SATELLITE SYSTEMS, SATCOM AND SPACE SYSTEMS UPDATE

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13 Apr 22. Defense Intelligence Agency cites 70% growth in Russia and China’s combined space assets since 2019. A new report from the Defense Intelligence Agency links China and Russia’s increased operational space capabilities in recent years to their growing intent to extend future conflict into space. The unclassified “Challenges to Security in Space” report follows a 2019 DIA report that surveyed space and counterspace programs being pursued by adversary nations, including Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. The 2022 report highlights growth in Russian and Chinese on-orbit systems as well as efforts to better organize their military space capabilities

“Evidence of both nations’ intent to undercut the United States and allied leadership in the space domain can be seen in the growth of combined on-orbit assets of China and Russia, which grew approximately 70% in just two years,” DIA Intelligence Officer for Space and Counterspace John Huth said during a Tuesday press briefing.

That expansion of capability follows a 200% combined increase between 2015 and 2018 and reflects a recognition by the two countries of the United States’ reliance on space assets and its role as a leader in the domain.

“As the number of spacefaring nations grow and counterspace capabilities become more integrated into military operations, the U.S. space posture will be increasingly challenged and on-orbit assets will face new risks,” Huth said. “A secure, stable and accessible space domain is crucial as challenges to the United States and our allies’ space capabilities continue to increase.”

Huth noted that because the report was completed before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it does not include any details on how Russia may be using counterspace capabilities in that conflict.

The report also highlights concerns about the threat of on-orbit debris, stating that the likelihood of collision between “massive derelict objects” in low Earth orbit is growing and “will continue to rise until at least 2030.” That threat is exacerbated by anti-satellite testing such as Russia’s test of an ASAT last November.

“Even if international and national guidelines were made legally binding, mitigation thresholds were made more stringent, or if compliance were even close to 100%, there would still be a formidable debris problem from the remnants of the first 63 years of space operations,” the report states.

The DIA’s survey follows the release of counterspace capability reports from two Washington, DC, think-tanks: Secure World Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Those reports pointed to increased counterspace activity over the last year, and the CSIS report predicted 2022 could be a “pivotal turning point in space security” due to Russia’s use of counterspace capabilities like GPS jamming and cyber attacks in its war on Ukraine.

(Source: Defense News)

 

13 Apr 22. NSW government funds space-based defence capability. The NSW government has allocated $500,000 in funding to “cutting-edge technology” that will monitor target satellites from space. The technology is hoped to take rapid and accurate imaging of satellites in low-Earth orbit that are often difficult to capture from the ground due to their fast speed.

Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said the project will enhance NSW’s space industry and the nation’s defence capability.

“Satellites are used for various purposes, including communication, navigation, earth monitoring and military awareness and can travel over 7.5 kilometres per second, making it difficult to accurately capture high resolution images of them,” Henskens said.

“Space and defence are priority industries for the NSW government and this breakthrough technology will enable our world-leading scientists to identify and track satellites of national interest as well as changes to their orbits, strengthening our awareness of space-based activity.”

Typically, satellites are monitored from ground stations that track moving objects in space, such as the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, and the famous Woomera station in South Australia.

Commercial companies, such as LeoLabs Australia which tracks activity in orbit in the Southern Hemisphere, also provide this type of service for the space industry.

Director of the Defence Innovation Network (DIN) Professor Bradley Williams said the funding will support the initiative’s work to secure access to space and achieve real-time awareness of small and large satellites in orbit.

The NSW DIN is a university-led initiative of the state government and the defence science and technology group to grow the industry through collaboration with academia.

“The project will develop a space-based system that can track high-speed objects with unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity,” Professor Williams said.

“It will double the effectiveness of a satellite to characterise its environment through high resolution images and will be a huge leap in terms of achieving complete, real-time awareness of satellite activities in space.”

Professor Williams also said it will enhance the DIN’s mission to commercialise solutions for “high-priority defence sector challenges”.

Minister Henskens said this funding is an example of the government’s commitment to the NSW Industry Development Strategy 2020.

The strategy was launched to promote NSW-born technology that supports the space and defence industry. (Source: Defence Connect)

 

12 Apr 22. Defense Intelligence Agency Report Details Space-Based Threats From Competitors. The Defense Intelligence Agency today released the new unclassified report, “Challenges to Security in Space 2022,” which is a follow-up to its similarly titled report in 2019.

The new report examines the space and counterspace programs which could pose significant challenges to U.S. or partner interests by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, said John F. Huth, the DIA defense intelligence officer for space and counterspace, during a briefing today at the Pentagon.

“This new edition of ‘Challenges to Security in Space’ provides an updated, unclassified overview of current threats to U.S. space-based capabilities, particularly from China and Russia, but also to a lesser extent, those emerging from North Korea and Iran,” he said. “This edition examines the expansion of space operations and details Earth-focused space services, as well as growing efforts to explore the moon and beyond.”

New this year in the report is an expanded assessment of the impacts of space debris. The report indicates that the probability of collisions of massive derelict objects in low Earth orbit is growing and will likely continue to grow due to the rising numbers of space launches, the continuing fragmentation from collisions, battery explosions, and further anti-satellite testing events.

As strategic competitors, Huth said both Russia and China are taking steps now to undercut the United States and allies in the space domain.

“Both nations view space as a requirement for winning modern wars, especially against Western nations, and look to prove themselves as world leaders,” he said. “Since early 2019, competitor space operations have increased in pace and scope across nearly all major categories: communications, remote sensing, aviation and science and technology demonstration.”

Kevin Ryder, a DIA senior defense intelligence analyst for space and counterspace, explained just how much China and Russia have grown their space capabilities.

“Evidence of both nations’ intent to undercut the United States and allied leadership in the space domain can be seen in the growth of combined in-orbit assets of China and Russia, which grew approximately 70% in just two years,” Ryder said. “This recent and continuing expansion follows a more than 200% increase between 2015 and 2018.”

Ryder said that China has launched a robotic lander and rover to the far side of the moon as well as an orbiter lander and rover on a mission to Mars. China has also launched multiple missiles which are capable of both destroying satellites and deploying jammers to deny satellite communications and GPS.

The Russians, Ryder said, have developed mobile missile technology that is able to destroy satellites and crewed space vehicles. They’ve also developed counterspace weapons capabilities, including those capable of conducting electronic warfare operations, to affect communications and deny others the use of space-based imagery.

Ryder also discussed the goals of China and Russia when it comes to the moon and Mars.

“Both nations seek to broaden their space exploration initiatives, together and individually, with plans to explore the moon and Mars during the next 30 years,” he said. “If successful, these efforts will likely lead to attempts by Beijing and Moscow to exploit the moon’s natural resources.”

While the number of space-faring nations grows, Ryder said the U.S. space posture will continue to be challenged and U.S. space assets will face new risks.

“A secure, stable and assessable space domain is crucial as challenges to the United States’ and our allies’ space capabilities continue to increase,” Ryder said.

The new report, “Challenges to Security in Space 2022,” he said, offers insights from space intelligence experts on those threats and will be used by defense leaders to make future decisions regarding space operations. (Source: US DoD)

 

12 Apr 22. Space companies investing in small satellite production capacity as customers shift to hybrid architectures. “Elastic” is the word Boeing’s President of Commercial Satellites Ryan Reid uses to describe the relationship between the company’s commercial, government and small satellite divisions. Here’s what he means by that. When his team used digital technologies to significantly shrink the size of its traditional satellite communications payload, they no longer needed as much room to build it. So, they shifted to a smaller space. That made room for Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing-owned small-satellite company that is expanding its manufacturing capacity, to move in. Along with helping accommodate Millennium’s growth, the resized payload can now fit on smaller satellites, offering a more flexible, powerful communications capability they may not have had access to before.

