March 10, 2022 - No. 16 In This Issue : Aerospace startup reveals new modular lunar rover for carrying people and cargo on the Moon : Space tech startup Slingshot Aerospace raises $25 million to fuel growth : Aerospace company picks Albuquerque for major hydrogen manufacturing hub : Aircraft maintenance company Avwatch setting up shop in Beaufort, adding jobs, hangars : 2022 IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards Open for Nominations Aerospace startup reveals new modular lunar rover for carrying people and cargo on the Moon What a FLEX Today, aerospace startup Venturi Astrolab revealed its new interplanetary rover designed to transport cargo and people across the surface of the Moon — and eventually Mars. The company says it plans to build a fleet of these rovers over the coming decade to help NASA and commercial companies establish a long-term presence on the Moon. Called FLEX, for Flexible Logistics and Exploration, the rover can crouch down and lift payloads up from the surface of the Moon, carrying them under its belly before depositing them at their intended location. With its “modular payload concept,” it can carry many different types of objects, so long as they are built to an agreed-upon standard of size and shape. In keeping with its name FLEX, the rover can maneuver semi-autonomously, be controlled remotely — or it can even be modified to include a crew interface, allowing astronauts to ride on the rover while guiding it through lunar terrain. “WE WANT TO SOLVE THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.” The goal of FLEX and ultimately Astrolab is to capitalize on the world’s renewed push to send people back to the Moon, according to Jaret Matthews, Astrolab’s CEO. Currently, NASA is working to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon through the space agency’s Artemis program. And companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing their own landers that will be able to take people to the lunar surface. In the meantime, various commercial companies, like Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, are building robotic lunar landers that will carry cargo to the Moon. Matthews says he hopes that FLEX rovers will be up there by the time those efforts really ramp up. “Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are solving the long haul transportation problem, and we want to solve the local transportation problem — and ultimately set the standard for lunar logistics,” Matthews tells The Verge. Matthews has a long history of working with rovers. He started his career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he worked on the twin Spirit and Opportunity rovers that were launched to Mars in 2003. He then left to go to SpaceX, working on the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and the technology needed for it to dock with the ISS. He’s now taking his expertise to his new company, Astrolab, which he formed with his co-founders in January of 2020. Astrolab has already built a full-scale prototype of FLEX, which the company recently test drove out in the California desert near Death Valley, about five hours out from the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne. Former astronaut Chris Hadfield, who’s on Astrolab’s board of advisors, even took the rover for a spin, giving his advice on how the vehicle’s design held up. The company used FLEX to pick up and deliver payloads, as well as set up a vertical solar panel — a critical technology needed for in-space energy that future lunar astronauts will probably need to set up to stay on the Moon long-term, Matthew says. Astrolab wants FLEX to be able to carry as much cargo as possible, which is why the company went with the modular design. Matthews likens it to how shipping containers here on Earth are made to specific international standards. He hopes eventually we’ll create a similar standard for cargo on the Moon. “You have all those containers kind of move seamlessly through the global supply chain, and that’s a really efficient model where all this infrastructure is designed to work together,” Matthews says. “So we think that approach makes sense to take forward to the Moon and Mars.” “THEY CAN ESSENTIALLY DRIVE IT LIKE THEY STOLE IT.” Matthews says they learned a lot from their field tests with the FLEX prototype. Ultimately, the prototype is built for Earth terrain, though, so the equipment is much “beefier” than it would be for a lunar environment, which has one-sixth our planet’s gravity. The company says the final rover should weigh about 1,100 pounds, or 500 kilograms, and will be built specifically to handle the lunar terrain. “We want the hardware to be super robust so that they can essentially drive it like they stole it and not have to worry about it,” Matthews says. Lunar rovers have to contend with all sorts of environmental struggles, such as higher radiation and the dreaded lunar night, a two-week period when the Moon is plunged into darkness and temperatures can drop below -208 degrees Fahrenheit, or -130 degrees Celsius. Astrolab claims that FLEX will have insulation and “sufficient internal battery capacity,” allowing the rover to withstand and stay warm between 100 and 300 hours of nighttime at the Moon’s south pole. Once the sun rises again, FLEX’s external solar arrays will then start generating electricity from the light. When it’s complete, FLEX will supposedly be able to launch on multiple types of rockets and landers. Matthews cites startup Astrobotic’s Griffin lander, which is supposed