Millennium Space Systems just secured a major contract with the Space Development Agency.
And this contract is for Millennium to work on something called the Foo Fighter System.
Yep, no joke, it is.
And we'll explain what that is in our top story.
Now I'm sure with this new nearly half a billion dollar contract in hand for the Foo Fighter System.
I was looking in the SDA's direction with the lyrics to "My Hero in Mine."
Or maybe times like these.
How about this listeners, you decide.
Today is Mayday 2024.
I'm Maria Varmausus and this is T-minus.
Millennium Space Systems secures a $413 million contract with the SDA.
NASA begs for funding to de-orbit the ISS.
Astroscale is approved to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
And our guest today is Twana Yezegge, chair and CEO of Twana Group and the non-profit AeroAI Global Solutions.
I'll be talking to Twana about how she plans to use space data to monitor human and animal trafficking.
So stay with us for that chat. .
And we're kicking off today's Intel briefing with contract news from Boeing subsidiary Millennium Space Systems.
Millennium has secured a $413 million contract from the Space Development Agency, also known as the SDA.
The spacecraft company will spearhead the development of the Fire Control on-orbit support to the warfighter, also known as the Foo Fighter System.
And yeah, you know, we've all been doing our best Dave Grohl voices all day.
Thank you very much.
The Foo Fighter System, also known as F2, is a constellation of satellites designed to provide fire control quality sensing against emerging threats.
Millennium Space Systems will deliver a constellation of eight satellites with a ground system and perform mission operations.
The system will provide data for tracking and targeting, significantly enabling the effectiveness of missile defense systems.
The Foo Fighter System, or F2, will demonstrate advanced missile defense capability by incorporating fire control quality sensors into the prototype constellation.
Personally, I think they should continue calling it Foo Fighter.
I don't know.
Maybe it's a copyright issue.
The U.S. commercial space industry is collectively exhaling a sigh of relief this week after the House and Senate committee leaders announced that they have reached an agreement on the new FAA Reauthorization Bill.
The majority of the bill does not deal with space activities, but one provision would extend the so-called learning period for another few months.
The language prevents the FAA from promulgating new commercial human spaceflight regulations and will expire on May 11th if this bill does not pass by then.
It is crazy to think that we are still talking about bill extension periods in May.
And speaking of U.S. politics, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson presented to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee yesterday.
Nelson was asking for them to pass a pending domestic supplemental appropriations bill, which includes money to build a deorbit vehicle for the International Space Station.
I think honestly asking is a polite way of saying begging, and that's from Bill Nelson's mouth.
Not mine.
Here's some audio for you to prove it.
First question that you ask, in the 24 budget, there is $180 million for the starting of a U.S. deorbit vehicle, which I am begging the Congress in the next emergency appropriations bill, the one that will address Guam and the typhoon for the Department of Defense as well as NASA.
That you include within that in the argument that I made earlier in the hearing that that is an emergency because we don't know what President Putin is going to be doing.
And therefore we cannot count that we will have the cooperation all the way through the next six years in order to be able to deorbit the station safely into, most of it will burn up, but the big chunks that are left to put them safely in the graveyard in the Southern Pacific Ocean.
And we desperately request that $180 million and the rest of the six-year total funding of the U.S. deorbit vehicle be put in the emergency supplemental appropriations.
Now coming out of stealth for a startup is never an easy thing, though it is quite exciting, but it certainly helps when you rock up on the scene with $3 million in federal contracts already secured.
That's the story from the new kid on the block, Portal Space Systems.
The Seattle-based startup is led by Jeff Thornberg, who is known as the architect of SpaceX's Raptor engine and was previously the head of mechanical engineering and manufacturing at Amazon's Project Kuiper.
Portal Space Systems is focused on building a satellite bus, which features a novel solar thermal propulsion system.
Best of luck to them.
Japan headquartered Astroscale Holdings has been approved by the Tokyo Stock Exchange to list the company's shares on the growth market of the TSE.
