I Guess He’d Rather Be in Colorado 🎵
How the new home of the US Space Command proves that John Denver isn’t the only one who’d rather be in Colorado, and all the other space happenings this week
Hello Celestial Citizens and Continuum readers,
I’ll be the first to admit that I am wholly unprepared to write anything entertaining to kick off this week’s Continuum. The past few days were filled with meeting lots of cool space people, making plans, getting excited about the future of space exploration…and seeing the evolution of this industry from a different perspective. Emotions were up and down of course like any week (there will always be setbacks), but at the heart of everything, my optimism for what comes next is the thing that keeps me pushing ahead. I know this message will fall on friendly ears, but I truly believe there really is a way to build a future that I can feel proud to tell my kids I worked toward. And as we work, we build connection and community — in short, we find our people. So, in the midst of getting out and living life and finding my space people, I never sat down to write my usual cheeky commentary on current events. Wishing you find the same.
And now, here is the space beat you came here for…
Top Headlines
Rocky Mountain Highs & Lows – This past week, President Biden settled an ongoing game of tug-of-war (though not the kind where everyone is smiling) by ordering the US Space Command to stay in Colorado Springs, where it had been temporarily stationed. This order reverses one by former president Mr. D. Trump, who had chosen Alabama to be the Command’s permanent location. While the Biden administration attributes the decision to maintaining “peak readiness” during a “critical period,” Republican lawmakers in Alabama think civil politics are to blame. Namely, speculation surrounds Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville’s protest against a Pentagon abortion policy, which reimburses military members for their travel to/from an abortion or fertility clinic. We may never know whether the order came from spite or a genuine effort to maintain consistency amidst global conflict, but Mr. Tuberville believes that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent that military bases will be placed only as “rewards for political supporters rather than for our security.”
Think My Name’s Funny, Do You? – Nuclear energy may be the villain in Oppenheimer, but when it's not always used for evil, it can be a real hero. Last week, NASA and DARPA announced a plan to launch the first nuclear-powered rocket test as early as late 2026 or early 2027, through a program known as DRACO (so yes, that’s a Harry Potter reference we made in the title). While this isn’t the first time the US has considered nuclear space travel, the state of our nuclear and space technology gives the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations program more promise than past operations, such as NERVA – which never accomplished a test run during its lifespan between the ‘50s and ‘70s. For NASA, a nuclear-powered rocket holds the key for efficient space travel to Mars. For context, it currently takes a hydrogen or methane-fueled rocket 7-9 months to get to Mars – and that’s when the planets are adequately aligned every couple years. With a nuclear engine, we could theoretically get there in 3-4 months. Still a long ride – and a whole lot of crossword puzzle books to get through – but a huge step forward in making the exploration and even settling of Mars a reality. For DARPA – who is actually responsible for starting the program back in 2020 – a more efficient engine could support military endeavors here in Earth’s orbit, too.
So Who’s “Biologic” Is It, Anyways? – After a whistleblower testified that the US government is hiding UFOs (or UAPs, if you’re fancy) – where “nonhuman biologics” are involved – the public fantasized about hidden alien bodies within the Pentagon. While the “biologics” in question are not likely in the form of a lean, green alien body as we might imagine, the whole debacle brought both sides of the aisle together on one thing: we need more transparency. With such a huge defense budget – recently exposed in a savage game of “JeaporDoD” by California Rep. Katie Porter for not being able to account for 61% of its assets – we can’t have secretive efforts that taxpayers don’t know about. If nothing else, the hearing will lead to new legislation around the classification of UAPs, which will hopefully give NASA’s UAP team a lot more to work with.
Au Revoir Antares – It’s the last dance for Northrop’s Antares rocket, which lifted off on Tuesday evening with a carload of cargo for the ISS. The Cygnus cargo vehicle – named after late Columbia astronaut Laurel Clark – docked with the space station early this morning, carrying 20 research experiments and crew resupply. Antares manufacturer Northrop Grumman has been working to replace this model – the 230 series – after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted their supply chain. The new 330 series was initially expected to launch in late 2024, though sources close to development put that date closer to “Summer 2025.”