Vice President and Deputy General Manager of Boeing’s Space and Launch Division Michelle Parker told reporters during a recent visit to the company’s El Segundo, Calif., satellite factory, that Boeing’s purchase of Millennium in 2018 has added depth to its space portfolio at a time when customers are wanting new technology, resilient architectures and rapid production timelines.

“We’ve been able to take the Boeing knowledge of production, mission space understanding, advanced manufacturing, and help Millennium with that,” she said. “And Millennium has brought to our family that diversity of products and satellite sizes. . . . The way they do design and development and rapid prototyping is really something we’re looking to infuse not just in our Millennium products, but through all of our space products.”

This kind of flexibility is something many space companies are embracing as they adjust to growing government and commercial demand for hybrid satellite constellations that feature more small space vehicles operating in a more diverse range of orbits.

Growing demand

Reid said that while the shift from large satellites in geostationary orbit to low Earth orbit constellations had led many analysts to predict a future where GEO systems were less relevant, that hasn’t proved out. Instead, diversity appears to be the trend in both commercial and government markets.

“What we’ve seen is, I think, a realization and a recognition that the future is not a GEO thing, it’s not a [non-GEO] thing, but it’s really this kind of hybrid, multi-orbit solution that really depends on what kinds of mission and customer base our operators and customers fundamentally are trying to address,” Reid said.

On the government side, the push for hybrid architectures is largely a push for resiliency, driven by the idea that more satellites in more orbits makes it harder for adversaries to take out large swaths of capability at once.

Speaking April 5 at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo., Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond said the service is “embarking on a transformation to more resilient architectures with diverse mixes of capabilities across multiple orbits.”

“If we are going to migrate away from our large, monolithic systems to hybrid, diversified space architectures, we cannot continue to build expensive satellites with exquisite mission assurance,” he said. “We need to focus on the reduction of cost as the key driver to build incredibly distributed architectures that are resilient in a fight. The government cannot afford a distributed, resilient force design unless industry changes with us.”

The Space Force last year created a new Space Warfighting Analysis Center tasked with analyzing, and in some cases redesigning, the service’s constellations to help achieve that end.

The SWAC completed its first force design effort last fall for the space-based missile warning and tracking mission, calling for a layered approach that augments the Space Force’s GEO-based Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared System with the Space Development Agency’s vision for a missile tracking layer composed of hundreds of small wide-field-of-view satellites based in LEO. The service’s fiscal 2023 budget included a $1bn increase for Next-Gen OPIR’s space and ground segments and another $1bn for the SDA tracking work and a future MEO-based layer.

The SWAC is conducting similar analysis of other mission areas, including satellite communications and positioning, navigation and timing, that could drive more small satellites into those architectures as well.

Expanding production

Millennium currently builds small satellite prototypes at its headquarters, about a mile away from Boeing’s satellite factory in El Segundo, Calif. The space is busy — and busting at the seams. Or, as CEO Jason Kim told reporters during a recent tour of the building, “It’s jam-packed.”

By the end of this year, the company’s new small satellite factory at Boeing’s larger facility will be fully operational, with all the tooling and processes in place to support Millennium’s current customers. The company will continue to develop prototypes at its current location, but the move into Boeing’s facility will enable it increase its throughput and work on larger constellations

“I’m not going to put a number on it,” Kim said, when asked about the company’s projected production rates once the floor is up and running. “We’re modular and flexible, and we can meet the different customers’ demand.”

Along with a new pulse production line, which means parts move sequentially through a series of work stations, the new facility will have an integration and test space as well as a feeder line where Millennium will develop its dual-use satellite products, including batteries, software-defined radios, flight computers and star trackers.

The process, Kim said, is similar to that of a company developing a concept car or aircraft, proving it works and then putting it into production.

“We’re building the prototypes and the prototype small constellations,” he said. “Once it’s all wrung out and we launch those, we will transition seamlessly here to build them in a very, very large constellation fashion.”

Lockheed Martin is also making adjustments to accommodate significant growth in small satellite production at its Waterton Campus in Littleton, Colo. The company is on contract to build 52 satellites across the first two phases of the SDA’s Transport Layer — which will create an on-orbit mesh network in LEO to connect space-based sensors with shooters on the ground — and is anticipating more small satellite business in the future.

Lockheed is currently assembling the SDA space vehicles on the same floor where it builds satellites for the Space Force’s GPS and Next-Generation OPIR systems, but as it incrementally scales up its SDA production line, it’s making plans to expand and shift that work into another facility on its campus in the next year.

Erik Daehler, Lockheed’s protected communications mission area lead, told C4ISRNET in a recent interview that the new production space will accommodate future orders from SDA as well as other customers.

“We have multiple customers asking for satellites in this class and this production scale,” Daehler said. “This will become the heart of that production system, but we’ll be delivering satellites like this in the long term.”

Kristin Robertson, president of space and command and control systems for Raytheon Intelligence and Space, says having a diverse, vertically integrated portfolio is key to responding to customer demands. Raytheon in 2020 bought Blue Canyon Technologies, a small satellite company, and then last November completed its acquisition of SEAKR Engineering, a space electronics provider.

Speaking with C4ISRNET in a recent interview, Robertson was hesitant to project future production quantities, but said the company is prepared to increase its capacity as needed.

“We’re investing to grow, because the market and the demand signal is there,” she said.

Small-satellite demand has also driven changes at L3Harris, a company traditionally known for its space technology development. In recent years, the company has been building up its manufacturing capacity and last year announced it would expand its facility in Melbourne, Fla., and increase its production throughput to six satellites per month.

That increased capacity makes room for development and testing of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s experimental positioning, navigation and timing satellite, NTS-3 — which could be part of a future hybrid PNT architecture — as well as the company’s missile tracking work for SDA and the Missile Defense Agency.

Tim Lynch, vice president of the space and airborne segment at L3Harris, told C4ISRNET the investment in those facilities has paid off for the company, preparing it to respond to Department of Defense and intelligence community needs. He said he projects the company will build between 75 and 100 satellites over the next three to five years.

“The architectures are all pointing towards multiple satellites in multiple different orbits, which plays directly into where we’ve invested very strongly over the last five years,” Lynch said. “Our internal research and development is really focused on how do you build exquisite capability at an affordable price and how do you package that in a small volume so that you can launch a lot of satellites at one time.” (Source: Defense News)

 

13 Apr 22. 3,000 jobs created in one year by ‘resilient’ UK space sector. The number of UK space jobs continued to grow into 2020, despite the global impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new figures released today. Employment in the UK space sector hit 46,995 in 2020, up from 44,040 in 2019: an increase of 2,955 (6.7%). Sector income increased in nominal terms from £16.4bn to £16.5bn, with exports counting for around a third (32%) of this total. Space manufacturing, including satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles and scientific instruments, grew the most in real terms; up by £23m to £2.27bn.  In line with the UK Government’s commitment to increasing public and private R&D spending, investment in research and development saw a 19% boost to £836m.

Levelling up the space sector is a key priority for the UK Space Agency and there are now 1,293 space organisations located across the UK, with Scotland responsible for around one fifth of the entire UK space workforce. Employment in the sector grew from 7,703 to 8,440 in Scotland, from 415 to 1,109 in Wales, and from 113 to 431 in Northern Ireland.

Spaceports in Scotland, Wales and England are expected to generate more jobs in the coming years, alongside the growth of regional space clusters, international investment, and emerging technologies such as in-space manufacturing and debris removal, supported by the National Space Strategy.

Science Minister George Freeman said:

The £16.5 billion space sector is a major contributor to a strong and secure UK economy, and it’s promising to see it generate thousands of new high-skilled jobs in the face of global economic headwinds.

We’re backing this innovative and resilient industry through the largest ever increase to R&D spending, which includes a significant uplift to the UK Space Agency’s budget, and the delivery of the UK’s first National Space Strategy.

