Category Archives: Spacex

For the first time in more than two years, SpaceXs next Falcon Heavy launch and dual-booster landing appears to be right around the corner and it comes with a catch.

In February 2018, after years of anticipation, SpaceX successfully launched its triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time in a spectacular show of force. Though the center core booster got a little melty on its extremely high-speed reentry and was lost before it could attempt to land, the rockets twin side boosters performed an iconic near-simultaneous landing just a handful of miles away from where they lifted off.

Then Falcon Heavy took a good, long break. Ultimately, it would turn out that the debut vehicle was effectively a one-off and over the course of 14 months, SpaceX fairly quickly designed, built, and qualified an entirely new Falcon Heavy rocket based on Falcon 9s new and improved Block 5 variant. In April 2019, after a few minor delays, that Falcon Heavy Block 5 rocket completed its own launch debut and first mission for a paying customer. This time around, all three boosters two by land and one by sea survived reentry and performed flawless landings on a drone ship and two Landing Zones.

A mere two months later, both of Falcon Heavy Block 5s first two recovered side boosters flew again in support of the US Air Forces STP-2 mission a combined demonstration flight and rideshare mostly designed to push the rocket to its limits and help the military qualify it for high-value payloads. Once more, those side boosters successfully returned for a simultaneous landing at SpaceXs Landing Zones but the missions Block 5 center cores reentry was as SpaceX itself partially expected too hot, burning essential components and resulting in a hard landing in the Atlantic Ocean. Otherwise, the mission was a spectacular success and gave the US military practically all the data it needed to qualify the worlds largest operational rocket to launch its payloads.

Shockingly, however, that June 2019 launch would end up being Falcon Heavys third and latest. In the almost 26 months since, the rocket hasnt flown once. Originally scheduled to launch a fourth time as early as Q4 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately delayed the rockets next two launches (or gave the satellite manufacturer(s) perfect scapegoats for technical delays) into 2021.

Known as USSF-44 and USSF-52 (formerly AFSPC-44/52), both missions are scheduled to launch ethereal US military spy and/or communications satellites. USSF-44 is arguably the most important, as it will mark SpaceXs first direct launch to geostationary orbit (GEO) for any customer let alone one as exacting as the US military. USSF-52 is a much simpler and more traditional launch to an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

About a year ago, for unknown reasons, the two missions swapped positions, with USSF-44 taking the lead. Expected to launch in June 2021 as of early this year, SpaceflightNow first reported that USSF-44 had slipped further still to October and USSF-52 into 2022 this May. Since then, thats where the missions schedule has tentatively lain.

Finally, on August 12th, SpaceX filed an FCC application for rocket communication permissions. While otherwise ordinary, this particular request stated that it was for Falcon Heavy recovery operations and, more specifically, for the simultaneous recovery of two Falcon Heavy boosters at sea. Out of an abundance of caution and conservatism and combined with the generally challenging nature of direct-to-GEO launches, Falcon Heavys first such mission for the US military will require SpaceX to expend the rockets center booster and recover both side boosters at sea with two separate drone ships.

Falcon Heavys USSF-52 GTO launch isnt as demanding and its mission profile is expected to allow SpaceX to recover all three boosters. As such, an FCC filing for a dual-drone-ship Falcon Heavy side booster recoveries practically guarantees that its for USSF-44. Per the application, SpaceX expects the mission to occur no earlier than September 25th. Almost simultaneously, launch photographer Ben Cooper also updated a long-running list of upcoming East Coast launches, confirming that Falcon Heavys fourth launch (USSF-44) remains on track for October 2021.

Ultimately, while delays are possible and likely probable, there now appears to be a strong chance that Falcon Heavy will launch for the first time in 28 months before the end of 2021.

