Scrubs for New Glenn and SpaDeX.

Summary

T-Minus Space Daily: Episode Summary – "Scrubs for New Glenn and SpaDeX"

Release Date: January 13, 2025

Introduction

In the January 13, 2025 episode of T-Minus Space Daily, hosted by Maria Varmazas of N2K Networks, a wide array of current events and developments in the global space industry are discussed. The episode covers significant updates on Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch, India’s Spatix mission setbacks, major contracts awarded to Modern Technology Solutions Incorporated (MTSI), NASA’s Advanced Concepts program selections, and initiatives by the Egyptian Space Agency to bolster satellite capabilities across Africa. Additionally, the episode features an insightful interview with Dr. George Neild, Chair of the Global Spaceport Alliance (GSA), regarding the upcoming GSA Spaceport Summit during Commercial Space Week in Florida. The episode concludes with a fascinating study on Venus's atmospheric evolution.

---

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Launch Scrub

Key Points:

• Debut Launch Failure: Blue Origin's highly anticipated New Glenn super-heavy rocket experienced a last-minute scrub during its debut launch attempt.
• Technical Issues: The scrub was attributed to a vehicle subsystem issue that required troubleshooting beyond the scheduled launch window.
• Future Launch Attempts: Blue Origin’s Vice President of Inspace Systems, Ariane Cornell, stated that the company is reviewing opportunities for the next launch attempt, though no specific timeline was provided due to Cape Canaveral’s busy launch schedule.

Notable Quote:

"We were standing down today's launch attempt to troubleshoot a vehicle subsystem issue that'll take us beyond our launch window." – Ariane Cornell, Blue Origin (Timestamp: 04:45)

Discussion: Maria Varmazas recounted the disappointment of space enthusiasts who traveled to Florida and stayed up late to witness the inaugural liftoff of New Glenn, only to have their hopes dashed by the unexpected technical glitch. The company has not disclosed the specific nature of the problems but remains optimistic about a swift resolution to proceed with the next launch attempt.

---

India’s Spatix Mission Abort

Key Points:

• Third Attempt Failure: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) aborted its Spatix mission for the third time.
• Mission Objective: Spatix aimed to demonstrate in-space docking between two small spacecraft, Chaser and Target.
• Technical Challenges: Despite initial success with the satellites approaching within 3 meters, a delay in signals from a critical proximity and docking sensor triggered the onboard systems to move the satellites to safe distances.

Notable Quote:

"The satellites were then moved apart to safer distances as a precautionary measure to prevent any potential mishaps." – ISRO (Timestamp: 05:30)

Discussion: Maria detailed how ISRO is currently conducting a thorough assessment to identify and rectify the sensor delay issue before reattempting the docking mission. This persistent challenge highlights the complexities involved in small spacecraft operations and in-space maneuvers.

---

MTSI’s Department of Defense Contract

Key Points:

• Contract Awarded: Modern Technology Solutions Incorporated (MTSI) secured an additional Department of Defense contract valued at nearly $100 million.
• Scope of Work: The contract involves prototyping, work, and delivery processes for Space Command and Control under the third phase of the Small Business Innovation Research Program.
• Program Details: This award is part of the SolSource cost-plus fixed fee contract, emphasizing MTSI’s growing role in defense-related space operations.

Notable Quote:

"MTSI has been selected for another US Department of Defense contract worth up to $100 million." – Maria Varmazas (Timestamp: 06:40)

Discussion: Maria highlighted MTSI’s expanding involvement in defense projects, reinforcing its position as a key player in space command and control technologies. This contract signifies continued trust and reliance on MTSI’s expertise by the U.S. Air Force.

---

NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program

Key Points:

• Program Selections: NASA selected 15 innovative ideas for its Advanced Concepts program, collectively supported by up to $2.6 million in grants.
• Focus Areas: The selected concepts aim to transform future aerospace missions, including studies on the Sun’s influence on the solar system, sustainable lunar habitats made from glass, and exploration of Saturn’s icy moon.
• Objective: NIAC seeks to evaluate and develop groundbreaking technologies that could enable next-generation missions benefiting the broader space community.

