Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Ground weekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:
** ISS National Lab Mission Overview: SpaceX CRS-20
The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory is sponsoring more than 20 payloads slated to launch onboard SpaceX’s 20th commercial resupply services (SpaceX CRS-20) mission. These payloads represent a diverse mix of research and development seeking to leverage the unique space-based environment of the orbiting laboratory to improve life on Earth. The SpaceX CRS-20 mission is slated for launch no earlier than March 6 at 11:50 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This video highlights many of the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations on this mission.
** “What’s on Board” Science Briefing – SpaceX CRS-20 Mission
This is NASA’s “What’s on Board” science briefing at held on Thursday, Feb. 20 at Kennedy Space Center, FL where the science investigations launching on the next SpaceX commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station are presented.]
** Jessica Meir speaks with students in Seattle
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 62 Flight Engineer Jessica Meir discussed life and research on the orbital laboratory during an in-flight education event March 2 with middle school students from the greater Seattle, Washington region preparing for a Microsoft Education-hosted design challenge at Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Meir has been in orbit since September and will return to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in mid-April.
** Expedition 62: Live Interviews Jessica Watkins and Anne Roemer – next astronaut selection.
A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. related to student and amateur CubeSat / SmallSat projects and programs (find previous smallsat roundups here):
Since the project was announced in 2018, the team has worked on the conceptual design and definition of the cubesat’s mission. They moved on to the design and building phases in the fall of 2019.
When the cubesat is completed in 2022, it will be launched from the International Space Station – something the team is very excited about.
“We have our very own slot to go into space,” said Mr. Power. “That is very cool and exciting.”
When the satellite is launched into space, it will orbit 400 kilometres above Earth and use global navigation satellite system reflectometry to collect sea ice, waves and wind data.
This involves receiving direct and reflected signals from GPS satellites to measure geophysical features of the ocean such as temperature, salinity and wave height.
Fryeburg Academy is pleased to announce its proposed CubeSat experiment, chosen by the Maine Space Grant Consortium last fall, will launch on the MESAT1 satellite—the very first satellite from the State of Maine. It’s one of 18 small research satellites selected by NASA to carry auxiliary payloads into space between 2021–23, and is part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative that provides opportunities for nanosatellite science and technology payloads built by universities, schools, and nonprofit organizations to rideshare on space launches.
“We began this venture last year with the formation of our Space Raiders club and working with CubeSat simulators,” says FA’s science teacher Dr. Warren Ziegler. “Since then, we’ve partnered with UMaine Orno and The Wells Estuarine Research Reserve and other partners to leverage their resources and knowledge on our chosen experiment that determines water quality and biological markers through imaging coastal estuaries.”
Ziegler and his club will work with Dr. Ali Abedi from UMaine Orno to assemble the CubeSat satellite experiment— aptly named IMAGER— and Dr. Jason Goldstein who leads the Wells Estuarine Research Reserve in Maine. “Our contributions thus far for the project are the remote sensing and spacecraft attitude control sequences that allow the CubeSat to be controlled inflight,” continues Ziegler. “ The goal is to develop a remote sensing tool by modifying a digital camera to image shallow, coastal waters to distinguish water quality properties such as turbidity and phytoplankton concentration.”
The Aristotle Space & Aeronautics Team (ASAT) is composed of students from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. ASAT is developing a 3U CubeSat to conduct a biological experiment that investigates molecular mechanisms that are affected by the space conditions. In particular, they will probe the dynamic regulation of gene expression of eukaryotic cells in Low Earth Orbit, using advances in Synthetic Biology and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).
In France, the CSUM is the leader in the development of student nanosatellites. We are also a European center of reference devoted to bringing together equipment and skills for the development, production, testing and operation of nanosatellites. These projects involve student interns and encourage regional economic development.
The MTCube underwent vibration and other tests by ExoLaunch before its launch in July 2019. Credtis: CSUM
** Students [sent] homemade satellite into space | Nine News Australia – About the Australis OSCAR 5 amateur satellite built by a group of Melbourne university students and launched into orbit in January 1970.
HOUSTON – Today Axiom Space announced it is planning history’s first fully private human spaceflight mission to the International Space Station.
Axiom has signed a contract with SpaceX for a Crew Dragon flight which will transport a commander professionally trained by Axiom alongside three private astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The mission, set to launch as soon as the second half of 2021, will allow the crew to live aboard the ISS and experience at least eight days of microgravity and views of Earth that can only be fully appreciated in the large, venerable station.
