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08 Mar 23. Boeing sees Space Launch System rocket fit for Pentagon missions. Boeing is interested in offering its gigantic Space Launch System rocket for an upcoming U.S. military launch procurement program potentially worth bbns of dollars, the company said Wednesday, signaling a new strategy for a rocket once exclusive to NASA missions.
“The Space Launch System’s deep space capability enables the national security, science and space community missions,” a Boeing spokesman said, responding to a Reuters inquiry. (Source: Reuters)
08 Mar 23. Space Force offers launch pads to companies as commercial demand soars. ABL Space Systems, whose RS1 rocket is designed for small launch missions, is one of four companies to access excess launch capacity from the U.S. Space Force. (ABL Space Systems). The U.S. Space Force will allocate launch pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to four commercial launch companies as part of a broader effort to use excess range capacity to support the burgeoning market.
Space Launch Delta 45, the unit that oversees operations at the Florida station, announced March 7 it assigned launch pads to ABL Space Systems, Stoke Space, Phantom Space and Vaya Space as part of its launch pad allocation strategy.
“Offering excess launch property to [commercial launch service providers] fosters development of new space launch systems and helps to ensure a strong space launch industrial base for the nation,” the unit said in a statement.
The announcement comes as the Space Force sees growing demand at the Eastern Range, which supports civil, commercial and national security launch missions. The complex is the world’s busiest launch hub and is on track to host 92 launches this year, an increase from 57 in 2022 and 13 in 2021.
The service is eyeing similar growth at its West Coast range, located at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, though at a smaller scale. The range, which hosted 11 launches in 2021, is poised to execute 42 this year.
In light of this growing demand, the Space Force has worked to accommodate as many launch providers as possible on both of its major ranges. Over the last year it evaluated requests from companies, and plans to announce additional partnerships in the coming months.
Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, who leads the service’s launch enterprise, said the goal is to give launch providers a chance to showcase their capability and to prove whether it’s viable.
“How can we cram them all in? That is literally our strategy — to cram them all in,” Purdy said at a space industry day event in Los Angeles last October hosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. “Anyone that has a near-term launch capability, we want to assign them a launch pad and then we’ll see how they do over the next few years. If they succeed, great. If not, then we’ll clean that up and we’ll reallocate to someone else.”
The companies selected in the first round of allocations all develop small launch vehicles, which can lift up to 4,400 pounds. Future phases of the strategy will focus on larger classes of rockets, according to Space Launch Delta 45.
The Space Force isn’t allowed to collect user fees from the companies under existing laws, which means the providers will only pay for their direct costs, which includes utilities. The service is in talks with the Federal Aviation Administration and other stakeholders to develop a business model that would allow it to operate its ranges more like airports, where users would fund infrastructure and other support services. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
07 Mar 23. Defense budget includes plans for space-based tracking, Kendall says. The U.S. Department of Defense’s fiscal 2024 budget request includes a classified effort to integrate air and space sensors that can track moving targets, according to the Air Force’s top civilian official.
The funding request, which the Biden administration is expected to submit to Congress this week, includes “designs and plans” for the software and communications backbone that will be needed to use both air and space sensors to track targets, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said during the Air and Space Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Colorado.
“The details are classified, but with support from Congress, we should be able to move forward with a resilient suite of airborne and space-based sensors and the associated processing and data distribution needed to perform those functions,” Kendall said at the Tuesday event.
Aircraft such as the E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system and the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System traditionally perform this function for the department. Meanwhile the intelligence community relies on spy satellites from the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency to surveil targets from space.
Over the last few years, the Air Force, the Space Force and the intelligence community have been developing plans to better integrate those capabilities, including new sensor capabilities. Former Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond said last year he anticipated the service’s fiscal 2024 budget would include funding for that mission, and Kendall’s comments appeared to confirm that prediction.
“We have worked closely with the intelligence community to define and budget for a moving target sensor system designed and built for the real-time dynamic warfighting mission, while still providing seamless support to intelligence functions,” he said. “The Space Force continues to develop additional tactical space-based sensing systems to enable expansion to additional classes of targets.”
Kendall also indicated that the Space Force’s budget request will “continue to accelerate” the service’s plans for the next-generation of missile warning and tracking satellites and ground systems. The Space Force has projected it would need about $3.9 bbn in fiscal 2024 to support its strategy for a more resilient fleet of missile tracking satellites with diverse sensor capabilities that reside in multiple orbits.
“While some programs are classified, I can assure you that the FY24 budget includes funding to address each of the Space Force’s requirements,” he said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
07 Mar 23. Boeing says ground-based system keeps satellites free from jamming. A demonstration at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland validated Boeing’s design for a ground-based system that can protect communication satellites from signal jamming, according to the company.
Boeing is developing the U.S. Space Force’s Protected Tactical Enterprise Services ground system, which can defend against electronic warfare threats to military and commercial satellites.
The demonstration, which took place from Jan. 16 to 20, was the first time the company tested the full slate of PTES capabilities using a commercial satellite, it said in a statement. The system is envisioned to be operational by 2024 and will initially support the Space Force’s Wideband Global Satellite Communication spacecraft, which Boeing also builds.
“By augmenting current systems with PTES, which is designed to be forward and backward compatible with government and commercial systems, the U.S. DoD and its allies are able to meet the challenges of an evolving battlefield,” said Troy Dawson, Boeing’s vice president of government satellite systems.
The company has been developing PTES since 2018, when the Air Force awarded it a $383m contract to address an operational need in the Pacific region.
The ground system is part of a larger satellite communication modernization effort projected to cost $2.4bn between fiscal 2023 and 2027. The Space Force plans to spend more than $600m on PTES in that time frame and another $1.8bn to develop a satellite constellation called Protected Tactical SATCOM, which will provide secure communications for military users.
