// THE LIST
Challenges | Campaigns
The Copernicus Accelerator offers 50 of Europe’s boldest innovators and start-ups a unique 12-month tailor-made coaching programme. Apply for the next edition from June 1 – September 20, 2020. [Forward]
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]
Design hardware that extracts water and assesses subsurface density profiles from a simulated off-world testbed. Winners receive $10,000 to build their system at Langley. Notice of Intent due Oct. 1. [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]
Gain hands-on engineering design experience and contribute to NASA missions with the 2021 Micro-g NExT challenges, which focus on the Artemis program. Info sessions Sept. 16, 24, and Oct. 6. [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]
Free live presentation of #MOSatHome MOS Live. Always wanted to know more about space? Ask this team of educators your space questions live and for free. [Forward]
Free live presentation of #MOSatHome MOS Live. Join the Museum’s Planetarium educators as they fly through space and explore some of the wonders of the cosmos. [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
Rocket Lab has successfully deployed its first Photon satellite, designed and built in-house. They plan to further develop their Photon platform, aiming to deploy a satellite with every future launch. [Forward]
The vehicle’s automated safety system detected wobbling as it ascended and shutdown the engine. Astra is pleased with the rocket’s performance, as it shows fail-safes are working as designed. [Forward]
NASA hopes to set a precedent for the extraction and transfer of lunar resources in compliance with the Outer Space Treaty. It’s won broad support from the commercial space industry. [Forward]
Space Exploration | Development
SN8 will also feature large control flaps on either side of the nosecone, designed to help control its flight. It will undergo the same early testing as other prototypes. [Forward]
Besides Starship and Starlink updates, a short discussion of the work environment at SpaceX begins at 3:15. Team members are focused on getting to Mars and own their mistakes. [Forward]
Chinese state media said the launch was successful, but provided no further details. The spacecraft is speculated to be a reusable space plane that can take off and land horizontally. [Forward]
Bolden says commercial entities are going to catch up with the government, which reflects the general sentiment in the space community that NASA’s Space Launch System rocket will fade away. [Forward]
Astronomy | Astrophysics | Cosmology
Phosphine is a pyramid of three hydrogen atoms bonded to phosphorus. On a solid-surface terrestrial planet, it’s a sign life might live there. Learn more from researchers at MIT. [Forward]
Given the lack of signals, fewer than one in 1600 stars closer than ~330 light years can host transmitters just a few times more powerful than Earth's strongest radar. [Forward]
Intermediate-Mass Black Holes have only been seen in hints and glimpses. Researchers are measuring gravitational waves to see if they could be created by the collision of two smaller ones. [Forward]