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11 Apr 24. Space Force launches weather satellite to replace 1960s-era spacecraft. The Space Force on Thursday launched an operational weather satellite for the first time in a decade, as it upgrades a meteorological network that’s been in orbit for more than half a century.
The Ball Aerospace-built satellite lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base April 11 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The spacecraft is part of the Weather Satellite Follow-on Microwave program, or WSF-M.
The launch is a first step toward modernizing the Space Force’s 60-year-old weather constellation, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. The legacy satellites’ sensors can measure things like moisture in the atmosphere, cloud cover and precipitation — data that the military uses to plan its missions. The last DMSP satellite launched in 2014.
The WSF-M satellite, which can detect wind speeds and tropical storm intensity and determine snow and soil depth, meets a portion of those requirements. A second WSF-M spacecraft will launch in 2028. The remaining capabilities will come through satellites developed through the Electro-Optical Weather System, with the first slated to launch in 2025 and the second in 2027.
The Pentagon has been trying for more than 20 years to develop a replacement for DMSP. In the ‘90s it kicked off the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System. The effort was canceled after repeated cost and schedule breaches. Lawmakers canceled a second attempt, the Defense Weather Satellite System, in 2012 due to mismanagement.
The Mitchell Institute, a DC-based aerospace think tank, said in a November 2023 report that while those efforts were well-intentioned, their missteps have put the military at risk. In that time, the capability of the DMSP satellites in orbit has depleted, and the two remaining spacecraft are on track to run out of fuel in 2026.
“These back-to-back failed mission modernization efforts weakened an already obsolescing national security weather enterprise, burning through time and resources while doing little to produce the operational capabilities necessary to meet demand,” the report states.
The plan to split the DMSP requirements into two programs came in 2018, but the four-satellite mix is not the service’s final strategy for long-term weather coverage. The satellites, each designed to last at least three years, will serve as an interim capability as the Space Force determines how much of the mission can be met by commercially available weather capabilities.
Col. Rob Davis, Space Systems Command’s program executive officer for space sensing, told C4ISRNET the service plans to host an industry day later this month to hear ideas from companies about how their systems and sensors might meet Space Force requirements.
“There’s a lot of interest out there,” Davis said in an April 10 interview at Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo. “I’ve met with several companies this week that are developing commercial weather capabilities.”
Over the next year, the Space Force will weigh those options as part of a study that will inform its new space weather architecture.
The Mitchell Institute report recommends the service pursue a disaggregated architecture comprised of smaller, less expensive satellites as well as government-owned systems.
“Space Force recognizes that it can augment some of its space-based sensing capabilities with commercial services,” the report states. “While this is an important family of systems capability, it is not a substitute for a DMSP replacement system, nor does it provide the necessary organic space-based environmental monitoring capabilities DOD requires.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
10 Apr 24. U.S. Space Command Addresses China’s Rapid Space Developments. At the 39th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, U.S. Space Command officials expressed concern over China’s swift advancements in space capabilities, marking a formidable challenge to the United States’ longstanding dominance in the final frontier. According to Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, China has dramatically accelerated its space efforts, tripling its on-orbit intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites since 2018. These advancements have enabled China to establish a comprehensive network capable of targeting U.S. and allied military assets in the Pacific. China’s strides in space include the development of a range of counter-space weapons, spanning from reversible jamming techniques to kinetic hit-to-kill direct-ascent and co-orbital anti-satellite (ASAT) systems. This aggressive posture in space was underscored by China’s 2007 ASAT test, which destroyed a defunct weather satellite, creating a debris field that continues to pose hazards in orbit. Echoing the urgency of the situation, Troy Meink, principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, stressed that the era of uncontested U.S. leadership in space and space technology is being directly challenged. In response, U.S. officials are advocating for innovation and diversification in the nation’s space capabilities. Heidi Shyu, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, emphasized the necessity of developing more resilient and agile space systems, including radiation-hardened electronics and advancements in propulsion technologies. Amid these developments, U.S. Space Command is seeking to bolster its position through international collaboration. Operation Olympic Defender, a U.S.-led initiative designed to enhance space defenses and deter aggression, has extended invitations to Germany, France, and New Zealand to join existing members England, Australia, and Canada. This move underscores the command’s commitment to safeguarding space as a domain of peaceful exploration and operation. As U.S. Space Command gears up for a future where space may become a contested domain, it aims to ensure readiness by 2027, integrating commercial space innovations and focusing on dynamic space operations. The establishment of the Capability Assessment and Validation Environment (CAVE), a modeling and simulation laboratory, represents a step forward in planning for scenarios in a domain where warfare has yet to occur — and is fervently hoped to be avoided. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
10 Apr 24. Exolaunch Signs with HawkEye 360 to Provide Launch and Deployment Services for Multiple Satellite Missions. Exolaunch, the global leader in launch mission management, integration, and satellite deployment services, today announced a multi-mission agreement for launch and deployment services with HawkEye 360, a prominent provider of next-generation geospatial intelligence solutions. This marks the first collaboration between the two companies, signifying an important milestone in advancing space-based technology and geospatial intelligence capabilities.
The first launch under the agreement took place on Sunday, April 7 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Using Exolaunch’s proprietary, flight-proven CarboNIX separation systems, the company successfully deployed three HawkEye 360 satellites on the SpaceX Bandwagon-1 mission. Developed by University of Toronto’s Space Flight Laboratory, these satellites intend to increase coverage over high-traffic maritime corridors at mid-latitudes, including the Indo-Pacific region.
