmakers still have failed to finalize a full-year spending plan, and likely won’t do so until mid-February, when a temporary budget extension runs out. (1/9)
Biden Nominates Whitworth to Lead NGIA (Source: Space News)
President Biden nominated U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth to be the next director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). Whitworth currently serves as director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. NGA provides geospatial intelligence, or data derived from satellites, to the Defense Department, the intelligence community and homeland security agencies. (1/11)
Colorado's Perlmutter to Leave Congress (Source: Denver Post)
A Colorado congressman active on space issues will not run for reelection this year. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D) announced Monday that he won't seek another term after serving in the House for eight terms. Perlmutter is a member of the House Science Committee and has been a key figure on space topics, from Mars exploration to space weather. At committee hearings he often brandishes a bumper sticker with the words "Mars 2033: We Can Do This," promoting an accelerated schedule for human exploration of Mars. (1/11)
SDA On Track for Transfer to Space Force (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon's Space Development Agency (SDA) is on track to be transferred to the Space Force later this year. Derek Tournear, director of the SDA, said Wednesday that SDA will be moved to the Space Force in October, as directed by a 2020 defense authorization bill, but will not be merged under the large Space Force procurement bureaucracy, the Space Systems Command. Tournear said many of the details of the reorganization are still being negotiated, but that it would not interfere with SDA's plans to launch its first batch of Transport Layer satellites this fall and to procure additional satellites. (1/13)
Space Force Focus on Digital (Source: Space News)
The Space Force is eyeing investments in edge computing, data centers in space and other technologies needed to build a digital infrastructure. Lisa Costa, chief technology and innovation officer for the Space Force, said at an event Thursday that the Space Force has a long-term goal of being a "digital service" and is working on a strategy along those lines. She noted that the Space Force has to do a better job communicating its needs to the commercial industry and to universities that are developing many of the technologies the service is seeking, from advanced computing to artificial intelligence and machine learning. (1/14)
Space Race Needs Better Cybersecurity (Source: The Hill)
Things are heating up in space in more ways than one. Recently, Russia conducted an anti-satellite (ASAT) test and launched a missile at one of its old spy satellites. The explosion hurtled debris through space, forcing the crew of the International Space Station to take shelter in a spacecraft for protection. ASAT tests are a growing threat to satellites, but they’re not the only threat. Gen. David Thompson of U.S. Space Force told The Washington Post that Russia and China are launching attacks on U.S. satellites every day — using digital attacks, lasers, and radio frequency jamming.
The rise in satellites, rockets and shuttles is creating an expanded attack surface. Just like transportation, energy, and other vital industries, space systems need protection. And while we probably won’t see civilians launching into space anytime soon, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are making such travel more feasible by the day. A proposed bill in the U.S. House of Representatives — the Space Infrastructure Act — would designate space as a critical infrastructure sector. It would be a good first step.
Given how much equipment is in space and how dependent we are on it, it makes sense to classify it as critical infrastructure. There are more than 6,500 satellites in orbit; a record 1,283 launched in 2020 alone. They are integral to cellular communications, Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, monitoring weather and climate, managing Internet of Things systems for agriculture, and keeping energy and other critical infrastructure running. And this infrastructure is disconcertingly fragile. (1/13)
Nuclear Propulsion Would Help Military Satellites Maneuver out of Harm’s Way (Source: Space News)
An experiment planned by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will send to orbit a spacecraft powered by a nuclear propulsion system. Michael Leahy, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said this technology could give the U.S. military an advantage over enemies by making satellites more maneuverable and less vulnerable to attack. But skepticism and fear of nuclear energy is an issue that will require more education and awareness to “get folks comfortable with this,” Leahy said Jan. 14.
DARPA last year announced it will invest nearly $30 million in a project called Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), a spacecraft powered by a nuclear thermal propulsion system. If successful, the project could pave the way for the development of nuclear propulsion systems for military satellites. (1/14)
Plumb: US Should be Prepared for Space Conflict (Source: Space News)
The White House's nominee for a Pentagon space policy post told senators the U.S. needs to be prepared for conflict in space. John Plumb, the nominee to be assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said at a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday that China's behavior in space "is a matter of grave concern" and also highlighted Russian efforts to "disrupt and destroy U.S. and allied space capabilities in crisis and conflict." He said he supported a ban on kinetic ASAT tests, as proposed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks last month. He also endorsed a transfer of civil space traffic management activities from the Defense Department to a civil agency like the Commerce Department. (1/14)
North Korean Hypersonic Missile Warning Prompted FAA Air Traffic Halt (Source: The Drive)
Two days after the FAA issued a highly peculiar ground-stop order to aircraft operating across the western US and Hawaii, and after the release of a remarkably murky official statement from the agency, we were no closer to understanding exactly what prompted the order than we were initially. While U.S. Strategic Command would not comment on the incident and NORAD denied it had any hand in it, information from sources with knowledge of the events clearly paints a different picture—one that points directly to the North Korean hypersonic weapon test that occurred at nearly the exact same time as the culprit.
While it has been up for debate if the ground stop order was some sort of blatant mistake, hack, or misunderstanding on the FAA's part unrelated to the North Korean test of a hypersonic maneuvering reentry vehicle (MaRV) that occurred just before 2:30 PM PST on 10 January, that doesn't seem to be the case. We have heard multiple pilot reports and radio communications that mention a national security issue being the impetus for the ground stop, which included some airplanes in the air being told to land immediately.
The FAA's official statement, which was released 20 hours after the order was issued, didn't help quench curiosity surrounding the incident. According to the Pentagon: "Some decisions were made that probably didn't need to get made." (1/13)
Biden Imposes First Sanctions Over North Korea Weapons Program After Missile Tests (Source: Reuters)
The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions over North Korea's weapons programs following a series of North Korean missile launches, including two since last week. The sanctions targeted six North Koreans, one Russian and a Russian firm Washington said were responsible for procuring goods for the programs from Russia and China. The U.S. Treasury said the steps aimed both to prevent the advancement of North Korea's programs and to impede its attempts to proliferate weapons technologies.
The United States also proposed that five of those individuals also be blacklisted by the United Nations Security Council, which would need consensus agreement by the body's 15-member North Korea sanctions committee. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has sought unsuccessfully to engage Pyongyang in dialogue to persuade it to give up its nuclear bombs and missiles since taking office in January last year. (1/12)
Time for a Unilateral US Moratorium on Debris-Generating ASAT Tests? (Source: Space Policy Online)
On the 15th anniversary of the Chinese antisatellite test that cluttered Earth orbit with debris, a group of national security space experts is proposing that the United States unilaterally declare a moratorium on such testing. Narrowly tailored to limit only debris-generating kinetic-energy tests against space objects, the goal is to ensure the sustainability of Earth orbit, not arms control in space.
“The United States – as both a global superpower and a nation with strong civil, commercial, and military stake in the future of the space environment – must take a leadership role in solving this problem. The United States should immediately declare a unilateral moratorium on debris-producing kinetic-energy anti-satellite (KE-ASAT) testing against orbital objects, and actively promote international agreement(s) prohibiting such tests.” (1/11)
It’s Time for a Global Ban on Destructive Antisatellite Testing (Source: Scientific American)
Although the prospects of a new multilateral treaty banning the existence of space weapons are dim, there are other things that can be done to minimize the dangerous consequences of these weapons. First and foremost, the countries that are developing and testing such weapons—China, India, Russia, and the United States—can unilaterally declare a moratorium on further testing that creates orbital debris. Doing so would send a strong signal to the international community that they are committed to the long-term sustainability of space and for delegitimizing the testing of these weapons against satellites.
Second, all countries should participate in and contribute to the OEWG on space threats to discuss how to move towards a global ban on destructive ASAT testing. Countries should come to the table with ideas for addressing other pressing threats to space security. This includes nonconsensual close encounters with another country’s satellites and attempts to disrupt satellite operations by targeting them with ground-based lasers. Although less obviously threatening than kinetic attacks where a satellite is physically destroyed, such acts are increasing in frequency and could inflame tensions, potentially leading to misperceptions or mistakes that then spark actual armed, hostile conflict in space. (1/14)
Russian Debris Hits Chinese Satellite (Source: Space News)
A piece of debris from a Russian launch hit a Chinese satellite last year. China’s Yunhai-1 (02) satellite, launched in 2019, suffered a breakup event in March 2021. The U.S. Space Force concluded that Yunhai-1 (02) collided with a small, mission-related debris object from a Zenit-2 launch vehicle that launched the Russian Cosmos 2333 military signals intelligence satellite in 1996. The breakup of Yunhai-1 (02) is the fifth confirmed accidental collision between two cataloged objects. Despite the impact, there is evidence that the Chinese satellite is still operational to some degree. (1/11)
Russia Plans Photonic Technologies to Control Space Debris (Source: Parabolic Arc)
To control near-earth space and observe artificial objects in near-earth orbit, specialists of Russian Space Systems (RKS, part of the Roscosmos State Corporation) propose to use the latest photonic technologies and original methods of ground processing of optical information. The corresponding system for monitoring “space debris” was developed and patented by the RKS to solve one of the most urgent tasks today – cleaning the orbit from exhausted artificial Earth satellites, various space objects and their fragments.