The listing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, enabling the trading of Astroscale shares on the TSE thereafter.
Astroscale has seen a lot of success of late with their first space debris rendezvous mission, as well as securing funding for a follow-up mission with JAXA.
Let's hope that they see more success than the SPAC stock here in the U.S.
Blue Origin has selected Atlas Space Operations to provide ground segment support for their upcoming Blue Ring mission, Dark Sky One.
Atlas will leverage a number of its highly capable 7-meter antennas across the globe to support radio frequency requirements for the CIS Lunar and Lunar mission.
Blue Origin and the U.S.
Defense Innovation Unit recently announced the Dark Sky One mission to demonstrate flight systems, including space-based processing capabilities, telemetry, tracking and command hardware, and ground-based radiometric tracking.
And Umbra has been selected by DARPA, aka the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, to progress to Phase 2 of the Distributed Radar Image Formation Technology program, also known as DRFT.
The DRFT program leverages data from multiple Umbra Synthetic Aperture Radar, or SAR, satellites.
Phase 2 entails a comprehensive multi-month collection campaign, during which Umbra's SAR satellites will generate bi-static and multi-static datasets for further analysis by DARPA and its partner contractors in the DRFT program.
At the culmination of Phase 2, Umbra will conduct an on-orbit demonstration showcasing the multi-static capabilities that it has developed.
And that's it for our briefing for this episode.
Head to our show notes to find the selected reading section for more information.
And there you will always find links to more details on all the stories that I've mentioned today, along with an announcement from our friends at ExoLaunch, as well as another announcement from GovExec on their new space project.
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A review and a five-star rating will help other space professionals just like you to find the show and join the T-Minus Crew.
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We really appreciate it.
[MUSIC] Our guest today is Twana Yezegah, Chair and CEO of Twana Group and the non-profit Arrow AI Global Solutions.
[MUSIC] We aim to utilize space technologies and AI to create international solutions for the protection and improvement of global living conditions.
And our key objectives include education, research and design of our own projects, and then the international implementation of those projects, and then also forging meaningful partnerships.
So by collaborating with different stakeholders and working on national and international laws, we effectively address critical global challenges.
So we have multiple projects in the works right now, and one of our current projects, so this isn't what the non-profit is entirely made of, it's just one of the current projects that we're implementing right now, which is based on one of my journal publications from about three years ago.
It's how to use these space technologies like radio frequency, radar, AI and optical satellite imagery to monitor international human and wildlife trafficking hotspots.
Not just to sound simplistic, it's a wonderful idea.
Talk about improving life on Earth using space.
This is such a fantastic example of how space can really make a serious difference in people's lives, and also the lives of other creatures that we share this planet with.
Anyway, but yeah, before we get into that, tell me a bit about what you think is the genesis of this idea.
This is a great idea.
So my work started a very long time ago, not in the space sector, but my love for helping people, animals and also our environment started from a very young age.
I actually wrote four children's books about these topics, and my first one got published when I was seven.
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
Wow.
I donated all the profits from all four books to animal charities to also improve the great work that they've been working on.
So that's how I initially start to showcase, educate, how important education is, how important showcasing the sort of knowledge to different audiences.
And being able to kind of showcase these problems to young children at an early age, so they also start talking and thinking about these problems as well.
So I then started delving more into the more technical journal publications and other publications work.
But the reason why I started to get into the technology and the legal side of things is because I start to see the power of what law can do.
And I saw that firsthand when I worked with the mayor of Istanbul when I was 19 to pass a law that banned horse-drawn carriages in the Prince's Islands, so it's an island close right off of Turkey, and basically turned the entire transportation system to electric cars and saved 1,500 abused horses.
So I worked as the advisor for that, and I came up with the feasibility plan for that.
So no one lost their jobs.
Is it at 19?
Yes.
That's amazing.
I'm sorry.
That's just really incredible.
Thank you.