Boeing and Northrop are designing prototype payloads for those satellites, which will in fly in on-orbit demonstrations in 2024.
The companies are also competing with Lockheed Martin to develop the Space Force’s new classified communication satellites, used by the Defense Department’s nuclear-capable bombers, ballistic missiles and submarines. The program, called Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications, could cost the service nearly $5.5bn over the next five years. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
06 Mar 23. Australian space industry celebrates electric propulsion success. The space industry in the land down under is reaching new heights as it celebrates the first Australian electric propulsion product qualified for integration on a satellite. Australian-owned in-space electric propulsion developer Neumann Space and Adelaide defence tech company Inovor Technologies have both partnered to complete delivery of a Neumann Drive with Apogee satellite platform ready for spacecraft integration and launch.
A locally made satellite platform with electric propulsion signals a dramatic increase in the capability and commercial viability of Australia’s space industry.
Neumann Space chief executive officer Herve Astier said the Apogee satellite drive incorporates a molybdenum solid metallic propellant thruster unit, designed to be safer, storable, fully fuelled, integrated, more efficient, and more robust than other solutions currently on the market.
“The Neumann Drive offers a step change in mobility to the global satellite market, and this milestone represents an important step forward in ensuring that this critical technology is able to serve the growing need for better propulsion in space,” he said.
“Proving the performance of the Neumann Drive in space will enable our company to continue the solid progress we are making to commercialise our products.
“We are excited about the work we are doing with Inovor Technologies and the contribution that we are making to securing flight heritage of a system with the real potential to significantly disrupt the way satellite propulsion is done today.”
Inovor Technologies founder and chief executive officer Dr Matthew Tetlow said the company has developed a family of small satellite buses in the CubeSat (Apogee Bus) class and is designing its SmallSat (Australis Bus) class for space domain awareness, Earth imaging, communications, climate science, AgTech and scientific experimentation.
“The Apogee satellite platform is a high-performance spacecraft requiring a highly efficient propulsion system, which is why we are very pleased to be ready for spacecraft integration and launch,” Dr Tetlow said.
“Both our products are Australian-designed and made, demonstrating the sovereign capability that exists within our nation’s space sector, and the potential for growth of the industry.
“Continuing to prove and test our industry’s platforms and capability in space is essential to progress.” (Source: Space Connect)
07 Mar 23. New funding to support space exploration using Moon resources and nuclear power. The UK Space Agency is investing in projects that could revolutionise our ability to journey deeper into space – and even travel to Mars. The UK Space Agency is investing in projects that could revolutionise our ability to journey deeper into space – and even travel to Mars – safely and efficiently, using remote technologies and supplies found in space to sustain astronauts and spacecraft.
One project is creating remote equipment that scientists can use to run experiments on biological models in deep space from Earth, enabling them to better understand the impact of space on human health and begin designing medical treatments for astronauts.
Other innovations, in different stages of development across the country, include testing improved systems for recycling breathing gases while in space, enhanced methods for extracting valuable resources, such as oxygen and metals, from Moon rock (known as in-situ resource utilisation) and new nuclear power processes for propulsion.
Minister of State with responsibility for Space at the new Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman, said:
Space is the ultimate frontier, laboratory and technology testbed.
The UK’s long history of leadership in deep space science and exploration is key to both understanding our solar system and origins of life, and creating opportunities for our high growth SpaceTech sector.
Today’s funding is part of the government’s strategy to use our £5 bbn investment in space science and technology to grow our £16.5 bbn commercial space sector to create the businesses, jobs and opportunities of tomorrow, and the space clusters from Cornwall to Scotland.
The agency has announced £1.6m funding for the eight projects through its Enabling Space Exploration fund on Mars Day, led by STEM Learning to celebrate innovations in space exploration and promote career opportunities in the sector.
Investment in skills and expertise is a key pillar of the National Space Strategy to grow the UK as a global space superpower, and part of our goal to enable sustainable exploration of the Moon and, eventually, Mars.
Supporting innovative technologies enables UK organisations to take part in major exploration missions with international partners.
The government pledged £1.84bn for important space programmes at the European Space Agency Council of Ministers meeting in November, which includes a commitment to the UK-built Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover, set to launch to Mars in 2028.
Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said: “The concept of exploring deeper into space – whether that means retuning to the lunar surface through the Artemis programme, or working out how we could travel to, and survive on, Mars and beyond – is a global ambition that has been growing since humanity’s first forays into space in the 1950s. Supporting technologies that make that ambition a reality will help raise the international profile of UK space skills and expertise. Not only does this naturally unlock business opportunities all along the supply chain, but it helps inspire young people to consider the possibility of a career in space without having to leave the UK. This is an incredibly exciting time for the space exploration sector, and I look forward to seeing how far the results of these projects will reach.”
The latest report on the size and health of the UK space sector showed that at least 47,000 people are employed in space-related jobs across almost 1,300 UK-based space organisations. It also reported a 19% increase in space-related research and development investment up to 2021.
Projects receiving a share of the £1.6m Enabling Space Exploration funding
Fluorescent deep space petri-pod (FDSPP) flight readiness programme
Lead: University of Exeter, Devon
Funding: £363,000
This project aims to support future planetary exploration by addressing the harmful impact of the space environment on human health. It will establish innovative, miniaturised equipment that will enable scientists to perform biology experiments in deep space, remotely. Designed to give important readouts of health in model systems (cells, microbes, microscopic animals), this equipment will help understand the biological effects of space and the effectiveness of different therapies, to help develop medical treatments for astronauts.
