SpinLaunch raises $30 million for work on Meridian Space constellation. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The announcement of the new funding said nothing about SpinLaunch’s efforts to develop an orbital launch system. The company, which built a subscale centrifuge at Spaceport America in New Mexico for suborbital tests, said in April it signed an agreement to lease land on Adak Island in Alaska’s Aleutian island chain to host the larger centrifuge needed for the orbital launch system.”
A New Fuel for Nuclear Power Systems Could Enable Missions to Mars and Beyond. UniverseToday.com article. Pull quote: “Historically, RSPs have relied on plutonium-238 as a heat source, which generates heat through slow radioactive decay. However, NASA is facing a potential shortage of this isotope, given that the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) ceased production after the Cold War and stockpiles are dwindling. To address this, the Thermal Energy Conversion Branch at NASA's Glenn Research Center and the University of Leicester have partnered to investigate Americium-241 as an alternative. This element could be an additional RPS heat source, powering future long-duration missions to destinations far beyond the Earth-Moon system.”
SpaceX Unveils New Version of Mars-Bound Starship. Newsweek.com article. Pull quote: “SpaceX has moved a new iteration of its Starship model to its Starbase in Texas for preflight testing. The new model, which CEO Elon Musk described as the "V2 Starship," is the latest development in the line of spaceships he hopes will one day take a manned mission to Mars.”
Why The Dream Chaser Space Plane Keeps Getting Delayed. BGR.com article. Pull quote: “One reason the Dream Chaser's space journey hasn't happened yet is due to the Boeing Starliner fiasco that trapped astronauts in space for nine months in what was only meant to be a week-long test flight. That was caused by multiple technical issues, including problems with the flight software. NASA has since enforced the need for comprehensive flight software testing, which has likely slowed down the Dream Chaser's progress as it accommodates additional safety tests and approvals.”
US firm’s solid rocket motor with grain propellant tested, delivers increased performance. InterestingEngineering.com article. Pull quote: “By combining proven hardware, rapid production, and a mission-agnostic manufacturing line, Ursa Major is reshaping the solid rocket motor landscape, unlocking urgently needed capacity for the U.S. and its allies. This successful static fire comes after the announcement validating similar capabilities of both 10” diameter and 5” diameter SRMs, according to a press release.”
“Warship Hangs Over the Clouds”: Space Force Rushes to Complete First Orbital Carrier Poised to Control the Skies Above Every Nation. Energy-Reporters.com article. Pull quote: “Gravitics has embarked on an ambitious mission to revolutionize satellite deployment with its orbital aircraft carrier. This $60 million project, funded by the U.S. Space Force, aims to enable the direct launch of satellites from Earth’s orbit. Such a platform promises to provide a faster and more agile response to national security threats by eliminating the need for traditional rocket launches. The concept of a space-based carrier represents a significant strategic advantage for the military.” Includes pulp-SF ‘illustration’ of the carrier.
EO 14335 - Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry, Federal Register.
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