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NASA reaffirms decision to cancel OSAM-1
September 5, 2024
NASA is proceeding with plans to shut down a satellite servicing mission at the end of the month after rejecting a proposal to revise the mission to meet a 2026 launch date.
In a statement posted online Sept. 5, NASA announced it would proceed with closing out the On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) project, ending work on the mission at the end of the current fiscal year, which concludes Sept. 30.
NASA announced March 1 that it had decided to cancel the mission, which was years behind schedule and far over budget.
A fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill enacted later that month, though, directed NASA to develop a plan that would revise OSAM-1 in a way that could allow it to launch in 2026.
The agency confirmed in August that NASA leadership had received that plan, along with another that would close out OSAM-1 at the end of the fiscal year.
“These plans have been provided to NASA leadership and are being assessed,” a NASA spokesperson said at the time.
However, agency leadership elected to maintain the earlier decision to cancel OSAM-1.
“Factors that informed the decision were cost, schedule, and technical risk associated with the 2026 launch plan, the return on investment of flying OSAM-1 technology, uncertain technology infusion path to industry, and impacts on other NASA technology development efforts,” NASA stated.
NASA started work on the mission, originally called Restore-L, a decade ago, with the goal of refueling the Landsat 7 satellite in low Earth orbit.
The mission added payloads to perform in-space assembly and manufacturing activities, such as the assembly of a Ka-band antenna, and was renamed OSAM-1 in 2020.
The mission, though, suffered delays that pushed back its launch from an original target of 2020 to at least 2026.
Its cost grew from an original projection of $626–753 million to more than $2 billion.
NASA decided to cancel OSAM-1 after an independent review made that recommendation. “Both cost- and schedule-to-go are substantial and the risk for further schedule decay and cost increases remains high,” that report concluded.
Canceling OSAM-1 could affect several hundred jobs, primarily at the Goddard Space Flight Center, the lead center for the mission.
NASA said in March that about 450 employees and contractors were working on OSAM-1, and that they would be supported through the end of the current fiscal year.
Goddard employees were informed of NASA’s decision reaffirming the OSAM-1 cancellation Sept. 4, according to industry sources.
Among the companies that could be affected by the decision is Intuitive Machines, which is partnered with KBR on the Omnibus Multidiscipline Engineering Services (OMES) III contract at Goddard. That contract includes work on OSAM-1.
In an Aug. 13 earnings call, Steve Altemus, chief executive of Intuitive Machines, said his company had helped develop the plan for a 2026 launch of the mission.
“We’ve restructured it for success, so that’s a very positive sign,” he said. While Intuitive Machines is best known for its work on lunar landers, the OMES III contract is a significant source of revenue for the company.
NASA’s decision still requires the approval of Congress. Senate appropriators included up to $174.5 million for OSAM-1 in its fiscal year 2025 spending bill, but the House version did not specify funding for the mission.
Both the House and Senate included caveats about any support for OSAM-1 being dependent on developing a feasible plan for completing the mission.
The agency noted in its statement confirming its plans to cancel OSAM-1 that it still supported overall work on in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing, or ISAM, technologies, backing an industry consortium called COSMIC on the topic and signing an agreement with DARPA to provide expertise for its Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites program.
NASA added it will release a request for information about partnerships “to further pursue the best and highest use of the project hardware” for OSAM-1.
The agency released that RFI later Sept. 5, seeking ideas for “alternate use cases that will benefit commercial, civil, and national objectives, thereby advancing domestic leadership in In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities.”
While OSAM-1 is currently the largest single mission in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, accounting for $206.9 million out of an overall budget of $1.1 billion for the directorate in fiscal year 2024, the mission got little attention during a session of the NASA Advisory Council’s technology committee Sept. 5.
Later in the meeting, agency officials read the statement about NASA’s decision to proceed with closing out OSAM-1.
https://spacenews.com/nasa-reaffirms-decision-to-cancel-osam-1/
Viasat secures $153 million U.S. Army contract to modernize ‘Blue Force Tracker’ network
September 5, 2024
Satellite communications firm Viasat announced Sept. 5 it has been awarded a $153 million contract to modernize the U.S. Army’s Blue Force Tracker (BFT) network, a system used for real-time positioning of friendly forces.
