Sponsored By Viasat
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16 Aug 23. Comtech + E-Space Team Up to deliver connectivity + smart-enabled services.
to offer ubiquitous connectivity and real-time insights — logistics operations arof a conflict zone.
These widely diverse use cases underline the need and demand for an unprecedented level of actionable insights that can only come from smart networks. Comtech and E-Space are developing and plan to deploy a mix of innovative space-based communications solutions and IoT services to enable a new age of continuous connectivity for ultra-smart applications and services.
By combining the technology leadership of both companies, Comtech and E-Space offer government and commercial customers fully proliferated communications capabilities that bring artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to the edge, no longer limited by geography or infrastructure.
With more than 50 years of proven technology leadership across terrestrial, wireless, and satellite markets, Comtech is going beyond traditional communications and connectivity. Today, the company is focused on integrating capabilities such as geospatial data, artificial intelligence, and other applications to create smart-enabled services that can transform the global technology landscape and deliver new insights and actionable intelligence to customers when and where they need it most.
The E-Space constellation, optimized with edge Artificial Intelligence (edge AI), will enable the delivery of new smart applications, real-time actionable insights and suggested courses of action. E-Space’s advanced technology will enable a new class of ubiquitous real-time communications capabilities, which is expected to reduce overall space system and device costs while increasing coverage – further bridging the digital divide, a core mission of both companies.
Comtech is committed to the democratization of communications access through a unique ability to identify and deliver the technologies and services that will be needed to connect the unconnected, bridge the digital divide, and unleash new innovative ideas. The company’s passion is shared by E-Space’s Founder and CEO Greg Wyler, who in addition to starting E-Space, also founded both O3b Networks and OneWeb – companies that are years later turning that vision into reality by launching satellites into MEO and LEO respectively to, in part, help close the broadband connectivity gap in some of the most remote areas of the world.
New hybrid infrastructures that combine terrestrial, wireless and satellite networks and technologies can deliver affordable, ultra-high-speed services to underserved and unconnected communities and can do so on a much faster timeline than current platforms – days instead of years. Comtech recently completed a demonstration in Greece showcasing its ability to easily blend satellite and terrestrial technologies to deliver life-changing 5G to remote areas.
Through Comtech’s strategic partnerships and collaborative agreements with industry disruptors such as E-Space, the company is creating unprecedented opportunities and access to data and insights that offer up new paths for economic growth and success in a broad range of markets and communities around the globe.
“This collaboration leverages Comtech’s decades of experience as a satellite and terrestrial communications leader and E-Space’s innovative space architecture,” explained . “Together, we will deliver unprecedented access to connectivity in existing markets and new locations with an overlay of smart-enabled services.” — Daniel Gizinski, Chief Strategy Officer, Comtech
“Today, Comtech is developing new ground service platforms that enable the integration of multi-orbit, multi-frequency, and multi-modality capabilities to provide customers with powerful new Insights at the Edge. Through this teaming agreement with E-Space, we are bringing forward a new age of smart-enabled connectivity that empowers end users with real-time actionable intelligence. Connectivity is no longer about moving data, and Comtech and E-Space are leading the way to deliver smart services that reduce the human operator burden and significantly enhance decision making capabilities across every geography. Connectivity is the game-changing elixir that is delivering world-class education and healthcare, among many other critical services, to places that were just recently unconnected and isolated. Together with E-Space, Comtech is pushing the limits of satellite and space innovation to create a truly connected and empowered world.” — Nicole Robinson, Chief Growth Officer, Comtech
“Comtech and E-Space are focused on enabling companies to use space-powered data in new ways. The use cases are plentiful—from providing warfighters up-to-the-minute situational awareness to ensuring logistics providers have incredible insights into every asset in a delivery. Our space-based communications system can enable smarter data, which ultimately leads to smarter operations.” — Amy Mehlman, Vice President, Global Affairs and Stakeholder Relations, E-Space (Source: Satnews)
20 Aug 23. EM Solutions’ successful on-orbit satellite transponder. Launched on July 18th, the satellite payload features a flexible bent pipe architecture that features Ka- and V-band uplinks as well as downlinking on either Ka- or Q-band. Its compact size, weight and power (SWaP) consumption were tailored for operation on Space Flight Laboratory’s (SFL) DEFIANT platform, a compact smallsat that measures 30x30x45 cm. and weighs 30 kg.
Expanding on EM Solutions’ experience with space flight hardware, the communications payload was designed and manufactured at the company’s Brisbane, Australia, head office. The facility now includes a new ISO7 (Class 10000) clean room, encompassing 100 square meters, new workstation areas and wire bonding machines.
With a primary focus on SATCOM terminals operating at X- and Ka-bands, EM Solutions has, over the years, demonstrated its agility in leveraging broad microwave experience to produce bespoke products for a range of applications.
“This was a great collective effort by EM Solutions’ design, test and assembly members and the company’s suppliers and customers, SFL and Telesat. The effort was even more significant given the tight schedule and global component shortage issues. We specifically want to thank the National Space Test Facility at the Australian National University for their support in undertaking environmental testing.” We want to continue to leverage the successful research and development efforts in Q and V bands for our most recent satellite transponder payload as we venture into other applications using our substantial expertise in microwave product design and manufacturing.” — Garth Niethe, Chief Engineer at EM Solutions. (Source: Satnews)
19 Aug 23. GomSpace + ESA sign contract change notice for the Juventas CubeSat implementation. GomSpace and ESA have signed a Contract Change Notice (CCN) with a value of 1,500,000 euros (approx. SEK 18 million) — the Juventas CubeSat mission is led by GomSpace with support from a range of European subcontractors.
Juventas will be a ‘6-unit’ CubeSat, selected to fly aboard Hera along with the similarly-sized APEX Asteroid Prospection Explorer, built by a Swedish-Finnish-German-Czech consortium
The amount for GomSpace in the CCN is provided to perform system level adaptations to increase the mission robustness. The Juventas spacecraft is expected to be delivered by the close of 2023 for integration and testing together with the HERA mothercraft.
Artistic rendition of the HERA mothercraft, courtesy of ESA.
Together, NASA’s DART and Hera missions, and the international research collaboration known as the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA), will demonstrate deflection technology that could be used to protect Earth from hazardous asteroids by shunting them off a collision course.
The smallest radar to fly in space has been delivered to ESA for integration aboard the miniature Juventas CubeSat, part of ESA’s Hera mission for planetary defence. The radar will perform the first radar imaging of an asteroid, peering deep beneath the surface of Dimorphos – the Great Pyramid-sized body whose orbit was shifted last year by the impact of NASA’s DART spacecraft.
Juventas is a 6U smallsat containing a low frequency radar, named JuRa, as its primary payload
The smallsat will operate in close proximity to the Didymos asteroid system, focusing radar and radio-science experiments targeting the moon of the binary asteroid, named Dimorphos.
Juventas will complete its mission by attempting to land on the surface of Dimorphos, making measurements on the landing dynamics from likely bouncing events to capture details of the asteroids surface properties and end with measurements taken by a gravimeter payload to give insight to the dynamical properties of the asteroid. (Source: Satnews)
20 Aug 23. Panasonic Avionics unveils GEO connectivity expansion. Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics) has presented a major expansion of the firm’s global connectivity network with the addition of new and expanded GEO Ku-band satellite capacity that delivers higher-speed, in-flight, internet connections for airlines and their passengers.
