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STAR HARBOR Boosts New Space Economy With World’s First Space Readiness and Innovation Campus in Colorado

DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–STAR HARBOR announced today details of its planned 53-acre mixed-use development campus and training center south of Denver in Lone Tree, Colorado (Douglas County). The commercial astronaut training, space workforce development and technology incubator program also launched a Series B fundraising round through July 15 2022 to further the development of the project.

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NASA Seeks Input on Moon to Mars Objectives, Comments Due May 31

As NASA moves forward with plans to send astronauts to the Moon under Artemis missions to prepare for human exploration of Mars, the agency is calling on U.S. industry, academia, international communities, and other stakeholders to provide input on its deep space exploration objectives. 

NASA released a draft set of high-level objectives Tuesday, May 17, identifying 50 points falling under four overarching categories of exploration, including transportation and habitation; Moon and Mars infrastructure; operations; and science. Comments are due to the agency by close of business on Tuesday, May 31. 

“The feedback we receive on the objectives we have identified will inform our exploration plans at the Moon and Mars for the next 20 years,” said Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “We’re looking within NASA and to external stakeholders to help us fine-tune these objectives and be as transparent as possible throughout our process. With this approach, we will find potential gaps in our architecture as well as areas where our goals align with those from industry and international partners for future collaboration.”   

At this time, no formal request for information or other procurement activity is anticipated for this effort, which is managed by a team in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. 

“These objectives will move us toward our first analog Mars mission with crew in space and prepare us for the first human mission to the surface of the Red Planet,” said Jim Free, associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “After reviewing feedback on the objectives, we will work with our partners to discuss input and finalize our framework this fall.”

The agency will host two stakeholder workshops to discuss feedback on the draft objectives. The first is planned for June with partners from American industry and academia, who will be invited based on NASA’s interest in their feedback to the objectives, followed by a second workshop in July with international organizations.

Comments are also being solicited from the NASA workforce to contribute to the updated objectives through internal agency processes.A list of the full 50 objectives and a glossary of terms is available online at: 
https://go.nasa.gov/3Np19NP

Public comments are being accepted online until May 31 at: https://socialforms.nasa.gov/m2m-objectives 

Watch this presentation to learn more about NASA’s Moon to Mars strategy:
https://youtu.be/Kd4nmO222i8

Press Contacts
Cheryl Warner 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1600 
[email protected]Jimi RussellNASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland216-704-2412[email protected]
 

Aerospace Happy Hour – May 12

Aerospace Happy Hour on Thursday, May 12th at Frolic Brewing Company located at 12910 Zuni St #1300, Westminster, CO 80234 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.  Come connect with other aerospace industry professionals in a relaxed atmosphere. Meet new people, mingle, and identify new ways to work together. This month, Happy Hour is being co-hosted with the NDIA Rocky Mountain Chapter and The Smalls – two great supporters of the space industry. Talk with them about ways they can help you. Visit their sites to learn more about their mission, future events, and more.

RSVP is not required but is greatly appreciated and highly encouraged so we can prepare the staff. Please RSVP to [email protected] with your intent to attend or not and let us know if you plan to bring others and how many.

Space Symposium – 4/14

NASA Plans High-Speed Commercial Vehicle Design Study

NASA has started a market research effort with the goal of identifying companies and universities with the capacity to design high-speed commercial vehicle systems and develop technology roadmaps to support the baseline vehicle concepts.

The agency said Wednesday in a sources sought notice that it envisions a design study project that would initially explore performance, weight and environmental compliance criteria for an aerial transportation vehicle for potential civilian use.

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COLORADO SPACE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE (CSBR) ANNOUNCES COMMITMENT TO JUST, EQUITABLE, DIVERSE, AND INCLUSIVE SPACE BY ESTABLISHING NEW J.E.D.I. SPACE COUNCIL

MARCH 8, 2022, DENVER, CO US

The Aerospace Industry is experiencing a renaissance, a new eagerness for innovation and exploration fueled by an accelerating human awareness of the importance of space to our sustainable and prosperous future. To realize this opportunity to its fullest potential we must nurture and utilize all the gifts and talents of those that share this vision.   