“This history-making flight will represent a watershed moment in the march toward universal and routine access to space,”
Axiom CEO Michael Suffredini said.
“This will be just the first of many missions to ISS to be completely crewed and managed by Axiom Space – a first for a commercial entity. Procuring the transportation marks significant progress toward that goal, and we’re glad to be working with SpaceX in this effort.”
This is the first of Axiom’s proposed “precursor missions” to the ISS envisioned under its Space Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA. Discussions with NASA are underway to establish additional enabling agreements for the private astronaut missions to ISS.
Axiom plans to offer professional and private astronaut flights to ISS at a rate of up to two per year to align with flight opportunities as they are made available by NASA, while simultaneously constructing its own privately funded space station.
“Since 2012, SpaceX has been delivering cargo to the International Space Station in partnership with NASA and later this year, we will fly NASA astronauts for the first time,”
said SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell.
“Now, thanks to Axiom and their support from NASA, privately crewed missions will have unprecedented access to the space station, furthering the commercialization of space and helping usher in a new era of human exploration.”
With its team’s vast experience in human spaceflight, Axiom serves as a one-stop shop overseeing all elements of its missions. In addition to contracting with SpaceX for a Crew Dragon vehicle to transport its crew to the ISS, Axiom’s turnkey service for the mission – two days in transit and at least eight days aboard the ISS – includes training, mission planning, hardware development, life support, medical support, crew provisions, hardware and safety certifications, on-orbit operations and overall mission management.
A phenomenal view – the world as seen by NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg from the Cupola of the International Space Station.
NASA recently selected Axiom’s proposal to attach its space station modules to the ISS beginning in the second half of 2024, ultimately creating a new ‘Axiom Segment’ which will expand the station’s usable and habitable volume. When the ISS reaches its retirement date, the Axiom complex will detach and operate as a free-flying commercial space station.
By serving the market for immediate access to space while building the future platform for a global user base, Axiom is leading the development and settlement of low Earth orbit now and into the future.
About Axiom Space: Axiom Space was founded in 2016 with the aim of creating humanity’s home in space to ensure a prosperous future for everyone, everywhere. While building and launching the Axiom Segment of the International Space Station to one day form the world’s first commercial space station, Axiom provides access to the ISS today by conducting crewed missions for professional and private astronauts. More information about Axiom can be found at www.axiomspace.com.
Begin the countdown to the first-ever fully private human spaceflight mission to the International Space Station.
A sampling of recent articles, videos, and images dealing with space transport (find previous roundups here):
** SpaceX aims to launch Cargo Dragon on CRS-20 mission to the ISS this Friday evening (March 6th) at 11:49 pm EST (0449 GMT Saturday). This will be the final flight with an original Dragon 1 (i.e. Cargo Dragon) design. Subsequent cargo missions will use reconfigured Dragon 2 or Crew Dragon spacecraft. Initially, the Crew Dragon vehicles will fly astronauts only once so they will subsequently become available for uncrewed Cargo missions.
The Falcon 9 booster for SpaceX’s next mission fired up briefly on a Cape Canaveral launch pad Sunday in a routine pre-flight test before a scheduled launch Friday night to kick off the final flight of the first version of the company’s Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station.
Nine Merlin 1D main engines at the base of the Falcon 9 booster fired up at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) Sunday at Cape Canaveral’s Complex 40 launch pad. Hold-down clamps kept the rocket firmly on the ground as the engines throttled up to produce 1.7 million pounds of thrust for several seconds.
There will be a briefing today (March 5th) at 3:00 pm EST on NASA TV about the science and technology payloads on the Dragon.
Here’s an inside look at how a New Glenn 7 meter fairing is designed, and the capabilities it brings to commercial, civil and national security customers. https://www.blueorigin.com/new-glenn/
2020 is shaping up to be a busy year for the Blue team in Florida – starting with the completion of the first full scale New Glenn 7 meter fairing at our rocket factory in Cape Canaveral.
** Blue releases a video about construction of the New Glenn tanks:
The largest structure of our #NewGlenn rocket is the reusable first stage tank. Tank production is well underway in the high bay of our factory in Cape Canaveral, FL. pic.twitter.com/Kl6obuMYVc
Roughly 30 miles of roadways winding through Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station will soon see multimillion-dollar infrastructure changes, making room for the future transport of Blue Origin’s massive New Glenn rocket.
The journey for New Glenn first stages, which measure around 200 feet in length before attachment of the second stage and nose cone, will begin at the company’s factory just east of the KSC main gate. But in order to follow the 20-plus-mile trek to its pad at Launch Complex 36, changes will need to be made to road widths, light posts, fences, signs, and more.
