Space Force Expands Dual-Use Logistics Demonstrations with Commercial Partners A Space Systems Command program office is advancing two demonstrations designed to test dual-use refueling and augmented maneuver capabilities through partnerships with commercial industry. The initiatives, which are fully funded and currently under contract, are set to launch in early 2027. Col. Scott Carstetter, director of the servicing, mobility, and logistics office in Space Systems Command’s Space Access Portfolio Acquisition Executive, highlighted that the projects represent a strategic effort to integrate commercial technologies with military operations. The decision to prioritize refueling and augmented maneuver capabilities stems from their existing technological maturity and immediate relevance to military operations. Carstetter emphasized that the Space Command has a pressing need for maneuver warfare in orbit, which requires refueling capabilities. He noted that leveraging commercial assets, particularly those with orbital mobility, is critical for conducting operations when needed. The refueling demonstration is being conducted through a contract with Astroscale U.S., while the augmented maneuver project involves Starfish Space’s Otter space vehicle. Both companies will own and operate the systems used in the tests, a model Carstetter’s office is evaluating to assess how commercial providers can be integrated with government assets. While technical challenges are deemed unlikely due to the reliability of the systems, Carstetter acknowledged potential difficulties in coordinating commercial and government entities. Starfish Space’s project involves mating a commercial service satellite with a government-owned asset, managing attitude control, and executing movement and maneuvering of space vehicles.#space_force #northrop_grumman #astroscale_us #starfish_space #col_scott_carstetter
Space Force Eyes 2027 Demonstrations of In-Space Refueling and Satellite Servicing The U.S. Space Force is set to launch a series of spacecraft to geostationary orbit in 2027 as part of two separate demonstrations aimed at testing in-space refueling and satellite servicing technologies. These efforts are part of a broader push by the military to develop capabilities for maintaining and extending the operational life of satellites in orbit, akin to how aircraft or ships are serviced on Earth. The mission, known as USSF-23, will deploy a fuel-transfer spacecraft developed by Astroscale U.S., a propellant depot created by Orbit Fab, and a servicing “space tug” from Starfish Space. The goal is to demonstrate what the Space Force refers to as servicing, mobility, and logistics—technologies that officials believe are critical for enhancing the survivability and maneuverability of assets in space. The demonstrations are part of a larger initiative to explore whether orbital logistics can become a commercially viable sector. Col. Scott Carstetter, who leads the servicing, mobility, and logistics office at Space Systems Command, emphasized that his team has spent three years analyzing the potential for a market around orbital logistics. “The key question is whether these services ultimately become commercially provided capabilities or if the government will have to be the leader in some of these areas,” Carstetter said. To address this, his office has funded two major demonstrations, with the USSF-23 mission serving as a pivotal test. One of the demonstrations involves Astroscale’s Provisioner spacecraft, a 300-kilogram vehicle equipped with a refillable hydrazine tank designed to transfer fuel to satellites in orbit. The spacecraft was developed under a 2023 Space Force agreement that included $25.#space_force #northrop_grumman #astroscale_us #orbit_fab #starfish_space
NASA spacecraft weighing 1,300 pounds re-enters Earth’s atmosphere The Van Allen Probe spacecraft, which weighed more than 1,300 pounds (600 kilograms), re-entered Earth’s atmosphere nearly 14 years after its launch. The U.S. Space Force confirmed the event occurred on Wednesday over the Eastern Pacific region at approximately 06:37 EDT (10:37 GMT), roughly 12 hours later than initially predicted but within the expected margin of error. The probe, launched in 2012, was part of a twin mission designed to study Earth’s radiation belts. Most of the spacecraft was expected to disintegrate during re-entry, though some components may have survived. NASA stated the risk of any debris causing harm to a person on Earth was one in 4,200, which it described as a “low” risk. The mission, originally planned to last two years, extended to nearly seven years before the spacecraft ran out of fuel and could no longer orient itself toward the Sun. The probes operated within Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts, which are rings of charged particles trapped by the planet’s magnetic field. These belts shield Earth from harmful cosmic radiation, solar storms, and solar wind. The mission provided critical insights, including the discovery of a transient third radiation belt that can form during periods of intense solar activity. Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere before 2030. NASA has also announced changes to its Moon landing plans. The agency is adding an extra mission to its Artemis program before landing astronauts on the Moon. This adjustment follows technical challenges that delayed the rocket’s launch, which NASA now claims have been resolved. The Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, with the next mission targeting an early April launch.#nasa #van_allen_probe #space_force #eastern_pacific #artemis_program