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SpaceXs first Falcon Heavy launch in two years is finally coming together - Teslarati

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon capsule atop is raised to the vertical position on June 2, 2021, at Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in preparation for the companys 22nd Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA to the International Space Station. NASA and SpaceX are targeting Saturday, August 28, at 3:37 a.m. EDT, for launch of the 23rd commercial resupply services mission. Credit: SpaceX

The 23rdSpaceXcargo resupply services mission carrying scientific research and technology demonstrations to the International Space Station is targeted to launch in late August from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Experiments aboard include an investigation into protecting bone health with botanical byproducts, testing a way to monitor crew eye health, demonstrating improved dexterity of robots, exposing construction materials to the harsh environment of space, mitigating stress in plants, and more.

Highlights of the payloads on this resupply mission include:

Shown with their experiment packed for launch, READI FP team members from left to right, Michele Cioffi, program manager; Fabio Peluso, honorary member of MARSCenter scientific committee; Marco Fabio Miceli, system and test engineer; and Pasquale Pellegrino, test engineer from Aerospace Laboratory for Innovative components (ALI) S.C. a r.l. in Italy. Credit: ALI scarl/Marcenter

READI FP evaluates the effects of microgravity and space radiation on growth of bone tissue and tests whether bioactive metabolites, substances such as antioxidants formed when food is broken down, might protect bones during spaceflight. The metabolites tested come from vegetal extracts generated as waste products in wine production.

Protecting the health of crew members from the effects of microgravity is crucial for the success of future long-duration space missions. This study could improve understanding of the physical changes that cause bone loss and identify potential countermeasures. This insight also could contribute to prevention and treatment of bone loss on Earth, particularly in post-menopausal women. Sourcing metabolites from materials that otherwise would become waste is an additional benefit.

Preflight view of the hardware for Retinal Diagnostics, an investigation testing a commercially available ophthalmology lens to capture images of the human retina in space. Credit: DLR/EAC

Retinal Diagnostics tests whether a small, light-based device can capture images of the retinas of astronauts to document progression of vision problems known as Space-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). The device uses a commercially available lens approved for routine clinical use and is lightweight, mobile, and noninvasive. Videos and images can be downlinked to test and train models for detecting common signs of SANS in astronauts. The investigation is sponsored by ESA (European Space Agency) with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Space Medicine and European Astronaut Centre (EAC).

SANS is present in over two-thirds of astronauts and thought to be associated with long duration (30 days or longer) exposure to microgravity, said principal investigator Juergen Drescher of DLR. Currently, visual problems that may manifest from SANS are mitigated by providing glasses or contact lenses to crew members. Multi-year missions to Mars may worsen these symptoms, and there is a need for a mobile device for retinal image diagnostics. While developed for space, this mobile technology has potential to provide diagnostics in remote and extreme environments on Earth at reduced cost. Mobile biomedical diagnostic devices such as these will likely emerge as both an enabler of human deep space exploration and a sustainable model for health care on Earth.

This image shows the complete configuration of the GITAI S1 robotic arm inside the Bishop mock-up. Credit: GITAI, NRAL

Nanoracks-GITAI Robotic Arm demonstrates the versatility and dexterity in microgravity of a robot designed by GITAI Japan Inc. Results could support development of robotic labor to support crew activities and tasks, as well as servicing, assembly, and manufacturing tasks while in orbit. Robotic support could lower costs and improve crew safety by having robots take on tasks that could expose crew members to hazards. The technology also has applications in extreme and potentially dangerous environments on Earth, including disaster relief, deep-sea excavation, and servicing nuclear power plants. The experiment will be conducted under the pressurized environment inside the Bishop Airlock, the space stations first commercial airlock.

This technology demonstration is to show the world that the capabilities necessary for automation in space are finally available, said company chief technology officer Toyotaka Kozuki. It provides an inexpensive and safer source of labor in space, opening the door to the true commercialization of space.

Photo documentation of the Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility (MISSE-FF) platform aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

MISSE-15 NASA is one of a series of MISSE investigations testing how the space environment affects the performance and durability of specific materials and components. These tests provide insights that support development of better materials for future spacecraft, spacesuits, planetary structures, and other components needed for space exploration. Testing materials in space has the potential to significantly speed up their development. Materials capable of standing up to space also have potential applications in harsh environments on Earth and for improved radiation protection, better solar cells, and more durable concrete. Alpha Space provides the MISSE-FF lab that hosts these investigations.