Blue Origin is planning to launch another test flight of its suborbital New Shepard space system as early as this month, with human test flights expected before the end of the year.
The big picture: The Jeff Bezos-backed rocket company pumped the brakes on its test flight program last year but is now gearing up to launch its next round of flights ahead of its first tests with human passengers.
“[We’ll have] about three to four more flights before we go fly people. So we’re still on target for this year for doing that, but there’s a lot of work to be done.” — Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith to Axios
Today, Astra began countdown of the first orbital launch as the final remaining competitor in the DARPA launch challenge. Our team decided to hold the launch at T-53 seconds after a sensor reported unexpected data that could have impacted the success of the flight. Out of our commitment to safety, and to increase the probability of overall success of the three-launch campaign, we have decided to prioritize fully investigating the issue over attempting to win the DARPA challenge today.
We are incredibly grateful to our team who have worked many late nights and weekends for the past few months to prepare our launch system for our first launch. We would also like to thank the team at DARPA, the FAA, and the team at Pacific Spaceport Complex for making an orbital launch attempt possible within a few days.
We remain determined to reach orbit and plan to attempt another launch attempt as soon as possible. Thank you for the continued support as we move forward in our mission to observe, connect and improve life on earth.
Astra rocket “1 of 3” on the pad on Kodiak Island: Credits: Astra
Those projections [of profits] assumed the start of commercial operations in June 2020, but during the call George Whitesides, chief executive of Virgin Galactic, hinted that commercial service, already delayed by years, might slip again.
“We continue to focus on our top priority of the year, which is to fly Richard Branson into space on a commercial flight,” he said. Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, has long said he will be on the company’s first commercial flight.
However, there may be few, if any, additional commercial flights in the year. “While we would like to have some commercial revenue this year, the main focus for this year, from a company and engineering perspective, is working to get the vehicles, and our operations, prepared for long-term, regular commercial service,” Whitesides said. That includes completing the flight test program for SpaceShipTwo, optimizing the “end-to-end customer experience” that includes events before and after each flight, and readying the vehicles for long-term, high-flight-rate operations.
** Masten Space and Univ. of Central Florida study how rocket plumes could produce craters while landing on and launching from the Moon:
Masten Space Systems and University of Central Florida (UCF) collaborated on a NASA program to study the physics of how craters form. This work involved experimental tests to see how gravity, plume type, and air pressure affects crater formation during simulated landings.
… Giger and his company, Relativity Space, seek to create the most futuristic of rockets. To do so, they have come to the [Stennis] NASA center [in Mississippi] where rocket scientists tested the mighty engines that carried humans to the Moon half a century ago. Relativity has, over the last two years, steadily occupied more buildings and test stands here as part of its quest to build a rocket made almost entirely of 3D-printed parts. And if that goal were not fantastical enough, Relativity also seeks to automate as much of the rocket assembly and test process as possible, with the ultimate goal of additively manufacturing a rocket on the surface of Mars.
It is a wild, seemingly impossible dream—and yet it has captured the fancy of aerospace investors. Relativity has raised $185 million in four years and hired industry leaders like Giger. Now the program manager for the company’s Terran 1 rocket, Giger spent more than a decade at SpaceX, where he led development of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Today he superintends Relativity’s plans for launching its first rocket into space, perhaps as early as next year. So as we stood on top of the E-4 test stand in Mississippi last month, I tried to do more than simply admire the view.
I wanted very much to see if Relativity Space could possibly be for real.
Engine test at Stennis. “Our new injectors have to be test fired with a copper development article before they get replaced with our printed nickel chambers.” Credits: Relativity
Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), formerly known as “Reactor on a Rocket (ROAR)” — $21 million, up from an initial $10 million in 2020. DRACO “will develop and demonstrate a High-Assay LowEnriched Uranium (HALEU)uel for commercial light-water reactors when enriched to between 3 and 5 percent; the Navy’s nuclear reac nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system.” NASA is working on similar nuclear thermal propulsion rockets, which use low-enriched — between 5 and 20 percent — uranium-235 (U-235). U-235 is the basic nuclear ftors use U-235 fuel enriched to 90 percent. The new rocket would allow the US military to operate spacecraft in cislunar space, which DARPA’s budget documents call the “new high-ground” that is “in danger of being defined by the adversary.” DARPA budget documents say the Air Force is the targeted customer for DRACO.
