In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA moves forward with Launch Vehicle Stage Adapters (LVSA) for crewed lunar missions. The Moon could host a powerful telescope with a liquid mirror.
Human Space Exploration
Huntsville firm lands $85M NASA award for key component of returning Americans to the Moon
Coalition Members in the News – Aerojet Rocketdyne, Boeing
Yellowhammer (11/16): Teledyne Brown Engineering has received an $85 million contract modification to provide SLS rocket Launch Vehicle Stage Adapters (LVSA) for Artemis II and III. Artemis II is the first crewed test flight of SLS and the Orion spacecraft; Artemis III is the mission that will support the return of humans to the surface of the Moon.
These are the most popular items people say they’d take on a Moon trip
Digital Trends (11/13): A recent NASA campaign asked people what they would pack for a trip to the Moon, with anyone interested able to submit their ideas using the #NASAMoonKit hashtag on social media. The most popular items were a good book, teddy bears, and coffee.
Spacewalkers prep for arrival of new Russian module
Spaceflightnow.com and CBS News (11/18): During a nearly seven-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov took the initial steps in preparing the orbiting lab’s Russian segment for a new multipurpose module known as Nauka. Russia is targeting 2021 for the launch of the new module.
Space Science
Astronomers propose giant “liquid mirror” telescope on the Moon
Futurism.com (11/18): The Moon could be the ideal location for a large solar-powered, liquid telescope for studying the early universe. The idea, resurrected by scientists at the University of Texas (UT), was first proposed a decade ago. Mercury would serve as the top layer of a liquid reflector, perhaps 100 meters in diameter.
Other News
ULA: Dream Chaser schedule slip not a setback to Vulcan certification
Coalition Members in the News – Astrobotic, United Launch Alliance
SpaceNews.com (11/18): United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket must fly at least twice to achieve Space Force certification to launch national security satellites starting in fiscal year 2022. One of the two flights scheduled before Vulcan’s first national security launch was Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser to the International Space Station (ISS), which has now slipped to 2022. ULA has stated the delay in the mission will not affect Vulcan’s certification for Space Force launches.
Senate Committee approves space act, but without a bureau of space commerce
Spacepolicyonline.com (11/18): The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the Space Preservation and Conjunction Emergency (SPACE) Act on Wednesday. The bill, which was originally introduced last month by Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), assigns responsibility for civil Space Situational Awareness to the Department of Commerce.
Astroscale announces March 2021 launch date for world’s first commercial active debris removal demonstration mission
Parabolicarc.com (11/18): Astroscale Holdings, Inc., is targeting March 2021 for the launch of the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) mission which aims to remove orbital debris from low Earth orbit. With multiple global providers as part of its supply chain, the Tokyo-based enterprise hopes to draw a worldwide commitment to diminishing the debris hazard.