All-in-one Mars in-situ resource utilisation system using non-thermal plasma
Lead: University of Southampton, Hampshire
Funding: £200,000
This project will develop an all-in-one in-situ resource utilisation system for future crewed Mars exploration missions and explore the feasibility of using non-thermal plasmas for removing biological and chemical contaminants in extracted water from Mars and generating oxygen and rocket fuel from the Martian atmosphere.
Novel infrared technology for exploring Mars and advance reconnaissance
Lead: Open University, Buckinghamshire
Funding: £200,000
Infrared observations are a key measurement in space exploration, and high-performance infrared detectors are a crucial element in spaceflight instrumentation. This project will build on previous work developing a new technology for use of IR detectors in space, by exposing a new form of detector to radiation levels that would be encountered in a typical Mars mission and assessing the effect on performance.
Microwave heating and oxygen extraction experiment
Lead: Open University, Buckinghamshire
Funding: £200,000
This project extends the development of the microwave heating demonstrator payload that investigated the potential of microwave heating for lunar construction and resource extraction, such as oxygen and water from lunar soil, to support sustainable surface exploration on the Moon.
Reactors for off-planet life support systems and Martian in-situ resource utilisation
Lead: MAC SciTech, South Shields
Funding: £68,000
This project will optimise the design and function of the various components of reactor systems designed to recycle breathing gases (carbon dioxide and hydrogen) in off-planet environments such as low Earth orbit, lunar or on Mars. The technology offers efficient, catalyst-free, low maintenance gas processing designed to improve upon and replace existing gas processing systems.
Nuclear thermal fuel system and thermal-based characterisation
Lead: Bangor University, Wales
Funding: £200,000
Without stable nuclear fuel systems, deep space missions would not be successful. Additive manufacturing presents a state-of-the-art demonstration technique for nuclear-based fuels for space propulsion. The process allows the development and manufacture of various fuel configurations and designs that cannot be easily realised by conventional manufacturing methods. This project will demonstrate the additive manufacturing of metallic and ceramic zirconium-containing nuclear fuels and assess their performance.
In-situ resource utilisation production DISRUPT-2
Lead: Thales Alenia Space, Oxfordshire
Funding: £169,000
This project will allow more efficient selection of Moon rock for oxygen extraction as well as extraction of other resources such as metal. It will improve a technique for use on the Moon’s surface called X-Ray Diffraction/X-Ray Fluorescence where the Moon rock is illuminated with X-rays and the rock type is identified by the way that the X-rays are diffracted or by the way the X-rays cause the rock to fluoresce.
Integrated fission-based power systems for electric propulsion
Lead: University of Southampton, Hampshire
Funding: £195,000
This project will develop a coherent design concept of a nuclear fission power system to drive space exploration to be integrated with a high-power electric propulsion technology. Substantial high power electric propulsion systems are needed to make large-scale activity near and further from the Earth feasible and nuclear fission reactors are required to power them. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
07 Mar 23. Japan’s new rocket fails after engine issue, in blow to space ambitions.
Summary
- Companies
- Destruct signal sent to rocket 14 minutes into flight
- Japan space agency says still hopes to field competitive rocket
- Rocket to eventually supply planned U.S. lunar space station
Japan’s new medium-lift rocket failed on its debut flight in space on Tuesday after the launcher’s second-stage engine did not ignite as planned, in a blow to its efforts to cut the cost of accessing space and compete against Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The 57-metre (187 ft) tall H3 rocket, Japan’s first new model in three decades, lifted off without a hitch from the Tanegashima space port, a live-streamed broadcast by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) showed.
But upon reaching space, the rocket’s second-stage engine failed to ignite, forcing mission officials to manually destroy the vehicle 14 minutes into the flight.
“It was decided the rocket could not complete its mission, so the destruct command was sent,” JAXA said in a statement.
The failed attempt followed an aborted launch last month, and the debris would have fallen into the ocean east of the Philippines, JAXA said.
Science and Technology Minister Keiko Nagaoka said in a statement that the government had established a task force to investigate the “very regrettable” failure.
“This will have a serious impact on Japan’s future space policy, space business and technological competitiveness,” said Hirotaka Watanabe, a professor at Osaka University with expertise in space policy.
CHEAPER ACCESS TO SPACE
The H3 was carrying the ALOS-3, a disaster management land observation satellite, which was also equipped with an experimental infrared sensor designed to detect North Korean ballistic missile launches.
“The H3 is extremely important to ensure our access to space and to ensure we are competitive,” JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa told reporters. JAXA’s goal of fielding a competitive launcher was unchanged, he added.
H3 builder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) (7011.T) said it was confirming the situation surrounding the rocket with JAXA and did not have an immediate comment.
MHI has estimated that the H3’s cost per launch will be half that of its predecessor, the H-II, helping it win business in a global launch market increasingly dominated by SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket.
A company spokesperson said earlier that it was also relying on the reliability of Japan’s previous rockets to gain business.
In a report published in September, the Center for Strategic and International Studies put the cost of a Falcon 9 launch to low Earth orbit at $2,600 per kilogramme. The equivalent price tag for the H-II is $10,500.
A successful launch on Tuesday would have put the Japanese rocket into space ahead of the planned launch later this year of the European Space Agency’s new lower-cost Ariane 6 vehicle.
Powered by a new simpler, lower-cost engine that includes 3D-printed parts, the H3 is designed to lift government and commercial satellites into Earth orbit and will ferry supplies to the International Space Station.
As part of Japan’s deepening cooperation with the United States in space, it will also eventually carry cargo to the Gateway lunar space station that U.S. space agency NASA plans to build as part of its programme to return people to the moon, including Japanese astronauts.