HawkEye 360, based in Virginia, is renowned for its groundbreaking maritime safety technology, providing unprecedented insights into global activities by delivering timely and accurate information from innovative radio frequency (RF) data and analytics. By leveraging Exolaunch’s extensive experience and state-of-the-art deployment solutions, HawkEye 360 aims to expand further and enhance its presence in space.
This comprehensive contract covers integration and deployment services for at least ten satellites to be delivered into orbit for HawkEye 360. Notably, all these missions will utilize Exolaunch’s CarboNIX separation systems and EXOpod Nova containerized deployers, showcasing the trust and confidence from HawkEye 360 in Exolaunch’s industry-leading deployment technologies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Exolaunch will support multiple missions for HawkEye 360. The payloads are expected to launch on upcoming SpaceX Rideshare missions through 2025, and they are intended to strengthen geospatial intelligence services provided by HawkEye 360.
“We are very excited to partner with Exolaunch, a global leader in launch mission integration and deployment technologies, for our cluster 9 launch and subsequent launches,” remarked Rob Rainhart, president of HawkEye 360. “This partnership is an important relationship for HawkEye 360. It provides a basis for affordable launch and launch integration services that allow us to focus on bringing our analytics solution to market at greater speed and efficiency. We look forward to the continued partnership and opportunities this collaboration will bring to both our companies and the industry at large.”
“We are proud to partner with HawkEye 360, a pioneering innovator in geospatial intelligence solutions, and support their long-term launch program,” commented Kier Fortier, managing director of Exolaunch USA. “Our multi-mission launch and deployment agreements underscore Exolaunch’s commitment to delivering unparalleled mission management services, backed by our flight-proven deployment technologies. We are confident that our expertise and proven track record will ensure the seamless deployment and success of HawkEye 360’s missions, ultimately advancing the frontiers of space-based intelligence.” (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
10 Apr 24. NewSpace: Latitude and Aldoria formalise partnership for Zephyr launch and collision avoidance. Latitude, a pioneer start-up from Reims, France, specialised in the design and development of light space launch vehicles (with its Zephyr launcher), and Aldoria, a leading space surveillance provider, have signed a 3-year partnership agreement. The collaboration between these two entities, whose activities are complementary, materialises through Aldoria’s “Altitude”
two fold offering:
- Aldoria will support Latitude during the pre-launch and launch phases of the
Zephyr light launcher, and,
- and will enable Latitude to enhance its launch activities by providing
anti-collision protection for its customers.
The memorandum of understanding between the two NewSpace players was signed on April 9 at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.
Phase 1 – Preparing for the launches of Zephyr, the launcher developed by
Latitude
The first test launch and the first commercial launch of the Zephyr high-speed launcher are scheduled respectively for late 2025 and 2026. Aldoria will support Latitude during the pre-launch phases: acquiring the flight permit and analysing trajectories to avoid any risk of collision. As for the launch, Aldoria will be responsible for analysing the launcher’s flight path to avoid any risk of mid-air collision. Finally, Aldoria will be responsible for checking that deorbiting manoeuvres are carried out with optimum safety.
Part 2 – Enhancing Latitude’s launch activity with anti-collision capability
The number of active satellites in low-Earth orbit is expected to reach 40,000 within the next decade, compared with nearly 9,000 today. Aldoria’s orbital information system generates independent measurements and anticipates close approaches between space objects, enabling satellite protection.
By alerting operators in real-time, Aldoria will protect Latitude customers from all risks arising from a collision with debris and/or a satellite. Under this agreement, Aldoria will provide this service for 8 weeks prior to launch. In addition, thanks to Aldoria’s software and Latitude’s Zephyr launcher, customers will benefit from optimised mission definition.
This partnership will enable Latitude to expand its launch services for its customers.
” With this partnership, Latitude is serenely preparing for the launch of Zephyr, while positioning itself on Space Situational Awareness matters. The discussions that we held in the run-up to the partnership enabled both parties to share their respective visions and pinpoint future challenges for the market. This is a forward-looking partnership that anticipates future developments in the sector,” says Adeline Pitrois, Sales Director at Latitude.
“Working with Latitude on the Zephyrs launches, through our space protection offer, is an absolute milestone. By combining our expertise in space surveillance with Latitude’s innovative lightweight launchers, we are underlining the crucial significance of security considerations in ensuring access to space. This partnership bears witness
to the resilience and excellence of our national space industry in the wake of France’s
NewSpace ” Mylène Bosio, VP of Sales and Marketing at Aldoria.
About Latitude
Founded in 2019, Latitude is a French aerospace company that is a pioneer in the design and development of light space launch vehicles. Its nineteen-metre-high space launcher, Zephyr, is dedicated to launching small satellites into space. With a team of 130 employees, Latitude is focusing on a lightweight, purpose-built, reliable and affordable launcher to meet the needs of small-satellite operators. The aerospace company was selected in March 2024 by the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES) as part of the France 2030 plan. The first commercial launch of its Zephyr micro-launch vehicle will take place in 2026, under the aegis of CNES and the French government.
About Aldoria
Aldoria (formerly Share My Space) collects, processes and leverages space situational awareness data to protect critical assets in space. By actively monitoring space debris, satellites and derelicts, Aldoria helps operators and space agencies proactively avoid threats and adjust orbital paths. The company is based in Paris, Toulouse and Austin.
09 Apr 24. Spy agency eyes May launch of first proliferated constellation. The National Reconnaissance Office could launch the first satellites in its proliferated space architecture as soon as next month, according to a top agency official.
Troy Meink, the NRO’s principal deputy director, said the launch is one of six planned for this year to support the spy agency’s push to increase the number of spacecraft it has in orbit.
