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G’day Trailblazers!

We’re Trailblazers, the Space Newsletter that's all about keeping up with SpaceX's relentless pursuit of innovation, as they aim to build one Starship rocket per day at their Starfactory facility in Texas.

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#LAUNCHPAD

In today’s edition

• SpaceX's Ambitious Starship Production Plan

• StarGraph: Starlink Launched Mass

• 5 Resources to Boost Your Workflows

• SpaceRegs: Developments in space governance, regulations & policy

• InTheLoop: Tech Trends on Earth Shaping Our Future in Space

• GhostInTheMachine: Modern Spaceports with a View

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#NEWS

🍪 Space Economy Bites & Snaps

Bites…

⭐ SpaceX Cost Strategy: SpaceX's commitment to lowering launch costs is key for its success, allowing the company to dominate the space industry while driving down expenses through reusability and high launch cadence, securing a competitive edge and substantial profits.

⭐ Satellite Approval Delays: Startups face significant challenges waiting up to a year for satellite approval, hindering their ability to innovate and launch. This lengthy process requires strategic planning and sufficient capital to navigate regulatory hurdles successfully.

… and Snaps

• Viasat unveils satellite service to boost connectivity for the energy industry’s global operations.

• Digital Africa: Major advancement in monitoring Africa’s waterbodies enhances space economy applications.

• Space AI: Transforming satellite imaging industry, enhancing efficiency and innovation in the space economy—but it’s no magic.

• Space Tourism: Billionaire cancels SpaceX moon trip, showcasing setbacks and challenges in commercial space travel.

• Infostellar: Pioneering APAC ground antennas to revolutionize satellite data flow and boost space connectivity.

#REALLY?

🤨 Africa as an important space player

Africa has made significant strides in space exploration, with over 20 countries establishing national space agencies. The African Space Agency (AfSA) was inaugurated in 2023 to promote cooperation and coordination among member states. Many countries, such as Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt, have launched satellites and are working on ambitious projects like spaceports and lunar missions. The continent's space industry is valued at $22.64 billion and is expected to grow by 16.16% by 2026.

#MARKETWATCH

💹 Investing in the Universe

Here's a list of funds that track companies in the space sector, giving investors access to the expanding space economy. These funds include firms in space exploration, satellite technology, and related areas, offering potential growth aligned with future technological advancements.

• Procure Space ETF (UFO) ▲ $16.27 (0.0%)

• RK Space Exploration and Innovation (ARKX) ▲ $15.18 (+0.6%)

• S&P Kensho Final Frontiers (ROKT) ▲ $44.21 (+0.5%)

Prices as of June 12, 2024, 4:00 p.m. ET

#BEYONDTHEHYPE

💬 Thoughts and Opinions from Across the Interspace

SpaceX's Ambitious Starship Production Plan

By Ed Tate, CTO, Virtus Solis

What is it?

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, aims to produce one Starship spacecraft per day. Each Starship is designed to carry 150 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and has a lifespan of at least 100 launches. This goal represents a significant leap in space transportation capabilities and aims to drastically reduce the cost of sending payloads into space.

The Details

Each Starship can launch 15,000 tons of payload into orbit over its operational life. To put this into perspective, this is almost equivalent to the total mass launched into space from 1957 to 2023. A single Starship can double the current man-made mass in space and lift the equivalent of over 30 International Space Stations.

With the planned production rate, SpaceX could potentially place millions of tons into orbit annually. This scale would be enough to launch over 10,000 International Space Stations in one year. Such an increase in launch capacity is expected to lead to a dramatic reduction in launch costs.

According to Wright's Law, which suggests that costs decrease with increased production, the cost per kilogram for launch will significantly drop with cumulative launch mass. The projected cost evolution per kilogram of payload based on Starship production is as follows:

• Unit #1: $1000/kg

• Unit #3: $700/kg

• Unit #7: $490/kg

• Unit #15: $343/kg

• Unit #31: $240/kg

• Unit #63: $168/kg

• Unit #127: $117/kg

• Unit #255: $82/kg

• Unit #511: $57/kg

Musk has indicated that costs could drop as low as $10/kg. Depending on the learning rate, this could be achieved with as few as a dozen units or as many as 15,000 units. Historical precedents, such as cost reductions in shipbuilding during WWII, suggest that such price drops are feasible.

While many Starship launches will be dedicated to refueling missions, enabling payloads to travel further into space, the overall payload capacity and associated cost reductions will still be substantial.

Why It Matters

The implications of SpaceX's Starship production plan are profound. Lower launch costs will open up space to a wider range of activities and industries. For example, space-based solar power (SBSP) becomes more viable with reduced launch costs. Currently, at a conservative estimate of 100kW of SBSP per ton of satellite launched, one Starship could place at least 15MW per launch into orbit and 1.5GW over its lifetime. With advancements in solar technology and launch capacity, these figures could increase even further.

This scale of operation can significantly contribute to solving the launch problem for SBSP and other heavy-lift requirements. The potential for cost-effective, frequent, and large-scale access to space paves the way for new space ventures and commercial opportunities, fundamentally altering our approach to space exploration and utilization.