As we support new SpaceTech clusters from Spaceports in Cornwall and Scotland to satellite manufacturing and robotics from Glasgow to Warwick to Stevenage, this will help level-up the UK. Looking ahead to the first satellite launches from the UK this year, this is an exciting time for this high growth sector up and down the country.

The figures published today come from the ‘Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2021’ survey, conducted by BryceTech on behalf of the UK Space Agency.

Confidence in the face of global challenges

When adjusted for inflation, the total income of the sector dropped marginally in real terms by 1.7% in 2020, compared to a 9.9% drop in the wider UK economy over the same period, caused predominantly by the Covid-19 pandemic. Fewer live sports broadcasts had a negative impact on satellite broadcasting services, while travel restrictions temporarily reduced demand for mobile satellite services from maritime companies and airlines.

Despite these challenges, confidence within the sector remains high, with more than three-quarters (79%) of organisations predicting a rise in income over the next three years, 74% expecting further increases in employment, and more than half (53%) expecting growth in space exports.

Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: “The UK space sector has shown remarkable resilience in the face of challenges presented by the pandemic, thanks to the incredible efforts of all those within it, and its future is a bright and ambitious one. We continue to work closely with partners across the industry, with academia and our colleagues across government to catalyse further investment, deliver new space capabilities and missions, and champion space for the good of humanity. This will help us overcome challenges, drive forward the pace of innovation and bring tangible benefits to people and businesses.”

Catalysing investment

The survey also analysed UK space investments over the past decade, finding that 145 unique investors in 38 companies invested nearly £6bn across 90 investment deals, between 2012 and 2021.

There has been a recent increase in this activity with the launch of the Seraphim Space Investment Trust in 2021, and a newly announced $50 m space and tech fund from US venture capital firm, Type One. Following the success of its funding round for Wales-based Space Forge last year, Type One has opened a UK office to manage ongoing investment and support early-stage space companies in the UK and Europe.

Additional commentary

Will Whitehorn, President of UKspace, said: “UKspace is delighted to see that, despite the many issues faced by all industries over the last two years, opportunities within the space sector have continued to grow.

We see the evidence within our membership of exciting new enterprises, significant collaborations and the development of projects which provide benefits across society. The space sector has the ability to improve the lives of people across the globe, and this report demonstrates that the UK is at the forefront of that movement.”

Kevin Craven, Chief Executive of ADS, said: “This report highlights the significant and important contribution the space sector makes to the UK.

The UK possesses major strengths and capabilities, including in satellite technology and manufacturing, which, underpinned by the National Space Strategy and the Defence Space Strategy, supports the sector’s bright, long-term future. 2022 will be an exciting year for space and advancing projects, such as the UK’s first spaceports, will enable and support increased regional prosperity and employment in this flourishing sector.”

Howard Nye FRAeS, President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, said: “Given modern-day societies’ dependence on space infrastructure and services, both in the civil and defence domains, and the high return to the UK economy from government investment in space technology and space systems, this report provides strong evidence of the UK’s continuing determination to remain a key player both as the fourth largest contributor to the European Space Agency, as well as in partnership with its allies around the world.”

The report also provides clear evidence of the UK Government’s call for levelling up employment opportunities across the UK, which must continue through encouraging young people to enter the space domain.

(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

12 Apr 22. Rocket Lab Breaks Ground on Neutron Production Complex in Wallops, Virginia.

• The complex will be home to production, assembly, and integration of Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch vehicle and is expected to bring up to 250 highly-skilled jobs to the region.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab”), a leading launch and space systems company, today broke ground on the construction of a state-of-the-art rocket production complex where the Company’s Neutron launch vehicle will be manufactured.

The 250,000 square foot Neutron Production Complex is being constructed on a 28-acre site adjacent to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The complex will support Neutron production, assembly, and integration, and is expected to bring up to 250 highly-skilled roles to the region. Construction will also soon begin on a launch pad for Neutron at the southern end of Wallops Island, near Rocket Lab’s existing launch pad for the Electron rocket.

“Neutron is a next generation rocket designed to serve the needs of the civil, commercial and national security space markets and we’re proud to be delivering that capability from right here in Virginia,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “Today, we take a major step toward resilient and assured access to space for the nation – a capability that has become increasingly urgent in recent times. We are excited to grow Rocket Lab’s presence in Wallops, to add highly-skilled jobs to the local economy, and to play a part in reinforcing the Eastern Shore’s strong legacy as an aerospace hub. We are grateful for the continued support of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Accomack County for its enthusiasm in helping to establish Rocket Lab and Neutron on the Eastern Shore.”

Rocket Lab selected Virginia as the location of its Neutron production complex and launch site due to the location’s ability to support frequent launch opportunities, as well as continued support from Commonwealth of Virginia. Through the development of Launch Complex 2 for Electron and now the Neutron program, Rocket Lab has built a solid partnership with Virginia with support from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership working alongside Accomack County, the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (Virginia Space), and the General Assembly’s Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission. As part of the Commonwealth’s support for the Neutron program, $30 m has been set aside for infrastructure and operational systems improvements to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, along with $15 m from the MEI Project Approval Commission in site improvements and building construction in support of Neutron. (Source: ASD Network)

 

11 Apr 22. Maxar eager to launch new satellites amid soaring demand for imagery over Ukraine. As Maxar Technologies’ satellites continue to collect images of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the company is working with customers so it can allocate more capacity to meet U.S. government needs, said Maxar’s CEO Daniel Jablonsky.

With four satellites in orbit, “a lot of times we don’t have a lot of spare capacity,” Jablonsky said in an interview last week at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.

“But we made accommodations with some of our other customers to be able to surge capacity for the U.S. and allies,” he said. The company also gets about 200 requests a day for imagery from news media organizations.

Maxar and other commercial imagery companies have been working with U.S. intelligence agencies and allied governments since before Russia’s invasion to track troop movements, and are also providing imagery in support of humanitarian aid efforts.

Maxar’s primary customers – the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency – more than doubled purchases of commercial electro-optical imagery over Ukraine since the conflict started.

The capacity crunch will be an issue “until we get the Legions launched,” Jablonsky said.

WorldView Legion is a constellation of six imagery satellites that is critical to the company’s future. Legion has suffered a number of schedule setbacks, including delays in the delivery of the imaging instruments and production shutdowns during the covid pandemic. Most recently, the launch of the first two satellites that had been projected for early summer could be pushed to the right again because of a shortage of Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft used to transport spacecraft from factory to launch site.

The first two satellites will be transported by truck from Maxar’s manufacturing plant in Northern California to SpaceX’s launch facility in Cape Canaveral, Florida. That could add a couple of extra weeks to the schedule, said Jablonsky.

Maxar initially had booked two SpaceX launches for the Legion constellation: one for the first two satellites and the second for the other four. But it later decided to add a third, splitting the constellation in pairs to be launched in three-month intervals, said Jablonsky.

“We wanted to make sure we can get the capacity up there as quickly as possible, but also reduce the risk from having four Legions on one launch vehicle,” he said.

Once new satellites are in orbit, it can take anywhere from 45 to 90 days of testing and calibration before they are fully operational, he said.

“This will be a little different for us because we’ll be commissioning the first of its kind spacecraft. So there’ll be more things that we want to check out and we’ll be doing two at the same time. And we’ve never done that before.”

Maxar’s current fleet includes WorldView-1 with 50-centimeter resolution; GeoEye-1 and WorldView-2 with 40-centimeter resolution and WorldView-3 that provides 30-centimeter imagery. The company in 2016 launched the 30-centimeter WorldView-4 but its instrument failed and the satellite was deorbited last year.

The Legion satellites all provide 30-centimeter imagery. “We can get into the upper 20s if we fly them lower,” said Jablonsky. With a full constellation of six, “we will be doubling our area collection capacity every day. And tripling our 30-centimeter capacity.”

