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26 Jan 23. GIT Satellite Communications Becomes Iridium Certus Service Provider to Further Support U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Government Customers. GIT Satellite Communications (GIT) announced today that it has become an Iridium Certus® service provider and will support U.S. government customers with hardware platforms, airtime, and data services.
A long-time Iridium® government service provider for narrowband voice and data services, GIT has now expanded its offering with Iridium Certus global satellite L-band broadband and midband connectivity. In addition to GIT’s present airtime service plans, the company offers voice and data compression software to support the most efficient Iridium Certus application solutions for DoD users.
“2023 will be an exciting year for GIT with the addition of Iridium Certus’ mission critical capabilities for government and the modern warfighter,” said GIT Satellite President and CEO Ginger Washburn. “We look forward to providing this critical connectivity to further support government and DoD personnel.”
“For more than 20 years, GIT has been a reliable and trusted partner delivering Iridium satellite communications equipment and service to a diverse array of government and commercial customers worldwide,” said Scott Scheimreif, Executive Vice President of Government Programs, Iridium. “With the addition of the value-added Iridium Certus capabilities to their portfolio, GIT will continue to play a critical role in supporting DoD and U.S. government personnel.”
Whether in high-risk combat zones or during inclement weather events, the Iridium network provides uncompromising satellite communications that keep users connected when it’s needed most. Iridium Certus terminals enable U.S. government users to securely connect remote assets to respective command and control in a cost-effective and secure manner, from anywhere in the world.
GIT Satellite Communications has more than 20 active years of experience in the satellite communication industry and continues to support and promote innovative, cutting-edge satellite technology. The company provides sophisticated and reliable customer service performance to DoD, U.S. federal government, and enterprise organizations. As a developer of value-added solutions, GIT provides a diverse and comprehensive catalog of products, utilizing the Iridium network’s global capabilities, for both military and commercial applications.
GIT is also an approved partner for the DoD’s Iridium Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) program, providing Iridium 9575A devices. (Source: PR Newswire)
26 Jan 23. Japan launches intel satellite to watch North Korea, disasters. Japan successfully launched a rocket Thursday carrying a government intelligence-gathering satellite on a mission to watch movements at military sites in North Korea and improve natural disaster response. The H2A rocket, launched by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, successfully lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, carrying the IGS-Radar 7 reconnaissance satellite as part of Tokyo’s effort to build up its military capability, citing growing threats.
The satellite later successfully entered its planned orbit, Mitsubishi Heavy said.
The Intelligence Gathering Satellite can capture images on the ground 24 hours a day and even in severe weather conditions. Japan launched the IGS program after a North Korean missile flyover of Japan in 1988 and aims to set up a network of 10 satellites to spot and provide early warning for possible missile launches. The satellites can be also used for disaster monitoring and response.
“The government will maximize the use of IGS-Radar 7 and other reconnaissance satellites to do the utmost for Japan’s national security and crisis management,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement Thursday as he praised the successful launch.
Kishida’s government in December adopted a new national security strategy, including possessing long-range cruise missiles as a “counterstrike” capability that breaks from the country’s exclusively self-defense-only postwar principle, citing rapid weapons advancement in China and North Korea.
Possible counterstrikes that aim to preempt enemy attacks would require significant advancement in intelligence gathering and cybersecurity capability, as well as significant assistance from Japan’s ally, the United States, experts say.
The Mitsubishi Heavy-operated, liquid-fuel H2A rocket has recorded 40 consecutive successes since a failure in 2003.
Mitsubishi Heavy and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are co-developing their new flagship H3 rocket as the successor to the H2A, which is set to retire in 2024. The first launch of H3 is set for February. (Source: Defense News)
26 Jan 23. Terma delivers AI model for Danish AI based surveillance satellite project. The Danish Ministry of Defence has contracted with Danish partners for development and deployment of an artificial intelligence-based surveillance satellite for monitoring of the Danish arctic regions. Terma provides the AI model for the satellite. The satellite has recently completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
The Danish Defence has an important and increasing challenge in relation to surveillance and intelligence gathering in the Arctic area. A major task for the Danish Defence is detection of different types of land, maritime and aerial activity in the area. The monitoring of activity in the three domains from space can assist the Danish Defence in the task of enforcing sovereignty and contribute to other operational tasks, e.g., Search and Rescue, as well as provide input for the day-to-day operational planning.
Collaboration with both national and international partners
Terma has entered a collaboration with several national as well as international partners. The project will be initiated as a joint mission composed of the efforts of Terma, Space Inventor, Gatehouses SatCom and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
The mission will be able to provide information on applied AI in space for earth observation missions as well as detecting ships, oil spills and much more due to the versatile payloads on-board.
The project is a satellite-based system for advanced on-orbit image and signal analysis. The project is known as BIFROST and will have the main purpose of demonstrating AI based surveillance from space with the aim of establishing a platform in space to gain further experience in AI-based surveillance and sensor fusion using multiple on-board sensors.
