Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Celebrate Excellence in Space at the 2024 SpaceNews Icon Awards

Join us on December 6th in Washington, D.C., as we honor the best and brightest in the space industry at the 2024 SpaceNews Icon Awards. This year, we proudly recognize Richard DalBello with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating his transformative contributions to the space sector.  


In attendance will be key figures from the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and the Department of State’s Office of Space Affairs, along with global innovators and trailblazers in industry. This is a unique opportunity to network with nominees and winners who are driving innovation and change in the space economy.  


We’ll also welcome veteran journalist and newsroom leader Mike Gruss, back to SpaceNews as Chief Content and Strategy Officer, and offer you the chance to connect with him and the SpaceNews editorial team, who are at the forefront of space journalism.  


By attending—or sponsoring—you’ll align your brand with the leaders shaping the future of space while showing support for independent journalism that informs and inspires.  


Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this incredible event. Together, let’s celebrate the best in the industry.  



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Europe’s IRIS² faces uphill battle against rivals

Plus: Starship aborts booster catch; Space Station dodges debris.
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A SpaceNews daily newsletter

11/20/2024

Top Stories

SpaceX launched its Starship vehicle on its sixth test flight but called off an attempt to "catch" the booster back at the launch site. Starship/Super Heavy lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, at 5 p.m. Eastern, with President-elect Trump among those in attendance. SpaceX planned to have the Super Heavy booster return to the launch site to be caught by the launch tower as on the previous test flight in October, but controllers aborted that attempt and directed the booster to make a landing in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore. SpaceX later said that "automated health checks of critical hardware on the launch and catch tower" triggered the abort. The Starship upper stage flew on a suborbital trajectory, testing the ability relight a Raptor engine in flight, before reentering and making a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. [SpaceNews]


AeroVironment is buying BlueHalo, a defense technology company working on modernization of military satellite communications infrastructure, for $4.1 billion. The companies announced the deal on Tuesday, which is expected to close in the first half of 2025. BlueHalo, currently owned by private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, brings expertise in space-based communications, directed energy, electronic warfare and missile defense technologies. It has a $1.4 billion Space Force contract to modernize satellite communication infrastructure. AeroVironment has small civil space technology portfolio that includes work supporting the development of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter. [SpaceNews]


While Europe is moving ahead with the IRIS² satellite constellation, some believe the program could be too little, too late. A panel at Space Tech Expo Europe reached that conclusion Tuesday, noting the constellation is not scheduled to enter service in 2030, lagging Starlink and other Western and Chinese competitors. While IRIS² will have military and civil government applications for Europe, it is unclear if it can compete on price and scale with commercial alternatives. Europe also faces hurdles in standardizing satellite and ground systems, which can slow down progress.  [SpaceNews]


The Space Development Agency (SDA) is pushing back the first launches of the next phase of its LEO satellite constellation because of supply chain issues. The first launch of Tranche 1 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture was originally scheduled for September 2024, but is now expected in March or April 2025. SDA Director Derek Tournear said Tuesday that his agency has encountered significant hurdles in its supply chain, particularly in optical terminals and specialized encryption devices requiring National Security Agency certification. The deployment of Tranche 1 will require 11 launches, scheduled on a monthly cadence, to deploy 126 communications satellites and 28 missile-tracking sensor satellites. [SpaceNews]


A congressional advisory body is calling for urgent measures to counter China's rapid advancements in space and other advanced technologies. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released its annual report Tuesday, highlighting how China has integrated cutting-edge technologies into its economic and military strategies. It noted the growth of Chinese space-based surveillance capabilities and anti-satellite weapons. Among its 32 recommendations, the commission urges Congress to prioritize space as a vital arena of competition and conduct a comprehensive review of the U.S. commercial space industry. [SpaceNews]


Kepler Communications is seeking permission to operate larger but significantly fewer satellites for a data relay constellation. The Canadian company is asking the FCC to approve a modified constellation of 18 satellites, 10 with optical payloads, slated to launch late next year. Its original license granted in 2018 covering 140 radio frequency spacecraft about 12 kilograms in size. The company is moving to a smaller number of bigger satellites to accommodate optical terminals that Kepler believes are now sufficiently mature to use in their system. The larger satellites will also accommodate propulsion systems to meet FCC rules that require satellites to deorbit within five years of the end of their lives. [SpaceNews]


Other News

The International Space Station had to maneuver Tuesday to avoid a close approach with space debris. A Progress spacecraft docked to the station fired its thrusters for five and a half minutes to raise the station's orbit slightly, giving the station greater clearance with a piece of debris from a U.S. military weather satellite that broke up in 2015. NASA said the maneuver won't affect a planned launch Thursday of a new Progress spacecraft. [NASA]


The maneuver took pace hours after another Progress undocked from the station. The Progress MS-27 undocked from the station at 7:53 a.m. Eastern and reentered hours later over the South Pacific. Its departure freed up a docking port for Thursday's launch of the Progress MS-29 spacecraft. [Tass]