With the help of optical signals and their processing system, it will be possible to find, recognize, identify, measure the dimensions and calculate the trajectory of movement of even small fragments of space debris. The system will be able to identify potential threats for timely reactions and changes in movement trajectories, for example, spacecraft or ships. (1/14)
Maybe Steer Clear of Certain Orbits to Avoid Collisions (Source: Space News)
After analyzing the probability of collisions in low Earth orbit and the consequences in terms of debris produced, space mapping startup LeoLabs is warning spacecraft operators to steer clear of certain altitudes. "Don't buy condos in the 780 to 850-kilometer range," Darren McKnight, LeoLabs senior technical fellow, said Jan. 6 during a University of Washington Space Policy and Research Center webcast.
That altitude is home to debris from a Chinese ASAT event, abandoned Russian rocket bodies and discarded U.S. payloads and debris. "It's a uniquely ironic, collaborative effort by the three major spacefaring countries to muck up this altitude significantly," McKnight said. "We've done a great job of cooperating on messing up a very important part of low Earth orbit."
Case in point, the Chinese satellite Yunhai 1-02 meteorological satellite collided in March with debris from a Russian Zenit-2 rocket at an altitude of about 783 kilometers. For more information on that collision, see the December issue of the NASA Orbital Debris Quarterly News. P.S. McKnight also warned of trouble at 1,400 kilometers, where debris created hangs around for centuries. (1/12)
What Will the US Space Force Be Able to Do With its New GPS III Variant? (Source: C4ISRnet)
The U.S. Space Force has yet to launch all of the GPS III satellites at its disposal, but work on new, more powerful versions is already underway. New GPS III Follow-on satellites — or GPS IIIF for short — will continue to improve the constellation’s accuracy and protection against jamming. The Space Force has a contract with Lockheed for up to 22 GPS IIIF satellites. The service already exercised contract options for seven GPS IIIF satellites.
Most notably, the new space systems will prove a new Regional Military Protection capability, a steerable M-code signal that can concentrate the effect in a specified region. RMP can provide up to 60 times greater anti-jamming measures, helping ensure soldiers can access critical position, navigation and timing data in contested environments. Other new features include a laser retroreflector array to increase accuracy; an upgraded nuclear detection detonation system payload; and a search and rescue payload.
The company claims its new bus, which will also be used for the Space Force’s next missile warning satellites, will have greater resiliency and cyber protections, more power, and better propulsion. And thanks to a new port on the LM2100 bus, it will be possible to upgrade GPS IIIF satellites on orbit. The company’s Augmentation System Port Interface essentially works as a USB port for the satellite, allowing the Space Force to launch new payloads into space that can be plugged into the system. (1/9)
HawkEye 360 Wins AFRL Contract for Radio Frequency Analytics (Source: Space News)
HawkEye 360 won a $15.5 million contract from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Under the contract, the company will provide radio-frequency analytics research and development and help the government test and evaluate its hybrid space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture. The company operates a constellation of nine satellites to detect, characterize and geolocate radio-frequency signals. Under the new agreement, HawkEye 360 will support AFRL exercises in various ways, including providing personnel to support exercises, collecting data, and offering tools for data ingestion and analytics. (1/12)
Air Force Makes New AFWERX Investment in Boom Supersonic Airliner Research (Source: Aviation Today)
Boom Supersonic, developing a supersonic airliner capable of flying at Mach 1.7, announced a new contract award from the U.S. Air Force valued at up to $60 million. The Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contract, issued to Boom through the Air Force's innovation arm, AFWERX, and its AFVentures division, will be used to accelerate research and development of military applications for Overture—the supersonic commercial airliner currently under development.
According to Boom's Jan. 11 announcement of the new contract, potential defense users and applications for a military variant of Overture could include "executive transport; Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance; Special Operations Forces; and the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)." (1/12)
Space Force Considers Buying Commercial Weather Satellite Data (Source: C4ISRnet)
The Space Force is considering buying commercial weather data. The service issued a request for information (RFI) this week asking for input on plans to acquire weather data to supplement that from its own satellites, which in some cases are aging. The RFI may be followed by a formal request for proposals late this fiscal year, with acquisition of data to begin by 2025. (1/12)
Space Force to Take a Fresh Look at Communications Satellite Needs (Source: Space News)
What mix of satellites will be needed to meet rising demand for connectivity and make systems resilient to cyber attacks will be the subject of a deep-dive study by the U.S. Space Force. The work will be done by the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, or SWAC, a new organization created to design the military’s future space architecture.
The SWAC will seek to answer questions such as how much satellite capacity in what orbits is needed to support U.S. military users and how much of that demand could be met by commercial satcom, versus government-owned satellites. SWAC analysts will use models and simulations to to design hybrid architectures of commercial and government satellites and assess their vulnerabilities to threats like cyber attacks. The SWAC is tasked to look at what technologies and systems will be needed by the future force and help the Space Force develop a procurement strategy. (1/9)
Proliferated Architecture Necessary for Future DoD Satellite Communications (Source: Air Force Magazine)
When it comes to the Defense Department’s plans for satellite communications, the Pentagon will need all different kinds of space architectures, two top Pentagon officials said. David Voss, director of the Spectrum Warfare Center of Excellence at the Space Warfighting Analysis Center, and Stephen Forbes, Blackjack program manager at DARPA, addressed the need for proliferated architectures while discussing a recent Mitchell Institute policy paper, “The Backbone of JADC2: Satellite Communications for Information Age Warfare.”
The paper by retired Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton and senior analyst Lukas Autenreid recommended that the Space Force “distribute, disaggregate, diversify, and expand its SATCOM options,” particularly by building out a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites and linking them with laser communications to create a mesh network. But that’s not to say that GEO satellites don’t have some value, they agreed. Analysts and observers have been warming to the idea of free-space laser communication, or lasercom, due to it being faster and more secure than radio waves. (1/6)
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Rocket Display May Have Bumped Up Virgin Orbit's Nasdaq Debut (Source: CNBC)
Putting a rocket on display in Times Square did wonders for Virgin Orbit's stock Friday. Shares in the launch company closed up nearly 25% Friday, the day that the company held an "opening bell" ceremony on the Nasdaq and displayed a full-sized model of the rocket outside the Nasdaq's offices in Times Square. The company's shares had been steadily declining since it completed its merger with a SPAC and went public in late December. Virgin Orbit is gearing up for a launch as soon as Wednesday, the first of as many as seven planned by the company this year. (1/10)
Virgin Orbit Plots U.K. and Japan Launches in International Push (Source: Bloomberg)
Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc. is targeting mid-2022 for two rocket launches from the U.K. and plans a broader international expansion that will include flights from Japan. The company plans six launches this year, including one this week from the U.S., Chief Executive Officer Dan Hart said Tuesday on a briefing call with reporters. He expects to reach an output of 20 rockets from Virgin’s Long Beach, California, factory in 2023. (1/11)
Virgin Galactic Stock Falls as Space Tourism Company Plans to Raise up to $500 Million in Debt (Source: CNBC)
Shares of Virgin Galactic fell in trading on Thursday after the company announced plans to raise up to $500 million in debt. The company intends to raise $425 million from the sale of 2027 convertible senior notes through a private offering, with an additional $75 million option also expected to be granted to buyers. Delays have pushed Virgin Galactic’s beginning of commercial service to late this year at the earliest. (1/13)
Rocket Lab Stock Rises with Analyst Assessment (Sources: Barron's, Investing.com)
Rocket Lab shares climbed after a positive assessment from a Wall Street analyst. Morgan Stanley issued a "buy" rating and a $17 price target for the company, concluding it would benefit from increased demand for low-cost launch services. Shares in the company closed up more than 5% at $11.45 Wednesday. Separately, Goldman Sachs issued a "buy" rating for Planet with a $11 price target, concluding that the company has a large addressable market for its Earth imaging services and potential for high profit margins. Planet shares closed up more than 10% Wednesday at $6.23. (1/12)
Space-Focused SPAC Brings in $287.5M with Former Blue Origin President as CEO (Source: GeekWire)
A blank-check company that has former Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson as its CEO has completed a $287.5 million initial public offering, furthering its plans to link up with ventures focusing on space, cybersecurity and energy innovation. C5 Acquisition Corp. closed the IPO with the sale of 28.75 million units at $10 per unit, which was 3.75 million units above the original allotment for sale. Those units are now listed as CXAC.U on the New York Stock Exchange, and common stock is expected to be listed as CXAC.
