Global Scans · Space · Weekly Summary

• [New] NASA utilizes virtual reality technology to simulate environments and tasks that astronauts will encounter in space, providing hands-on training experiences. Zaman Osterreich
• [New] NASA astronauts will engage with a metaverse specially designed to simulate life on the lunar station, testing its suitability for long-term habitation. Zaman Osterreich
• [New] As the Chinese government eyes a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027, the Space Force is working to ensure its satellites and ground systems can operate through disruption should they be targeted. Defense News
• [New] NASA plans to send future generations of astronauts from the Moon to Mars, and DSS-43 will play an important role as part of NASA's Deep Space Network. IEEE Spectrum
• [New] Top officials from the U.S. Air Force and Space Force have outlined their fiscal year 2025 budget priorities to support the continued implementation of the 2022 National Defense Strategy and optimize operations to meet challenges posed by competition with China. Executive Gov
• [New] The present nature of the information space makes it difficult to forecast when precisely Iran might launch a retaliatory strike targeting Israel, if Iran attacks Israel at all. Critical Threats
• [New] Several recently published deep-dive analyses commissioned by NASA and the European Space Agency have thrown cold water on the hope that space solar power could affordably generate many gigawatts of clean energy in the near future. IEEE Spectrum
• [New] The United States and Japan plan to also collaborate on JAXA's Next-generation Solar-observing Satellite, SOLAR-C, which is intended to investigate the mysteries of solar atmospheres by conducting spectroscopic observations of UV radiations from the Sun. The White House
• [New] A Bahraini-British project to develop a spacecraft that will monitor Gulf greenhouse gas emissions from space has been awarded a further £1.4 million ($1.8 million) grant by the UK Space Agency. Arabian Gulf Business Insight
• Rocket Lab will have a satellite on standby to go up and inspect True Anomaly's spacecraft and will launch it when the Space Force gives the launch order. Wired
• The US Space Force announced Thursday it is partnering with two companies, Rocket Lab and True Anomaly, for a first-of-its-kind mission to demonstrate how the military might counter on-orbit aggression. Wired
• The Space Force and its partners, including Firefly Aerospace and Millennium Space Systems, managed to prepare and launch the Victus Nox satellite in record time, demonstrating the potential for rapid response in space logistics. Army Recognition
• True Anomaly, a spacecraft and software company based in Colorado, received $30 million to provide one of its Jackal space vehicles for the mission, slated to launch in 2025. C4ISRNET
• NASA will provide two seats on future Artemis lunar landing missions to astronauts from the Japanese space agency JAXA, the first agency other than NASA to secure spots on landing missions. SpaceNews
• Rocket Lab was awarded a $32 million contract and True Anomaly got a $30 million contract for Victus Haze, a demonstration mission intended to test and refine the military's capabilities for rapidly deploying satellites in response to threats in space. SpaceNews
• SpaceX's plans to use T-Mobile's cellular radio waves from space could cause interference that would derail its proposed MSS constellation. SpaceNews
• Commercial space station developer Vast will use SpaceX's Starlink constellation to provide broadband connectivity for its Haven-1 station launching in 2025. SpaceNews
• The integration between U.S. and Japanese constellations of LEO satellites provides an opportunity to improve communications and increase the resilience of both nations' space capabilities. The White House
• Japan will provide and maintain a pressurized rover to support astronauts living and working on the Moon, while the United States will allocate two astronaut flight opportunities to the lunar surface for Japan on future Artemis missions. The White House
• The U.S. will allocate two astronaut flight opportunities to the lunar surface for Japan on NASA's future Artemis missions. Voice of America (VOA News)
• Thales Alenia Space has signed a framework contract divided into different tranches with the European Space Agency, worth a total of €522m, to continue essential activities for the completion of the ExoMars 2028 mission. SpaceWatch.Global
• The integration of space data in international development projects holds immense potential for fostering sustainability and addressing global challenges. GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

Last updated: 22 April 2024