Rideshare company SEOPS has purchased a Falcon 9 for a dedicated mission to geostationary transfer orbit. SEOPS announced Tuesday at Space Tech Expo Europe that it purchased a Falcon 9 for a launch in late 2028 to GTO. SEOPS had not identified specific customers for the mission but says it is seeing strong interest from government and commercial customers looking for options to get spacecraft to geosynchronous or other high orbits. [SpaceNews]


Exotrail will launch an orbital transfer vehicle to GTO on an Ariane 6. Exotrail and Arianespace announced Tuesday that Exotrail's spacevan vehicle will fly as a secondary payload on an Ariane 6 launch in the second half of 2026. That spacevan vehicle is a version of an orbital transfer vehicle Exotrail launched a year ago and deployed a satellite into low Earth orbit in February. [SpaceNews]


Latitude signed a multi-launch deal with Atmos Space Cargo. The contract, announced at Space Tech Expo Europe Tuesday, includes a minimum of five launches of Latitude's Zephyr small launch vehicle annually from 2028 to 2032. Each launch will place a Phoenix spacecraft from Atmos into very low Earth orbit to perform microgravity research before returning to Earth. Latitude says it remains on track to conduct a first launch of Zephyr in late 2025. [SpaceNews]


Times Change


"I'll never forget my first meeting with Elon and he's talking about going to Mars. Gosh, people didn't talk about going to Mars in 2002. Not, like, sane people."


– Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX, speaking Friday at the 31st Annual Baron Investment Conference.

What's New With SpaceNews?

CST: Mike Greenley

Check out the latest episode of Commercial Space Transformersour new video series featuring conversations between SpaceNews Senior Staff Writer Jason Rainbow and the people driving the space industry's commercial transformation. This week, MDA Space CEO Mike Greenley dives into his company's evolution from subcontractor to constellation prime to capitalize on the industry's growing preference for satellite builders with advanced payload expertise.


Watch out for new episodes every Tuesday on SpaceNews.com and on the SpaceNews YouTube channel.


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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Last Chance to Register - Geospatial Intelligence and AI Webinar Tomorrow

With Data Labeling for AI
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Transforming Geospatial Intelligence: Data Labeling for AI


Wednesday, November 20 at 1:00 PM EST

Join us November 20 at 1:00 PM EST for a discussion on a groundbreaking initiative from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) — a $700 million investment in data labeling to empower artificial intelligence in geospatial intelligence.


NGA's data labeling initiative is a pivotal part of its mission to harness the power of AI to enhance U.S. defense and intelligence operations. In this session, our panel will dive into how structured, labeled geospatial datasets—like satellite images, maps, and sensor data—are transforming intelligence and operational support.


Moderated by:

  • David Ariosto, SpaceNews host,  journalist, and author of the upcoming book "Open Space"

This labeling process provides "ground truth" data that is essential to high-performing AI models, with human annotators ensuring these datasets capture real-world complexities that AI alone might overlook.



Key topics panelists will discuss:

  • Data Labeling for Machine Learning: How annotated geospatial data drives AI accuracy
  • Impactful Applications: NGA's initiative to improve object detection, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure classification
  • The Future of Geospatial

The panelists include:

  • David Gauthier, Chief Strategy Officer, GXO, Inc.
  • Gary Dunow, Vice President, USGIF
  • John-Isaac "JC" Clark, Vice President, Head of Insights & Analytics, Maxar
Register Now

Trump’s government-slashing ‘DOGE’ initiative rattles Washington

Plus, could the Space Force get its own department?
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11/19/2024

National security insights for space professionals. Delivered Tuesdays.

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Welcome to this week's edition of SpaceNews Military, your concise source for the latest developments at the intersection of space and national security. In this issue, we cover:


- What to expect from the Musk-Ramaswamy government efficiency push

- Will Trump push for a Department of the Space Force?

- Comments deadline extended for export control reforms





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Space & defense brief 🛰️

Elon Musk/ Photo by Trevor Cokley U.S. Air Force Academy


Trump's 'DOGE' initiative sparks uncertainty in government contracting sectors


President-elect Donald Trump's proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — with tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy at its helm — is raising eyebrows and market concerns.


The nascent initiative, positioned as an advisory commission working alongside the White House Office of Management and Budget, promises radical restructuring of federal agencies. Its name — a playful nod to Musk's cryptocurrency connections — signals a distinctly unconventional approach to government streamlining.


Market jitters and potential impact

  • Financial markets have already registered their unease. Defense and federal services stocks underperformed the S&P 500 last week, reflecting investor anxiety about potential sweeping changes.

  • However, "DOGE's bark is far louder than its likely bite," noted Byron Callan, defense industry analyst at Capital Alpha Partners. His assessment suggests that while the initiative has generated significant buzz, its actual implementation may prove more moderate than its rhetoric suggests, and its success will depend on navigating complex governmental landscapes and securing broader political support.

Ramaswamy has hinted at aggressive cost-cutting strategies, including:

  • Rescinding regulations

  • Streamlining federal agency processes

  • Potentially reducing the federal civilian workforce by up to 75%

Such dramatic reductions face significant practical hurdles. The largest civilian employers — the Department of Defense (34%), Department of Veterans Affairs (21%), and Department of Homeland Security (9%) — would be particularly challenging to downsize at such scale.


