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):

• Schedule:
  • What’s Happening in Space Policy March 1-7, 2020 – SpacePolicyOnline.com
• Lunar programs:
  • Jurczyk: Artemis I to Launch in Mid-Late 2021, HLS Contracts Within Weeks – SpacePolicyOnline.com
  • First SLS launch now expected in second half of 2021 – SpaceNews.com
• Legislation:
  • House Science Committee prepares to take up NASA authorization bill – SpaceNews.com
• Commercial space:
  • Space is our new economic frontier. The US can’t afford to lose out (opinion) – CNN
• Spectrum:
  • SES and Telesat Respond to FCC Adoption of C-band Report and Order | SES
• Space law:
  • European Rounds Of The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court – SpaceWatch.Global
• Regulation:
  • Op-ed | Streamlined FCC licensing a big deal for smallsats – SpaceNews.com
• American states space:
  • Camden County administrator challenged to defend project – The Brunswick News
• Space traffic:
  • L3Harris wins $1.2 billion contract to maintain, upgrade space surveillance systems – SpaceNews.com
• Planetary defense:
  • Asteroid Detection: New Partnership – LeonardDavid.com
  • Chinese astronomers discover new asteroid to fly by Earth – ecns.cn
• US military:
  • No Winner in DARPA Launch Challenge – SpacePolicyOnline.com
  • Elon Musk approves of the US Space Force, eyes ‘Star Trek’ potential | Space.com
• International space
  • Canada:
    • CSA contract giant leap towards launching Western into space – Western University
    • Canadian Space Agency Releases Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program Opportunity – SpaceWatch.Global
  • China:
    • Racing to where/what/when/why? – The Space Review
  • Europe:
    • ESA head Woerner confirms plans not to seek another term – SpaceNews.com
    • ExoMars parachute tests delayed, mission faces review – SpaceNews.com
    • Europlanet launches 10M Euro research infrastructure to support planetary science – Europlanet Society
    • EnVision and the Cosmic Vision decision – The Space Review
  • Japan:
    • Space: New Japanese Spy Satellites – SatNews
  • New Zealand:
    • PGF funding to help Rocket Lab up the ante on launches | RNZ News
  •  Russia:
    • Russian medium and heavy rockets to be used to deliver cargo to the Moon – TASS
    • Lunar orbital station to allow spacemen stay on the Moon for 30 days – TASS
    • First launch from Russia’s Vostochny spaceport in 2020 scheduled for late April – TASS
  •  UAE:
    • UAE’s MBRSC To Host Fifth Annual Emirates Mars Mission Science Workshop – SpaceWatch.Global
  •  UK:
    • Aerospace giant likely to shift support from Sutherland to Shetland | Shetland News
    • Space race blasts off as Sutherland backer switches support to Shetland | Press and Journal

Webcasts:

** The Space Show – Fri, 02/28/2020 – David Rich, of The Space Resource Report, “spoke about commercial space, mining, resource usage and more”.

** 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.

See also this recent Planetary Radio program:

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.

To learn more about Astrobotics and their projects, visit their website at https://www.astrobotic.com/.

The interview starts at around 40:20 into the video:

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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):