MISSE-15 includes tests of concrete, spacecraft materials, fiberglass composites, thin-film solar cells, radiation protection materials, a micro-optical chip, 3D printed polymers, and more, said MISSE project engineer Ian Karcher. In addition, the availability of this platform for commercial technology development contributes to the ongoing commercialization of space and development of new space technologies.

Image of seedlings with different genotypes following 9 days of growth in the VEGGIE chamber under temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide conditions mimicking those recorded on the space station. Taken during verification testing at NASA Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Dr. Shih-Heng Su

Plants grown under microgravity conditions typically display evidence of stress. APEX-08 examines the role of compounds known as polyamines in the response of thale cress to microgravity stress. Because expression of the genes involved in polyamine metabolism remain the same in space as on the ground, plants do not appear to use polyamines to respond to stress in microgravity. APEX-08 attempts to engineer a way for them to do so. Results could help identify key targets for genetic engineering of plants more suited to microgravity.

On Earth, polyamines have been shown to contribute significantly to the mitigation of multiple environmental stresses in plants, said principal investigator Patrick Masson, a professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Altering the metabolism of a polyamine to mitigate the stress of microgravity could have an impact on our ability to use plants as key components of bioregenerative life support systems on long-term space exploration missions. It also may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that allow plants to respond to general environmental stress on Earth, with impacts on agriculture, horticulture, and forestry.

Easier drug delivery, Girl Scouts send science to space

The Faraday Research Facility is a multipurpose research facility that uses the space stations EXPRESS racks. On this first flight, the facility hosts a Houston Methodist Research Institute experiment and two STEM collaborations, including Making Space for Girls with the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council.

The ProXopS Faraday Research Facility, developed in partnership with L2 Solutions Inc., is designed to operate remotely and provide a controlled environment for power, command and control, telemetry responses, and safety assurance for microgravity experiments, said Chad Brinkley, president of ProXopS LLC and L2 Solution Inc. An added benefit with the facility is that experiments return to the ground for evaluation.

Faraday-NICE tests an implantable, remote-controlled drug delivery system using sealed containers of saline solution as surrogate test subjects. The device could provide an alternative to bulky, cumbersome infusion pumps, a possible game changer for long-term management of chronic conditions on Earth. Potential problems with such pumps include high infection risk, electromechanical failures, and double dosing. NICE is minimally invasive, implantable, has no moving mechanical components, and does not require catheters. Remote-controlled drug delivery could increase patient compliance, especially for children, elderly, and disabled individuals.

Faraday-Girl Scouts places control experiments with a Girl Scout troop and provides students with images of the same experiments in space. The studies include plant growth, ant colonization, and the brine shrimp lifecycle.

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Intriguing Science Experiments Launching on SpaceXs Cargo Resupply Mission to the Space Station - SciTechDaily

CEDAR PARK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mentions in last sentence of first paragraph and photo caption should read Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) (instead of Vandenberg Airforce Base (VAFB)).

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FIREFLY NAMES FORMER SPACEX AND BLUE ORIGIN VETERAN AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Lauren Lyons tapped to lead efforts in scaling production and operations as Firefly moves into commercial production

Firefly Aerospace, Inc., a leading provider of economical and dependable launch vehicles, spacecraft, and in-space services, today announced that Lauren Lyons will join the team as Chief Operating Officer (COO), working out of their corporate headquarters in Cedar Park, Texas. This appointment comes on the heels of Fireflys recent component business announcement and preparation for its upcoming launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California.

Lauren will be joining Firefly from Blue Origin where she was a Lead Systems Engineer in Blue Origins Advanced Concepts. Prior to Blue Origin, Lyons spent several years at SpaceX where she held leadership roles on the Dragon, Falcon 9, and Starlink programs, and with responsibilities in Vehicle Engineering, Safety and Mission Assurance, Chief Engineering, Business Development, and Mission Management.