NASA has selected SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Psyche mission. The Psyche mission currently is targeted to launch in July 2022 on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The total cost for NASA to launch Psyche and the secondary payloads is approximately $117 million, which includes the launch service and other mission related costs.
The Psyche mission will journey to a unique metal-rich asteroid, also named Psyche, which orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid is considered unique, as it appears to largely be made of the exposed nickel-iron core of an early planet – one of the building blocks of our solar system.
Deep within rocky, terrestrial planets, including Earth, scientists infer the presence of metallic cores, but these lie unreachably far below the planet’s rocky mantles and crusts. Because we cannot see or measure Earth’s core directly, the mission to Psyche offers a unique window into the violent history of collisions and accretion that created terrestrial planets.
**** Next Starlink launch set for March 14th:
Two dates are held on the Eastern Range for the next #Starlink V-1 L-5, #SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. The launch is targetted for March 14th with an approx T-0 of 9:36am EDT with a backup update of March 15th at 9:14am EDT. pic.twitter.com/KBx7IUjVPZ
**** Falcon 9 launches can’t keep up with Starlink satellite production: During an on-stage conversation at the Air Force Association’s 2020 Air Warfare Symposium (AWS2020), Elon commented on Starlink satellite production:
Musk: Starlink satellites are being produced faster than we can launch them. We need Starship for launch costs to come down #AWS2020
Lt. General Thompson conversed about the new branch of the Air Force, the U.S Space Force among other related subjects with Musk. During today’s symposium Musk talked about SpaceX rocket reusability, he said that reusability in space is important. The company’s Falcon 9 rocket is a true innovation in the aerospace industry, the first-stage rocket booster has the capability of carrying payload into space then returning to land on autonomous drone ships at sea; performs a controlled landing powered by its own engines. No other aerospace company has achieved this level of control over their spacecraft. Recovering the Falcon 9’s first-stage rocket booster enables SpaceX to reuse it for up to 10 times, which reduces manufacturing and operational costs.
“When you have assured low cost access to space other technologies will be enabled. Many things are possible once the transport problem is solved . Establishing a self sustaining base on Mars opens opportunities.”
Musk calls reusability the “holy grail” of rocketry. Falcon 9 is partially reusable, today he mentioned that their next-generation rocket, known as Starship, has the potential for full reusability but that creating a reusable system at on a large production scale, “Volume production and volume launch of a reusable system is super super hard. Not reusable like the Space Shuttle. Has to be agile like an aircraft. Shuttle too expensive, Musk said.
“The vehicle we’re working on, Starship is the holy grail of which is full reusability.”
**** A year ago the Crew Dragon vehicle, with no astros aboard, took a test drive to the ISS:
On March 2, 2019, Falcon 9 launched Crew Dragon on its first demonstration mission, and the next day it became the first American spacecraft to autonomously dock with the International Space Station. After its stay at the space station, the spacecraft successfully splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean, completing its mission and demonstrating SpaceX’s capabilities to safely and reliably fly astronauts to and from the space station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
SpaceX has kicked off a series of major upgrades planned for its East Coast fleet of drone ships, centered around Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) and most recently culminating in the apparent fabrication of a second tank-like rocket recovery robot.
**** Starship
****** Eric Berger has posted an extended article about the Starship and the activities underway at Boca Chica Beach, Texas. He interviews Elon Musk who describes the efforts to create a production line that will enable rapid iterative improvements of the Starship design and eventually allow for making the massive number of vehicles he believes are needed to build and support a city on Mars: Inside Elon Musk’s plan to build one Starship a week—and settle Mars – Ars Technica
Yet Musk has not been spending so much of his time in South Texas just to build a Starship. Rather, he’s trying to build a production line for Starships. He wants to build a lot of them. And fast, always fast.
“Production is at least 1,000 percent harder than making one of something,” he said. “At least 1,000 percent harder.”
Musk should know. He lived through “production hell” at Tesla in 2017 and 2018, building up factories, changing processes, spending many sleepless nights and going through all manner of mental agony. Now, Tesla is making as many as 10,000 cars a week.
He wants to implement a similar system in South Texas. Musk, in fact, aims to reach a point where the company builds a Starship a week by the end of this year. And after that? Maybe they’ll go faster. SpaceX is designing its factory here to build a Starship every 72 hours.
Eric is answering questions about the article on Twitter.