to carry a NASA rover to the Moon, as a potential ride for FLEX. The company isn’t saying how much FLEX will cost, but Matthews says the long-term plan is to charge for services of the rovers rather than for each individual vehicle. “We want to be the UPS, FedEx, and the Uber of the Moon,” he says. Conversations have already begun with NASA, which put out a call for companies last year to come up with designs for a “lunar terrain vehicle” that could transport future Artemis astronauts across the Moon’s south pole. Astrolab has also reached out to potential customers, including SpaceX, whose headquarters are next door to Astrolab’s in Hawthorne. With a mission control center already built, along with a thermal vacuum chamber for testing, Astrolab wants to send up its first FLEX rovers in the years ahead, testing them out on the lunar surface before astronauts arrive. “Astronaut time is the most precious resource in the world, and safety is a prime concern, so you want to be able to do as much robotically in their absence as you can,” Matthews says. And it’s quite likely it’ll be a while before astronauts actually make it back to the lunar surface. NASA recently delayed its first landing date for Artemis to 2025, though auditors of the space agency say a 2026 landing is more realistic. That gives Astrolab even more time to get the FLEX up and running on the lunar surface. https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/10/22971232/venturi-astrolab-flex-lunar-rover-nasa-artemis-spacex Aerospace startup reveals new modular lunar rover for carrying people and cargo on the Moon What a FLEX Today, aerospace startup Venturi Astrolab revealed its new interplanetary rover designed to transport cargo and people across the surface of the Moon — and eventually Mars. The company says it plans to build a fleet of these rovers over the coming decade to help NASA and commercial companies establish a long-term presence on the Moon. Called FLEX, for Flexible Logistics and Exploration, the rover can crouch down and lift payloads up from the surface of the Moon, carrying them under its belly before depositing them at their intended location. With its “modular payload concept,” it can carry many different types of objects, so long as they are built to an agreed-upon standard of size and shape. In keeping with its name FLEX, the rover can maneuver semi-autonomously, be controlled remotely — or it can even be modified to include a crew interface, allowing astronauts to ride on the rover while guiding it through lunar terrain. “WE WANT TO SOLVE THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.” The goal of FLEX and ultimately Astrolab is to capitalize on the world’s renewed push to send people back to the Moon, according to Jaret Matthews, Astrolab’s CEO. Currently, NASA is working to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon through the space agency’s Artemis program. And companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing their own landers that will be able to take people to the lunar surface. In the meantime, various commercial companies, like Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, are building robotic lunar landers that will carry cargo to the Moon. Matthews says he hopes that FLEX rovers will be up there by the time those efforts really ramp up. “Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are solving the long haul transportation problem, and we want to solve the local transportation problem — and ultimately set the standard for lunar logistics,” Matthews tells The Verge. Matthews has a long history of working with rovers. He started his career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he worked on the twin Spirit and Opportunity rovers that were launched to Mars in 2003. He then left to go to SpaceX, working on the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft and the technology needed for it to dock with the ISS. He’s now taking his expertise to his new company, Astrolab, which he formed with his co-founders in January of 2020. Astrolab has already built a full-scale prototype of FLEX, which the company recently test drove out in the California desert near Death Valley, about five hours out from the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne. Former astronaut Chris Hadfield, who’s on Astrolab’s board of advisors, even took the rover for a spin, giving his advice on how the vehicle’s design held up. The company used FLEX to pick up and deliver payloads, as well as set up a vertical solar panel — a critical technology needed for in-space energy that future lunar astronauts will probably need to set up to stay on the Moon long-term, Matthew says. Astrolab wants FLEX to be able to carry as much cargo as possible, which is why the company went with the modular design. Matthews likens it to how shipping containers here on Earth are made to specific international standards. He hopes eventually we’ll create a similar standard for cargo on the Moon. “You have all those containers kind of move seamlessly through the global supply chain, and that’s a really efficient model where all this infrastructure is designed to work together,” Matthews says. “So we think that approach makes sense to take forward to the Moon and Mars.” “THEY CAN ESSENTIALLY DRIVE IT LIKE THEY STOLE IT.” Matthews says they learned a lot from their field tests with the FLEX prototype. Ultimately, the prototype is built for Earth terrain, though, so the equipment is much “beefier” than it would be for a lunar environment, which has one-sixth