Shares of MHI closed 0.37% lower, while the broader Japanese benchmark index (.N225) was up 0.25%. (Source: Reuters)
07 Mar 23. MIURA 1 micro-launcher moves to the launchpad in Huelva and prepares for its test flight.
- After successfully finishing the manufacturing and integration of the rocket, PLD Space is ready to start the test flight campaign.
- The space vehicle must first undergo a series of tests at the launch base in the facilities of El Arenosillo Experimentation Center (CEDEA) of the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), belonging to the Spanish Ministry of Defense.
- The payload of the first customer, the German Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), will also be transported and integrated.
- Once these tests have been completed, the company has different flight windows for the next few months.
The Spanish company PLD Space has moved the first unit flight of MIURA 1 from its headquarters in Elche to the launch base in Huelva. After successfully completing the manufacturing and integration, the suborbital micro-launcher is ready to begin the test flight campaign in the facilities of El Arenosillo Experimentation Center (CEDEA) of the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), which belongs to the Spanish Ministry of Defense. The mission, with an estimated duration of several months, will culminate with the first launch of a private rocket in Europe.
Fine-tuning MIURA 1 before test flight
During the last few months, PLD Space has focused its efforts on the manufacturing and fine-tuning of its demonstrator rocket. This work has incorporated the lessons learned from the MIURA 1 qualification campaign, which ended last September with the successful hot test at the company’s test bench in Teruel.
In these design and production phases of the flight unit, the team has faced certain differences compared to the previous test unit. These include the material of the structure itself (from steel to aluminum), as well as the recovery bay (which in the flight unit includes the flaps, aerobrakes or parachutes) or the payload bay, which now incorporates all the mechanical, electrical and electronic interfaces to house the customers’ micro-loads.
In parallel, the company has also completed the manufacture and testing of the platform that operates both as a trailer for the transport of the rocket and as a launch pad. Likewise, the building and preparation works of the CEDEA facilities in Huelva have been completed, so that PLD Space will become the first private operator to use a space port in Europe.
“On that site there was no infrastructure available to launch MIURA 1. During the last few months, we have adapted the area and built all the needs of the launch pad, which has already been accepted to host the rocket,” says PLD Space Co-founder and Launch Director, Raúl Torres.
Integrating ZARM’s payload, PLD Space’s very first customer
The company has successfully completed this stage of the program and has transported the demonstrator micro-launcher together with the pad from its factory in Elche to its facilities in Huelva. The vehicle is now at the launch base, ready for the start of the flight test campaign.
The MIURA 1 launch mission includes a series of maintenance and rocket preparation works at the hangar, as well as several tests at the launch base. During these weeks, the payload of the first customer, the German Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), at the University of Bremen, will also be transported and integrated.
Later, PLD Space has different flight windows for MIURA 1 during which the launch will proceed, which will be conditioned by the safety of the area, the weather conditions and the availability of the rocket itself.
The ultimate goal is to perform a first test flight to validate in real conditions the technology developed so far by PLD Space. During the following launches of MIURA 1, the flight requirements will be extended until obtaining valid knowledge and experience to be transferred to the orbital rocket already under development by the company, MIURA 5, which will fly from French Guiana at the end of 2024.
About PLD Space
PLD Space is a pioneering Spanish company in the aerospace sector and a reference within Europe in the development of reusable rockets, with a recognized prestige in the sector and a solid project that has become a reality through its launch vehicles: the MIURA 1 suborbital and MIURA 5 orbital rockets, which will place Spain among the few countries with the capacity to successfully send small satellites to space.
With more than a decade of history, PLD Space plans to launch its MIURA 1 prototype during the Q2 of 2023 and tackle its first real space transport mission with MIURA 5 in 2024. The firm, based in Elche (Alicante) and with technical facilities in Teruel, Huelva and French Guiana, has already achieved more than €60 m of investment to drive forward its project in the space sector.
07 Mar 23. Astroscale on course for first UK national mission to remove space debris. Astroscale Ltd. (“Astroscale UK”), the UK & Europe subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”), the market leader in satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability across all orbits, reveals how its Active Debris Removal (ADR) servicer can help secure the economic and environmental future of space, through the UK’s first national mission to remove space debris.
The UK Government has a strategic priority (captured in the National Space Strategy, Sept 2021) to lead the global effort to clean up space. Astroscale has an innovative solution based on in-orbit heritage that will capitalise on world-leading technology from an industrial partnership across the breadth of the UK. The COSMIC mission – Cleaning Outer Space Mission through Innovative Capture – will harness Astroscale’s Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and robotic debris capture capabilities to remove two defunct British satellites currently orbiting Earth by 2026.
“As our reliance on satellites for everyday activity grows, the UK is leading efforts to make space more sustainable,” said Ray Fielding, Head of and Sustainability and ADR Mission at the UK Space Agency. “We’re backing companies, such as Astroscale, to design innovative new missions to clear hazardous space junk. We’re also developing new capabilities to improve how we track objects in orbit, while setting new standards and working closely with international partners to ensure a safe and secure space environment for future generations.”
This animation video [UNLISTED UNTIL EMBARGO LIFTS @ 07 MARCH 12:01 (GMT)] highlights how Astroscale’s COSMIC servicer will get the job done. Astroscale is currently working with selected industrial partners on the design of a spacecraft that will incorporate an innovative robotic arm to safely and securely capture a defunct satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO). Following capture, COSMIC will maneuver the defunct satellite out of the LEO environment and release it into a lower disposal orbit where it will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. The COSMIC servicer will then go on to rendezvous with, capture and remove a second debris object.