The company is adding new HTS (High Throughput Satellites) and XTS™ (Extreme Throughput Satellites) to the connectivity network that will enhance coverage over North, Central and South America, the North and South Atlantic Ocean, Europe, the Middle East, Arabian Sea, Africa, and the Indian Ocean.
Panasonic Avionics is also expanding current capabilities by introducing additional HTS capacity over China and Japan, building on existing connectivity investments in this region.
This expansion represents:
- Increased Capacity: a 50% global capacity increase, ensuring reliable and robust high-speed internet services.
- Accelerated Speeds: speeds of up to 75 Mbps per aircraft through HTS and up to 200 Mbps through XTS satellites.
- Broadened Reach: network coverage that spans continents and oceans, offering enhanced connectivity to both domestic and international travelers.
- Strategic Deployment: a phased deployment plan is in place, with completion by the end of 2023.
- A Benefit to All Customers: enhancements that will instantly and automatically benefit current and future customers without any changes to hardware or software.
This network expansion highlights Panasonic Avionics’ long-term commitment to customer-driven innovation and the company’s focus on continuous improvement and ability to pivot quickly in response to evolving market needs and is also exemplified by the firm’s forthcoming launch of multi-orbit connectivity services. This innovative approach incorporates an electrically steered antenna (ESA) capable of accessing a combination of GEO and LEO satellites.
Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight connectivity (IFC) services have been selected by more than 70 of the world’s leading airlines.
“For the past few years, we have seen exponential growth in the adoption of in-flight connectivity. Passengers want faster internet speeds for traditional services like email, web browsing, social media and messaging, and they are increasingly looking to stream content, play games inflight, and use collaborative cloud-based applications. This major expansion of our global connectivity network will ensure that Panasonic Avionics consistently exceeds the growing demand for these kinds of enhanced in-flight experiences. Given our unique approach to satellite capacity, and with our multi-layered, multi-orbit connectivity network, Panasonic Avionics has the unique ability to leverage a wide range of different, industry leading satellites, rather than the high-risk approach of relying solely on proprietary satellite technology. This enables Panasonic Avionics to add new capacity quickly and easily when and where it’s needed, ensuring we can deliver an advanced and virtually uninterrupted service. The result is a better experience for passengers and higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for airlines.” — John Wade, Vice President of Panasonic Avionics’ In-flight Connectivity Business Unit
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company pioneered the industry starting in 1979 and has consistently introduced innovations that enable unique customer experiences and enhance airline loyalty, ancillary revenue, and operational efficiency. More than 200 leading airlines across the world have chosen to install Panasonic Avionics IFE, satellite Wi-Fi connectivity, and digital services on their aircraft. Panasonic Avionics’ proven systems are supported by the largest, global support and services team utilizing OEM insights to ensure peak system performance. Panasonic Avionics Corporation is headquartered in California with over 3,500 employees and operates in 50 locations around the globe. (Source: Satnews)
22 Aug 23. SpaceX launches 21 smallsat Starlink satellites despite Hilary’s delays and another launch tonight With Hilary now no longer a problem at Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Tuesday, August 22 at 2:37 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
This was the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and now six Starlink missions.
Later tonight SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida are ready to launch a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday, August 22, with another batch of the company’s Starlink internet satellites.
If schedules hold, this would become the Space Coast’s 43rd launch this year.
The launch is set to occur during a four-hour launch window from 8:47 p.m. EDT until 12:46 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, August 23. Should teams need it, other launch opportunities are available around the same time, 24 hours later on Wednesday, August 23.
Space Force forecasters last reported weather conditions to be 85% “go” for the duration of the window Tuesday night. Only a slight chance of cumulus clouds was listed as a concern.
Forecasters projected the weather conditions to be similar for the backup day, with a 75% chance of “go” favorable conditions around the Cape. (Source: Satnews)
22 Aug 23. Satellogic + Quant Data & Analytics secure a new agreement. Quant’s collaboration with Satellogic will lead to the development of derivative products, transforming and broadening the adoption of data science, AI, and SaaS products for real estate and retail. Satellogic’s flexible and scalable business model will support Quant’s Suhail platform, an interactive real estate tool for agencies, developers, and clients. The agreement will empower the Saudi Arabian and Gulf region’s real estate and retail sector by delivering AI solutions and unparalleled insights, accuracy, and efficiency for driving growth and enhancing decision-making processes.
This collaboration is timely, coinciding with increased Saudi government investment in infrastructure to stimulate tourism, residential, and commercial real estate developments. Leveraging Satellogic’s high-resolution EO satellite constellation, the agreement will enable monitoring of rapid urban development and compliance with environmental and zoning regulations, enhancing competitiveness in the high growth market.
By harnessing the power of satellite imagery, Quant is laying the foundation for a futuristic approach to data-led development, monitoring, and decision-making. This collaboration promises to be a game-changer in using big data to make transformative impacts on real estate, retail and beyond.
“Our collaboration with Satellogic marks a momentous advancement in data analytics for our region. The integration of high-resolution satellite imagery with our AI and geospatial technologies elevates our interactive real estate platform, Suhail, and Location Intelligence tool powered by Fruits360 to unprecedented levels. This strategy resonates with our vision of a data-driven global economy and fulfills our goal to spread, implement, and automate data-led solutions.” — Ahmed Bukhamseen, CEO, Quant Data & Analytics
“Quant is redefining the future of real estate and retail, creating opportunities for evolving processes such as property valuations and insurance underwriting. They needed an Earth Observation data provider capable of delivering high capacity, high resolution, and frequent revisits at an attainable price. This relationship illustrates the potential of Satellogic’s Earth Observation business model.” — Caitlin Kontgis, Senior Vice President of Commercial and Growth, Satellogic (Source: Satnews)
25 Aug 23. L&T, HAL vetted to bid on India rocket privatisation, source says. Larsen & Toubro and Hindustan Aeronautics are among companies vetted to potentially bid in India’s efforts to privatise its small satellite launch rocket, a source told Reuters, as the government seeks more investment in the booming space market. The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) was developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the national space agency, as a low-cost means to launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg (1,102 lb) into low-earth orbit.
They serve a booming market to launch clusters of satellites for communications and data that SpaceX and rivals compete in.
About 20 companies had submitted an expression of interest in bidding on the privatisation, the first of its kind under a policy drive by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open launch and other space businesses to investment.
India is aiming to increase its share of the global satellite launch market by fivefold within the next decade.
The next step will be to open the bidding process itself, the person said, who had direct knowledge of the matter but asked not to be named because discussions are not public.
The companies did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Hindustan Aeronautics (HIAE.NS), also known as HAL, and Larsen & Toubro (LART.NS), an industrial conglomerate, already have a contract with the government to manufacture and deliver rockets to ISRO.
Under that contract, the companies will manufacture and deliver five Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) – often called ISRO’s “workhorse” rocket. Deliveries are expected to start in two years.
ISRO will use the PSLV, which stands 44 meters tall (144 feet), to launch a space-based solar observatory, its Aditya-L1 mission, next month.
That launch will be ISRO’s first mission since it achieved a historic first by landing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon’s south pole this week.
The success of Chandrayaan-3 has been expected to give a boost to India’s efforts to spur private investment in space ventures. ISRO suppliers and related companies have seen seen an uptick in share prices this week.
