Category: SPACE

Virgin Galactic Completes First Private Astronaut Spaceflight ‘Galactic 02’

Virgin Galactic Completes First Private Astronaut Spaceflight ‘Galactic 02’

Virgin Galactic announced the completion of its first private astronaut flight, Galactic 02. The mission achieved multiple historic milestones, the company says, showcasing how their spaceflights are broadening access to space for a diverse, global community of astronauts.

Flying private astronauts Jon Goodwin from the United Kingdom, and Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers from Antigua and Barbuda, Galactic 02 achieved many firsts, including the first female astronauts from the Caribbean, the first mother-daughter duo to go to space, most women flown in a single space mission and the youngest person to go to space, among others.

“Virgin Galactic took another historic leap forward by flying our first private astronaut mission and demonstrating how our spaceflights will broaden access to space,” said Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic. “Jon, Keisha and Ana each embody our fundamental belief that space is for everyone, and we are proud that today’s flight has inspired people and communities around the world. This is just the beginning, as we plan to continue flying monthly spaceflights while also developing our Delta Class production spaceships to scale our business.”

C.J. Sturckow, VSS Unity commander said, “It is a surreal and humbling experience to have flown Unity today. The wonder and excitement of spaceflight never loses its magic. I had the honor of being joined in the cockpit by Kelly Latimer, one of the first female commercial spaceship pilots. I’m proud of the work we’re doing here at Virgin Galactic to fly more people to space.”

Kelly Latimer, VSS Unity pilot added: “In my entire career, from the Air Force Academy to being a test pilot for NASA, nothing tops what I have just experienced at the controls of VSS Unity. Going to space today fulfilled an ambition I’ve had since I was a child. It is a privilege to be part of a majority-women crew making history as the most female astronauts flying to space in a single mission.”

The company proceeded with post-flight inspections and analysis in preparation for the next commercial space mission, Galactic 03, which is planned for September in a continuation of Virgin Galactic’s monthly flight cadence.

3D Orthogonally Woven 3DMAT Quartz Materials Developed by Bally Ribbon Mills and NASA Ames Research Center Named NASA Government Invention of the Year

Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), designer and manufacturer of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics, announced the 3D Orthogonally woven 3DMAT Quartz Material for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) compression pads, developed through their partnership with NASA, has been named the 2023 NASA Government Invention of the Year. The award demonstrates NASA Ames Research Center’s commitment to cutting edge leadership and technology development for the nation. BRM and NASA efforts are a great example of NASA partnering with an American small business with a unique specialized technological capability that will further current and future exploration plans.

Compression pads serve as the interface between the crew module and service module of the Orion MPCV and carry the structural loads generated during launch, space operation, pyroshock separation of the two modules. The compression pads also serve as ablative TPS withstanding the high heating of earth reentry. 3DMAT leverages NASA’s investment in woven materials for the Orion compression pads that combines the weaving of quartz yarns with resin transfer molding.

The 3DMAT technology has helped BRM introduce 3D orthogonal woven materials to a range of new applications.

Wauseon Machine Announces Consolidation of Aftermarket Services Through Merger

Wauseon Machine, Inc. (WM), a provider of automation solutions, tube forming technologies, precision machining, and fabrication, announces an increase in the capacity and capability of its Aftermarket Services through the formal consolidation of McAlister Design and Automation (MDA) and WM. This merger will streamline the process for customers to receive goods and services such as preventive maintenance, repair, training, support and spare parts for automation equipment.

In 2022, WM acquired MDA to better meet the needs of its customers by broadening its automation capabilities and geographical footprint. Automation technology is the key to industry transformation across verticals, from aerospace and defense to automotive, consumer products, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, off road equipment, to warehousing.

To enhance and accelerate the adoption of automation for its customers, WM’s capabilities span mobile robot platforms, collaborative robots for human-robot teaming, and a range of other cutting-edge technologies. These forms of ‘flexible automation’ allow organizations to accommodate changes and repurpose automation solutions to fit ever-changing needs.

The wide-ranging benefits of flexible manufacturing include augment current labor force, maximized capacity utilization, and improved quality and accuracy. Organizations will also find that safety and ergonomics improve with flexible automation, while also allowing them to create jobs and minimize reliance on global outsourcing. Ultimately, the adoption of flexible automation also significantly increases profitability.