“Active Debris Removal means we’re trying to grab hold of an object in space that was not designed with capture in mind,” said Sarah Cawley, Senior Project Manager for COSMIC at Astroscale. “In LEO, objects are hurtling through space at 17,000 miles [27,360 km] per hour. Our job is to design a spacecraft that can approach the unprepared satellite, analyse its behaviour and trajectory, and then maneuver to capture it safely. Our in-house engineering expertise and in-orbit heritage puts us in a leading position to turn this innovative solution into a reality and help the UK Government realise the ambition to launch a national mission to remove space debris, through national capability and partnerships.”
“Astroscale was founded in 2013 with the goal of enabling a sustainable space environment for future generations,” said Nick Shave, Managing Director of Astroscale UK. “We now offer a variety of in-orbit services across the company, providing satellite operators with robust and responsible solutions. ADR is focused on the removal of defunct satellites or unprepared debris. We are excited to draw on our mission heritage and to partner with the UK Space Agency on this mission-first for the nation. Through COSMIC, Astroscale is pushing the commercial in-orbit servicing economy forward, developing national capability, world-leading facilities and strong partnerships across the whole of the UK.”
Astroscale’s ADR programme is strengthening the UK supply and value chain. The COSMIC mission is being developed in collaboration with 10 UK-based partner companies in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland including: MDA UK, Thales Alenia Space UK, Nammo, GMV-NSL, Raytheon NORSS, Goonhilly Earth Station, Satellite Applications Catapult, Willis Towers Watson, and other advisory and industrial partners. The team combines extensive systems engineering, Guidance, Navigation and Control, mission operations and ground segment expertise.
Astroscale most recently proved its magnetic capture and RPO capability in-orbit during the ground-breaking End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) mission in 2021-2022. ELSA-d was licensed in the UK and operated from the National In-orbit Servicing Centre at Harwell – a new centre developed in partnership between Astroscale and the Satellite Applications Catapult and supported by UKRI. During the ELSA-d mission, the Astroscale operations team performed a series of complex maneuvers to align, release and capture a demonstration satellite with a servicer spacecraft using relative navigation and autonomous on-board systems.
Later this year the company’s Japanese subsidiary, Astroscale Japan Inc., will launch its ADRAS-J satellite in a step towards completing the world’s first large object debris-removal mission – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) Project. Astroscale Japan was previously contracted as a partner for Phase I of this project, and in this mission ADRAS-J will rendezvous with and inspect a 3-tonne upper stage H-IIA rocket body. The satellite will demonstrate rendezvous, fly-around, and proximity operations, and obtain images to deliver observational data essential to a Phase II of the project, which aims to capture and deorbit a large debris object in or after Japanese fiscal year 2025.
The COSMIC debris removal servicer will be a technological evolution of Astroscale’s End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-Multi-client (ELSA-M) servicer – a commercial partnership together with the European and UK Space Agencies and OneWeb, the global satellite operator, under the Sunrise programme. The first ELSA-M servicer will be launched ahead of the UK’s Active Debris Removal mission in 2025.
06 Mar 23. Launch of SA’s own radar satellites could take place in three years. South African satellites could soon be in orbit providing almost continuous real-time remote radar sensing of the continent. This would give defence and intelligence services new capabilities to keep an eye on the region and also help in many other tasks such as infrastructure and crop monitoring, as well as disaster management.
The first satellite, which could be used as a demonstrator, might be launched in about 2025, said the government’s technology development house, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The CSIR, which is manging the development of the radar systems for the satellites, and its two local private firm partners (SCS Space and Dragonfly Aerospace) also want to use the project to sell remote sensing images, mass produced circuit boards for space radar systems, and satellite structures to global clients.
The South African satellites will use synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which unlike conventional radar, does not require a large moving parabola shaped dish. SAR antennas are placed on flat panels in arrays outside the main body of the satellite and capture imagery as the satellite moves over earth in its orbit. In order to capture images, solid state transistors on the panels emit pulses as they cross the ground. The reflection of these pulses from the earth are recorded and an image is then made.
Helping the project make economic sense is that over the past few years strong competition in the space launch market has lowered the costs of putting satellites into orbit. Due to its advantages over optical imaging, there is fast growing demand for remote sensing radar. Unlike optical sensing, radar can be used during the day and night and can see through all sorts of weather.
A widening number of applications for remote sensing radar has driven the strong growth of this market segment. The technology has been finding new uses as the need for different types of monitoring emerge.
So far the project has been funded by the Department of Science and Innovation, which wants to help develop local technology that can make an economic contribution to the country. Now that the design and engineering of key aspects of the project has been tested by the CSIR, the future of the project will depend on finding additional financing. The partners are talking about funding with various South African government agencies, potential clients who might want their own satellite constellations, and international investors.
The business case for the satellite constellation is that it will be able to provide nearly continuous imagery to African clients in almost real-time, something that is not presently available. It will also greatly reduce the cost of remote sensing radar imagery for bulk government users. The project will potentially be able to generate revenue from the global market from the sale of the imagery, the technology for SAR payloads and the construction of micro-satellite buses – the satellite structure and avionics.
A number of private European and US companies such as Capella Space and ICEYE already have satellites that provide remote sensing radar imagery to customers. Purchasing imagery from private providers is highly expensive and delivery can take time, as there are no satellites that continually orbit the continent with this capability.
With key design, engineering, and testing work now complete, the next stage will be to manufacture the boards for the radar system and the satellites in South Africa. The flat synthetic aperture radar panels that will be mounted to the satellites have been tested in an environment that replicates that in low-earth orbit, and also flown on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Unlike most space borne synthetic aperture radars, which operate on the X band wavelengths, SA’s system will use the C-band. The CSIR said that for most uses, this makes little difference, although the X band provides higher resolution. But the C band has advantages in such areas as soil moisture and crop monitoring.
