Starliner to Remain at ISS A While Longer

Top Stories from The Journal of Space Commerce for the Week Ending August 2

With a planned eight-day mission now extending into multiple months, NASA and Boeing are continuing to work towards a return of Starliner from the International Space Station, though planning for that eventual return is expected to take at least another week.

According to NASA, teams are taking their time to analyze the results of recent docked hot-fire testing, finalize flight rationale for the spacecraft’s integrated propulsion system, and confirm system reliability ahead of Starliner’s return to Earth from the International Space Station.

The test involved firing 27 of the spacecraft’s 28 jets for short bursts, moving through them one at a time to check thruster performance and helium leak rates. Preliminary results show all the tested thrusters are back to preflight levels based on thrust and chamber pressure.

Forward work for the team also includes finalizing the spacecraft’s undocking procedures and operational mitigations that could be used in flight, if needed, to build further confidence in the system. Meanwhile, Starliner ground and mission support teams are continuing to prepare for undocking by participating in integrated simulations with space station operations teams.

-0-

It appears there will be no shortage of small satellites going into orbit in the next five years. The Small Satellite market is estimated to be $5.2 billion this year and is projected to reach $11.2 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 16.6 percent according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Government agencies worldwide are actively fostering the growth of the small satellite industry through various targeted programs.

The small satellite market is undergoing significant expansion, primarily fueled by technological innovations in material engineering, ergonomic design, and digital integration. These satellites usually weigh less than 1,000 kg (≈2,204 pounds). The market for small satellites is expanding rapidly thanks to developments in downsizing and affordable launch options.

These satellites, with their reduced costs and faster development cycles, are transforming many sectors, including Earth observation and telecommunications. The primary factor driving the market's expansion is the rising need for high-resolution Earth imaging and broadband services, especially in distant areas. Furthermore, government and commercial sector expenditures in space era innovation are driving advancement and establishing small satellites as essential tools for environmental monitoring and global connection.

-0-

In the "blow it up until it bursts" department, the expandable space station technology under development by Sierra Space recently passed a seventh key validation test, and second full-scale structural test, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. Completion of the successful Ultimate Burst Pressure test, which occurred on June 18 in collaboration with ILC Dover (an Ingersoll Rand Business) and NASA, accelerates Sierra Space’s softgoods technology towards on-orbit operations.

Planned for an initial stand-alone pathfinder mission before the end of the decade, the technology will also feature as a key element of the Orbital Reef commercial space station. The test will close out Milestone #8 for Orbital Reef with Blue Origin under NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program.

-0-

Blue Origin continues to mint new astronauts. The six-person crew slated to fly on the Blue Origin NS-26 mission has been announced. The crew includes: Nicolina Elrick, Rob Ferl, Eugene Grin, Dr. Eiman Jahangir, Karsen Kitchen, and Ephraim Rabin. Karsen will become the youngest woman ever to cross the Kármán line.

Ferl will be the first NASA-funded researcher to conduct an experiment as part of a commercial suborbital space crew. The experiment is designed to help scientists understand how plant genes react to the transition to and from microgravity. Ferl will activate a device called a Kennedy Space Center Fixation Tube, or KFT, to “fix” or take a snapshot of the gene activity of an Arabidopsis thaliana plant inside the tube so researchers can later study it in the lab. On the ground, co-investigator Anna-Lisa Paul will track Ferl’s actions and activate identical control KFTs at the same four times during the flight.

This mission will be the eighth human flight for the New Shepard program and the 26th in its history.

-0-

Maybe when NS-26 crew returns from their mission, they'll leave a rating and review from their experience. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and Tripadvisor have launched "Destination: Space", a new content platform dedicated to space tourism, exploration, and education. "Destination: Space" aims to demystify space for the general public and make space tourism more accessible to all. The platform features Tripadvisor reviews and content from the growing community of astronauts who have traveled to space – sharing their unfiltered experiences of what it's like to travel off planet Earth. These human stories draw from the ever-expanding community of more than 600 people who have traveled to space.

In addition to reviews on traveling to space, "Destination: Space" includes links for the public to book actual space experiences. Enthusiasts can find travel information to visit space-related locations here on Earth, including museums and science centers, as well as where to see rocket launches, take advantage of STEM learning opportunities, and explore online space resources.

-0-

Would you like to hear and see your company featured on a future edition of The Ex Terra Podcast? Drop me a note at tpatton@exterrajsc.com and let me know what you're up to in space commerce. We're always on the lookout for new and innovative people and companies as potential guests. Let me hear from you!