Breaking Space News: July 14 - 20, 2024

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• SPACE GOVERNANCE

  • US Space Force Chief Advocates for Global Cooperat …

  • Nigeria, US Renew MoU to Advance Space Geodesy and …

• SPACE COMMERCE

  • Rosotics’ Halo 3D Printer for Large Aerospace Stru …

  • Following Devaluation Post-SPAC Merger, Astra goes …

• MILITARY IN SPACE

  • LeoLabs to Support UK’s First Homegrown Spy-Satell …

  • China’s Fifth High-Resolution Gaofen-11 Satellite …

• SPACE SCIENCE

  • A Novel Approach to In-Suit Waste Management Trans …

  • Curiosity Rover Finds Elemental Sulfur on Mars in …

  • NASA and SpaceX Separately Unveil New Spacesuits f …

  • How a Geomagnetic Storm Triggered a Satellite Exod …

  • NASA Cancels Lunar South Pole Explorer Mission Vip …

• RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

  • Study Proves the Impossibility of Light-Formed Bla …

  • Researchers Confirm the Existence of a Lunar Cave

  • A Novel Method Might Help Researchers Predict El N …

• OPINION

  • Beyond Alarmism: A Critique of the Atlantic Counci …

SPACE GOVERNANCE

US Space Force Chief Advocates for Global Cooperation in Space

At the 2024 Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference in London, U.S. Space Force Chief General Chance Saltzman highlighted the crucial role of international partnerships in protecting space assets and operations, amid the growing importance of space in national security and global infrastructure.

Saltzman’s address highlighted a strategy he terms “integrated by design,” acknowledging the Space Force’s reliance on partnerships. He emphasized that this approach extends beyond military alliances to include collaborations with commercial industry, academia, and nonprofits.

Earlier this month, U.K. Air Marshal Paul Godfrey was appointed as assistant chief of Space Operations for future concepts and partnerships, marking the first integration of a non-U.S. officer into a senior Space Force position. Saltzman believes this will offer invaluable insights into internal debates and resource allocation decisions.

Moreover, Satzman highlighted U.S. partnerships with India, Japan, and Norway in space activities. With India, the U.S. has signed agreements for space situational awareness data sharing and the exploration of joint space science missions. Japan and the U.S. have strengthened their alliance in space through initiatives like hosting U.S. payloads on Japanese satellites. Norway and the U.S. have collaborated on Arctic communications, with U.S. payloads integrated onto Norwegian satellites.

Nigeria, US Renew MoU to Advance Space Geodesy and Geohazard Research

Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has renewed its partnership with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to advance space geodesy and geohazard research. This collaboration is a significant step in Nigeria’s space exploration journey, opening new opportunities for scientific research and technological advancement.

Space geodesy involves the use of space-based techniques to measure and represent the Earth’s shape, its gravitational field, and how these change over time. Geohazard research, on the other hand, focuses on understanding and predicting geological hazards such as earthquakes and landslides. The renewed partnership between NASRDA and NASA will likely boost these areas of research in Nigeria, contributing to global efforts in understanding our planet and mitigating potential risks.

The revitalized collaboration aims to enhance capacity and transfer knowledge, providing NASRDA with essential training in space geodesy for monitoring Nigeria’s tectonic activity. NASRDA will contribute data and analysis, offering local insights to enrich NASA’s global programmes.

SPACE COMMERCE

Rosotics’ Halo 3D Printer for Large Aerospace Structures

Rosotics, an Arizona, US-based company, has unveiled a new 3D printer designed for large aerospace structures. The printer, named Halo, uses a magnetic field to heat feedstock in the nozzle, a departure from traditional 3D printers that rely on high-power lasers.

The Halo platform, designed for demanding applications like printing of a rocket’s first or second stage tanks, domes, or engines, is a significant upgrade from Rosotics' now-obsolete Mantis printer. Phantom Space, an Arizona-based startup, is Rosotics' first customer. Priced at $950,000, Halo deliveries in the U.S. and Europe are set to begin in late August.

Following Devaluation Post-SPAC Merger, Astra goes Private

Astra Space, a spacecraft propulsion and launch company, has completed a deal to transition from a public company to a private one. After over three years of being publicly traded and a significant decrease in value, the company’s co-founders, Chris Kemp and Adam London, announced a deal to take the company private at 50 cents per share. This price is a sharp drop from its peak value post-July 2021 SPAC merger, as the first launch company to be publicly traded on Nasdaq, with a

The company's market capitalization plummeted to $12 million. Facing cash shortages and having considered bankruptcy in the last few months, Astra accepted a deal from Kemp and London, despite a two-thirds cut in the per-share price. Going private is seen as a strategic move to regain financial stability and refocus on its core mission.

