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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space industry and microgravity R&D

2020 ISS Research & Development Conference opens on Thursday, August 27th

The 2020 International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) will be held on line starting this Thursday, Aug 27th (Agenda):

Day 1 of ISSRDC Online Series to Feature
NASA Leadership and Promote Commercialization of Low Earth Orbit

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), August 25, 2020 – The 9th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) kicks off as a virtual event this Thursday, August 27, bringing together researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, investors, and the general public to showcase the benefits of conducting research and technology development onboard our nation’s industrial incubator in low Earth orbit (LEO). Each year, ISSRDC is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), NASA, and the American Astronautical Society.

This year, the conference will take place as an online series featuring three days of virtual plenary sessions: Day 1 on August 27, Day 2 on September 17, and Day 3 on October 22. The virtual sessions are free to attend; however, registration is required for each day.

On Day 1 of the ISSRDC Online Series, NASA leadership will provide a variety of programmatic updates that have direct impacts on the space station, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will give a welcome address. Additionally, multiple sessions will focus on the rising LEO economy, with commercial launch partners and private-sector researchers discussing how they are leveraging the ISS to validate facilities and business models. Highlighted below are the Day 1 sessions, many of which allow for questions and answers within the webcast platform.

10:00-10:15 a.m. EDT
Welcome Message from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine

10:15-10:25 a.m. EDT
Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Update
Kathy Lueders, Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, NASA

10:30-11:00 a.m. EDT
NASA Biological and Physical Sciences Program Update (with Q&A)
Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA

11:00-11:30 a.m. EDT
LEO Commercialization
Speakers include:

  • Phil McAlister, Director of Commercial Spaceflight Program, NASA
  • Angela Hart, LEO Commercialization Manager, NASA
  • Robyn Gatens, Deputy Director, ISS Division and System Capability Leader, NASA

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. EDT
State of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory (with Q&A)
(Moderated by Jeff Foust, Senior Writer, Space News)
Speakers include:

  • Alex MacDonald, Chief Economist and ISS National Lab Program Executive, NASA
  • Ken Shields, Chief Operating Officer, CASIS
  • Marybeth Edeen, Manager of ISS Research Integration Office, NASA

12:30-12:45 p.m. EDT
ISS Program Office Updates
Joel Montalbano, Manager, ISS Program, NASA

12:45-2:00 p.m. EDT
Building the LEO Economy (with Q&A)
(Moderated by Mike Gold, Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, NASA)
Speakers include:

  • Carissa Christenson, Chief Executive Officer, Bryce Analytics and Engineering
  • Michael Suffredini, Co-founder and President/Chief Executive Officer, Axiom Space
  • Richard Dalbello, Vice President Business Development, Virgin Galactic
  • Andrew Rush, Chief Executive Officer and NASA Advisory Council member for Regulatory and Policy, Made In Space
  • Nicole Wagner, President and Chief Executive Officer, LambdaVision

The ISSRDC Online Series is free to the public, but registration is required to join the webcast. To view the full agenda and register for Day 1, please visit the conference website.

About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the ISS as the nation’s newest national laboratory to optimize its use for improving quality of life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users, and advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by non-NASA U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The ISS National Lab manages access to the permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space.

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Amateur/Student Satellite, Education, Space Systems

Student and amateur CubeSat news roundup – Aug.25.2020

A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. related to student and amateur CubeSat / SmallSat projects and programs (find previous smallsat roundups here):

** University of Cádiz (UCA) student team developing the UCAnFly cubesat to test space-based gravitational wave detection technologies.

UCAnFly is an educational nanosatellite to test emerging technologies for space-based gravitational wave detectors, such as LISA. The main motivation is to complement academic education at the University of Cádiz (UCA) and transfer knowledge to students in the field of advanced instrumentation and data analysis for Space Sciences. 

The emerging line of research that the UCAnFly project has recently started to conduct at UCA requires engaging and training young researchers with the purpose of creating a group specialized in high precision measurement systems for space missions. This project will open a unique opportunity of novel and valuable experience for the students involved.

UCAnFly is led by a multidisciplinary team at the University of Cádiz, with the support of the Education Office of the European Space Agency, under the educational Fly Your Satellite! programme.

Rendering of the design of the UCAnFly cubesat. Credits: UCA

A video overview:

…The UCAnFly project involves the introduction of a new line of research at the University of Cádiz, which requires engaging and training young researchers with the aim of creating a group specialized in high precision measurement systems for space missions. For this reason, in addition to the mission objectives, one of the main motivations of the project is to complement academic education and transfer knowledge in the field of advanced instrumentation and data analysis for space applications to undergraduate and doctoral students…

** Virginia high school team building TJ REVERB cubesat to compare smallsat radio communications systems. The project won a ride to space via NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative.

The TJ REVERB project is creating a best practice document for building a Nanosatellite while building a 2U CubeSat that compares multiple radio systems in Lower Earth Orbit. Additionally, TJ REVERB serves as an educational vehicle for teaching students the principles of systems engineering. Beyond the rich learning experience designing and constructing a satellite provides the students at Thomas Jefferson HSST, the team is committed to a robust local, national, and international outreach program.

There is a GoFundMe to raise funds to expand the smallsat program and their outreach activities to other high schools: Fundraiser for US STEM FOUNDATION by TJ REVERB : TJREVERB Cubesat for TJHSST

Latest updates at Cool Cube (@CoolCube10) / Twitter. Find videos posted by the students at Cool Cube – YouTube, e.g.

