In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The Biden Administration’s 2023 budget proposal includes $26 billion for NASA. Singapore has signed the Artemis Accords. Axiom Space’s AX-1 mission now scheduled for April 6.
Human Space Exploration
White House requests $26 billion for NASA for 2023
The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration and CEO Frank Slazer in the News; and Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space
SpaceNews.com (3/28): President Biden on Monday presented Congress with his 2023 fiscal year budget proposal, a spending plan that includes nearly $26 billion for NASA to advance human deep space exploration, Earth observations, and planetary science. The request represents a $1.93 billion, or 8% increase, over the omnibus spending measure released by Congress earlier this month for the 2022 fiscal year. NASA budget documents released yesterday revealed few new initiatives. Instead, funding would be increased to support ongoing initiatives, such as the Artemis lunar exploration effort. The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, an industry group representing companies involved in Artemis, endorsed the budget proposal. “It serves as a good foundation for advocates of space exploration to use as they work with Congress to move the needle even further towards a more robust NASA program of lunar exploration, while preparing to move on to exploring Mars and out into the solar system,” said Frank Slazer, president and chief executive of the organization, in a statement.
Singapore signs U.S.-led multilateral pact on space cooperation
Straitstimes.com of Singapore (3/29): Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong signed the NASA sponsored Artemis Accords while in Washington on Monday, making Singapore the 18th country to sign the agreement establishing guidelines for the peaceful and responsible exploration of space. The Asian island state sees economic potential in future space technology development, according to Gan.
Axiom Space launch of private astronaut mission to space station delayed
Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space
Fox 35 Orlando (3/28): The launch of the first all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is now planned for no earlier than April 6. It had been scheduled for Sunday, April 3. The change in the timeline comes after NASA approved this coming weekend for the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) of the Artemis Moon mission on Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
Space Science
Solar Orbiter successfully completed historic close pass of the Sun
Coalition Member in the News – United Launch Alliance
NASAspaceflight.com (3/27): On March 26, 2022, the joint European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA Solar Orbiter spacecraft successfully completed its first close flyby of the Sun’s corona, bringing the spacecraft’s specially designed collection of instruments closer to the Sun than ever before. During the close pass, called perihelion, all ten of Solar Orbiter’s instruments operated simultaneously, working together to gather important, never-before-seen data. The flyby brought Solar Orbiter less than one-third of the distance from the Sun to the Earth. Solar Orbiter launched on February 9, 2020, atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. Since being released by the rocket’s Centaur upper stage, Solar Orbiter has been traveling through interplanetary space in a heliocentric orbit.
House-sized asteroid zooms by Earth in close flyby
Space.com (3/28): An asteroid about 49 miles wide and designated 2022 FB2 passed close but safely by the Earth on Monday. The separation was estimated by NASA at 93,400 miles. The visitor was discovered just two days earlier.
Other News
Space Force asks for substantial increase in FY 2023 — $24.5 Billion
Spacepolicyonline.com (3/28): President Biden’s $24.5 billion, 2023 fiscal year Space Force budget request represents a $6.4 billion hike. While much of the increase is to cover research and technology development, part of the rise will cover transitions of activities from other parts of the Department of Defense (DoD) budget to the Space Force.
All systems go for Blue Origin’s space flyers but not for weather at Texas launch site
Geekwire.com (3/28): Blue Origin has moved its New Shepard West Texas suborbital launch planned for Tuesday to Thursday due to weather concerns, specifically high winds. The six private astronauts include the first married couple to launch together, Sharon and Marc Hagle.