• NASA lunar programs:
  • NASA Asks Commercial Moon Delivery Partners to Fly Rover to Moon | NASA
  • NASA seeks bids to deliver VIPER lunar lander – SpaceNews.com
• Legislation/budgets:
  • Cruz skeptical about prospects for NASA appropriations or other legislation – SpaceNews.com
  • The Stakes for Space Exploration – NASA Authorization Bill – The Coalition to Save Manned Space Exploration
  • ‘We should not establish some kind of quota’ – POLITICO (Interview with Frederick Gregory)
• Commercial crew:
  • Boeing Starliner Program Update Today – Boeing (Includes audio)
  • Boeing acknowledges “gaps” in its Starliner software testing | Ars Technica
  • Boeing provides update, path forward for Starliner – NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Boeing Working Through Starliner Fixes, Not Ready to Set Next Launch Date – SpacePolicyOnline.com
  • Boeing didn’t perform full end-to-end test of Starliner – Orlando Sentinel
  • Boeing Starliner testing was flawed, company admits – The Washington Post
• NASA commercial programs
  • Making the funding case for commercial space stations – The Space Review
• Deep space missions:
  • Two Mars Missions Are Gutted Despite Near-Record Funding for Planetary Science | The Planetary Society
  • NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for the Psyche Mission | NASA
• Orbital traffic:
  • The United States is losing its leadership role in the fight against orbital debris – The Space Review
• Spectrum:
  • FCC approves $9.7 billion package to speed C-band clearing – SpaceNews.com
  • Telesat sides with SES against Intelsat’s request for more C-band money – SpaceNews.com
• Space law:
  • Starlink and Mega Constellations: Finding a Viable Legal Solution – Intellectual Property Newsletter/Illinois State Bar Association – Feb. 2020 (pdf)
• Space advocacy:
  • March Storm 2019 | Alliance for Space Development
    • March Storm 2020 Tickets, Sun, Mar 15, 2020 at 8:00 AM | Eventbrite
• American states space:
  • Spaceport Camden Advocates Hope For FAA Approval As Opponents Plan Debate | WJCT NEWS
  • Midland City Council approves Kelper Aerospace to sublease at Spaceport – Yourbasin (See also Kepler Aerospace)
  • Musk’s SpaceX rocket production facility approved by Port of Los Angeles – Reuters
  • SpaceX’s Los Angeles Mars rocket factory go for launch after cresting last big hurdle – Teslarati
  • Washington’s future in “final frontier” economy – Lens
  • Brownsville aiming to become “Space City” by 2030 | KVEO-TV
  • Oscoda makes first cut, advancing to next phase of spaceport ambitions – iosconews.com
• US military:
  • Elon Musk: ‘Radical Innovation’ Needed To Beat China Militarily – Breaking Defense
  • Elon Musk calls on U.S. Space Force to embrace fully reusable rockets: ‘Make Starfleet happen’ – SpaceNews.com
  • Pentagon Vows Not To Let Russia, China Deny West’s Space Superiority – RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
  • Air Force Academy 2020 graduates will join U.S. Space Force – SpaceNews.com
  • Space Force official: Transfers of military personnel to Space Force are strictly voluntary – SpaceNews.com
• International space
  • Australia:
    • Australian launch industry looks to government for regulatory and financial support – SpaceNews.com
    • Perth Joins Forces With NASA To Launch World-Class Robotics Space Centre – SpaceWatch.Global
  • Belgium:
    • Belgian Development Agency Partners With SES To Connect Foreign Aid Projects In Africa Via Satellite – SpaceWatch.Global
  • Canada:
    • NASA-Funded Landers Could Bring Canadian Tech To The Moon – Forbes
    • CSA announces new contracts related to the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program – SpaceQ
  • China:
    • China to complete its answer to GPS with Beidou navigation satellite launches in March, May – SpaceNews.com
    • Hainan resumes construction of aerospace town as coronavirus fears recede – TASS
  • Egypt:
    • Egypt To Open Satellite City In 2020 – SpaceWatch.Global
  • Hungary:
    • Hungary’s Space Activities (Part 1): History, the Rosetta Mission & international partnerships | SpaceTech Asia
  • India:
    • Trump’s India Visit Should Enhance US-India Space Cooperation – The Diplomat
    • ISRO to begin testing for first human Gaganyaan mission as rocket design sees completion – Republic World
    • #SpaceWatchGL Op-Ed: ISRO And Satellites Launches – Why The Economic Survey Is Misleading – SpaceWatch.Global
    • India outlines launch plans, progress in human spaceflight and space transportation – SpaceNews.com
    • Trump, praising India’s ‘impressive strides’ on moon exploration, pledges greater cooperation on space – Space.com
  • Russia:
    • First launch of Russia’s Proton carrier rocket scheduled for March 31 – TASS
  • Saudi Arabia:
    • Saudi Space Authority Blasts Off As Prince Sultan Chairs First meeting – SpaceWatch.Global
  • UAE:
    • UAE Space Law Details Announced To Facilitate Space Sector Development – SpaceWatch.Global
  • UK:
    • Scottish Spaceport Set For Blast-Off After £2 Million Boost – SpaceWatch.Global
    • Sutherland spaceport wins support from business body – but not billionaire landowner | Press and Journal

Webcasts:

** The Space Show – Tue, 02/25/2020 – Dr. Namrata Goswami talked “about the new US Space Force, china, the Corona Virus and the Chinese space program, China space, India, Russia, US space visionary leadership, ESA, UAE, Luxembourg and more”.

