Short Takes – 6-20-25 – Space Geek Edition

NASA Provides Latest Axiom Mission 4 Launch, Station Operations Update. NASA.gov blog post. June 22^nd date cancelled. Pull quote: “The space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module. Because of the space station’s interconnected and interdependent systems, NASA wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data.”

Landspace performs 9-engine static fire test for reusable Zhuque-3 rocket. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The first Zhuque-3 orbital launch attempt was earlier slated for the third quarter of the year and would carry a prototype of the reusable Haolong cargo spacecraft, designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute under the Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC). The test is part of a program for low-cost cargo delivery to the Tiangong space station. Landspace did not provide a timeframe for the launch in its static fire test statement.”

ESA signs agreement for potential use of Orbital Reef. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: ““We would really like to be able to continue to perform science and technology development in low Earth orbit,” said Andreas Mogensen, an ESA astronaut, during a panel discussion at the Paris Air Show June 19. “We are really exploring the possibilities of how we can cooperate, not just as a user and a paying customer, but also as a partner with many of these commercial entities.””

Transportation Chemical Incidents – Week of 5-17-25

Reporting Background

See this post for explanation, with the most recent update here (removed from paywall).

Data from PHMSA’s online database of transportation related chemical incidents that have been reported to the agency.

Incidents Summary

• Number of incidents – 583 (551 highway, 29 air, 3 rail, 0 water)

• Serious incidents – 2 (2 Bulk release, 0 evacuation, 0 injury, 0 death, 0 major artery closed, 0 fire/explosion, 33 no release)

• Largest container involved – 30,270-gal Railcar {HYDROCHLORIC ACID} No description of incident of type of railcar.

• Largest amount spilled – 200-gal Plastic IBC {Corrosive Liquid, Acidic, Inorganic, N.O.S.} Improper blocking and bracing.

• Total amount reported spilled in all incidents – 1669.4 gal

NOTE: Links above are to Form 5800.1 for the described incidents.

Most Interesting Chemical: Methyltetrahydrofuran: A colorless liquid with an ether-like odor. Less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air. Used to make other chemicals and as a solvent. Highly flammable. Partially soluble in water. Oxidizes readily in air to form unstable peroxides that may explode spontaneously. (Source: CameoChemicals.NOAA.gov).

 

OMB Approves EO 14284 Final rule from OPM

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a direct final rule from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on “Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service”.

The rulemaking was sent to OIRA on May 19^th, 2025. While this rulemaking was not published in the Spring 2024 Unified Agenda, I think that we can safely assume that it implements the requirements of EO 4284 of the same name. As I noted in an earlier post, that rulemaking directly changed 5 CFR Part 2, Appointment Through the Competitive Service.

I will not be covering this regulation change in any detail, but I will announce its publication in the appropriate ‘Short Takes’ post.

Short Takes – 6-19-25

Mysterious radio pulses detected high above Antarctica may be evidence of an exotic new particle, scientists say. Space.com article. Pull quote: “Further answers may have to wait for the "next big thing" in neutrino detection, the larger and more sensitive Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) instrument, currently being developed by Penn State.”

The NASA Foundation: A method for privately funding NASA science. TheSpaceReview.com article. Pull quote: “The proposed NASA Foundation would allow individuals and corporations to make tax deductible donations to fund specific NASA programs and missions. Corporations could also contribute by creating “cause marketing” campaigns to raise funds for NASA. Cause marketing is a promotional strategy in which a portion of the sales price of an item is donated to a non-profit like the NASA Foundation. This would be ideal for corporations like Lego that often promote toys based on NASA programs. Corporations that support the NASA Foundation could be allowed to display a logo indicating their financial support of NASA that would serve to create greater visibility for the foundation.”

Starship destroyed in test stand explosion. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The explosion deals another setback to SpaceX’s development of the Starship vehicle. Ship 36 was planned to be the upper stage for the next Starship test flight, known as Flight 10. A Federal Aviation Administration advisory June 18 indicated that Flight 10 could launch as soon as June 29, although SpaceX would still require approvals from the FAA before attempting a launch.”

Inside the US power struggle over coal. TechnologyReview.com commentary. Pull quote: “While the demise of coal has been great for US emissions, the real driver is economics. Coal used to be the cheapest form of electricity generation around, but the fracking boom handed that crown to natural gas over a decade ago. And now, even cheaper wind and solar power is coming online in droves.”

Portal Space Systems to build larger factory for Supernova vehicle. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: ““We can no longer build spacecraft that can only fly at one altitude, because now our adversaries are building spacecraft that are much more capable,” he said. “Maneuverability specifically is key to reasserting the free use of space for allied nations.””

Firefly Aerospace to launch 'Ocula' moon-imaging service as early as 2026. Space.com article. Pull quote: “"Powered by a constellation of Elytra vehicles in lunar orbit, and eventually Mars orbit, Ocula will provide critical data that informs future human and robotic missions and supports national security with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance," Firefly CEO Jason Kim said in an emailed statement. "This service will fill a void for our nation with advanced lunar imaging capabilities and a sustainable commercial business model."”

EO 14308: Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response. Federal Register.

Review - Bills Introduced – 6-18-25

Yesterday, with just the Senate in session, there were 46 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

S 2104 A bill to amend section 11101 of title 49, United States Code, to ensure that rail carriers provide transportation or service in a manner that fulfills the shipper's reasonable service requirements. Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]

 

For more information on these bills, including legislative history for similar bills in the 118th, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-6-18-25 - subscription required.

CSB Publishes 2nd Update for the November 2024 Givaudan Explosion

Yesterday the Chemical Safety Board announced the publication of the 2^nd update for their investigation of a process explosion at the Givaudan Sense Colour facility in Louisville, Kentucky on November 12^th 2024. The first update was published on February 27^th, 2025. The earlier update provided a process description and timeline of the incident.

This update looks at the potential for a self-accelerating decomposition reaction. The CSB conducted Automatic Pressure Tracking Adiabatic Calorimetry (APTAC) and Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) testing of both the expected vessel contents at the time of the explosion and just the sugar ingredient. The testing showed that an exothermic decomposition reaction, producing CO2 gas began at about 226 °F on the reaction solution and 295 °F for the sugar. The report notes that (pg 4):

“The results of the chemical reactivity testing show that even within the batch reactor’s normal operating temperature and pressure range, both the caramel coloring ingredient mixture as well as the sugar ingredient alone could experience a hazardous runaway reaction, producing dangerously high temperatures and pressures far beyond the reactor’s safe limits, which in turn could cause the reactor to explode.”

With these findings in hand, the CSB is now looking at the design basis for the reaction vessel’s pressure relief system.

OSHA Sends 2 NPRMs to OMB – 6-18-25

Yesterday OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received two notices of proposed rulemaking from the DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The two rulemakings were:

• Interpretation of the General Duty Clause: Limitation for Inherently Risky Professional Activities, and

• Updates to Respiratory Protection Standard Medical Evaluation Requirements

Neither rulemaking was listed in the Fall 2024 Unified Agenda, so we can assume that these are part of the new Administration’s deregulatory efforts. It is unclear at this point how broad the rulemaking’s definition of an ‘inherently risky professional activity’ will be, so it is hard to tell what industries will be affected. OSHA’s ‘general duty’ clause has wide implications for many industries. The second rulemaking will certainly be of interest to the chemical manufacturing industry.