Space policy roundup – Dec.27.2018

A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest:

Webcasts:

** SPECIAL EPISODE – Big Data for Satellites, Deep Learning and Growing Security Threats – Constellations, a New Space and Satellite Innovation Podcast

The Big Data Panel Roundtable discussion completes our special series recorded at the 2018 Kratos Users Conference. This episode brings together technology experts to discuss the role of big data in the satellite industry, the implications of deep learning and the impact of security threats. Bob Potter, VP of Technology, Signal and Ground Systems moderated the panel. He was joined by Anthony Semiao, Chief Solutions Architect, Jay Finnigan, Director of Network Products and Loic Coulet, Technology and Products Manager. Key discussions included the growth of big data and how data creates new data in a never ending cycle, the opportunities to leverage big data in the satellite industry, the critical importance of security in satellites and the value of deep learning and artificial intelligence.

** Fri, 12/21/2018 – Space lawyer Laura Montgomery gave “a space policy, law and regulatory review for 2018”.

** Sun, 12/23/2018 – David led an open lines discussion with Space Show listeners on a wide range of space related topics.

** Wed, 12/19/2018Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb.com talked about the recent “Cosmonaut risky spacewalk, ISS leak, Angara pad construction issues, Vostochny construction company corruption”.

** December 21, 2018 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

** Earthrise! Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 8 | The Planetary Society


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Student and amateur CubeSat news roundup – Dec.26.2018

A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. about student and amateur CubeSat / SmallSat projects and programs:

** UF research satellite launches into orbit – Gainesville Sun – Gainesville, FL

… NASA launched a University of Florida satellite that could help improve the accuracy of timing-sensitive satellites, such as GPS.

The satellite is more than 500 kilometers (315 miles) above Earth, orbiting at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour.

“We’ve spent five and a half years to get to this point, and the launch is always the riskiest part,” said UF mechanical and aerospace engineering Associate Professor John Conklin. “Having passed that hurdle, it feels great.”

The UF satellite was one of 13 research cube satellites launched by Rocket Lab Electron from New Zealand as part of NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program. The goal of UF’s research from space is to improve time-transfer synchronizing systems through laser technology. Systems like GPS synchronize their times through radio waves, which have a higher delay in the atmosphere and also a higher error rate.

** UWE-4 satellite ready to launch | Southgate Amateur Radio News – UWE-4 – Lehrstuhl für Informatik VII

The University Würzburg Experimental Satellite 4 (UWE-4) is the most recent project within the UWE CubeSat family. This 1U (one unit) CubeSat will incorporate for the first time in the UWE program a propulsion system. The satellite is scheduled for launch on board a Soyuz-2 mission using a Fregat upper stage in December 2018.

** CubeSats Could Use Laser Pointers to Transmit Data to Earth > ENGINEERING.com

But laser communications also have a significant drawback: because laser beams are much more focused than radio waves, they need to be pointed with much greater precision at receivers on the ground.

The MIT team developed a laser-pointing platform about the size of a coffee mug that uses a mirror, smaller than a fingernail, to bounce the laser down toward a ground receiver. The platform can adjust the angle of the mirror to change the laser’s direction.

** AMSAT news on student and amateur CubeSat/smallsat projects: ANS-357 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin

  • Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for December 20, 2018
  • UWE-4 Satellite Ready to Launch
  • New Amateur Radio Packet Gear Awaits Unpacking, Installation on Space Station
  • Successful “AMSAT on the Queen Mary” Operation
  • AMSAT CW Activity Day January 1, 2019 In Memory Of W3XO
  • ELaNa-XIX Successfully Launched
  • AMSAT Awards
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • ARISS News
  • Satellite Shorts from All Over

General CubeSat/SmallSat info:

  • Venture Class Rockets First Class Flights for CubeSats – NASA:

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The Space Show this week – Dec.24.2018

The guests and topics of discussion on The Space Show this week:

1 Monday, Dec. 24, 2018: 2-3:30 pm PST (4-5:30 pm CST, 5-6:30 pm EST): No show today due to Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas everyone.

2. Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018: 7-8:30 pm PST (9-10:30 pm CST; 10-11:30 pm EST): No show today due to Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone.

3. Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018: Hotel Mars. See Upcoming Show Menu and the website newsletter for details. Hotel Mars is pre-recorded by John Batchelor. It is archived on The Space Show site after John posts it on his website.

4. SPECIAL TIME: Friday, Dec. 28, 201: 3 pm PST (5 pm CST; 6 pm EST): We welcome back Dr. Alan Stern for a special New Horizons broadcast.

5. Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018: 12-1:30 pm PST, (3-4:30 pm EST, 2-3:30 pm CST): We welcome back Thomas A. Olson for his annual end of the year commercial space review program plus a look ahead to 2019.

See also:
* The Space Show on Vimeo – webinar videos
* The Space Show’s Blog – summaries of interviews.
* The Space Show Classroom Blog – tutorial programs

The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.

The Space Show - David Livingston
The Space Show – David Livingston

Some recent shows of interest:

** Fri, 12/21/2018 – Space lawyer Laura Montgomery gave “a space policy, law and regulatory review for 2018”.

** Sun, 12/23/2018 – David led an open lines discussion with Space Show listeners on a wide range of space related topics.

** Wed, 12/19/2018Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb.com talked about the recent “Cosmonaut risky spacewalk, ISS leak, Angara pad construction issues, Vostochny construction company corruption”.

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Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto

Rocket launches: SpaceX Falcon 9 + Russian Proton + Chinese Long March-11

** A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully put a USAF GPS satellite into orbit today following several scrubs this past week:

[ Update: A view of the launch from outside the Cape by the team at  www.USLaunchReport.com:

]

The launch took place at Cape Canaveral and caps a year with 21 successful launches for SpaceX.

More at:

** A Russian Proton rocket with a Breeze M upper stage successfully placed a military communications satellite into orbit on Friday: Military communications satellite launched by Russian Proton rocket – Spaceflight Now

The launch took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Uzbekistan.

** A Chinese Long March-11 solid fuel rocket  also launched on Friday with the first Hongyun satellite intended for a constellation of satellites to provide broadband communications services.

The launch was from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

More at

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