** Clinton Clark – Space Situational Awareness with ExoAnalytic – Cold Star Project S02E21

Clinton Clark is the Vice President of First Impressions at ExoAnalytic Solutions, and our topic is space situational awareness.
– Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST)
– Space Domain Awareness (SDA)
– Space Traffic Management (STM)
– Space Situational Awareness (SSA)
are all terms–some newer than others–applicable to what ExoAnalytic does. Clint Clark and Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan dig into what these terms mean, how the company goes about providing such services, and their impact on space. ExoAnalytic Solutions website: https://exoanalytic.com/

** February 25, 2020 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

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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):

• Schedule:
  • What’s Happening in Space Policy February 23-29, 2020 – SpacePolicyOnline.com
• Lunar programs:
  • The economic argument for sending blue-collar workers and others to the moon – Homer Hickam/The Washington Post
• Commercial space:
  • Mars: Elon Musk’s Plan to Settle the Red Planet – Robert Zubrin/National Review
•  SLS/Orion
  • SLS debut slips to April 2021, KSC teams working through launch sims – NASASpaceFlight.com
• NASA commercial programs
  • Op-ed | NASA: Need Another Space Assignment? – SpaceNews.com
  • How Elon Musk went from sleeping in the factory to being on the cusp of launching a crew into space – The Washington Post
• Orbital traffic:
  • Howard: “Urgent Need” for SSA Funding at Department of Commerce – SpacePolicyOnline.com
•  Planetary defense:
  • What should we do if a ‘planet-killer’ asteroid takes aim at Earth? | Space.com
• Space law:
  • IISL-ECSL Symposia – ESA
  • 2020 Symposium, “Space Law for the Global Space Economy” – Spacewatch.global
• American states space:
  • New Mexico Lt. Gov. predicts Virgin Galactic’s space tourism launch is close – KRQE News 13
  • ‘An amazing facility’: Spaceport hosts racing enthusiasts at land speed racing event – KVIA
  • Long Beach pushes to become hub for booming space industry – Long Beach Post News
• US military:
  • US Air Force’s top officer talks about the budget and why he won’t drop the 386 squadron goal – Defense News
  • SpaceX Starlink Satellites Have Bigger Role In ‘Massive’ Live Fire Air Force Test | Investor’s Business Daily
  • U.S. military’s annual list of ‘unfunded priorities’ includes $1 billion for Space Force – SpaceNews.com
  • Barrett outlines Air Force budget priorities, strategies for working with other services – U.S. Air Force
• International space
  • Australia:
    • Australian Space Agency Opens In Adelaide – SpaceWatch.Global
  •  China:
    • China wants to build a new space station. A launch planned for April will help prepare. | Space.com
    • China’s BeiDou satellites help navigate fight against epidemic – Xinhua
    • China’s First Rival to SpaceX Starlink Satellites Completes Key Test – Satnews
  • India:
    • Donald Trump’s India Visit: India, US Eyeing To Ink Five Pacts During Donald Trump’s Visit – NDTV.com
    • ISRO to Launch an Unprecedented 10 Earth Imaging Satellites – Satnews
  • Kenya:
    • Starry-eyed Kenya ready for race to space – The Standard
  • Saudi Arabia:
    • Saudi Space Programme To Establish National Training Base – SpaceWatch.Global

Webcasts:

** Hotel Mars/The Space Show – Thu, 02/20/2020 – John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston spoke with Rand Simberg about “space property rights, the Moon treaty, owning a marketable title for space property and more”.

** February 21, 2020 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

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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):

