Jeff Foust, SpaceNews – The Dark and Quiet Skies Act of 2024 would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create a “center of excellence” devoted to mitigating light and radio-frequency interference by satellites on astronomical observations.
Audrey Decker, Defense One – At the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense conference, Frank Calvelli, Space Force’s chief buyer, said adding autonomy to its satellites could reduce reliance on vulnerable ground-based control stations.
Eric Berger, Ars Technica – SpaceX will fly the first-ever human spaceflight over the Earth’s poles. The “Fram2” mission will launch into a polar corridor from SpaceX’s facilities in Florida and fly directly over the north and south poles.
Jason Rainbow, SpaceNews – Airbus Defense and Space and Astroscale UK announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Aug. 12, to explore developing navigation and docking technologies for satellite servicing and debris removal.
Garrett Reim, Aviation Week – Aerospace’s Jerry Fuller, senior engineer specialist in the Vehicle Design and Innovation Department, said they created the rocket motor to help companies comply with the FCC’s 2022 rule that requires satellites to deorbit within five years of their end of service.
NOAA – The Goddard Magnetometer (GMAG) instrument, launched onboard NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite on June 25, 2024, started transmitting magnetic field measurements back to Earth.
Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews – Booz Allen Hamilton deployed a generative AI large language model on the International Space Station, using a Hewlett Packard Enterprise advanced edge computer designed for in-orbit experiments.
Debra Werner, SpaceNews – At ASCEND 2024, representatives for Japan’s Space Operations Group said they are establishing a unit focused on space domain awareness under the command of a general. And Japan is renaming its Air Self-Defense Force the Air and Space Self-Defense Force.
Sean Devlin, Ragan Communications – Sabrina Steele, executive director of the corporate affairs and communications division at Aerospace, fosters DE&I initiatives through the nonprofit’s Space Workforce 2030 Program.
Debra Werner, SpaceNews – Space organizations are continuing to identify promising applications of artificial intelligence, according to speakers at the AIAA ASCEND conference.