Voyager, I Hardly Know Her – In late July, NASA engineers gave an outer planet-trolling spacecraft an incorrect signal, resulting in a lost connection. Launched back in the 1970s, the Voyager 2 has managed to meander over 12 billion miles from Earth, and has been responsible for sharing rare and essential data on interstellar space. So, the agency was understandably distraught at the thought of losing the 46 year-old explorer to deep space. Fortunately, the JPL lab communicating with Voyager 2 received a signal this week – enough to verify the spacecraft is alive and well – though they’re still waiting to see if their tricky antennae maneuver worked to regain full data exchange capabilities. While Voyager 2’s age might give NASA more concern in some respects, the team also acknowledges that with age comes wisdom. “It’s done well so far,” a spokesperson for the lab admits, giving NASA “confidence that it’ll be OK.”
In Other NASA News – When they’re not dealing with slippery spacecraft, NASA is handling an ever changing list of initiatives from the US government. Here’s a quick roundup of bills advanced and snuffed over the past couple weeks. First, the Senate advanced the ORBITS bill on July 27th, which will support NASA developing methods of orbital debris removal as we transition into an era of over-crowded space. At the same time, the House killed a bill surrounding satellite licensing, also with debris regulation in mind. In the opinion of the House Space Committee, while the bill might have expedited the FCC satellite licensing process, it would have also placed the entire burden of safety regulation onto the FCC’s plate, leaving room for error. While regulation is top of mind in the House and Senate, the space agency must simultaneously keep the development train moving. As of last week, NASA made their 2023 Tipping Point selections, awarding funding to several companies to develop technology that will support long-term human exploration on the moon. Not included in these selections but notable this week is a collaboration between NASA and IBM, the result of which is an Earth science-focused AI that could play a huge role in efficiently tracking deforestation and climate change. Needless to say, there’s a lot going on at NASA, but if you need help Keeping Up with the NASA-shians (just go with it), just tune in to NASA+, the agency’s new streaming service.
Upcoming Astronomy Sightings – Sometimes, it’s easy to get bogged down in the industry happenings (trust us), and forget to look up. Over the next few weeks, we encourage anyone living in the Northern Hemisphere – but under the 60th parallel north – to gaze up at the Perseids meteor shower. When is a particularly good time to take a peek? At the shower’s peak, the evening of August 12th to the 13th.
The JWST Download
The JWST has captured the brilliant purple and green eye-shaped Ring Nebula – the volatile aftermath of a collapsed star – and it’s giving Mordor.
If space didn’t already give us enough question marks, the JWST just smacked us with another one. But actually.
Not a new discovery, but a new look at a far away galaxy – El Gordo gets the JWST treatment.
A young star system is going through a volatile (yet visually stunning) phase, kicking up heaps of dust and gas. Teenagers, amiright.
The JWST has also given us a glimpse at some intriguing water vapor in a nearby planetary system, which has somehow survived the powerful UV rays of its sun-like star. Maybe these water molecules are sporting some sick Ray Bans (we promise this is not sponsored).
A Global Space
Argentina – And then, there were 28. Last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina became the latest nation to sign the US-led Artemis Accords. Argentina’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Daniel Filmus signed on behalf of the country alongside NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. After “two centuries of diplomatic relations” between the countries, as highlighted by Nelson at the signing ceremony, the signing is not a huge surprise, but still a significant step for both nations who will benefit from shared knowledge and collaboration in this century’s exploration of space.