Firefly is entering a pivotal and exciting phase of its growth, said Lauren Lyons, Im thrilled to take on the challenge of leading the efforts in scaling the companys infrastructure to support rapid growth, high execution rate, and deliver exceptional value and service to our customers.

Im incredibly excited to partner with Lauren to take Firefly to new heights, said Tom Markusic, CEO of Firefly. In addition to her strong engineering, project management and mission assurance experience, she is a great communicator. Her ability to build productive relationships with the full spectrum of co-workers, collaborators and customers is perfectly aligned with Fireflys vision of Making Space for Everyone.

As Firefly looks towards its first Alpha launch, and the development of the Blue Ghost lunar lander, Lyons priorities will focus on transitioning Firefly from an R&D environment to a production environment that streamlines delivery to customers on schedule and with high reliability, while maintaining the essential capacity to innovate, execute quickly, and respond rapidly to changing market dynamics.

About Firefly

Firefly is developing a family of launch and in-space vehicles and services that provide industry-leading affordability, convenience, and reliability. Fireflys launch vehicles utilize common technologies, manufacturing infrastructure and launch capabilities, providing LEO launch solutions for up to ten metric tons of payload at the lowest cost per kg in the small-launch class. Combined with Fireflys in-space vehicles, such as the Space Utility Vehicle and Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, Firefly provides the space industry with a single source for missions from LEO to the surface of the Moon or beyond. Firefly is headquartered in Cedar Park, TX.

For more information please see: http://www.firefly.com

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CORRECTING and REPLACING Firefly Names Former SpaceX and Blue Origin Veteran as Chief Operating Officer - Business Wire

Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) is completing final test flights for its Unity spacecraft and will begin revenue-generating flights soon, opening an entirely new space tourism industry to the world. When Sir Richard Branson took his flight in July, it created a lot of attention for the company, and Virgin Galactic soon said it was raising the price of tickets to $450,000 apiece and up, a possible indication that demand for tickets is high.

But there have been skeptics who don't believe that Virgin Galactic will succeed financially, especially as competitors begin their own service. Despite the press reactions recently, I think this is a space tourism stock that may redefine how we think about space and experiential tourism, and that's why it continues to be one of my favorite growth stocks.

Image source: Virgin Galactic.

As companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and potentially SpaceX start to offer commercial space tourism, I think it's important to think about the experience they're offering from start to finish. Customers are paying $450,000 or more for an experience. It's not just the moments in space, but the full experience, that we should consider as investors, just like a customer would.

Virgin Galactic hired Joe Rohde as its experience architect to plan the three-day experience that will be followed by an early morning flight to space. Rohde spent four decades at Disney Imagineering, serving as the lead designer for Animal Kingdom and working on Pandora-The World of Avatar, among many other projects. He is in charge of the three-day experience leading up to the flight will not only get the crew prepared for the space flight, but also be a vast majority of the experiential and entertainment time that people are paying for. And Rohde has spent decades building great experiences.

The full experience hasn't been outlined yet, but Virgin Galactic describes its three-day training like this:

Pre-flight training will ensure that each astronaut is mentally and physically prepared to savour every second of the spaceflight and fully equipped to fulfil any personal objectives. Our aerospace medical experts will be constantly on hand to offer advice and help, and to check pre-flight fitness.Most of all we aim to make the training and preparation a fun and rewarding experience; a part of the Future Astronaut journey delivered in true Virgin Galactic style.

The company has a custom-built spaceport for these days of training, and it even has a custom Land Rover to transport astronauts to their accommodations nightly.

We also know there's a distinct difference that can be seen in the flight itself. Unlike Blue Origin and SpaceX, Virgin Galactic's mothership takes off horizontally, just like a commercial aircraft. After climbing to about 50,000 feet, the spacecraft is released and the rocket motor is fired, beginning the climb into space. On the return to land, the spacecraft becomes a glider and returns to the spaceport runway just like a commercial aircraft.

