Short Takes – 5-10-24 – Space Geek Edition

NASA watchdog report: 100+ cracks on heat shield biggest threat to human moon mission. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “NASA leaders say they are committed to fixing the heat shield but have admitted they might not be able to nail down the root cause for the damage. The report warned that NASA's plan to consider modifying Orion's reentry trajectory or redesigning the heat shield can also introduce unknown risks.”

Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Open a Public Scoping Period, and Hold Public Scoping Meetings. Federal Register FAA EIS notice. Summary: “This Notice provides information to Federal, State, and local agencies; Native American tribes; and other interested persons regarding the FAA's intent to prepare an EIS to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of issuing a commercial launch Vehicle Operator License to SpaceX for the Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. SpaceX proposes to construct launch, landing, and other associated infrastructure at and in proximity to LC-39A. The proposal would also include Starship-Super Heavy launches at LC-39A; recoverable Super Heavy booster and Starship landings at LC-39A or on a droneship; and expendable Super Heavy booster and Starship landings in the ocean. The FAA will prepare the EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, and FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, as part of its licensing process.” Comments due June 24^th, 2024.

Sierra Space prepares to ship Dream Chaser to Florida. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The mission is the first of seven currently under contract to Sierra Space for NASA cargo missions to the ISS. The company is building a second Dream Chaser vehicle, called Reverence, that will be used with Tenacity on those missions and potential other applications. The company has also announced its intent to develop a crewed version of Dream Chaser.”

POLARIS Spaceplanes Moves Ahead with New MIRA Prototypes. EuropeanSpaceFlight.com article. Pull quote: “The demonstrators’ fiber-reinforced fuselage shells are currently being manufactured for POLARIS by Aachen-based company Up2-Tec. The company expects the shells to be delivered by June. Polaris teams will then complete a four-week assembly and integration period before preparing for a maiden flight.”

Aiming for Apophis. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “Such [multiple agency] efforts need to come together quickly to get a spacecraft built and launched in time to reach Apophis before its 2029 flyby. “Decisions have to be made here in the next six months as to what we are going to do,” Johnson said, “because we are out of time.”

Redwire announces second VLEO satellite platform. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The Phantom bus is designed for missions at orbits below 300 kilometers, where atmospheric drag plays a much larger role, requiring more aerodynamic designs and propulsion to maintain orbit. Phantom can accommodate payloads weigh up to 50 kilograms, with a total spacecraft mass of up to 300 kilograms, according to company documents. The spacecraft uses electric propulsion to maintain its orbit for missions lasting as long as five years.”

Axiom Space eyes the moon while continuing to dream big in Earth orbit. Space.com article. Pull quote: “Axiom Space could contribute to Artemis missions in additional ways as well; the company is partnering with Astrolab and Odyssey Space Research on the FLEX lunar rover project, one of three private efforts that just received NASA funding for development work. One of these three private designs is expected to become the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which Artemis astronauts will use to drive around on the moon.”