3D mapping of Ukraine

Since the war started, Maxar has also increased production of 3D maps of Ukrainian cities to help assess the damage from Russian attacks, Jablonsky said.

Jablonsky showed SpaceNews an immersive 3D map of a Ukrainian town with before-and-after representations of the damage. “It almost feels like a fly-through with a drone,” he said. A video of the 3D maps shown at the Space Symposium has not yet been released publicly.

Maxar uses its own satellite imagery archive, drone imagery and video sources and combines them with 3D technology to produce immersive environments that replicate the real world.

This capability known as “precision 3D georegistration” has been used to make digital representations of parts of the world for U.S. Army training, for example. The 3D renderings of the terrain of the Earth also can be turned into a navigation system so autonomous cars can drive and aircraft can fly safely without GPS.

Jablonsky said the company has been delivering 3D maps of “areas in Ukraine that we thought were of importance.”

“We have the imagery of the entire globe and the processes to do this with accuracy,” he said. “We found that it’s been really valuable for simulation, planning and assessments and also for helping people understand things  in a visual way.”

Maxar gained ownership of the 3D technology through the acquisition of Vricon in 2020.

The company’s chief financial officer Biggs Porter said Maxar over the past year has invested an additional $30 m in 3D mapping technology.  “It’s a growth opportunity,” Biggs said March 17 at a J.P. Morgan investors conference. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Space News)

 

11 Apr 22. Thales Alenia Space and Aiko Team Up to Develop Advanced Software for Space Applications.

• Companies will explore the use of artificial intelligence to help develop next-generation software-defined space systems

Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), and the start-up AIKO S.r.l. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop advanced software for space systems.

Their partnership will primarily study the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to enhance the autonomous operation of satellites and space infrastructures, working in conjunction with the companies’ research and engineering teams. With the data generated by space systems increasing exponentially and space missions becoming more and more complex, advanced software solutions that can maximize the chances of mission success have become fundamental. AI technologies can address these needs, providing scalability and robustness in the harsh space environment. Thales Alenia Space and AIKO will capitalize on their decades of experience in the software and space sectors to support the next generation of space missions.

“Thales Alenia Space acts as a catalyst in the space ecosystem by tackling the challenges of an emerging economy in which space is becoming one of the foundations,” said Massimo Claudio Comparini, Senior Executive Vice President Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. “We have confirmed our pivotal position in the space industry and we are very proud of our partnerships, such as this latest one with AIKO. By using AI to enhance autonomous monitoring, detection, processing and data transfer capabilities on spacecraft, we are shaping new mission paradigms in space exploration.”

“This MoU is a major step forward for our company,” added Lorenzo Feruglio, CEO of AIKO, “since it signals the application of AI to more complex, ambitious missions. Thales Alenia Space has a proven track record in these missions and we are delighted to be working with them. Furthermore, our partnership paves the way for missions that will address end-users’ evolving needs in terms of data volumes and information timeliness.” (Source: ASD Network)

 

11 Apr 22. Capacity crunch may abort U.S. satellite boom as sanctions threaten Russia launches.

Houston, we have a problem!

U.S. rocket companies are facing the daunting task of ferrying hundreds of satellites to space in the coming years as sanctions sideline the Russian space launch industry.

SpaceX, Astra Space (ASTR.O) and Rocket Lab USA (RKLB.O) are among a handful of U.S. companies expected to fill the vacuum, but industry officials have doubts about their capacity to quickly ramp-up.

As the race between companies, including Elon Musk-owned SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon.com Inc’s Project Kuiper, for building giant satellite constellations to beam broadband internet from space heats up, demand for launches is expected to skyrocket.

More than 800 satellites under 100 kilograms are expected to be put in orbit this year alone, nearly double the number of launches in 2021, according to data from launch service aggregator Precious Payload.

And with Project Kuiper taking up significant capacity over the next few years, analysts expect the industry to face some launch-related delays.

“Come 2024, 2025, when all these mega constellations need a launch, there is going to be a real problem,” Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck told Reuters, referring to the networks of communications satellites being built by SpaceX, AST Spacemobile (ASTS.O) and OneWeb.

Rocket Lab is among a new breed of firms building miniaturized propulsion systems to cash in on an exponential rise in demand for putting compact satellites in the so-called low earth orbit.

In 2021, satellites launched by OneWeb and SpaceX accounted for the launch of about three-quarters of small satellites, according to industry analytics firm BryceTech.

Still, Russia maintained a 16% share of the global launch market over the past five years, according to historical databases.

Its share was actually larger, given that Soyuz rockets were also launched under a since-suspended French-Russian joint venture named Starsem.

About two-thirds of Soyuz launches were commercial or in support of the International Space Station (ISS), while the rest were for Russia’s domestic customers, Quilty Analytics analyst Caleb Henry said.

If access to Russia’s capabilities are lost due to Western sanctions on the country for its invasion of Ukraine, companies in Europe and the United States will have to quickly step in to meet demand.

That, however, may not be all that easy, given the complexities and challenges involved in building and launching new rockets.

“It is always possible that new vehicles will come online faster, thanks to improved manufacturing techniques, but precedent suggests it will be difficult to achieve high launch cadences for the next few years,” analyst Henry said.

Rocket Lab’s Beck said the launch crisis would also apply to smaller satellites used to image the Earth and conduct scientific observation that usually share a ride to orbit on a rocket with other satellites.

LAUNCH CRUNCH

Delayed launches can affect satellite internet companies in multiple ways. There is a risk of losing launch rights if they do not adhere to an FCC mandated deadline, while some firms may not see return on investment unless their satellite is in orbit.

United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing Co (BA.N) and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), is set to replace its Russian engines with those made by Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin. Still, Western launch companies have a long way to go.

However, Amazon’s blockbuster launch contracts for Project Kuiper can incentivize rocket makers to speed up production, industry experts say.

SpaceX’s Starship launch vehicle is set to be in mass production sooner and analysts expect it to meet some demand. The company also launches satellites for and operates Starlink.

“Longer term, launch constraints can be alleviated by Starship. Starship could crush pricing in the commercial market if Elon wants to, but my prediction is he is much more focused on getting humans to Mars,” said Deutsche Bank analyst Edison Yu.

Yu added that “new space companies” such as SpaceX, Rocket Lab and Astra Space are the winners when demand rises and there is no dependence from satellite manufacturers around the world on Russia’s Soyuz rocket.

Earlier this year, OneWeb decided to abandon Russian launch services and signed a deal with rival SpaceX to put its satellites in orbit. (Source: Reuters)

 

07 Apr 22. US Space Force wants funding for two more MUOS satellites. As the U.S. Space Force considers the future of its satellite communications architecture, the service wants to buy two more narrowband Mobile User Objective System satellites in the near term as part of a service life-extension effort. The Space Force requested $46.8m in procurement funding for the effort in its fiscal 2023 budget request. Speaking during a media briefing at Space Symposium here, the program executive officer for positioning, navigation and timing and military communications at the service’s acquisition field command, Cordell DeLaPena, told reporters the Space Force will launch a competition for the effort. The existing MUOS constellation includes four active satellites and one on-orbit spare and was built by the U.S. Navy with Lockheed Martin as its prime contractor. With the creation of the Space Force, the program was selected to change hands to the new service – a move that was made official about a month ago with the passage of the Fiscal 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Act. MUOS satellites operate in the 300 MHz to 3GHz range, making them less vulnerable to weather. The constellation is a replacement for the legacy Ultra High Frequency Follow-On system and was designed to provide 10 times the communications capacity of previous UHF satellites.

Prior to the program’s transfer, the Navy was on a path toward a service life extension and that effort carried forward into the Space Force. Congress appropriated $45m in fiscal 2022 to fund studies to define the additional capability the two satellites will carry.