** AMSAT news on student and amateur CubeSat/smallsat projects: ANS-236 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin

  • Ballot Return Date is September 15
  • Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available
  • New Distance Records
  • ORI’s Digital Microwave Broadband Communication System Determined to be Free of ITAR
  • SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • ARISS News
  • Satellite Shorts from All Over

General CubeSat/SmallSat info:

** Students Use Ham Radio to Call an Astronaut in Space – NASA Johnson

On May 15, 2020, Canadian students used ham radio to talk with NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, currently aboard the International Space Station. Thanks to ham radio operators and the International Space Station program, the students were able to participate from their homes. Learn more about ham radio aboard the space station: https://go.nasa.gov/2DRPAeK Learn more about the research being conducted on station: https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science

** What is a CubeSat? – Cool Cube

CubeSats are driving space exploration! In this video, by students for students, we go over what they are and some major components that are typically on board! Please stick along for the rest of this series, where we’ll go over the ins and outs of satellite development!

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Activism, Roundup

Space policy roundup – Aug.24.2020

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 (find previous space policy roundups here):

International space

Webcasts:

** The Space Show – Fri. Aug.21.2020 – Dr. Louis D. Friedman “talked about his new book [Planetary Adventures: From Moscow to Mars (Amazon commission link)], doing business with the Russians and the Chinese, plus his thoughts on Mars, returning to the Moon, the commercial players today, settlement and more”.

** E29 – The Present and Future of Space Commerce (with Ed Swallow and Kevin O’Connell) – Aerospace Corp – Center for Space Policy & Strategy (CSPS)

** Artemis Westenberg – Getting There With Explore Mars – Cold Star Project S02E57

President emerita of Explore Mars Inc. & CEO of Explore Mars Europe Artemis Westenberg joins host Jason Kanigan on the Cold Star Project. What’s the truth about the American public’s interest in going to Mars? Why should we go there at all? How is private industry likely to get involved? We dig into the political and technological issues necessary to overcome to go to Mars, and what Explore Mars is doing to promote those actions. Artemis also discusses the role of women in the space industry. Explore Mars website: https://www.exploremars.org/

** Episode 22 Space Force and Nuclear Weapons – Michael Listner, Space Law & Policy Solutions. The article discussed is available at Space Force Doctrine Raises Questions About Nuclear Missiles – Air Force Magazine.

** August 18, 2020 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

** August 20, 2020 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

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Activism, Space Policy, SpaceCasts

The Space Show this week – Aug.24.2020

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

1. Monday, Aug. 24, 2020; 7 pm PDT (9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT: No special programming.

2. Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020; 7 pm PDT (9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT): We welcome back Patrick Host with his excellent report on the Small Launch Vehicle market.

3. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020: Hotel Mars TBA pre-recorded. See upcoming show menu on the home page for program details.

4. Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020; 7-8:30 pm PDT (9-10:30 pm CDT, 10-11:30 pm EDT): No special program today.

5. Friday, Aug. 28 2020; 9:30-11 am PDT (11:30 am-1 pm CDT, 12:30-2 pm EDT): We welcome back Mark Whittington for his space and lunar return news updates.

6. Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020; 12-1:30 pm PDT (3-4:30 pm EDT, 2-3:30 pm CDT): We welcome back Dr. George Nield regarding his spaceport work. George is the retired director of the FAA Commercial Space Transportation office.

Some recent shows:

** Sun. Aug.23.2020 – Dr. Jason Reimuller spoke about “his many academic, training and product development programs plus his science work. We talked EVA spacesuit development and testing, space medicine training, astronaut training, science, the upper atmosphere and much more”.

** Fri. Aug.21.2020 – Dr. Louis D. Friedman “talked about his new book [Planetary Adventures: From Moscow to Mars (Amazon commission link)], doing business with the Russians and the Chinese, plus his thoughts on Mars, returning to the Moon, the commercial players today, settlement and more”.

** Wed. Aug. 19, 2020 – Hotel Mars – John Batchelor Show/The Space Show – John Batchelor and David Livingston talked with Dr. Alan Stern about “the dark side of Pluto and what we know from the New Horizons spacecraft flyby of Pluto several years ago”.

** See also:
* The Space Show Archives
* The Space Show Newsletter
* The Space Show Shop

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

The Space Show - David Livingston
The Space Show – Dr. David Livingston

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Systems

Videos: “Space to Ground” ISS report – Aug.22.2020

Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:

** HTV-9 departure – Japanese Cargo Craft Completes Station Mission – Space Station

JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle “KOUNOTORI9” (HTV-9) was unberthed from the International Space Station’s Harmony module and departed on 18 August 2020, at 17:35 UTC. HTV-9 was released using the Canadarm2 robotic arm by NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy. The spacecraft is scheduled to deorbit and burn over the Pacific Ocean on 20 August 2020. Kounotori 9 (こうのとり9), meaning white stork in Japanese, delivered a total of 6.2 metric tons of supplies, including six new lithium-ion batteries, to the ISS. Credit: NASA

** U.S. Navy’s “At The Helm” with ISS Commander Chris Cassidy

In-flight interview between the U.S. Navy’s “At The Helm” and Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy.

** Hurricane Genevieve seen by satellite and space station

NOAA’s GOES-East satellite captured imagery of Hurricane Genevieve from Aug. 18-19, 2020. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy also snapped imagery of the massive storm.

** Views of Planet Earth — As Seen by NASA Astronauts in Space

While in orbit, NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley captured stunning views of our home planet Earth. The duo made history May 30 when they launched from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft to the International Space Station. Their mission and test flight is helping NASA certify SpaceX’s crew transportation system for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the orbiting laboratory. Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/comm…

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