The multi-day experience and the familiar take-off and landing could be big selling points for customers looking to drop half a million dollars on a few minutes in space. And it's that full experience that people pay for.

It's hard to quantify the value of the "experience" of going to space or the prestige that comes with it, but we can get an idea of how experiences are valued by looking at other items and services that people pay a premium for.

A Ferrari will get you from point A to point B as well as a Kia, but it can cost 10 times as much. Ferrari found 9,119 buyers last year willing to spend over $200,000 for a vehicle, and it has generated a $1 billion profit in the past year as a result. Ferrari is a small, high-cost market just like Virgin Galactic, and it shows there's a big business in exclusive experiences.

Yachts serve very little practical purpose versus other forms of transportation, other than being an exclusive experience; and according to Grand View Research, the yacht charter market was worth $6.5 billion in 2019. The price to charter a yacht can be more than a flight to space, which could make the space experience compelling.

Understanding that people pay a lot of money for experiences is key with Virgin Galactic. With Joe Rohde leading the way, the company is building a complete experience that will put guests in the exclusive company of fewer than 1,000 people who have visited space for any period of time. That's something I think people will pay for, and if you have the money then a $450,000 price tag may not be too high if the full experience is as good as we should expect from Virgin Galactic.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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How Virgin Galactic Plans to Beat Blue Origin and SpaceX in Space Tourism - Motley Fool

The aim of the O3b mPOWER satellite communication system is to improve network coverage and connectivity.

Over the past years, SES in Betzdorf has become one of the largest satellite operators in the world. One of its goals is to offer improved network coverage and faster connectivity to people, countries and institutions. Its O3b mPOWER satellite communication system will contribute to this. In cooperation with Boeing and SpaceX, the company plans to send 3 satellites into orbit by the end of the year, with a further 6 to follow.

With an ever increasing population, satellites are an important aspect of global communication. The new satellite communication system will provide faster Internet connection over a larger network area, which will improve connectivity all over the planet. As SES do not build satellites, they work together with Boeing.

At least six satellites are needed to cover the entire planet. SES will start out with nine, which will be launched by the middle of 2022. The first three will be taken into orbit by a SpaceX rocket at the end of this year. The main attribute of these satellites is its much reduced latency, i.e the time a signal takes to travel from the ground to the satellite and back. The system also offers far more bandwith and extreme flexibility, explains Ferd Kayser, member of the SES board.

Telecom operators, among others, will be able to benefit from the system. Orange is already a customer. The new system will not only be faster, but also cheaper and easier to use. Operators can manage their capacities such as volume and bandwidth according to their needs. Another client of SES is Microsoft, who will use 03b mPOWER to boost their Cloud activities. Cruise ships and planes, too, can use the technology to offer high speed Internet connectivity.

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Cooperation with Boeing and SpaceX: SES planning to send 3 satellites into orbit this year - RTL Today

WASHINGTON Commercial lunar lander developer Intuitive Machines will launch its third lunar lander mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9, the same vehicle the company selected for its first two lander missions.

Intuitive Machines announced Aug. 10 that its IM-3 lander mission will launch on a Falcon 9 in 2024. The Nova-C lander will carry up to 130 kilograms of payloads to the lunar surface. Company spokesman Josh Marshall said the company has not selected a landing site for the mission.

The company previously selected SpaceX to launch its IM-1 and IM-2 lander missions, which are currently scheduled to launch in the first and fourth quarters of 2022, respectively. The companies did not disclose the terms of the launch contract, but Marshall said the IM-3 award was a new contract and not an option on the previous contracts.

Intuitive Machines first two lander missions are carrying out task orders for NASA awarded under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. However, IM-3 is not linked to any CLPS missions. Marshall said that the mission has an open manifest for commercial and civil customers.

Our turnkey solution for delivering, communicating and commanding customer payloads on and around the Moon is revolutionary. Now, were proving we can do it at an annual cadence, Steve Altemus, president and chief executive of Intuitive Machines, said in a statement.