Paving the way for AI in Space
The AI model used for the system will be provided by Terma. The satellite will also test means of communication directly between different satellites to achieve real-time access to the intelligence data, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of Tactical Earth Observation. This will demonstrate that the presence of a specific activity can be detected and reported to the operational ground controller in real-time.
The satellite mission includes evaluating the capability of changing AI models during the mission lifespan, which makes it possible for the artificial intelligence core to learn the characteristics of new subjects of interest thereby constantly adding to the capabilities of the surveillance system.
Terma believes the project has the potential to form a broad national foundation for the space technology needed to support Danish Defence in the future and will be a steppingstone towards a future international cooperation regarding space-based surveillance activities of common interest.
First milestone is achieved
Recently, the project has achieved a milestone with the completion of the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The PDR is part of the process ensuring that the technical design meets the set requirements for a high performing AI satellite supporting operational activities in the Arctic Region. The next step is the Critical Design Review (CDR) where the AI models are developed, and the detailed design of the payload and the spacecraft itself are completed. The satellite is planned for launch in early 2024. (Source: ASD Network)
25 Jan 23. Isar Aerospace and Spaceflight Sign Launch Agreement to Service Global Market.
- Agreement underlines the growing global demand for private and flexible orbital launches
European launch service company Isar Aerospace, and U.S.-based Spaceflight Inc., the leading global launch services provider, announced they have signed a multi-launch services agreement. Under the agreement, Spaceflight secured one dedicated launch in 2026 to a sun-synchronous orbit taking off from Andøya, Norway and an option to add an additional dedicated launch to occur in 2025.
“We’ve seen an increased demand for flexible and affordable launch options around the globe, but especially for our European-based customers,” says Curt Blake, CEO and president of Spaceflight. “We’re very much looking forward to working with Isar Aerospace to help us meet that growing need. They have been successful in securing launch infrastructure and have made significant technological developments over recent years, and we welcome them into our launch vehicle portfolio.”
Spaceflight has more than a decade of launch and in-space transportation services expertise, successfully delivering more than 450 spacecraft across 55 launches, including both rideshare and dedicated launches. The company provides a host of launch and mission management services, from security capacity to providing comprehensive integration and logistics services. In addition, the company executed the launch of five next-gen Sherpa® orbital transfer vehicles which successfully carried more than 50 customer payloads, including cubesats, microsats and hosted payloads, to their desired orbits.
The agreement underlines the trust and growing global interest in Isar Aerospace’s flexible launch service solutions as the company expands into the U.S. market. Spectrum, Isar Aerospace’s completely in-house developed two-stage launch vehicle, can deliver up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO) and up to 700 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). The vehicle design and testing are progressing well, and the company is working towards the first test flight of Spectrum, which is planned for 2023. Since its founding in 2018, Isar Aerospace has raised private funding of more than $180 million and attracted both international commercial and institutional customers.
“We thank Spaceflight for the confidence it has placed in Isar Aerospace’s team and are excited to welcome Spaceflight customers on board Spectrum’s flights! Adding the first U.S.-based company to our international client roster, we clearly see the growing market need for flexible space access and international alternatives. Across the globe, a growing number of vital technologies are dependent on easy access to space and private launch services like Isar Aerospace offer the solution,” says Stella Guillen, chief commercial officer at Isar Aerospace.
Private commercial launch services stemming from Europe not only create a real alternative in the current international market environment but become an essential part of meeting the growing international demand in the future. (Source: ASD Network)
22 Jan 23. Lockheed Martin eyes international customers for GPS augmentation systems. The availability of a new GPS navigation signal for civilian users is creating market opportunities in so-called satellite-based augmentation systems — known as SBAS — that countries around the world are developing or upgrading to support transportation and other industries, said Andre Trotter, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of navigation systems.
Six GPS 3 satellites that broadcast the L1C signal have been launched since 2018, the most recent one last week. GPS 3 is a modernized version of the U.S. military’s Global Positioning System satellites that broadcast positioning, navigation and timing signals. Compared to earlier generations, the GPS 3 satellites provide military users extra protection from jamming attacks but one of its most significant features is the L1C signal for civilian users that is interoperable with Europe’s Galileo navigation satellites.
Lockheed Martin has built 10 GPS 3 satellites under a 2008 contract from the U.S. Air Force, and will produce at least 10 more GPS 3F, a more advanced version.
“The company developed what it calls a 2nd generation SBAS that takes advantage of both GPS L1/L5 and Galileo E1/E5 signals to provide more accurate navigation and positioning, and reduce dependence on any one system,” Trotter told SpaceNews.
Lockheed Martin in September won a $1.18 bn 19-year contract to develop and operate the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN) for the governments of Australia and New Zealand. The system is expected to be operational by 2028. “There is a significant amount of testing that must go on in order for the signals to be certified for different types of use, whether that be safety-of-life or commercial aircraft operations,” Trotter said.
Lockheed Martin’s SBAS broadcasts on two frequencies to augment signals from GPS and Galileo.
