11/22/2024 | View in Browser | Welcome to our roundup of top SpaceNews stories, delivered every Friday! This week, Starship flew for the sixth time and SpaceX secured a contract to use it to send Lunar Outpost's rover to the moon. Meanwhile, a congressional advisory body calls for urgent measures to counter China's AI and space technology development, Aerovironment agreed to acquire BlueHalo, and more. | | |
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By Jeff Foust, Nov. 19, 2024 |
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SpaceX launched its Starship vehicle on its sixth test flight Nov. 19 but called off a planned landing of the Super Heavy booster back at the launch site.
The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off at 5 p.m. Eastern from SpaceX's Starbase test site at Boca Chica, Texas. Liftoff took place at the opening of a 30-minute launch window with no problems reported during the countdown. Among the guests at the launch was President-elect Donald Trump, who has maintained close ties with SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk since the election two weeks ago.
The Super Heavy booster, known as Booster 13, separated from the Starship upper stage about two minutes and 45 seconds after liftoff. The booster started its return to the launch site but, a little more than a minute later, controllers announced "booster offshore divert," meaning that the booster would not return to the launch pad. Read More |
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Lunar Outpost selects Starship to deliver rover to the moon The Colorado company, one of three companies that won NASA contracts in April for the first phase of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) program to support the development of a rover for future Artemis missions, announced Nov. 21 that it signed an agreement for SpaceX to use Starship to transport the company's Lunar Outpost Eagle rover to the moon. The companies did not disclose a schedule for the launch or other terms of the deal. Read More
AeroVironment to acquire BlueHalo in $4.1 billion deal
AeroVironment, a defense contractor focused on unmanned aerial vehicles, announced Nov. 19 it plans to acquire BlueHalo, also a defense tech company, in a deal valued at approximately $4.1 billion. AeroVironment has small civil space technology portfolio, making the BlueHalo deal a transformative entry into satellite communications and space-based defense technologies. Read More
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| | Space Force adjusts timeline as Vulcan's national security launches slip to 2025 Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of the Space Force's Space Systems Command, said Nov. 21 that ULA's Vulcan remains on track for certification. The rocket's second certification launch in October was technically successful, with the payload reaching its intended orbit. However, an anomaly with one of the solid rocket boosters continues to be reviewed. Read More
ESA awards funding to four European launch startups ESA announced Nov. 19 that it is extending contracts with HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, Orbex and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) worth a combined 44.22 million euros ($46.7 million) through its "Boost!" program to assist in integrated testing of the launch vehicles they are building. Read More
Maxar prepares for final WorldView Legion launch to complete advanced imaging constellation The deployment of WorldView Legion 5 and 6 represents the culmination of Maxar's strategic expansion of its ambitious six-spacecraft Earth observation constellation, which has faced several delays during development and production. The company has already successfully launched four WorldView Legion satellites this year – two in May and another pair in August. Read More | | |
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 | POLICY & POLITICS |
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| | Lockheed Martin teams with Iceye to advance AI-enabled targeting The initiative to develop AI-powered target recognition technologies for Finland's military leverages Lockheed Martin's automated target recognition (ATR) algorithms, which use artificial intelligence to analyze satellite imagery and identify objects or targets. The company will develop AI algorithms using Iceye's synthetic aperture radar imagery. Read More
Panel report on China's tech developments calls for U.S. action on space and AI A congressional advisory body is calling for urgent measures to counter China's rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and space technologies. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in its annual report released Nov. 19 highlights the Chinese government's state-led investments and "techno-nationalist" strategies as key drivers behind its progress in these critical sectors. Read More | | |
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| | OPINION |
|  | By Manwei Chan, Nov. 20, 2024
| NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy recently revealed that NASA is reconsidering its commitment to continuous human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO) after the International Space Station (ISS), potentially opting for intermittently crew-tended missions. This marks a significant departure from the 2020 National Space Policy, which emphasized maintaining an uninterrupted human presence in orbit.
Having spent a year at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and time aboard the Nathaniel B Palmer Antarctic Research Vessel, I can attest to how extreme environments shape our understanding of what it means to survive, work and thrive where humans are not naturally equipped to exist. These experiences have shown me the true value of continuous human presence for achieving meaningful advances in science, research and exploration. As we weigh the future of low Earth orbit (LEO) post-ISS, we must recognize the profound difference between intermittent presence and the continuous human heartbeat that keeps these missions alive and drives societal advancement. Read More
Don't let Trump and Musk gut NASA By Peter Juul
The California Coastal Commission's ruling to limit SpaceX launches threatens national defense By Thomas "Tav" Taverney
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| Sponsored Post |  | By Farnborough Space Show
As space exploration and commercial space initiatives accelerate worldwide, the inaugural Farnborough International Space Show (FISS) is set to become a focal point for global industry. Endorsed by the UK Government and set for 19-20 March 2025, at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre in the UK, FISS will be a cornerstone event for space professionals across industry, defence, government, and academia. Read More
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| | | | | What's New With SpaceNews? |  | Check out the replay of our latest webinar, where SpaceNews Host David Ariosto chats with leaders from across the space industry about a groundbreaking initiative from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) — a $700 million investment in data labeling to empower artificial intelligence in geospatial intelligence. |
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