// THE LIST
Challenges | Campaigns
The BIG Idea Challenge has university students designing, building, and testing novel dust mitigation technologies for lunar applications. $180,000 prize. Notice of Intent due Sept. 25, proposals Dec. 13. [Forward]
This all-virtual hackathon is October 2-4, 2020. Participant registration will open mid-August. Participants can select a local virtual event, or register for the Universal Event. Register for additional event information. [Forward]
NASA's WISE mission is surveying the whole sky at infrared wavelengths. At Disk Detective, you'll examine data from WISE and other surveys to search for the birthplaces of planets. [Forward]
Look through archival data from the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) in an attempt to discover new Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs)—minor planets whose orbit is out beyond that of Neptune (~30AU). [Forward]
Write or draw your vision of why you think Earth needs Space on a postcard and have it launched into space and back on a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. [Forward]
This challenge seeks solutions to distribute, store, and manage power in space. It will consist of two phases, lasting three years. It will launch no earlier than September 25, 2020. [Forward]
Events
Space News provides ongoing coverage and daily updates of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the global space industry, including a list of all delayed or canceled space events. [Forward]
500,000+ pieces of debris currently orbit the Earth. This free webinar focuses on the activities and technologies being developed by space agencies and academics worldwide to tackle space junk. [Forward]
Fast Radio Bursts are millisecond-duration pulses of unknown origin. Professor Duncan Lorimer discusses their discovery, what’s known about them so far, and what we might learn next. Admission is free. [Forward]
Sivani Babu discusses how our amateur cameras can preserve gorgeous nighttime sky-scapes, and how collective activism can help protect the starry night from light pollution. Tickets available with donation. [Forward]
This free webinar by General Assembly, a provider of online and on-campus coding instruction, will explore the intersection of tech and space with those at the forefront of space exploration. [Forward]
Join the free, online version of the global “space unconference” to learn from and speak with space experts and enthusiasts from all over the world without leaving your home. [Forward]
In light of the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, this virtual congress about the latest developments in space will be free of charge for the entire community. Event is October 12-14, 2020. [Forward]
This two-day Summit will be free and held online. It will focus on the importance of space critical infrastructure to people living on Earth now and in the future. [Forward]
Participate with people from around the world in debates, panel discussions, and presentations. Join in virtually October 15-18, 2020. [Forward]
Join TechCrunch's editors in Los Angeles on December 17 for a day of fireside chats and panel discussion with the top investors, founders, and technologists forging the future of space. [Forward]
Add your event or campaign to // The List.
Contact us at info@continuumflux.com for details.
// FYI
Space Ecosystem | Startups | Deals
SpaceX raised $1.9 billion this month during its second capital raise of 2020. Another $165 million will be sold in common stock during the round, totaling $2.07 billion. [Forward]
Morpheus Space manufactures Nano Field Effect Electric Propulsion thrusters. Investors include Airbus Ventures, In-Q-Tel, the venture capital arm of the US intelligence community, Pallas Ventures and Techstars Ventures. [Forward]
Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition is aimed at strengthening Kymeta’s offerings for government and military customers. The acquisition boosts Kymeta’s workforce to nearly 200 people. [Forward]
Skyroot is quickly becoming the first private space launch vehicle maker in India. They’ve raised $4.3 million to date, and are hoping to secure another $15 million by 2021. [Forward]
Space Exploration | Development
NASA gave Dynetics the highest marks among the three winning teams competing to build the HLS lander, earning “very good” ratings in both technical and management aspects of its proposal. [Forward]
NASA stressed the leak posed no threat to the trio of astronauts on the International Space Station. They reopened the hatch between the Russian and American sides the next day. [Forward]
Musk says occasional flights from land would be fine, but daily flights would need 18 miles of clear area to mitigate noise pollution. Predominantly, the daily flights would be Earth-to-Earth. [Forward]
China seeks international involvement in its International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project in the lunar south pole region. A long-term human presence is the goal for 2036-2045. [Forward]
The mining industry’s search for rare materials is responsible for pollution and the destruction of entire landscapes. It could be replaced with cleaner processes by acquiring rare materials from asteroids. [Forward]
Astronomy | Astrophysics | Cosmology
The presence of an early stellar companion increases the likelihood that the Oort cloud was formed as observed and that Planet Nine wasn’t formed within the solar system, but captured. [Forward]
The 50 planets outside our solar system were identified using a machine learning algorithm, which sorted through NASA data with thousands of potential planet candidates. [Forward]
A new study reports 95 brown dwarfs within a few dozen light-years of the Sun. They are much heavier than planets, but not large enough to power themselves like stars. [Forward]