“We are currently broadcasting the dual-frequency multiple constellation SBAS signal as part of SouthPAN,” Trotter said. “As additional GPS 3 and GPS 3F satellites are launched, service will improve even further.”
Winning the SouthPAN contract “could lead to more opportunities, as we have the ability to expand this enabling technology globally,” he said. “We are having discussions with other potential international customers. We also expect that more benefits will be realized as we bring in users and learn about new applications of the technology.”
The SouthPAN system, for example, will improve accuracy from the current 5 to 10 meters, to about 10 centimeters, he said. More precise navigation and positioning data, Trotter said, is in high demand for commercial aviation, precision agriculture, maritime tracking, and the operation of drones and unmanned vehicles.
The U.S. SBAS is known as the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). Europe’s is called EGNOS, or European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. Several countries have implemented SBAS systems, including Japan and India, and more are in development.
In the SouthPAN system, an SBAS payload is hosted on an Inmarsat geostationary Earth orbit communications satellite, which rebroadcasts the augmentation messages to user receivers. Lockheed Martin operates a tracking, telemetry and control ground station in Uralla, New South Wales. Spain-based GMV will develop SouthPAN’s data processing and control centers. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Space News)
24 Jan 23. HawkEye 360 Successfully Launches Cluster 6 Satellites Aboard Inaugural Rocket Lab Electron Flight from Virginia.
HawkEye 360 Inc., the world’s leading commercial provider of space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics, announced today that its Cluster 6 next-generation satellites have successfully deployed to orbit aboard the inaugural Rocket Lab Electron flight from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. Communication with the satellites has been established by the company’s operations team. This is the first of three dedicated Rocket Lab USA Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) flights contracted by HawkEye 360.
“We are happy to report that our Cluster 6 next-generation satellites have reached orbit and we look forward to ramping up operations in the weeks ahead and fully integrating them into our constellation,” said HawkEye 360 CEO, John Serafini. “We are grateful for our valued mission partners, Rocket Lab and the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, who worked alongside our fantastic HawkEye 360 team to make this inaugural Virginia launch a success.”
“We’re immensely proud to have delivered mission success for HawkEye 360,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “With Launch Complex 2, we set out to create a new path to orbit from U.S. soil after more than 30 Electron launches from New Zealand, and what could be more fitting for the first Virginia mission than launching a Virginia-built satellite? We couldn’t ask for better mission partners in HawkEye 360 and Virginia Space, and we look forward to many more missions together.”
“It is an honor for Virginia Space to partner with HawkEye 360, a Virginia-based company, and launch such an important payload into orbit from our Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport,” said Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority CEO and Executive Director Roosevelt “Ted” Mercer, Jr. “Collaboration across different sectors of the space industry is key to ensure access to space for our nation. This is a historic moment for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and we look forward to future launches with HawkEye 360 and Rocket Lab.”
The Cluster 6 trio of satellites will be the first in the HawkEye constellation to enter an inclined orbit, boosting revisit rates over the mid-latitude regions of the globe. Once Cluster 6 achieves initial operating capability, HawkEye 360 will be able to collect RF data as frequently as once per hour anywhere on Earth, enabling the company to offer the most timely and actionable RF data and data analytics available on the market.
This successful launch expands HawkEye 360’s constellation to 18 satellites with expanded and improved data collection in the 15 -18 GHz range, exposing new and meaningful insights for customers. These second-generation Cluster 6 satellites hold two payloads for system redundancy and are each equipped to collect VHF, UHF, X-Band, L-Band, S-Band, X-Band, and GPS Interference signals. (Source: PR Newswire)
24 Jan 23. Space Force not buying large satellites for the foreseeable future. The era of massive satellites needs to be in the rear view mirror for the Department of Defense, the head of military space acquisitions told government and industry executives Jan. 24.
Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, since taking office has been insistent that reforms are needed in satellite procurements, including the transition to smaller satellites that can be built and launched within a three-year period, compared to a decade or longer for traditional large satellites.
Calvelli spoke at the National Security Space Association’s defense and intelligence conference in a fireside chat with former DoD official Doug Loverro.
Echoing points he made in previous public appearances, Calvelli called for DoD to break from the past and embrace more agile ways to buy satellites in order to make U.S. systems more resilient to threats. Most space-based systems the U.S. military needs — for communications, space domain awareness, missile detection and tracking, navigation, weather and other applications — can be accomplished using small satellites, Calvelli said.
“We are transforming from what’s been called ‘big juicy targets’ of the past to a more proliferated and more resilient architecture that can be counted on during times of crisis and conflict,” he said.
Using commercially available satellite buses and components, DoD can build smaller spacecraft for operations in low, medium or geostationary Earth orbits, Calvelli said. “I see us building small everywhere, regardless of whether it’s LEO MEO or GEO.”
Calvelli made the case that the traditional “big structures with lots of payloads on them” can be broken down into smaller satellites which would be harder for an enemy to target. That concept, also known as “disaggregation,” was advocated by some Air Force officials a decade ago but was largely rejected in favor of big satellites that, although expensive, can operate in orbit for decades.