China – A Chinese asteroid sample return mission scheduled to launch in mid-2025 made solid progress this past week, after several parachute tests were deemed successful. The mission, dubbed Tianwen-2, will collect samples from an asteroid known as Kamo’oalewa (or NEO 469219 for you number folks), a “quasi-satellite” of Earth thought to possibly be a chunk of the Moon (!). The Tianwen-2 is not China’s only sample return mission, as the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is also developing one (Tianwen-3) for a Mars pickup – that may very well use similar reentry parachute technology.
JAXA – We all know about rainbow-producing prisms (and if you don’t, have you been deprived of The Dark Side of the Moon all your life?), but now there is such a thing as the XRISM, a new satellite from JAXA and NASA. Scheduled to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in August of this year, the XRISM will study high energy light, with an ability to see “the equivalent of an X-ray rainbow,” according to a recent statement from NASA. The JAXA-led mission not only has support from NASA but also the ESA and Canada, each nation invested in the promise of gaining more insight into mysterious neutron stars and high speed particle jets.
India – The Satish Dhawan Space Centre sent off a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) last week, carrying seven satellites to orbit. At nearly 800 pounds, the most prominent payload was the DS-SAR, an Earth-imaging satellite from Singapore’s Defense Science and Technology Agency, built with Singaporean company ST Engineering. India is also inching closer to Chandrayaan-3’s potential lunar landing later this month, after starting its journey a couple weeks ago. The Chandrayaan landing has the potential to be the first of the year, since the only other attempt in 2023 was that of ispace, which met a tragic end back in April.
Australia – And speaking of Indian PSLV rockets, we are pleased to report that the recent Australian beach metal mystery has been solved. Authorities have now confirmed the large chunk of metal found on a western Australian shoreline two weeks ago is – you guessed it – a piece of a PSLV’s “expended third stage.” The ISRO is working with the Australian Space Agency to determine next steps for the lump of wreckage, and both authorities have encouraged the Australian public to keep an eye out for more fragments. Perhaps the scavenger hunt is simply a distraction from the struggling Australian space industry, which took a huge hit in June after the Albanese government axed a billion dollar Earth observation program.
ESA – Sometimes, we all need a helping hand, and that is certainly true for ESA’s Aeolus – now the first dead satellite to be “assisted back to Earth.” After launching in 2018, Aeolus recently fulfilled its mission to monitor wind patterns and was ready to come home. If ESA had not taken action, the satellite would naturally burn up in Earth’s atmosphere in a matter of weeks, and at its size, ran little risk to cause much damage. However, there is always some risk in uncontrolled reentries – from orbiting debris collisions on the way down to potential damage upon falling to Earth – and ESA’s decision to safely maneuver Aeolus sets a (sustainable) precedent for future spacecraft reentries. In other good news for the agency, the uber popular Euclid telescope released its first imagery of the dark universe this week, confirming to its operators – and the watching world – that all systems are a go.
Space Reads!
Can’t get enough stellar content? Here are some longer format space morsels we’ve been enjoying:
Former intelligence officer David Grusch has ignited a saucer-shaped fire in the eyes of the American public. How will the Men in Black ever visit the over-335 million US citizens now fascinated with UFOs?
500 million years from now, our solar system may experience its own version of the Hunger Games – only, we’ll call it the Gravitational Games, and instead of the planets killing each other, they’ll be stealing each other’s energy to fling themselves farther from the hotter and hotter sun.
Pharmaceuticals benefiting from microgravity is one thing, but space-aged wine could really get the people going.
And that’s a wrap on this week in space news! Keep an eye out this coming Monday for MOONSHOT, our paid subscriber newsletter covering the commercial space sector. A big thank you to Tess Ryan for writing this edition with me and for keeping up with the cosmos! We hope you enjoyed reading Continuum this week and will share it with your friends. And if you really, really like us, then consider becoming a paid subscriber or gifting a subscription to one of your favorite space friends.
Keep it celestial people,
Britt
CEO of Celestial Citizen & Creator of Continuum
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Nuclear rockets sound amazing!!
Really great article/email, lots of information!!! Looking forward to all the new advancements too! 🤓