India’s newly created space regulatory body, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, known as IN-SPACe, opened the bidding process on the SSLV program in July by allowing qualified companies to register an interest.
It will be the first Indian rocket to be fully privatised, meaning that the winning bidder or consortium will take over the entire program, in contrast to a more limited contract for manufacturing the PSLV rockets. (Source: Reuters)
23 Aug 23. India’s Pragyan lunar rover rolls out on the Moon. India has released a rover onto the surface of the Moon after the successful landing of its spacecraft near the lunar South Pole.
The six-wheeled Pragyan rover will conduct a series of experiments to test the Moon’s thermal, chemical and mineral properties. Scientists want to establish whether the lunar South Pole contains any evidence of water, which would be vital for future inhabitation by humans.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission makes India only the fourth country to land on the Moon after the US, China and Russia, and the first to explore its South Pole. (Source: FT.com)
24 Aug 23. Rocket Lab Launches 40th Electron Mission, Successfully Flies Reused Engine.
- Payload successfully deployed to orbit for Capella Space
- Successful ocean splashdown of Electron’s first stage
- First launch of a previously flown Rutherford engine
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, today successfully launched a dedicated Electron mission for Capella Space (Capella). The mission demonstrated several significant milestones for Rocket Lab’s reusability program, including an ocean splashdown of the Electron rocket’s first stage and the successful flight of a previously flown Rutherford engine. The mission was also Rocket Lab’s 40th Electron launch since the Company began launches in 2017, further cementing Electron’s position as the leading commercial small launch vehicle globally.
The ‘We Love The Nightlife’ mission lifted-off on August 24th at 11:45 am NZST from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula, deploying Capella’s next-generation Acadia satellite for its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation to a 640km circular low Earth orbit.
As a recovery mission, Electron’s first stage returned to Earth under a parachute after launch and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean several hundred kilometers down range from Launch Complex 1. Rocket Lab’s marine recovery vessel will soon extract the stage from the ocean and transport it back to Rocket Lab’s production complex for analysis and testing to inform future recovery efforts. In addition to recovering the booster, Rocket Lab launched a pre-flown 3D printed Rutherford engine for the first time. The engine previously flew on the first stage of the ‘There and Back Again’ mission, launched in May 2022. The engine performed on par with new Rutherford engines, completing a successful first stage burn.
The mission follows on from Rocket Lab’s two previous launches for Capella, including the “Stronger Together” mission launched in March 2023 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 in Virginia, and the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical” mission in August 2020 from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, which deployed the first satellite in Capella’s SAR constellation. ‘We Love the Nightlife’ was the first of four new dedicated launches on Electron for Capella, announced in February 2023, to deploy Capella’s next-generation Acadia satellites.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says: “We’ve been a trusted launch partner to Capella since 2020 and we’re delighted to deliver mission success once again. Electron has played a crucial role in helping constellation operators like Capella deploy their spacecraft on time and on target, and we look forward to continuing building out Capella’s constellation with more dedicated launches this year. “Congratulations also to our team on delivering 40 Electron launches, completing another booster recovery, and proving Rutherford engines can be flown multiple times. One mission is an enormous achievement in this industry, but 40 is a rare achievement and testament to the relentless drive, innovation and dedication of the Rocket Lab team.”
Capella’s existing satellite constellation delivers the highest quality and resolution SAR imagery commercially available, with the ability to penetrate all weather conditions and capture clear imagery 24-7, day and night, delivered through a fully-automated ordering and delivery platform. The next-generation Acadia satellites include several enhancements, including increased bandwidth and power and faster downlink speeds. When combined with Capella’s existing long-dwell imaging capability and extended duty-cycle – which results in more images collected per orbit than other SAR systems – Acadia will continue to set the benchmark within the SAR industry. (Source: ASD Network)
24 Aug 23. North Korea’s Spy Satellite Fails Again, US Urges Diplomacy. A second attempt by North Korea to put into orbit a spy satellite failed Thursday as the United States accused Pyongyang of violating UN Security Council resolutions, calling for dialogue “without preconditions.”
In a statement, The US State Department urged North Korea to refrain from “further threatening activity.”
Meanwhile, North Korea’s National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) said it would investigate the failure and attempt another launch in October.
In May, Pyongyang made an attempt to launch a spy satellite for the first time. But the Chollima-1 rocket crashed into the ocean, North Korea’s state-run KCNA news reported.
The North’s space agency said Thursday it used Chollima-1 rocket to put the reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1 into orbit this time as well.
KCNA reported the flights of the first and second stages of the rocket were normal. But the launch eventually failed due to an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight.
Rocket launch triggers emergency warning in Japan.
North Korea had informed South Korea that it would attempt a space launch between Thursday and next week. The launch took place before dawn Thursday, on the first day of an eight-day period Pyongyang earmarked for the launch.
South Korea’s military said it tracked the flight of the rocket that was launched from the Sohae Satellite Launching Center and concluded it was a failure.
The flight triggered an emergency warning in Japan, with the government following up about twenty minutes later to say the warning had been lifted.
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary condemned the launch, and added that parts of the rocket crashed into the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean.
“Space launch vehicles (SLVs) incorporate technologies that are identical to, and interchangeable with, those used in ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs),” the US State Department said, adding that “any DPRK (North Korea) launch that uses ballistic missile technology, which would include SLVs used to launch a satellite into space, violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions.”
US, South Korea begin joint military drills
North Korea’s Thursday launch came three days after the US and South Korean militaries kicked off annual joint military drills that North Korea views as a dress rehearsal for an invasion.
The US and South Korea say the large-scale drills focus on bolstering defense capabilities in the face of North Korea’s evolving threats.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has focused on expanding his nuclear and military arsenals in recent years.
North Korea has conducted more than 100 missile tests since the beginning of 2022, many of them involving nuclear-capable weapons targeting the US mainland, South Korea and Japan.
(Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Deutsche Welle German Radio)
23 Aug 23. Customers embrace uncapped NBN satellite service. Almost half of all regional customers using NBN’s Sky Muster Plus satellite internet service have signed up for a new deal offering unlimited data.
The news will come as a boost to the troubled service, following both Optus and Telstra signing major agreements with rival Starlink.
On Tuesday, the federal government said that more than 21,000 homes and businesses have upgraded to the new premium offering, which gives customers uncapped data 24 hours a day and faster speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
It was made possible by moving 120,000 premises from satellite to fixed wireless, freeing up capacity on Sky Muster.
Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications, said the Albanese government was committed to “reducing the digital divide” between metro and regional areas.
“Whether you live in a capital city or in the bush, access to fast, reliable, and affordable broadband has never been more important,” she said.
Sky Muster operates using two traditional geostationary satellites compared to Starlink’s huge constellation of more than 4,000 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
When Telstra announced its deal with the Elon Musk-founded company, Loretta Willaton, the telco’s regional Australia executive, said LEO satellites in a constellation can send and receive signals much faster.
“As well as offering great data throughput, the proximity of these satellites reduces latency making them a great and more consistent option for services that need low latency, like voice and video calls.
“The latency, download speeds, and general experience in most circumstances will be far superior to copper-based ADSL and be better suited for most modern connectivity needs.
“Our team has been testing out in the field Starlink’s service and how we can best offer it to customers, including evolving our own modem specifically to support Starlink connectivity and Aussie households.”