our planet’s gravity. The company says the final rover should weigh about 1,100 pounds, or 500 kilograms, and will be built specifically to handle the lunar terrain. “We want the hardware to be super robust so that they can essentially drive it like they stole it and not have to worry about it,” Matthews says. Lunar rovers have to contend with all sorts of environmental struggles, such as higher radiation and the dreaded lunar night, a two-week period when the Moon is plunged into darkness and temperatures can drop below -208 degrees Fahrenheit, or -130 degrees Celsius. Astrolab claims that FLEX will have insulation and “sufficient internal battery capacity,” allowing the rover to withstand and stay warm between 100 and 300 hours of nighttime at the Moon’s south pole. Once the sun rises again, FLEX’s external solar arrays will then start generating electricity from the light. When it’s complete, FLEX will supposedly be able to launch on multiple types of rockets and landers. Matthews cites startup Astrobotic’s Griffin lander, which is supposed to carry a NASA rover to the Moon, as a potential ride for FLEX. The company isn’t saying how much FLEX will cost, but Matthews says the long-term plan is to charge for services of the rovers rather than for each individual vehicle. “We want to be the UPS, FedEx, and the Uber of the Moon,” he says. Conversations have already begun with NASA, which put out a call for companies last year to come up with designs for a “lunar terrain vehicle” that could transport future Artemis astronauts across the Moon’s south pole. Astrolab has also reached out to potential customers, including SpaceX, whose headquarters are next door to Astrolab’s in Hawthorne. With a mission control center already built, along with a thermal vacuum chamber for testing, Astrolab wants to send up its first FLEX rovers in the years ahead, testing them out on the lunar surface before astronauts arrive. “Astronaut time is the most precious resource in the world, and safety is a prime concern, so you want to be able to do as much robotically in their absence as you can,” Matthews says. And it’s quite likely it’ll be a while before astronauts actually make it back to the lunar surface. NASA recently delayed its first landing date for Artemis to 2025, though auditors of the space agency say a 2026 landing is more realistic. That gives Astrolab even more time to get the FLEX up and running on the lunar surface. https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/10/22971232/venturi-astrolab-flex-lunar-rover-nasa-artemis-spacex Space tech startup Slingshot Aerospace raises $25 million to fuel growth Slingshot Aerospace has raised $25 million as it looks to commercialize its products and grow its employee team. Slingshot Aerospace, which makes software that makes an air traffic control-style software for satellites and other space objects, has raised $25 million as it looks to commercialize its products and grow its team. The funding round was led by Draper Associates and ATX Venture Partners, with participation from a number of other investors. Slingshot Aerospace, which is based in both Austin and California, was co-founded in 2017 by Melanie Stricklan, David Godwin and Thomas Ashman. The company makes situational awareness technology that is designed to help customers navigate, analyze and use data collected from sources including satellites, airplanes, drones and ground-based sensors to monitor their space assets. The company's products serve a number of commercial and government space operators and manufacturers. Austin's space age:Central Texas an emerging hub in aerospace industry The company said it will use the funds to speed up the commercialization of its products and technologies. That includes the company's communications platform, which is called Slingshot Beacon and works as an air traffic control software for satellites and space objects. The communications and collaboration platform is designed to help space organizations prevent collisions. The platform connects commercial, government and civil customers in one place to manage satellites and other assets. Slingshot Aerospace's founders are Thomas Ashman, Melanie Stricklan and David Godwin. Stricklan, Slingshot Aerospace's CEO, said more companies are launching objects into space, which is leading to an increase in space debris. Many of these objects are in an increasingly congested low earth orbit. The growth means exponentially more collision avoidance decisions will need to be made. "There are 115,000 satellites planned to enter space by 2030. As space becomes more congested, the risk of crashes dramatically increases which means collision avoidance decisions will need to be made across all government, commercial and civil space entities," Stricklan said. "With this technology, we will be able to present critical data in a digestible way that will protect our way of life on earth, as satellites provide essential services such as GPS, television, internet connection and more." Slingshot Aerospace also makes a space simulation tool called Slingshot Laboratory, which gives customers immersive space education and training. It is designed to help users understand the fundamentals of space domain awareness and complicated concepts such as astrodynamics and how spacecrafts move among other objects. "We are bringing the space domain into the digital environment empowering customers to make better decisions and optimize for next-generation space sustainability in the design, manufacturing, and operation of