SpaceX's ambitious plan to produce one Starship per day promises to disrupt space transportation, drastically reduce costs, and enable new technologies and industries to thrive in space. The impact of such advancements will be felt across various sectors, highlighting the importance of continued innovation and investment in space capabilities.

📚 Additional reading for a deeper dive:

• Falcon launch cadence

• Starlink launch mass and rate

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#STARGRAPH

📊 Starlink Launched Mass

The mass curve with exponential fit. The increase results from a combination of a faster launch rate and an increase in individual satellite mass as hardware is upgraded.

#PRODUCTIVITY

🎛️ 5 Resources to Boost Your Workflows

Recall → Summarize online content and save it to your knowledge base, where AI organizes and interlinks it for easy rediscovery.

Mindmap Generator → Effortlessly create, organize, and visualize ideas. Ideal to illustrate concepts for audience or students.

Monday.com 🎫 → A collaboration platform that allows teams to focus on executing tasks, projects, and processes efficiently and achieve shared goals at scale.

Launch to Safety → As space launches increase and private spaceports emerge globally, how do launchers and regulators ensure safety? Aerospace's Colleen Stover discusses this with experts Robert Unverzagt from The Aerospace Corporation and Nick Pearson from Rocket Lab, comparing safety protocols across different environments and the risks of responsive launches.

Space Safety (Technical University of Munich) 🎫 → This online course, led by astronaut Dr. Thomas Reiter and ESA experts, addresses satellite collisions, meteorite impacts, and space debris. Topics include space weather, collision avoidance, cybersecurity, and space medicine, exploring future space applications and astronaut safety.

🎫 indicates a promoted resource, if any.

#SPACEREGS

🧩 Developments in space governance, regulations & policy

🪙 LEO vs GEO Satellite Rules: The debate over Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits, which regulate signal strength to prevent interference between LEO and GEO satellites, is heating up. LEO operators argue current rules are outdated and limit efficiency, while GEO operators stress these protections are vital for their services. Regulatory adjustments, expected by 2027 or 2031, aim to balance the growing demand for LEO services and the operational needs of GEO satellites. This discussion highlights the evolving challenges in spectrum management and satellite communications.

🪙 Hughes India & Regulatory Reform: Hughes India is optimistic about real regulatory reform after years of setbacks. Recent changes, including the establishment of an autonomous agency within India's Department of Space and modified telecom regulations, are seen as significant steps towards fostering private-sector space activities. These reforms aim to reduce licensing red tape and enhance the satellite spectrum allocation process, promising a brighter future for India's space industry.

🪙 UNOOSA & Portugal's Role: At the "Management and Sustainability of Space Activities Conference" in Lisbon, experts and officials from around the globe discussed sustainable space operations and the importance of international cooperation. The event emphasized the need for a unified legal framework, transparency, and equitable access to space resources. Portugal's involvement showcased its emerging role in the space sector. The conference's insights contribute to the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, aiming to foster inclusive global governance for space activities.

🪙 Regulatory Navigation Tool: Aegis Space Law has launched a free online calculator to help U.S. startups navigate the complex space regulatory landscape. This tool assists companies in understanding the necessary licenses, permits, timelines, and costs associated with space missions, helping to prevent costly regulatory missteps. The initiative aims to support the growth of the U.S. space industry by making regulatory compliance more accessible and less financially burdensome for new space companies.

🪙 Stronger Space Sustainability: NYU Abu Dhabi researchers, led by Dimitra Atri, call for enhanced sustainability regulations in space exploration laws. They advocate expanding planetary protection policies to include non-biological issues like orbital debris and security. The team also recommends adding compliance incentives and ensuring sustainability as a core principle for space and planetary exploration. These measures aim to address critical gaps and promote long-term, safe space exploration practices.

🪙 Collaboration in Space: Diversification through collaboration is crucial for resiliency in the space industry. By forming partnerships across sectors, organizations can share resources, reduce risks, and innovate more effectively. This approach ensures stability and adaptability in the face of challenges, fostering a more robust space ecosystem. Such collaborative efforts are essential for advancing space exploration and technology while addressing common goals and challenges.

#INTHELOOP

💡 Tech Trends on Earth Shaping Our Future in Space

⚡ Charge Breakthrough - New supercapacitor discovery could enable laptops to charge in 1 minute, potentially revolutionizing energy storage with faster ion movement.

🌞 Solar Geoengineering - The Environmental Defense Fund invests millions in research on solar geoengineering to explore its potential and address climate change, despite concerns.

🔋 Fusion Strategy - The DOE unveils a 10-year plan to accelerate fusion energy development, aiming for commercial viability through enhanced R&D and public-private collaboration.

🕴️ Lobbying Surge - AI industry dramatically increases lobbying efforts in DC, with over 3,400 lobbyists influencing AI policy, raising concerns about industry-driven regulations.

#GHOSTINTHEMACHINE

🤖 Inspiration from the World of AI

Modern Spaceports with a View

Until Next Time

That brings us to the end of this edition, Trailblazers! Here's how we can assist you further:

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🌠 Getting Better Together

I value your opinion, so if you have specific advice or anything interesting you’d like to share, please let me know by replying to this email.

Thank you for reading and see you at the next orbit!

Francois

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