Japanese space probe goes into orbit around Venus

Tokyo (AFP)
Dec 9, 2015

Japan's space agency said Wednesday its "Akatsuki" probe had successfully entered into orbit around Venus after an initial attempt at reaching the second planet from the sun failed five years ago.

The success marks the first time a Japanese space probe has entered into the orbit of another planet, according to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

"The probe is functioning properly," Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) project manager Masato Nakamura said during a press conference.

"We'll conduct an initial observation for three months... We'll then shift to full observation in April," he said.

Akatsuki, meaning dawn, blasted off in 2010 on a 25.2 billion yen ($205 million at current exchange rates) mission to observe the toxic atmosphere and super-hot volcanic surface of Venus.

But the box-shaped probe failed to enter the planet's gravitational pull and shot past it, forcing JAXA technicians to make the second attempt.

The successful Venus orbit came a week after another Japanese space probe, "Hayabusa 2", passed by Earth to harness the planet's gravitational pull to propel it toward a far away asteroid in its quest to study the origin of the solar system.

The explorer conducted an "Earth swing-by" and came as close as 3,090 kilometers (1,900 miles) above the planet's surface, before switching its orbit to continue towards the tiny Ryugu asteroid.

Hayabusa 2 was launched a year ago on a six-year mission to bring back mineral samples from the asteroid.

It is expected to reach Ryugu, named after a mythical castle in a Japanese folk tale, in mid-2018.

If all goes well, soil samples will be returned to Earth in late 2020.

Analyzing the extra-terrestrial materials could help shed light on the birth of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago and offer clues about what gave rise to life on Earth, scientists have said.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Japanese_space_probe_goes_into_orbit_around_Venus_999.html.

New US space mining law to spark interplanetary gold rush

By Luc Olinga
New York (AFP)
Dec 8, 2015

Flashing some interplanetary gold bling and sipping "space water" might sound far-fetched, but both could soon be reality, thanks to a new US law that legalizes cosmic mining.

In a first, President Barack Obama signed legislation at the end of November that allows commercial extraction of minerals and other materials, including water, from asteroids and the moon.

That could kick off an extraterrestrial gold rush, backed by a private aeronautics industry that is growing quickly and cutting the price of commercial space flight.

The US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act of 2015 says that any materials American individuals or companies find on an asteroid or the moon is theirs to keep and do with as they please.

While the Space Act breaks with the concept that space should be shared by everyone on Earth for scientific research and exploration, it establishes the rights of investors to profit from their efforts, at least under US law.

Christopher Johnson, a lawyer at the Secure World Foundation, which focuses on the long-term sustainable use of outer space, said the law sets the basis for the next century of activity in space.

"Now it is permissible to interact with space. Exploring and using space's resources has begun," he said.

The US move conjured visions of the great opening of the United States' Western frontier in the 19th century, which led to the California Gold Rush of 1849.

But for the moment, the costs of pioneering the economic exploitation of space remain exorbitant and the risks high.

Large companies are still studying their options, but smaller startups are impatient to get going, like Planetary Resources, launched in 2012 by Google co-founder Larry Page.

"It has often been a question as to whether a commercial company will be able to go out and develop a resource," said Chris Lewicki, president of Planetary Resources, which bills itself as "The Asteroid Mining Company."

But now, the Space Act "allows us to give assurances to our customers and investors as we build a resource business in space," Lewicki told AFP.

"Since the passage of the law, we've been getting a lot of support messages and our current investors are very excited," he added.

Meagan Crawford, vice president at another ambitious asteroid miner, Deep Space Industries, said that with the law's passage investors are no longer fretting that they are wasting their money.

"This is absolutely a big win for us. We don't seem crazy any more. We don't have to work very hard to convince investors."

According to NASA research, of some 1,500 asteroids within easy reach from Earth, possibly 10 percent have valuable mineral resources.

Both companies see great possibilities in space: deposits of nickel, iron ore, gold and platinum that could support the space industry in the same way that the huge deposits of iron ore in the US upper midwest laid the foundations for the Detroit auto industry.

But their first target is water frozen in substantial deposits on relatively close asteroids.

The water's value, more than just to drink, is in providing hydrogen fuel for space vehicles. It could supply a refueling station for the rockets, for instance, destined to explore Mars. And it could be used to refuel satellites in orbit.

Lewicki says an in-space fueling station could save hundreds of millions of dollars in water transport costs.

"If we can store that water there, we can refuel rockets, satellites -- it will be a huge opportunity.