Blank-check companies — formally known as special-purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs — use their capital to pursue mergers or other types of business combinations with ventures in targeted industry segments. The strategy typically accelerates the process of going public, and it’s been used with a growing number of space ventures, including Virgin Galactic, Virgin Orbit, Rocket Lab, BlackSky and Astra. Seattle-area telecom pioneer Craig McCaw played a key role in the SPAC deal involving Astra, which set that company’s value at $2.1 billion. (1/13)
Magnata Networks Raises $33 Million for Multi-Orbit Constellation (Source: Space News)
Mangata Networks has raised $33 million from an international mix of investors for its multi-orbit connectivity constellation plans. Playground Global led the Series A round for the company that included participation from several other venture capital firms, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, the Scottish national economic development agency and South Korean operator KTSat. Mangata intends to use the proceeds to support plans for a constellation of 791 satellites spread across medium Earth orbit and highly elliptical orbits (HEO), starting with a set of eight satellites to HEO in 2024. (1/13)
Sidus Space Plans 100 Satellite Constellation for On-Orbit Testing (Source: Space News)
A company best known as a government contractor hopes going public will help it transform into a satellite constellation operator. Sidus Space, formerly known as Craig Technologies Aerospace Solutions, raised $15 million last month in an IPO on the Nasdaq Capital Market, the exchange's least-stringent tier intended for early-stage companies. The company says it will use the proceeds to grow an international sales team and begin development of a constellation of 100 satellites for on-orbit testing services. The first satellite of that constellation is scheduled for launch late this year. (1/10)
Atomos Raises $5 Million for Space Tugs (Source: Space News)
A startup has raised $5 million to start work on a line of space tugs. Atomos Space will use the funding to support development of Quark, a reusable orbital transfer vehicle able to tow tens of customers to their orbital destinations over a five-year lifetime. Atomos Space has plans to develop nuclear-powered tugs, but said the initial Quark tugs will be solar powered. (1/13)
Paragon Space Development Corporation Agrees to Acquire Final Frontier Design (Source: Paragon)
Paragon Space Development Corporation (Paragon) is excited to announce today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Final Frontier Design (FFD), a leading supplier of spacesuits and ancillary components for NASA and other commercial customers. FFD currently has several NASA contracts for spacesuit components and has a Space Act Agreement with NASA for its IVA suit.
This capability – combined with Paragon's history of Portable Life Support Systems (PLSS), uniquely positions Paragon as the only single company in the United States to offer a complete EVA system. Paragon's unprecedented PLSS experience in design, integration, and operation on such programs as the StratEx Mission (which set three world-records) and the NASA Constellation Spacesuit System (CSSS) with Oceaneering - places the new Paragon team as a strong contributor on NASA's new xEVAS (Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services) program. The xEVAS program will select one or more companies to provide their new spacesuit for the Artemis program in early 2022." (1/6)
Rogue Space Systems Corporation Receives First Payment in the Industry for In-Space Services from Orbital Assembly Corp. (Source: Digital Journal)
Rogue Space Systems has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Orbital Assembly Corp. (OAC), the world’s first large-scale space construction company, to lease Orbital Robot (Orbots) for its gravity-enabled platforms. Rogue has also received OAC’s initial payment for the services covered under the agreement, a major milestone for the industry. Rogue is the first US-based space startup to secure a paying commercial customer for this type of orbital services.
This also accelerates OAC’s efforts to deliver critical service resources for upcoming missions. This mission will demonstrate the construction of gravity-enabled structures Success will clearly demonstrate Orbital Assembly’s construction capabilities facilitated with Rogue Orbots. The agreement is to provide observation and inspection services to OAC. Rogue’s Orbots will be launched along with the components of the OAC structure. Once the launch vehicle reaches the deployment location, the Orbots will take position to monitor and potentially assist structure deployment. After deployment, the Orbots will perch in various stand-off locations around to record the complete demonstration. (1/12)
Astroscale U.S. and Orbit Fab Sign First On-Orbit Satellite Fuel Sale Agreement (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Orbit Fab, the "Gas Stations in Space" refueling service provider, and Astroscale announced a commercial agreement to refuel Astroscale’s Life Extension In-Orbit (LEXI) Servicer in geostationary orbit; LEXI is the first satellite designed to be refueled. Under the terms of this initial agreement, Orbit Fab’s GEO fuel shuttle will resupply Astroscale’s fleet of LEXI Servicers with up to 1,000 kilograms of Xenon propellant. With this purchase, Astroscale has greatly expanded LEXI’s scope and flexibility to perform on-orbit servicing missions — a benefit for every customer. (1/11)
AAC Clyde Space Wins 4.5 MSEK Follow-on Order For In-orbit Production Spacecraft (Source: Parabolic Arc)
AAC Clyde Space has received a 441,000 euro order from UK-based Space Forge to provide space products for a demonstration spacecraft designed to leverage the space environment for production and experiments, capable of performing multiple trips to space. The order follows an order in December 2020 to contribute to the design of a satellite platform for the same purpose. The reusable spacecraft is intended to deorbit in a controlled maneuver to deliver its products and results back to Earth after six months in-orbit. (1/11)
Orbital Assembly Corp. Extends Investment Round (Source: OAC)
We continue to receive interest from investors so we have decided to keep this round open to get closer to our $4 million goal. We believe that our unique industry focus on providing artificial gravity environments for habitation, research and space commercialization is essential medically, physically and for the non astronaut to participate. None of the current NASA funded projects will incorporate gravity. So we will. Click here. (1/12)
Lyten Develops Advanced Battery Prototype for Small Satellites (Source: Space News)
A battery manufacturer has prototyped an advanced battery design for small satellites under a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Lyten was one of 12 companies that submitted bids in response to a January 2020 solicitation from DIU seeking energy storage and management solutions to improve the duty cycle of small satellites. The company received an Other Transactions Authority award that spring to demonstrate a lithium-sulfur battery capable of three times the energy storage capacity of current lithium-ion batteries. (1/11)
Voyager Space Completes Acquisition of Space Micro (Source: Space Daily)
Voyager Space has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in San Diego-based Space Micro. Voyager will provide strategic operations support to advance Space Micro's technology throughput to civil, commercial, and defense customers. Space Micro is focused on advancing high-performance satellite communications, digital, and electro-optic systems with 2.8 million hours of space flight heritage. Space Micro has multiple active contracts, including the development of AI for Earth observation missions and for providing X-Band transponders for two NASA lunar missions. (1/6)
Manufacturing Revenues for Earth Observation to Grow to $76.1 Billion by 2030 (Source: Euroconsult)
The advent of commercial satellite constellations has led to satellite platform miniaturization and a strong diversification of commercial payloads, in particular with SAR, Hyperspectral, ELINT/RF and GNSS-RO. While most of the 2,600 satellites to be launched in number will be commercial ones, the bulk of the generated $65.8 billion in manufacturing revenues between 2011-2020 will keep being driven by civil and military government programs over the next decade to reach $76.1 billion by 2030.
Over 2011-2020, the commercial satellite constellations accounted for 65% of EO satellite launches but captured a negligible 4% of the market value, as opposed to government-funded programs which secured over 80% of satellite value. This discrepancy between volume and value is a salient result of the boom in commercial constellations, turning to Commercial-off-the-shelf components and low CAPEX per satellite business models. This trend is projected to be further ingrained over the next decade, growing from 1,080 launches between 2011 and 2020 to no less than 2,600 by 2030, with as many as 90 constellations accounting for 78% of EO satellites to be built and launched. (1/12)
Powerful European Earth-Observation Satellite Suffers Anomaly in Orbit (Source: Space.com)
One of humanity's most powerful Earth-observing satellites is having some problems in orbit. The Sentinel-1B radar satellite, part of the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation program, hasn't beamed home any data since suffering an anomaly on Dec. 23. And the problem appears to be relatively serious. "Following the previous news on the Sentinel-1B anomaly that occurred on 23 December 2021, the resuming of the operations was carefully prepared, including the onboard configuration changes preventing the anomaly to occur again," Copernicus team members wrote in an update Monday. (1/11)
Intelsat Orders Two Satellites From Thales Alenia (Source: Space News)
Intelsat has ordered two new GEO satellites from Thales Alenia Space. The Intelsat 41 and Intelsat 44 satellites, scheduled to enter service in 2025, will be based on Thales Alenia Space’s Space Inspire platform. The satellites will provide commercial and government mobility services and cellular backhaul across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Intelsat said Wednesday. The new satellites are part of a post-restructuring growth strategy that could include the operator's own low Earth orbit constellation. Intelsat is expected to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy early this year. (1/12)
DirecTV and Dish Considering Merger Again (Source: New York Post)
Direct-to-home satellite TV companies DirecTV and Dish Network are again eyeing a merger. The two companies tried to merge in the early 2000s but were blocked by the Justice Department over antitrust concerns. The companies now think a merger could win approval given the rise of streaming services that have reduced the market power of cable and satellite TV. TPG Capital, a private equity firm that bought a stake in DirecTV from AT&T, is reportedly pushing for a merger as a means to gain a return on its investment. (1/13)
Momentus Getting New Leadership (Source: Momentus)
The president of in-space transportation company Momentus is resigning. Momentus announced Friday that Fred Kennedy will step down as president effective Jan. 21. Kennedy joined Momentus in late 2020 and the company did not give a reason for his departure, but Kennedy said in the statement that he was leaving the San Francisco Bay area, where the company is headquartered. John Rood, who became CEO of Momentus last summer, will take over the role of president as well. (1/10)
Why Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink Satellites Look So Weird (Source: New Zealand Herald)
If you happen to see a peculiar-looking, chain-like object zipping across the sky at dusk or dawn, it's likely part of Elon Musk's grand vision of offering fibre-speed internet from above. That's Starlink – a constellation of more than 1,700 satellites operated by the tech billionaire's SpaceX, and which deliver internet access to remote spots as they communicate with ground-based transceivers from low Earth orbit.