BAE Systems plc to Acquire Ball Aerospace

BAE Systems plc announced that it has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement to acquire the Ball Aerospace business from Ball Corporation for $5.6 billion in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments. The proposed stock transaction will be treated as an asset purchase for federal tax purposes.

“The proposed acquisition of Ball Aerospace is a unique opportunity to add a high quality, fast growing technology focused business with significant capabilities to our core business that is performing strongly and well positioned for sustained growth. It’s rare that a business of this quality, scale and complementary capabilities, with strong growth prospects and a close fit to our strategy, becomes available,” said Charles Woodburn, chief executive of BAE Systems. “The strategic and financial rationale is compelling, as we continue to focus on areas of high priority defense and Intelligence spending, strengthening our world class multi-domain portfolio and enhancing our value compounding model of top line growth, margin expansion and high cash generation. We couldn’t be more pleased to have reached this agreement and we look forward to welcoming the employees of Ball Aerospace to BAE Systems as we work together to support our customers and create value for shareholders.”

Ball Aerospace is a provider of spacecraft, mission payloads, optical systems, and antenna systems with decades of proven success underpinned by world class advanced technologies. They have trusted customer relationships among the Intelligence community, U. S. Department of Defense, and civilian space agencies. The business has been a pioneer in its markets for many decades and is organized into four main divisions: national defense, tactical solutions, civil space and advanced technology and information solutions.

The business operates across a broad base of customers and platforms. It is well positioned in highly attractive markets, military and civil space, C4ISR, and missile and munitions. The space market exposure extends across positions in defense, intelligence, and scientific missions. The tactical solutions business is well positioned to capture expected increases in demand for missiles and munitions.

The business is headquartered in Colorado, with more than 5,200 employees, more than 60% of whom hold U. S. security clearances.

RTX Selected for Crossover Task Order Under NASA xEVAS Contract

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, with partners ILC Dover and Oceaneering, announced recently it has been awarded a new task order under NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract to modify the company’s current spacesuit to support lunar endeavors.

The follow-on task order allows Collins to add on to the company’s new spacesuit design, developing elements that are compatible for use on the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis missions.

“Our next-generation spacesuit design is nearly 90% compatible with a lunar mission,” said Dave Romero, director, EVA & Human Surface Mobility Systems for Collins Aerospace. “This formal contract award will support continued efforts to modify our next-generation spacesuit, making it suitable to tasks on the Moon.”

Collins was awarded a task order valued at five million dollars, following a proposal process that required the company to identify the methodologies to develop a crossover product. 

Collins’ next-generation suit is lower in weight than the current extravehicular mobility unit and will improve astronaut efficiency, range of motion, and comfort. Designed to fit nearly any body type, it also has an open architecture design that enables the suit to be easily modified as missions change and evolve.

As NASA and Collins continue to advance the xEVAS program with events like Collins’ upcoming Critical Design Review and testing, such as a thermal vacuum test and underwater tests held at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab, Collins stands ready to help NASA and its international and commercial partners from low Earth Orbit to deep space.

FAA Launches Commercial Human Spaceflight Occupant Safety Rulemaking Committee

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching a rulemaking committee to examine the development and cost of possible future regulations for commercial human spaceflight occupant safety.

The agency is taking this action due to the increase in commercial space activities and the impending end of the Congressional prohibition on commercial human spaceflight regulations in October 2023.

The committee is expected to gather recommendations from industry and other stakeholders to help the FAA plan, conceive, and implement—when the time is right—a well-informed, thoughtful, regulatory regime for commercial human spaceflight occupant safety. Recommendations will be submitted to the FAA next summer.

The committee is co-chaired by Dr. Minh Nguyen, executive director of the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation and Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar, chief government and external relations officer of Axiom Space.

Under current federal law, the FAA cannot regulate the safety of individuals on board a space launch or reentry vehicle absent death, serious injury, or a close call. Congress first imposed this regulatory learning period in 2004, and subsequently extended it, to ensure the industry had ample time to grow and innovate.

Presently, FAA regulations require crew and spaceflight participants are made aware of the hazards of space travel and fly under a written informed consent framework.