• Lunar programs:
  • White House, NASA emphasize bipartisan support for lunar plans – SpaceNews.com
  • ‘By any means necessary’: Vice President Pence urges NASA on moon-Mars goal | Space.com
  • NASA needs to put a price on its moon landing missions to gain support from Congress | Space.com
  • Does NASA Need the Moon to Go to Mars? – The Atlantic
  • Jim Bridenstine on Twitter: “Thanks @blueorigin for responding to the @washingtonpost Editorial Board’s ill-informed criticism of NASA’s Moon to Mars efforts….. https://t.co/1PGXF6Gay7” / Twitter – Includes a copy of Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith’s commentary.
  • Op-Ed | [If] The United States won’t go back to the moon, I’ll follow China there instead – SpaceNews.com
• Space budgets:
  • What’s in the New Proposed NASA Budget – Sky & Telescope
• Space weather:
  • NOAA warns of risks from relying on aging space weather missions – SpaceNews.com
• Commercial space:
  • The real reason SpaceX hired former top NASA official | TheHill
  • America’s modern rocket industry illustrates the power of freedom | Behind The Black
•  Spectrum:
  • Intelsat to FCC: C-Band Alliance is dead, we deserve more money – SpaceNews.com
  • SES Responds to Intelsat’s Ex-parte Submission to the FCC Regarding the C-Band Spectrum Clearing Process | SES
• American states space:
  • Lawmakers, aerospace industry push Michigan for space launch facility – Freep.com
  • Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport named top spot for spaceport in Michigan – ABC12.com
  • LISTEN: From rocket launches to climate monitoring, NASA has big plans for Alaska – Alaska Public Media
• US military:
  • USSF signs vision for single, integrated Satellite Communications enterprise – United States Space Force
  • U.S. Space Force rolls out plan to change how it buys satcom services – SpaceNews.com
  • Op-Ed | Who should join the U.S. Space Force? – SpaceNews.com
  • Astra Ready for DARPA Launch Challenge – SpacePolicyOnline.com
  • Astra starts its race to win $10M DARPA Launch Challenge – GeekWire
  • DARPA makes last-minute change to launch competition rules – SpaceNews.com
  • Blackjack Gets 2021 Budget Boost For Two Sats – Breaking Defense
  • DARPA Doubles Dough For Nuclear-Powered Cislunar Rocket – Breaking Defense
• International space
  • Australia:
    • Perth makes bid for slice of new generation space race pie – ManMonthly.com.au
    • Prime Minister spruiks Australian role in NASA’s Mars plan at launch of space agency base – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  • Bhutan:
    • Bhutan’s space and satellite journey – KuenselOnline
  • Canada:
    • National Research Council and the Canadian Space Agency Sign New Collaboration Agreement – SpaceQ
  • China:
    • China launches four ‘technology experiment satellites’ – Spaceflight Now
    • Construction of China’s space station about to start – Xinhua
    • Maiden flight of Long March 5B targeted for April | Behind The Black
    • China’s Chang’e-4 probe resumes work for 15th lunar day – Xinhua
    • China resumes space launch activity amid coronavirus outbreak – SpaceNews.com
  • France:
    • France And Russia Hold Space Cooperation Talks In Moscow – SpaceWatch.Global
    • China-France oceanography satellite put into service – Xinhua
  • India:
    • ISRO satellite to guard India’s borders soon; Satellite launch in March this year – The Financial Express
    • ISRO to validate design, engineering of rocket carrying India’s first manned mission ‘Gaganyaan’: K Sivan
  • Japan:
    • Japan space agency to send next probe to Phobos, aims to deepen understanding of Mars – The Mainichi
    • Air Force Funds Hosted Payloads On Japan Sats – Breaking Defense
  • Kazakhstan:
    • Kazakhstan to sign deal on upgrading ‘Gagarin Start’ launch pad at Baikonur spaceport – TASS
  •  Russia:
    • Roscosmos Replaces Russian Crew of Next Soyuz Mission – SpacePolicyOnline.com
    • #SpaceWatchGL Perspectives: Malcolm Davis On Russia’s Orbital Rendezvous With The United States – SpaceWatch.Global
    • Russia’s Soyuz-5 carrier rocket to use booster developed for Angara-A5 launch vehicle – TASS
  •   UAE:
    • UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Attends Installation Of Final Component Of Hope Probe For Emirates Mars Mission – SpaceWatch.Global
  •  UK:
    • Shetland Space Centre gets £2m boost to make UK satellite launches a reality – Verdict.co.uk
    • Scotland at centre of new ‘space race’ for UK’s first launch site | HeraldScotland

Webcasts:

** Episode T+148: Gerst to SpaceX, and Why Landing is Part of Mission Success – Main Engine Cut Off

Long-time head of human spaceflight at NASA, Bill Gerstenmaier, has joined SpaceX as a consultant, but everyone is excited for the wrong reasons. And SpaceX missed a booster landing on their most recent Starlink launch, which prompted a new round of debates over whether booster recovery is part of mission success or not.

** The Space Show – Tue, 02/18/2020 – Nick Nielsen talked about his Bound in Shallows (pdf) essay including “a discussion of the major points offered up by Nick in this important essay impacting space going forward”.

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

** Life=Matter+Information: Paul Davies and the Demon in the Machine | The Planetary Society

Physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist and author Paul Davies’ new book explores what he believes to be the defining quality of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere. He talks about this and much more in a special, extended conversation. Paul’s book is one of the prizes in the new What’s Up space trivia contest.

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