The reason they first appear as a chain is because that's really what they are: stacks of dozens of flat-panel satellites, weighing just over a quarter of a tonne each. With the help of krypton-fuelled ion thrusters, the satellites disperse and climb into their operating orbit, at an altitude of around 550km. University of Auckland astronomer Professor Richard Easther said the satellites were easily distinguishable from the International Space Station, which could also be regularly spotted over New Zealand. "While the ISS essentially appears as one bright light, the newly-launched Starlink satellites look like a whole bunch of stars, moving in unison with each other, in a line across the sky." (1/9)
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Companies Formed to Develop China's Proposed LEO Megaconstellation (Source: Space News)
A group leading China's national low Earth orbit communications megaconstellation has founded two new firms to help develop the project. China Satellite Network Application Co., Ltd. and Chongqing Satellite Network System Research Institute Co., Ltd. were established in late December to jointly construct a satellite internet industry system in the city of Chongqing. The development marks another step in China’s national plan to establish a LEO satellite internet constellation consisting of nearly 13,000 satellites. Many details about the planned system, though, remain unclear. (1/13)
A Review of Russia’s Space Startup Sector (Source: Parabolic Arc)
What Russian space startups were buzzing around in 2021? What ups and downs has the private astronautics market experienced? The most interesting and important things were collected by the editor of ” Russian Space ” Igor Afanasyev. Click here. (1/13)
Roscosmos’ Oxana Wolf: “We Want Private Companies to Succeed” (Source: Parabolic Arc)
Q: Oksana Valerievna, have you managed to bring clarity this year with regard to the normative and legal documents governing cooperation between Roscosmos and private business? A: Business is progressing, but not as fast as we would like. During this time we did not sit idly by, but the volume of tasks is very large! During the year, research work was carried out on the analysis of existing documents on ... the formation of a list of open documentation for use by private companies in the development of space technology and its certification at all stages of the life cycle.
In total, about four thousand documents were analyzed. Most of them are the GOST standards that Roscosmos and the Ministry of Defense use as customers of rocket and space technology. Fundamental documents have a stamp, since when creating and operating space technology, one has to take into account the mandatory requirements for the list of regulatory documents, which, in addition to publicly available acts, include closed regulatory and technical documentation. The composition of these documents presupposes admission to state secrets, which significantly complicates the process of creating and operating space technology by private companies.
Based on the results of the work, it was concluded which documents should be prepared for open use. Now about 100 such documents have been proposed for development. It is also necessary to analyze whether space technology should be created according to different standards – “state” and “commercial”. (1/12)
Russian Company Develops Method for Effective Transfer of Solar Energy to Earth (Source: Space Daily)
Despite being one of the easiest and most accessible methods of gathering renewable energy, solar panels are unable to perform well in many spots of the world and in non-ideal weather conditions. In space, however, the effectiveness of solar panels increases significantly, prompting their wide use to power satellites and other spacecraft.
Russian Space Systems, a subsidiary of the Russian state company Roscosmos, has developed a project of an advanced space power plant capable of gathering solar energy and transmitting it to Earth. "The new device can ensure the regular supply of green energy to hard-to-reach areas of the Earth, such as islands, mountains and territories in the north, regardless of weather conditions and time of day. It can also allow transferring energy to other spacecraft - for 'scheduled recharging' and in case of emergency", Russian Space Systems said in a statement. (1/6)
Israel Picks 11 Companies for Space Innovation Funding (Source: Jerusalem Post)
About $6 million was approved within the Israel Space Agency program framework on Thursday, to be given to 11 different companies for the development of innovative space technologies. The space agency's program is a collaboration between the Innovation and Science and Technology ministries, as well as the Israel Innovation Authority. The framework, which was launched in 2012, has distributed around a total of $51.4 million in funding. The overall goal of the program is to advance the technological development capabilities of the Israeli space industry. (1/8)
India's Pixxel Partnering with Mining Company for Hyperspectral Imagery (Source: Space News)
Indian hyperspectral startup Pixxel announced a partnership with mining company Rio Tinto. As part of the "early adoption partnership" program, Rio Tinto will get early access to hyperspectral imagery from Pixxel's satellites, with the companies cooperating on analyzing and using the data. Pixxel plans to launch its first two satellites early this year, providing hyperspectral images at a resolution of five meters. (1/14)
India's ISRO Gets New Chairman (Source: The Hindu)
The Indian government has selected a new head of its space agency, ISRO. S. Somanath will take over as chairman of ISRO on Friday, succeeding K. Sivan, whose original three-year term in 2018 was extended by one year. Somanath is director of ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, which specializes in launch vehicle development. Somanath said a priority as ISRO chairman will be to continue reforms intended to help grow private sector space capabilities. (1/13)
Indian Space Agency Tests Cryogenic Engine for its First-Ever Manned Mission (Source: Sputnik)
India's flagship human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, has completed the design and testing phases. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) plans to launch two uncrewed missions ahead of the final mission in 2023. India's space exploration agency ISRO achieved a significant milestone with the successful long-duration cryogenic engine test for the Gaganyaan project on Wednesday. The engine was tested for 720 seconds at the ISRO propulsion complex. (1/13)
UAE Astronauts Start Training at NASA (Source: Khaleej Times)
The UAE's second batch of astronauts has started their training alongside NASA's 10-member Astronaut Candidate Class of 2021 at the Johnson Space Center. Astronauts Mohammad AlMulla and Nora AlMatrooshi will train in five major categories over the next two years of the program. This includes operating and maintaining the International Space Station's (ISS) complex systems, training for spacewalks, developing complex robotics skills, safely operating a T-38 training jet, and Russian language skills. (1/11)
Undersea Cable Connecting Norway With Arctic Satellite Station Has Been Mysteriously Severed (Source: Daily Mail)
An undersea fiberoptic cable located between mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean has been put out of action in a still-mysterious incident. The outage on the subsea communications cable — the furthest north of its kind anywhere in the world — follows an incident last year in which different cables linking an undersea surveillance network off the Norwegian coast were severed, a story that we covered in detail at the time.
The latest disruption involves one of two fiberoptic cables that enable communications between the Norwegian mainland and Norwegian-administered Svalbard that lies between the mainland and the North Pole. The outage occurred on the morning of January 7. The extent of the damage is not clear from the official press release from Space Norway, the country's space agency, which maintains the cables primarily in support of the Svalbard Satellite Station (SvalSat), but it is significant enough that it is expected to require the services of an ocean-going cable-laying vessel.
Being located between mainland Norway and the North Pole means that SvalSat is in much demand with operators of polar-orbiting satellites, being one of only two ground stations from which data can be downloaded from these types of satellites on each of the Earth’s rotations. Space Norway, which operates the undersea cables, confirms that the second is still functioning normally, but the loss of the first means there is now no redundancy available until repairs can be made. (1/10)
Arqit to Lead UK-AU Space Bridge Project (Source: Space Daily)
Arqit Quantum Inc. has contracted with Australia's SmartsatCRC under an agreement between the UK and Australian Governments to deliver the first phase of work to Australia relating to Arqit's Federated Quantum System Project ("FQS"). Arqit's FQS project for allied governments delivers strategic control to that government customer of a private instance of Arqit's end to end QuantumCloud technology stack, which delivers full independence to the customer as well as interoperability with the systems of other allied partners. (1/11)
Australia’s Hypersonix Plans High Temperature Composites For Sustainable Space Travel (Source: Space Daily)
On the ground, sound waves travel at around 340 meters per second. An aircraft is Supersonic when it exceeds the speed of sound. Hypersonic speed is more than five times the speed of sound - or 'Mach 5' - which is just over 6,000 kilometers per hour. At Mach 5 and above, friction caused by molecules flowing over the hypersonic aircraft can generate temperatures in excess of 2000 Celsius. Suffice to say that Brisbane-based aerospace engineering start-up, Hypersonix Launch Systems, is choosing its materials to cope with these extremes.
