Short Takes – 9-4-25 – Space Geek Edition

Space assets are under silent siege. Cybersecurity can’t be an afterthought. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “Cyber actors can exploit weak access controls, insecure software integrations, and delays in implementing defensive measures, especially during high-risk phases like early deployment. These vulnerabilities are magnified when systems are built with minimal security, whether from resource constraints or procurement choices such as lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) that prioritize cost and speed over resilience. In such environments, even “undetected” intrusions can allow adversaries to quietly entrench themselves, map critical systems and pre-position capabilities for future disruption.”

NASA debuts new Orion mission control room for Artemis 2 astronaut flight around the moon. Space.com article. Pull quote: “NASA is currently targeting no earlier than February 2026 for Artemis 2, with a mission window open through April. NASA has selected astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen as the Artemis 2 crew. If that mission is deemed a success, NASA hopes to launch Artemis 3 sometime in 2027.”

Aircraft links with satellite using laser terminals in interoperability test. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “Unlike traditional radio-frequency communications, laser (or optical) links offer high data rates and are more difficult to jam or intercept. But interoperability has been a longstanding challenge. Different vendors have developed their own laser communications terminals, often with proprietary implementations, which can prevent seamless connectivity. SDA’s OCT standard is meant to fix that by enforcing common specifications.”

Companies race to win ground transportation contracts for the moon. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “If the Artemis missions are to catalyze further exploration of the moon and mark NASA’s shift from operator to customer in a growing lunar economy, much will depend on the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, a NASA program worth up to $4.6 billion over 10 years. With a decision on the contract just months away, NASA is weighing which design will carry its astronauts across the lunar surface.”

Fuel supply is a bottleneck for Starship—here’s how SpaceX will get around it. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: “There are innumerable bottlenecks to achieving such a fast launch cadence. One of them is simply a matter of logistics. It takes more than 200 tanker trucks traveling from distant refineries to deliver all of the methane, liquid oxygen, and liquid nitrogen for a Starship launch. SpaceX officials recognize this is not an efficient means of conveying these commodities to the launch pad. It takes time, emits pollution, and clogs roadways. The sole two-lane highway leading to Starbase from nearby Brownsville, Texas, is riddled with potholes and cracks in the pavement from overuse by heavy trucks.”

Spacedock to demonstrate modular payload interface with Oligo and Melagen. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “Working with launch integrator Oligo Space and radiation-shielding specialist Melagen Labs, Spacedock is preparing to fly its berthing and docking connector, also called Spacedock, in the second quarter of 2026. Spacedock is a modular interface designed for satellite servicing and space-station docking.”