Optus’ own Starlink deal, meanwhile, goes further than Telstra by allowing the connection to go “straight to mobile” in remote areas to access both voice and data services.
The agreement is unique because it will not require customers to obtain any specific hardware and will instead work on all compatible handsets.
Currently, the telco’s traditional service is unavailable across 60 per cent of Australia’s landmass, but the new tie-up will boost connectivity to almost 100 per cent.
The phased rollout of SpaceX’s satellite capability will start with SMS in late 2024, with voice and data following in late 2025.
It follows unconfirmed reports that Sky Muster is slipping behind its more famous global rival, despite significant government investment. (Source: Space Connect)
23 Aug 23. EM Solutions launches Teleset’s LEO 3 satellite transponder. EM Solutions has successfully completed the first of its system level tests for a transponder developed for Telesat’s LEO 3 demonstration satellite.
Launched on 18 July, the satellite payload features a flexible bent pipe architecture featuring both Ka and V-band uplinks and downlinking on either Ka or Q-band. Its compact size, weight and power consumption were tailored for operation on Space Flight Laboratory’s (SFL) DEFIANT platform, a compact microsatellite measuring just 30x30x45 cm and weighing only 30 kg.
Expanding on EM Solutions’ experience with space flight hardware, the communications payload was designed and manufactured at the company’s Brisbane, Australia head office. The facility now includes a new ISO7 (Class 10000) clean room, encompassing 100 square meters, new workstation areas, and wire bonding machines.
“This was a great collective effort by EM Solutions’ design, test and assembly members and the company’s suppliers and customers, SFL and Telesat,” said Garth Niethe, Chief Engineer at EM Solutions. “The effort was even more significant given the tight schedule and global component shortage issues. We specifically want to thank the National Space Test Facility at the Australian National University for their support in undertaking environmental testing.”
He added, “We want to continue to leverage the successful research and development efforts in Q and V bands for our most recent satellite transponder payload as we venture into other applications utilising our substantial expertise in microwave product design and manufacturing.”
With a primary focus on SATCOM terminals operating at X and Ka bands, EM Solutions has over the years demonstrated its agility in leveraging broad microwave experience to produce bespoke products for a range of applications. (Source: https://www.ex2.com.au/news/)
23 Aug 23. Southern Launch wins commercial space launch approval. Southern Launch and the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation will begin work on Australia’s first permanent commercial sub-orbital space launch facility after planning consent was granted for the Koonibba Test Range in country South Australia.
“The development of permanent, world-class facilities at the Koonibba Test Range will put Australia on the map as a space-faring nation,” said Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp. “What we have to offer at Koonibba is unique, highly sought after and complements our orbital facility at Whalers Way. We have a long list of global customers ready to use the range and we’re excited about the incredible opportunities this presents for Koonibba and South Australia.”
The Koonibba Test Range is one of the largest commercial rocket testing facilities in the world. Jointly operated by the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation and Southern Launch, the range is used to launch sub-orbital missions to the edge of space to conduct experiments and validate space technology. The range can also be used to accept re-entry of space technology from orbit.
The development of permanent facilities at the Koonibba Test Range will be an iterative process with the first stage focussed on a launch pad and storage facilities.
Southern Launch has a number of missions set to launch from the range including the ReFEx mission in 2024 with the German Space Agency (DLR). The company also recently signed an MoU with UK based Space Forge to use the Koonibba Test Range as a re-entry point for their spacecraft. A number of other missions are also contracted to launch from the Koonibba Test Range later in 2023.
“Planning consent for the Koonibba Test Range is an important and major milestone for Southern Launch,” said Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency which is based in. nearby Adelaide. “Having a test range like this on our doorstep will make it easier for our local innovators to test and validate their technology, as well as providing a safe returns destination for international space missions. The Agency’s Office of the Space Regulator continues to work with Southern Launch on their application for launch licencing of the Koonibba Test Range.”
“Coupled with our strong space heritage, this unique Australian-first facility reaffirms the state’s position as a centre-of-gravity for space activity and supports the growth of an enduring sovereign capability,” said Susan Close, Deputy Premier of South Australia and Minister for Defence and Space Industries.
The Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation will also begin planning for its space observatory. Corporation Chief Executive Corey McLennan says, “This observatory will combine our rich stargazing history as First Nations people with the ground-breaking space exploration happening from our lands. We hope the observatory will be a drawcard for every launch from the facility and must-see destination as people travel across Australia.”
For Southern Launch the development of permanent facilities helps propel Australia to the forefront of the global space industry, added Lloyd Damp: “Traditionally Australia has relied on other countries to help us launch our incredible technology to space. The Koonibba Test Range will provide the opportunity for local companies and universities to test and validate their technology to the edge of space without having to go overseas.” (Source: https://www.ex2.com.au/news/)
21 Aug 23. HEO Robotics raises $12m in funding round. Space situational awareness firm HEO Robotics has raised $12 m in a new funding round. The Sydney-based business said an increase in foreign satellites flying close to commercial satellites was behind the decision to seek more investment sooner than anticipated.
HEO uses cameras already in space to take photos of satellites, spacecraft and space junk to allow its clients to avoid collisions or gather intelligence. It also uses its pioneering software to predict the location of satellites to allow the cameras to point in the right direction.
On Monday, the company’s co-founder and CEO, William Crowe, said his firm had seen increasing demand from clients trying to figure out why foreign-owned satellites kept encroaching on their geostationary satellites.
“A lot of commercial satellites are being approached by satellites from other nations, and we’re not actually confident that they’re just passing by,” he told the AFR.
“The fact is, we don’t know what they’re doing, and that’s a problem. We’re all trying to understand what their intentions might be because it could be a real security risk.
“A lot of our data is passing through these satellites.”
The funds, led by AirTree Ventures and backed by Salus Ventures, will be used to expand HEO’s camera network and to fund its expansion into other countries.
Hiranya Jayakody, another co-founder, previously appeared on the Space Connect Podcast to discuss his firm’s tech and how it helps satellite owners monitor their assets in space. You can listen to the episode below
The news follows increased demand for space situational awareness technology as orbit becomes increasingly crowded.
Last month, for example, Space Connect reported how the Premier of South Australia opened fellow situational awareness company Saber Astronautics’s new science fiction-inspired headquarters at Lot Fourteen in Adelaide.
The business said the “collaborative space” — which includes a unique spacecraft design facility — would become its primary place of business in the state.
Saber creates mission control software, allowing its clients to manage and track spacecraft in real-time. Founded in 2008, it describes its mission as democratising space, reducing barriers to flight, and making space “as easy as driving a car”.
It comes after Saber won a $6.6m Defence Innovation Hub contract to transform existing space telescopes into space traffic sensors in April. (Source: Space Connect)
21 Aug 23. Space Development Agency awards $1.5bn for transport satellites. The Space Development Agency, which is building a constellation of low-cost communication and missile tracking satellites, awarded prototype agreements totaling $1.5bn to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to build data transport satellites for its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
Each company will develop 36 spacecraft designed to provide encrypted connectivity and communication for warfighters operating around the globe. Lockheed’s contract is worth $816m and Northrop’s $733m, SDA announced Aug. 21.
The satellites are part of the third generation — dubbed Tranche 2 — of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a fleet of hundreds of small satellites operating in low Earth orbit, about 1,200 miles above the planet’s surface. Along with the data transport satellites, the constellation will feature spacecraft that can detect and warn of missile threats.