MILITARY IN SPACE

LeoLabs to Support UK’s First Homegrown Spy-Satellite Constellation

LeoLabs, a US-based, provider of integrated solutions for space activity monitoring, has been selected to support the United Kingdom (UK) Space Command’s Project Tyche. This partnership will involve LeoLabs providing space tracking, monitoring, and collision avoidance services.

Project Tyche is a part of the UK Ministry of Defence’s ISTARI program, which aims to establish a constellation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites in low-Earth orbit. The first satellite under this program, Tyche, built by UK-based Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) is scheduled to launch later this summer. LeoLabs will provide Space Situational Awareness (SSA) services for Tyche, as well as Space Domain Awareness (SDA) services, including persistent monitoring of selected high-interest objects.

This partnership marks a significant step towards developing the UK’s first constellation of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellites in Low Earth Orbit. In a statement to SpaceNews, LeoLabs declined to disclose the value of the contract.

China’s Fifth High-Resolution Gaofen-11 Satellite Launched to Bolster CHEOS Constellation

China has launched its fifth Gaofen-11 high-resolution satellite, adding to its CHEOS constellation. The launch occurred on Thursday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, with the satellite carried by a Long March 4B rocket.

According to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) the high-resolution optical earth observation satellite will be used for various purposes, including land survey, urban planning, land rights confirmation, road network design, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and mitigation.

The Gaofen-11 satellites are among China’s most capable optical satellites, capable of returning imagery with a resolution of around 10 centimeters, according to an article published by the Chinese Society for Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography in November 2020. This makes them comparable to the United States’ Keyhole-class spy satellites.

Detailed information is available for Gaofen satellites 1-7, but not for those numbered 8 and above, indicating potential military use, speculates SpaceNews.

This launch was China’s 33rd orbital mission of 2024. With the country aiming to launch around 100 times this year, including around 70 launches by CASC—China’s state-owned main space contractor—and 30 from commercial providers, it’s clear that China is rapidly expanding its presence in space.

SPACE SCIENCE

A Novel Approach to In-Suit Waste Management Transforms Astronaut Urine into Drinking Water in Spacewalks

Researchers from the Mason Lab at Weill Cornell Medical College have designed a novel in-suit urine collection and filtration system. This system could revolutionize waste management and water recovery during spacewalks, addressing both hygiene and hydration concerns for astronauts.

The current waste management system within the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) uses a disposable diaper, the Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG), to collect urine and feces during up to 8-hour extravehicular activities (EVAs). Prolonged exposure to waste can lead to hygiene-related medical issues like urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal distress.

The new device collects astronaut urine via an external catheter, filters it using forward and reverse osmosis (FO-RO) into potable water, and aims for an 85% collection rate with a modified MAG. The MAG, made of flexible compression material and antimicrobial fabric, uses silicone urine collection cups tailored to male and female anatomy.

This development coincides with astronauts spending more time on spacewalks. Between 2021 and 2023, 37 spacewalks averaging 6 hours and 26 minutes were conducted for experiments or space station repairs, with the longest lasting 8 hours and 56 minutes.

The new design is detailed in a paper published on July 12 in the journal Frontiers in Space Technology.

Curiosity Rover Finds Elemental Sulfur on Mars in a "Groundbreaking" Discovery

NASA’s Curiosity rover has uncovered a substantial deposit of pure sulfur on Mars, marking an unprecedented finding on the Red Planet. This “groundbreaking” discovery was made on May 30, 2024, when the rover driving over a rock, caused it to fracture and expose yellow sulfur crystals.

Curiosity has previously detected sulfur on Mars mixed with other minerals. Recently, it discovered elemental sulfur, an odorless element, in many rocks in the Gediz Vallis channel on Mount Sharp in Gale Crater. The rover is studying the area for signs of ancient microbial life, which is rich in sulfates formed as water evaporates.

The presence of elemental sulfur, which consists only of pure sulfur atoms, unlike the sulfur bound to oxygen in sulfate, raises intriguing questions about the geological processes that would have formed it. While on Earth, elemental sulfur is created by a variety of geological processes, including volcanic and hydrothermal activity, it’s not yet clear which processes would have formed the elemental sulfur found by the rover. This discovery may hold more clues about the formation of elemental sulfur and its implications for Mars' water history.