CSBR’s commitment is put forth by establishing a dedicated committee to focus on all areas necessary to create J.E.D.I. Space. We plan to ensure that our events and activities are inclusive, that we promote and encourage our partnerships to be just and equitable in our dealings.  We have diverse individuals that represent the best that Colorado has to offer.  To lead this effort we have asked former CSBR Chairperson, Alires Almon to lead our efforts to establish our commitment. 

“I am honored to be asked to lead this important effort. In order for Colorado to remain competitive and a leader in the aerospace industry, we must enable a J.E.D.I  Space environment. We can’t afford to turn away those who wish to contribute their talents to humanity’s greatest cause – space exploration.  I look forward to working with our CSBR Board members, their organizations and the greater aerospace community to keep us moving in the right direction and make space for all of us. ”  – Alires Almon, Chairman CSBR J.E.D.I. Space Council

The greatest journey in human history is the ongoing evolution of our awareness of who we are, the potential of where we are going, and most importantly how we get there. It is our purpose to create a J.E.D.I. Space environment as we journey into the great space frontier. We will be fearless in our mission as we rise to the challenge of difficult, yet courageous conversations. While we elevate the impact and inclusiveness of people, we will also transform our technologies’ impact on the environment and how we engender our earth for future sustainability.  

If you wish to be a part of this effort, please reach out to J.E.D.I. Council Chair , Alires Almon or CSBR Chair, Robert Cone. 

#####
About Colorado Space Business Roundtable (CSBR) – The Colorado Space Business Roundtable was established in 2002. CSBR is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization committed to the growth of space-related industries in Colorado, the nation’s largest per-capita aerospace economy with over 33,000 direct employees and nearly 300 companies.

Contacts:
Robert Cone, Chairman
CSBR Board of Directors
[email protected]

Alires Almon, Chair
CSBR J.E.D.I. Space Council
[email protected] 

Understanding the universe: Work by Ball Aerospace, other Boulder County companies play key role in James Webb Space Telescope

The recent launch of the James Webb Space Telescope garnered worldwide attention for its ambitious goals and extraordinary technological challenges. The Christmas Day take-off was the most high-profile step in a 20-year journey by scientists and engineers from Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder to build a next-generation telescope able to expand humanity’s understanding.

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Astroscale U.S. and Orbit Fab sign first on-orbit satellite fuel sale agreement

Astroscale and Orbit Fab break the single-use satellite paradigm with the first purchase of    Gas Stations in Space™ refueling services.

Jan. 11, 2022, DENVER — Orbit Fab, the Gas Stations in Space™ refueling service provider and Astroscale U.S. Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc. and market leader in securing long-term orbital sustainability, today announced a commercial agreement to refuel Astroscale’s Life Extension In-Orbit (LEXI™) Servicer in geostationary orbit (GEO); LEXI is the first satellite designed to be refueled.

Under the terms of this initial agreement, Orbit Fab’s GEO fuel shuttle will resupply Astroscale’s fleet of LEXI Servicers with up to 1,000 kilograms of Xenon propellant. With this purchase, Astroscale has greatly expanded LEXI’s scope and flexibility to perform on-orbit servicing missions — a benefit for every customer. 

“This agreement represents a transformational moment for space sustainability and the on-orbit servicing market,” said Ron Lopez, Astroscale U.S. President & Managing Director. “Astroscale and Orbit Fab are strengthening the value proposition for GEO life extension customers, driving new business models between on-orbit servicing companies in the space ecosystem and making orbital operations more sustainable.”

