This deep space update from Scott Manley covers a busy two-week period in late October and early November, detailing a wide range of international rocket launches, major NASA political developments, and significant commercial space news. The launch roundup includes seven SpaceX Starlink missions, an expendable Falcon 9 for a Spanish military satellite, Japan's successful H3 launch of the new HTV-X1 cargo ferry, and multiple Chinese missions, notably the Shenzhou 21 crew who cooked steak in orbit.
A primary focus is the political situation at NASA, with Jared Isaacman being renominated to lead the agency after his initial nomination was withdrawn. The discussion delves into his leaked "Project Athena" plan, which proposes significant commercialization and restructuring within NASA, sparking controversy. This connects to the ongoing debate over the Human Landing System (HLS), with former administrators weighing in and SpaceX publicly calling out a potential conflict of interest from lobbyist Jim Bridenstine. The update also covers the tangible effects of the U.S. government shutdown, which has led the FAA to restrict commercial space launches to a nighttime-only window. Other key topics include Intuitive Machines' acquisition of satellite-maker Lantas (formerly Maxar), the first flight of NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic jet, and a look ahead to Blue Origin's second New Glenn launch.
A Fortnight in Space: Launches, Politics, and Industry Shake-ups
0:00:23 - Multiple International Launches: The period saw numerous launches, including seven for Starlink, an expendable Falcon 9 for Spain's NG2 military satellite (retiring booster B1076 after 22 flights), and China's Gaofen-14 Earth observation satellite.
0:01:11 - Japan's New Rocket and Cargo Ship: Japan successfully launched its new H3 rocket, sending the new HTV-X1 cargo vehicle to the International Space Station. The mission is also carrying an experiment from the Dassai sake brewery to attempt fermentation in space.
0:03:07 - Steak in Space: The Shenzhou 21 crew successfully launched and docked with the Chinese space station. A notable highlight is that the crew brought along steak and chicken wings, which they cooked in orbit for the first time.
0:04:19 - Commercial Tech Rideshare: The SpaceX Bandwagon-1 rideshare mission launched several commercial payloads, including a test article from Vast's Haven space station and a demonstration of the first orbital data center.
0:05:28 - India Demonstrates Upper Stage Relight: India's LVM rocket launched the GSAT-7R satellite. While the rocket could not place it directly into a geostationary transfer orbit, it successfully demonstrated a crucial upper-stage engine relight, a key capability for future missions.
0:08:06 - Jared Isaacman Renominated to Lead NASA: After his initial nomination was withdrawn, Jared Isaacman has been renominated to be the NASA administrator, making him both the fastest and, subsequently, the slowest person to be nominated for the role.
0:09:13 - "Project Athena" Plan Leaks: Details emerged from Isaacman's leaked "Project Athena" document, outlining his vision for NASA. Key proposals include shifting more work to a commercial "science as a service" model and restructuring work at NASA centers. The leak is suspected to have been intentional to create opposition from legacy contractors.
0:11:36 - Human Landing System (HLS) Controversy: The debate over NASA's lunar lander program continues, with former administrator Jim Bridenstine (now a lobbyist) suggesting SpaceX is too slow. SpaceX publicly responded, pointing out Bridenstine's potential conflict of interest as he represents other aerospace companies.
0:18:08 - Major Industry Acquisition: Lunar lander company Intuitive Machines announced it is acquiring Lantas (the company formerly known as Maxar's space division) in a deal worth $800 million.
0:19:57 - NASA's Quiet Supersonic Jet Takes Flight: The NASA X-59 QueSST, an experimental aircraft designed to produce a very quiet sonic boom, successfully completed its first flight from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base.
0:22:04 - FAA Restricts Launch Times Due to Shutdown: As a consequence of the ongoing government shutdown and air traffic controller shortages, the FAA has banned all commercial space launches during daylight hours, limiting them to a window between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
0:24:21 - Blue Origin's New Glenn Awaits Second Flight: Blue Origin is preparing for the second launch of its New Glenn rocket, carrying NASA's Escapade mission to Mars. The flight will attempt another booster landing.
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