Established in 2019, the agency’s strategy is defined by two key acquisition concepts: spiral development and proliferation. The PWSA will augment constellations of large spacecraft with hundreds of small, relatively low-cost satellites. While it takes the military on average five to 10 years to conceive and then launch a satellite, SDA wants to shorten that to about two years and field technology at a regular pace, or spiral.
The agency expects to launch the 72 transport satellites built by Lockheed and Northrop in 2026. The spacecraft will be similar to early tranches, but will feature advanced tactical communication technology, SDA said.
Both companies have experience building earlier iterations of SDA’s transport satellites. Lockheed provided 10 spacecraft for Tranche 0, which will launch later this year, and is building 42 for Tranche 1. Northrop is also developing 42 Tranche 1 transport satellites, the first of which are slated to launch in late 2024.
“Creating a low-Earth orbit communications architecture that meets the needs of the warfighter is complex,” Northrop’s Vice President of Communication Systems Blake Bullock said in a statement. “With Northrop Grumman’s extensive military satellite communication experience and a deep mission understanding, we are helping SDA make its vision a reality.”
Lockheed announced Aug. 4 it opened a 20,000 square foot small satellite processing facility where it will build and test its SDA satellite as well as other spacecraft and technology demonstrators.
“SDA’s unique acquisition approach expedites the proliferation of this critical technology, and Lockheed Martin’s strategic partnerships with a network of suppliers and small businesses will ensure we’re aligned with SDA’s strategy for accelerated delivery,” the company’s Vice President for Protected Communications Joe Rickers said in a statement. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
21 Aug 23. HKUST Launches Hong Kong’s First Higher Ed Satellite. First Step in Building Satellite Constellation. Contributing to National Development in Remote Sensing Technology. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced today that it will launch a multispectral optical satellite at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu with Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Ltd (Chang Guang) this Friday (August 25). The satellite “HKUST-FYBB#1” will be used for tracking remote sensing data related to global environment, disaster and sustainable development. As the first university in Hong Kong to initiate a satellite mission, the launch also marks HKUST’s first step towards building a remote sensing satellite constellation and a comprehensive environmental monitoring and disaster forecasting system.
The multispectral optical satellite set to be launched on August 25 for research purposes is the most advanced type in the realm of civilian satellites. The spatial resolution of the remote sensing images it collects is 0.5 meters, which is 20 times higher than the openly accessible data of images taken from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 optical satellite. Its swath of image is over 150 kilometers, comparable to those of the latest generation of the United States’ land satellites.
As an expression of gratitude to Mr. Francis YIP Chi-Hung and his wife, Mrs. Catherine YIP NG Bun-Bun, for their generous donation and support for the launch, the satellite is named “HKUST-FYBB#1”. HKUST will first use the data collected by the satellite to establish a digital twin system that covers all slopes in Hong Kong for the monitoring of their surface conditions, as well as the simulation and showing of the process of landslide disasters and societal responses to emergencies. This is done in the hope of enhancing coordination and decision-making in disaster response and management.
HKUST signed an agreement earlier with Chang Guang, the first commercial remote sensing satellite company in Mainland China. Apart from the launching of “HKUST-FYBB#1”, HKUST and Chang Guang will venture into a long-term, extensive and multi-facet collaboration in satellite research and development for carbon emission and its data application.
Combining HKUST’s scientific research capability and achievements in meteorology, oceanography and environmental protection, as well as remote sensing data obtained from Chang Guang’s 108 orbiting satellites, which form the world’s largest sub-meter level commercial remote sensing satellite constellation “JiLin-1”, the parties are set to build a comprehensive environmental monitoring and disaster forecasting system. The system aims to provide scientific data in support of the nation’s dual carbon policy goals, namely peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. It also seeks to enhance the country’s remote sensing technology – a cutting-edge technique involving the collection of electromagnetic radiation information from space or higher altitude on Earth’s surface, as well as the processing and imaging of such data for the identification and understanding of the Earth’s environment and resources.
Rendering their full support to the satellite launch, Mr. Francis YIP and Mrs. Catherine YIP said they were delighted to facilitate the strategic cooperation between HKUST and Chang Guang. They stated, “We have seen HKUST’s indefatigable effort and determination in promoting the development of aerospace technology in Hong Kong. We will continue to support HKUST and the innovation and technology development in Hong Kong. This project marks an important milestone in Hong Kong’s aerospace development. As Hongkongers, we feel proud of our city’s progress and are deeply honored to contribute to this project. We would also like to express our gratitude to Prof. LIU Yuyi for inscribing the name of the satellite in calligraphy.”
HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry SHUM said, “HKUST is a staunch supporter of sustainable development and has always been active in exploring and finding solutions to global carbon emissions problems. In the face of pressing challenge of climate change, we are deeply thankful to Mr. and Mrs. Yip for their support, which allows us to commence on our remote sensing satellite program. We look forward to cooperation with the government, research institutes, enterprises and different sectors for wider application of the data we will obtain through our cooperation with Chang Guang. Together, we can make contributions to the nation’s dual carbon policy goals, our government’s carbon emissions targets, and the easing of global climate change to demonstrate our commitment in sustainable development.”
HKUST President Prof. Nancy IP also expressed her gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Yip. She said, “HKUST strongly encourages our researchers to engage in exploratory, socially impactful frontier research projects, and to actively work with industry partners to actualize scientific discoveries to address global challenges such as natural disasters and climate change. We are excited to partner with Chang Guang to drive aerospace innovation and contribute to the national development strategy. HKUST will fully leverage its research capabilities and continue to promote cooperation among various academic, research, and industry sectors to strengthen our aerospace industry and achieve the nation’s dual carbon policy goals.”
Chang Guang Deputy General Manager Mr. CHEN Maosheng said, “The strategic cooperation agreement signed between HKUST and us aims to foster deep collaboration in the fields of scientific satellite development and remote sensing data application. Leveraging our research and development ability in satellite manufacturing and combining it with the remote sensing application expertise of HKUST, the two parties will jointly develop greenhouse gas remote sensing monitoring satellites. We will continue to engage in extensive cooperation in the field of new remote sensing satellites, promoting the joint development of the aerospace industry in Mainland and Hong Kong, and enhancing the remote sensing data service capabilities in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.”
HKUST Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Prof. WANG Yang, the driving force behind the plan, emphasized, “This satellite launch marks the initial step towards HKUST’s ambitious goal of building a comprehensive remote sensing satellite constellation. Our aim is to develop cutting-edge multimodal spatial remote sensing technologies, including novel carbon monitoring techniques and data analysis tools. With comprehensive sensing capabilities, we envision providing services for disaster management, smart city development, and sustainable resource management. This initiative will benefit the Greater Bay Area and the nation, aligning with the national dual-carbon strategic goal and leading the development of environmental monitoring satellite remote sensing technology. Our ultimate aim is to contribute to sustainable development domestically and globally.”