Willie Nel, the CSIR’s Chief Radar Systems Engineer, who leads the technology development on the radar payload project, said many components in C-band systems can be assembled from off the shelf components that are used in the WiFi and cell phone markets, and are a lot less expensive than parts used for X-band systems. Nel said there are also a number of potential customers who want to use C-band technology.
The CSIR’s partners are Stellenbosch based aerospace companies Dragonfly Aerospace and SCS Space. Dragonfly makes the structure and avionics of satellites (buses). SCS provides consulting services for satellite development. A private company, FleetSAR, headed by the managing director of SCS, Sias Mostert, has been established to manage the construction and launch of the FleetSAR constellation of satellites. There are a number of companies such as SpaceX as well as international government agencies which could launch the satellites in packs of three.
“Over the next 15 to 20 years, low-earth orbit observation systems will become a massive business, and SA needs to be in on that action. Otherwise it will be yet another thing we just import, rather than creating an industry that exports and creates jobs,” said Nel.
(Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
01 Mar 23. Rocket Lab plans two launches that will be days apart from two continents for two companies: Capella Space + BlackSky. Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) is preparing to launch two dedicated missions in March from the Company’s launch sites in the United States and New Zealand — within days of each other.
Rocket Lab Electron on the launch pad at Launch Complex 2.
One Electron rocket is ready and in position at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand to deploy satellites for Spaceflight Inc. customer BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY), a real-time, geospatial intelligence company.
A second rocket is simultaneously undergoing final launch preparations at Launch Complex 2 in Virginia to deploy satellites for American space tech company Capella Space, a provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery.
Both launches are scheduled to occur in March with the launch windows to be finalized based on individual customer and range requirements; however, both missions are expected to launch within days of one another. Capella Space’s two satellites have been integrated to Electron at Launch Complex 2 and are ready for launch, while BlackSky’s two satellites are undergoing final check outs before integration to Electron at Launch Complex 1.
Rocket Lab has also completed a Wet Dress Rehearsal at Launch Complex 2 and the mission is now awaiting range clearances from NASA and the FAA to proceed with launch. Meanwhile, Launch Complex 1’s Wet Dress Rehearsal is scheduled to take place in the coming days.
Running simultaneous launch campaigns across two continents once again demonstrates Rocket Lab’s ability to deliver responsive and flexible launch solutions to the small satellite market. The upcoming missions are expected to best Rocket Lab’s previous launch turnaround record set at Launch Complex 1 in 2022 when Rocket Lab launched the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA, followed by a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) 15 days later.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said, “The ability to run simultaneous launch campaigns and deliver a rapid launch cadence is exactly what Electron and our launch sites were built for. We’re dedicated to serving the responsive space needs of our customers across commercial and government space. It’s not a capability we’re promising in the future, it’s a reality that we’re delivering on right now.”
About the Capella Space Launch
Mission Name: Stronger Together
Payload: Two SAR satellites
Launch Site: Launch Complex 1, Wallops Island, Virginia, USA
Rocket Lab will deliver to orbit two SAR satellites for San Francisco-based Capella Space. Capella provides the best quality, high resolution SAR imagery to customers globally for a wide range of government and commercial applications. The “Stronger Together” mission carrying Capella Space’s two 100-kg class satellites will expand Capella’s existing SAR constellation, increasing imaging capacity to meet growing customer demand.
Capella Space delivers the highest quality, highest resolution SAR imagery commercially available with the fastest order-to-delivery time, empowering organizations across the public and private sector to make informed, accurate decisions. Its satellite imaging technology can penetrate all weather conditions and capture clear imagery 24-7, day and night, delivering accurate and timely data about what is happening across the Earth at any given moment. With this latest launch into low Earth orbit, Capella Space will expand its market-leading SAR satellite constellation in response to increased customer demand for SAR data.
Rocket Lab has delivered a Capella satellite to space previously on the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical” mission in August 2020. Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply Capella Space with two of the Company’s own Motorized Lightbands; separation systems designed to separate the Capella satellites from Electron once in orbit.
About the BlackSky Launch
Mission Name: The Beat Goes On
Payload: Two Earth-imaging satellites
Launch Site: Launch Complex 1, Mahia, New Zealand
Rocket Lab will deliver to orbit two Earth-imaging satellites for BlackSky through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc. “The Beat Goes On” mission will deliver BlackSky’s high-resolution, Gen-2 satellites to LEO, adding capacity to the company’s real-time geospatial intelligence and monitoring capabilities. BlackSky delivers on-demand, high-frequency imagery, monitoring, and analytics of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events in the world.
“The Beat Goes On” is the final mission of a multi-launch agreement with launch services provider, Spaceflight, Inc., who managed the integration and launch services for BlackSky. As part of the agreement, Blacksky satellites have been launched on five previous Electron missions since 2021. Rocket Lab also delivered two BlackSky satellites to orbit prior to 2021, bringing the total number of BlackSky satellites deployed to orbit by Electron to nine. (Source: Satnews)
27 Feb 23. Samsung Electronics’ standardized 5G NTN modem technology to power smartphone-satellite communication. Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) uses satellites to enable 2-way interaction over mountains, deserts or in the middle of the ocean, eliminating communications blind spots. (Graphic: Business Wire)
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, has secured standardized 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) modem technology for direct communication between smartphones and satellites, especially in remote areas. Samsung plans to integrate this technology into the company’s Exynos modem solutions, accelerating the commercialization of 5G satellite communications and paving the way for the 6G-driven Internet of Everything (IoE) era.
“This milestone builds on our rich legacy in wireless communications technologies, following the introduction of the industry’s first commercial 4G LTE modem in 2009 and the industry’s first 5G modem in 2018,” said Min Goo Kim, Executive Vice President of CP (Communication Processor) Development at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung aims to take the lead in advancing hybrid terrestrial-NTN communications ecosystems around the world in preparation for the arrival of 6G.”