Notable Quote:

"The selected concepts include feasibility studies to explore the Sun's influence on our solar system, build sustainable lunar habitats from glass, explore Saturn's icy moon and more." – Maria Varmazas (Timestamp: 06:55)

Discussion: Maria encouraged listeners to explore the show notes for detailed information on the NIAC awardees, emphasizing the program’s role in fostering innovative solutions that could revolutionize space exploration and mission design.

---

Egyptian Space Agency’s African Development Satellite Initiative Training Program

Key Points:

• Training Program Launched: The Egyptian Space Agency initiated a training program under the African Development Satellite Initiative.
• Participants: 21 engineers and specialists from 20 African countries are undergoing 10 days of intensive training focused on basic space technology and satellite systems.
• Program Impact: Since its inception in 2021, the initiative has trained 71 engineers from 34 African nations, enhancing skills in communication systems, software development, and lunar structure design.

Notable Quote:

"21 engineers and specialists from 20 African countries are participating in 10 days of training on basic space technology and satellite systems." – Maria Varmazas (Timestamp: 07:10)

Discussion: Maria underscored the significance of this program in building indigenous satellite capabilities across Africa, fostering regional collaboration, and empowering African nations to contribute to and benefit from space technology advancements.

---

Upcoming Commercial Space Week and Global Spaceport Alliance Summit

Key Points:

• Event Details: Commercial Space Week is set to commence on January 27th in Florida, featuring the GSA's annual Spaceport Summit as the opening event.
• Summit Focus: The summit will address building economic powerhouses around spaceports, exploring aerospace manufacturing, technology development, workforce growth, and emerging space transportation methods.
• Interview with Dr. George Neild: In an in-depth discussion, Dr. Neild elaborates on the themes and expectations for the summit, highlighting the evolution of spaceports beyond merely launch sites to comprehensive aerospace hubs.

Notable Quotes:

"The primary theme this year in particular is about how one can think about and work towards building an economic powerhouse, if you will, at or around your spaceport." – Dr. George Neild (Timestamp: 10:09)

"Spaceports are not just about having a place where you can launch rockets from. Instead, we can envision aerospace manufacturing, testing, technology development and research, workforce development." – Dr. George Neild (Timestamp: 11:09)

Discussion: Maria and Dr. Neild discuss the transformative role of spaceports in the burgeoning global space economy. Dr. Neild reflects on a decade of the GSA Spaceport Summit, noting the significant growth in member organizations and the diversification of spaceport functions. He emphasizes the importance of face-to-face interactions during the summit, especially post-pandemic, to foster collaboration and innovation within the aerospace community.

Additional Highlights from the Interview:

• Global Expansion: Dr. Neild points out the increasing number of operational and planned spaceports worldwide, each adapting to local market needs with unique approaches such as reusable launch vehicles and specialized facilities.
• Collaborative Initiatives: Upcoming discussions at the summit will include new initiatives with the Hague Institute for Global Justice and the International Space University, focusing on global space governance and education.

Notable Quotes:

"We can envision aerospace manufacturing, testing, technology development and research, workforce development." – Dr. George Neild (Timestamp: 11:09)

"We're seeing vertical launch sites with the launch pad and the gantries and so forth, but also horizontal launch sites, which basically can be an airport with a runway and hangars and other facilities." – Dr. George Neild (Timestamp: 15:56)

---

Venus Atmospheric Evolution Study

Key Points:

• Research Findings: A new study published in Science Advances explores Venus's atmospheric evolution, attributing its extreme greenhouse conditions to periodic lithosphere disruptions and massive volcanic outgassing.
• Methodology: Dr. Matt Weller utilized sophisticated computational models to demonstrate how shifts in mantle convection led to surface resurfacing events and substantial volcanic emissions over millions of years.
• Implications: The research not only enhances our understanding of Venus but also underscores the potential for significant climate and tectonic changes on other rocky planets.