The “blue” in the name refers to the color typically used to represent friendly forces on military maps, as opposed to red for enemy forces.
The five-year contract, managed by the Defense Information Services Agency, will provide technical support for the U.S. Army Project Management Mission Command BFT program.
This latest agreement extends Viasat’s two-decade-long involvement with the BFT network.
BFT utilizes GPS technology to track troop and vehicle locations, allowing soldiers and commanders to view updated positions on screens in vehicles and aircraft.
The system leverages Viasat’s global L-band network, which is used for emergency data transmission and voice communications.
Viasat’s L-band network technology, originally developed for military applications, has since found broader market applications.
Before Viasat’s acquisition of Inmarsat, the latter also played a significant role in supporting the BFT network, securing a $410 million five-year contract extension in 2022 to provide satellite connectivity.
The BFT system has been operational since 2002. The newer version, BFT-2, operates across sea, air, and ground platforms.
Under the new contract, Viasat will provide engineering services, operational support, and technical assistance for the BFT program.
https://spacenews.com/viasat-secures-153-million-u-s-army-contract-to-modernize-blue-force-tracker-network/
Senegal among new members of China’s ILRS moon base project
September 5, 2024
Senegal’s space agency signed an agreement on cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station Thursday, swelling the ranks of the China-led project.
Maram Kaire, head of the Senegalese Space Study Agency (ASES) and Li Guoping, chief engineer of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) signed the agreement on cooperation in the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) at the second international conference on deep space exploration (Tiandu) in Tunxi, Anhui province, Sept. 5.
The agreement came as Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
The latter is visiting for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit.
China aims to build a basic robotic ILRS by 2035, with five launches to establish power, communications and other infrastructure.
An extended station capable of long-term human habitation is planned for 2045.
Senegal joins Russia, Venezuela, Belarus, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Egypt, Nicaragua, Thailand, Serbia and Kazakhstan as national-level ILRS participants.
Senegal has a modest space industry but is focusing on satellite technology. Its first satellite, the Gaindesat-1A nanosat, launched on a Falcon 9 rocket Aug. 16 from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
It was developed in partnership with University Space Centre of Montpellier (CSUM). The West African nation is also developing international partnerships and educational initiatives.
The China-led ILRS also added a number of subnational entities and firms to its list of partners at the Tiandu conference.
Institutions from the United Arab Emirates (Orbital Space), Serbia Astronomical Observatory Belgrade), Switzerland (Spacetalk SA), Indonesia (University of Bandar Lampung), Pakistan (National University of Sciences & Technology), Panama (Space Science Innovation Center of Panama) and South Africa (South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)) signed memoranda of understanding on ILRS with the Deep Space Exploration Lab (DSEL) at the conference.
International institutions, the Belt and Road Alliance for Science and Technology, the Foundation for Space Development Africa, and Africa Business Alliance also inked agreements.
The new partners reflect an established trend of China attracting participants from the Global South, and engaging in subnational diplomacy. This somewhat mirroring the country’s wider diplomatic moves.
“So far, more than 10 countries (international organizations) and more than 40 international institutions have signed international cooperation documents with relevant Chinese parties,” DSEL said in a statement.
Furthermore, DSEL stated that “leaders of space agencies from six countries, including China, Laos, Turkey, Venezuela, Senegal, and Cuba, held an open roundtable forum on international cooperation for the International Lunar Research Station’s large-scale scientific project.”
Turkey has earlier been reported to have applied to join the ILRS. China has stated it aims to attract 50 countries to the ILRS project.
This likely includes subnational participation, rather than counting strictly national and space agency-level cooperation. It plans to establish an organization to coordinate the ILRS project.
China will launch precursor ILRS missions in the 2020s. These include Chang’e-7 around 2026 and Chang’e-8 around 2028.