"You can refuel your rocket in orbit; that makes it easier to get it there, and cheaper."

The first space prospecting missions could be launched from 2017, the companies say, and extracting minerals could begin as early as 2020.

Deep Space Industries is planning the deployment of 25-32 kilogram (55-70 pound) mini-satellites to asteroids with good prospects to better assess their resources and bring back samples.

For its part Planetary Resources has already identified asteroids for exploitation using space telescopes place in orbit last year. It plans to launch a small exploration satellite early next year, Lewicki said.

The two companies estimate that the new space gold rush could need around $3 trillion dollars over the next 10-15 years.

For that, they need global support for their operations, and need to begin pressing other governments to adopt laws similar to the US Space Act that will recognize a company's rights to any space mineral riches it can harvest.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_US_space_mining_law_to_spark_interplanetary_gold_rush_999.html.

Orbital cargo ship blasts off toward space station

By Kerry Sheridan
Miami (AFP)
Dec 6, 2015

Orbital ATK on Sunday launched its Cygnus cargo ship to resupply astronauts at the International Space Station, one year after a sudden rocket accident delivered a setback to commercial spaceflight.

"Liftoff, on the shoulders of Atlas," NASA spokesman Mike Curie said as the unmanned spacecraft blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida atop a white Atlas V rocket at 4:44 pm (2144 GMT).

The launch marks Orbital's fourth scheduled mission to the orbiting outpost, as part of a $1.9 billion contract with NASA to deliver necessities to the astronauts living in space.

The spacecraft is carrying the most cargo ever packed onto a barrel-shaped Cygnus, with some 7,300 pounds (3,300 kilograms) of gear, including science experiments, ready-made food, a jet pack for spacewalking astronauts and even a satellite made by elementary school students.

In October 2014, an Orbital Antares rocket packed with thousands of pounds of supplies exploded seconds after takeoff, marking the first catastrophic failure since private companies began resupplying the orbiting outpost in 2010.

It was followed eight months later by a SpaceX rocket explosion, and the consecutive accidents effectively shut off the flow of US supplies to astronauts in orbit.

Orbital ATK and SpaceX -- which has a contract worth $1.6 billion to send food and equipment to the research lab over a series of supply trips -- are the only two US companies that can send spacecraft to the ISS.

A Russian Progress ship was also lost after launch in April, but ISS program managers said the astronauts were never in danger and still have several months of supplies in storage.

- Different rocket -

Orbital ATK arranged to use United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket while it upgrades its Antares rocket, which failed due to a problem with its reconditioned Ukrainian engine.

The company said after the accident that a control operator detected a suspected rocket engine failure, and the rocket was purposefully detonated to prevent damage to people in the area.

The blast cost Orbital at least $200 million in lost equipment and supplies.

The liftoff Sunday atop the Atlas V rocket went smoothly, with no flaws or problems after a launch delay of several days due to bad weather.

"The countdown was exceptionally smooth. It was one of those countdowns that makes them look kind of boring," said Vern Thorp, mission manager for United Launch Alliance.

"We had a pretty clean flight, too, everything happened right on time... This is about as good as it gets."

The spacecraft should arrive at the space station on Wednesday.

Astronauts will use the Canadian-made robotic arm to grapple the spacecraft at around 6:10 am (1110 GMT), NASA said.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Orbital_cargo_ship_blasts_off_toward_space_station_999.html.

UAE, Russia agree to cooperate in space industry

Abu Dhabi UAE (SPX)
Dec 04, 2015

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to build a strategic partnership in the field of space exploration.

The MoU was inked by Chairman of the UAE Space Agency Khalifa Mohammed Al-Rumaithi and General Director of the Russian Federal Space Agency ROSCOMOS Igor Komarov.

The deal allows for extensive cooperation in space policy, human capital development and training, as well as in future development, ground station operations support and general awareness, the UAE agency said in an e-mailed statement.

The UAE Space Agency is keen to benefit from the expertise of other space programs, Al-Rumaithi said at his meeting with Komarov.

The meeting aimed to discuss ways of boosting cooperation between the UAE and Russian programs in the space industry and exploration, Al-Rumaithi added.

Conquering space is part of the UAE's strategy to diversify the economy of the country, a major oil supplier, away from oil.

The UAE, which already developed several research and observation satellites, aims to launch a Mars mission by 2023.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/UAE_Russia_agree_to_cooperate_in_space_industry_999.html.

Dozens of Russian protesters detained on Constitution Day

December 12, 2015

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian police on Saturday detained dozens of opposition activists who had tried to hold a demonstration in central Moscow on Constitution Day.