their assets," Stricklan said. The plans to hire 40 new employees over the next 12 months. Currently, Slingshot Aerospace has 65 employees, including 17 in Austin. To date the company has raised $42 million in funding. Stricklan said data transparency will be crucial and fundamentally change how people look at and leverage space as the space industry continues to grow fast. "The opportunities are endless within the New Space economy, and data transparency will create a safe environment that can nurture new innovations and grow space commerce," she said. "There is an appetite for transparency within our community, and there are already examples of data sharing that demonstrate improved knowledge leads to more efficient and improved space safety." The company is the second Austin-based space tech company to announce funding this month. Cesium Astro, which makes hardware and software for aerospace communication technology, announced this month that it raised $60 million to fuel its growth. Space technology has taken off in what is increasingly viewed as a new space age driven by commercial companies, and Austin has become a hub for companies in that field. Along with Slingshot Aerospace and Cesium Astro, Central Texas is home to rocket maker Firefly Aerospace, while SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company, has also hinted that it plans operations in the Austin area. https://www.statesman.com/story/business/2022/03/10/space-tech-startup-slingshot-aerospace-beacon-raises-25-m-fuel-growth-commercialization/9445558002/ Aerospace company picks Albuquerque for major hydrogen manufacturing hub ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Universal Hydrogen, a company working to decarbonize aviation, will build a facility near the Sunport. The city and state are both providing the incentive with the hope of getting a massive economic return. The expected impact is $700 million in the next 10 years. The state is giving Universal Hydrogen $10 million in economic development funds. The city is also pitching in for this company to set up shop and create jobs for New Mexicans. This manufacturing/distribution center will be used for their hydrogen storage modules, to assemble airplane retrofit kits, and perform maintenance. Universal Hydrogen has chosen a 50-acre piece of land next to the Sunport. Aerospace company picks Albuquerque for major hydrogen manufacturing hub The construction is expected to create around 1,200 jobs, while the actual manufacturing hub aims to hire 500 people over the next seven years. Now, these are highly skilled engineering jobs. KOB 4 asked them about the workforce here: “We're here for the quality of workforce, and the quality of the education system, that was priority number one in selecting a location. I think that the applicants are there now. But we are going to do aggressive training,” said Jon Gordon, co-founder of Universal Hydrogen. “An area that demands attention is in aviation, where we have a terrible carbon footprint is in the plan jet fuels space. This is a company that's going to deliver through, New Mexico, our innovators, our employees, our leaderships, our investments, our partnerships a net-zero footprint in aviation,” said Lujan Grisham. Universal Hydrogen signed a letter of intent with the City of Albuquerque and are hoping to get this going by 2024. Universal Hydrogen has facilities in California, Washington and France. In addition to the announcement Thursday, Lujan Grisham signed an executive order directing some of her cabinet secretaries and lawmakers to work together to find new opportunities in the clean energy economy and hydrogen space. https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/aerospace-company-picks-albuquerque-for-major-hydrogen-manufacturing-hub/6415919/ Aircraft maintenance company Avwatch setting up shop in Beaufort, adding jobs, hangars BEAUFORT, Carteret County — Opportunity for economic growth is knocking at the door of the Michael J. Smith Field Airport Hangar in Beaufort, as a company called Avwatch is moving in, creating a home base. The company, under the umbrella of a much larger company called Technology Service Corporation (TSC), is bringing along a small team and aircraft fleet to study whale migration off the coast of North Carolina. That's just the start of what the company does. Avwatch also provides aircraft maintenance on both private and commercial planes, helps with military and federal agencies, like the Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration, and can even help during natural disasters like hurricanes. Thanks in part to a $400,000 economic development grant given to the Carteret County/Beaufort Airport Authority, construction is currently underway on offices for company employees, a flight planner room, an air-conditioned maintenance shop and other critical amenities. In addition, because the company is part of the much larger company TSC, which has multiple different divisions and job opportunities, the company is expected to bring many opportunities for well-paying professional positions to Beaufort and Carteret County. "We're looking at building other facilities here on the airfield which will require more and more employees, more people to move here," said Austin Robinson of Avwatch. "It will create more jobs. "We are primarily a tourist-based economy. Most of our jobs are service related. Avwatch brings a different opportunity, because they're bringing professional opportunities that pay very well," said Airport Manager Jesse Vinson. "Their