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Space

NUVIEW’s LiDAR Technology: The Future of Geospatial Industry

May 7, 2023

NUVIEW, a space research and technology company based in Florida, has announced that it is building a constellation of satellites to capture and map the entire surface of the Earth in 3D using LiDAR technology. LiDAR, short for Light Detection and Ranging, uses pulsed lasers to measure distances to a given target or area accurately and consistently. NUVIEW’s LiDAR satellite constellation will collect data “more than 100 times faster than current commercial aerial solutions,” providing the first, most complete, high-resolution 3D point cloud of the Earth’s surface. The company made the announcement during the Geospatial World Forum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Although it remains unclear when the company will launch its LiDAR constellation, NUVIEW has amassed $1.2 billion in contracts.

Clint Graumann, CEO & Co-Founder of NUVIEW, said in an official press release, “NUVIEW is thrilled to be leading a new era in geospatial technology to provide the first, most complete, high-resolution 3D point cloud of the Earth’s surface. Our LiDAR satellite constellation will offer a wealth of information that has never before been available at scale, driving innovation and progress throughout numerous industries and revolutionizing the way we understand and interact with our planet.”

NASA, Space

Gravity Defying: Airbus Launches Modular Space Station with Centrifuge

May 5, 2023

As the International Space Station (ISS) approaches the end of its service, several space agencies are preparing to take on its legacy with their own space stations. China plans to lead with the Tiangong, and India’s Space Research Organization (ISRO) has plans to deploy its own station by mid-decade. Meanwhile, NASA has contracted with three aerospace companies to design commercial space stations: Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef, the Axiom Space Station (AxS), and Starlab. However, a new player has entered the game: Airbus, a European multinational aerospace giant, has proposed the Multi-Purpose Orbital Module (MPOP), called the Airbus LOOP.

The Airbus LOOP is a modular space segment designed for future space stations and long-duration missions to Mars. It features three decks, a centrifuge, and enough volume for a crew of four. The LOOP builds on Airbus’s long history of human spaceflight programs, such as the ISS Columbus Module, the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), and the Orion European Service Module (ESM).

Solar Power, Space

The Future of Clean Energy? Europe’s Space-Based Solar Power Programme Explored

May 4, 2023

The European Space Agency (ESA) is investigating the feasibility of space-based solar power (SBSP) as a potential solution to Europe’s clean energy needs. With the Solaris program, the ESA is exploring the idea of massive Earth-orbiting solar farms, which could collect solar radiation 24/7, with no disruptions from nightfall or cloud cover. The energy would then be transmitted to a receiver station on Earth through microwaves or laser beams, where it would be converted into electricity and delivered to the grid. If successful, SBSP could address some of the challenges facing the transition to clean energy and could help Europe achieve its net-zero targets by 2050.

The idea of SBSP has been around since the space race, and the technology to make it a reality is already being demonstrated on Earth and in space today. The ESA believes that space-based solar power provides a continuously available, inexhaustible, sustainable, and scalable source of energy that could not only help fight climate change but also build up energy security. However, there are still many engineering and policy challenges that would need to be overcome to make this ultimate energy source a reality.

Military, Space, SpaceX

The Final Frontier Beckons: SpaceX Secures Fifth Launch Site from Space Force

May 4, 2023

The US Space Force has granted SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, permission to lease an additional rocket launch pad at a military base in Southern California, marking the space company’s fifth launch site in the US. Under the lease agreement, SpaceX’s reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle Falcon 9 will be launched from Space Launch Complex-6 (SLC-6) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, situated just north of Los Angeles, to transport cargo into orbit. In addition to this new location, SpaceX has two other launch sites in Florida and a private Starbase complex in south Texas.

Space

The Gas Station in Space: Orbit Fab’s Ambitious Plan to Extend the Life of Satellites

May 3, 2023

Orbit Fab, an American company founded in 2018, is hoping to revolutionize the satellite industry by producing in-orbit “gas stations” that can refuel satellites, making them more sustainable and profitable. Satellites currently rely on limited fuel supplies to stay in position, but with the ability to refuel in orbit, they could be used for longer periods of time, reducing the cost of manufacturing and launching them.

Orbit Fab’s plan involves sending large tanks containing several tonnes of fuel into orbit and using smaller vessels to shuttle fuel between the tanks and satellites. Although the risks associated with operating such a system are high, the company has conducted numerous tests and is confident it will be safe.

Space

Super-thin ‘mirror membranes’ could lead the way to bigger space telescopes

April 24, 2023

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed super-thin mirror membranes that could pave the way for larger space telescopes. The new technology could enable telescopes that are up to 100 times larger than current ones, allowing scientists to explore deeper into the universe than ever before.

The mirror membranes are made from silicon nitride, a strong and lightweight material that is just 100 nanometers thick, which is about 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. The membranes are coated with a layer of gold, which makes them highly reflective.

According to CU Boulder Professor Mihail Bora, the new technology has several advantages over current mirror systems. “The thinner the mirror, the less mass it has, which makes it easier to launch into space,” he said. “And because it’s so thin, it can be deformed using less force, which means we can control the shape of the mirror more precisely.”