Founded in 2019, Hypersonix Launch Systems aims to provide sustainable satellite launch services from Australia using hypersonic scramjet technology. In a short time, and in the shadow of the pandemic, the Hypersonix team of close to 20 aerospace engineers and material specialists has developed reusable scramjet engine technology for engines that are powered by sustainable green hydrogen fuel. (1/14)
Gilmour Space Fires Up for 2022 with Australia's Largest Rocket Engine Test (Source: Space Daily)
Rocket engineers at Gilmour Space Technologies have greeted the new year with a successful 110-kilonewton test fire of the most powerful rocket engine ever developed in Australia. The 75-second test was a major milestone for Gilmour Space, which is developing Australian Made rockets that will, over the next five years, be capable of launching 300- to 4,000-kilogram satellites and payloads into low earth and other orbits. The engine will power the first and second stages of Gilmour's three-stage Eris rocket. (1/11)
Arianespace Touts Strong 2021 Performance (Source: Space Daily)
Arianespace confirmed its strong performance in 2021, with 15 successful launches - five more than in 2020 - and 305 satellites sent into orbit using its three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, from three different launch bases. The company posted revenues exceeding 1.25 billion euros, an increase of 30% over 2020. It has a backlog of 36 launches, with 22 more satellites added in 2021.
Arianespace launched the James Webb Space Telescope on December 25 from the Guiana Space Center, sending into orbit the most ambitious space telescope ever built. Ariane 5 surpassed its expected performance by optimizing the spacecraft's injection, which will increase its original design life. (1/10)
All Hail the Ariane 5 Rocket, Which Doubled the Webb Telescope’s Lifetime (Source: Ars Technica)
There were two stunningly good pieces of news about the James Webb Space Telescope this weekend. One was widely reported—that after an intricate, two-week process, the telescope completed its deployment without any difficulties. The next steps toward science operations are more conventional. The other piece of news, less well-covered but still important, emerged during a news conference on Saturday. NASA's Mission Systems Engineer for the Webb telescope, Mike Menzel, said the agency had completed its analysis of how much "extra" fuel remained on board the telescope. Roughly speaking, Menzel said, Webb has enough propellant on board for 20 years of life.
This is twice the conservative pre-launch estimate for Webb's lifetime of a decade, and it largely comes down to the performance of the European Ariane 5 rocket that launched Webb on a precise trajectory on Christmas Day. Prior to launch, the telescope was fueled with 240 liters of hydrazine fuel and dinitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. Some of this fuel was needed for course adjustments along the journey to a stable point in space, about 1.5 million km from Earth, where Webb will conduct science observations. The remainder will be used at Webb's final orbit around the stable Lagrange point for station-keeping and to maintain its orbit. (1/10)
Arianespace to Launch PLATiNO 1 and 2 on Vega and Vega C (Source: Space Daily)
Arianespace has been awarded a launch contract by SITAEL, with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) as the final customer, to orbit PLATiNO 1 and 2 satellites, between 2022 and 2024 on Vega and Vega C. PLATiNO 1 and 2 are Earth observation small satellites operating on Sun-synchronous orbits. PLATiNO 1 will embark a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), operating in the X band, while PLATiNO 2 will carry an optical thermal instrument. (1/7)
SaxaVord Spaceport In Shetland Should Finally Take Off This Year (Source: Orbital Today)
Since 2016, many of the Scottish space companies, including the Shetland Spaceport, have already increased their number of employees by over 65%. By 2030, the newly formed Scottish Space sector is planning to create around 20,000 jobs and secure £4 billion from the world’s entire space market. Aside from hosting Europe’s largest space launch facility, people at the SaxaVord Spaceport also have the intention to lower emissions and support the use of satellites so that environmental monitoring is possible.
This would be an environmental strategy that has not been seen in the world so far. For now, Scotland is one of this planet’s best locations for small satellite manufacturing. However, the companies building satellites in Scotland still need to ship their products to India, Kazakhstan, or the US for launch. Launching from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland will make things cheaper and, thus, simpler. It will mean that Scottish corporations and the Shetland Spaceport will have more space to not only construct, but also to launch and even maneuver. (1/7)
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US ISS Extension Puts Partners in Motion (Source: Space News)
The decision by the U.S. to formally extend operations of the International Space Station has started the decision-making process among other station partners. NASA announced at the end of December that the White House had committed to extending operations of the ISS from 2024 to 2030, a move immediately endorsed by the European Space Agency. At a conference last week, representatives of the Canadian Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said that announcement was a "trigger" for them to start their own plans for an ISS extension. JAXA expects to announce its plans by the end of the year. Roscosmos has yet to publicly comment on an ISS extension after its leadership previously raised doubts about doing so. (1/10)
Calvin Brings Climate Change Focus to NASA Chief Scientist Role (Source: Space News)
Climate change will be the key focus of NASA's new chief scientist. Katherine Calvin, an Earth scientist who worked on climate change models before being named NASA chief scientist this week, said her interest is connecting climate change research with other activities at NASA that could support those efforts. Calvin will also be the senior climate adviser for the agency, a dual role that NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said was intended to elevate that position, created last year. He used a call with reporters Tuesday to emphasize the role NASA plays in climate change research and to advocate for passage of a fiscal year 2022 spending bill that includes a significant increase in NASA Earth science research. (1/12)
NASA Needs More Astronauts (Source: FNN)
NASA’s Office of Inspector General has identified a staffing shortage in the agency’s astronaut corps. In a recent audit, the OIG said that the corps is projected to fall below its targeted size in fiscal 2022. The report contains several recommendations, including expanding diversity among astronauts and for NASA offices to centralize their astronaut data. This comes as NASA’s need for astronauts increases as it plans to return to the moon by 2024. (1/13)
NASA's Newest Astronaut Class Begins Training in Houston (Source: Space Daily)
NASA swore in 10 new astronaut candidates Monday at Johnson Space Center in Houston -- six men and four women -- who someday may walk on the moon or Mars. The candidates were "sworn in this morning, kicking off their two-year training," NASA said on Twitter, noting it was the 23rd astronaut candidate class since 1959. The 10 candidates will now learn engineering systems of spacecraft such as SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule or the lunar Orion capsule, along with training in orbital mechanics, scientific experimentation and astronomy. They will also train in NASA's neutral buoyancy pool at Johnson, where they will wear spacesuits in a simulated zero-gravity environment. (1/11)
Who Gets to Use NASA's James Webb Space Telescope? Astronomers Work to Fight Bias (Source: NPR)
The scientists who eventually get to peer out at the universe with NASA's powerful new James Webb Space Telescope will be the lucky ones whose research proposals made it through a highly competitive selection process. But those that didn't make the cut this time can at least know that they got a fair shot, thanks to lessons learned from another famous NASA observatory. Webb's selection process was carefully designed to reduce the effect of unconscious biases or prejudices by forcing decision-makers to focus on the scientific merit of a proposal rather than who submitted it.
"They assess every one of those proposals. They read them. They don't know who wrote them," explains Heidi Hammel, an interdisciplinary scientist with the James Webb Space Telescope. "These proposals are evaluated in a dual-anonymous way, so that all you can see is the science." This is a recent innovation in doling out observing time on space telescopes. And it's a change that came about only after years of hard work done by astronomers who were concerned that not everyone who wanted to use the Hubble Space Telescope was getting equal consideration.
One of their first clues came when Iain Neill Reid went looking for signs of any possible gender bias in the acceptance rate for Hubble proposals. He's the associate director of science at the Space Telescope Science Institute, the science operations center for both Hubble and now Webb. His results, published in 2014, were startling. Proposals that were led by women had a lower acceptance rate than proposals led by men. This discrepancy remained constant for more than a dozen years, the entire period of time he analyzed. "I was surprised at how consistent it was," says Reid. "There was a systematic effect." (1/11)
Northrop Crucial to Success of James Webb Telescope (Sources: NasaSpaceFlight.com, Planetary Society)
The full deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope over the weekend capped decades of work by Northrop Grumman on the program. JWST is expected to cost NASA $9.7 billion over 24 years. Of that amount, $8.8 billion was spent on spacecraft development between 2003 and 2021; $861 million is planned to support five years of operations. Adjusted for inflation to 2020 dollars, the lifetime cost to NASA will be approximately $10.8 billion.
