In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA rounds out four member astronaut crew for first operational commercial crew mission to the International Space Station (ISS). James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) demonstrates successful pre-launch primary mirror deployment. Coronavirus pandemic spurs economic concerns with space sector.
Human Space Exploration
Back in Florida, Orion capsule nears readiness for Artemis test flight
Coalition Members in the News – Airbus, 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.
NASA, Japan add 2 more astronauts to SpaceX’s 1st operational Crew Dragon flight
Coalition Member in the News – Boeing
Space.com (3/31): Hours after Japan’s space agency announced that veteran astronaut Soichi Noguchi had been named to the crew of the first operational SpaceX Crew Dragon mission to the ISS, NASA announced that astronaut Shannon Walker, also a space fight veteran, would join. The duo will join NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover Jr., bringing the total crew size up to four. SpaceX must first launch a crewed test mission of the spacecraft with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the Space Station to achieve certification for Crew Dragon under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, a milestone that could unfold no earlier than mid to late May.
Scientists: Astronauts could build Moon base using human urine
Futurism (3/31): Urea, a compound found in mammalian urine, could become a resource in the conversion of lunar soil and Moon rocks into a construction material for a base. The findings by European researchers, could less the need for and cost of launching equipment and supplies from Earth to accomplish the task.
Space Science
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) full mirror deployment a success
Coalition Member in the News – Northrop Grumman
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (3/31): Though faced with pre-launch challenges from the coronavirus outbreak, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) successfully and fully deployed its 25 foot, 4 inch primary mirror while at Northrop Grumman Space Systems facilities in Redondo Beach, California. One more ground deployment of the segmented mirror is planned before the JWST is shipped to French Guiana for launch by the European Space Agency (ESA). Though a liftoff is targeted for March 2021, the effects of the pandemic on workforce activities will be factored in.
Other News
Coronavirus raises interest in remote spacecraft operations
SpaceNews.com (3/27): Social distancing, a preventative response to the spread of the coronavirus, has some in the space operations arena wondering if remote operations could one day replace spacecraft control rooms, especially those forging a future for small satellite missions.
Space launch & sector employment jumps in 2019: Space Foundation
Breaking Defense (3/31): Space Foundation issues favorable 2019 space economy assessment but warns startups may be most vulnerable to the setbacks of the coronavirus pandemic.
SpaceX releases a payload user’s guide for its Starship rocket
Ars Technica (3/31): The six page guide offers opportunities to launch payloads of large mass and volume and potentially up to 100 passengers to orbit using the company’s reusable Super Heavy booster and Starship. Once in orbit, the future holds the possibility of a refueling option for Starship to journey further.
Richard Branson’s rocket company Virgin Orbit to begin mass producing ventilators
CNBC (3/30): Virgin Galactic will work with medical researches from the University of Texas and University of California, Irvine, to produce much needed ventilators to aide patients fighting the coronavirus, perhaps thousands of the devices per week.