In addition to payloads on the lander, the company says it will be able to fly up to 1,000 kilograms of secondary payloads attached to a dispenser ring. Those payloads would be deployed in a lunar transfer orbit from which they can maneuver to lunar orbit or other destinations.

While Intuitive Machines continues to select SpaceX for launches, that relationship has not been without problems. IM-1 was scheduled to launch in late 2021, but Intuitive Machines disclosed in an April filing with the Federal Communications Commission that the launch had slipped to early 2022. Intuitive Machines said it was informed by SpaceX that unique mission requirements pushed back the launch, but neither it nor SpaceX would disclose what those requirements were.

The award continues SpaceXs success in securing contracts for lunar lander missions. Of the six CLPS awards made by NASA to date, all are launching on SpaceX Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy vehicles other than Astrobotics first Peregrine lander, which will launch on the inaugural United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur mission in 2022.

SpaceX separately won a $2.9 billion NASA award in April to develop a version of its Starship vehicle for NASAs Human Landing System program, performing a demonstration mission to land astronauts on the moon on the Artemis 3 mission as early as 2024. The Government Accountability Office rejected on July 30 protests filed by Blue Origin and Dynetics regarding that contact.

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Intuitive Machines selects SpaceX for launch of third lunar lander mission - SpaceNews

SpaceXthe private spacecraft company founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk nearly two decades agoinauguratedthe new year by launching TurkeysTrksat5A communications satelliteinto orbit on January 7.Turkish presidentRecepTayyipErdoansaid that the satellite, placed into geosynchronous orbit, wouldallow Turkey to broadcastacross Europe, the Middle East, much of Africa, and the Black Sea.

Trksatisbotha state-owned company and the only communications satellite operator in Turkey.The Turkish governmentawardedSpaceXthe contract to launch both theTrksat5Aand 5B satellites after Muskmet withand lavished praise uponErdoanin a November 2017 meetingbetween the two billionaires.SpaceXhasslatedthe 5B satellite launch for November 2021.

Musk should walk away from the contract.To believe that the Turkish governments goal with its satellite network is to expand broadcastingor simply to improve communications is nave.BoththeHellenic American Leadership Counciland the Armenian National Committee of Americahavewarnedthat theTrksat5B has military implications. They are notcrying wolf.

TheTrksatsatellites can enable Turkeys burgeoning drone program to navigate farther with greater accuracy. Turkey (alongside Israel)provided unmanned aircraftand perhaps targeting information as well in support of Azerbaijans assault on Nagorno-Karabakh, a largely Armenian-populated regionthathas been the subject of dispute between the two for more than a century. The Azerbaijani surprise attacktimed to coincidewith the one-hundredthanniversary of the Ottoman invasion of independent Armenia against the backdrop of thegenocidebegan with simultaneousdrone bombardments. While Azerbaijanis, who benefit fromcaviar diplomacy,say that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to thembased on Josef Stalins1920s-era gerrymanderingof regional borders, the reality is that Azerbaijan had committed under the terms of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europes Minsk Group to negotiate an end to the dispute diplomatically. Indeed,Baku received American assistance under aFreedom SupportActSection 907 waiverbased on the finding that it would not seek to use military force topursue itsdiplomatic or territorial aims. Additionally,AzerbaijanistrongmanIlhamAliyevincreasinglysoundslike Saddam Husseindue tohisclaims on the territory of neighboring statesandacts like him given that he is holding prisoners of war indefinitelyandattacking his neighbors territory. Thismakes it more likelythatTrksat5Bwill enable bloodshed and ethnic cleansing.Musk may want to ignore the fact thatAliyevhas claimed the Armenian capitalof Yerevan as his own, but there will be no cleansing of the blood on his hands if he andSpaceXenableErdoanandAliyevto turn their words into action.