“This launch will be the first launch of the actual operational system,” Meink said April 9 at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo. “The system will increase timeliness of access, diversity of communication paths and enhance our resilience.”
Launches to support the NRO’s proliferated architecture will continue through 2028.
Meink did not discuss how many satellites will fly on this first launch, dubbed NROL-146, nor did he offer a sense of the full scope of the program. An agency spokesperson refused to provide more detail on the effort or expand on the mission.
The NRO is responsible for designing, launching and operating spy satellites for the U.S. government. In recent years, it has expanded its use of commercial services to enhance and augment the capabilities provided by the satellites it owns and operates.
One notable example of this is the agency’s Electro-Optical Commercial Layer program, through which it issued 10-year contracts to commercial firms that specialize in providing satellite imagery, like Maxar Technologies, Planet Labs and Black Sky.
While it’s not clear what companies are providing the satellites for this proliferated effort, Meink described it as a hybrid architecture, indicating it likely involves non-traditional firms.
He noted that the agency has been developing the constellation over the past few years and has launched several demonstration satellites to test the concept.
The NRO’s pursuit of a proliferated satellite fleet composed of large numbers of small spacecraft is similar to that of the Space Development Agency, which is working with industry to field hundreds of missile tracking and communication satellites in the coming years.
Meink said these architectures are enabled by a significant drop in the cost of launch, commercial advancements in digital technology and the government’s willingness to take more risk in order to field new systems faster.
“It’s not just that we woke up a few years ago and said, ‘Hey, we would really like to build these kinds of architectures,’” he said. “The technology and other facts just were not available to us, but they are now. And that’s why we’re headed down this path.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
09 Apr 24. Official Says Commercial Space Strategy Is Driven by Imperative to Maintain Warfighting Edge. As the space domain increasingly becomes an essential warfighting domain, it is imperative that the Defense Department seize on the commercial sector’s ability to rapidly develop and field technology, the Pentagon’s top space policy official said last week.
John F. Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said those factors serve as the driving force behind DOD’s Commercial Space Integration Strategy, released earlier this month.
“It is very clear, not just in the department but across, possibly, the country and the globe in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, how essential space is to warfighting,” Plumb told reporters during a meeting of the Defense Writers Group in Washington.
Defense officials consistently note the extent to which warfighters depend on space for a variety of functions, which range from position, navigation and timing to targeting and surveillance of potential threats.
Officials have also warned that U.S. competitors have rapidly developed capabilities to deny the use of space and erode America’s advantage in the domain.
In describing the domain’s rapid rise in prominence among policy makers in Washington, Plumb recounted his time serving in the Pentagon’s space policy office during President Barack Obama’s administration.
“It was a hobby shop,” Plumb said, describing sparse meetings and consistent losses in budget fights.
“Now, space is constantly a topic at the White House at the top of the Pentagon,” he said. “It is just a very different situation.”
A similar shift is evident in the commercial sector, he said, with space technology moving at an historic pace.
“The speed and the innovation in the commercial sector, especially at this time in our history, is just incredible,” he said. “And so, the question is: ‘Shouldn’t we be trying to harness that?’ And the answer is, of course, yes.”
The Commercial Space Integration Strategy outlines the department’s approach to effectively harnessing that innovation.
The strategy highlights four priorities to achieve integration with the commercial partners.
First, it calls for outlining DOD’s requirements in contracts and other agreements to ensure commercial solutions are available when needed.
Second, the strategy calls for the integration of commercial solutions into defense architecture during peace time — including planning, training and day-to-day operations — to ensure warfighters can seamlessly utilize those solutions during crisis or conflict.
Third, the strategy calls for protecting and defending against threats to U.S. national security space assets, including those in space and on the ground and, where appropriate, commercial space solutions.
Finally, the strategy emphasizes that DOD will use its full range of financial, contractual and policy tools to support the development of new, commercial space solutions that have the potential to support the joint force.
The strategy is underpinned by four foundational principles — balance, interoperability, resilience and responsible conduct — to ensure that commercial solutions are integrated into national security space architecture.
In describing the strategy, Plumb said the overarching goal is to strengthen U.S. deterrence in a way that is as affordable as possible.
“The speed problem has increasingly become part of the deterrence problem,” he said. “We have to move faster to stay ahead of the threat.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
10 Apr 24. UK and Canada enhance cooperation in space. The UK Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency have signed an enhanced MoU to further areas of cooperation and information sharing on space. The agreement, signed by UK Space Agency CEO Paul Bate and Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell, builds on the initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies signed in 2021: a framework for collaborative activities and the exchange of information, technology and personnel between both nations.
The signing took place during the 39th Space Symposium, an annual event in Colorado Springs that brings together space leaders from around the globe to discuss, address and plan for the future.
UK Space Agency Chief Executive, Dr Paul Bate, said:
The renewal of the MoU with our Canadian colleagues will bring further significant benefits to the thriving space industries of the UK and Canada, allowing us to continue achieving our goals in space through collaborative efforts in research and innovation.
Canada is a key partner for us, and we are keen to bolster this relationship in ways that will strengthen both countries’ space sectors – enabling us to harness the power of space to bring benefits to our planet and its people.
The MoU provides a more detailed framework for enhanced bilateral collaboration between the UK and Canada on space activities. This includes collaboration on regulation, facilitating the exchange of ideas and information on areas such as space policy, standards, and regulations, helping to ensure free and fair access to space for all.