In light of recent advances in anti-satellite weapons developed by China and Russia, the Pentagon has to pivot to more resilient systems, Calvelli stressed. “I do believe that we can break apart the big behemoths in GEO and break them into smaller bite-sized chunks which is going to diversify the architecture and protect us more.”
‘Do not design new buses’
Since taking office seven months ago, Calvelli has noticed that Space Force program offices tend to design bespoke satellite buses, another practice that he wants to end.
“If you need some new tech, that’s okay. But keep that development focused on the payload. Do not create new buses,” he said.
There are plenty of commercially available buses to choose from, he said. “We love building new buses. We love building new bus components. We love doing new things that are already out there,” he said. “If you need to do some tech development, keep it minimal.”
NRO ‘more demanding’ than DoD
Before joining DoD, Calvelli spent more than three decades working on space programs at the National Reconnaissance Office. The NRO builds large satellites but also has embraced smallsats built with commercial components.
Calvelli said there are aspects of the NRO’s procurement culture that DoD should emulate, such as holding contractors more accountable.
“I think the NRO is a much more demanding customer when dealing with industry,” he said.
NRO program managers, for example, deal with problems hands-on rather than delegate to prime contractors, he said. “If there’s a problem with a subcontract or a supplier, the NRO program managers aren’t afraid to get on a plane and go to the lowest level possible.”
In DoD, “we tend to rely more on the primes to do that. And we know sometimes the primes really don’t do that,” said Calvelli. “The NRO seems to be a much more demanding customer, which I really, really like and I’m trying to change that culture at the Pentagon.”
A few years ago, there was growing frustration at the NRO about what Calvelli called “un-executable contracts” where contractors promised technologies they couldn’t deliver and programs were chronically late and over budget. As a result, he said, “we put out guidance where we started really evaluating cost and schedule realism” as part of the criteria for selecting proposals.
Calvelli said he will “try to institutionalize doing a similar thing” at DoD. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Space News)
25 Jan 23. Rocket Lab Successfully Launches 1st Electron Mission from US Soil.
- The mission was Rocket Lab’s 33rd Electron mission overall but the first launched from U.S. soil, introducing a new responsive launch capability to the nation
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, today successfully launched its 33rd Electron rocket and first mission from Virginia. The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission lifted off at 18:00 EST on January 24th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The mission deployed three satellites to a 550km orbit for leading radio frequency geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360. Rocket Lab has now successfully deployed a total of 155 satellites to orbit from the Company’s three launch pads across the U.S. and New Zealand.
The successful launch from LC-2 marks the beginning of a new era of responsive launch capability for small satellites from U.S. soil. Built with support from Virginia Space, the Commonwealth of Virginia and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 is designed to serve the responsive space needs of commercial, civil, defense, and national security customers, supporting up to 12 missions per year. Combined with Rocket Lab’s private Launch Complex 1 site in New Zealand, the Company’s launch sites can support more than 130 launch opportunities every year, delivering flexibility and rapid launch capability for customers.
“Electron is already the leading small orbital rocket globally, and today’s perfect mission from a new pad is testament to our team’s unrelenting commitment to mission success,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “After our busiest launch year yet in 2022 with nine successful missions, what better way to kick off the new year than by launching Virginia-built spacecraft from a Virginia launch site, enabled by our rapidly growing Virginia-based team. This mission has been a real team effort. Thanks to the consistent support of NASA, Virginia Space, the FAA, the Commonwealth and our mission partner HawkEye 360, Rocket Lab is proud to bring a reliable and responsive new launch capability to Virginia’s Eastern Shore.”
“We are grateful to share in the success of today’s launch. Our sixth trio of satellites and our first mid-latitude satellite cluster will broaden the scope of our geospatial insights for our partners around the world,” said HawkEye 360 CEO, John Serafini. “This also marks our first launch in our home state of Virginia, making today’s success even more meaningful. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Rocket Lab and Virginia Space in the months and years ahead.”
The launch of Electron from the NASA-controlled Wallops Flight Facility also marked the introduction of the agency’s autonomous flight termination capability, known as NAFTU (NASA Autonomous Flight Termination Unit). While Rocket Lab has successfully flown its own autonomous system on Electron missions since 2019, NASA developed NAFTU in conjunction with this launch to provide a common system for flight termination for a wide array of launch vehicles at any launch range. Autonomous flight termination capability now being in operation at Wallops can provide faster and cheaper access to space for small satellites by enabling wider launch windows, smaller launch safety corridors, and reduced reliance on ground-based systems.
“We are honored to support the launch of this historic mission”, said Ted Mercer, CEO and Executive Director of Virginia Space. “In addition to being Rocket Lab’s first and only U.S. launch location, we will also be building rockets and processing their payload right here in Accomack County – something that has never been done in Virginia. Our partnership with Rocket Lab is a unique opportunity for the Commonwealth of Virginia to create long-term economic development opportunities in the form of high-paying jobs, launch viewing tourism, and construction of new facilities on the Eastern Shore.”