This is not simply an Armenian issue.Erdoanhas constructeda Turkish drone basein occupied northern Cyprus, which extends the range of Turkeys drones. ThisputsEgypt, Lebanon, Israel, Greece and Libyawithin the flightrange of the drones.Also, Americans and Europeans working in the Eastern Mediterranean gas industry will be within that flightrange.The satelliteSpaceXplans to launch in November will allowTurkey to overcome the challenges of crossingover blue water or navigatingpoor weather. It alsoincreases the likelihood thatErdoanmight deploy such technology.This is more than supposition.After all,Erdoanhas already gone through the trouble ofconstructing what the Turkish government calls theGeitkaleAir Base, which is more commonly known asLefkonikoAirport.

Erdoanmay have charmed Musk in the same way he once charmed George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump; or perhaps Musk simply looks at the launch as a good business opportunityforSpaceX. Still,there is no escaping the fact that to launch theTrksat5Bisto potentially beas complicit in bloodshed and repression as those companies who enable Communist Chinas ongoing genocide against the Uighurs.

Muskmaynot care, but the White House and Congress should care giventhe American components incorporated into thesatellitesand President Joe Bidens rhetoric of human rights. Perhaps it is time for the Biden administrationand Republicansto join and tellSpaceXto scrap its business withTrksator risk its more lucrative contracts with the U.S. government.

Michael Rubin is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. You can follow him on Twitter: @mrubin1971.

Image: Reuters

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SpaceX Shouldn't Ignore the Bloodshed Its Turkish Payloads Enable - The National Interest Online

As much as we want to hold on to the past, we have to let go and make way for innovation. The electrification of the automotive industry shows us that even the most adamant among the worlds prestigious marques are ready to shift. As such, the One form Arc Boats shows us that emission-free vessels are possible.

With our current technology, there are still some limitations when it comes to weight and size. Nevertheless, its not stopping manufacturers from building all-electric personal watercraft. Arc Boats is here to fill that gap until we develop more efficient batteries and motors.

With a powerhouse team of former SpaceX rocket engineers behind its development, you can expect top-notch performance and craftsmanship. The One is a modern and sleek speedboat that measures 24 ft long with a beam 102 inches wide.

With their experience in aerospace manufacturing, Arc Boast is using marine-grade aluminum to reinforce the hull. This material is an excellent choice thanks to its lightweight yet robust properties. Although the company did not specify, its likely high-tech composites are also in use.

Dont leave your buddies behind as the vessel can accommodate up to 10 people. The waterproof 200 kWh battery unit are built in-house to optimize the center of gravity. Next is the 475-hp electric powertrain that delivers a top-cruising speed of 35 knots in favorable open-water conditions.

Depending on how hard you push it, the Arc Boats One should have enough juice to last 3-5 hours. It might just be the first commercial electric speedboat in the market. Arc Boats says the first units will be ready to ship out to clients early in 2022.

Images courtesy Arc Boats

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Former SpaceX rocket engineers team up to build the all-electric Arc Boats One - Men's Gear

Intuitive Machines continues their mission to build a cislunar economy with the companys third mission (IM-3) to the Moon that will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket.

The IM-3 mission includes a Nova-C class lander to land 130 kg of payloads on the lunar surface. There is also excess capacity on the launch vehicle that can accommodate 1000 kg of payloads on a rideshare dispenser ring that deploys into a lunar transfer orbit. Intuitive Machines rideshare option puts customers in a high-energy orbit to efficiently proceed to lunar capture, redirect to points elsewhere in high Earth orbit, or depart for destinations in the solar system.

By expanding on Intuitive Machines capability developed through NASAs Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, the company can offer an annual launch cadence starting with IM-1 and extending beyond the firms first three missions. The reliable cadence allows industry partners and customers the lead times needed to secure funding, develop advanced technologies, and become part of building the cislunar economy.

Were offering our customers more than lunar surface payload delivery and extreme surface mobility, said Steve Altemus, the president and CEO of Intuitive Machines. Our turnkey solution for delivering, communicating, and commanding customer payloads on and around the Moon is revolutionary. Now, were proving we can do it at an annual cadence.

