In Today’s Deep Space Extra… An update on NASA’s Gateway small lunar space station plans. Japan assigns an astronaut to a U.S. commercial space station launch. National security experts warn of satellite interference. Watch Bepi Columbo race by Earth on April 9-10.

Human Space Exploration

NASA officials outline plans for building a Lunar Gateway in the mid-2020’s
Coalition Members in the News – Maxar, Northrop Grumman
Ars Technica (3/30): NASA’s continues to plan for a lunar orbiting, human tended Gateway, or small space station around the Moon to provide astronaut explorers with access to a wide range of landing sites, though the timing is being reassessed. NASA’s Dan Hartman, Gateway program manager, and Mark Wiese, the Deep Space Logistics manager, explain that Gateway, assembled with contributions from international and commercial partners, can offer mission extension options that will help prepare for missions to Mars.

Back in Florida, Orion capsule nears readiness for Artemis test flight
Coalition Members in the News – Boeing, Lockheed Martin
Spaceflightnow.com (3/30): The NASA Orion capsule assigned to Artemis 1 is now back at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for a series of checkouts, following a run of thermal vacuum tests at the agency’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio. After the checkouts, the capsule will standby as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket assigned to the uncrewed test flight around the Moon planned for next year undergoes ground testing at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Astronaut Noguchi to board SpaceX’s Crew Dragon
NHK of Japan (3/31): Japan’s space agency has selected astronaut Soichi Noguchi to join three NASA astronauts for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the first SpaceX Crew Dragon mission following certification of the vehicle by NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Now 55, Noguchi launched previously to the Station in 2005 and 2009. No date has been set for the four person launch, and the Crew Dragon must first complete a crewed test flight anticipated for no earlier than mid to late May.

‘I’m in awe’: NASA astronaut salutes coronavirus-fighting doctors and nurses from orbit
Space.com (3/30): Monday was National Doctors’ Day in the U.S. and NASA astronaut Drew Morgan, one of three crew members currently living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS), paid tribute to the profession as it responds to the coronavirus pandemic. Morgan, who launched on July 20, is an emergency room physician, U.S. Army colonel and Ranger.

Space Science

Warped space-time to help WFIRST find exoplanets
Coalition Member in the News – Northrop Grumman
Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA (3/30): A companion space observatory to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), NASA’s Wide field Infrared Space Telescope (WFIRST) will look toward the center of the Milky Way galaxy to build on efforts to better characterize the population of extra solar planets. Congress has continued to fund WFIRST, though the White House has proposed cancellation until the JWST launches in March 2021.

Mercury-bound spacecraft should be visible from Earth during April flyby
CNET (3/30): During the evening on April 9, the dual spacecraft Bepi Colombo mission to Mercury, a joint effort by the European and Japanese space agencies, will fly close by the Earth to use the gravitational forces to align its trajectory towards its final destination. Closest approach for those in the southern hemisphere equipped with telescope, binoculars and cameras is 9:25 p.m. Pacific, or April 10 at 12:25 a.m., EDT. Story includes links on where to observe.

Astronomers call on quarantined citizens to hunt for galaxies
Futurism.com (3/30): Self-isolation in response to the coronavirus offers an opportunity to assist accomplished astrophysicists in seeking out and classifying new galaxies.

SunRISE becomes new NASA mission to study giant solar particle storms
NASAspaceflight.com (3/30): NASA on Monday announced plans to proceed with development of the Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) mission, a network of a half-dozen small satellites that will monitor the sun for solar storm eruptions that could pose a radiation threat to astronauts assigned to future missions of deep space exploration at the Moon and Mars.

Other News

Growth of space threats detailed in two new reports
Spacepolicyonline.com (3/30): The Center for Strategic and International Studies and Secure World Foundation released separate reports Monday warning of a growth in low-cost technologies capable of interfering with satellite signals. ”One should expect that the rate of satellite jamming and spoofing incidents will only increase as these capabilities continue to proliferate and become more sophisticated in the coming years,” according to Todd Harrison, one or four co-authors of the CSIS report, “Threat Assessment 2020.”

Stars and Starlink
The Space Review (3/30): Late Friday, OneWeb filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York while in the midst of efforts to raise a round of funding to continue with deployments of a small satellite broadband network. Spokesmen cited market turbulence linked to the coronavirus pandemic as a factor in the change of course. Astronomers had recently begun with discussions with the company to address concerns among scientists that the reflectivity of the satellites could hinder observations.

Stratolaunch announces hypersonic vehicle plans
SpaceNews.com (3/30): Designated Talon-A, the small Mach 5-7 hypersonic spacecraft planned by Stratolaunch will be designed for air launch and reuse with runway landings. The vehicle will be propelled by a liquid propellant engine. Operations are planned by 2022.