The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission was the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see Rocket Lab deliver 15 satellites to low Earth orbit in 2023 and 2024. These missions will grow HawkEye 360’s constellation of radio frequency monitoring satellites, enabling the company to better deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency emissions anywhere in the world. Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply HawkEye 360 with separation systems produced by Planetary Systems Corporation, a Maryland-based space hardware company acquired by Rocket Lab in December 2021.
Virginia is the first U.S. launch location of the Electron launch vehicle, but it will also be home to the Company’s new larger launch vehicle Neutron, which will be built, tested, launched, and landed within the Wallops Flight Facility in the future. Construction is underway of the Neutron Production Complex as development of the new rocket progresses, thanks to the continuous support from the Commonwealth and Virginia Space. (Source: ASD Network)
23 Jan 23. China’s CASC aims for 50 launches. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has set an ambitious plan to conduct more than 50 space launch missions in 2023, according to a CASC report released in early January.
The report, released during the 2023 Model Work Conference, aims to achieve the “spirit” of the CCP’s National Congress which seeks to enhance both the Chinese military as well as China’s place in space.
According to a release from the organisation, the CASC remains committed “to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”
Dubbed “Implementing the Thought of Strengthening the Army and Persisting in the Development of “Three Highs” and Successfully Completing the 2023 Model Research and Production Tasks,” the report outlines the key priorities for the year, including:
- Improving their political standing;
- Implementing reforms;
- Building a risk management system;
- Increasing innovation;
- Enhancing project bidding capabilities;
- Instituting cost control;
- Accelerating digital transformation, and;
- Improving military-local coordination.
During the meeting, attendees acknowledged the CASC’s success in 2022 where the number of aerospace launched exceeded 50.
In early 2022, the CCP’s State Council Information Office released a white paper documenting the country’s goals for the space industry.
“It [China] will start a new journey towards a space power,” said the writers of the white paper.
“The space industry will contribute more to China’s growth as a whole, to global consensus and common effort with regard to outer space exploration and utilization, and to human progress.”
China outlined plans to upgrade the rockets towards non-toxic and pollution-free launch amid the rising concerns over space debris, with such innovations already spearheaded by the United States and Europe.
“In the next five years, China will continue to improve the capacity and performance of its space transport system, and move faster to upgrade launch vehicles,” the white paper stated.
“It will further expand the launch vehicle family, send into space new-generation manned carrier rockets and high-thrust solid-fuel carrier rockets, and speed up the R&D of heavy-lift launch vehicles.” (Source: Space Connect)
23 Jan 23. UK Space Agency announces £50m for satellite communications. The UK Space Agency has announced £50m of funding for ambitious and innovative projects that will supercharge the UK’s satellite communications industry.
The UK Space Agency has announced £50m of funding for ambitious and innovative projects that will supercharge the UK’s satellite communications industry.
The funding, which is part of the European Space Agency (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Services (ARTES) programme, is available for a wide range of projects, such as developing new satellite constellations, the ground systems needed to access them, or whole end-to-end systems delivering new services to customers.
These could include integrating 5G systems to unlock connectivity for people and machines through upgrading infrastructure to enable new markets and services such as drones or driverless haulage, creating space-based networks to rival cable-based terrestrial ones, and helping UK space operators to use disruptive new technologies and business models to enable global operations.
Science Minister George Freeman said: “Developing UK space capabilities and maximising commercial opportunities are key to the National Space Strategy, as part of our plans to become a leading power in space and build on a sector already worth £16.5bn to the UK economy.”
We are determined to invest in our world class satellite technology sector, which is why I committed £1.8bn for UK participation in ESA programs over the next five years and recently committed £190 m specifically to participate in international telecommunications missions.
This latest £50m UK Space Agency funding will help more companies into our vibrant fast growth UK space telecoms sector, helping drive both growth and wider UK economic resilience.
The UK already has a fast-growing satellite communications industry, with services contributing £10.4bn to the economy and to the creation of more than 26,600 jobs.
Successful companies will have the opportunity to help kick off the next generation of satellite communications hardware, paving the way for services that can provide better quality connectivity in remote and hard-to-reach places, higher bandwidth, lower latency, and increased security.
UK Space Agency CEO Dr Paul Bate said: “This is an exciting time to be involved in the satellite communications industry as the world increases its dependence on these services to manage business, travel, security, infrastructure, connectivity, and more. This funding will help UK companies that have the right expertise and ambition to become global players in this market and lead on ground-breaking technologies that will enhance the wider UK space sector, create jobs and generate further investment. I look forward to seeing the results of the competition and following the successful projects in their next steps.”
The UK is a leading investor in ARTES, having committed £190 m to the programme at the ESA Council of Ministers in November.
Previous UK projects funded by ARTES include Sunrise, supporting the delivery of OneWeb’s first generation platform and user terminals for a UK-wide supply chain, and Pioneer, working with companies including Spire Global and AAC Clydespace to develop infrastructure that will enable new service providers with low cost and quick access to space.