NASA and SpaceX Separately Unveil New Spacesuits for Artemis 2 and Polaris Dawn missions

NASA's Artemis 2 mission, set for 2025, recently completed a spacesuit fit check with backup astronaut Andre Douglas. The orange spacesuit, a stark departure from the traditional white, was showcased on social media. Douglas, a former U.S. Coast Guard member now with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, will back up U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. This mission marks the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Polaris Dawn - SpaceX’s privately-funded mission, meanwhile, completed acceptance testing for SpaceX’s new extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, as they gearup for a launch no earlier than July 31. These suits will be worn by the four-person crew, which includes billionaire philanthropist Jared Isaacman of Inspiration4 mission, as they become the first private citizens to perform a spacewalk on orbit. The new EVA suits feature material and joint enhancements to boost astronauts' mobility and protection in space. These tests, conducted in a vacuum, marked the final major milestone for SpaceX’s new EVA spacesuit. They provided valuable data on the suit's performance and helped the crew understand pressure changes, thermal states, and body temperature trends during spacewalks.

These developments come in the wake of the recent indefinite delay of a scheduled spacewalk at the International Space Station (ISS) due to a coolant leak in a spacesuit. The coolant leak on June 24, 2024, involving NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, led to the suspension of the spacewalk and indefinite delays of future spacewalks until the cause is understood.

How a Geomagnetic Storm Triggered a Satellite Exodus in May

A recent study has shed light on the impacts of the May 2024 geomagnetic storm on satellite operations. This storm, the largest in over 20 years, occurred during a new paradigm in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operations dominated by commercial small satellites, the paper states.

The study, conducted by William E. Parker and Richard Linares from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, revealed that the storm led to the largest ‘mass migration’ of satellites in history. Satellites and space debris objects in LEO were sinking toward the planet at the speed of 590 feet (180 meters) per day during the four-day storm. To compensate for the loss of altitude, thousands of spacecraft began firing their thrusters simultaneously to climb back up.

This mass movement risked dangerous situations as collision avoidance systems couldn’t calculate the satellites’ changing paths in time. The storm also cleared some junk by spiraling defunct satellites and debris deeper into the atmosphere. The study highlighted that the geomagnetic index forecast was poorly predicted, even a day in advance, raising questions about the accuracy of current prediction systems and the need for better forecasting models.

NASA Cancels Lunar South Pole Explorer Mission Viper Amid Budget Woes

NASA has announced the cancellation of its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) program due to budget constraints. The VIPER mission, which had already cost the agency about $450 million, was intended to land near the moon’s south pole and scout for lunar ice deposits over a period of 100 days. However, rising costs and a constrained budget environment led to the decision to terminate the program.

Despite the cancellation, NASA remains committed to its lunar exploration objectives. The agency plans to potentially reuse VIPER’s scientific instruments and other hardware on future moon missions. This decision underscores the challenges of space exploration and the need for careful budget management in the face of ambitious scientific goals.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

Study Proves the Impossibility of Light-Formed Black Holes Challenging to Einstein’s General Relativity

In a recent study, that challenges the predictions of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, researchers have found that black holes formed solely from light, known as “kugelblitz”, cannot occur in our universe.

Black holes usually form from collapsing massive stars, but Einstein’s theory of relativity suggests they can also form from large concentrations of light. This idea led to the concept of a “kugelblitz,” a hypothetical black hole created from immense amounts of electromagnetic radiation. Despite light not having mass, it does carry energy. In Einstein’s theory of general relativity, energy is responsible for creating curvatures in space-time that result in gravitational attractions. Therefore, it was thought possible for light to form black holes if concentrated enough in a small volume, study co-author José Polo-Gómez, a physicist at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada, told Live Science in an email.

However, this new research suggests that kugelblitze are impossible to form in our universe. When there’s a high concentration of electromagnetic energy, such as intense light, a portion of this energy can convert into matter which takes the form of pairs of electrons and positrons. This phenomenon is a quantum effect known as the Schwinger effect, or vacuum polarization.

The study examined the influence of the Schwinger effect, on kugelblitz formation. It found that pure light can never reach the energy needed to form a black hole, challenging classical general relativity, which ignores quantum effects.

The study titled “No Black Holes from Light,” has been accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review Letters but has not been published yet.

Researchers Confirm the Existence of a Lunar Cave

An international team of researchers has confirmed the existence of a cave on the Moon for the first time. Located in the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility, approximately 250 miles from the Apollo 11 landing site, the cave is 130 feet wide and extends tens of yards long. The evidence was found in data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), captured by the Miniature Radio-Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument in 2010.

This discovery has major implications for future lunar exploration. The newly found lunar cave could offer shelter for astronauts, providing a more hospitable environment on the harsh lunar surface.

The paper was published in the journal Nature on July 15.