In addition to this rulemaking committee, the FAA is updating its recommended practices for commercial human spaceflight occupant safety, working with various organizations to develop voluntary consensus standard and conducting or facilitating human spaceflight research.

3D Orthogonally Woven 3DMAT Quartz Materials Developed by Bally Ribbon Mills and NASA Ames Research Center Named NASA Government Invention of the Year

Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM), an industry leader in the design, development, and manufacture of highly specialized engineered woven fabrics, announces the 3D Orthogonally woven 3DMAT Quartz Material for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) compression pads, developed through their partnership with NASA, has been named the 2023 NASA Government Invention of the Year. The award demonstrates NASA Ames Research Center’s commitment to cutting edge leadership and technology development for the nation. BRM and NASA efforts are a great example of NASA partnering with an American small business with a unique specialized technological capability that will further current and future exploration plans.

Compression pads serve as the interface between the crew module and service module of the Orion MPCV and carry the structural loads generated during launch, space operation, pyroshock separation of the two modules. The compression pads also serve as ablative TPS withstanding the high heating of earth reentry. 3DMAT leverages NASA’s investment in woven materials for the Orion compression pads that combines the weaving of quartz yarns with resin transfer molding.

The 3DMAT technology has helped BRM introduce 3D orthogonal woven materials to a range of new applications.

Special Aerospace Services Awarded Space Act Agreement with NASA to Develop Commercial, Autonomous Maneuvering Unit

Special Aerospace Services, the leader in spaceflight engineering and hardware solutions for the aerospace industry, has been awarded a Space Act Agreement (SAA) by NASA to develop a commercial version of an Autonomous Maneuvering Unit (AMU) to be used in civil, commercial, and national security missions. Awarded under the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities (CCSC-2) initiative, the AMU system will allow safer assembly of commercial LEO (low Earth orbit) space stations, servicing, retrieval, and inspection of in-space systems. 

“This agreement is critical in providing expertise, historical data, lessons learned, and access to NASA personnel in order for SAS to accelerate our commercial development of the AMU technology,” said Special Aerospace Services Chief Technical Officer & Co-Founder Tim Bulk.

SAS has spent the last three years investing in in-space servicing technology, propulsion, and robotic technology, specifically in the prototype development of the AMU and the Astronaut Assist-AMU for commercial in-space servicing and mobility applications.

“SAS’ AMU technology will rapidly advance commercial space-related efforts,” said Special Aerospace Services President and Chief Executive Officer Heather Bulk. “We look forward to this partnership and long-term collaboration with NASA.”

TTTech and STMicroelectronics Collaborate to Provide High-Performance Networking Solutions for Deep Space

TTTech, safe networking and computing platforms provider, and STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor company serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, celebrate seven years of collaboration in the space sector. TTTech’s advanced, safe, and reliable networking components and platform solutions, based on ST chips are deployed in key space industry commercial and exploration programs. After the first variant of TTTech’s and ST’s codeveloped chip was selected for the Ariane 6 launcher program, a second variant, tailored for the very harsh constraints of deep space, is being implemented in modules of the Gateway space station, a key part of NASA’s Artemis program.

“We are witnessing a new space era. The space market has captured lots of commercial funding and benefits from increased governmental spending. There is a growing demand for satellite constellations providing global internet connection and earth observation. At the same time, international cooperation, such as NASA Artemis and programs like the Gateway space station, are pushing space travel and new industries and projects, such as Moon habitation and rovers. They also foster the need for high-tech, safe, and secure digital communication solutions, which is our core competence. TTTech is proud to be on board of such missions and to work with a leading technology company like STMicroelectronics to shape the future of the space market,” said Georg Kopetz, CEO TTTech.

“Cutting-edge technology is a must for a vision of connected deep space to become a reality. ST’s chips power the space industry through collaboration with space agencies and market leaders, such as TTTech. As part of this collaboration, we are bringing two innovative variants of the same chip, enabling both short-lived but tough launcher’s reliability conditions and missions lasting over 15 years in very harsh constraints of deep space,” added Vincent Fraisse, general manager, RF & Communication Division, STMicroelectronics. “As an integrated device manufacturer, ST provides this transforming market with decades of high-reliability semiconductor expertise and its customers with the security of supply with its Europe-based front-end and back-end manufacturing.”