See guidance to apply for funding: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-uk-national-delegate-support-for-the-esa-artes-public-partnership-programme-ppp
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
20 Jan 23. Pentagon strategy calls for integrated satellite comm networks. As the Pentagon modernizes its satellite communications enterprise, its first task will be to develop standards to improve data sharing among SATCOM networks, according to an enterprise-level strategy released this week.
U.S. Department of Defense Chief Information Officer John Sherman approved the Enterprise SATCOM Management and Control Implementation Plan in December and released it publicly Wednesday. The document provides guidance for DoD agencies that design, operate and develop space-based communications capabilities and lays out a phased approach to modernizing SATCOM capabilities to improve collaboration with partners and make systems more resilient against threats.
“The global threat landscape is constantly evolving and remaining competitive, and modernizing our digital environment is imperative for the Department of Defense to meet challenges not only from great powers and regional adversaries, but also from violent and criminal non-state actors and extremists,” the report states. “We must act now to secure our future.”
The strategy comes as the Space Force is crafting a plan for providing networked SATCOM capabilities, which are foundational to DoD’s vision for Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or more rapid, networked data sharing across the military services. That plan will consider how to better integrate SATCOM from commercial providers like SpaceX and international partners, and early findings will inform the service’s fiscal 2024 budget request.
The Space Force has a number of SATCOM modernization efforts underway, including the Protected Satellite Communications program, which aims to improve satellite anti-jam capabilities. The Space Development Agency is also developing a fleet of networked data transport satellites.
The DoD CIO plan features a three-phased implementation approach, starting in fiscal 2023 with improving data standards — a step aimed at enabling better information sharing. The second phase, which will start in fiscal 2024, is geared toward integrating DoD data and network management. The last stage involves delivering enterprise-level capabilities that automate certain tasks and bring together situational awareness data. That work will begin in fiscal 2026 and continue through fiscal 2029.
The document identifies U.S. Space Command as the lead global SATCOM operator and manager, the Space Force as the head of force design, the Defense Information Systems Agency as the service provider for the enterprise and the DoD CIO as the lead architect for SATCOM capabilities, providing oversight for implementation efforts. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
19 Jan 23. SpaceX sends Northrop Grumman’s USSF-67 two satellite mission to orbit via a Falcon Heavy — Northrop Grumman comments.
SpaceX has successfully launched the U.S. Space Force‘s USSF-67 mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A on January 15, 2023, with the liftoff of this National Security Space Launch (NSSL) payload aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket. Both of the rocket’s side boosters successfully returned to Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 safely.
This mission is the fifth SpaceX Falcon Heavy to date and the heavy-lift vehicle’s second NSSL mission and is comprised of two, co-manifested satellites that will be used to transmit military communications data as well as transport payloads to space.
The forward spacecraft, SSC’s Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM (CBAS)-2, is a satellite destined for GEO to provide communications relay capabilities in support of senior leaders and combatant commanders. The mission of CBAS-2 is to augment existing military satellite communication (MILSATCOM) capabilities and continuously broadcast military data through space-based satellite relay links.
The second spacecraft, the Long Duration Propulsive ESPA (LDPE)-3A, is used to rapidly place multiple, diverse payloads into orbit and provide critical data to inform and influence future U.S. Space Force programs. This LDPE-3A mission includes two SSC payloads: catcher and WASSAT, and three payloads developed by the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (SRCO).
The SRCO payloads include two operational prototypes for enhanced situational awareness, and an operational prototype crypto/interface encryption payload providing secure space-to-ground communications capability. The LDPE spacecraft will continue to provide access to space for multiple DoD space Science & Technology (S&T) demonstration experiments. (Source: Satnews)
17 Jan 23. SSC delivers the first hosted payload to Japan in historic USSF partnership. Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Space Domain Awareness & Combat Power (SDACP) Directorate has delivered the first of two payloads to Japan, placing the United States and Japan one step closer to the launch of two, U.S.-hosted payloads on Japan’s GEO-based Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS).
The payload deliveries follow the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed two years ago between Japan’s National Space Policy Secretariat (NSPS) and the U.S. Space Force.
The QZSS-HP program demonstrates a shared commitment to increase space partnerships in alignment with both allies’ national space policies, central to the U.S. Space Force’s priority of expanding cooperation to contribute to integrated deterrence and international security. The QZSS-HP mission has been supported by SSC since its inception in 2018 as a rapid acquisition and pacesetting partnership effort with Japan.
As the payloads arrive in Japan, the program will then begin the next stage of integration to the two QZSS host satellites and to prepare for launch. The two launches will expand the QZSS constellation to a total of seven.
On the U.S. side, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratories (MIT/LL) is the prime payload developer for QZSS-HP. MIT/LL and SSC have led the development from a concept in 2018 to ready to deliver hardware in 2023. In the next phase, MIT/LL and USSF personnel will mobilize to Japan to support the integration and test efforts with their Japanese partners until completion of the launch of both QZSS host satellites.