Space

Inside Nokia plot to launch 4G internet on the Moon this year as Nasa prepares base – but there’s a huge problem

April 18, 2023

Nokia has revealed it’s working with Nasa to deploy the first 4G communications network on the Moon

Nokia is partnering with NASA to put a 4G network on the moon. The Finnish company has been chosen by the space agency to build a lunar communications system. The $14.1 million deal will see Nokia deploy an “ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened” wireless 4G network on the moon’s surface by 2022. The network will provide voice and video communication capabilities, as well as telemetry and biometric data exchange. Nokia says the network will help astronauts control lunar rovers, navigate lunar geography in real-time, and stream videos of their explorations.

According to Marcus Weldon, CTO of Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs President, this technology could also have “important research implications” as it can “support sustainable human presence on the lunar surface”. He added, “With NASA funding, we will develop and deploy the first wireless broadband communication system on the moon, using 4G LTE technology.”

Space

Scientists use rocket to create artificial Northern Lights to better understand space weather

April 6, 2023

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon but can cause damage to space infrastructure.

Scientists have used a rocket to create artificial northern lights, also known as auroras, in order to better understand space weather. The experiment was carried out by researchers from the University of Oslo, in collaboration with the Andøya Space Center in Norway.

“We wanted to simulate the conditions that create auroras and observe the resulting artificial aurora to gather data on the underlying physics of the natural phenomenon,” said Dr. Anne Hansen, a space physicist at the University of Oslo.

The rocket was launched from the Andøya Space Center and released a cloud of vapor into the atmosphere. The vapor, which was composed of barium and strontium, was used to simulate the conditions that create auroras.

Space

‘StarCrete’: Future Homes on Mars Could Be Built Using Potato-based Concrete

April 3, 2023

Scientists have developed a new material called “starcrete,” a type of concrete made using potato starch, that could be used to build future homes on Mars. This innovative material was developed by a team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and was presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2023 National Meeting and Exposition.

According to the team, the potato-based concrete could be a viable solution to the challenges of constructing buildings on Mars. Due to the planet’s extreme environment, traditional building materials such as steel and concrete would be difficult to produce and transport. However, potatoes are a crop that can be easily grown in Martian soil and provide the necessary ingredients for making the new material.

“We need to find a way to build structures on Mars that are resilient to the planet’s extreme temperature changes and strong radiation,” said Yu Qiao, a professor of structural engineering at UCSD and the leader of the research team. “Our potato-based concrete offers a feasible solution to this problem.”

Science & Technology News, Space

China’s space station experiments pave the way for new space technology

March 2, 2023

China’s Tiangong space station has conducted a series of experiments aimed at advancing space technology, laying the foundation for future missions to the moon and Mars.

“The experiments conducted on the Tiangong space station will not only benefit China’s manned space program but will also contribute to the development of the world’s space industry,” said Yu Dengyun, a researcher with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Among the experiments carried out on the space station were tests on space medicine, space agriculture, space material science, space life science, and space astronomy.

The space medicine experiments focused on the effects of microgravity on the human body, with the goal of developing countermeasures to mitigate the negative impacts of extended stays in space. Researchers also studied the effects of different levels of radiation on biological organisms, which will help improve space radiation protection technology.

Science & Technology News, Space

Blue Origin made solar cells by smelting simulated Moon dust

February 24, 2023

Lunar bases might not need resources from Earth.

Blue Origin, the space exploration company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced plans to use solar cells made from Moon soil to power future lunar missions. The company says that the solar cells, which can be made using materials found on the Moon, will provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of energy for long-term missions.

The announcement comes as Blue Origin prepares to launch its first lunar lander, called Blue Moon, in the coming years. The company says that the lander will be capable of carrying scientific instruments, rovers, and eventually humans to the Moon.

“We believe that the future of space exploration depends on sustainable, long-term solutions,” said Bob Smith, CEO of Blue Origin. “By using resources found on the Moon, we can reduce the cost and environmental impact of our missions, while also enabling new capabilities and discoveries.”

Space

Asteroid-Mining Startup Plans First Private Mission to Deep Space

February 2, 2023

The OrbAstro ORB-50 satellite platform will host a variety of instruments needed to evaluate the target asteroid from a distance.

By George Dvorsky

SCHEDULED FOR LAUNCH IN OCTOBER, ASTROFORGE’S PROSPECTOR SPACECRAFT WILL SEEK TO INSPECT AN ASTEROID LOCATED 22 MILLION MILES FROM EARTH.

AstroForge has announced an ambitious commercial mission to observe a distant asteroid—an important step for the California startup as it strives to become the world’s first deep space mining company.

AstroForge seeks to capitalize on the rapidly evolving state of the spaceflight industry and become the first firm to mine for metals in deep space. The California startup raised $13 million in seed funding last year—its first year of existence—and has now formally announced two mining-related missions that are scheduled to launch within the calendar year. The company is partnering with several others to make it happen, including OrbAstro, Dawn Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines.

Space is the place, as Sun Ra famously said, and it most certainly has plenty to offer, including rare-earth metals like platinum, gold, iridium, palladium, and osmium, among other minerals. Materials on a single asteroid could fetch trillions of dollars, making asteroid mining a tantalizing prospect. This idea has been around for decades, but the excessive costs associated with the endeavor have largely made it impossible. That’s changing, however, as it’s never been more affordable to launch rockets and manufacture satellites and spacecraft.