The agreement also boosts collaboration in exploration and space science by identifying areas where both nations can leverage their world-class space academic and technology capabilities. This bilateral cooperation aims to support future exploration endeavours, including potential lunar habitats, and to advance our understanding of the Universe.
There are significant opportunities for future collaborations through initiatives such as the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund (IBF) and the Science & Exploration Bilateral Programme.
The IBF is already funding a collaboration between UK start-up Physical Mind London and Canadian tech company Baune. The project incorporates Physical Mind London’s pioneering HIFIm multi-exercise countermeasure unit into the Canadian Space Agency’s Connected Care Medical Module.
The HIFIm device is designed to provide a full menu of exercise options in a confined space, helping to advance understanding of health and wellness interventions for astronauts.
The IBF has also funded the joint UK-Canada £1.2m Aqualunar Challenge. The new international challenge prize – delivered by Challenge Works on behalf of the UK Space Agency and in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and Impact Canada – is rewarding the design of innovative technologies to make human habitation on the Moon viable, by finding ways to purify water buried beneath the lunar surface.
The Science & Exploration Bilateral Programme is supporting a potential UK-Canada partnership on CASTOR. An astronomy mission currently under study by the Canadian Space Agency, CASTOR will fill a gap in current observing capabilities, by providing state of the art imaging and spectroscopy in ultraviolet and optical-blue wavelengths.
The UK has begun work on the development and space qualification programme for advanced imaging technology from Teledyne e2v and the associated electronics, along with contributions to the scientific data processing. This is carried out by a UK consortium led by UKRI-STFC’s Astronomy Technology Centre (Edinburgh), with the UK Space Agency providing £3.3m to fund UK participation in this early phase work.
The programme is also funding the early study phase for a proposed space science collaboration, between The Open University and Canada – the International Mars Ice Mapper (I-MIM). This is to study high performance detectors for use on an instrument, which would map accessible water ice deposits on the Martian surface. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
09 Apr 24. Global Space Defense and Security investment set to continue major growth trend over coming decade. Launch rates for defense and dual-use satellites are expected to see a significant surge over the next 10 years as countries ramp up spending in response to geopolitical concerns. Novaspace, a merger between Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners, the leading space consulting and market intelligence firm, is forecasting that the worldwide launch rate for defense and dual-use satellites will jump by 160% over the coming decade.
Novaspace estimates that worldwide government expenditures in space defense and security reached over $58bn, a historic high. Government expenditures are driven by an increasingly fragmented geopolitical context, the growing rivalry between the US, China and Russia, as well as the growing integration of space-based services in conventional military forces on land, air and sea.
The new data is part of Novaspace’s Space Defense and Security report (1st edition), an in-depth analysis of current and emerging space defense trends, dynamics and demand drivers, which offers vital insights into the space defense and security landscape, and showcases the significant contributions of leading nations.
Four countries emerged as frontrunners in 2023, each with investments exceeding $1bn. The United States led with $38.9bn, followed by China with $8.8bn, Russia with $2.6bn, and France at $1.3bn. Japan, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Germany also made substantial investments, each surpassing $500m.
Of the $58bn allocated in total by governments, an estimated $40 bn was contracted to industry for the provision of crucial space defense and security capabilities. These include the manufacturing and launch of government satellites, the provision of user terminals, commercial operation of government systems, and delivery of commercial space defense and security products, data, and services to defense organizations.
A majority of funding is for the manufacture of government systems as countries seek to maintain control over proprietary systems for sovereignty reasons, while the acquisition of commercial data to augment or complement government-owned systems is identified as a growing trend, particularly in the United States. Procurement of services remains more limited as most defense organizations carry out data analytics in-house, though this is also showing early signs of change.
The report highlights industry revenues across four value chain segments totaling $40.2bn. These include the manufacture and launch of defense and dual-use satellites ($24bn), provision of user terminals ($3.3bn), operation of government systems and sale of data ($10.2bn), and provision of managed and value-added services ($2.7bn).
In 2023, some 107 defense and dual-use satellites were launched by 17 governments, a 40% increase from the previous year. The US logged 44 launches, followed by China (30) and Russia (11). Other countries combined launched a total of 22 defense and dual-use satellites. The top capability domains were Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, (29), Secured Satellite Communications (24), Signal Intelligence (23), and Technology Demonstrators (16).
Novaspace’s report forecasts an on-going and substantial increase in the number of new defense satellites over the next decade, with over 2,600 launches projected, an increase primarily driven by the need for system architectures to enhance the resilience of space-based services and, to a lesser extent, by the growing number of countries investing in space defense and security.
“An increasingly fragmented global geopolitical context is a major driver of space defense and security expenditures,” said Principal Advisor Simon Seminari, editor of the report. “This is marked by high-intensity conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as well as contained tensions in the South China Sea, the Pacific, the Indian subcontinent, and Africa. “As space becomes more contested, congested and competitive, countries worldwide are bolstering their defense readiness. Space is integral to modern warfare, with militaries relying on space-based capabilities for battlefield awareness, navigation in low visibility conditions, and secured connectivity in hostile environments,” he added.
About the Report
The Space Defense and Security (1st edition) report quantifies worldwide government expenditures on space defense and security across 10 capability domains, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Secured Satellite Communications, Positioning, Navigation and Timing, Space Domain Awareness, and more. The report also quantifies industry revenues (government space defense and security budgets contracted to industry) over four segments of the value chain: defense and dual-use satellite manufacturing and launch, user terminals, operations, and services. As well as analyzing all defense and security satellites launched in 2023 with segmentations by country and by capability domain, it quantifies budgets of over 50 countries, and includes deep-dive analyses for four main capability domains, including market sizes, system architectures, trends, threat assessments, case studies and value of recent contracts. Novaspace is now offering a free extract of the report on their Digital Platform.