QZSS-HP’s mission as a pacesetting partnership with Japan is not complete, but the development, test, and delivery of the first hosted payload demonstrates exactly the kind of partnership spirit needed for the Space Force to set the stage for future success.
“This delivery of the first spaceflight-ready payload represents an important milestone for QZSS-HP. While a lot of work remains, I’m happy to report that we’re on track to meet our commitments,” said Lt. Col. Brian Fredrickson, program manager and representative of SDACP’s Space Domain Awareness Delta. “QZSS-HP has benefited tremendously from being categorized as a prototype, as it has enabled the program to be responsive and move with speed.”
“We’ve worked hard to move from concept and requirements development through the design phase, and into assembly, integration, and test of the two hosted payloads very quickly. We’re excited for our next steps and to work with our Japanese partners,” said Capt. Alex Woodard, deputy program manager.
“This is an exciting and important mission,” said 1st Lt. Joe Santiago, QZSS-HP’s logistics & security lead, adding that the delivery would not be possible without Space Force’s partnership with Air Mobility Command to secure safe transit from Hanscom Air Force Base’s 66th Air Base Wing in Massachusetts to Yokota Air Base’s 374th Airlift Wing in Japan. “QZSS-HP’s success depends on the contributions of a number of mission partners on the US side, including our partners at Yokota and Hanscom.”
2nd Lt. Danielle Katz, the program’s ground lead, added, “QZSS-HP is also making great strides in proving out the end-to-end connectivity with Japan to support on-orbit testing and operations.” (Source: Satnews)
17 Jan 23. Virgin Orbit updates their “Start Me Up” mission anomaly. Preliminary analysis of data from Virgin Orbit‘s Start Me Up mission has begun to shed light on the outcome of the January 9th flight and the next steps that will follow…
The Start Me Up mission was the first orbital launch attempt in history conducted from western Europe. The flight was conducted by Virgin Orbit’s air-launched LauncherOne system from the newly commissioned Spaceport Cornwall in the UK, which just a few weeks ago was transformed from a mere slab of empty cement at a commercial airport into the world’s newest space launch operations center.
After successfully proceeding through pre-launch operations and taking off as planned from the runway at Spaceport Cornwall, Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft traveled to the bespoke drop zone selected for this mission and successfully released the rocket.
The rocket then ignited its first stage engine, quickly going hypersonic and successfully completing the stage one burn. Initial data assessments indicate that the first stage of the rocket performed as expected, that the rocket reached space altitudes, and that stage separation, ignition of the upper stage and fairing separation similarly occurred per the planned mission timeline.
Later in the mission, at an altitude of approximately 180 km, the upper stage experienced an anomaly. This anomaly prematurely ended the first burn of the upper stage. This event ended the mission, with the rocket components and payload falling back to Earth within the approved safety corridor without ever achieving orbit.
Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft and its crew returned safely to Spaceport Cornwall.
Extensive telemetry coverage for the flight allowed for the collection of an enormous quantity of data during the mission, allowing Virgin Orbit’s engineers and review board members to start their analysis immediately upon detection of the anomaly.
Virgin Orbit has initiated a formal investigation into the source of the second stage failure, to be led by Jim Sponnick (Co-Investigator), a distinguished aerospace veteran who was instrumental in the development and operations of the Atlas II, III and V launch systems and operations of the Delta II and IV launch systems, and Chad Foerster (Principal Investigator), Virgin Orbit’s Chief Engineer and Vice President of Technology Development. An extensive fault analysis and investigation and completion of all required corrective actions identified during the investigation will be completed prior to the next flight.
Virgin Orbit is continuing to process its next scheduled rocket through final integration and checkout ahead of its upcoming mission, which is planned to occur from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California.
Virgin Orbit also anticipates returning to Spaceport Cornwall for additional launches, and is in active discussions with key government and commercial stakeholders in the UK to start planning mission opportunities for as soon as later this year.
Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, said, “We are all disappointed that we were not able to achieve full mission success and provide the launch service that our customers deserve. Upon identifying the anomaly, our team immediately moved into a pre-planned investigation mode. Given our four previous successful missions, which have proven our technology, our team’s deep understanding of the LauncherOne system from massive amounts of previously collected flight data, and the ample telemetry data that was collected characterizing the flight and the anomaly, I am confident that root cause and corrective actions will be determined in an efficient and timely manner. We are continuing to process and test our next vehicle per our plan and will implement any required modifications prior to our next launch.
“I also want to express my heartfelt appreciation to our team, who worked tirelessly under high pressure and difficult conditions, and most importantly to our customers, supporters, and partners in the UK, the US, and across the world. We thank you for the many expressions of confidence and support we have received over the past two days.”
Original Update 2 posting
Certainly not a ‘moment to remember‘ debut for Virgin Orbit and Virgin Orbit National Systems, as the company’s initial, rideshare launch from the United Kingdom has been unsuccessful.
