The Space Resource Newsletter - March 2021
The next generation Virgin Galactic spaceship, which will be glide tested this summer. Credit: Virgin Galactic.
Welcome to The Space Resource monthly newsletter for March 2021. Blue Origin planning lunar gravity conditions on New Shephard, NASA funds vertical solar array deployer research, and a close asteroid flyby.
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Asteroids
Asteroid 2001 FO32 flew 1.25 million miles (2M km) from Earth. 2001 FO32 is an Sr-type asteroid, being composed mostly of iron- and magnesium-silicates with distinct olivine and pyroxene features. This asteroid type is moderately bright and likely originated from the inner asteroid belt. 2001 FO32 is about 1,400-2,200 feet (440-680 m) across. Because of its orbit passing through Earth’s orbit, it is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) within the Apollo group. While it’s next closest approach won’t take place until 2052, the flyby serves as a reminder that there are many asteroids that frequently visit cislunar space, serving as tempting targets for future prospecting missions
CISLUNAR
Yusaku Maezawa opened lunar expedition applications to any creative individual. Originally planned for seven to eight artists, Maezawa expanded his mission to include any person doing something creative. They just need to “push the envelope” creatively and be willing to help their fellow crew members do the same. The mission will use a SpaceX Starship during their trip around the Moon. Applications closed March 14, with follow-on interviews and medicals to be performed by May 2021. The flight is scheduled for 2023.
China training taikonauts for a crewed mission to start their first permanent space station. This station, called Tianhe, may be launched as early as April 2021, and will be built out over 11 missions through the next two years. It will have an operational life of 15 years, and is expected to support three taikonauts at any given time. The current cohort of crew members are being trained to assemble some of these modules.
International Space Station (ISS) prepared for upgrades, including new solar panels. After more than 20 years of operations in space, some of the original components on the ISS are showing their age, including some solar panels. Six new solar panels will be installed in a few months, which should provide a power boost of around 30%. Upgrades like this ensure the station continues to expand its capabilities to match upcoming missions.
NASA CAPSTONE to study lunar halo orbit that Gateway will use. The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) is a 8x8x4 inch CubeSat that has hydrazine based thrusters. Once launched from a rocket Lab electron rocket, CAPSTONE will propel itself over three months into a near rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. This is a similar orbit that the lunar Gateway orbiter will use. CAPSTONE will study this orbit in greater detail, along with testing navigation and communications capabilities. Link.
Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover takes its first drive on Mars. The rover moved forward 13 feet (4 m), turned left 150 degrees, and then backed up 8 feet (2.5 m). This drive allowed mission controllers to evaluate the movement system, ensuring the rover is capable of driving into a nearby delta over the next few months. The protective “belly pan” has also been released, with the rover currently making its way to a flat area to drop off the Ingenuity helicopter.
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter preparing for its first flight. Weighing just four pounds (1.8 kg), this tiny helicopter will be the first aircraft deployed off of Earth. It is expected to operate for 30 Martian days once deployed. Flying on Mars is challenging because Mars’ atmosphere is 1% as dense as it is on Earth, gravity is about one third that of Earth’s, the surface only receives about half the solar energy compared to daytime on Earth, and the nighttime temperatures can drop to -130 F (-90 C). Flying drones promise to rapidly accelerate the exploration possible on Mars, allowing the drone to bypass rough terrain and scout large distances much quicker than a rover can. Link.
Moon
NASA selects five companies to develop vertically deployable solar array systems for the Moon. The system must autonomously deploy a solar array up to 32 feet (9.75 m) high, and retract it for relocation. Additional requirements include the need to remain stable on steep terrain, operate with abrasive lunar dust, survive extreme temperature swings, and be mass sensitive. Five companies were awarded $700,000 each, where they must design and analyze potential systems over a 12 month period of performance. Two companies may be awarded up to $7.5 million each to build prototypes and perform environmental testing. Ideally, one of these systems could be deployed on a future Artemis mission before 2030. Link.
Blue Origin developing lunar gravity testing capabilities for New Shepard. Lunar gravity is about one-sixth that of Earth, which is difficult to mimic terrestrially. New Shepard will provide lunar gravity by using its reaction control system to impart a rotation on the capsule, providing about two minutes of continuous lunar gravity. Prior tests often used complicated wire and pulley systems to offset system mass, however, this would not work for many space resource processing systems that need to evaluate how regolith moves in lunar gravity. The lunar gravity capabilities represent a great opportunity for researchers to test their systems without launching them directly to the Moon (often quoted at $5 million per kilogram). Additionally, New Shepard flights allow much quicker timelines than full space missions, allowing for rapid system iterations. The first lunar gravity tests are projected for late 2022, with NASA being an early customer. Link.
Terrestrial
Bill Nelson was nominated for NASA’s 14th Administrator. Nelson is a former U.S. Representative and Senator, and a former astronaut who flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986. He is currently serving on NASA’s Advisory Council. His nomination is awaiting approval from the Senate, but has already received support from multiple Senators. His experience and background make him a good choice for the position. Link.
SpaceX continues pushing Starship development with two tests. Four Starships have now been tested, although all have crash landed to some extent. However, each test provides invaluable data on how to make the next vehicle better. Starship SN15 should perform much better, as it includes many of these improvements. Link.
Virgin Galactic unveils sleek next generation spaceship. The VSS features a distinct mirror-like finish that aids the thermal protection system, while also being easier to manufacture. Virgin aims to perform glide tests over the summer. Their prior generation spaceship has not yet received regulatory approval for commercial flights, due to mechanical issues causing recent delays. While neither of these vehicles will reach orbit, they will allow future passengers to experience prolonged weightlessness while on a parabolic flight. For near term space tourism, this still promises to be a more affordable option than traditional spaceflight.
Redwire announces plan to go public via a SPAC. Redwire is a private equity backed firm that is building an integrated space logistics company, having acquired seven space based companies within the past year. Going public with a Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation (SPAC) will provide Redwire a large pool of cash with minimal time and reporting requirements compared to an IPO. Rewire has mentioned that having public shares will make future acquisitions more enticing. Pending the merge, Redwire will have a valuation at $615 million. The merge is expected by the end of Q2 this year. Link.