In a briefing with reporters last week, Director of Budget Analysis at the Center For Strategic and International Studies Todd Harrison said the proposal to buy more MUOS satellites doesn’t appear to align with the Space Force’s stated interested in building more resilient architectures.

“I do not understand why they’re going back and investing more money into this expensive, vulnerable technology,” he said. “If you want to do narrowband communications, mobile communications, go commercial. It’s so much better. The terminals are much cheaper.”

DeLaPena said the new satellites will have higher power and more enhanced communication capabilities, but the specifics are still being defined. The program is targeting a 2029 or 2030 launch date, he added, as the first MUOS satellite is approaching end of life.

Erik Daehler, Lockheed’s protected communications mission area lead, told C4ISRNET in an interview Wednesday that the company submitted a proposal for the study phase and is watching the effort closely. Along with building the first five satellites, the company is responsible for operations and sustainment of the constellation.

As the Space Force moves toward a competition for the MUOS service life extension, the Space Warfighting Analysis Center is conducting a broader look at the satellite communications architecture, which will include a plan for future narrowband, UHF satellite capabilities.

The full MUOS constellation of four active satellites has been on orbit since 2016 and it was accepted for expanded operational use in 2018. A 2021 report from the Government Accountability Office found that despite the constellation’s maturity, users still struggled to use the full suite of capabilities, largely due to delays fielding MUOS-compatible terminals. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)

 

08 Apr 22. US Space Force to test experimental navigation satellite in upcoming Army exercise. The Air Force Research Laboratory and L3Harris will begin integrated testing this summer of an experimental satellite with implications for a future hybrid precision, navigation and timing architecture.

Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) is being designed to showcase new PNT technology that could shape future upgrades to GPS satellites and inform a possible new acquisition program to augment today’s constellation. Once on orbit in late 2023, the satellite will conduct more than 100 experiments testing different technology, like a digital signal generator that can be reprogrammed on-orbit to broadcast new signals. The Air Force awarded L3Harris an $84 million contract in 2018 to develop the NTS-3 satellite.

AFRL has designated NTS-3 as a Vanguard program, which means it’s a high-priority effort due to the potential impact of the technology being developed.

Speaking during a media briefing at the Space Symposium, AFRL Commander Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle said this summer’s integration activity will include participating in the Army’s PNT Assessment Exercise (PNTAX), which is held annually to help inform requirements future requirements and validate concepts. That work, she said Thursday, will help the program reduce risk and develop mitigation options before next year’s launch.

Joanna Hinks, AFRL’s NTS-3 deputy program manager, said the program is wrapping up integration of the payload with a Northrop Grumman-developed bus and noted that risk-reduction efforts will run in parallel to full system testing, providing “initial baseline data” that will get the satellite “ready for primetime.”

While the current constellation of GPS satellites operation in medium-Earth orbit, the NTS-3 satellite is destined for geosynchronous orbit. The decision to send NTS-3 to a different orbit — which was actually a pivot from the original plan to fly the experiment in MEO — was made deliberately as a way to test a hybrid PNT architecture concept, Hinks said.

“The idea here is that we already understand very well how satellite navigation works in MEO,” Hinks said. “So, what we can do with NTS-3 being in GEO is look at how can you use a constellation that is truly a hybrid architecture.”

She added that running the experiment in GEO does not mean a potential future constellation of these satellites would only operate in that orbit. Rather, it allows the program to prove whether signals coming from satellites in multiple orbits can offer a complimentary and improved capability for users on the ground.

That question is key for Space Systems Command as it considers how to incorporate NTS-3 capabilities into its existing architecture. Cordell DeLaPena, SSC’s program executive officer for PNT and military communications, told C4ISRNET after the panel that the NTS-3 experiment will help his team make its case for transitioning the capability into a possible new program of record.

“That’s why we’re doing this prototyping and experimentation, is to use that to support a potential budget decision for a new program,” he said, noting that the Space Force may have the data it needs to feed into its budget submission soon after the satellite launches next year.

“I think the results are going to be fairly quick,” he said. “And then it all depends on how the priorities play out in the service’s budget for that year.”

The experiment will also feed into a Space Warfighting Analysis Center architecture review for next-generation PNT, which DeLaPena said is funded for next year.

SSC is also working with Lockheed Martin, which is building the newest version of GPS satellites, GPS IIIF, to study options for injecting new capability into those satellites, including technology demonstrated on NTS-3. The company is already on contract for the first 17 satellites, but DeLaPena told reporters new capabilities could be inserted on later space vehicles as long as it doesn’t disrupt the program’s schedule.

The PEO is particularly interested in a new clock assignment technology as a possible add-on capability for future GPS IIIF satellites, he said. The assignment technique would allow operators to draw from multiple clocks to get a more robust timing signal.

The NTS-3 experimentation will also involve ground system and receiver equipment. During the demonstration work, the satellite will be operated by a ground system developed by Parsons. DeLaPena said that if the service opts to feed some NTS-3 technologies into the GPS IIIF program, the system would likely integrate with the GPS IIIF Operational Control Segment, OCX IIIF.

The receivers used as part of NTS-3 will be software-defined, which would allow users, during conflict, to change the characteristics of a receiver’s waveform. AFLCMC’s Agile Combat Support program executive office manages PNT user equipment for the Air Force. PEO Lea Kirkwood said during Thursday’s panel said the close partnership her team has with AFRL means that once the technology is ready, “we’ll certainly be moving those wheels forward to execute a program to get it to the war fighter.” (Source: Defense News)

 

08 Apr 22. Boeing Australia teams up with ExoAnalytic for JP9360. The prime has enlisted the support of the US-based firm to assist its development of sovereign space awareness capability. ExoAnalytic has been tapped by Boeing Australia to support its development of a fully operational space domain awareness capability as part of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) JP9360 Tranche 2 project. The joint solution provided under the new partnership is tipped to enable RAAF operators to simultaneously and exclusively task multiple ground-based telescopes across ExoAnalytic’s global sensor network of 350 telescopes. The telescopes are expected to be controlled and operated by Boeing Defence Australia personnel from an Australian Command Centre, supporting RAAF space command operations in real time by monitoring critical space assets. Providing command and control and data analytics, the team will leverage ExoAnalytic’s US Command Centre. ExoAnalytic’s telescope network is billed as the world’s largest space domain awareness sensor network, designed to monitor, interpret and predict the position and behaviours of man-made space objects in orbit around the Earth.

“These services help our customers to operate more safely and sustainably by identifying and providing alerts for objects behaving anomalously or creating potential threats such as collision risks,” Dr Douglas Hendrix, CEO of ExoAnalytic Solutions said. (Source: Defence Connect)

 

06 Apr 22. SPACECOM requests more funding for key space domain awareness center. U.S. Space Command sent Congress a $74m unfunded requirements aimed at positioning the command to better monitor and defend the space domain.

The funding would support three projects at the National Space Defense Center, which falls under SPACECOM’s Joint Task Force-Space Defense and brings together space domain awareness information from the intelligence community, the Department of Defense and commercial companies. NSDC also provides command and control support for the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program.

“Russia and China continue to invest in, demonstrate and field counter-space capabilities designed to directly challenge our position as the premier spacefaring nation,” SPACECOM Commander Gen. James Dickinson told lawmakers in an April 4 letter obtained by Defense News. “The command’s priorities for FY23 outlined below enhance our existing abilities to directly monitor the space domain and defend our nation’s vital assets.”

The unfunded requirements letter, which outlines money the command needs beyond what was in DoD’s fiscal 2023 budget request, was first reported by Inside Defense.

The largest ask is for nearly $37m to fund the integration of new capabilities into NSDC’s C2 architecture, around-the-clock communications support and needed sustainment for threat assessment. The funding would provide supporting capability while the Space Force matures a new C2 Delta designed to support NSDC’s mission.