About Novaspace
Novaspace emerges as a global leader, resulting from the merger between Euroconsult and SpaceTec Partners, a strategic move that combines the distinctive strengths of both entities to significantly amplify our international presence and service capabilities. With a robust 40-year legacy of expertise in guiding private companies and government entities through strategic decision-making processes, Novaspace offers end-to-end consulting services, from project strategy definition to implementation, providing data-led perspectives on critical issues. Our mission is to empower clients with strategic and technical insights, enabling them to navigate and seize new opportunities within the rapidly evolving space sector. As a privately owned and fully independent organization, Novaspace presents an expanded portfolio of services, featuring combined expertise in management and technology consulting, top-tier executive summits, and market intelligence. Trusted by 1,200 clients in over 60 countries, Novaspace is headquartered in Paris, with offices strategically located in Brussels, Hong Kong, Montreal, Munich, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toulouse, and Washington D.C.
08 Apr 24. HawkEye 360 Inc., the premier commercial provider of space-based RF data and analytics, has successfully contacted Clusters 8 & 9 after their launch, marking the company’s first dual deployment into a mid-inclination orbit. This strategic positioning enhances coverage over the world’s busiest maritime traffic corridors. HawkEye 360 Achieves Successful Orbit Deployment of Clusters 8 & 9. Mid-Inclination Launch Elevates Data Collection to Meet Global Demand.
“The successful deployment of Clusters 8 & 9 into mid-inclination orbit marks a significant advancement in our mission,” said John Serafini, CEO of HawkEye 360. “These satellites bring sophisticated technology and integrated capabilities that will dramatically enhance our coverage and data collection efficiency over the world’s busiest regions, reinforcing HawkEye 360’s commitment to delivering unparalleled geospatial insights.”
“Today’s achievement is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the HawkEye 360 space team, along with our valued partners SFL and Exolaunch,” expressed Rob Rainhart, President of HawkEye 360. “Their collaborative efforts have made the seamless deployment of Clusters 8 & 9 possible, showcasing our collective commitment to innovation and precision in enhancing global monitoring capabilities.”
Clusters 8 and 9, increasing HawkEye 360’s constellation to 29 satellites, include upgraded payloads for 5x greater data collection, broader bandwidths, and multi-band signal capture. Their high-speed transmitters and processors quadruple data delivery speed, offering timely, multi-dimensional geospatial insights for enhanced decision-making. This expansion addresses growing customer needs for comprehensive RF solutions.
For more information, please visit https://www.he360.com/launches/cluster-8-and-9-upcoming-launch. (Source: PR Newswire)
08 Apr 24. MDA Space (TSX: MDA), a trusted mission partner to the rapidly expanding global space industry, today announced MDA SKYMAKERTM, a new suite of space robotics purpose-built to meet the diverse needs of our customers’ most ambitious missions. Unveiled at the Space Symposium conference in Colorado Springs, MDA SKYMAKERTM, the world’s leading space robotics technology and services, is now available for all missions and applications. Derived from peerless Canadarm technology, MDA SKYMAKERTM provides innovative space companies and ventures with access to the world’s most flight-proven space robotics solutions and services, supporting a diverse range of missions including lunar surface rovers and landers, space stations, satellite servicing in all orbits, and in-space assembly and manufacturing.
“To achieve mission success in the commercial space age, you need the confidence to move boldly and quickly, and that starts with choosing a mission partner with capabilities and a track record you can trust,” said Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space. “MDA Space has set the global standard in human-rated space robotics for more than 40 years. With MDA SKYMAKERTM, we are bringing to market the next generation of our industry-leading space robotics, built on the foundation of the most technically advanced robotics solutions ever operated in space, in an efficient, adaptable and highly accessible kit.”
Key customer benefits of the MDA SKYMAKERTM robotics suite include:
- Greater efficiency and robotics flexibility: Customers can now select from a range of high-performance high-reliability robotics products and services for a tailored solution.
- Significantly improved mission economics: Customers, regardless of size or application, can now benefit from economy of scale pricing associated with one-to-many commercial products and services.
- Faster time to market: Modular solutions, long-term product roadmaps and state-of-the-art manufacturing and production capacity minimize time to deployment for customers with aggressive commercial mission schedules.
- Full-service mission operations: Customers can reduce operational costs by having MDA Space perform mission operations from our new state-of-the-art commercial mission control centre, leveraging decades of robotics space mission design and mission operations support. (Source: PR Newswire)
08 Apr 24. Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Satellogic Announce TSAT-1A Satellite Launch Success. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (“TASL”), India’s leading private sector player for aerospace and defense solutions, and Satellogic Inc. (NASDAQ: SATL) (“Satellogic”), a leader in sub-meter resolution Earth Observation (“EO”) data collection, today announced the successful deployment into space of TASL’s TSAT-1A satellite aboard the Bandwagon-1 mission, which SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA, at 23:16 UTC on April 7, 2024.
TSAT-1A has been assembled in TASL’s Assembly, Integration and Testing (“AIT”) plant at its Vemagal facility in Karnataka. This achievement follows the collaboration signed between TASL and Satellogic in November 2023, leveraging Satellogic’s expertise to develop and integrate an advanced EO satellite in India and TASL’s capability to undertake complex system integration.
Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, TASL, said, “This milestone shows TASL’s commitment to the space sector. This is a first step. Our partnership with Satellogic has enabled us to deliver an assembled and tested in India, best-in-class, fully integrated sub-meter optical satellite which was launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket for the Bandwagon-1 mission. We are grateful for the support we have received from various Indian Government authorities for required permissions.”
