➀ The ISS National Lab's Orbital Edge Accelerator program, offering up to $500,000 funding and ISS-sponsored orbital research opportunities, closes applications on 19 May for space startups;
➁ Up to 20 finalists will pitch virtually in June, with six selected for mentorship and funding, announced on 7 July;
➂ The program aims to foster innovation in the space economy, managed by CASIS and TechConnect, leveraging the ISS's unique research environment for commercial and academic R&D.
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➂ Picture of the Day: IBDM – International Berthing and Docking Mechanism
➃ This is a very expensive and complicated connector, an IBDM. It is a docking mechanism for the European Space Agency’s habitation module for the Lunar Gateway (the Lunar I-Hab). The Gateway will be a lunar-orbiting outpost and is the NASA replacement for the International Space Station. The module will eventually...
Redwire has been awarded a contract to provide four docking mechanisms for the European Space Agency's habitation module for the Lunar Gateway, known as the Lunar I-Hab. This lunar-orbiting outpost is a replacement for the International Space Station and will support long-duration missions, potentially including a future human mission to Mars.
Redwire's Belgian subsidiary, Redwire Space NV, will deliver the International Berthing and Docking Mechanism (IBDM) for the Lunar I-Hab. The contract is with Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo.
The IBDM will enable safe transfers of crew and cargo within the Gateway station, using advanced automation and precision alignment. Other subsystems for the Lunar I-Hab are being provided by JAXA, including environmental control, life support, and batteries.
➀ Researchers from the University of Connecticut and Eascra Biotech are producing innovative nanomaterials in space to improve treatments for osteoarthritis and cancer.
➁ Janus base nanomaterials (JBNs) are developed to regenerate cartilage and could be used in precision cancer treatment.
➂ The ISS National Lab is used to test the production of JBNs in space, where gravity-driven forces are reduced, leading to better uniformity and patient outcomes.
➀ With the aid of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have found compelling evidence of biological life on a planet called K2-18b, located 124 light years from Earth.
➁ The team detected gases normally produced by biological activity on Earth, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide, in the exoplanet's atmosphere.
➂ The concentration of sulfur gas levels on K2-18b is thousands of times higher than on Earth, suggesting a potentially habitable environment.
➀ The Space Foundation's 2025 Q1 report indicates an 18% increase in the space workforce over five years.
➁ The average salary in the U.S. space industry is $135,000, a 3.1% annual increase and nearly double the average private sector wage.
➂ Pharmaceutical companies are showing increased interest in manufacturing drugs in orbit, with projects like Redwire's PIL-BOX.
➀ The Satellite Applications Catapult has upgraded its In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) facility with a new gravity offload system.
➁ The system, located at the Catapult's site in Westcott, Buckinghamshire, is designed to simulate microgravity for testing purposes.
➂ The new system allows for testing larger payloads in more unique configurations, enhancing the validation of ISAM solutions.
➀ This weekend, a partial solar eclipse will occur, with maximum coverage happening between 6:30 a.m. EST and 7:05 a.m. EST, depending on location.
➁ The Moon will pass in front of the Sun, casting a shadow on parts of the Northern Hemisphere, but no total solar eclipse will be visible this time.
➂ Proper eye protection, such as solar viewing glasses, is essential for safely observing the eclipse.
➀ The European Space Agency (ESA) has released its ESA Strategy 2040, outlining its approach to the challenges and opportunities of space up to 2040.
➁ The strategy is framed around five goals: protecting the planet, exploring and discovering, strengthening European autonomy, boosting growth and competitiveness, and inspiring Europe.
➂ The strategy aims to accelerate innovation, strengthen industrial capacity, position Europe as a commercial hub in the global space economy, and establish Europe as a space research hub.
➀ The University of Surrey’s Space Enterprise Lab (SEL) becomes the newest part of the Satellite Applications Catapult’s UK wide network.
➁ The lab is part of the Surrey Technology Centre (STC) in Guildford, Surrey Research Park, on the University of Surrey campus.
➂ The lab provides equipment for those looking to benefit from space data and technologies, offering free access to digital technology for collaborative work, hybrid meetings, and events.
➀ Swiss company Sensirion's sensors are being sent into space this month as part of the Wobble2 experiment;
➁ The purpose of the experiment is to improve fuel delivery in zero-gravity conditions by using a better propellant management device (PMD);
➂ Sensirion is providing its SLF3S-4000B flow sensors for the experiment.
➀ The UK's Satellite Applications Catapult has signed an MoU with Voyager Technologies to collaborate on In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM).
➁ The collaboration aims to explore opportunities for space tech development, including manufacturing and materials development in orbit, and advanced robotics.
➂ The global ISAM market is expected to be worth £10 billion by 2030, with the UK potentially capturing a 25% share.
➀ The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has achieved a record six-month period for contract wins involving the European Space Agency (ESA).
➁ The agency highlights a significant increase in funds for ESA programmes, with an additional £112 million (€134 million) in contracts for the UK space sector between June 2022 and December 2024.
➂ The UK now receives 99p back in contracts for every £1 invested, after overheads, marking an improvement from the previous 93p.
➀ Gilmour Space Technologies获得澳大利亚民用航空安全局（CASA）和Airservices Australia的最终空域批准；
➁ 计划于3月15日或之后进行Eris火箭的首次发射，Eris是澳大利亚设计建造的第一枚火箭；
➂ Gilmour Space的联合创始人兼首席执行官Adam Gilmour强调团队的努力和承诺，并强调澳大利亚本土火箭制造的历史意义。
➀ Infineon推出适用于低地球轨道太空应用的辐射耐受型p沟道塑料封装功率MOSFET；
➁ 该MOSFET为60V型号，与四种适用于60V或150V使用的n沟道太空设备一同推出；
➂ 该p沟道MOSFET型号为BUP06CP038F-01，采用DPAK（TO252）封装，额定连续电流为35A，单事件效应（SEE）为46MeV∙cm2/mg，总电离剂量（TID）为30至50krad（Si）。
➀ The article discusses the potential of manufacturing semiconductors in space, highlighting the advantages of low gravity and vacuum environments, which can lead to higher quality and more efficient chips.
➁ It mentions the challenges, including the high cost of launching equipment to space and the logistical difficulties of setting up and maintaining facilities in space.
➂ Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of space-based semiconductor manufacturing are significant, including reduced carbon emissions, improved chip performance, and the possibility of new technological advancements.
➀ EnSilica has been awarded £10.38 million over three years from the UK Space Agency's C-LEO programme.
➁ The funding will support the development of a chip family for future satellite broadband user terminals.
➂ The terminals will connect with various satellite constellations and utilize advanced semiconductor technology.
➀ The UK government has announced a £20 million investment in Orbex's Prime rocket, which will be the first orbital rocket manufactured in the UK and launched from British soil.
➁ Orbex, a UK-based private company specializing in low-cost orbital launch services, is set to launch the first Prime rocket towards the end of 2025.
➂ The Prime rocket is powered by renewable bio-propane fuel, making it an ultra-green launch system and aiming to reduce carbon emissions.
➀ Researchers mistakenly identified Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster as a near-Earth asteroid.
➁ The error was corrected within a day after realizing the object's orbit matched the Falcon Heavy Upper stage with the Tesla Roadster attached.
➂ The incident highlights the need for accurate tracking of space objects and the challenges faced due to the lack of a centralized database.
