Blue Origin successfully protested the US Air Force’s RFP for the National Security Space Launch program, which will have big implications for the way the current round of contract awards plays out. NASA added five new providers to the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, and I’ve got some thoughts about the inclusion of those options in what is quickly becoming my favorite NASA program.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 38 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Julian and Lars from Agile Space, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 310 other supporters.

Topics

• Air Force to revise selection criteria for launch procurement in wake of Blue Origin’s successful protest - SpaceNews.com
• Redacted GAO Decision (PDF)
• New Companies Join Growing Ranks of NASA Partners for Artemis Program | NASA
• SpaceX Starship suffers testing setback - SpaceNews.com
• Commercial lunar lander company terminates NASA contract - SpaceNews.com
• New VIPER Lunar Rover to Map Water Ice on the Moon | NASA

The Show

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• Music by Max Justus

Richard Duke from the Surrey Space Center joins me to talk about their RemoveDEBRIS mission, which launched last year and carried out 4 different tests focused on space debris removal and management.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 38 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Julian and Lars from Agile Space, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 308 other supporters.

• Surrey Space Centre | University of Surrey
• RemoveDEBRIS | University of Surrey
• Remdeb Mission Highlights - YouTube
• RemoveDebris Mission - YouTube
• Surrey Nanosats SSC Mission Delivery Team - YouTube
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• Music by Max Justus

Peter Beck, Founder, CEO, and CTO of Rocket Lab, joins me to talk about what they’ve been up to with Electron and Photon, as well as some of their new offerings like ground station support through KSAT and Photon missions to the Moon.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 38 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Julian and Lars from Agile Space, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 296 other supporters.

• Peter Beck (@Peter_J_Beck) | Twitter
• Rocket Lab | Frequent and reliable access launch is now a reality | Rocket Lab
• Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) | Twitter
• Rocket Lab - YouTube
• Rocket Lab | Electron - satellite launch vehicle | Rocket Lab
• Photon | Rocket Lab
• Rocket Lab successfully launches ninth Electron mission, deploys payload to highest orbit yet | Rocket Lab
• Rocket Lab partners with Kongsberg Satellite Services for Electron and Photon ground station support | Rocket Lab
• Rocket Lab to deliver payloads to the Moon and beyond with Photon | Rocket Lab
• Rocket Lab | Become a pioneer
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• Music by Max Justus

Artemis and international politics were on display on the first day of IAC 2019, followed by strange-yet-politically-minded partnerships on the second day.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 38 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Julian and Lars from Agile Space, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 295 other supporters.

• Pence calls for American-led cooperation in space exploration - SpaceNews.com
• Blue Origin | Blue Origin Announces National Team for NASA’s Artemis Human Landing System
• Blue Origin teams up with Lockheed Martin and more for human lunar lander design - The Verge
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A few bits of follow-up on Starship to GTO, the Bridenstine-Musk show at SpaceX HQ, and flying to polar orbits from Florida.

Meetup alert! Sunday, October 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. Hang out with me, Jake, and a ton of amazing people of space the night before IAC 2019 kicks off. Details at events.offnominal.space.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 39 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Rui, Julian, Lars, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 284 other supporters.

• SpaceX targets 2021 commercial Starship launch - SpaceNews.com
• WATCH LIVE: Elon Musk and NASA chief give an update on SpaceX's astronaut spacecraft – 10/10/2019 - YouTube
• 45th Space Wing commander: Changes underway to support commercial launch - SpaceNews.com
• Michael Baylor on Twitter: “The official government website states that Cape Canaveral is the launch site for SAOCOM 1B, and I have verified that this is not an error. SAOCOM 1A was launched out of Vandenberg last October.”
• Flight Club on Twitter: “This one’s better. 97°”
• Canaveral’s Polar Express - Main Engine Cut Off
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• Music by Max Justus

Jake Robins, host of WeMartians and my co-host on Off-Nominal, joins me for Part 2 of our conversation about SpaceX’s 2019 Starship update. Part 1 can be found over on WeMartians.

Meetup alert! Sunday, October 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. Hang out with me, Jake, and a ton of amazing people of space the night before IAC 2019 kicks off. Details at events.offnominal.space.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 39 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Rui, Julian, Lars, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 276 other supporters.

• 65 - Starship on Course (feat. Anthony Colangelo) - WeMartians Podcast — Part 1 of our Starship conversation
• Jake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | Twitter
• Home - WeMartians Podcast
• Off-Nominal
• Starship | SpaceX
• Starship Update - YouTube
• Jim Bridenstine on Twitter: “My statement on @SpaceX’s announcement tomorrow”
• Jim Bridenstine on Twitter: “I had a great phone call with @elonmusk this week, and I’m looking forward to visiting @SpaceX in Hawthorne next Thursday. More to come soon!”
• Off-Nominal Events
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• Music by Max Justus

I’ve got a special preview of MECO Headlines for the main feed this week, with news on Orion, NASA’s FY2020 budget, NEOCam’s legacy, Starship, and more.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 39 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Rui, Julian, Lars, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 272 other supporters.

Headlines

• Off-Nominal Events: Meetup in DC—Sunday, October 20th!
• NASA Commits to Long-term Artemis Missions with Orion Production | NASA
• Senate appropriators advance bill funding NASA despite uncertainties about Artemis costs - SpaceNews.com
• NASA to develop mission to search for near-Earth asteroids - SpaceNews.com
• Elon Musk on Twitter: “Three Raptors on a Starship”
• Elon Musk on Twitter: “Adding the rear moving fins to Starship Mk1 in Boca Chica, Texas”
• BocaChicaGal photos
• LauncherOne: Shaping Up and Shipping Out | Virgin Orbit
• Soyuz ferries three crew members to space station – Spaceflight Now
• Fresh batteries, experiments on the way to the International Space Station – Spaceflight Now
• Two more satellites launched into China’s Beidou navigation fleet – Spaceflight Now
• Russia launches missile warning satellite – Spaceflight Now
• Keep an eye on upcoming launches with rocketlaunch.live.

Show Info

• Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to [email protected]
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• Music by Max Justus

Kurt Klaus, Chair of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group’s Commercial Advisory Board, joins me to talk about NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, and the wider potential for commercial flights to the Moon and beyond.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 39 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Rui, Julian, Lars, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 271 other supporters.

• Mr. Kurt K. Klaus
• Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG)
• Commercial Lunar Payload Services | NASA
• NASA Selects First Commercial Moon Landing Services for Artemis | NASA
• NASA Selects 12 New Lunar Science, Technology Investigations | NASA
• NASA Selects Experiments for Possible Lunar Flights in 2019 | NASA
• Episode T+129: Steve Altemus and Dr. Tim Crain, Intuitive Machines - Main Engine Cut Off
• Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to [email protected]
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• Like the show? Support the show!
• Music by Max Justus

SpaceX updated their SmallSat launch offering—dropping the price and increasing the number of flights. It certainly looks like they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the small launch market.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 39 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Rui, Julian, Lars, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 269 other supporters.

Andrew Rush, CEO of Made in Space, joins me to talk about their big new NASA contract for Archinaut One and the history, present, and future of in-space manufacturing.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 40 executive producers—Kris, Pat, Matt, Jorge, Brad, Ryan, Jamison, Nadim, Peter, Donald, Lee, Chris, Warren, Bob, Russell, John, Moritz, Joel, Jan, David, Grant, Mike, David, Mints, Joonas, Robb, Tim Dodd the Everyday Astronaut, Frank, Rui, Julian, Lars, Tommy, Adam, Sam, and six anonymous—and 265 other supporters.