In 2021, TTTech and ST completed the development, industrialization, and qualification of highly integrated, radiation-hardened TTEthernet network controllers that are now used in the avionics systems of multiple launcher and robotic programs [https://www.tttech.com/press/ttethernet-network-controllers-space-series-production/], including the Ariane 6 launcher program and the NASA Gateway modules.

In particular, TTTech and ST are contributing to the creation of the Ariane 6 avionics backbone system where the challenge was to develop and qualify a solution that supports a short life cycle in the harsh conditions of a launch. Ariane 6 [https://www.arianespace.com/vehicle/ariane-6/] is a European launch system currently undergoing its test campaign, developed by ArianeGroup on behalf of the European Space Agency. The chips and related software resulting from the collaboration between TTTech and ST are integrated into more than 50 avionic units that all connect to a single, redundant TTEthernet network, the launcher’s “nervous system.”

The second variant will notably use a hermetic ceramic package to support the very harsh radiation conditions of deep space, over an extended life cycle of multiple years. It will be on board the first two NASA Gateway modules to go to space, the Habitation and Logistics Module (HALO) and the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE). Gateway will be the first space station in lunar orbit. It is a key part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024 and eventually enable future crewed missions to Mars. The PPE will generate 60kW of electrical power to power Gateway’s subsystems and solar electric propulsion system, allowing it to maintain its unique orbit around the Moon and communications for the lunar orbiting outpost. Meanwhile, the HALO module will serve as the backbone for command and control and power distribution across Gateway, providing living quarters and enabling science investigations and communication with lunar surface expeditions.

PickNik Robotics Secures Two New NASA SBIR Contracts for Advancing Autonomous Robotic Systems

PickNik Robotics, a leading provider of advanced robotic solutions, is pleased to announce its success in securing two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with NASA. These prestigious contracts highlight PickNik Robotics’ continued expertise in developing cutting-edge technologies for autonomous robotic manipulation, utilization, and maintenance, as well as integrated mission planning and execution for space operations.

The first SBIR award focuses on a groundbreaking project titled “A Framework for Failure Management and Recovery for Remote Autonomous Task Planning and Execution.” With NASA’s increasing need for highly autonomous robotic systems to maintain critical spaceflight hardware, PickNik Robotics is pioneering a novel fault detection and reporting system. This system will empower remote operators to diagnose and resolve failures in real-time, allowing them to adjust task specifications and guide the in situ robot to recover and complete the objective. By developing comprehensive software tools and user interfaces, PickNik Robotics aims to enhance the capabilities of NASA’s robotic endeavors, including the Artemis program and other projects such as Dexterous Robotics Lab, Robonaut, SPHERES, Astrobee, and OSAM servicing missions. Furthermore, the versatility of this system extends beyond NASA, presenting potential applications in commercial space flight, defense, and other terrestrial industries.

The second SBIR award centers around the project “Task and Motion Planning for Space Operations, with Human-Assisted Recovery.” As space operations increasingly rely on Persistent Assets, which demand repeated visits and regular maintenance, the need for autonomous systems becomes paramount. PickNik Robotics proposes integrating Task and Motion Planning into its MoveIt Studio product, allowing remote operators to provide high-level task specifications while the autonomous system generates and executes action sequences to meet those specifications. To address unforeseen errors, a mechanism for autonomous failure identification and remote operator intervention will be implemented. This system not only enhances the autonomy capabilities of robotic systems in space but also reduces the cognitive load on remote operators by elevating their role in human-machine teams to higher-level goal specifications and task monitoring. The potential NASA applications span zero-gravity systems, extraplanetary surface systems, habitats, laboratories, construction sites, and more. Outside of NASA, this innovation holds promise for logistics, manufacturing, home service, hospitality, public safety, and asset inspection industries.

PickNik Robotics is excited to embark on these transformative projects in collaboration with NASA. “We are pushing the boundaries of autonomous robotic systems in order to revolutionize space operations,” said Dr. Dave Coleman, PickNik’s CEO. “We believe this will also open new horizons for commercial applications.”