The HKUST research team is led by Prof. Su Hui, who joined the University last year through the Global STEM Professorship Scheme, and Prof. ZHANG Limin, Head and Chair Professor of HKUST’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The team will work with their counterparts at Chang Guang to develop high-resolution optical satellites and key technologies for monitoring carbon emissions. The two teams will lead the development of remote sensing technology in environmental monitoring satellites, providing scientific data for macro-level decision-making on areas such as energy conservation, emission reduction and achieving the national dual-carbon strategic goal. (Source: PR Newswire)
20 Aug 23. EM Solutions has successfully completed the first of its system level tests for a transponder developed for Telesat’s LEO 3 demonstration satellite. Launched on 18 July, the satellite payload features a flexible bent pipe architecture featuring both Ka and V-band uplinks and downlinking on either Ka or Q-band. Its compact size, weight and power consumption were tailored for operation on Space Flight Laboratory’s (SFL) DEFIANT platform, a compact microsatellite measuring just 30x30x45 cm and weighing only 30 kg.
Expanding on EM Solutions’ experience with space flight hardware, the communications payload was designed and manufactured at the company’s Brisbane, Australia head office. The facility now includes a new ISO7 (Class 10000) clean room, encompassing 100 square meters, new workstation areas, and wire bonding machines.
With a primary focus on SATCOM terminals operating at X and Ka bands, EM Solutions has over the years demonstrated its agility in leveraging broad microwave experience to produce bespoke products for a range of applications.
Garth Niethe, Chief Engineer at EM Solutions, reflected on the collaboration stating, “This was a great collective effort by EM Solutions’ design, test and assembly members and the company’s suppliers and customers, SFL and Telesat. The effort was even more significant given the tight schedule and global component shortage issues. We specifically want to thank the National Space Test Facility at the Australian National University for their support in undertaking environmental testing.”
He further added, “We want to continue to leverage the successful research and development efforts in Q and V bands for our most recent satellite transponder payload as we venture into other applications utilising our substantial expertise in microwave product design and manufacturing.”
19 Aug 23. US warns space companies about foreign spying. U.S. counterintelligence agencies on Friday warned the American space industry to guard against efforts by foreign intelligence entities to steal research and trade secrets as they try to boost their own countries’ space programs.
“We anticipate growing threats to this burgeoning sector of the U.S. economy,” a U.S. counterintelligence official told Reuters, adding that “China and Russia are among the leading foreign intelligence threats to the U.S. space industry.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) issued a two-page bulletin, saying unspecified foreign entities were using cyberattacks and techniques such as strategic investment through joint ventures and acquisitions to gain access to the U.S. space industry.
The move is the latest push by Washington to raise awareness about an issue that has long vexed counterintelligence officials and has become a higher priority as the U.S. space industry spends bns of dollars developing new rockets and other technology.
The document warned companies to be on guard for facility visit requests, and attempts to gather confidential information at conferences. It also said individual employees were at risk of recruitment efforts through offers of travel abroad or consultancy work and payment for proprietary information.
It urged companies to contact the FBI or AFOSI with any concerns of being targeted, as well as to track “peculiar incidents” and establish “insider threat” programs as part of vetting individuals in sensitive positions.
U.S. authorities have for years said Chinese hackers are targeting U.S. space know-how, including having accessed computers at the NASA Goddard Space Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as numerous companies involved in aviation, space and satellite technology.
In 2019, Chinese national Tao Li was sentenced to 40 months in prison for conspiring to illegally export military- and space-grade technology to China, including radiation-hardened power amplifiers and circuits.
China says its space program is for peaceful purposes, but U.S. military officials say Beijing sees space as crucial to its military strategy.
The U.S. warned this year that China seeks to match or surpass it as a leader in space by 2045. (Source: Reuters)
17 Aug 23. Satellite startup True Anomaly opens Colorado factory. Colorado-based startup True Anomaly, which develops satellites and software for military space customers, revealed a 35,000 square-foot manufacturing facility Aug. 17.
The building, called GravityWorks, will host the production for the company’s Jackal spacecraft. With the new facility in place, True Anomaly expects to be able to produce a “mission-ready” satellite every five days.
“GravityWorks was built to meet any volume of spacecraft our customers will require and to turn tactical problems into innovative solutions at the powerful intersection of hardware, software, and AI,” CEO Even Rogers said in a statement.
The company’s Jackal spacecraft are designed to perform rendezvous and proximity operations, which means they can conduct close approaches that are useful for satellite servicing missions like in-orbit refueling or repair.
During a grand opening event at the Centennial, Colo. factory, Rogers announced True Anomaly received authorization from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Federal Communications Commission to perform rendezvous and proximity missions with its Jackal vehicle.
The agencies also approved the spacecraft to use its onboard sensors to collect various forms of imagery of the space environment, a function referred to as non-Earth imaging.
“This variety of sensor phenomenology will enable Jackal to collect data even in poor lighting conditions such as when the spacecraft is in Earth’s shadow,” the company said.
The new authorizations and factory space follow a series of milestones for True Anomaly. In April, the startup came out of stealth mode — the largely secretive phase before a company launches — and announced it had raised $30 m in private capital.
In June, True Anomaly announced it would launch two Jackal spacecraft to provide simulated and live training range services to customers. The satellites are slated to launch in February 2024 as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission.
The Space Force is crafting plans for a National Space Test and Training Complex that will include in-space and simulated capabilities to prepare operators to control satellites and to validate new systems. The company plans to offer the capability to the service, according to Rogers.
(Source: C4ISR & Networks)
18 Aug 23. Rocket Lab Inks Dedicated Launch Deal with Japanese Earth Imaging Company iQPS.
- Rocket Lab has stepped in to provide iQPS with an expedited dedicated launch on Electron
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has signed a deal to launch an Earth observation satellite on Electron for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company. iQPS was originally manifested on another launch vehicle, but iQPS has now selected Rocket Lab to launch QPS-SAR-5 on a dedicated Electron mission to expedite the deployment.
The launch is scheduled for lift-off in September 2023 and will carry iQPS’s QPS-SAR-5 satellite named “TSUKUYOMI-I” into orbit on a dedicated Electron mission from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The mission has been named “The Moon God Awakens” in acknowledgement of Tsukuyomi, the Japanese God of the Moon.
“This is exactly the kind of mission Electron was designed for and has delivered on time and time again – a customer urgently seeking dedicated launch to a unique orbit on a rapid timeline. We’re delighted to deliver that capability to our new partners at iQPS and keep their mission on schedule,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “iQPS’ SAR technology can play a vital role in disaster prevention, marine monitoring, infrastructure management, agriculture, and more. The sooner their spacecraft is in orbit the faster those capabilities can be delivered, so we’re grateful for the opportunity to make iQPS’ mission possible with a dependable launch service.”
iQPS CEO Dr. Shunsuke Onishi commented, “We are very pleased to announce the new launch plan for QPS-SAR-5 following the successful QPS-SAR-6 launch in June, despite the delay due to status changes since our announcement of contract for QPS-SAR-5 in May last year. We highly appreciate Rocket Lab and our team for all their efforts in arranging this new launch contract as it is very meaningful for us to quickly deploy the satellites into orbit and build a 36-QPS-SAR constellation that will enable near real-time observation almost anywhere in the world which we are aiming for. We believe that this collaboration with Rocket Lab for QPS-SAR-5 will evolve our SAR image data services and expand our business.”
QPS-SAR-5 is a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will join a constellation after QPS-SAR-6 already in orbit. iQPS’s satellites are small, high-performance SAR satellites that use a lightweight, large, stowable antenna to collect high resolution images of Earth, even through clouds and adverse weather conditions. Ultimately, the iQPS constellation is planned to have 36 satellites capable of monitoring specific fixed points on Earth every 10 minutes.