The latter mission will include in-situ resource utilization technology tests. Both multi-spacecraft missions will target the lunar south pole.
https://spacenews.com/senegal-among-new-members-of-chinas-ilrs-moon-base-project/
Zealous Kepler 24: S4S’s inaugural staff exercise at Vandenberg SFB
Published Sept. 6, 2024
From Aug. 15-24, U.S. Space Forces – Space conducted its first Tier 2 exercise, Zealous Kepler 24, which was designed to prepare S4S for its wartime mission.
The staff exercise involved tailored participation from subordinate units to refine and validate S4S’s organizational concepts of operational employment.
The exercise aimed to improve coordination and efficiency in command and control between the S4S staff and its operations centers with the purpose of preparing the command for future integrated exercises.
It involved planning and executing orders, identifying communication gaps, and validating organizational design.
“ZK24 was not an exercise aimed at winning a war,” said Lt. Col. Dennis Krill Jr., S4S future operations, “but aimed at improving our processes to prepare for war.
It involved understanding the campaign and the tasks needed to set up a campaign. S4S needed to do this as a staff and as operations centers in order to provide our commander the options needed for success.”
ZK24 showcased S4S’s readiness and commitment to defending U.S. interests in space.
The exercise tested and refined tactics, techniques, and procedures in realistic scenarios, demonstrating the S4S’s staff functions and processes.
“ZK24 was an extraordinary effort by our team,” said Maj. Phillip Poundstone, S4S S35 plans and orders branch chief.
“The tireless work put into planning, coordination, and execution truly paid off.
We’re grateful for the participation of our subordinate units and the valuable lessons learned during this inaugural staff exercise at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
ZK24 showcased our readiness and commitment to defending U.S. interests in space, and we’re proud to contribute to the secure and stable space domain.”
The efforts and outcomes of ZK24 will play an integral part of S4S’s role in future exercises, including Tier 1 exercises hosted by combatant commands.
In future iterations, the command intends to incorporate allies and partners to better plan, execute, and integrate military space power into multi-domain global operations to protect against aggressors, defend national interests, and when necessary, defeat threats.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3897789/zealous-kepler-24-s4ss-inaugural-staff-exercise-at-vandenberg-sfb/
Donald Trump's Ex-National Security Adviser on UFO Reports: 'Inexplicable'
Sep 07, 2024 at 12:05 PM EDT
Former National Security Adviser Herbert Raymond McMaster, who served under Donald Trump, has weighed in on unidentified flying objects, calling some phenomena "inexplicable."
McMaster made the remarks on Friday during an episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, after the host asked about the existence of extraterrestrial life on Earth.
"Years ago, when there were UFO sightings, it was some farmer in the middle of nowhere. Now it's Navy personnel," Bill Maher said.
Maher added that if aliens existed, the president would have to be informed when entering office. "Trump was president. He would have blabbed it by now," he said, before asking McMaster, "What do you think?"
"There are things that cannot be explained. I don't know what the explanation is for those unexplainable things, but I will say that there are phenomena that have been witnessed by multiple people that are just inexplicable by any kind of science available to us," McMaster said.
https://www.newsweek.com/ufo-sightings-herbert-raymond-mcmaster-interview-1950267
Watch eerie 1st teaser for Hulu's 'Alien: Earth' TV series
September 5, 2024
"Alien: Romulus" still has us all shuddering in our shoes, with its infested space station locale and nightmarish nostalgic callbacks to Ridley Scott's original 1979 film.
But that's not the only xenomorph on the block, as "Fargo" and "Legion" creator Noah Hawley is primed to bring the iconic extraterrestrials to our own Big Blue Marble in "Alien: Earth," a new ongoing series produced by FX that will be available exclusively on Hulu.
A new 15-second teaser that was shown before a limited number of theatrical screenings of "Alien: Romulus" was just released to the masses alongside a series plot synopsis for fans to ingest before the show’s 2025 arrival.
"When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet's greatest threat."
