Jeff Foust, SpaceNews – At IAC 2024, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy mentioned what she called the “elephant in the room”: a desire to have continuous human presence in low earth orbit (LEO). An alternative approach, “continuous capability,” would mean retaining the ability to have humans in orbit without maintaining a continuous presence.
Debra Werner, SpaceNews – Marlon Sorge and Greg Henning, executive director and engineering manager, respectively, at Aerospace’s Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies: “One of the things we try to focus on is getting folks on the technical level to talk to each other.”
Eric Berger, Ars Technica – Large solar arrays in geostationary orbit could collect solar energy and beam it back to Earth via microwaves as a continuous source of clean energy. It should work — in theory. Aetherflux, a small space solar startup, is putting this concept to the test.
Charles Beames, SmallSat Alliance Chairman, in an op-ed for SpaceNews – Traditional defense prime contractors are having a tough time working within budget limitations. Commercial companies live by fixed price contracts and are only paid on delivery.
Dean Bellamy, executive VP at Redwire, in an op-ed for SpaceNews – Space Development Agency, Space System Command, and commercial operators exemplify a fast and iterative approach, which will be key to outpacing adversaries.
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense – One of the JCO’s new missions will be gathering what the Space Force calls tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking data from commercial remote sensing satellite operators, said JCO head Barbara Golf.
Robert Wall, Aviation Week – Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, head of the UK Space Command, says the armed forces are raising the bar, with the ambition “to become a competitive space power.” The UK will likely include commercial services in its architecture.
Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews – A new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Taylor Geospatial Institute, Taylor Geospatial Engine, and the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation sheds light on the rapidly evolving global commercial remote sensing industry.
Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews – The DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) issued a solicitation for proposals on advanced spacecraft propulsion technology — particularly electrospray thrusters. The deadline is October 11 at midnight ET.
Adithi Ramakrishnan, AP – Scientists think carbon dioxide may have sprung from radiation pinging off water molecules on Charon’s surface.