The liberal opposition Yabloko party had planned to distribute a pamphlet outlining the rights guaranteed under the Russian Constitution and how it believes they are systematically being violated in the country now.

News reports said police detained 33 people, including Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin. He told the Interfax news agency that he and four others had been told by police they would be held until Monday, but when police failed to produce the proper documentation they walked out of the police station.

Mitrokhin earlier posted a photograph on Twitter of himself and 10 other activists in the police station, with one of them holding a sign reading: "Respect our Constitution." The Russian Constitution was adopted in 1993 under Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.

Since Vladimir Putin was first elected president in 2000, Russia has seen a steady erosion of democratic and civic institutions. The opposition has largely been barred from elections and national television has been put under Kremlin control.

Russia, Kazakhstan to Build Common Aerospace Defense System

Moscow (Sputnik)
Dec 06, 2015

Moscow and Astana have agreed the terms of Russia's use of a Kazakh radio communications center as part of Russia's ballistic missile early warning system, media reports said on Saturday.

The head of the Defense Ministry's international cooperation department, Sergei Koshelev, said the measure would enhance Russia's defense capability and help build a unified regional air and missile defense system.

"It will also give boost to the mutually-beneficial defense cooperation between our two countries," Koshelev added.

The Balkhash radio communications facility is an important element of Russia's ballistic missile early warning system, which ensures the security of all members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Armenia and Tajikistan.

The Dnepr long-distance radar, which is part of the Balkhash facility, provides round-the clock observation of outer space and registers ballistic missile launches in the entire southeastern collective security region.

Russia has long been leading efforts to build a joint air defense shield for the CIS, a loose organization of former Soviet republics.

Source: Space War.
Link: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_Kazakhstan_to_Build_Common_Aerospace_Defense_System_999.html.

Russia flies strategic space warfare missile

Moscow (Sputnik)
Dec 03, 2015

Moscow carried out the first successful flight test of its new anti-satellite missile last month, becoming just the second nation to arm its military with space warfare weapons.

Russia's direct ascent anti-satellite missile, known as Nudol, was successfully tested on November 18, according to defense officials familiar with reports of the test. It was the first successful test in three attempts, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

Russia now joins China as the only nations with strategic space warfare weapons. In October, China conducted a flight test of its anti-satellite missile, the Dong Neng-3 direct ascent missile.

Analysts say anti-satellite missiles could cripple US intelligence, navigation, and communications capabilities that are critical for both military operations and civilian infrastructure.

The Russian test is a concern for Washington, Representative Mike Pompeo, a Kansas Republican, told the paper.

"As President Obama cuts our defense budget and seeks to ally with Putin, the Russians continue to develop their technological abilities to weaponize space and to take out our national technical means - kinetically and through cyber," said Pompeo, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

"We can foolishly turn a blind eye to these developments, or acknowledge this threat and develop our own capabilities to ensure that our satellites - military and commercial - are not susceptible to attack or blackmail."

Former Pentagon official Mark Schneider said the Russian test highlights the failure of the United States to prepare for space warfare.

"There is an enormous asymmetry in play regarding space weapons," said Schneider, now with the National Institute for Public Policy.

"For decades the Congress has prevented the US from putting weapons in space and even developing a ground-based ASAT capability," Schneider said. "There is no such constraint upon the Russians and Russia violates arms control treaties when this is in their interest to do so and they find ample opportunity to do this."

A February 2015 unclassified Defense Intelligence Agency report to the Congress stated that "Chinese and Russian military leaders understand the unique information advantages afforded by space systems and are developing capabilities to deny US use of space in the event of a conflict," Schneider added.

The US military is developing a hypersonic missile intended to deliver an airstrike anywhere on the globe within an hour, and potentially be used in a nuclear conflict.

"The US philosophy of a global strike is obviously foolish because it aims at dealing irreparable damage within such a huge time span, " Yuri Solomonov, chief designer at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (MIIT), told RIA Novosti.

Solomonov, who designed Russia's submarine-launched Bulava ballistic missile and Topol-M ballistic missile, said some defense systems could target a missile in flight within five to 10 minutes after its launch.

"This would mean war, a system like this must not be used," he added, saying the US government was pouring funds into the PGS program.

The US military has reportedly been testing a PGS prototype for several years. Russia views PGS attack weapons as capable of delivering a disarming strike to its strategic infrastructure.

Source: Space War.
Link: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_flies_strategic_space_warfare_missile_999.html.