It's only a tantalizing taste of things to come, but this bite-sized peek into "Alien: Earth" reveals a menacing xenomorph with our planet reflected in the curvature of its smooth domed head. As we creep closer, the beast opens its toothy jaws and unleashes a primal, blood-curdling scream.
https://www.space.com/hulu-alien-earth-first-teaser-trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgTBZmqrAIA
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13742439/Police-given-new-UFO-handbook-warn-craft-pose-significant-safety-risks.html
https://majorcitieschiefs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MCCA-UAP_Reference-Guide-June-2024-.pdf
Police across US given new UFO handbook as they warn craft 'pose significant safety risks'
Updated: 08:39 EDT, 7 September 2024
Police chiefs of America's largest cities have published the first guide about UAPs, which details chilling encounters and how officers can report such incidents.
The 11-page document warned that unidentified flying objects 'pose significant safety risks to law enforcement air support units,' urging teams to be vigilant when in helicopters.
The report also highlights stories from officers who claimed to confront UFOs, specifically one in 2023 where a law employee saw a 'triangle craft with green lights gliding through the sky' before a local resident said something 'ran' nearby.
The police executives created the reference because 'it's in the interest of law enforcement to be aware of trends and reporting on UAP due to the unknown threat they may pose.'
The organization, called the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), includes nearly 80 executives from major US cities who work together to advance public safety through a range of initiatives, including community outreach, research and policy development and now, UFO investigations.
The guide, released in June, also includes details from America's investigations into UFO encounters, as well as the testimony of 'whistleblowers' such as former United States Air Force officer and intelligence official David Grusch.
One article shared the US Congress UAP hearing held in 2023, which saw Grusch testify about his knowledge about aircraft with 'nonhuman' origins.
The report provided other articles about the US government and its potential link to alien life.
A section includes links to various UAP reporting websites, urging officers to report any bizarre sightings.
More interesting, the pages detail first-person stories from police officers who encountered unknown spacecraft while out in the field.
An officer patrolling Blairsville, Georgia in November 2023 claimed to have witnessed green lights in the sky.
'I am a police officer and deputy sheriff. While on duty after dark, near the top of my windshield (frame of view) I witnessed movement in the sky (southbound direction of view),' the officer's report stated.
'Upon concentrating my focus, viewing through the low light, I was able to make out a triangle craft, with 3 dim green lights per side (just bright enough to assess size, shape, and movement).'
The officer said he lost sight of the craft quickly due to trees, and was unable to hear anything due to being inside his vehicle.
'I am privy to what helicopters and airplanes look like in the sky, frequently working alongside medical flight crews in the area, and where nearby airports are, making me somewhat familiar with common areas of the sky in which low air travel is common. This was unlike anything I had ever witnessed,' he said.
Within an hour of the sighting, the officer responded to a call from a homeowner in the same direction the object was traveling, reporting 'something running outside of his home… which did not sound like an animal.'
Another encounter happened in Harper Woods, Michigan in 2020, which included two officers who witnessed three mysterious objects in the sky - before they 'blinked out' of existence.
The officer wrote: 'At approximately 6:00am, myself and a fellow officer were standing in a parking lot of a church talking before the end of our shift.
'I was looking towards the southwest at the moon when I glanced towards the southeast. I saw 3 objects in the southeast sky and pointed towards them.
'The objects appeared to drift towards the east, maintaining the equal distance. As we watched the objects, they appeared to 'blink out' of our vision.'
Other reports in the guide recount civilian sightings of police helicopters allegedly pursuing UFOs.
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In one encounter in Austin, Texas, a civilian wrote: 'When I walked out front door, saw Triangle Craft - with white lights illuminated on each corner - being closely followed by police helicopter - traveling south - near 620 freeway.
'Thought I was seeing things - but checked again - and was not. Hoping that others may corroborate.'
Another incident occurred in Winnipeg, Canada, where a civilian reported seeing a police helicopter being chased by unknown craft.
'While sitting in my hot tub in my back yard, I heard the familiar sound of the police chopper passing over the city. after it passed over our house, it made a few circles to the south of our location and after a few course adjustments, headed north at a higher rate of speed,' reads the statement.
'About 10 seconds later, 2 lights with the same relative brightness of the background stars traveled parallel and at a constant rate of speed.'
Nigel Watson, author of 'Captured by Aliens? A History and Analysis of American Abduction Claims' told DailyMail.com that the guide is 'very handy' for law enforcement officers.