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Three-Peat: Intuitive Machines' Third Moon Mission Selects SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket To Provide The Transportation SatNews - SatNews Publishers

SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses as he arrives on the red carpet for the Axel Springer Awards ceremony, in Berlin, on December 1, 2020.

Britta Pedersen | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON Starlink, the space internet service created in 2015 by Elon Musk's space transportation firm, SpaceX, has set up a "ground station" on a tiny self-governing island in the Irish Sea to help it beam internet from satellites in low-Earth orbit to homes and offices.

Starlink's Isle of Man ground station, first reported by The Telegraph late last month, can be seen on the Starlink.sx website.

The government of the Isle of Man said Starlink has been working with local communications provider Bluewave, adding that the pair have together licensed some of the island's available spectrum.

Bluewave has a ground station just outside the capital of Douglas that can be seen on Google Maps. It acquired the site last year from SES Satellite Leasing. SES pulled out of the Isle of Man last summer.

The site boasts between four and eight radomes, according to a local source who works in the satellite industry that asked to remain anonymous as they're not permitted to discuss the matter. These are structural, weatherproof enclosures that protect a radar antenna, which sends and receives data transmissions.

"There is a nearly new vacant base station array here linked directly into data centers," said another source who works in the Isle of Man's tech industry, who asked to remain anonymous as they're not directly involved with the Starlink project. The source added that it has "an excellent horizon scan because being surrounded by sea it means there is nothing in the way."

Measuring 32 miles long and 13 miles wide, the Isle of Man is a British Crown dependency that sits in the middle of the Irish Sea roughly equidistant from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Starlink already has bases in Buckinghamshire and Cornwall in England, and the Isle of Man base will enable the company to provide blanket internet coverage across Britain.

The island's location, spectrum and existing satellite infrastructure have all contributed to Starlink's decision, according to the two CNBC sources.

The first source, who received a Starlink kit in May, said the island has a "very efficient" telecoms regulator that's fast to issue relatively cheap licenses.

"Then of course, the Isle of Man is a low tax jurisdiction so [there is] very little overhead," they added. "Plus the nation has an adequacy agreement with the EU for GDPR compliance. All this makes the island a good place for satellite or data related services." GDPR is a set of data protection and privacy regulations introduced by the European Union in May 2018.

The island also has its own spectrum bands that are less busy than those used in the U.K.; the Isle of Man has just 85,000 inhabitants whereas the U.K. has around 70 million.

The Isle of Man Communications and Utilities Regulatory Authority confirmed to CNBC on Thursday that Starlink and Bluewave have been granted a license for "provision of services and location of associated equipment on the island."

A spokesperson for the island's Department for Enterprise told CNBC: "This is very exciting and positive news for the Island which will enable the deployment of satellite broadband service on-Island and further afield."

They added: "Locally, the licensing of available spectrum will provide more choice for local consumers and potential for further jobs within the Island's telecoms sector."

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment, while Bluewave declined to comment.

Starlink ultimately wants to provide the world with faster internet, starting by improving internet access in parts of the world that aren't currently served by broadband providers.

It allows people to connect to the internet via a satellite dish that is placed on or near a person's property. The internet is beamed down to the dish via a network of Starlink satellites that have been put into orbit by SpaceX and ground stations.

The company has said it plans to spend $10 billion putting 12,000 small satellites into low-Earth orbit that can beam high-speed, low-latency internet to the ground. It has launched 1,700 so far and the service is being used by 90,000 customers in 12 countries.

"You can assume they'll need lots of ground stations, in lots of places, to ensure uninterrupted coverage," Craig Moffett, an analyst at research firm MoffettNathanson, told CNBC.

"The satellites aren't yet equipped with fiber interlinks, so for now, they need to be in constant contact with the ground. That requires a tremendous number of ground stations," Moffett added.

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Why Elon Musks Starlink has set up a satellite base on a tiny island in the Irish Sea - CNBC