That is only NASA’s portion. The European Space Agency provided the Ariane 5 launch vehicle and two of the four science instruments for an estimated cost of €700 million. The Canadian Space Agency contributed sensors and scientific instrumentation, which cost approximately CA$200 million. (1/10)
NASA's IXPE Satellite Commences Science Operations (Source: NASA)
A NASA X-ray astronomy satellite has started science operations. NASA said Tuesday that the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite had completed commissioning after its launch last month and started science observations by observing a stellar remnant called Cassiopeia A. IXPE is designed to measure the polarization of X-rays to gain new insights on black holes, neutron stars and other X-ray sources. (1/12)
SOFIA's Increased Productivity Cited to Keep Telescope Alive (Source: Space News)
NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory, targeted for cancelation, is making its case for continued operations. NASA's fiscal year 2022 budget proposal called for terminating the program because of its high cost and low scientific productivity, and the astrophysics decal survey published in November also recommended shutting down SOFIA. At a town hall meeting Monday, SOFIA officials said that its scientific productivity had increased significantly in recent years, with more time available for observations and an increase in publications based on data obtained by SOFIA. They argued that SOFIA can address a third of the scientific priorities of the decadal survey. Congress has yet to decide on funding SOFIA as it has yet to pass a 2022 spending bill. (1/11)
Engineers Troubleshooting Problem with Lucy Spacecraft Solar Arrays (Source: NASA)
Engineers are continuing to examine a solar array issue with the Lucy spacecraft. One of the two circular solar arrays on that spacecraft failed to lock into place after launch in October. NASA said in an update Wednesday that all systems on the spacecraft are normal other than the latch issue and that the arrays are producing sufficient power. Ground tests are underway on latching the array into place, but an effort to do so is not expected until at least late April. Engineers are also studying keeping the array in its current configuration. (1/13)
NASA Seeks Proposals for 'Probe Class' Astrophysics Missions (Source: Space News)
NASA is starting a new line of astrophysics missions. NASA announced this week its intent to seek proposals for probe-class missions, designed to fill a gap between large flagship missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and small Explorer-class missions. Probe missions will have a cost cap of $1 billion, with the first competition limited to far-infrared and X-ray space telescopes. The astrophysics decadal survey recommended NASA implement a program of probe missions. NASA is also starting initial science and technology planning for future flagship missions, although the first such mission, a large space telescope, is unlikely to launch before the early 2040s. (1/13)
Astronomers Spot Exomoon with Kepler (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers believe they have discovered an "exomoon," or a moon orbiting an extrasolar planet. The discovery, announced Thursday, is based on analysis of data collected by NASA's Kepler mission, which looked for exoplanets by measuring tiny dips in the brightness of stars as those planets passed in front of them. Astronomers compared the data to models of what it would be like if those exoplanets had a moon orbiting them and found a potential match for one star, called Kepler 1708. The data from that star can be modeled by a "mini-Neptune" moon orbiting a Jupiter-sized exoplanet. Other scientists say the analysis is compelling, but more observations are needed to confirm if the exomoon exists. (1/14)
Astrophysicists Release the Biggest Map of the Universe Yet (Source: WIRED)
After just seven months, a huge team of scientists who work with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument have already mapped a larger swath of the cosmos than all other 3D surveys combined. And since they’re only 10 percent of the way through their five-year mission, there’s much more to come.
DESI has revealed a spectacular cosmic web of more than 7.5 million galaxies, and it will scan up to 40 million. The instrument is funded by the US Department of Energy at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. It measures the precise distances of galaxies from Earth and their emitted light at a range of wavelengths, achieving quantity and quality at the same time. It will eventually cover some 8,000 square degrees, about 20 percent of the sky. The science gained from parsing the data is yet to come, but it will especially aid astrophysicists as they investigate how the universe is expanding.
In a few years, DESI won’t be the only sweeping galactic atlas in town. Starting next year, the National Science Foundation-funded Vera Rubin Observatory, which is being built on a dry mountain of northern Chile, will catalog billions of galaxies, but with less precision. Astrophysicists are also preparing for the European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft, with a planned 2023 launch date, and NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, slated to blast off in 2027. (1/13)
The Most Habitable Exoplanets Might Be 'Super-Earths' (Source: Daily Beast)
In the race to find a world beyond Earth that could harbor life, we’ve found over 4,500 exoplanets—planets that exist outside the solar system. A handful of these are thought to be potentially habitable, but that doesn’t mean they look like Earth. Many are what we might call “super-Earths,” which could be anywhere from two to 10 times more massive than our planet. But there’s a lot we don’t know about how the insides of these bigger planets work and whether they can truly support life of some kind.
A new study published in Science on Thursday, however, suggests super-Earths could be more friendly to life than smaller rocks like our planet. If that’s the case, alien hunters would spend their time more wisely scouring these heftier worlds for signs of life. Extraterrestrial habitability is complex, but there are a few basic ingredients you absolutely need to host life—like the presence of actual water, and an atmosphere that blankets the planet and makes things feel warm and fuzzy.
In order to maintain these things, however, a planet needs to produce a magnetic field that can protect it from its host star’s radiation. Earth has one that is constantly protecting us from getting bludgeoned by dangerous charged particles from the sun. Without this so-called magnetosphere, a planet’s atmosphere will hemorrhage away and the surface will quickly turn into a barren wasteland. (1/13)
Did a Large Impact Remix the Moon’s Interior? (Source: Ars Technica)
As the Moon coalesced from the debris of an impact early in the Solar System's history, the steady stream of orbital impacts is thought to have formed a magma ocean, leaving the body liquid. That should have allowed its components to mix evenly, creating a roughly uniform body. But with the onset of space exploration, we were finally able to get our first good look at the far side of the Moon. It turned out to look quite different from the side we were familiar with, with very little in the way of the dark regions, called mare, that dominate the side facing Earth.
These differences are also reflected in the chemical composition of the rocks on the different sides. If the whole Moon was once a well-mixed blob of magma, how did it end up with such a major difference between two of its faces? A new study links this difference to the Moon's largest impact crater. The South Pole-Aitken Basin is one of the largest impact craters in the Solar System, but again, we didn't realize it was there until after we put a craft in orbit around the Moon. All we can see from Earth are some of the ridges that are part of the outer crater wall. Most of the 2,500 kilometers of the crater itself extend into the far side of the Moon.
The model shows that the heat derived from the impact does indeed restart convection within the interior of the Moon. But it doesn't restart evenly. That's because the body that created the crater also injects a lot of material into the interior of the Moon, and that material gradually spreads out from the site of impact in all directions. For a large portion of the Moon's interior, this disrupts organized convection. (1/11)
GM and Lockheed Martin's New Lunar Rover, Rendered (Source: Motor Trend)
We're going back to the moon and General Motors is coming along, too. Just as it did with Boeing back in the 1960s, GM is teaming up with the aerospace experts at Lockheed Martin for the newest versions of the moon buggy. This time, however, much of the technology used in these buggies are coming from the same Ultium EV tech used in the GMC Hummer and Chevrolet Silverado EV trucks.
Fortunately, technology has taken some great leaps and bounds since Apollo 17. According to GM back in May of 2021, these next-generation lunar rover vehicles are being designed to drive even farther distances to support the first excursions of the Moon's south pole. These new LRVs will also need better technology beyond their capacities as the south pole is dark, making it much colder with much more rugged terrain and the sunlit surfaces the Apollo missions landed in.
Fortunately, GM's Ultium technologies will most likely help create the drive and battery packs these new rovers need. These new rovers will also be autonomous, allowing them to launch prior to the human landings. This is needed to help prepare for "commercial payload services and enhance the range and utility of scientific payloads and experiments" according to GM. Click here. (1/14)
Mystery Moon Structure Just a Rock (Source: Space.com)
Sometimes a moon rock is just a moon rock. Images from China's Yutu-2 lunar rover last fall showed an unusual structure in the distance, which some in China dubbed the "mystery hut" because it looked like a house or a building. Recent images taken by the rover closer to the object showed it was nothing more than a small rock sitting on the rim of a crater. (1/12)
China Says its Lunar Rover Has Found proof of Water on the Moon (Source: Metro)
The presence of water on the moon may have finally been confirmed by Chinese scientists. The country’s rover, the Chang’e-5, first landed on the moon at the end of 2020 and set about studying the lunar soil. It sent back data which, following analysis, appear to show signs of water inside the moon rock. Originally it was thought the moon’s surface was completely dry but in recent decades scientists have found more and more evidence of the presence of H20.