'The short history of the study of UAPs and the links to organizations where sightings can be reported is very helpful,' he said.
'For me the references to the ex-government 'whistleblowers' David Grusch and Luis Elizondo is superfluous as they have only repeated rumors that have circulated for years without any substantial evidence.
'Although it notes numerous official studies, it does not mention the fact that the US Project Bluebook closed due to their finding such research is of no scientific value. Other projects have also found it very difficult to uncover any real evidence of non-terrestrial craft.
'The guide also lacks any references to skeptical websites and blogs that would give a more balanced view of the subject and counteract the wilder stories, like the alleged Roswell crash of 1947.
'Certainly there is now a case to be made that terrestrial UAPs do pose a threat to air safety and national security, but as with this guide, it gets mixed with the science fiction rumors of remarkable non-terrestrial vehicles that have little credibility.'
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Brazilian Air Force Report Reveals 80 UFO Sightings in 2023, Reigniting Debate on Extraterrestrial Life
September 5, 2024
In a significant development that has caught the attention of UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has released a report detailing 80 unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings in Brazilian airspace during 2023.
This revelation has reignited the longstanding debate about the existence of extraterrestrial life and the possibility of contact with beings from other planets.
The FAB, which has been documenting and officially releasing reports on unidentified aerial phenomena since 1954, does not follow a fixed annual schedule for these publications.
However, the recent batch of documents has brought to light a substantial number of sightings that challenge conventional explanations and known laws of physics.
According to the report, both commercial and military pilots with decades of experience have reported objects of various shapes and behaviors.
These range from lights moving at high speeds to metallic structures performing maneuvers that defy current technological capabilities. In some instances, pilots described objects that followed their aircraft for extended periods, exhibiting flight patterns impossible for any known human technology.
The FAB maintains a rigorous protocol for investigating such occurrences, compiling and analyzing the reports in search of patterns.
While the report is technical in nature, it acknowledges that the descriptions provided by the pilots do not match any known aircraft or meteorological phenomena.
This official documentation lends credibility to the work of independent researchers, such as those from the Dakila Pesquisas Association, who have been cataloging similar evidence for over two decades. Urandir Fernandes de Oliveira, researcher, scientist, historian, and president of the Dakila Pesquisas Institute, emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive approach to investigating these phenomena.
‘In the United States, the issue of UFOs gained prominence after the government released reports confirming the existence of unexplained aerial phenomena, drawing the attention of politicians and military personnel,’ Oliveira states.
‘In Brazil, however, the topic is still treated with some reservation, although the increasing number of sightings makes a more open and transparent debate inevitable.’
The Dakila Pesquisas Association argues that the actual number of sightings is likely much higher than reported, as many cases go undocumented due to fear of discredit or stigma associated with the subject. The organization advocates for a partnership between government institutions and independent research centers to investigate these phenomena with the seriousness they deserve.
The implications of these sightings extend far beyond mere curiosity.
They challenge our current understanding of the universe and humanity’s place within it. As public interest grows and pressure for answers mounts, Brazil may be on the cusp of a new era in UFO investigation.
The Dakila Pesquisas Association plans to expand its efforts by investing in cutting-edge technologies and collaborating with scientists from various disciplines.
Their goal is to better understand the phenomena that challenge traditional logic and potentially revolutionize our knowledge of the cosmos.
While the true nature of these UFO sightings remains uncertain, the FAB report has undoubtedly opened the door to further scientific inquiry and public discourse.
As researchers continue to gather and analyze data, the search for answers to these mysterious aerial phenomena persists, potentially leading to groundbreaking discoveries that could reshape our understanding of the universe and our place within it.
As the debate surrounding UFOs and potential extraterrestrial contact continues to evolve, it is clear that this topic will remain at the forefront of scientific inquiry and public fascination for years to come.
The UFO phenomenon, once relegated to the realm of science fiction, is now being taken seriously by governments and researchers worldwide, signaling a potential paradigm shift in our approach to understanding the unknown.
https://www.citybuzz.co/2024/09/05/brazilian-air-force-report-reveals-80-ufo-sightings-in-2023-reigniting-debate-on-extraterrestrial-life/