In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The White House is moving quickly to upgrade strategies to protect the planet from impacts with near Earth objects and to prevent collisions between satellites orbiting the Earth and mounting levels of manmade orbital debris. Discussion over the creation of a U.S. space force revs up as well.
Space Science
U.S. calls for asteroid-impact plan
Physics World (6/22): A report from the White Office of Science and Technology, issued last week, calls for a multi-agency U.S. strategy to detect and track Near Earth Objects — asteroids and comets — that could pass close enough to the Earth to pose an impact threat as well as strategies to respond in a crisis. NASA, NOAA and the Department of Home Land Security will be among those engaged.
1st satellite built to harpoon space junk for disposal begins test flight
Space.com (6/22): Last week, a European experimental satellite was deployed from the International Space Station. Over several months the Remove Debris demonstration spacecraft will deploy a net, harpoon and drag sail, all possible technologies for diminishing the growing level of manmade debris orbiting the Earth and posing a potential impact threat to functional spacecraft, including the six person International Space Station.
The Chang’e-3 lunar lander is still waking up after nearly five years on the Moon
GB Times of Finland (6/25): China’s robotic Chang’e-3 lunar lander, which touched down on the Moon’s Mare Imbrium in late 2013 continues to communicate with Earth, though its Yutu rover is now silent. Follow on missions, the Chang’e-4 far side lander and rover and the Chang’e-5 robotic lunar sample return mission, are to launch late this year and in 2019 respectively.
Other News
Hyten, Bridenstine: No time to waste getting civil SSA agency
Spacepolicyonline.com (6/22): In a joint Hearing Friday before the subcommittees of the House Science and Armed Services Committees, the heads of the U.S. Strategic Command and NASA urged lawmakers to move quickly with a transition from the military to the U.S. Commerce Department of responsibilities for the space situational awareness and space traffic management of nonmilitary and national security assets in low Earth orbit.
A Space Force? The idea may have merit, some say
New York Times (6/23): Early last week President Trump called for the creation of a sixth branch of the U.S. military, a Space Force. The Pentagon, in a response to news media queries, said the Joint Chiefs is working with Congress and other lawmakers to follow the directive. Long pondered by policy makers, the idea remains a topic of discussion.
Huntsville home for space port?
WZDX-TV of Huntsville, Alabama (6/22) Alabama may be close to securing a space port. An announcement is anticipated this week.
Commercial spaceflight company to try to launch from Alaska
Associated Press (6/24): The state-owned Alaska Aerospace Corp., is working to facilitate its first commercial space launch from the spaceport in Kodiak. Previous plans have been delayed, but the next attempt by the launch services provider is planned between July 14 and July 20, according to the report.
Major Space Related Activities for the Week
Major space related activities for the week of June 24-30, 2018
Spacepolicyonline.com (6/24): U.S. House and Senate appropriators gather this week to keep the 2019 budget process moving prior to a July 4 recess. A range of space exploration forums, hosted in locales as far apart as Seattle and Vienna, are planned this week as well. Saturday is Asteroid Day, an annual event held to increase awareness of the impact threat to Earth posed by near Earth objects. The next NASA contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station is slated to launch Friday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.