Space

Based on what is coming together for humanity’s return to the Moon, those involved at NASA and key commercial partners believe a global public/private collaboration must continue to grow if humans are to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon and then press on to Mars.

NASA is commissioning a study team to learn more about unexplained aerial phenomena , with the goal being to assess available non-classified data and determine what steps the agency could take to collect additional scientific information.

Mangata Networks, a satellite-based connectivity, plans to showcase its initial network in early 2023, potentially launch eight highly elliptical-orbit satellites that year and then inaugurate service in 2024 for the Northern Hemisphere.

Even without test pilot astronauts on board, NASA’s Artemis I mission of a Space Launch System (SLS)-propelled Orion capsule around the Moon and back to Earth promises drama, which the space agency is working to share publicly through live video and data transmissions.

SEAKR Engineering recently demonstrated optical communications between a pair of two DARPA Mandrake II satellites.

The U.S. Space Force is at risk of fielding a new Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability that does not meet requirements and could necessitate costly and time-intensive rework because it is moving ahead without a formal risk assessment and baseline for the design, according to a new assessment.

NASA is eyeing the DiskSat as a follow-up to the cubesat.

With the U.S. Space Force expected to increase the number of launches—especially with the Space Development Agency gearing up to launch its Tranche 1 and 2 programs—a House panel is calling for the service to increase the use of a common launch integrator to drive down costs.

The agency turns to public-private partnerships to equip Artemis spacewalkers.

MDA and Redwire have received contracts to each develop 42 antennas for low Earth orbit military satellites.

NASA has selected two new science investigation missions for launch to the Moon under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services public/private exploration initiative.

NASA’s first Space Launch System Moon rocket is back at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B for a fourth attempt to test fueling operations ahead of launch on the Artemis I uncrewed flight test around the Moon.

China has launched another three astronauts into space as construction of the Tiangong space station enters its next phase.

Boeing’s space business notches a win, but many questions remain about the company’s long-term future. Listen in as analysts Byron Callan and Ron Epstein join the podcast.

Russia’s Progress MS-20 linked to the International Space Station’s (ISS) Russian segment on June 3, completing a two-orbit launch to docking to deliver a 3-ton cargo of propellant, drinking water, food and other supplies for the orbital lab’s seven crewmembers.

Defense department is responding to threats from China, as well as pressure from the U.S.

NASA has lined up some forward-looking research for its next resupply mission to the International Space Station.

NASA plans to add five more Crew Dragon missions to SpaceX’s Commercial Crew flight services contract on a sole-source basis, as the agency continues to work with Boeing to certify a second transportation system to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

The U.S. Space Force this month will finalize its force design for how it will move the ground moving target indication mission from aircraft to space, with the plan to shape the 2024 budget request. The U.S. Air Force wants to retire its E-8C Joint Stars that currently serve in this role, with much of the capability to come from satellites. This plan faces several hurdles, however, not the least of which is physics.

Startup propulsion company Ursa Major announced June 2 that it is offering a 200,000 lb. thrust liquid oxygen and methane staged-combustion rocket engine called Arroway.

The Pentagon and the intelligence community are close to wrapping up a Space Strategic Review to outline the government’s policies for operations in space, including the mix of offensive and defensive systems and the extent to which they need to be classified.

The U.S. Navy has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Kleos Space to provide radio frequency geolocation data as part of an experiment.

NASA has selected Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace as part of a potential $3.5 billion public private partnership for the development, training and operations of a new generation of astronaut spacesuits to support the agency’s human exploration of the Moon as well as continuing maintenance and upgrades to the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030.

The initial Protoflight Model small satellite for NASA’s Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment mission has completed functional and environmental testing at Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory.

Sierra Space and Spirit AeroSystems have signed a strategic partnership to improve production efficiency and assembly of Sierra Space’s Shooting Star cargo module. The letter of intent covers the development and production of future Shooting Star cargo modules. Sierra Space and Spirit AeroSystems will also work together to find ways to speed up the time it takes to bring Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser family of spaceplanes to market, the companies said on May 31.