So that's when I started to see how important working with regulators and lawmakers is because so they have had so many protests that show, you know, showcase that this is a big problem, how animals are being abused, whatnot, which is great for showing awareness and spreading awareness.
But afterwards, there's like the next steps are working with these individuals to actually come up with feasible ways to make permanent change.
And that's what I always was interested in, the permanent change.
And the only way to do that is understanding how the law works, working within it, and working with these regulators to basically fit the system into their system.
So that's another one of the big reasons why I also wanted to go into law school.
So my background is I studied PPE, so philosophy, politics, economics, and minoring in psychology.
And then for my master's, I international administration with a concentration in international space law.
You know, people ask me, like, why on earth are you doing law school if you're already doing these companies and the nonprofit?
Because they know that's what I'm going to continue doing after law school.
You're not busy enough.
I mean, yeah.
Yeah.
So I explained, there are two main reasons why I wanted to go to law school.
One of them is the more basic, let's be a good CEO, understand how the law works, you know, being able to, because these are going to be international companies too.
So it's going to be a lot of work on our end to ensure that it's run properly.
So that's just on like a very basic way of, you know, explaining that.
Another reason why I wanted to go to law school is a lot of the work that we do is implement it international systems that also require a lot of knowledge on what to push for in terms of certain international laws and agreements, like bilateral agreements or regulations that we put in place to actually ensure that permanent change that we're looking for.
And a lot of the laws and regulations are so behind in this space sector because, you know, our technology improves every three seconds.
So we need to be able to push for these proper laws.
And in order to do that, you need to have knowledge on what exactly needs to be put into place, recognize that, and also have that credibility when pushing for the sort of change.
So in the context of all this fantastic legal understanding that you have and that you can bring to bear here, as if you're not busy enough, you've got this, I mean, really impactful project really is underselling it.
But so tell me about Project Aero AI Guardian.
I know this is one of the many things you're working on, but I really want to make sure our audience hears you explain this because I think it's just really incredible.
Aero AI Guardian, basically our goal is to work towards a robust international system that's focused on utilizing these space technologies like radar, radio frequency, AI and optical satellite imagery to monitor international human and wildlife trafficking hotspots.
But the main goal is to develop preventive measures to combat trafficking and to ensure the implementation of appropriate legal actions on an international scale.
So basically an accountability system.
So what makes this very different from just using satellite imagery and just pointing to a certain hotspot and asking, you know, just gathering that data is there's a government component to this.
So we're seeking funding from Homeland Security, and we also want to partner with Fish and Wildlife Service alongside our partnerships with satellite companies to have access to all this data.
And then we want to combine that data with some of our other partners.
And one of our partners is the Royal Foundation of the UK.
So the Royal Foundation is United for Wildlife.
It was founded by Prince William in 2013.
And so they're also sharing their, kindly sharing their resources with us.
So combining all that with some of the other data companies and then sending it to Homeland Security so that we can actually utilize all of this as evidence in court.
So it actually helps their criminal investigations.
And Homeland Security and Fish and Wildlife Service, they have international investigations.
So this isn't just monitoring hotspots in the US.
It's all over the world.
So this is very important because wildlife trafficking and human trafficking overlap quite a bit, for example, with unregistered vessels that do illegal fishing and then also overlaps with human trafficking, for example.
You would need radiofrequency to geolocate SAR and an optical satellite imagery to get that imagery side.
And then AI also for pattern recognition.
But you can't do any of that if you don't have the intel from the government either.
So everything goes hand in hand.
You know, either they have the intel and they don't have access to the sort of technology or they have the technology and they don't have access to intel.
So either way, utilizing all these resources in a proper way is important to make actual effective and permanent change.
So this is something that we're currently working on.
And it sounds like you're filling an important gap there, that capabilities or knowledge gap either way, that that seems to be the goal that you're trying to achieve here, if I'm understanding correctly.
Exactly.
Because NGOs have a lot to offer.