“USSF current planning requires a period of maturation to reach initial, and then full, operational capability,” the letter states. “USSPACECOM requires additional resourcing to fund shortfalls in USSF supporting capability during this growth period.”

Also on the list is $28.6m for its new Consolidated Space Operations Facility (CSOF), which will house operators monitoring and troubleshooting potential threats in space. The construction of the building is funded, but the additional money would pay for IT and security equipment as well as furniture.

SPACECOM is also asking for $8.5 million in operations and maintenance funding to renovate existing space for use as an interim NSDC facility, noting that the center has outgrown the temporary building housed at Schriever Space Force Base, Colo.

“Funding renovation of additional spaces will provide NSDC the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility and Special Access Program spaces required to house additional personnel already programmed into the FY23 budget, thereby reducing risk to current and future operations until the CSOF is complete,” the letter states.

Once the NSDC interim space is no longer needed, the SCIFs can support future Space Force needs, the letter notes. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

 

06 Apr 22. LatConnect 60 + Gilmour Space Now Engaged In Hyperspectral EO Smallsats Development. LatConnect 60 (LC60) has signed an agreement to work with Gilmour Space Technologies in Queensland, Australia, to build and launch the first smallsat in a planned, high-resolution, hyperspectral imaging constellation. These smart smallsats will be placed in 30-degree inclined orbits for frequent revisit data capture over the Earth’s equatorial and mid-latitude regions.

Executives from the Australian companies announced the HyperSight 60 constellation agreement jointly at the 37th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, an annual meeting that brings together space leaders from around the world.

Under the agreement, Gilmour Space will develop the first 100-kilogram HyperSight 60 satellite on the company’s G-class satellite bus (G-Sat), which will be launched on Gilmour’s Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland, Australia, which is ideally located to place satellites into equatorial and mid inclined orbits. The smallsats and subsequent constellation will be owned and operated by LC60.

Satellite artistic rendition courtesy of Gilmour Space.

The first HyperSight 60 smallsat is planned for launch in Q4 2024. Once the entire eight satellite constellation is operational, an hourly revisit rate will be possible at mid-latitude locations between 30 degrees north and south in Australia, Asia, South America, and Africa. This revisit, combined with the spectral bands collected in high- and medium-spatial resolution, will deliver timely information-rich insights for Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental, Mineral/Oil & Gas, Climate Change, Maritime, and Defence applications.

“HyperSight 60 will deliver geospatial insights for mid-latitude areas at a level of detail and frequency not possible with other commercial remote sensing systems,” said Venkat Pillay, LC60 CEO and Founder. “The addition of Gilmour Space to the LC60 team contributes significantly to the future success of our ambitious plans. For HyperSight 60 and other planned LC60 constellations, our unique approach to onboard AI sensors, combined with advanced data fusion on the ground, will fill gaps in the insights that can be gleaned from current remote sensing systems.”

“This agreement would be our second G-class satellite mission on Eris, and we’re excited to be working with the pioneering team at LC60 to bring this significant capability to market,” said Gilmour Space CEO, Adam Gilmour.

LatConnect 60 (LC60) is an Earth Observation (EO) company, established in 2019, that collects satellite imagery data and fuses it with other forms of data for vital insights. Insights are delivered as a service through customized platforms to empower government and commercial clients. LC60 provides Space-enabled solutions, consisting of software platforms, data analytics algorithms and systems to aggregate sensors and data both on-ground and in-orbit. Its business strategy is aligned with current and future space EO and IoT markets that are advancing at a rapid pace. LC60 has exclusive access to a high-resolution satellite and is developing its own tailored EO constellation with novel sensors related to hyperspectral and thermal infrared to meet growing market demands for greater insights in agriculture, defence and maritime strategic awareness. LC60 currently owns exclusive rights to 80-centimeter imagery captured over Australia, with global access from a high-resolution multispectral satellite. The Perth-based company has leveraged this imagery along with other geospatial data sets to develop advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning-based data fusion and analysis algorithms for a variety of applications. LC60 is now delivering insights to assist Southeast Asian palm and rubber plantations in improving productivity while enhancing environmental sustainability. LC60 is also focused on designing ‘smart’ satellites equipped with onboard AI-based computing technology. For the HyperSight 60 constellation, this will enable ‘tip-and-cue’ capabilities among satellites within the constellation and allow pre-processing of data, including radiometric and geometric correction, to occur on-orbit before the data is downlinked to the ground. (Source: Satnews)

 

04 Apr 22. Collaboration: Ball Aerospace + Microsoft Azure To Explore On-Orbit Computing. Ball Aerospace is collaborating with Microsoft Azure to enable faster, flexible and more dynamic on-orbit satellite data processing. Ball Aerospace’s space-based hardware and software capabilities are being combined with Microsoft Azure cloud in a series of on-orbit experiments to explore new capabilities of satellite edge processing in space.

This latest collaboration between Ball Aerospace and Microsoft supports a unique networking system on the cloud that can move data around more quickly and process it in real-time – all the while being flexible to the evolving needs of complex missions. This empowers the user to reconfigure computing functions on orbit, including the use of software containerization and cloud on-the-edge to enable a software defined mission approach that embraces standards such as Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA), Universal Command and Control Interface (UCI) and Open Mission Systems (OMS).

Ball Aerospace recently demonstrated a successful data transfer from a Telesat LEO satellite to a data center and tactical vehicle, where it was processed in Azure. The demonstrations were part of the United States Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center’s Commercially Augmented Space Inter-Networked Operations (CASINO) project. Ball is planning for future demonstrations with Microsoft to test the software on-orbit in the next year.

Microsoft Azure’s integrated cloud services enables data processing and advanced analytics as well as an open application platform that provides the building blocks to rapidly develop, deploy and manage intelligent solutions. Ball Aerospace has a strong heritage of designing and building space hardware for government and commercial customers. In addition, the company has more than 30 years of data processing experience, including developing unique and accurate exploitation algorithms for satellite systems.

“Ball Aerospace has more than 65 years of space-based systems experience, and Microsoft is an industry leader in big data management and internet of things (IoT) systems,” said Steve Smith, vice president and general manager, Advanced Technology & Information Solutions, Ball Aerospace. “We are meeting in the middle, combining our respective expertise to enable ‘smart’ satellites that extend the data processing power of the cloud to space.”

Tom Keane, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Mission Engineering, said, “Bringing the security and performance of the Microsoft Cloud to Ball Aerospace hardware can offer unique opportunities to process on-orbit satellite data to gain insights faster, and meet the needs of specialized and mission-critical government workloads.” (Source: Satnews)

 

04 Apr 22. Amazon + Amazon Web Services To Reimagine Orbital Reef’s Space Station Ops + Logistics. Amazon Distribution and Fulfillment Solutions (Amazon) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are helping Orbital Reef reimagine networking, logistics, and communications that will be an integral part of the next space station. Orbital Reef is the commercially developed, owned, and operated space station to be built in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Led by partners Blue Origin and Sierra Space, Orbital Reef is backed by space industry leaders and team members that include Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering, and Arizona State University. Orbital Reef was recently selected by NASA for a funded Space Act Agreement through NASA’s Commercial LEO Development program, with the goal of shifting NASA’s research and exploration activities in LEO to commercial space stations, to help stimulate a growing space economy before the International Space Station (ISS) is retired in 2030. Orbital Reef’s open architecture infrastructure will host diverse tenants and businesses with its world-class accommodations. AWS will provide the services and technology tools necessary to support how humans will live and work in space, spanning Orbital Reef engineering design to on-orbit networking and operations. Amazon’s world-class logistics expertise will help streamline delivery and inventory management of space station supplies between Earth and the Reef. Orbital Reef is being developed to meet the needs of global space agencies and government organizations as well as commercial visitors needing more streamlined access to space. The habitat will be able to accommodate a wide variety of activities, including research and manufacturing, media and entertainment, sports and gaming, and adventure travel and tourism.