Notable Quote:

"Massive volcanic outgassing and surface resurfacing events, triggered by shifts in mantle convection, contributed to the majority of Venus's current dense atmosphere, some 90 times that of Earth's." – Maria Varmazas (Timestamp: 20:06)

Discussion: Maria highlighted the study’s revelation that Venus may have once had Earth-like characteristics before evolving into its current inhospitable state. This research provides valuable insights into planetary climate dynamics and tectonics, with broader implications for studying exoplanets and assessing planetary habitability.

---

Conclusion

The episode of T-Minus Space Daily delivered a comprehensive overview of pivotal events and advancements in the space sector. From launch setbacks and mission challenges to significant contracts and innovative research, the episode encapsulates the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of space exploration and industry. The interview with Dr. George Neild provided valuable perspectives on the future of spaceports and the collaborative spirit driving Commercial Space Week. The discussion on Venus’s atmospheric changes offered a thought-provoking glimpse into planetary science, rounding off an informative and engaging episode.

For further details on the topics discussed, listeners are encouraged to visit the show notes at https://space.n2k.com/.

Transcript

[Maria Varmazas]

You're listening to the N2K space network.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Cyber threats are evolving every second, and staying ahead is more than just a challenge, it's a necessity. That's why we're thrilled to partner with ThreatLocker, the cybersecurity solution trusted by businesses worldwide. ThreatLocker is a full suite of solutions designed to give you total control stopping unauthorized applications, securing sensitive data, and ensuring your organization runs smoothly and securely. Visit threatlocker.com today to see how a default deny approach can keep your company safe and compliant.

[Maria Varmazas]

Today is January 13, 2025. I'm Maria Varmazas and this is T minus.

[Dr. George Neild]

T.

[Maria Varmazas]

Drift. The Egyptian space Agency kicks off the African Development Satellite Initiative Training program, welcoming 21 engineers and specialists from 20 African countries. NASA selects 15 ideas for its innovative Advanced Concepts program. MTSI has been selected for another US Department of Defense contract worth up to $100 million. India aborts its Spadex mission on its third attempt Blue Origin's New Glenn, scrubbed during its debut launch due to technical issues00l welcome and our guest today is Dr. George Neild, Chair of the Global Spaceport Alliance. We're going to be Talking about the GSA's upcoming annual summit, which is being held as part of Space Week in Florida starting on January 27th. Stay with us to find out more later in the show. Happy Monday everyone. We hope you've recovered after staying up late to catch the first launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn. Many people made the trip to Florida and stayed up until the wee hours in hope of catching that first liftoff of Blue's super heavy rocket, only unfortunately to have their hopes dashed by a last minute scrub. So it goes. Ariane Cornell, Blue Origin's Vice president of Inspace Systems, told viewers in the company's livestream that they were standing down today's launch attempt to troubleshoot a vehicle subsystem issue that'll take us beyond our launch window. The company hasn't shared what exactly the problems are that engineers are seeking to remedy. She added that Blue Origin was reviewing opportunities for their next launch attempt. And when will that be? No one knows at this point, but with the Cape already busy with other launches planned for later this week, namely the launch of two lunar modules in two days time. Kind of a big deal. We're not expecting the New Glenn to try again for at least the next week. Let's hope they figure out the technical issues quickly and get the rocket ready for attempt number two soon. And Blue Origin's New Glenn isn't the only spacecraft dealing with technical issues and delays, the Indian Space Research Organization has been forced to abort its In Space docking mission for a third time. The mission, known as Spatix, was launched on December 30 and aims to demonstrate in space docking using small spacecraft. On Sunday, the spacecraft, known as Chaser and Target, came as close as 3 meters to each other. It seemed like the mission was going as planned. However, the satellites were then moved apart to safer distances. ISRO stated that despite stabilizing the drift at 0 degrees, a delay in receiving signals from a critical proximity and docking sensor was detected. So as a precautionary measure, ISRO's onboard systems automatically triggered safe mode and moved the satellites to a safe distance to prevent any potential mishaps. ISRO says it's now conducting a detailed assessment to troubleshoot this problem before attempting another docking. Modern Technology Solutions Incorporated, also known as mtsi, has received another Department of Defense contract in addition to the one that we announced last week. This new $99.9 million contract from the U.S. air Force is for prototyping, work and delivery of processes for Space command and control. The Department of Defense announced that the Space Systems Command awarded the SolSource cost plus fixed fee contract as part of the third phase of the Small Business Innovation Research Program, NASA has selected 15 concepts for its Innovative Advanced Concepts program, also known as niacina. NIAC supports concepts aiming to transform future missions for the benefit of all. The combined award for the 2025 concepts is a maximum of $2.6 million in grants to evaluate technologies that could enable future aerospace missions. The selected concepts include feasibility studies to explore the Sun's influence on our solar system, build sustainable lunar habitats from glass, explore Saturn's icy moon and more. And you can read all about the awardees by following the link in our show notes. And the Egyptian Space Agency kicked off a new training program designed to enhance indigenous satellite building capabilities across Africa. 21 engineers and specialists from 20 African countries are participating in 10 days of training on basic space technology and satellite systems. The program is part of the African Development Satellite Initiative, which was started in 2021. Since then, 71 engineers from 34 African countries have undergone hands on training in various space technology techniques including communication systems, software development and lunar structure design. And that concludes our Intel Briefing for today. Head to the Selected Readings section of our show notes to find links to further reading on all the stories mentioned. We've also included an announcement from Redwire, who have delivered the fourth set of rollout solar array wings destined for the International space station and a story from Reuters on Jeff Bezos thoughts on the incoming administration. Hi T minus crew. If you would like daily updates from us directly in your LinkedIn feed, be sure to follow the official N2K T page over on LinkedIn. And if you're more interested in the lighter side of what we do, here we are table minus daily on Instagram. And that's where we post videos and pictures from events, excursions and even some behind the scenes treats. Links are in the show notes. Hope you'll join us there.