TSAT-1A will deliver high-resolution optical satellite images with increased collection capacity, dynamic range, and low-latency delivery through its multispectral and hyperspectral capabilities.
“Congratulations to both teams on the efficient collaboration that brought TSAT-1A to life and ready for launch,” commented Emiliano Kargieman, CEO at Satellogic. “This illustrates the flexibility of Satellogic’s Space Systems program, offering governments and enterprises the ability to tailor a proven satellite model for their specific needs, and reach orbit within a favorable timeframe.”
Satellogic provided industry knowledge transfer, foundational components, IP licensing terms, and support in constructing an AIT facility in India – features of its Space Systems offering for direct satellite sales.
About Tata Advanced Systems Limited
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, is a significant player for aerospace and defence solutions in India. TASL offers a full range of integrated solutions across: Aerostructures & Aeroengines, Airborne Platforms & Systems, Defence & Security, Land Mobility. TASL has a strong portfolio of partnerships and joint ventures with leading global aerospace and defence firms, making it an integral partner in the international supply chain and in some instances, a global single source provider for leading aerospace and defence OEMs’. With the requisite capabilities, resources and scale, TASL is equipped to deliver end-to-end innovative solutions throughout the entire aerospace and defence value chain from design to full platform assembly, and is well positioned in areas that include missiles, radars, unmanned aerial systems, artillery guns, command and control systems, optronics, homeland security and land systems, in addition to aircrafts and helicopters.
About Satellogic
Founded in 2010 by Emiliano Kargieman and Gerardo Richarte, Satellogic (NASDAQ: SATL) is the first vertically integrated geospatial company, driving real outcomes with planetary-scale insights. Satellogic is creating and continuously enhancing the first scalable, fully automated EO platform with the ability to remap the entire planet at both high-frequency and high-resolution, providing accessible and affordable solutions for customers.
Satellogic’s mission is to democratize access to geospatial data through its information platform of high-resolution images to help solve the world’s most pressing problems including climate change, energy supply, and food security. Using its patented Earth imaging technology, Satellogic unlocks the power of EO to deliver high-quality, planetary insights at the lowest cost in the industry.
With more than a decade of experience in space, Satellogic has proven technology and a strong track record of delivering satellites to orbit and high-resolution data to customers at the right price point.
To learn more, please visit: http://www.satellogic.com (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
08 Apr 24. Pacific Defense Completes Hardware Integration Milestone for USSF MOSA Space Sensor Payload Development Program. Pacific Defense, a leading provider of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) products and solutions, recently announced it has completed a key program milestone on the US Space Force (USSF) Moonraker MOSA space payload contract with successful checkout and integration of the Moonraker payload.
The Moonraker Space Sensor is a 3U Open VPX multi-function, radio frequency (RF) payload consisting of a five-slot chassis populated with a Software Defined Radio (SDR), dual Graphics Processing Units (GPU), dual Power Supply plug-in-cards (PICs) and application software capable of performing a range of RF missions including space situational awareness. All system components are designed to meet requirements for space flight, with the SDR provided by Tomorrow.io and the Chassis and GPU PICs provided by Neutralino Space Ventures.
“Moonraker represents a fresh approach to space payload design, enabling rapid integration and deployment of critical space mission capability in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional proprietary approaches,” said Bryan Terlecky, Vice President of Space Systems at Pacific Defense. “Completion of hardware integration in days rather than weeks is unheard-of in traditional space programs and clears the way for the Pacific Defense team to begin software integration and move forward toward space flight demonstrations.”
Following this milestone, the payload enters a software integration phase, followed by functional testing in Q2 2024 and a key USSF customer demonstration in Q3 2024. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
08 Apr 24. SpaceX launches South Korea’s second spy satellite amid race with North. South Korea’s defence ministry said on Monday the country’s second homegrown spy satellite had entered orbit after its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch, which comes after Seoul’s first spy satellite was put into orbit from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base in December, was livestreamed on social media platforms X and YouTube.
The Falcon 9 rocket was launched at 2317 GMT on Sunday and the satellite successfully separated from the launch vehicle 45 minutes later and entered its targeted orbit, the ministry said in a statement.
It made successful communications with a ground station about two hours and 40 minutes after the launch, the ministry added.
The back-to-back launches of reconnaissance satellites come amid a race, against North Korea for military capabilities in space.
After two earlier attempts ended in rocket crashes, Pyongyang said in November last year that it used its own Chollima-1 launch vehicle to place the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite in orbit.
North Korea has previously vowed to launch three new spy satellites in 2024.
South Korean Defence Minister Shin Won-sik told reporters that North Korea could launch a second spy satellite as early as in mid-April, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Shin’s comment was based on the military’s observation of North Korea’s related activities, South Korean defence ministry spokesman Jeon Ha-gyu told a briefing.
Seoul’s second spy satellite is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capable of producing images regardless of weather conditions due to how it processes data. (Source: Reuters)
05 Apr 24. Sierra Space, a leading commercial space-tech company and next generation defense-tech prime building a platform in space to benefit life on Earth and protect the freedom of economic activity in the Orbital Age®, announced today the launch of its innovative Sierra Space Eclipse satellite bus line.
This cutting-edge series sets a new standard in earth observation, servicing, mobility, logistics and communications. The Sierra Space Eclipse bus line comprises three distinct classes tailored to a wide range of missions: Eclipse Velocity, Eclipse Horizon, and Eclipse Titan, each designed to meet the rapidly evolving demands of the modern space industry.
