In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA’s inspector general raises concerns for cost and schedule surrounding Space Launch System (SLS) development. The first NASA Commercial Crew Program launch to the International Space Station (ISS) with astronauts could unfold in May. Investors “go” for backing space company startups.
Human Space Exploration
NASA inspector general says SLS Moon rocket costs continue to climb
Coalition Members in the News – Aerojet Rocketdyne, Boeing, Northrop Grumman
Spaceflightnow.com (3/10): The cost of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) development continues to rise in response to technical issues and schedule delays, according to a NASA inspector general’s report, “NASA’S Management of Space Launch System (SLS) Program Costs and Contracts,” released on Tuesday. Total costs from Boeing’s development of the SLS core stage, Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 core stage rocket engines and Northrop Grumman boosters are likely to eclipse $18 billion prior to the initial uncrewed test flight in 2021, according to the audit. The SLS is an essential component of NASA’s strategy for accelerating a human return to the lunar surface in 2024, as directed by the White House last year, and missions to Mars in the 2030’s.
SpaceX on track to launch first NASA astronauts in May, president says
CNBC (3/10): NASA Commercial Crew Program partner SpaceX is preparing to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as soon as May, company president Gwynne Shotwell told an audience gathered for the Satellite 2020 conference in Washington on Tuesday. The length of the test flight with fliers Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley remains under assessment by NASA.
Space Science
See the 2020 super worm Moon over NYC and Washington, D.C. in these awesome photos
Space.com (3/10): Photographs of a super moon from Washington on Tuesday night offer some stirring images. The Moon, which presents one side to the Earth, was well inside its most distant orbital boundary of 240,000 miles.
Exploration is about Perseverance: Mars 2020
Smithsonian National Air and Space (3/5): In the last 20+ years, NASA has launched multiple stationary landers and mobile rovers to the surface of Mars: the Pathfinder lander and Sojourner rover (1997), Spirit (2004), Opportunity rovers (2004), Phoenix lander (2007), and Curiosity rover (2012), and the InSight lander (2018). Through their exploration, we have learned so much about the Red Planet. Only Curiosity and InSight are still active, but since late 2012, there has been a new Mars rover mission on the horizon: Mars 2020. And as the name suggests, this is going to be an exciting year for the mission.
Other News
Launch industry puts emergency plans in place for coronavirus, but missions so far remain on schedule
Coalition Member in the News – United Launch Alliance
SpaceNews.com (3/10): United Launch Alliance (ULA) is responding to the coronavirus outbreak by limiting non-essential business travel. However, that does not include launches and rocket preparation activities, which are considered “essential,” ULA Tory Bruno told a Satellite 2020 conference news briefing in Washington D.C. on Tuesday. He also offered an optimistic forecast over concerns the outbreak might have lasting damage on the launch services industry. “I do not think this will have a lasting or chilling effect on our country’s priorities,” Bruno said in response to a question on the matter.
Satellite operators hint at fear of SpaceX, Blue Origin becoming competitors
SpaceNews.com (3/10): Large geostationary satellite fleet operators SES and Eutelsat said they are watching as SpaceX continues to deploy its Starlink small satellite communications constellation and Blue Origin prepares to launch Amazon’s Kuiper broadband constellation, both potential competitors. The low Earth orbit small communications activities could influence their choices of future launch services providers, representatives of SES and Eutelsat told the Satellite 2020 conference underway in Washington this week.
Space startups raised $5.7 billion in financing in 2019
Axios (3/10): Space start-up companies appear ripe for investment. A new study from Bryce Space and Technology points to $5.7 billion invested in the sector in 2019, up from $3.5 billion in 2018. Those companies drawing the most investment, about 70 percent of the total, included SpaceX, Blue Origin, OneWeb and Virgin Galactic.