NTN is a communications technology that uses satellites and other non-terrestrial vehicles to bring connectivity to regions that were previously unreachable by terrestrial networks, whether over mountains, across deserts or in the middle of the ocean. It will also be critical in assuring operability in disaster areas and powering future urban air mobility (UAM) such as unmanned aircraft and flying cars.
By meeting the latest 5G NTN standards defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP Release 17), Samsung’s NTN technology will help ensure interoperability and scalability among services offered by global telecom carriers, mobile device makers and chip companies.
For highly reliable NTN communication with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Samsung has developed and simulated 5G NTN standard-based satellite technology using its Exynos Modem 5300 reference platform to accurately predict satellite locations and minimize frequency offsets caused by the Doppler shift. Based on this technology, Samsung’s future Exynos modems will support two-way text messaging as well as high-definition image and video sharing.
Additionally, Samsung plans to secure a standardized NB-IoT NTN technology for use in its next-generation modem platforms. With integrated satellite connectivity, Samsung’s NB-IoT solutions will eliminate the need for a separate high-power wireless antenna chip inside smartphones, providing mobile device makers with much greater design flexibility. (Source: Satnews)
28 Feb 23. Sure South Atlantic selects Intelsat to connect three British island territories. Intelsat and Sure South Atlantic have signed an expanded agreement to enable Sure to improve the capability and reliability of communications for residents of the Falkland Islands, Saint Helena and Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
As the sole licensee providing communication services to the British Overseas Territories, Sure is leveraging Intelsat’s AgileCore UX service to expand and deliver improved 4G connectivity, enterprise broadband, quality internet, public Wi-Fi, and streaming video for all residents, in addition to supporting connectivity for military and government operations. Intelsat’s AgileCore UX is a high-speed trunking solution integrated with managed application optimization to deliver a superior experience to end users.
Additionally, Intelsat’s service in the Falkland Islands provides the capability to combine capacity from both Intelsat GEO satellites and OneWeb LEO satellites, allowing Sure to deliver added levels of network resiliency and performance based on user demand and application requirements.
“Sure is entrusted to provide customers on these remote islands top-quality connectivity that is always available,” said Rhys Morgan, Intelsat’s vice president and general manager, EMEA Media and Networks Sales. “With the managed optimization and multi-orbit features of our AgileCore UX service, Intelsat is delivering an even stronger foundation for Sure to provide user-optimized solutions that are tailored specifically to meet its business and customer needs.”
“We continually seek to improve the quality of the communications we provide,” said Justin McPhee, chief executive of Sure Falkland Islands. “The efficiency and scale of Intelsat’s network provides us with the best means to serve these multiple customer sets separated by vast distances. The addition of a multi-orbit solution will help us meet our customers’ exacting requirements and enable users to become efficient in their jobs and stay in touch with the rest of the world.”
Carole Plessy, VP, Maritime and Europe at OneWeb, added, “We are excited to support connectivity for some of the most remote communities on the planet through our partnership with Intelsat. Providing connectivity is about empowering a sustainable economy and enabling residents of underserved communities to finally connect to the world with high-quality internet.” (Source: Satnews)
26 Feb 23. Comtech’s EVOKE is bridging the digital divide and sparking innovation. The world today is transforming to embrace a new era of machine, human, and digital coexistence, which has the potential to bring incredible benefits to businesses, governments, communities, and individuals across the globe.
There are a few elements that are core to realizing the full benefits of this societal shift, and equal access to connectivity sits at the center. While access to communications technologies is continuing to expand, there is still a significant portion of the global population that remains disconnected.
To close this digital divide, Comtech‘s global communications infrastructures needed to evolve. The company is uniquely positioned to help match and accelerate this change in the global connectivity landscape through our technologies, services, and initiatives.
One such initiative is EVOKE, the firm’s Innovation Foundry. EVOKE engages with customers, partners, and suppliers to push the boundaries of technologies that will lay the foundation of connectivity and shape future societies and ecosystems.
EVOKE was created with two distinct purposes:
- EVOKE is pioneering new business ideas to disrupt the existing market and create new opportunities. With EVOKE, one of Comtech’s core goals is to relentlessly innovate toward future networks for better outcomes. As part of these pioneering efforts, EVOKE will focus on building new network architectures; providing networks-as-a-software; designing distributed architectures; producing next generation optical systems; developing artificial intelligence-based technologies; and creating open interfaces, among other efforts.
- The second EVOKE charter is to support Comtech’s core business by developing new solutions that can ENHANCE existing technologies and service offerings. These enhancement efforts will primarily focus on technologies, such as cloud native satellite ecosystems, 5G advanced services, and accelerating the company’s migration to “as-a-service” business models, as well as other efforts.
With such core purposes in mind, industry collaboration will be essential for EVOKE to capitalize on new opportunities, deliver unprecedented value to our customers’, and democratize access to communications technologies for all.
EVOKE’s charter of collaboration will involve a wide range of global companies, applications, and technologies. EVOKE will also work with customers and industry collaborators to ideate, test, and validate new customer centric applications across a variety of industries.
In February, Comtech announced Sirqul as the company’s first publicly revealed EVOKE technology partner. As the first publicly announced partner, Sirqul will work jointly with Comtech on a unified focus of achieving “Smart Operations,” where enterprises will be able to make business decisions with real time Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable business insights and improve operations, creating unprecedented customer value in uniquely innovative ways.