“Orbital Reef is applying proven approaches to enable a robust business ecosystem in low Earth orbit,” said Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin. “Amazon and AWS are ideal collaborators to support transportation, habitation, and communications. We’re working with the world’s best to reimagine logistics for a commercial mixed-use space business park.”

“We are proud to support the Orbital Reef mission of making space more accessible to future generations,” said Clint Crosier, director of the AWS Aerospace and Satellite business. “AWS technology will provide the speed and agility this team needs to streamline engineering design processes on Earth, and can enable the fully connected, secure, highly flexible vision for the Orbital Reef mission in space. We are excited to collaborate with Blue Origin and the industry team to help bring this exciting project to life.”

“We are excited to collaborate with the Orbital Reef team to reimagine logistics for space,” said Brett McMillen, director of Strategic Partners for Amazon Distribution and Fulfillment Solutions. “Amazon looks forward to sharing our expertise in logistics and end-to-end supply chain infrastructure to help develop reliable infrastructure that ensures humans have the resources they need to explore, experiment, and sustain long-term habitation in low earth orbit.”

The broader industry team will contribute their expertise to develop, integrate, and operate Orbital Reef’s transportation and destination systems and services:

• Blue Origin leads development of the station’s infrastructure, large-diameter metal modules, last-mile space tug, and reusable heavy-lift New Glenn launch system
• Sierra Space leads development of the LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) and small-diameter metal node modules, and the Dream Chaser spaceplane for crew and cargo transportation with runway landing anywhere in the world
• Amazon will share their expertise in logistics and end-to-end supply chain management to help Orbital Reef develop, launch and scale reliable infrastructure to support Orbital Reef operations and inhabitants
• AWS will provide a variety of integrated cloud services and tools to support both near-term and long-term technical requirements including space station development and design, flight operations, data management, enterprise architecture solutions, and integrated networking, logistics, and communications capabilities
• Boeing leads development of the station’s operations and maintenance and science module and Starliner crew capsule
• Redwire Space leads microgravity research payload development and operations, large deployable structures and the Orbital Reef digital twin
• Genesis Engineering Solutions develops the Single Person Spacecraft for routine operations and tourist excursions
• Arizona State University leads the University Advisory Group, a global consortium of universities for research advisory services and public outreach. (Source: Satnews)

 

04 Apr 22. NanoAvionics’ Smallsats Launched To LEO As Part Of The SpaceX Transporter-4 Mission. MP42 is NanoAvionics’ largest satellite built and launched so far, based on one of the first, commercially available, modular smallsat buses in the industry. MP42 is a rideshare mission and part of the company’s ongoing program. It’s hosting multiple payloads, including OQ Technology’s “Tiger-3”, adding another satellite to its 5G IoT/M2M (Internet of Things / Machine to Machine) communication constellation, and VeoWare’s RW500 fully integrated reaction wheel.

Tiger-3 among other satellites stacked on the Falcon 9 rocket awaiting launch. Photo is courtesy of SpaceX.

The two other satellites, launched with the SpaceX Falcon-9 launch vehicle, are dedicated telecommunications and Earth Observation (EO) missions flying onboard NanoAvionics flagship M12P and M6P smallsat buses.

Also going into orbit was another of Lacuna Space’s IoT (Internet of Things) gateways. The British-Dutch company, headquartered in Harwell, UK, is creating a network to connect low-cost and low power IoT devices globally. Using LoRaWAN, the Lacuna Network extends connectivity to even the most remote areas of the world where conventional connectivity is not commercially viable.

With the launch of its MP42, NanoAvionics has positioned a stepping stone to the firm’s goal to capture a sizeable share of the smallsat market segment. It’s an addition to the company’s end-to-end, smallsat mission infrastructure aimed at constellations, while also covering mission design, production, launch brokering, ground segment and satellite operations.

By repeating the successful and cost-efficient approach, which the company accomplished with its smallsat bus design, manufacturing and integration, NanoAvionics expects to provide similar cost savings with its microsats.

The MP42 mission also marks the finale of NanoAvionics’ GIoT (Global Internet of Things) R&D project, to provide constellation-as-a-service in a business-to-business setup to existing and emerging IoT/M2M operators. The company established the project together with its consortium partners, KSAT and Antwerp Space, after being awarded dedicated funding by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020, ESA’s ARTES and private investments. The satellite hosts some key enabling technologies developed throughout the length of the GIoT project, including an inter-satellite link and next-generation payload controller.

Vytenis J. Buzas, the CEO of NanoAvionics, said, “The successful launch of our MP42 microsat is a significant milestone in NanoAvionics growth trajectory and a demonstration of our agility. Together with our increasing global production capabilities through NanoAvionics’ facilities in Columbia, USA, Basingstoke, UK, and our new MAIT (manufacturing, assembly, integration and test) facility in Lithuania, we expect to make great strides into the microsatellite market. The baseline architecture of the MP42 and modular design allow customers to receive rapid integration and deploy their spacecraft much quicker compared with other existing solutions, significantly reducing their time-to-market. The number of missions launched, based on NanoAvionics technologies, has grown substantially over the last year and is poised to accelerate in 2022. The company has scheduled to launch a total of 15 satellites in 2022, with six successfully deployed already.” (Source: Satnews)

 

06 Apr 22. Rocket Lab Planning The First Mid-Air Helicopter Capture Of The Electron Rocket During The Company’s Next Mission “There + Back Again.” For the first time, Rocket Lab will attempt a mid-air helicopter capture of an Electron rocket as it returns to Earth from space, furthering the company’s program to make Electron the first reusable orbital small launch vehicle. The arrival of the Sikorsky recovery helicopter. Photo is courtesy of Rocket Lab. The “There and Back Again” mission, Rocket Lab’s 26th Electron launch, will lift off from Pad A at Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula within a 14-day launch window scheduled to commence on April 19, 2022, UTC. Electron will deploy 34 payloads from commercial operators Alba Orbital, Astrix Astronautics, Aurora Propulsion Technologies, E-Space, Unseenlabs, and Swarm Technologies via global launch services provider, Spaceflight Inc. The launch is expected to bring the total number of satellites launched by Electron to 146. For the first time, Rocket Lab will also attempt a mid-air capture of Electron’s first stage as it returns from space after launch, the next major step in the Company’s development program to make Electron a reusable rocket. Rocket Lab will be attempting the catch with a customized Sikorsky S-92, a large, twin engine helicopter that is typically used in offshore oil & gas transport and search and rescue operations. Catching a returning rocket stage mid-air as it returns from space is a highly complex operation that demands extreme precision. Several critical milestones must align perfectly to ensure a successful capture.

Recovery Mission Profile:

• Approximately an hour prior to lift-off, Rocket Lab’s Sikorsky S-92 will move into position in the capture zone, approximately 150 nautical miles off New Zealand’s coast, to await launch.
• At T+2:30 minutes after lift-off, Electron’s first and second stages will separate per a standard mission profile. Electron’s second stage will continue on to orbit for payload deployment and Electron’s first stage will begin its descent back to Earth reaching speeds of almost 8,300 km (5,150 miles) per hour. The stage will reach temperatures of around 2,400 degrees C (4,352 F) during its descent.
• After deploying a drogue parachute at 13 km (8.3 miles) altitude, the main parachute will be extracted at around 6 km (3.7 miles) altitude to dramatically slow the stage to 10 meters per second, or 36 km (22.3 miles) per hour.
• As the stage enters the capture zone, Rocket Lab’s helicopter will attempt to rendezvous with the returning stage and capture the parachute line via a hook.
• Once the stage is captured and secured, the helicopter will transport it back to land where Rocket Lab will conduct a thorough analysis of the stage and assess its suitability for reflight.