The Chang’e-5 used on-board instruments to fire light at the rocks and measure what’s called the spectral reflectance. The reflected light indicated the presence of molecules of oxygen and hydrogen. It could also detect signs of the chemical hydroxyl. While water is made up of two hydrogen atoms for every oxygen atom, hydroxyl only has one hydrogen atom. (1/11)
China's Lunar Rover Travels Over 1km on the Moon (Source: Space Daily)
China's Yutu 2 lunar rover has traveled more than 1 kilometer on the moon and is still working well, according to the China National Space Administration. The administration said on Saturday that the distance traveled by the rover reached 1 km on Thursday evening. As of late that night, the robot had moved about 1,004 meters on the lunar soil. It added that Yutu 2, the second Chinese rover on the moon, is now in its 38th lunar-day working session and is in normal condition. (1/10)
Saturn’s Small Moon Mimas May Be Hiding an Impossible Ocean (Source: New Scientist)
Saturn’s moon Mimas may have an unexpected ocean. This small satellite doesn’t look like any of the other ocean worlds that we have seen before, but measurements from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft hinted that it might have water underneath its icy surface, and calculations of its internal heat have now confirmed that this is possible. Unlike most of the other moons that planetary scientists believe to carry oceans, Mimas shows no fracturing or evidence of melting on its surface. (1/11)
Yes, There is Really 'Diamond Rain' on Uranus and Neptune (Source: Space.com)
At first glance, Uranus and Neptune are just bland, boring balls of uninteresting molecules. But hiding beneath the outer layers of those worlds, there may be something spectacular: a constant rain of diamonds. The idea of diamond rain was first proposed before the Voyager 2 mission which launched in 1977. The reasoning was pretty simple: We know what Uranus and Neptune are made of, and we know that stuff gets hotter and denser the deeper into a planet you go.
The mathematical modeling helps fill in the details, like that the innermost regions of the mantles of these planets likely have temperatures somewhere around 7,000 kelvins (12,140 degrees Fahrenheit, or 6,727 degrees Celsius) and pressures 6 million times that of Earth's atmosphere. Those same models tell us that the outermost layers of the mantles are somewhat cooler — 2,000 K (3,140 F or 1,727 C — and somewhat less intensely pressurized (200,000 times Earth's atmospheric pressure). And so, it's natural to ask: What happens to water, ammonia and methane at those kinds of temperatures and pressures?
With methane, in particular, the intense pressures can break the molecule apart, releasing the carbon. The carbon then finds its brethren, forming long chains. The long chains then squeeze together to form crystalline patterns like diamonds. The dense diamond formations then drop through the layers of the mantle until it gets too hot, where they vaporize and float back up and repeat the cycle — hence the term "diamond rain." (1/10)
Scientists Have Identified Why Mars has No Liquid Water on its Surface (Source: Brighter Side of News)
Water is essential for life on Earth and other planets, and scientists have found ample evidence of water in Mars’ early history. But Mars has no liquid water on its surface today. New research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests a fundamental reason: Mars may be just too small to hold onto large amounts of water.
Remote sensing studies and analyses of Martian meteorites dating back to the 1980s posit that Mars was once water-rich, compared with Earth. NASA’s Viking orbiter spacecraft — and, more recently, the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on the ground — returned dramatic images of Martian landscapes marked by river valleys and flood channels. (1/15)
No Evidence of Life in Mars Meteorite Found in Antarctica (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
A 4 billion-year-old meteorite from Mars that caused a splash here on Earth decades ago contains no evidence of ancient, primitive Martian life after all, scientists reported Thursday. In 1996, a NASA-led team announced that organic compounds in the rock appeared to have been left by living creatures. Other scientists were skeptical and researchers chipped away at that premise over the decades, most recently by a team led by the Carnegie Institution for Science’s Andrew Steele.
Tiny samples from the meteorite show the carbon-rich compounds are actually the result of water — most likely salty, or briny, water — flowing over the rock for a prolonged period, Steele said. The findings appear in the journal Science. During Mars’ wet and early past, at least two impacts occurred near the rock, heating the planet’s surrounding surface, before a third impact bounced it off the red planet and into space millions of years ago. The 4-pound rock was found in Antarctica in 1984. (1/13)
Going to Mars is Stupid (Source: The Hill)
Going to Mars is stupid. I know, there are hundreds to thousands of people in the United States and around the world who have financial and other reasons for pushing spacefaring nations and private enterprises into sending humans to Mars. To them I will gladly double down and say that going to Mars is stupider than stupid. Going to, and trying to exist on, Mars is fraught with unnecessary risk. The logistical and spacefaring reasons for not attempting the journey are many, each compelling in its own right. Here are but a few lowlights:
The launch window for Mars opens only every two years. When that window is open and Mars is in opposition to our sun, the one-way journey still would take 6 to 10 months. Danger No. 1 is the risk of medical or mechanical emergencies. The crew would be on their own. A round-trip journey of up to two years would subject the crew to immense physical and psychological challenges from living in the tiny confines of their spacecraft. Solar and cosmic radiation would constantly bombard the craft. At what point does such risk become unacceptable?
Once the crew reaches Mars, what then? They’ll plant a flag — say, one from the United Nations — on the surface, look around a little and then begin the journey home. In essence, it would be a $100 billion+ trip to plant a flag. Or, let’s say the crew attempts to stay for a few weeks before heading back to Earth. This would require building a multibillion-dollar facility with an artificial atmosphere and protections. But again, to what end? To prove that humans can stay a few weeks before acknowledging the waste of money? What is the actual point of going to Mars, other than, perhaps, to prove it can be done? There is zero benefit to humanity. (1/10)
Increased Space Missions Risk Extraterrestrial Contamination (Source: McGill Tribune)
Though it may seem like we are entering an exciting and fast-paced moment in the history of space exploration, invasion biologists and other scientists who study the environments of foreign planets have voiced concerns that this period of expansion carries the risk of unintended repercussions. What exactly is at stake? Anthony Ricciardi, a researcher from McGill’s Department of Biology, alongside a team of scientists well-versed in the fields of invasion biology, biosecurity, and astrobiology, recently released a paper detailing the concerns of cross-contamination of life forms between planets during space missions.
“In the face of increasing space missions […], it is crucial to reduce the risks of biological contamination in both directions,” Ricciardi wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune. “The most plausible life forms would be microbial [….] We have no information [yet] to anticipate whether they could survive on Earth and what effect, if any, they might have.”
According to the team’s paper published in BioScience, contamination of extraterrestrial bodies through space missions transporting organisms from Earth—termed “forward contamination”— and the introduction of foreign planetary organisms to Earth—“back contamination”—have very different scientific ramifications. Yet, both stem from the difficulty of ensuring complete control over what enters and exits NASA clean rooms. (1/11)
Debris Complicating Perseverance Sample Collection (Source: NASA)
Engineers are looking into a problem with the latest sample cached by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover. NASA said Friday that the rover collected a sample from a rock in late December, but rover operators noticed an issue when transferring the sample to a "bit carousel" from the sampling drill. Images showed several pieces of debris the size of pebbles in the bit carousel, which scientists think are parts of the rock that fell out of the sample tube. That debris prevented the drill bit containing the sample from seating completely in the carousel. Designers of the system anticipated the possibility of such debris and ways to remove it, but the agency said engineers will "take whatever time is necessary to ensure these pebbles exit in a controlled and orderly fashion." (1/10)
NASA's InSight Mars Lander Enters Safe Mode (Source: NASA)
NASA's InSight Mars lander is in a safe mode because of a dust storm. The solar-powered lander entered safe mode to reduce its power consumption as the dust storm blocked sunlight. The lander is operating on batteries that, while low, are holding steady and should keep the lander alive until the storm passes. NASA hopes the bring the spacecraft out of safe mode next week but said the storm may have deposited another layer of dust on its solar panels, diminishing their output. (1/12)
NSF and CASIS Research Opportunity: Transport Phenomena and Nanoscale Interactions (Source: CASIS)
For seven years, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has collaborated with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) on a funding opportunity to utilize the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory for research in transport phenomena and nanoscale interactions. This year’s joint solicitation will award up to $3.6 million for multiple flight projects to leverage the ISS National Lab to enable fundamental research in the fields of fluid dynamics, particulate and multiphase processes, thermal transport, combustion and fire systems, and nanoscale interactions. (1/4)
Astronauts Experience 'Space Anemia' When They Leave Earth (Source: CNN)
Space travel is known to be notoriously rough on the human body, but new research has revealed just how hard it hits red blood cells. When we're on Earth, our bodies create and destroy 2 million of these cells per second. In space, astronauts experienced 3 million red blood cells destroyed per second, resulting in a loss of 54% more cells than people on Earth experience, according to a new study.