As Comtech continues to build out EVOKE partners, the focus will also be on fostering partnerships with leading universities located around the world to ensure the next generation of leaders are adequately prepared in technology and research disciplines and that will enable the company to continue leading the way and remain at the forefront of emerging technologies and industries. These university partnerships will focus on supporting those in the academic world as they bring forward new and innovative capabilities that will advance access to the connectivity and technologies that will empower the world.
Ultimately, EVOKE is assimilating innovative minds to develop ideas and build successful ventures in a collaborative and fast paced environment. With EVOKE, Comtech is matching the rate of change we see happening across our global communications infrastructures by integrating technologies and creating substantial value for individuals, communities, governments, and businesses in a new era defined by connectivity and collaboration. (Source: Satnews)
01 Mar 23. Satcube’s satellite terminals provide critical communications in Turkey and Ukraine to major media agencies and NGOs. The portable Satcube Ku enables users to create an easy-to-use Wi-Fi hotspot in just a minute to execute critical on-the-spot work assignments. The intuitive user interface enables you to get connected to high-speed satellite broadband in just a minute.
Satcube, a fast-growing European technology company that develops lightweight, portable terminals to provide critical satellite broadband, confirms it is providing its Satcube Ku terminals to the biggest media brands and NGO’s on the ground in Turkey and Ukraine. The terminals are used to enable the UN, Red Cross (ICRC), ITV, CBS News, NBC, and government agencies alike in earthquake hit Turkey and war-stricken Ukraine to provide portable, mission critical communication.
Currently Satcube has ten active projects in Ukraine alone, including media houses CBS News, ABC News, ITV News, Norwegian Television NRK and Danish TV channel TV2, plus International Red Cross Geneva, UNHCR and the US and European Governments.
Satcube Ku 950 Secure is highly suitable for wide range of users, such as broadcast media, emergency response, law enforcement, public safety organizations, telemedicine, NGOs, corporate executives and more.
Satcube Ku 950 enables enhanced performance, efficiency and security with FIPS140-2 Level 3 certification and supports both one-way and two-way TRANSEC to enable mission-critical communications.
The portable satellite terminals are helping to save lives by enabling seamless broadband in disaster zones and hard-to-reach locations with on-the-spot satellite connectivity. Satcube’s rental service is also furnishing a rapid-deployment option for high-profile organizations on the go, such as NBC News. Satellite connectivity enables journalists in the field to deliver breaking news regardless of the situation.
“Satcube is where it happens,” confirms Robert Mellberg, Chief Commercial Officer & Partner, Satcube. “From the war in Ukraine, to disaster relief in Turkey and more, Satcube terminals are employed by renowned, global organizations, using our robust terminals and antenna technology to enable critical communication to furnish mission-critical connectivity.
Satcube terminals are able to provide satellite broadband almost anywhere on Earth with connectivity from strategic partner, Intelsat’s Flex Moveon Intelsat EpicNG satellites. A rapidly expanding European developer and supplier, Satcube achieved an impressive 250% increase in revenue from 2021 to 2022. A highly attractive growth company, Satcube has recruited approximately two new employees per month over the last 12 months.
Satellite 2023 Conference & Expo, March 14th-16th in D.C.: Satcube will be on-site at the Satellite 2023 expo in Washington. Satcube stand: Exhibit Hall A & B — 1760.
Satellite connectivity enables journalists in the field to deliver breaking news regardless of the situation. Click the link to see how Richard Gaisford and his team from ITV have been empowered to deliver news from Ukraine with the support of the Satcube Ku.
Satcube’s unique sourcing strategy and local production in Sweden supports forward-thinking, corporate social responsibility. Automated, local production in Sweden enables Satcube to realize a cost-efficient and reliable supply chain. In addition, employing innovative antenna design enables the world’s most compact in size, weight, and energy efficient terminals, for lowest total cost of ownership. Satcube’s Nordic design is a keystone for authentic identity. (Source: Satnews)
02 Mar 23. AAC Clyde Space’s first transformational EPIC VIEW satellite to deliver hyperspectral imagery data to Wyvern. AAC Clyde Space, a leading new space company, has shipped the first of three satellites that are set to deliver hyperspectral imagery data to Canadian company, Wyvern. The satellites will continue the transformation of AAC Clyde Space into a space-based data company over the coming years.
The launch is planned for April on SpaceX‘s Transporter 7 mission from California onboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite is expected to start delivering data during the second quarter of 2023. The other two satellites under the contract are also expected to be delivered and launched in 2023. AAC Clyde Space will own the three satellites, while Wyvern Inc. has committed to subscribe to the data service for an initial four-year period, for GBP 8.4m (approx. SEK 105m). The contract can be extended on an annual basis thereafter.
In November 2022, AAC Clyde Space delivered the first of two 3U satellites that will deliver data to the U.S. company ORBCOMM Inc, a global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The group also owns and operates a constellation of satellites dedicated to SDaaS which is also under expansion. By the end of 2023, AAC Clyde Space is expected to own a total of 11 satellites dedicated to delivering data from space, a number that is planned to increase further over the coming years.
“This satellite delivery marks a milestone for our Space Data as a Service model that is set to transform not only our business, but also the way other companies access data from space-based assets. Space Data as a Service will enable businesses to access high quality data that will improve their operations. Over the coming years, it will also transform AAC Clyde Space from a hardware company into a space-based information technology business”, says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.
The 6U EPIC VIEW satellites dedicated to Wyvern are designed as ‘application specific’ and feature increased data downlink and enhanced control capabilities and will deliver hyperspectral data, a method for capturing images of Earth across multiple bands, providing much more information than the three main colour bands that the human eye captures. Wyvern, specializing in Earth observation, will first offer the data to the agricultural sector where it will help optimize yields, and detect invasive plants, pests and changes in soil makeup. (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 ms 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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