Other News
Sunday's Transporter-1 mission included the first electric thrusters developed by startup Phase Four. The company's Maxwell plasma thrusters flew on two undisclosed spacecraft. Phase Four has been working for several years on the thrusters, which it describes as the most compact thrusters available in its class for use on microsatellites. The company expects to fly as many as 10 Maxwell thrusters this year as it scales up production of those thrusters and works on advanced designs. [SpaceNews]
A proposed replacement for the giant radio telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico could also be used for space situational awareness work. One concept under consideration would replace the 305-meter single dish with an array of up to 1,000 dishes, each nine meters across. At a committee meeting last week, observatory officials said the new telescope would be equipped with a radar whose applications could include tracking objects in orbit. The concept is still in its early phases of development, and the NSF is weighing options on whether, and how, to replace Arecibo. The committee also addressed concerns that the loss of Arecibo deprives scientists of one of the few planetary radar systems used to study near Earth objects. [SpaceNews]
Russian officials believe there is another crack in its segment of the International Space Station. A slow air leak on the station led officials to conclude there is a small crack beyond those already found in the Zvezda module. The leak is very small and does not pose a hazard to the station. An upcoming cargo mission will deliver a microscope that cosmonauts will use to help find the leak. [TASS]
SpaceX wants to get into the natural gas business. At a hearing Friday, SpaceX told Texas regulators it's interested in drilling for natural gas near its Boca Chica test site, intending to use it for its methane-fueled Starship vehicles. A SpaceX subsidiary, Lone Star Mineral Development, bought an existing oil lease on the property but is in a legal dispute with another company with inactive wells there. Elon Musk, who once called burning fossil fuels "the dumbest experiment in human history," announced last week he'll offer a $100 million prize for the best carbon capture technology. [Bloomberg]
Former astronaut Julie Payette is resigning as Canada's governor general. Payette announced last week she would resign after a report concluded that she and her secretary led a "toxic work environment" at the office, which serves as the queen's representative in Canada. Employees had complained Payette and her secretary berated and publicly humiliated them. Payette didn't admit to any specific problems, but acknowledged "tensions" at the office. [CBC]
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