With Cosmic Girl taking off from Spaceport Cornwall, 25 minutes after the 10:01 p.m. lift off of the LauncherOne rocket carried beneath the customized 747 aircraft, an anomaly occurred and the mission had to be aborted, sending the rocket and the payload of nine satellites into the Earth’s atmosphere where they were destroyed.
The disappointment was quite evident for the thousands of spectators viewing the launch, all hoping for a victory for the UK as a nation vying for premiere launch status among the world’s space faring nations. (Source: Satnews)
17 Jan 23. Sateliot collaborating with Sensefinity — 5G-IoT satellite technology in smart containers. Sateliot and Sensefinity will launch global, 5G-IoT satellite connectivity to facilitate the first technology of data transmission from 1,000 smart containers, thereby saving medium-size shipping companies as much as $1.4 m per year on container maintenance and repairs.
Actual satellite coverage is not 100% global, as GEO satellites only cover fixed areas of the planet. Moreover, their far placement makes them far less efficient than LEO satellites according to the company, which come into play to fix this problem.
Without NB-IoT coverage at high sea, trackers and sensors can only record the information, uploading it once the vessels are near shore, when it is already too late to do anything with damaged cargo. Furthermore, legacy satellite transmission costs for every container are a high addition to a vessel’s already expensive bills, particularly when considering tariffs and port and channel fees.
With Sateliot’s full, 5G NB-IoT satellite constellation, Sensefinity will be able to report location, temperature, humidity, vibration and container breach in real-time, unlocking a set of high-impact use cases such as notifications when a container falls into the ocean, alerting for fires inside containers, warning for cold-chain breaks for sensitive cargo like food and medicines and reporting impacts and damages in containers.
Another advantage of this partnership between Sateliot’s global satellite coverage and Sensefinity IoT solutions in smart containers is the reduction of food waste and carbon emissions. Maritime shipping businesses will grow in a sustainable way, allowing an increase in revenue while caring for the planet.
Shipping companies are heavily investing in smart containers to control cargo, with predictions that, by 2025, 25% of the box fleet will be able to gather data from inside the containers. However, transmitting gathered data in uncovered spots from the middle of the ocean is still an issue.
Sateliot’s transmission costs start from less than $1 per device per month. This allows Sensefinity to facilitate its expansive growth, granting the shipping and vessel companies the ability to transmit data from smart containers in the middle of the ocean with a very reduced cost.
Jaume Sanpera, Sateliot CEO, said, “Investing in smart containers and global continuous connectivity transmission through our network of 5G-NB IoT satellites will provide vessels and shipping companies better control of transported goods, avoiding damage claims and lawsuits costing companies billions of dollars per year.”
Sensefinity CEO, Orlando Remédios, said, “Our technology will help the international shipping industry to overcome cargo damage, which costs a yearly estimate of $6 bn, reducing complaints and lawsuits, and also food waste and carbon emissions. Maritime shipping businesses will grow in a sustainable way, allowing an increase in revenue while caring for the planet.“
Due to the scale of the project and the need for collaborative projects between multiple ecosystem players, the virtual core of Sateliot service is built by AWS, a leading cloud service provider. (Source: Satnews)
06 Jan 23. Momentus to launch FOSSA Systems Next-Generation Satellites.
Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS), a U.S. commercial space company that offers transportation and other in-space infrastructure services, has signed a contract with FOSSA Systems, a Spanish company that offers global low-power Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and in-space services through its satellite constellation, to place its latest generation of satellites, FOSSASat FEROX, into low-Earth orbit on two Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle missions starting in 2023.
The first group of FOSSA’s next-generation satellites is slated to launch on a Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle on the SpaceX Transporter-8 mission no earlier than June 2023. This mission will demonstrate the satellites’ new design features and act as a demonstration for a second batch of satellites expected to launch onboard a follow-on Vigoride vehicle on a later SpaceX Transporter mission, kicking off the deployment of a new constellation of FOSSA satellites.
“FOSSA Systems flew with us on our inaugural mission that launched in May 2022. We’re pleased to have earned their trust in selecting us as their space transportation provider for their new satellites, and we look forward to building a long-term partnership toward our first large-scale constellation deployment,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer John Rood. “FOSSA is on a mission to provide the next generation of IoT connectivity and technologies. We’re proud that our services are integral to achieving their disruptive vision.”
“FOSSA Systems already has a constellation of 13 picosatellites in orbit, but this next-generation will allow us to deliver higher capacity services in a commercial manner for a wider range of applications, supporting IoT and other space-related services in areas such as communications or remote sensing,” said FOSSA Chief Executive Officer Julian Fernandez. “This new generation of satellites provides unprecedented capabilities comparable to that of 6 – 12U satellites in a fraction of the size, mass, and cost. We are happy to reaffirm our trust in Momentus as we look at our launch plans for our initially 80-satellite constellation to support SaaS and dedicated satellite customers in sectors such as Maritime, Logistics, Infrastructure, Utilities or National Security.” (Source: Satnews)
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