In addition to being launched by Electron, the QPS-SAR-5 satellite will use Rocket Lab’s Mark II Motorized Lightband (MLB) as its separation system demonstrating the Company’s vertically integrated space systems strategy. (Source: ASD Network)
17 Aug 23. Space Development Agency to consider commercial LEO options to augment DoD network. SpaceX, Kuiper Government Solutions and Aalyria Technologies were selected for market-research studies on how commercial systems could add capacity to the military’s future low Earth orbit constellation.
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency announced Aug. 17 that the companies will conduct three-month studies. The agency said it wants to better understand the industry’s capabilities to provide “LEO backhaul” services.
The agency is paying a total of $1.6 m to the three companies to conduct the studies. SpaceX operates the Starlink giant broadband constellation. Kuiper plans to start deploying Amazon’s broadband constellation over the next few years. Aalyria is a Google spinoff focused on network orchestration technologies for mesh communications networks.
Commercial options to ‘add resilience’
SDA is building a layered network of satellites known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. It includes a Transport Layer of interconnected communications satellites and a Tracking Layer of missile-detection and early-warning sensor satellites.
“The studies will examine connecting commercial or other existing LEO systems to the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture to provide further resiliency by quickly moving broadband data between edge and main networks worldwide,” SDA said.
These studies on LEO backhaul capability will inform potential acquisitions of these services, said the agency. “SDA is interested in options that leverage, to the maximum extent possible, existing or planned commercial, optically-interconnected orbital mesh network and ground infrastructure.”
The contracts were awarded under the Space Development Agency’s System, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities (STEC) Broad Agency Announcement.
(Source: glstrade.com/Space News)
17 Aug 23. Thursday, Hurricane Hilary causes a SpaceX launch scrub of 21 smallsat Starlink. Despite the multiple launch options provided for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites, all of those options have been scrubbed ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Hilary.
Tropical Storm Hilary strengthened into a hurricane Thursday, with forecasters warning it could potentially bring devastating rainfall and high winds to Southern California this weekend.
Forecast rainfall totals as of August 21, from the National Weather Service.
Image: Weatherbell.com
“Hilary is forecast by AccuWeather’s hurricane experts to become a major (Category 3) hurricane and peak as a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale while spinning just off the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja peninsula this weekend.”
The last tropical storm to impact the state was 84 years ago, according to official records.
Under some forecast scenarios, Tropical Storm Hilary could bring a year’s worth of rain to typically dry locations in just two to three days, which would cause extensive flooding.
The NWS forecast office in Phoenix said the amount of atmospheric water vapor surging into the Southwest ahead of the storm may reach levels “almost never experienced this time of year.”
The National Hurricane Center said Hilary was about 475 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, as of 5 p.m. Thursday ET, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. While Hilary is likely to weaken as it travels northward, it could bring heavy rainfall to the southwestern United States, along with large swells and high surf along the coast.
When the launch takes place this is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and five Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean. (Source: Satnews)
19 Aug 23. Germany’s DCUBED to be the first “disruptive enabling technology” demonstrating in-space manufacturing. DCUBED, the German NewSpace hardware manufacturer, announced it will demonstrate in-space manufacturing as part of a demonstration mission expected in Q1 2024. This will be the first time ever that a product has been manufactured in free space.
The demonstration will see the production of a roughly 30 centimeter high, 3D printed truss structure, and is designed to prove the efficacy of in-space manufacturing and highlight the game-changing potential that such capabilities promise to deliver for production in-orbit.
Revolutionizing Space Exploration: In-Space Manufacturing with DCUBED
“Payload limitations and costs are real barriers hindering the use of space for the benefit of mankind. There is an urgent need for large structures in orbit to support an ecosystem providing services as diverse as internet from space, IoT, and Earth observation. The establishment of our new key business division shows that we at DCUBED always want to push the boundaries of what is possible, enabling our partners and customers to think big in space. Our demonstration of manufacturing in free space promises to revolutionize in-space fabrication and repair of space structures and trigger a paradigm shift in how we approach the production of space hardware, opening many doors which we can’t even imagine right now. This is a truly disruptive enabling technology.” Dr. Thomas Sinn, CEO & Founder, DCUBED.
The upcoming demonstration is a major milestone in DCUBED’s efforts towards establishing in-space manufacturing capabilities for larger space structures, especially for SmallSat applications, due to be demonstrated by the company in the next couple of years. This program includes an in-orbit experiment of truss-structure manufacturing in 2025 and an in-orbit mission demonstration, in 2026, for a multiple kilowatt (KW) SmallSat solar arrays.
A space mechanism builder with 15 products already in orbit, DCUBED, which is headquartered outside Munich, Germany, is establishing an office in Broomfield, Colorado, an ideal location within the key United States space market. (Source: Satnews)
11 Aug 23. Success as SpaceX’s 22 Starlinks soar turning the early morning sky pink. On Friday, August 11 at 1:17 a.m. ET, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched 22 of the second-generation “V2” mini satellites, that are larger and have four times the bandwidth of the previous models, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Previously: SpaceX‘s Falcon 9 rocket originally scheduled to launch 22 of the second-generation “V2” mini satellites, that are larger and have four times the bandwidth of the previous models, is now rescheduled to 12:27 a.m. EDT (0427 UTC) early Friday morning. The 22 Starlink satellites will head into low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
SpaceX’s photo of its Starlink V2 Mini satellites at Cape Canaveral.
If needed, an additional launch opportunity is available at 1:17 a.m. ET (5:17 UTC). Five backup opportunities are also currently available on Friday, August 11 starting at 9:30 p.m. ET (1:30 UTC on August 12) until 12:52 a.m. ET on August 12 (4:52 UTC). This will be the 11th launch of the V2 minis.
The company’s internet service is available in more than 60 countries and has more than 1.5 m subscribers according to reports in May of this year.
The first stage booster previously launched the Cargo Dragon CRS-24, Eutelsat Hotbird 13F, OneWeb 1, and SES-18/SES-19 missions, plus four Starlink deployment flights. Its last flight was the Starlink 5-12 mission on June 23, 2023.
After separating from the second stage about two and a half minutes into flight, the first stage booster, that had previously flown the Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER and the Starlink 4-4 mission, will target landing on the drone ship, Just Read the Instructions stationed east of the Bahamas in the Atlantic. The booster’s last launch was 37 days ago.
The booster had previously flown the Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER and the Starlink 4-4 missions. Its last launch was 37 days ago. (Source: Satnews)
11 Aug 23. Australia’s Neuman Space and Gilmour Space to provide more powerful version of the Neumann Drive® for SmallSats. Neumann Space, a technology provider of in-space electric propulsion, and Gilmour Space Technologies, an Australian launch services company, recently announced that they will collaborate to work on developing a more powerful version of the Neumann Drive® for use by the SmallSat market.
The development of this new space product is a primary focus for Neumann Space in the Australian Space Manufacturing Network (ASMN) whose co-funding under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) Collaboration stream was announced last month.
Neumann Space’s world leading propulsion system, the Neumann Drive®, uses solid metallic propellant and is available in a format suitable for satellites weighing less than 50kg with the ability to be clustered for larger satellites. As part of the ASMN project, the two Australian space companies will work together to ensure product compatibility for satellites up to 500kg, enabling the broader satellite industry to gain access to technology that delivers mobility in space.