Political and practical constraints

  • Crucially, DOGE's recommendations would require congressional approval for any major budget modifications. While executive actions can initiate certain changes, comprehensive federal spending alterations necessitate legislative support.

  • Lawmakers from both parties are likely to mount robust resistance to any DOGE-recommended cuts that could disproportionately impact jobs, federal facilities or economic infrastructure in their home states and districts.

Transparency and conflict of interest concerns

  • The involvement of Musk — whose SpaceX conducts billions of dollars in government contracts — has raised conflict of interest questions. Musk, meanwhile, has promised full transparency, pledging to publish all DOGE actions online.

  • A Trump transition spokesperson told ABC News that the team will "ensure the Department of Government Efficiency and those involved with it are compliant with all legal guidelines related to conflicts of interest."




'Department of the Space Force' debate poised for revival


The future of the U.S. Space Force is poised to reemerge as a policy debate under the incoming administration. One potential point of discussion is whether the Space Force should continue as part of the Department of the Air Force or evolve into its own department with a dedicated civilian leadership structure akin to the Army, Navy, and Air Force.


Defense insiders suggest the idea of a Department of the Space Force could gain traction, although institutional and budgetary hurdles remain.  


"Eventually, the Space Force has to have its own department," Douglas Loverro, a former Defense Department and National Reconnaissance Office official, said during a recent episode of The Downlink Podcast.

  • Loverro played a central role in shaping the legislation that created the Space Force in 2019 and was involved in negotiating with lawmakers and the Trump administration.  

  • Although initially envisioned as a standalone department, the Space Force was instead placed under the Air Force to minimize bureaucratic expansion and ensure congressional approval. 

  • Loverro explained that this compromise was crucial at the time, as lawmakers were wary of adding significant overhead to the Pentagon's budget.  

  • "You can't always get what you want within politics. It's got to be a compromise," said Loverro. 

Dependence on the Air Force  


The Space Force is heavily reliant on the Air Force for operational support, infrastructure, and personnel management. While this arrangement has streamlined its integration into the military, it has also raised concerns about the Space Force's ability to develop a distinct identity and doctrine.  

  • "Maybe that's the best solution for right now," Loverro noted. "However, the Space Force needs to have a doctrine and a character and a culture that is not Air Force in nature."  

  • Given Trump's focus on curbing government's administrative sprawl, any push to create a separate Department of the Space Force would likely require cuts elsewhere in DoD.  







Space tech export controls get extra review time


The Commerce Department is giving stakeholders more time to weigh in on proposed space technology export reforms, extending the public comment period an additional 30 days until Dec. 23.


The proposed reforms change how the U.S. manages sensitive space-related technologies, potentially reducing bureaucratic barriers for allied nations while maintaining national security safeguards.


Reforms in brief:

  • Removal of licensing requirements for remote sensing satellites and spacecraft servicing technologies to Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom

  • Potential reclassification of space technologies from the stringent U.S. Munitions List to the more flexible Commerce Control List

  • Expanded license exceptions for spacecraft components to over 40 allied countries, including NATO members

The Commerce and State Departments are threading a delicate needle, facilitating innovation and international cooperation while protecting U.S. technological advantages.






In other news 🚀


Northrop Grumman's SpaceLogistics subsidiary is eyeing a 2026 launch for its next-generation satellite servicing vehicle, the Mission Robotic Vehicle, equipped with robotic arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.


NRL announced last week that the pair of robotic arms completed crucial thermal vacuum testing and are now at Northrop's satellite integration facility in Dulles, Virginia. The arms were developed under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract.


"This robotic payload promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reduce costs for satellite operators, and enable capabilities well beyond what we have today," said NRL's director of research Bruce Danly.








Credit: NRL

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions secured a $116.7 million contract from the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) to develop a ground system that supports missile-defense operations with data from low Earth orbit satellites. 


The five-year contract is part of the Advanced Fire Control Ground Infrastructure (AFCGI) program, intended to establish a central, cloud-based command hub for missile-tracking satellite systems.


Kratos will build the ground infrastructure to facilitate the coordination of real-time data across a constellation of missile-tracking satellites.




ABL Space Systems, a six-year-old launch startup, announced it is exiting the commercial launch market to focus on missile defense programs for the Pentagon. The move comes after a string of setbacks and mounting challenges in gaining traction against dominant players like SpaceX and Rocket Lab.  


The company cited diminishing opportunities in the launch industry and geopolitical tensions as key factors driving the decision. ABL plans to repurpose its RS1 rocket, originally designed to carry small satellites into orbit, for military applications.



What's New With SpaceNews?

Don't forget to sign up for our next webinar!


Join us November 20 at 1:00 PM EST for a discussion on a groundbreaking initiative from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) — a $700 million investment in data labeling to empower artificial intelligence in geospatial intelligence.

Thanks for reading!

Please send comments, suggestions and tips to serwin@spacenews.com


Celebrate Excellence in Space at the 2024 SpaceNews Icon Awards

Join us on December 6th in Washington, D.C. , as we honor the best and brightest in the space industry at the 2024 Spac...