I spent last weekend in Boca Chica, Texas, visiting SpaceX’s manufacturing facilities and speaking with Elon Musk. I have visited a lot of rocket factories, but I’ve never seen anything like this. https://t.co/pouIAoAGwg
****** The propellant tank section of the Starship SN1 prototype failed during pressure testing on Friday evening (Feb.28). Elon Musk later indicated that the welding for a plug section called the “puck” at the bottom gave way (see the Ars Technica article mentioned above for details). Earlier remarks (e.g. Elon Musk on Twitter: “Starship SN1 tank preparing for Raptor attachment & static fire”) had indicated that the SN1 was going to be a suborbital flight test vehicle. OTOH, there had also been indications that the welding was not properly done for SN1 and would be improved for SN2, whose construction was already underway last week.
****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Starship SN1 cryo proof test failure – Feb 28, 2020
Starship SN1 was filled with LN2 for a cryo proof test on Friday evening at Boca Chica, before failing. Videos and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Edited by Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer)
***** SpaceX Starship Explosion/Implosion Wide View Time Lapse – Feb.28.2020 – LabPadre – YouTube
02.28.2020 10PM CST Starship suffered massive failure at Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX will build another.
****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Examining the remains of Starship SN1 – Feb.29.2020 – NASASpaceflight – YouTube
Following Starship SN1’s pop during the cryo proofing test on Friday night, Mary took a look at the remains on Saturday morning. Videos and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.
The next Starship – albeit one that will be mostly used for proof testing – is being assembled inside the Boca Chica windbreak. Some hardware – such as the new nosecone – will likely be allocated to SN3. Videos and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Edited by Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer)
****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Constructing Starship SN2 inside a building under construction – Mar.2.2020 – NASASpaceflight – YouTube
SpaceX’s Boca Chica Starship pace becomes obvious when the SN2 continues to be assembled inside a building (VAB/Windbreak) that is still under construction. Videos and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Edited by Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer)
****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Starship Taxi arrives as SN2 and SN3 continue production – Mar.4.2020 – NASASpaceflight – YouTube
The roll-lift that transports Starships to the launch pad has arrived, as SN2 continues to be assembled and sections of SN3 follow closely behind. Videos and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Edited by Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer)
Third Raptor test stand activated at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas. In the past year, the Raptor team has accumulated over 3,200 seconds of testing across 18 engines, including multiple full-power firings pic.twitter.com/YFi9PMLPgv
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):
** Christopher Dreyer – Space Resources Program at the Colorado School of Mines – CSP S02E22
Dr. Christopher Dreyer is the Associate Director of Engineering and co-creator of the Center for Space Resources at Colorado School of Mines. The School offers an exciting Space Resources Program and Dr. Dreyer has played an integral role in developing it. Chris meets with Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan to discuss the Program.
** In Search of 100 Earths – Planetary Society
With your support, we hope to discover enough Earth-like exoplanets to eventually understand whether life is out there. Together, we can change our world by discovering other worlds. Please make your gift today.
Yale astronomer Debra Fischer has spent decades hunting for exoplanets. Now she leads the 100 Earths project that includes the Lowell Observatory and astrophysicist Joe Llama. Debra and Joe join us for a conversation about this search for worlds that could be like our own. There’s big space news in this week’s edition of The Downlink at the top of the show, and Bruce Betts takes us on his weekly tour of the night sky, though it’s the pre-dawn sky that may hold the most wonder. Try your hand at the space trivia contest!
** Weekly Space Hangout: February 19, 2020 – John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic
We record the Weekly Space Hangout every Wednesday at 5:00 pm Pacific / 8:00 pm Eastern. You can watch us live on Universe Today or the Weekly Space Hangout YouTube page.
Tonight we are airing Fraser’s interview with John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic Technology. John earned his Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. While at Carnegie Mellon, John led the build of Scarab, a NASA concept robot for lunar drilling, and the first robot to carry a prototype of NASA’s RESOLVE payload. He also founded Carnegie Mellon’s Advanced Composites Lab, a research, training, design, and manufacturing lab specializing in high performance, lightweight composites for robotics. Astrobotic Technology, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, was spun out of Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute in 2007.
Astrobotics is a lunar logistics company that delivers payloads to the Moon by accommodating multiple customers on a single flight. It is a partner with NASA through a Space Act Agreement under the Lunar CATALYST program, and has 22 prior and ongoing NASA contracts. The company has 10 payload delivery deals in place for its first mission and dozens of customer negotiations for upcoming missions. Additionally, Astrobotic is developing advanced space robotics capabilities such as terrain relative navigation, mobile robotics for lunar surface operations, and reliable computing systems for mission-critical applications.