Gilmour Space will provide satellite analogues for testing at the ASMN, which will allow Neumann Space to scale up their system and create a new Australian capability for maneuvering SmallSats on-orbit.
Neumann Space’s CEO, Herve Astier said, “As a member of the ASMN we are very pleased to participate in a project that sees the private and public sector come together to advance the development and commercialisation of leading sovereign space technologies with a global market.”
“Access to Gilmour Space Technologies’ satellite interfaces and their talented team are both integral to supporting the successful product design, integration and testing of a more powerful Neumann Drive. This is an important milestone for Neumann Space in the commercialisation of our technology, and the expansion of our business into new markets.
Gilmour Space’s CEO, Adam Gilmour said, “Neumann Space is an Australian company that’s making inroads into the global small satellite market with their patented technology, and we’re excited to be working with them in the ASMN. It’s commercial-focused collaborations like this that will help to boost Australia’s sovereign space capability.”
Neumann Space launched its first propulsion system into space in June of this year and has a series of in-orbit demonstrations planned for 2023 and 2024 to secure further flight heritage with national and international partners. (Source: Satnews)
14 Aug 23. Metal additive manufacturing results in Rocket Turbopump Design. A cutaway view of the metal 3D-printed rocket turbopump called the Reaper. Zachary Lesan and Patrick Watson, students from Colorado University (CU) Boulder Aerospace Engineering Sciences program, started an independent effort on turbopump design and manufacture that is a lesson in determination and industry collaboration. Along the way, their project reinforced some significant points being made about next-generation rocketry.
As the aerospace industry speeds toward Additive Manufacturing (AM) as a way to bring new, physics-based designs into higher-performing parts, the race is also on to make space components more reliable, economical, scalable, and producible through agile manufacturing strategies.
How is this being done? All eyes are on metal AM to reach the ideal of single-part rocket construction, where as many parts and sections as possible are combined for material integrity, maximum weight reduction, performance, and speed-of-manufacture.
Zachary and Patrick asked, maybe one way to start on these bold objectives is to be handicapped with an intern salary, an outside-of-work-and-classroom timeline, and only negotiating skills to secure print, machining and accessory parts. Those factors are likely as strong a motivation as any for adopting quick, lean process approaches.
Zach Lesan, the initial lead on this college team of two, conceived of the project in January of 2021 while in his junior year of undergraduate schooling. Watson joined and took over most of the duties in the fall of 2022 once Lesan graduated and began an internship at SpaceX.
Against all odds and the practical wishes of his professors, Lesan pursued his passion for rockets despite the scope of the challenge, academically and financially. “I started this project because I loved rockets and turbomachinery,” said Lesan. “I knew how solid-state rocket motors worked and designed them in the past while in high school. However, liquid-propulsion rockets captured my imagination. I wanted very much to understand all the details.”
Finding little to no evidence that such a project was taking place formally on the undergraduate level, Lesan decided to attempt the challenge. With one graduate-level course on propulsion in progress, he felt confident that he could accomplish something in parallel with his studies. But he had to move fast with graduation approaching.
“I attacked the problem head-on,” said Lesan. “It was a huge opportunity to learn component design, complex assembly design, CAD, 3D-printing design principles, and a variety of software modeling solutions to first principles problems.”
Learning to solve these engineering problems was an obvious benefit to the undertaking, but it was far from the only challenge to overcome in the design and build process for the turbopump. The hardest, yet perhaps most rewarding, task was to reach out to industry for collaboration partners who could offer 3D printing, machining, off-the-shelf parts such as seals and fasteners — and advice. Such efforts are normally handled by seasoned managers. Yet Lesan, and then Watson, made acquiring partnerships a major element in moving support and production beyond the school-run manufacturing lab to more advanced industrial sites.
Early on, with an objective of single-part construction, Lesan went online and contacted metal-AM provider Velo3D through the company’s website. He knew from his reading that their advanced laser-powder-bed-fusion (LPBF) print capabilities were central to the production of the SpaceX Raptor engine. This online inquiry led to a conversation with Velo3D’s Zach Murphree, VP of Global Sales and Business Development and Gene Miller, Director of Technical sales. Both encouraged Lesan and offered the company’s technology and services for the project.
“Zach and Gene were super excited about the project,” said Lesan. “And their excitement made me further committed. The design capabilities of the Velo3D printers and their personal encouragement ultimately drove me to go through the whole design process on the turbopump.” (Source: Satnews)
13 Aug 23. China sends world’s first high-orbit SAR satellite into orbit, improving disaster monitoring. According to a release from CNSA: “China on early Sunday sent a new satellite into space, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on Sunday. The satellite, L-SAR4 01, was launched at 1:26 a.m. Beijing Time on a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, and then entered its planned orbit successfully.”
The launch cost is $70,000,000
The Global Times learned from the China National Space Administration (CNSA) which oversaw the organization of the launch and manages the satellite program, that the newly launched satellite is the world’s first high-orbit SAR satellite that has entered the engineering implementation phase. Able to provide all-weather and all-day observation of China’s territory and surrounding areas, it will further improve the country’s space-based disaster monitoring system and is of great significance for comprehensively boosting the country’s disaster prevention, reduction, and relief capabilities. (Source: Satnews)
14 Aug 23. UK Space Agency’s US/UK partnership between Pulsar Fusion and the University of Michigan. Pulsar Fusion, developers of clean space propulsion systems and services through nuclear fusion, have announced a trans-Atlantic partnership concerning electric propulsion research. Electric propulsion and specifically “Hall effect thrusters” are a key technology enabler for spacecraft. This UK Space Agency collaboration will develop a relationship with the leading university research center in Hall thrusters in the USA (and arguably the world): the Plasma dynamics and Electric Propulsion Lab at the University of Michigan (US), along with leading Hall thruster companies Pulsar Fusion (UK) & Starlight Engines (US) and the University of Southampton (UK).
NASA has identified a strategic need over the next decade for electric propulsion, in particular in the field of high-power electric propulsion and propellants.
Hall thrusters are finding application in a vast array of different spacecraft missions, including geostationary satellites and interplanetary missions. This includes robotic rendezvous missions such as those developed by Northrop Grumman and Astroscale, in particular for spacecraft de-orbiting, and interplanetary missions such as the Lunar Gateway Space Station and the NASA Psyche mission.
Until now, there has been no such collaboration between the UK and USA on Hall thruster research. This new partnership of leading expertise in Hall thrusters, will commence such a collaboration for the first time, allowing the UK to benefit from the leading research and development in the World.
This partnership will be funded from the first phase of the UK Space Agency’s £20m ($25.4m in US dollars) International Bilateral Fund and is the second project awarded to Pulsar Fusion by the UKSA.
“As a manufacturer of space engines, there are regulatory challenges in being based in the UK, but England has a fantastic talent pool and our scientists deserve to be at the forefront of these emerging technologies. This is another key US partnership for Pulsar, we continue to pursue best-in-class innovation, and this is particularly exciting given the global commercial interest in these engines. Following last month’s announcement of our Nuclear Fusion propulsion work with Princeton Satellite Systems, we remain optimistic that companies like Pulsar can continue to advance our technologies whilst remaining in the UK with access to unparalleled scientific resources,” said Pulsar Fusion CEO, Richard Dinan. (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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