Astroscale’s LEXI spacecraft is slated to launch to GEO by 2026, where it will perform life extension services for commercial operators, the U.S government and partner governments around the world. LEXI’s key services for customers include station keeping and attitude control, momentum management, inclination correction, GEO relocation and retirement to graveyard orbit. Astroscale U.S. is working with Orbit Fab to integrate its Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface, or RAFTI, into the LEXI Servicer to provide refueling capability alongside the company’s ongoing work to develop LEXI’s rendezvous and docking payload technology.  

“This is a historic moment for the space industry, showing the clear and immediate need for on-orbit fueling,” Orbit Fab CEO Daniel Faber said. “We have partnered with Astroscale to facilitate the growth of the emerging satellite servicing sector by showing clear demand for satellite servicing and the refueling of those servicing assets. This take-or-pay contract is the first of its kind for the space industry. We can monetize a portion of our contracts before we make delivery to our customers, allowing us to quickly build out our network of tankers and shuttles. This is our commitment to Astroscale that we will deliver the fuel for a fixed price, and their commitment to buy that fuel.”

Orbit Fab expects to deploy dozens of fuel tankers and shuttles in the next 5 to 10 years, positioning them in proximity to customer satellite constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO), GEO and cislunar space. Astroscale and Orbit Fab are exploring additional opportunities to expand the on-orbit servicing market, including trans ferring fuel from tankers directly to operational satellites. Orbit Fab’s first two fuel shuttles will be commissioned in LEO in 2023.

About Astroscale U.S. 

Astroscale U.S. Inc. provides on-orbit services and logistics across all orbits for commercial operators, the U.S. government and partner governments around the world. Astroscale U.S. is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astroscale Holdings Inc., the first private company with a vision to secure the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit services across all orbits. Astroscale Israel Ltd., based in Tel Aviv, is a subsidiary of and serves as the research and payload development team for Astroscale U.S. Astroscale U.S. leverages the best of investments and developments made by Astroscale engineering, policy and business teams domestically and in Japan, the United Kingdom and Israel to provide flexibility and value for space operations in the U.S. and partner nations.  

Learn more about Astroscale U.S. at www.astroscale-us.com  

About Orbit Fab

Orbit Fab is building a bustling in-space economy, beginning with a propellant supply chain. The company’s Gas Stations in Space™ services create a bridge between Earth and space, providing satellite owners with the necessary propellant to extend mission time, travel across orbits, and even return to Earth. World-firsts include the first commercially available satellite refueling port RAFTI, the first in-orbit fuel depot, and the first resupply of water to the International Space Station by a private company. Orbit Fab is backed by key industry leaders and major investors including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, SpaceFund, Bolt, Munich Re Ventures, and more. Visit orbitfab.com for more information.

Connect with Orbit Fab on Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

Media Contacts 

Astroscale U.S. & Israel | Krystal Scordo, [email protected], +1.303.249.4765 

Orbit Fab | Jeremy Schiel, [email protected], +1.810.623.4973

Hands-On at Ball Aerospace

HANDS-ON AT BALL AEROSPACE

AN INTERNSHIP WITH THE COLORADO-BASED SPACECRAFT MAKER PUT STEVEN FINCH ON THE PATH TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER. IT ALSO SAVED THE COMPANY MORE THAN $1 MILLION.

December 6, 2021

By Doug McPherson

Steven Finch knew when he landed a mechanical-engineering internship at Ball Aerospace, Colorado’s renowned spacecraft maker, it would be amazing. He couldn’t have imagined that his first assignment would lead to a new product design that would save the company more than $1 million.

Finch, a senior majoring in Advanced Manufacturing at Metropolitan State University of Denver, credits his engineering-laboratory experience with giving him the tools he needed to immediately contribute.

“MSU Denver has given me a lot of hands-on learning opportunities,” he said. “Honestly, it’s one of the best things about the University. Instead of just theory, I was exposed to actual machines and processes that I know I’ll be using in the future. Without all of that, I would have had a much more difficult time at Ball.”

Read the full story at RED.MSUDenver.edu.

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