The Journal of Space Commerce: Week in Review
Starliner Fails to Launch, PREFIRE Goes One for Two, and Important, Exciting Information for Our Readers
The Journal of Space Commerce Grows
As The Journal of Space Commerce grows, it is inevitable that we begin thinking of improving and expanding our content and reach. Soon we start our fourth year. How do we accomplish this, what shall we do to improve?
Tell us!
As a startup it was necessary for us to get established and work through the inevitable problems a startup endures. We certainly had our share. We started by "solving for reach". Get attention. Letting you know we are here.
Now we "solve for influence". We want your interaction and input to help steer the ship.
Be a part of us.
The Space Economy is at its very beginnings, it has a long and vibrant, as well as tumultuous, future ahead of it, and we are all here to help make it happen. As Elon Musk says "Excitement guaranteed!"
Ch-ch-changes (turn and face the change)
We are starting with some changes -
Weekly Newsletter: A weekly newsletter will be published to the community highlighting the news of the week and letting you know who our podcast guest is that week. We will look ahead to the coming week to see what's happening and let you know.
Introducing Chat: We can't be a community unless we can communicate, so will be turning on Chat this upcoming week. We realize this will be a nothing burger at first as we all need something to talk about, so to get that going we introduce...
Articles: These are longer format posts tat delve deeper into topics that influence space commerce. These may be an analysis of a subject or topics or may be food for thought that the community can discuss and flesh out details. We’re sure you'll be ready will rebuttals and retorts.
New podcast: We anticipate this to be a review of one or more news items with analysis about how the item may help or hinder the industry. You opinions are highly desired!
Our Community
The Public at Large: The news will remain for everyone regardless of subscriber status.
Subscribers: The new additions and changes are for subscribers only and yes, it's still FREE to subscribe.
Supporters (Paid Subscribers): We will offer premium content, but we haven't defined that yet.
Tom and I have bankrolled this endeavor with our own funds and have refused investment offers and have decided against advertising. So, if you wish to be a paid subscriber, when we turn that on in the next week or two know that all you get in return, for the moment, is our undying gratitude.
You, our community, can tell us what is worth a premium and we can fulfill that as best we can. We have no aspirations of being billionaire media moguls, but we would like help in getting the bills paid.
Anyway, there will be more to come as the JSC story unfolds, as well as the Space Industry's story.
Excitement guaranteed!
Mike Turner, CEO
Tom Patton, CCO
NASA Scrubbed its Saturday attempt to launch the Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the ISS shortly before it's scheduled launch time.
The scrub came when a computer ground launch sequencer did not load into the correct operational configuration after proceeding into terminal count.
A second launch attempt for Sunday was also scrubbed.
The first of a pair of climate satellites designed to study heat emissions at Earth's poles for NASA is in orbit after lifting off atop Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from the company's Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand last Saturday, though the launch of the second PREFIRE Satellite was scrubbed due to a sensor issue as the launch window closed on June 1 in New Zealand.
NASA's PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission consists of two CubeSats that will measure the amount of heat Earth radiates into space from two of the coldest, most remote regions on the planet. Data from the PREFIRE mission will help researchers better predict how Earth's ice, seas, and weather will change in a warming world.
Rocket Lab says that there are several launch opportunities in the next several days for the launch of the second PREFIRE satellite, and a new launch date will be announced when it is confirmed.
NASA has awarded the Consolidated Agency Technology Transfer Services contract to Summit Technologies & Solutions, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia, to provide support for the agency's Technology Transfer Program.
The performance-based firm-fixed price contract has a potential mission services value of $26 million and a maximum potential indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity value of $55 million. The contract begins on Saturday, June 1, with a one-year base period followed by four one-year option periods that may be exercised at NASA's discretion.
Summit Technologies & Solutions will provide NASA tech transfer support at multiple centers including the agency's headquarters in Washington, Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Stennis Space Center in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, with the potential to support other agency field centers under the enterprise contract.
A constellation of up to 200 small satellites intended to address urgent need for Earth Observation capabilities is being planned by Marble Imaging in conjunction with Reflex Aerospace.
With its planned fleet of small satellites, Marble Imaging plans to capture images of the entire planet every day in very-high resolution (VHR). To achieve this goal, they have partnered with Germany-based satellite manufacturer Reflex Aerospace.
The derived EO data, analytics, and insights will cater to the needs of real-world applications, including government organizations as well as commercial companies involved in such things as environmental monitoring, implementation of sustainability and climate adaptation policies, ensuring food security, or providing humanitarian aid.
The on-orbit life-extension services of the Northrop Grumman Space Logistics Mission Extension Vehicles (MEVs) has been extended for four years, providing services to satellite operator, Intelsat.
At the end of the current servicing period, MEV-1 will relocate and release the Intelsat 901 (IS-901) satellite into the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) graveyard and provide service for another Intelsat satellite. MEV-2 will remain docked to Intelsat’s current vehicle, Intelsat 10-02 (IS-10-02), providing life-extension for an additional four years – nearly doubling service from the original contract.
The initial service period was for five years for both MEVs. With these new contract amendments, the lifespans of several commercial GEO satellites will be extended for an additional four years.
Our guest on The Ex Terra Podcast this week was Chris Stott, founder and CEO of Lonestar Data Holdings.
In February, Lonestar successfully demonstrated the concept of data storage and retrieval from the Moon as part of the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission. From the surface of the Moon, Lonestar's Independence payload successfully completed the first ever data center test in their proof-of-concept demonstration. This included the transmission of the Declaration of Independence from Earth to the Moon and the receipt back from the Moon of a copy of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, all while ensuring data storage on the Moon for the State of Florida.