Polaris Dawn Crew Completes First Spacewalk by Private Citizens

Recapping the Week in Space Commerce Ending September 14

The term "History Making Event" is thrown around a lot, and most of them will be footnotes at best. But Thursday morning, two private citizens truly made history by conducting the first spacewalks by non-government astronauts.

Polaris Dawn Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis each exited the vehicle, completed a series of tests designed to evaluate the mobility, thermal systems of the new space suits designed specifically for EVAs, as well as the Dragon mobility aid “Skywalker” before returning to the cabin and closing the hatch. Mission Pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon monitored vital support systems throughout the operation.

It was also the first EVA to be conducted from a Dragon spacecraft.

The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to return to Earth on September 16th, splashing down either off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean or in the Gulf of Mexico, depending on weather conditions.

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NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce has announced the selection of 17 individuals to serve on the inaugural Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES). This Federal advisory committee, consisting of diverse experts representing interests across the space community, will provide independent recommendations to NOAA on commercial space-related policy, regulations, and related matters.

The Office of Space Commerce aims to convene the first public ACES meeting in Washington, D.C., within the next two months. During their inaugural session, the members will set priorities and begin shaping strategies to address pressing issues in the commercial space sector. ACES will meet at least twice per year.

ACES is an evolution of the former Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES), which advised NOAA on satellite imaging regulations. Earlier this year, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo approved the expansion of the committee’s scope to address a broader range of commercial space issues.

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The Machine to Machine (M2M) Satellite Communication Market value could reach $46.6 billion by 2032, according to a recent study by Global Market Insights Inc.

The market growth is propelled by the increasing demand for reliable and secure communication networks, particularly in remote and underserved regions. M2M satellite communication plays a critical role in enabling connectivity across diverse industries, including transportation, agriculture, energy, and defense. Rising product launches from leading companies support growth.

The software segment will experience substantial growth from 2024 to 2032, driven by its pivotal role in managing, monitoring, and optimizing M2M satellite communication networks. The data transmission segment will register significant growth by 2032, driven by the increasing volume of data generated by IoT devices and the growing need for reliable and secure communication channels.

The European M2M satellite communication market will register a remarkable market CAGR from 2024 to 2032, driven by the region's strong focus on innovation and the widespread adoption of IoT across various industries.

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The two new Galileo satellites launched in April have entered service, completing the second of three constellation planes for the European satellite navigation system. With every addition to the constellation, the precision, availability and robustness of the Galileo signal is improved. The next launch is planned in the coming weeks and the remaining six Galileo First Generation satellites will join the constellation in the coming years.

Three months after their launch from Cape Canaveral, Galileo satellites 29 and 30 have reached their target positions at an altitude of 14,430 miles, where they have been fully tested and declared operational.

Both satellites have been deployed on the same orbital plane, one of the three that make up the Galileo constellation. Now two of the three Galileo orbital planes are fully populated, bringing the constellation one launch away from completion. The next couple of Galileo satellites are scheduled to be launched by SpaceX in the coming weeks from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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This week on The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talked with Mike Gold, Chief Growth Officer for Redwire Space.

The Jacksonville, FL-based company is making contributions to space missions ranging from biomedical research aboard the ISS to providing solar arrays for multiple spacecraft

"If you look at some of the struggles some of the other commercial space companies have, I think it's because of a lack of diversity," Gold said. "Redwire has a fantastic balance in portfolio of both existing products that have predictable markets ... strong markets ... as well as some optionality in places where we'd like to develop that have tremendous potential."

Prior to joining Redwire, Gold was NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships, Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, and Senior Advisor to the Administrator for International and Legal Affairs.