salary range is $75,000 and up. You don't make that waiting tables. Also, their aircraft they have constantly going in and out of here will require fuel, and selling them fuel also drives our economic bus. This is a turning point for this airport." Vinson said those well-paying salaries will further pour into the Carteret County economy, boosting economic growth throughout. "We'll have houses in Beaufort, and we're looking to purchase more," said Robinson. With the opportunity for aircraft maintenance, Vinson adds people needing maintenance on planes can get it fixed right here instead of having to travel hours. "Money doesn't drive here, it flies here. A lot of people who have homes here, or boats here, or rather I should say yachts, fly here. Now, those people can come for the weekend and leave their planes in the shop at the airport," said Vinson. It's not just jobs popping up in Beaufort, but more hangars, too. It's part of the Carteret County/Beaufort Airport Authority's plan to expand the airport by constructing 28 hangars in the future. The authority is even conducting a study to extend the runway 1,000 feet, bringing it to commercial standards, so it can support commercial planes down the road. "I think that would help economic growth tremendously," said Vinson. Austin Robinson of Avwatch talks about the company opening a maintenance facility in Beaufort. (Photo: Kate Hussey, News Channel 12) "I think the need is here, and with the influx of full-time residents coming here, I think in the next 5-10 years you could see enough people here that could support having a commercial airline," said Robinson. Robinson said there's a lot more that would need to happen for the airport to be able to support commercial flights. For example, there would have to be a terminal, thicker tarmac and TSA security for starters. However, with the capability for commercial airplane maintenance now already in house, Robinson believes they are one step closer to seeing it happen. "It's definitely in the future for sure," said Robinson. To learn more about Avwatch, click here. https://wcti12.com/news/local/aircraft-maintenance-company-avwatch-setting-up-shop-in-beaufort-adding-jobs-hangars 2022 IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards Open for Nominations The Awards recognize three categories of leadership in the area of diversity and inclusion: Inspirational Role Model Award; High Flyer Award; and Diversity & Inclusion Team Award. Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the opening of the nomination period for the 2022 IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards. IATA member airlines and organizations from across the aviation value chain can put themselves forward or nominate others within the aviation industry until 18h00 CET on 24 April 2022. The Awards recognize three categories of leadership in the area of diversity and inclusion: Inspirational Role Model Award: recognizes a woman holding a senior position within the air transport industry who has had a significant impact on the aviation agenda through her strong contribution to business delivery, as well as her ongoing support of the diversity and inclusion agenda. Nominees are welcome from across the aviation industry. High Flyer Award: recognizes a female aviation professional under the age of 40 who has demonstrated leadership through concrete action in favor of diversity and inclusion, making a positive impact on the industry. Open to all female professionals in the aviation industry. Diversity & Inclusion Team Award: recognizes an airline that has seen measurable change in diversity and inclusion as a result of the work it has been doing in this area. Open to all IATA member airlines. “Despite the challenges faced by the aviation industry over the last two years, the focus on diversity and inclusion continues to gain momentum. The Diversity and Inclusion Awards are an important recognition of the inspiring progress that is being made. I invite our industry partners and IATA member airlines to submit their nominations,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Awardees will receive $25,000 (payable to the awardee or their nominated charity for diversity and inclusion activities) under the generous sponsorship of Qatar Airways. “Our international aviation industry benefits hugely from the experiences and behaviors of a truly diverse, worldwide workforce. Without our people, we simply could not do what we do. It is therefore so important to recognize how central the principles of diversity and inclusion are in modern business. Qatar Airways is proud to support these important awards,” said HE Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways group chief executive. This year’s nominations will be evaluated by an independent panel chaired by Karen Walker, editor-in-chief, Air Transport World and consisting of the 2021 Awards recipients: Harpreet A. de Singh, executive director, Air India; Lalitya Dhavala, aviation engineering consultant, McLarens Aviation; Jun Taneie, director of D&I promotion, All Nippon Airways (ANA). Details for the submission of nominations are available on the IATA website. The winners of the 2022 IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards will be announced at IATA’s 78th Annual General Meeting & World Air Transport Summit. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/trade-associations-events/press-release/21259506/international-air-transport-association-iata-2022-iata-diversity-and-inclusion-awards-open-for-nominations Curt Lewis