[Sponsor Announcer]

And now a word from our sponsor, the University of Alabama in Huntsville College of Business. The Business of Space Conference is your chance to connect with leaders shaping the new space economy. Held February 23rd through the 25th at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, this year's theme, Creating Solutions with Partnerships, highlights the power of collaboration to address challenges and unlock opportunities. Don't miss this opportunity to drive innovation and shape policies. Early bird rates end January 24th. Learn more at opce uah.edu businessofspace.

[Maria Varmazas]

We are just two weeks away from the start of Commercial Space Week in Florida on January 27th. The week will kick off with the Global Spaceport Alliance's annual spaceport summit, and I spoke to GSA chairman Dr. George Neild about what we can expect for the summit and the other events coming up that week.

[Dr. George Neild]

This is actually part of what is referred to as Commercial Space Week now, which starts on Monday, January 27 with the GSA Spaceport Summit. And then the next day is Space Mobility, which is focused on the United States Space Force and its needs for military space activities. And then the next two days are spacecom, which is more generally focused on civil and commercial space activities. So the first day is what we're talking about today, and that's the GSA Spaceport Summit, and that's a chance for the spaceport community to get together in person and share progress and ambitions and challenges and lessons learned. We've got a number of excellent speakers and several panel sessions that I think will be very much of interest both to the spaceport community and to the broader audience as well.

[Maria Varmazas]

Can you give me a sense of what themes are going to be really prevalent this year? I mean, spaceports have been very busy. They've been a huge topic of conversation for many years, but especially the past few years when we're talking about capacity and the incredible growth of commercial space, especially I imagine those might come up, but I imagine there's also many more themes that are going to be discussed.

[Dr. George Neild]

So all of those and more but the primary theme this year in particular is about how one can think about and work towards building an economic powerhouse, if you will, at or around your spaceport. We know that space is really important. There's so much happening right now in space, whether it's launching astronauts or satellites or scientific instruments and so forth. But at least today, everything that happens in space starts at a spaceport. And so it's important to focus on what's going on, where are they located, where is their new activity, and again, some of the challenges and opportunities and ideas that people have come up with to make the whole mission very successful.

[Maria Varmazas]

Yeah, I imagine the paradigm a lot of people have about what spaceports can offer and what they can look like and the kinds of jobs they can create has shifted quite a bit in recent years.

[Dr. George Neild]

I agree with that. I think in the past there has been this feeling that a spaceport was primarily about launching rockets into space. And that makes a lot of sense, certainly, but it is much more than that. And as we look at the projections for a large and continuously growing global space economy, I think it's important to recognize that a lot of that economic growth is probably going to be taking place at spaceports. And why is that? Because spaceports are not just about having a place where you can launch rockets from. Instead, we can envision aerospace, manufacturing, testing, technology development and research, workforce development. And in the not too distant future, things like point to point, transportation through space, and all of those can have huge benefits for spaceports.

[Maria Varmazas]

That's fantastic. I always say it. I really look forward to that day. I really think a lot of us are just hotly anticipating when that day will come. So this is the 10th summit that's going to be happening. I can't help but ask on your reflections of 10 years of this summit occurring, what changes you have seen? 10 years is both not a lot of time and a lot of time depending on one's point of view. I'm just curious your reflections on that time.

[Dr. George Neild]

We've seen a tremendous amount of growth and understanding about the importance of spaceports and what they are and where they are located. So many people are familiar with Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space center, maybe Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, and locations that are operated by other countries. But there are a number of spaceports now that are in operation or are being planned for and developed all over the world. And in terms of the Global Spaceport alliance in particular, just from last year till now, we've seen a growth of more than 20% in the member organizations. And so I think there's an increasing recognition of the role that spaceports can play and the benefits that can result from interacting one with another instead of trying to do it all on your.

[Maria Varmazas]

Own, certainly and global being in the name of the organization. I feel here at T minus, we're reporting almost every other week about news of a new spaceport somewhere in the world with some kind of fantastic new idea or something in their paradigm that is just a little different and someone's trying something a little new. And it's really interesting to hear how everyone's adapting to their own environment and the needs of their local or national market. It's really quite fascinating. And I think people who aren't paying close attention to what spaceport are doing are missing out on something really neat, to put it mildly. I'm curious for maybe our global, our international partners outside of the United States, what are you hearing? What are you seeing from them maybe as a trend in the past few years in terms of the growth that's happening abroad?

[Dr. George Neild]

That's a number interesting thing to talk about. Just as in the United States we're seeing this recognition that space is not just for governments anymore. And so it's a transition really from governments and government, space agencies doing everything that happens in space to opening that up. And we're seeing communities, states, regions, countries who want to be involved with space in some way, but they're not sure how to do it. They don't have billions of dollars to be able to replicate the Kennedy Space center in other places. And that's okay because what we're seeing now is things like reusable launch vehicles, much smaller spacecraft, and therefore smaller launch vehicles, and the recognition that not all space ports are alike. You can focus on one aspect and whether that is sounding rockets or space tourism, or launching satellites, scientific research, other kinds of things. It doesn't have to be everything in one location. So we're seeing vertical launch sites with the launch pad and the gantries and so forth, but also horizontal launch sites, which basically can be an airport with a Runway and hangars and other facilities. And those are becoming feasible as locations for space activities.

[Maria Varmazas]

It's a fascinating space to watch. Honestly, I'm going to be asking this of pretty much everyone I know because this is going to be my first time going to Space Week. So I'm quite excited. I'm very curious what you are most looking forward to during what I'm sure is an incredibly busy time meeting lots of people, having lots of catch ups and conversations, Any tips, what you're looking forward to, Anything, any advice, that kind of a thing.

[Dr. George Neild]

I think many of us in aerospace especially have recognized after Covid the value of face to face interaction. And so it's one thing to read about something in a journal or a magazine or even have a video call or briefing on something. And it's quite another to actually meet face to face and get great feedback and ask private questions and to see the enthusiasm among all these different people, many of which you might not have known before or even recognize that they were involved in the same field that we are.

[Maria Varmazas]

Yeah, well, that's something I'm also looking forward to as well, seeing a lot of those faces that I've maybe only heard or seen on video calls than seeing them in person for the first time in a while, if not ever, and just getting that enthusiasm and really taking it all in. So, Dr. George Neild, as always, it was a pleasure speaking with you. I want to make sure if there's anything you wanted to leave our audience with about the upcoming event or anything like that that I give you the last word. Any parting thoughts?

[Dr. George Neild]

Well, thank you. Just a few things to mention again. We do have some excellent speakers, including Kelvin Coleman, who is the associate administrator of the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, who will be giving one of the presentations there. We'll have reports from many of our advisory groups that are working on a variety of different subjects. And we're talking about two new initiatives, one with the Hague Institute for Global justice, that has to do with signing the Washington Compact, which some folks may have heard about, somewhat similar to the Artemis Accords in some ways, but not for governments or others. And then a new initiative with the International Space University. And those will both be discussed at the gathering. So those are a couple of teasers and it should be a really great gathering. I look forward to seeing you there.

[Maria Varmazas]

We'll be right back.

[Sponsor Announcer]

And now a message from our sponsor. Zscaler. The leader in cloud security enterprises have spent billions of dollars on firewalls and VPNs. Yet breaches continue to rise by an 18% year over year increase in ransomware attacks and a $75 million record payout in 2024. These traditional security tools expand your attack surface with public facing IPs that are exploited by bad actors more easily than ever with AI tools. It's time to rethink your security. Zscaler Zero Trust plus AI stops attackers by hiding your attack surface, making apps and IPs invisible, eliminating lateral movement, connecting users only to specific apps, not the entire network. Continuously verifying every request based on identity and context, simplifying security management with AI powered automation and detecting threats using AI to analyze over 500 billion daily transactions. Hackers can't attack what they can't see. Protect your organization with Zscaler Zero Trust and AI. Learn [e-mail] Security.

[Maria Varmazas]

Welcome back. We do love just a bit of planetary science on this show, and the discovery of new insights into planets in our solar system and in the greater universe is always exciting. And a new study on Venus's atmospheric evolution certainly piqued our interest. And this new study, published in Science Advances, examines a critical transition in Venus's tectonic activity, revealing how this shift fundamentally reshaped its atmosphere. Dr. Matt Weller compiled the research using sophisticated computational models and he was able to demonstrate that periodic lithosphere disruptions combined with massive volcanic outgassing over millions of years may have transformed Venus from a planet with Earth like characteristics into the extreme greenhouse world that we observe today. Dr. Weller found that massive volcanic outgassing and surface resurfacing events, triggered by shifts in mantle convection, contributed to the majority of Venus's current dense atmosphere, some 90 times that of Earth's. In relatively short timescales over billions of years, these processes created a runaway greenhouse condition that we can see today. The research aims to not only deepen our understanding of Venus, but also highlights the potential for dramatic climate and tectonic changes on other rocky planets. Let's hope that doesn't include Earth, huh?

[Dr. George Neild]

Foreign.

[Maria Varmazas]

That'S it for T minus for January 13, 2025, brought to you by N2K CyberWire. For additional resources from today's report, check out our show [e-mail] we'd love to know what you think of this podcast. Your feedback ensures we deliver the insights that keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. If you like the show, please please share a rating and review in your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send an email to space2k.com we're privileged that N2K CyberWire is part of the daily routine of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector. From the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies, N2K makes it easy for companies to optimize your biggest investment your people. We make you smarter about your teams while making your teams smarter. Learn [e-mail] this episode was produced by Alice Carruth. Our associate producer is Liz Stokes. We're mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester, with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Ibin. Our executive editor is Brandon Karpf. Simone Petrella is our president. Peter Kilpe is our publisher, and I'm your host, Maria Varmazes. Thanks for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[Dr. George Neild]

T minus.