These satellite companies, their amazing technologies, they have so much to offer.
And obviously the government is also working on these investigations, but sometimes their manpower is not enough.
Like they can't go to every, you know, try and fix every single issue.
They need more help from these sorts of technologies that can help them also be more effective.
So that's a huge part of our work.
It's hard to sometimes envision how this is all going to play out.
So a pilot program is necessary to showcase, look, this works.
And then this is what we need.
And then that's where the funding would come in.
So that's where we're at with the projects.
That's awesome.
Thank you so much for walking me through that.
And we have in essence the space industry listening through the show.
Is there anything you want them to know, any kind of call to action, something that you need, something you want to tell them?
So we are looking to partner with satellite companies that want to take that extra step and wanting to utilize their technologies for good.
Because it's important to also remember that we still live on this planet.
It's important to remember that this sort of technology can help improve life on earth.
Not just for us, but also like you said, the creatures that we share this planet with.
And that's why I would encourage companies to think, okay, aside from our businesses, this is also another path that we can utilize our technologies for good for this sort of purpose.
Because after the pilot program, there's going to be opportunity for more and more companies to join this big undertaking.
Because no one can do this alone.
Not a single company can do this alone.
No single government can do this alone.
An international problem needs an international solution.
And we need all sorts of partners who can dedicate some of their resources to us to ensure that we're utilizing absolutely anything possible to address this very important issue.
[Music] We'll be right back.
Welcome back.
So, I have a question for you, dear listeners.
What is the highest point you have visited on earth?
You've climbed Everest.
That's definitely a brag.
Not going to lie.
Well, we here at T-Mise were actually in Colorado last month for Space Symposium.
And there in the state of Colorado is where Pikes Peak sits at over 14,000 feet high.
Got to admit, Alice and I did not make it up this time.
But Alice has been telling me that she's been up there before and says that the air is super thin up there.
No surprise.
And I got to admit, it's enough to make you nearly pass out just by stumbling a few steps in Colorado Springs, which is a mere 6,000 feet above sea level.
So imagine, if you will, what it's like to view the stars from 18,500 feet up.
That's the summit of Chile's Ceto Shenandoah Mountain with the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory or Tau, which is now open for celestial viewing.
Yes, a Japanese-led observatory in South America.
The observatory is billed as the world's highest astronomical site.
It even has a Guinness World Record to prove it.
Now Tau was first conceptualized 26 years ago to study the evolution of galaxies and exoplanets.
But work only began in 2006 when the first access road to Mount Shenandoah Summit was paved and a weather monitor installed soon after.
According to the Tau website, the project is important for enhancing Japan's competitiveness and communication ability and for demonstrating leadership.
The region's high altitude, sparse atmosphere, and perennially arid climate is pretty deadly to humans.
But it makes an excellent spot for infrared telescopes like Tau.
Well, sounds appealing, doesn't it?
Well, it does if you like the stars, huh?
But can you imagine the views from that kind of vantage point?
I'd love to see it someday.
It's enough to make the deadly environment sound appealing to us stargazers.
I guess I'll see y'all there sometime.
[MUSIC] That's it for T-Minus for May the 1st, 2024, brought to you by N2K Space.
For additional resources from today's report, check out our show notes at space.n2k.com.
As always, we'd love to know what you think of this podcast.
You can email us at space@n2k.com or submit the survey in the show notes.
Your feedback ensures that we deliver the information that keeps you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry.
N2K's Strategic Workforce Intelligence optimizes the value of your biggest investment, your people.
We make you smarter about your team while making your team smarter.
This episode was produced by Alice Carruth.
Our associate producer is Liz Stokes.
We're mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester, with original music by Elliot Peltzman.
Our executive producer is Jennifer Iben.
Our executive editor is Brandon Karp.
Simone Petrella is our president.
Peter Kilpie is our publisher.
And I'm Maria Varmasus.
Thanks for listening.
We'll see you tomorrow.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