Lower red blood cell counts in astronauts is known as space anemia. "Space anemia has consistently been reported when astronauts returned to Earth since the first space missions, but we didn't know why," said study author Dr. Guy Trudel, a rehabilitation physician and researcher at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa, in a statement. (1/14)
Now We Know Why Spaceflight Affects Your Eyes (Source: Universe Today)
70% of astronauts who spend time on the International Space Station (ISS) experience swelling at the back of their eyes, causing blurriness and impaired eyesight both in space and when they return to Earth. Sometimes, it’s permanent. Understanding the way microgravity affects the eyes, and the human body as a whole is an essential part of preparations for future long-duration spaceflights to the Moon and Mars.
In an effort to understand the cause of these eye problems, researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina used MRI scans of twelve ISS astronauts to measure the intracranial venous system (veins that circulate blood to the brain) before and after flight. They’ve determined that there is a strong connection between the swelling of these veins and the onset of eye trouble. The effect of spaceflight on the eyes is known as spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS). SANS is so common that “it’s gotten to the point where astronauts actually carry extra pairs of glasses when they go into space. (1/9)
NASA and Tide are Working on a Long-Standing Space Problem: Cleaning Astronauts' Laundry (Source: Florida Today)
With no laundry machines in orbit, International Space Station astronauts cycle through about 160 pounds of clothing per crew member per year, relying on resupply missions to replenish their wardrobes. And with limited cargo capacity, they're roughing it: ISS astronauts can wear the same pair of underwear for up to a week, NASA reports.
Could resupply missions furnish astronauts with fresh shirts, pants and socks during longer trips to the moon, Mars or other deep-space voyages? Forget it — that's far too costly. “To do a three-year mission to Mars, it would take about 500 pounds of laundry per astronaut — which is just not sustainable by any stretch of the imagination," said Mark Sivik, a Procter & Gamble research fellow. (1/4)
X-59 Moves to Ground Testing Before First Flight Later in Year (Source: Aerospace Manufacturing)
NASA’s X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft (QueSST) has moved to Lockheed Martin’s Texas facilities for critical ground testing. This next stage, which will ensure it can withstand the stresses of flight, is progress towards the project’s target of first flight later in the year. The quiet supersonic jet was moved from Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works assembly area in Palmdale, California wrapped up in preparation for transportation. While in Texas, testing of the X-59 will also calibrate and test the fuel systems before the X-59 makes the journey back to Palmdale for more tests and completion. (1/7)
NASA, White House Initiative to Spur Entrepreneurial Spirit of HBCU Scholars (Source: NASA)
NASA and the Department of Education are collaborating to enhance the federal Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholar Recognition Program using NASA entrepreneurial expertise. Beginning in 2022, a NASA pitch competition for students at higher education institutions will officially become part of the HBCU Scholar Recognition Program, part of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity. The competition will be a small-scale version of NASA’s Minority University Education and Research Program (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition (MITTIC). (1/12)
Steady Growth Beyond the Skies: Five Trends in Outer Space from 2021 (Source: Space Review)
Last year was an active one in spaceflight, from space tourism to Mars rovers. Harini Madhusudan examines some of the biggest trends of the last year and their implications for 2022 and beyond. Click here. (1/10)
Blacker Than a Very Black Thing: the HEXAGON Reconnaissance Satellite Signals Intelligence Payloads (Source: Space Review)
The last, failed launch of a HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite in 1986 had been thought to carry a deployable subsatellite like many other previous such missions. Dwayne Day explains how new historical evidence points to a different payload and a previously unknown NRO program. Click here. (1/10)
Starlink's Self-Heating Internet Satellite Dishes Are Attracting Cats (Source: Gizmodo)
SpaceX’s Starlink has been making steady gains with its fledgling satellite internet service, surpassing 100,000 terminals shipped in 2021 and showing promising improvements in performance after initial speed tests produced lackluster results. However, the company’s run into an unforeseen hiccup with its dishes: Cats love them. “Starlink works great until the cats find out that the dish gives off a little heat on cold days,” tweeted Starlink user Aaron Taylor.
His recent image of five cats huddled together on top of a Starlink dish went viral. In the photo, the Starlink dish is installed at ground level and surrounded by snow. As noted by the Tesla- and SpaceX-focused news outlet and store Tesmanian, the dish’s Snow Melt Mode may be to blame. Launched in 2020, this feature enables dishes to use self-heating capabilities to prevent snow build-up from interfering with the signal—and apparently provides a toasty outdoor lounge space for critters. (1/8)
Iron Maiden Singer Bruce Dickinson Takes Aim at Privatized Space Travel (Source: Far Out)
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has decided to take the opportunity to voice his opinion on space travel. Highlighting the resources that can be found on the planet, Dickinson feels too much time is being devoted to an exercise in decadence.
“The space tourism element of it is the least important thing for mankind in the world,” Dickinson says in an interview with Loudwire. “Honestly, people say, ‘Oh, wouldn’t you want to go up on the top of a firework and spend a quarter million or half a million dollars,’ whatever people pay for it? Well, no, because you’re basically just kind of self-loading freight. You just sort of floating around going, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s cool’, — that’s not doing anything.” (1/12)
Fisher Debuts Artemis, Moonwalker Space Pens for Return to Moon (Source: CollectSpace)
Fisher Space Pen is ready for NASA's next missions to the moon, 50 years after its writing instruments were used by astronauts on the lunar surface. The Nevada-based, family-run company has introduced its new Artemis Space Pen series, as well as a special edition of its original model space pen that made history on NASA's Apollo missions. All of the new pens feature Fisher's patented pressurized ink cartridge that allows them to write in the extreme environments of outer space, as well as upside down, under water and on almost any surface on Earth. (1/14)
Strahan Football From Blue Origin Space Trip Gets Hall of Fame Display (Source: Fox News)
A football taken into space by retired NFL star-turned-TV personality Michael Strahan has landed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. "Flying to space with Blue Origin was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget," Strahan said, as FOX 8 of Cleveland reported. "It’s an honor to have this special football on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where fans of space travel and the game of football can share in the journey with me." (1/14)
At KSC Visitor Complex, SpaceX Falcon Booster Exhibit is Ready to Wow Guests (Source: Florida Today)
Liftoff. Side boosters separate. Grid fins deploy, guiding two SpaceX Falcon Heavy boosters screaming toward Earth from an altitude of 38 miles down to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Pause the sequence right there and you'll get an idea of what officials say is coming to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in March: one of those Falcon Heavy side boosters, complete with trajectory-adjusting titanium fins and re-entry scorch marks, will be on display at a new attraction called Gateway. The 50,000-square-foot facility will focus on the future through commercial space, upcoming NASA missions, and more science education. (1/5)
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Florida Aerospace Calendar
Click HERE to suggest new items and corrections.
Jan. 18 - Astra Rocket 3 VCLS Demo 2 launch, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, 1:00 p.m. - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jan. 19 - NASA KSC Procurement Process webinar, 1:00 p.m. - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/osbp-learning-series-inside-look-into-the-ksc-procurement-process-registration-174369974287
Jan. TBD - Falcon-9 launch, Starlink satellites deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jan. 21 - Atlas-5 launch, USSF-8 satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jan. 22 - Women In Defense Space Coast Chapter 9th anniversary event, Larsen Motorsports, Palm Bay, 11:30 a.m. - http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eiwaqnc457de039a&llr=smyyv8nab
Jan. 24 - Falcon-9 launch, COSMO-SkyMed satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, 6:11 p.m. - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jan. TBD - Falcon-9 launch, Starlink satellites deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jan. 27 - Florida Space Day, Capitol Building, Tallahassee - http://floridaspaceday.com/
Jan. 29 - Astronaut memorial ceremony for Apollo 1, Challenger & Columbia crew, Sand Point Park, Titusville FL, 11:00 a.m. - https://spacewalkoffame.org
Feb. TBD - Atlas-5 launch, CST-100 Starliner Uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Feb. TBD - Falcon-Heavy launch, USSF-44 satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Feb. 28 - Falcon-9 launch, Axiom 1 commercial ISS crew, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Mar. 1 - Atlas-5 launch, GOES-T satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, 4:40 p.m. - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Mar TBD - NASA SLS Artemis 1 launch, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Apr. TBD - Falcon-Heavy launch, USSF-52 satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Apr. TBD - Atlas-5 launch, USSF-12 satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Apr. 15 - Falcon-9 launch, NASA crew launch to ISS, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
May TBD - Atlas-5 launch, CST-100 Starliner orbital test, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jun. TBD - Atlas-5 launch, CST-100 Starliner crewed orbital test, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
Jul. TBD - Vulcan Centaur launch, Peregrine satellite deployment, Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Time TBD - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
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SPACErePORT news and editorial summaries are distilled and organized by me and don’t necessarily reflect my opinions or any SPACErePORT advertisers.
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