VAST SPACE TO LAUNCH 1ST PRIVATE STATION ON SPACEX ROCKET IN 2025 - The first-ever private space station could launch to Earth orbit a little over two years from now. California-based startup Vast Space plans to loft its Haven-1 outpost aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than August 2025, the companies announced today (May 10). That initial mission will be followed in quick succession by Vast-1, a four-person jaunt to the new station that could last up to 30 days. Vast-1 will also launch atop a Falcon 9, and its astronauts will ride on a SpaceX Dragon capsule.   More
(Source: Space.com - May 11)

CHINA PREPARES RESUPPLY MISSION, LANDS SPACE PLANE, AND READIES METHANE ROCKET - China plans to continue its ongoing supply chain for the Tiangong Space Station (TSS) by launching the Tianzhou-6 mission. The launch is scheduled for 13:25 UTC on May 10 and will launch a Tianzhou capsule on top of a Chang Zheng 7 (Long March 7). The preparation for this mission began in late April. The Tianzhou-6 capsule was rolled to the fueling and encapsulation building to support final preparations before stacking on top of the rocket. At this stage, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) also stated that the capsule allows for 20% more payloads than previous Tianzhou capsules.    More
(Source: NASASpaceFlight.com - May 10)

THE 1ST PHOTO OF EARTH FROM EUROPE'S POWERFUL NEW SATELLITE IS AMAZING - Europe's newest weather satellite has snapped an image of the Earth that reveals our planet's incredible beauty, despite gathering clouds. The image taken by Meteosat Third Generation — Imager 1 (MTG-I1) shows conditions over Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic to an incredible level of detail and demonstrates that the satellite is set to live up to its promise of revolutionizing weather forecasting including the prediction of severe weather.   More
(Source: Space.com - May 10)

THE SATELLITE BOOM IS FAR FROM OVER - The global satellite industry is booming and now dominates the rapidly expanding space economy. For 2023 and beyond, look for the sector to maintain its robust growth. The cost to build and launch satellites has declined sharply in recent years, which has led to their deployment in record numbers. In 2022, operational satellites increased more than 45% to over 7,000, according to Satellite Industry Association (SIA) President Tom Stroup.    More
(Source: SpaceNews - May 10)

CHINA’S SPACE STATION: MOVING TOWARDS UTILIZING THE ORBITING OUTPOST - China this week is expected to reach a new high point in outfitting its multi-modular space station as it moves from assembly in low Earth orbit to ongoing utilization. Rocket technicians at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in China’s southern island province of Hainan are in final readiness mode for the launch of a Tianzhou-6 uncrewed cargo spacecraft atop a Long March-7 Y7 booster, another upgrade in China’s blossoming space station program. The cargo craft-rocket combination has been rolled out vertically on a mobile launch platform, slowly scooting along on a specially-built track at the site.   More
(Source: SpaceRef - May 10)

NASA PROPOSES “HYBRID” CONTRACT APPROACH FOR SPACE STATION DEORBIT VEHICLE - NASA is proposing a hybrid contract approach for procuring a vehicle to help deorbit the International Space Station at the end of the decade, combining elements of cost-plus and fixed-price contracts. NASA released a draft request for proposals (RFP) May 4 for what the agency calls the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), a spacecraft that would dock to the station and perform a controlled reentry of it. NASA is seeking feedback on the draft through the end of the month before releasing a final RFP this summer.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - May 10)

SPACE FORCE REVIEWING BIDS FROM SATELLITE MANUFACTURERS FOR SPACE TEST PROGRAM - The U.S. Space Force is reviewing bids from satellite manufacturers competing to produce and integrate experiments for the Space Test Program. Vendors could be selected as early as December for the Space Test Experiments Platform (STEP) 2.0., Lt. Col. Jonathan Shea, head of the DoD Space Test Program at the Space Systems Command, said May 8 during a conference call with reporters. The STP office last week issued a revised draft request for proposals for the STEP 2.0 contract and is seeking comments from vendors by May 19.    More
(Source: SpaceNews - May 9)

BLACKSKY SEEKS TO EXTEND OPERATIONS OF SATELLITES RUNNING ON EMPTY - BlackSky is requesting permission to operate two of its satellites in lower orbits as the spacecraft are running out of propellant. The company filed a request for special temporary authority (STA) with the Federal Communications Commission April 28, asking the FCC to allow the company to continue operations of its Global 7 and Global 8 imaging satellites below the originally authorized lower limit of 385 kilometers. The company is requesting permission to operate the satellites at altitudes as low as 340 kilometers.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - May 8)

ROCKET LAB LAUNCHES NASA’S TROPICS SATELLITES FROM NEW ZEALAND - NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) constellation, having switched launch vehicles after losing two satellites aboard an Astra Rocket 3.3 last year, has launched — this time aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket on a mission titled “Rocket Like A Hurricane” from Launch Complex 1B (LC-1B) in Mahia, New Zealand. Liftoff from LC-1B was on schedule at 13:00 NZST (1:00 UTC) on May 8.   More
(Source: NASASpaceFlight.com - May 8)

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