A Novel Method Might Help Researchers Predict El Niño Years in Advance

Scientists have developed a method to forecast El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events more than two years in advance. This is a substantial improvement over the previous prediction window of six to twelve months. The ENSO is a climate cycle characterized by the cooling (La Niña) and warming (El Niño) of the sea surface above the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It is one of the most influential and predictable weather patterns affecting the global climate.

The new study, which analyzed thousands of years of past climate data, has more than doubled the prediction window in some instances. This longer lead time for ENSO prediction is valuable for emergency planning and resource management. For instance, if drought conditions are likely in the next few years, state governments can enact water-sparing or storage plans in advance.

In the contiguous U.S., both El Niño and La Niña influence hurricanes in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Like a seesaw, La Niña weakens hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific and strengthens it in the Atlantic. El Niño does the opposite. Strong El Niño events typically mean wet weather for the U.S. Southwest, while La Niña typically presages hot, dry conditions in the same region.

The study’s lead author, Nathan Lenssen, a climatologist at the Colorado School of Mines and a project scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, explained that predicting the weather more than a few weeks out is challenging. However, when the ocean or land surface or ice gets involved, we can get some longer predictability because these processes evolve more slowly.

The study was published on June 16 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

OPINION

Beyond Alarmism: A Critique of the Atlantic Council’s NC3 Modernization Report

By Maharshi Bhattacharya

A new report released by the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security has urged the United States to strengthen its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that support nuclear command and control against potential high-altitude nuclear detonation.

The U.S. is currently facing a significant development in the global space sector, with its nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system undergoing a modernization overhaul.

The report, titled “Modernizing Space-Based Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications,” highlights concerns within the US about the speculated development of space-based nuclear weapons by Russia and the vulnerability of critical military satellites. It warns that a high-altitude nuclear blast could create widespread electromagnetic pulse effects and inject high-energy particles into Earth’s radiation belts, potentially crippling unprotected satellites.

The modernization of space-based elements within the NC3 framework faces distinct geopolitical, technical, and bureaucratic challenges. The strategic environment has become increasingly complex due to the rise of multiple nuclear powers, notably the expansion of China's nuclear capabilities. Additionally, the development of advanced anti-satellite weaponry by Russia and China presents a significant threat to U.S. space-based NC3 assets. The report highlights concerns that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)'s transition to a proliferated space architecture may not adequately prioritize the requirements essential for NC3 missions. It advises that space-focused agencies within the DoD ensure that nuclear surety remains a paramount consideration in the planning of future space systems.

The report presents a somewhat narrow view of the current global scenario in that it fails to address, for example, opportunities of collaboration and how existing US policies might limit collaborative relationships. While there are legitimate concerns about the intentions of Russia and China, the apprehension regarding possible confrontations, at least from China, may be unfounded. China has been forging ahead with plans to launch three lunar probes before the end of the decade and is open to increased international cooperation in building a lunar research station. However, a 2011 law called the Wolf Amendment effectively bans the U.S. from working with China in space. This openness to collaboration suggests that China’s intentions in space may be more focused on scientific advancement and international cooperation than on aggression.

The report recommends accelerating the deployment of radiation-hardened satellites and other protective measures for next-generation NC3 systems. As security dynamics and technology evolve, the U.S. must allocate resources to maintain NC3 effectiveness, it urges. Upgrading older technology, especially in the context of space equipment, is indeed a sensible approach. This is particularly true considering events like the major solar flare in May 2024, which necessitated a mass movement of satellites to avoid service disruptions. Implementing radiation-hardening designs are a critical part of these upgrades, as it helps protect satellites from the intense radiation they encounter in space. Proposing these upgrades under the assumption of a nuclear detonation, however, could be seen as a bit of a stretch.

The report, though offering a thorough examination of the present circumstances, may be perceived as somewhat alarmist. It's tone becomes evident at the onset where in the Abstract section, it points out that NC3 system is, “a bedrock for nuclear deterrence and the U.S.-led, rules-based international order.” Considering the ongoing contentious developments of U.S. policies in the Middle East, and the global reaction they have mustered, the statement itself appears sanctimonious, out-of-touch and problematic. This issue is exacerbated in the remainder of the report, by the alarmist recommendations, presented under the guise of preventative measures.

The focus on potential threats and vulnerabilities could be construed as a form of fearmongering. It is crucial to recognize that a balanced approach, which incorporates confidence in international cooperation and minimizes the emphasis on undue alarm, might prove more advantageous in the long term.

As the space sector continues to evolve, the dynamics of international cooperation and competition will play a crucial role in shaping the future of global space governance and security. It’s clear that fostering robust international partnerships will be a key strategy for the U.S. Space Force moving forward. This approach, coupled with a commitment to transparency and mutual respect, could help to build trust and reduce tensions in the global space sector.

Despatch Out. 👽🛸