“We’re excited to enter this next phase of the Electron recovery program,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “We’ve conducted many successful helicopter captures with replica stages, carried out extensive parachute tests, and successfully recovered Electron’s first stage from the ocean during our 16th, 20th, and 22nd missions. Now it’s time to put it all together for the first time and pluck Electron from the skies. Trying to catch a rocket as it falls back to Earth is no easy feat, we’re absolutely threading the needle here, but pushing the limits with such complex operations is in our DNA. We expect to learn a tremendous amount from the mission as we work toward the ultimate goal of making Electron the first reusable orbital smallsat launcher and providing our customers with even more launch availability.”

Rocket Lab has previously conducted three successful ocean recovery missions where Electron returned to Earth under parachute and was recovered from the ocean. Analysis of those missions informed design modifications to Electron, enabling it to withstand the hard re-entry environment, and also helped to developed procedures for an eventual helicopter capture.

Payloads aboard the “There and Back Again” mission include:

• Alba Orbital: A cluster of four pico-satellites will be deployed, including Alba Orbital’s own Unicorn-2 PocketQube satellites, as well as TRSI-2, TRSI-3, and MyRadar-1 satellites for Alba Orbital’s customers. Each smallsat carries a unique sensor designed to demonstrate innovative technologies on orbit. Unicorn-2 will be carrying an optical night-time imaging payload designed to monitor light pollution across the globe.
• Astrix Astronautics: Astrix Astronautics is deploying the “Copia” system – a high-performance power generation system for CubeSats that aims to improve on power restraints typically seen in small satellites. The mission aims to demonstrate the high performance of Copia’s novel design via -on-orbit testing with 1U solar arrays able to capture up to 200W.
• Aurora Propulsion Technologies: The AuroraSat-1 also known as The Flying Object will deploy to LEO a demonstration of the company’s proprietary propulsion devices and plasma brakes that provide efficient propulsion and deorbiting capabilities for small satellites. The cubesat will validate the water-based propellant and mobility control of its Resistojets that can assist cubesats with detumbling capabilities and propulsion-based attitude control. AuroraSat-1 will also test its deployable Plasma Brakes which combine a micro-tether with charged particles in space, or ionospheric plasma, to generate significant amounts of drag to deorbit the spacecraft safely at the end of its life.
• E-Space: E-Space’s payload will consist of three demo satellites to validate the systems and technology for its sustainable satellite system. The satellites have small cross-sections to decrease the risk of collision from the millions of untrackable space objects and will automatically de-orbit if any systems malfunction. Eventually, the satellites will sacrificially capture and deorbit small debris to burn up on re-entry, setting a new standard in space environmental management.
• Spaceflight Inc: Spaceflight Inc. has arranged for Rocket Lab to launch two stacks of SpaceBEEs for Internet-of-Things constellation operator, Swarm Technologies.
• UNSEENLABS: BRO-6 is the sixth satellite of the Unseenlabs’ constellation, dedicated to the detection of RF signals. Thanks to its technology, the French company detects any vessel at sea, even those whose cooperative beacon is turned off. The launch of BRO-6 satellite will allow Unseenlabs to improve its revisit time and deliver more customers. (Source: Satnews)

 

06 Apr 22. First UK Orbital Launch From Space Cornwall Features Virgin Orbit’s Launch Of Applications Catapult’s Amber-1 Smallsat. The Satellite Applications Catapult (“the Catapult”) and Virgin Orbit (“Virgin Orbit”, Nasdaq: VORB) have announced an agreement to launch the latest satellite in the Catapult’s In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) program into space from the United Kingdom later this year.

This 6U satellites was built by AAC Clyde Space in Scotland and it will be launched by Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne on its historic flight from Spaceport Cornwall this year – a mission that is expected to mark the first ever orbital launch from a United Kingdom spaceport.

The objective of the mission is to demonstrate for the first time how launch from the United Kingdom can benefit the rapidly growing UK space sector and can enable organization to rapidly deploy new technologies to orbit, with a complete end-to-end capability coordinated from UK soil.

Artistic rendition is courtesy of Satellite Applications Catapult.

Amber-1 is expected to be the first of 20+ planned Amber™ satellites to provide Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) data to users.  Using unique, patented technology, the system will geolocate and demodulate radio frequency (RF) data from ships around the world.  Horizon Technologies’ data will be used by governments to provide information on the tracking and prevention of illegal fishing, smuggling, trafficking, piracy, and terrorism. Information collected through the program will be provided to the United Kingdom’s Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC).

This program will support the security of the maritime environment and maritime operations as well as signals the start of the UK’s space launch industry. The IOD program is funded by Innovate UK and the UK Space Agency.

“We are delighted to work with the Catapult and Horizon to launch Amber-1 on this planned historic flight, the first to bring domestic launch capability to the United Kingdom. We believe tracking shipping from space is vital to keeping the seas safe and that Amber-1 is a key technology that will aid this endeavor. This important technology, and Virgin Orbit’s collaboration with the Catapult are the latest signs of the growth we are seeing across the UK space economy. This is galvanized by our planned capability to launch straight from the United Kingdom to orbit,” said Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart.

Lucy Edge, COO of the Satellite Applications Catapult, said, “This launch is a huge milestone for the space sector in the UK. This summer, the UK completes its end-to-end ecosystem enabling companies to design, build, launch and operate their spacecraft all from one place. The impact for the UK Space Economy is uncapped, and we look forward to supporting this vibrant sector in demonstrating major advances in agile access to space.”

John Beckner, CEO of Horizon Technologies, said, “The launch of Amber-1 has been a long time in coming, and we are thrilled to be part of our partner, Virgin Orbit’s planned launch this summer.  Amber™ will revolutionize maritime RF detection from space using single CubeSats (as opposed to expensive clusters).  We believe Amber™ is a glowing example of a successful partnership between a growing UK SME and the Satellite Applications Catapult.”

UK Science Minister, George Freeman, said, “British satellites have been saving lives at sea for decades by providing emergency communications and location services, so it is fitting that Virgin Orbit’s first mission from Space Cornwall later this year will launch a maritime intelligence satellite. This will be a major milestone for our £16bn space and satellite sector and a great example of the government’s National Space Strategy in action.”

Ian Annett, Deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency, said, “We are delivering on the ambitious plans for the UK to tap into the growing global market for small satellite launch and it is exciting to see yet another satellite confirmed for launch by Virgin Orbit. This country is home to some of the most innovative satellite companies in the world, but they have never been able to launch from UK soil. We are on the cusp of a major milestone as a spacefaring nation, as we countdown to the first small satellite launch from a British spaceport.”

Chris Chant, Director of the Joint Maritime Security Centre, said, “JMSC provides government with comprehensive maritime domain awareness of the UK EEZ and the UK Overseas Territories. I look forward to seeing how this capability will contribute to that picture.”

Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, said, “This announcement is exactly why we are so excited to offer sovereign launch from Spaceport Cornwall.  We are proud to know that on our first launch this year, will be Amber-1, which will be integral to the UK’s maritime safety – benefitting not only the general public, but the marine ecosystem. This is a larger scale representation of what we are trying to achieve through Kernow Sat-1, with the monitoring of ocean health around the coast of Cornwall. This mission encapsulates using space for good, by demonstrating how increased Earth Observation can aid humanity and our environment.”  (Source: Satnews)

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At Viasat, we’re driven to connect every warfighter, platform, and node on the battlefield.  As a global communications company, we power millions of fast, resilient connections for military forces around the world – connections that have the capacity to revolutionize the mission – in the air, on the ground, and at sea.  Our customers depend on us for connectivity that brings greater operational capabilities, whether we’re securing the U.S. Government’s networks, delivering satellite and wireless communications to the remote edges of the battlefield, or providing senior leaders with the ability to perform mission-critical communications while in flight.  We’re a team of fearless innovators, driven to redefine what’s possible.  And we’re not done – we’re just beginning.

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