“At Sierra Space, we are committed to innovating at speed,” said Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice. “The Sierra Space Eclipse line is a testament to our dedication to innovation, offering scalable solutions that can meet the needs of tomorrow’s space missions today. With Velocity, Horizon, and Titan, we are not just launching satellites; we are launching a new era of space commercialization.”
Eclipse Velocity
Revolutionizing the highly maneuverable small satellite sector, the Eclipse Velocity is a marvel of engineering, offering unparalleled efficiency and agility in a compact form. Designed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) missions, with integrated Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) capabilities and full 6-DOF controls. Velocity is a fully refuellable system designed for dynamic space operations. Eclipse Velocity makes space more accessible than ever before.
Eclipse Horizon
The high-rate production satellite of the Eclipse line, Eclipse Horizon is a versatile medium-class bus designed for a broad spectrum of missions, from missile warning and defense, advanced Earth observation, and communications. Eclipse Horizon stands as a beacon of reliability, affordability, and high-performance enabling horizon-to-horizon coverage for government and commercial constellation missions.
Eclipse Titan
Dominating the skies, the Eclipse Titan is the pinnacle of satellite technology. A large-class bus with unmatched capabilities, it is destined for high-demand tasks such as Cis-lunar, Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) logistics, on-orbit re-fueling, mission support and satellite deployment. Eclipse Titan embodies the spirit of ambition and exploration that drives Sierra Space.
The Sierra Space Eclipse series represents a significant leap forward in satellite technology, featuring state-of-the-art propulsion systems, integrated rendezvous, proximity operations and docking, advanced communication capabilities, and robust power management. All capabilities are housed within scalable platforms that can be customized to unique mission requirements as a tailorable bus or as a fully integrated spacecraft.
“Our Sierra Space Eclipse product line is manufactured in a high-rate production system, with the ability to be refuellable on orbit, enabling the next generation of satellites designed for dynamic space operations,” added Erik Daehler, Vice President of Sierra Space Orbital Missions and Services.
Sierra Space has a legacy of nearly 30 years of experience designing, manufacturing and successfully delivering space systems, components, and spacecraft on-orbit. The company’s Orbital Missions and Services team has designed, produced, and launched 23 space vehicles and supported more than 400 successful space and interplanetary missions with subsystems and components. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
04 Apr 24. Kratos Demos Fully Virtualized SATCOM Over LEO for US Army.
- Showcases Software Ground System to Support Interoperability and Multi-Mission Capability with Partners Telesat Government Solutions and Cobham Satcom
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in the defense, national security and global markets, announced today that it successfully demonstrated a fully virtualized satellite communications (SATCOM) ground system using Kratos’ OpenSpace® Platform for the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T). With demonstration partners Telesat Government Solutions and Cobham Satcom, the three companies showed dynamic support of simultaneous communication pathways for resilient SATCOM at Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
LEO constellations are strategic to military operations, delivering connectivity with lower latency than a traditional Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite. These capabilities will be increasingly important as future military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) networks must quickly adapt to multiple missions and multiple orbits. A virtualized ground system such as OpenSpace provides far greater resiliency and agility needed for these modern military operations, including multi-orbit, multi-mission support when compared to traditional, hardware-based systems. Kratos’ OpenSpace Platform is the industry’s only commercially available, fully software-defined satellite ground system.
The demonstration showed a flexible network architecture that allowed soldiers to connect Telesat’s LEO 3 satellite through Cobham antennas. Kratos’ OpenEdgeTM 2500 digitizer was integrated with Cobham’s Tracker 1300TT antenna, enabling standardized traffic (DIFI) to pass directly from Cobham’s digital-ready antenna through virtualized modems at the network’s edge to the LEO 3 satellite.
In future conflicts, it will be crucial to have multi-orbit operations seamlessly share information among military branches and international partners. Kratos has worked with several satellite service operators over the past year to test and verify functionality of OpenSpace as a gateway and edge platform at each of the major orbital belts, GEO, MEO and LEO. Kratos has successfully demonstrated the openness, flexibility and interoperability of OpenSpace in other satellite orbits, with other satellite operators and equipment partners.
Chris Badgett, Vice President of Technology for Kratos Space, said, “Every mission has different requirements for space connectivity requiring maximum flexibility to leverage multiple satellites, networks and network elements. Only a software-defined platform can provide the levels of adaptability at mission speed along with the openness to maximize available network resources. Both Telesat and Cobham are at the forefront in this digital transformation of satellite ground systems.”
Funding for this project was through the Network Cross-Functional Team (N-CFT) established by the Army Future Command. (Source: ASD Network)
04 Apr 24. Ariane 6 Test Recap Towards 1st Flight. Europe’s next rocket, Ariane 6, passed all its qualification tests in preparation for its first flight, and the full-scale test model has been removed from the launch pad to make way for the real rocket that will ascend to space.
The test model at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, stood 62 m high. It is exactly the same as the ‘production model’ Ariane 6 rockets that will soon be launched, except that its boosters do not need to be tested as part of the complete rocket, so the boosters are not fuelled.
Teams preparing Ariane 6 for its inaugural flight successfully completed for the first time a launcher preparation and countdown sequence, on 18 July. Representatives of ESA, Ariane 6 prime contractor ArianeGroup and launch base prime contractor and test conductor CNES completed important objectives for system qualification and performed a series of actions fully representative of a launch chronology.
