Spotlight: ASRC Federal
The Aviation Week TV segment at the 2026 Space Symposium put ASRC Federal in the spotlight, highlighting its evolution from a 2003 subsidiary of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation into a broad‑based government contractor. Chief Technology Officer Eric Velty outlined the firm’s deep roots in space, defense, intelligence and health, emphasizing its role in the Artemis lunar program and its expanding portfolio across multiple federal agencies. Velty detailed concrete contributions: Orion pressure vessels for Artemis missions 3‑5 are already in production at Kennedy Space Center, and the company is fabricating wiring harnesses for Artemis 6. He also noted partnerships with Lo‑Hood Martin, Kratos and others to deliver AI, DevSecOps, zero‑trust cyber capabilities, and a new Huntsville demo facility aimed at testing hypersonic payloads. The interview underscored the “Golden Dome for America” initiative, a multi‑domain homeland‑defense shield that weaves together commercial innovation, civilian radar systems in Alaska and Guam, and modernized missile‑tracking infrastructure. Velty described the effort as a “challenging initiative” that leverages ASRC’s breadth of expertise to close the fire‑control loop against emerging threats. Analysts see ASRC Federal positioning itself as a one‑stop shop for the federal government’s most demanding technology needs, from lunar exploration to next‑generation defense. Its ability to integrate legacy capabilities with cutting‑edge cyber and AI solutions could make it a pivotal partner as the U.S. accelerates space and homeland‑security programs.
How Fisher Space Pens Revolutionized Writing In Zero Gravity
At the Space Symposium, Fisher Space Pens highlighted how their patented pen enables writing in zero‑gravity, a solution first commissioned by NASA in 1968. The company’s breakthrough was a sealed, pressurized ink cartridge infused with nitrogen and a visco‑elastic ink that...
Step Inside the Orion Capsule: Immersive Space Travel Experience At Space Symposium 2026
At the 2026 Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, a new immersive exhibit let visitors step inside NASA’s Orion capsule. Produced by the Canadian creative‑technology studio Array of Stars, the experience combines Meta Quest 3 headsets, iPads and high‑performance PCs to simulate...
Additive Manufacturing in Microgravity
The video explains how additive manufacturing (AM) is being re‑imagined for space, not as a sci‑fi replicator but as a logistics tool that moves the factory to the frontier. By carrying raw feedstock and digital design files instead of finished...
Extracting Even More Gravitational Waves From The Pulsar Timing Array
The interview centers on how pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) can move beyond detecting a stochastic background of super‑massive black‑hole (SMBH) mergers to identifying individual events. Dr. Kiara Mingelli explains that millisecond pulsars serve as ultra‑stable clocks—accurate to about 100 nanoseconds...
The Artemis II Distance Record Calculated Exactly!
The video explains how the Artemis II crew set a new distance record during their lunar flyby, reaching a precise 413,145 km from Earth’s geocenter, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDow. Because the spacecraft was on the far side of Earth, people on the opposite...
And the Winner of the Aqualunar Challenge Is….
The video announces the winner of NASA’s Aqualunar Challenge, a competition launched under the Artemis program to spur breakthroughs in lunar water purification. Canadian astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen, an Artemis II crew member, frames the prize as a step toward the...
SpaceX and the Sun! Falcon 9 Launch of Big Cygnus XL Delivers in Slow-Mo
The video captures SpaceX's Falcon 9 liftoff carrying the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, designated SS Steven R. Nagel, bound for the International Space Station. The launch proceeded flawlessly, with all nine Merlin engines maintaining nominal chamber pressures and the vehicle performing...
Why the U.S. Just Doubled Down on Space Nuclear Power
The video explains the U.S. government’s new NSTM3 memorandum, which formalizes a national initiative to develop and deploy space‑based nuclear power systems for exploration, commerce and defense. The plan calls for NASA to field a 20‑kilowatt electric, mid‑power reactor...
Illuminating The Earth, Voyagers' Lifetime, JWST's Planets | Q&A 414
The latest Q&A episode tackles four space‑related questions: the feasibility of orbital reflectors to brighten night skies, the remaining power life of Voyager 2, the meaning of the habitable‑zone concept, and why the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has yet to...
Why Astronomers Think We're Close to Discovering Life in Space with Chris Impey #shorts #space
Chris Impey argues that the search for extraterrestrial life is on the brink of a breakthrough, citing abundant cosmic building blocks and rapid advances in detection technology. He notes that carbon and water are ubiquitous, and that life on Earth...
Phobos Might Already Be Destroyed and Reformed. Possibly Multiple Times
The discussion centers on the nature of small asteroids, emphasizing that the overwhelming majority are loosely bound rubble piles rather than solid monoliths. Recent missions such as OSIRIS‑REx, Hayabusa‑2, and the upcoming MMX to Phobos have confirmed this picture, while...
Artemis II: Mission Highlights
NASA’s Artemis II mission lifted off, becoming the agency’s first crewed translunar flight. The Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, entered a trajectory that will carry it more than 400,000 kilometers from Earth, marking a historic step toward returning humans to the Moon. The...
Terran R March 2026 Program Update
Terran R’s March 2026 program update highlighted steady progress across design, build, test, and launch domains as the company moves toward its inaugural flight. The team released 2,207 flight parts, advanced the stage‑one shipping assembly, and completed mechanical integration of...
How a SpaceX IPO Could Reshape Markets, ETFs, and the Space Industry
The conversation centered on the looming SpaceX initial public offering and its potential to reshape financial markets. Analysts highlighted that index providers worldwide are already considering rule‑book changes to admit the company sooner than traditional waiting periods would allow, underscoring...
