Sierra Space tests inflatable module technology
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-22 02:31
Sierra Space conducted the fifth in a series of tests of its Large Integrated Flexible Environment. The burst test increased the pressure of the module until it finally burst. The module now has a 33% margin over the certification standard for the full-scale module. Sierra Space is developing LIFE as one of the components of the Orbital Reef commercial space station.
True Anomaly gets $17 million Space Force contract for space domain awareness software
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-22 01:18
Denver-based True Anomaly has been awarded a $17.4 million contract by the U.S. Space Force. The contract is a four-year Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 3 award. True Anomaly will deliver a prototype suite of software products for space domain awareness. The software is aimed at military and intelligence agencies that monitor outer space.
NASA Mars Sample Return budget and schedule “unrealistic,” independent review concludes
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-22 00:55
NASA releases final report of independent review board on Mars Sample Return. Review found serious issues with its technical readiness, cost and schedule. Projected budgets for MSR, the report added, are also insufficient. NASA had yet to set a formal cost estimate for MSR, something that had been planned for this fall.
The Artemis Accords: Changing the Narrative from Space Race to Space Cooperation
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 14:25
Artemis Accords aim to reshape narrative of space exploration from competition to cooperation. The Accords are an international collaborative effort co-led by NASA and the U.S. State Department. Currently, there are 29 signatory nations and eight founding nations (Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, UAE, UK, and the United States)
China’s Galactic Energy suffers first launch failure
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 14:12
Chinese commercial rocket firm Galactic Energy experienced its first failure Thursday with its 10th launch attempt. Airspace closure notices pointed to a launch attempt from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at around 1:00 a.m. Eastern, Sept. 21. Galactic Energy published an article confirming the loss of a Ceres-1 rocket and its payload via its WeChat social network account.
FAA proposes rule to limit lifetime of upper stages in orbit
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 12:16
FAA proposes new regulations to manage growth of orbital debris. Proposed rule would require commercial launch providers to dispose of upper stages. Rule would require companies with FAA commercial launch licenses to choose from five approaches. Proposed rule will be formally published in the Federal Register in the coming days.
Space Force revising commercial space strategy to make it “actionable”
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 10:50
Space Force chief says commercial space strategy is "sitting on my desk" Gen. Chance Saltzman says the service is revising the document to make it more actionable. He says the strategy should offer more specific guidance on what commercial capabilities are needed. Saltzman: "Success in the space domain also requires comprehensive and actionable space domain awareness"
True Anomaly receives million$$ USSF contract for SDA – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 00:00
True Anomaly™ will provide a suite of Space Domain Awareness (SDA) applications that will leverage powerful analytics and scalable AI. This will be delivered through True Anomaly’s Mosaic™ software — an integrated operating system for every aspect of space domain awareness and security.
AMD Versal AI Edge Adaptive SoC for space apps – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 00:00
The XQRVE2302 is the first time the company has offered an adaptive SoC for space applications in such a small form-factor (23mm x 23mm) The device has nearly a 75% smaller board area and power savings relative to the existing Versal AI Core XQRVC1902.
Atheras Analytics to improve Ka-band link of weather outage predictions – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 00:00
Atheras Analytics, a global leader in predicting and managing the effects of atmospheric/weather impairments on Ka-band and Q/V-band satellite links, has announced its successful award of a co-funded ARTES development contract. The project will be carried out under ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Core Competitiveness program with the support of UK Space Agency and SES.
Sierra Space reinvents the Space Station — affordable in-space infrastructure within reach – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-09-21 00:00
Sierra Space has completed a fifth, sub-scale test of their revolutionary LIFE™ habitat (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) ILC Dover is the exclusive softgoods technology partner on the Sierra Space platform. This latest successful milestone and the first one to include a metallic window sub-structure – or blanking plate – now propels Sierra Space into full-scale testing of LIFE by the end of this year.
Meet the Mars Samples: Ha'ahóni and Atsá (Samples 8 and 9)
As of late June 2023, NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has collected and sealed 20 scientifically selected samples inside pristine tubes. The next stage is to get them back for study. Mars Sample Return would be the first mission to return samples from another planet and provides the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars.