What’s Happening in Space Policy March 12-18, 2023
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of March 12-18, 2023 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session beginning Tuesday.
Crew-5 Home Safe and Sound While Questions Remain About Russian Coolant Leaks
Four astronauts on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endurance returned to Earth tonight. NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, questions remain about why two Russian spacecraft docked to ISS experienced coolant leaks in December and February and whether a common manufacturing defect may be responsible.
Another No-Go For Relativity’s 3D Printed Rocket
Relativity Space tried and tried and tried again today to launch the 3D printed Terran-1 rocket, but in the end it was another abort. Three attempts within the three-hour launch window got as close as 0.5 seconds from liftoff, but tonight the rocket is still on the launch pad.
NASA to Name Artemis II Crew in Early April
The long-awaited announcement of the four crew members who will travel beyond the Moon and back on the Artemis II mission is just a few weeks away. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said today the names of the three Americans and one Canadian will be publicly revealed on April 3. The launch is currently planned for November 2024.
Biden Requests Another Big Increase for NASA, Wants Space Tug to Deorbit ISS
For the third year in a row, President Biden is requesting a significant increase in NASA funding, apparently undeterred by the results in the last two years. Although Congress increased NASA’s budget over prior year funding, it was not as much as requested. This time he is asking for $27.2 billion, a $1.8 billion increase or 7.1 percent more than the $25.4 billion appropriated for FY2023. Among the highlights is a request to develop a new space tug to deorbit the International Space Station at the end of its lifetime instead of relying on Russian spacecraft as currently planned.
House Subcommittee Approves Five Satellite Spectrum Bills
A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee unanimously approved five bills today dealing with allocating spectrum for satellite services. One broadly addresses assignment of spectrum for non-government satellites by the Federal Communications Commission, while the others target specific uses like precision agriculture and emergency services.
Relativity Space Scrubs Inaugural Terran-1 Rocket Launch
Relativity Space tried hard to launch its innovative Terran-1 rocket today, but in the end it was a no-go because of thermal problems with the propellant. Late this evening they said they will try again on Saturday to launch the “Good Luck, Have Fun” mission.
Japan’s New H3 Rocket Fails
Japan’s launch of its new H3 rocket with an earth observing satellite onboard failed tonight when the second stage apparently failed to ignite. The first stage seemed to perform perfectly and separated from the second stage, but it is not clear what happened after that. Ground controllers sent a destruct command to the second stage when it became evident a failure of some sort had occurred.
A Very Important Notice to SpacePolicyOnline.com’s Email Subscribers
Editor’s Note: Most unfortunately, SpacePolicyOnline.com must discontinue its email subscription service. If you have been receiving our weekly emails sent on Monday mornings, this will be the last one.
What’s Happening in Space Policy March 5-11, 2023
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of March 5-11, 2023 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session this week.