The launch simulation included the removal of the mobile gantry, the chill-down of ground and launcher fluidic systems, the filling of the upper and core stage tanks with liquid hydrogen (–253°C) and liquid oxygen (–183°C), and at the end of the test, the successful completion of a launch chronology up to the ignition of the Vulcain 2.1 engine thrust chamber by the ground system.
On 5 September 2023 the Vulcain 2.1 engine was ignited, fired for four seconds as planned and switched off before its liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuels were drained to their separate underground tanks. The exercise showed again that the system can be kept safe in the event of a launch abort, as already demonstrated during the 18 July test.
A nighttime full-scale wet rehearsal for Ariane 6 was completed on 24 October 2023, the rocket was fuelled and then drained of its fuel. The test lasted over 30 hours with three teams working in shifts of 10 hours each.
A major full-scale rehearsal was conducted on 23 November 2023 in preparation for its first flight, when teams on the ground went through a complete launch countdown followed by a seven-minute full firing of the core stage’s engine, as it would fire on a launch into space.
A third combined test loading occurred on 15 December 2024 that included a launch countdown to qualify the launch system in degraded conditions and ensure its robustness in preparation for operations. This test sequence included qualification tests of several launch system functions in case of aborted launch and included one ignition of the Vulcain 2.1 engine thrust chamber. It was the fifth countdown run to include loading Ariane 6 with cryo-propellants since July.
On 30 January 2024, the cryogenic connection system passed a last system test of the liftoff disconnection operations lines – the yellow arms supporting the fuel lines to the upper stage to power the Vinci orbital engine. Simultaneously at the bottom of the central core the connection system for the main stage also disconnected.
On 5 February, it was the turn of the electrical umbilical lines to be disconnected. These lines supply the launcher and the satellites inside Ariane 6 with electrical power but also host the digital signals for communications with the informatics system as well as carrying sensor information to ensure the flight system is in good shape for liftoff.
The largest components for the first flight model of Europe’s new rocket Ariane 6 arrived at the port of Pariacabo in Kourou, French Guiana on 21 February 2024 via the novel ship, Canopée (canopy in French). The Ariane 6 stages and components are all manufactured across Europe.
The two central stages for Ariane 6’s first flight were then assembled in the launcher assembly building (BAL) at Europe’s Spaceport. The core stage and the upper stage for Europe’s new rocket Ariane 6 are set to fly in the Summer of 2024. Once assembled, the stages will be transferred to the launch pad. (Source: ASD Network)
01 Apr 24. April 1st finally, SpaceX Starlink launches. On Monday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (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 NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, and now nine Starlink missions. The rescheduled launch was the 32nd Falcon 9 flight of 2024, and the 21st dedicated to building out the Starlink megaconstellation. To date, SpaceX has lofted 6,100 Starlink satellites, 5,633 of which are currently operational, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. (Source: Satnews)
31 Mar 24. Interstellar Technologies signs agreement with JAXA as the priority launch provider. This agreement is designed to select private-sector entities capable of launching satellites developed under JAXA’s small satellite missions, thereby advancing the commercialization of space transportation services by startups and other entities through launch contract procurement. Notably, the Japanese government has proposed a policy initiative (*1) to secure approximately 30 domestic launch opportunities annually, using both government and private rockets, by the early 2030s. In light of this initiative, Interstellar will continue to further autonomous domestic space access through the ongoing development of the rocket ZERO, which integrates reliability and cost competitiveness.
This agreement is established in accordance with JAXA-SMASH (JAXA – Small Satellite Rush Program), a program aimed at expanding transportation and small satellite missions. Privately selected transport services under this program will launch small satellite missions publicly solicited by JAXA(*2). Interstellar has been designated as “Launch Operator A,” receiving priority for future procurement contracts.
In line with the new Space Basic Plan approved by the Japanese Cabinet in June 2023, the Japanese government targets the launching all domestic satellites, regardless if government or private, using Japan’s flagship rockets or private rockets, starting from fiscal year 2028. This initiative also aims to capture overseas demand.
In September of 2023, Interstellar was selected for the “Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR Phase 3)” by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology\, encouraging research and development by startups and others (*3), with governmental support to be provided for both research and development and launch contract procurement to achieve early realization of affordable, frequent private space transport services domestically.5
ZERO is a smallsat launch vehicle designed to target the growing market for small-sized satellites in recent years. Building on the knowledge gained from the successful launch of the private suborbital launch vehicle MOMO, the first of its kind in Japan’s private sector, Interstellar is progressing toward the first launch of ZERO.
ZERO’s space transportation service distinguishes itself with competitive pricing—at less than 800 m JPY per launch (in mass production)—made possible through an integrated development and manufacturing process. Another key strength is its flexibility to provide customized launches tailored to the rising needs of satellite companies. For satellite companies in Japan, Asia, and Oceania, proximity to the launch site ensures convenience, reducing launch-related time and costs and enhancing overall value.
With an eye on recent trends and the demand both locally and globally, ZERO is enhancing its capacity to launch satellites of up to 800 kilograms into LEO. This strategic contributes to the establishment of an independent domestic space transportation service. Simultaneously, it positions Interstellar to establish a firm presence in the Asia-Oceania and European markets.
Takahiro Inagawa, CEO of Interstellar Technologies, said, “Space technology’s complexity and the limited opportunities for challenges have hindered the expansion of space utilization and industrial growth. JAXA-SMASH presents an innovative opportunity for demonstrating cutting-edge technology with satellites to break through these limitations. We are honored to be part of it, bringing our space transport services to the table. Looking ahead, we anticipate a substantial increase in space transport opportunities domestically. However, we’re all hands on deck, pushing ahead with technology demonstration and business development, ready to seize the day in this new era.” (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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