The Space News We're Excited About in 2020 - Gizmodo

(Artemis return booster)

"It’s time to look ahead to the coming year and all things that will be happening in space exploration. With new missions to Mars, a probe returning to Earth with samples taken from an asteroid, and even more batches of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites going into orbit, it’s going to be another fascinating year.

We’ll learn if NASA is returning to the Moon in 2024

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration accelerated the timeline for returning Americans to the Moon. The space agency was told, in rather blunt terms, that the Artemis lunar mission has to be done by 2024, but Congress raised serious concerns about this rather aggressive deadline."  Gizmodo

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Looks like a great year in space.  This compendium of the year's prospective activities should be helpful.  What role the new Space Force will play in all this is yet to be known.  Trump is not a visionary.  I suspect that his willingness to create a new US armed service implies the possession by the US of a lot of hardware and capability that has not yet been revealed to the public.  pl

https://gizmodo.com/the-space-news-were-excited-about-in-2020-1840538237

Comments

[Bill H]

Just finished rewatching "The Martian," in which Matt Damon is "the first space pirate" and "the greatest botanist on the planet" (Mars). Fairly nonsensical, but I love the "can do" spirit displayed by all. Marooned on a hostile planet, fighting for your life, and cracking jokes. My kind of guy.

[The Twisted Genius]

USSPACECOM, reestablished last August, is a better harbinger of what Space Force will be about. SPACECOM has a twofold mission of delivering space-based capabilities to Combatant Commanders and allies and to ensure space superiority. It will control all satellites and launch capabilities as well as that unmanned space shuttle. I’m sure it will also control all ASAT capabilities. The space dudes will be manning consoles rather than assaulting space stations with laser rifles. Their uniforms should include pocket protectors and K&E slide rules for formal functions. Joking aside, the Space Force will develop the mindset needed to make an effective USSPACECOM.

[turcopolier]

TTG

short sighted. What you are looking at is in fact the genesis of a space navy.

[The Twisted Genius]

I doubt a US space navy will evolve unless some future adversary decides to create one. As our presence expands to the Moon and beyond, I can see an Earth orbital space station or a station at a lunar Lagrange point serving as a Space Force manned control station for robotic spacecraft. Perhaps there could be Space Force manned weapons/defensive systems on manned craft much like armed merchantmen.

[turcopolier]

TTG

We can talk about this 50 years on.

[The Twisted Genius]

It's a date. Maybe we'll have our flying cars by then.

[Fred]

TTG,

Somebody has to man the equipment, if only to prevent its failure via hacking, or correct it upon detection. There also has to be a human element to space exploration, otherwise what's the point?

[The Twisted Genius]

Fred, all the satellites in orbit are not manned, nor are the rovers on Mars and the Moon. Look at the proliferation of drones and robotic vehicles in modern militaries. Yes, there will be a human element to space exploration, but robotics, both remotely piloted and autonomous, will dominate.

[J]

I've found the perfect mascot to accompany all space flight. Every launch needs one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXP43UHpLk0&t=57s

[HK Leo Strauss]

IMO, a space force will gravitate towards developing their own capabilities and seeing their original mission of supporting combatant commands as secondary. Like the AF fighter mafia and the Navy’s carrier fans, the space force elite will find the most expensive solution to a problem. The problem is that space is real money. 20B for a Ford carrier, carrier group and air wings is expensive, but peanuts compared to space carriers.

Heinlein dreams aside, this is probably a good thing. Elon’s spacefaring shouldn’t need Space Force SAR, Space Force Coast Guard, Space Force AWACS, Space Fort Mattis on Diemos.

Let humans explore for a century before policing it. How about Space Jesuits like in The Sparrow?

[ISL]

Dear Colonel,

My SWAG about the Space Force is it is in relationship to a significant ($$$$) upgrade to orbital assets in a (futile) attempt to address the definitive return to MAD courtesy of new hypersonic Russian ICBMs:

"US officials have talked about putting a layer of sensors in space to more quickly detect enemy missiles, particularly the hypersonic weapons. The administration also plans to study the idea of basing interceptors in space, so the U.S. can strike incoming enemy missiles during the first minutes of flight when the booster engines are still burning. "

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russian-hypersonic-nuclear-weapon-can-travel-27-times-speed-sound-now-operational

I understand why our Strangelovian leaders enjoy pretending they can poke the bear at no risk. Rather suicidal, IMO.

I recommend President Gabbard hold (at the same time) the US also have some nationwide N-War exercises, as in Russia, to counter the neocon snakes.

https://theantimedia.com/russian-40-million-citizens-nuclear-war/

[Vegetius]

Trump will promise Floridians the Moon AND Mars during his campaign.

[turcopolier]

ISL

That might be the short term motivation but once in existence thisservice will acquire a life of its own.

[The Twisted Genius]

What the Space Force does in the next several years is critical. General John Raymond, the only real member of the Space Force at this time, mentioned that the uniform, the logo and the service song will be important to establishing the culture of the Space Force. Indoctrination will be more important than technology especially in the short term.

[ISL]

they always do (institutions). Hopefully the space force will develop with singular vision (unlike say the F-35).

[Terry]

I believe robots will be used extensively in space but I also believe that people will be right there with them.

Perhaps the fact that Space X has already cut price per kg to orbit to 1/10 of the space shuttle price per kg with more reductions coming with reusability will factor into how active the new space force is in space.

There also might be planning and preparation going on now based on research that is still in the labs.

[Sbin]

SpaceX looking at +30 launches
Long March 5 coming online for China.
Boeing still incompetent but trying.
Hope 2020 continues humanity's march towards the vast endless sea of space.

[Cortes]

“Jaunting” will be around in 50 years, surely?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars_My_Destination

The great Alfred Bester novel based on an updating of The Count of Monte Cristo has so many fabulous ideas it deserves to be much better known outwith the sci-fi, er, sphere. And “jaunting” is the way to go...

[J]

TTG,

MGM's cinematic brothers across the seas the stodgy MI6 types wee officially given a license to kill-murder-maime in a Brit secret court, the ruling that nobody can see outside the official secrets act. MI5 does the kill-murder-maime on British citizens within the Kingdom, and the MI6 does it all exterior (excluding those by SAS).

Anyway to the short of the matter will MI6 try and hitch a ride on U.S. outbound into space to keep all safe from Irish and Scot rouges who say enough is enough? My Clan's fore-bearers stood up to the English, and the English were forced to back down ("Cam I early, cam I late, always I found Agnes at the gate.").

Britain’s Security Services Granted License to Kill

https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/12/27/britains-security-services-granted-license-to-kill/

[ISL]

My suggestion is prevention of an asteroid impact. There are a few close call in the next few decades that could eliminate any concern about global warming or middle east oil or mammals surviving. the universe is very dangerous and our blue dot is very small ....