28 Aug 24. SDA begins prototype work on Warlock fire-control payload. A SpaceX Falcon 9 loaded with a Tranche 0 payload variant for the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) sits on the launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (Space Development Agency)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) has begun prototype development for a new fire-control mission payload system, as part of the agency’s kick-off for the newest satellite variant in its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
Prototype variants of the Warlock fire-control mission payload will be included in the mission loadout for the new Gamma variant satellites for Tranche 2 of the PWSA’s Transport Layer constellation, according to an SDA statement.
Agency officials awarded Colorado-based York Space Systems and Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems in California the USD424 m development contract for 20 Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) Gamma satellites in August.
Under the terms of the firm-fixed price, other transaction authority (OTA) agreements, each company will build 10 T2TL-Gamma satellite prototypes, for a total of 20 T2TL-Gamma space vehicles (SVs) and payloads.
The York Space Systems’ segment of the OTA contract is worth approximately USD170 m, with Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems receiving USD245 m as part of the T2TL-Gamma deal. In addition to the Warlock payload, SDA programme officials are developing other prototype applications for the Gamma variant satellites.
In addition to the Warlock payload, York Space Systems and Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems will produce a Ka-band mission payload, as well as subsystem prototypes to address data network routing, signal encryption, and platform navigation, according to the T2TL-Gamma industry solicitation issued in December 2023. (Source: Janes)
28 Aug 24. Gotonomi, a leading provider of UAV satellite connectivity solutions, has announced the completion of further successful flight trials and the opening of orders for production units of all variants of its UAV satcom terminals at Commercial UAV Expo 2024 in Las Vegas. The launch marks a significant milestone, transitioning from pre-production flight development kits to type-approved, commercial terminals, enabling scalable beyond visual line of sight operations (BVLOS) for drone operators wishing to offer services such as inspection, surveillance, and delivery.
Following extensive verification testing, including flight trials across the EU, US, Canada, Australia, UK, and Brazil, deliveries of CE/FCC/RCC/ISED marked units will start from October 2024. All commercially available terminal variants will have achieved Viasat type approval making them the first UAV terminals to receive approval for Regional Class 4 operations. Flight development kits for R&D purposes are still available for delivery now.
Matthew Hill, General Manager at Gotonomi, stated, “Following an extensive period of testing of our flight development kits, were thrilled to move into the production phase and preparing to ship commercial product. We see the Inspection and Surveillance market pushing forward the need for reliable BVLOS operations and we’re delighted to offer the Velaris Inspection Bundle, in collaboration with our partners Viasat and Videosoft Global, to meet the needs of those customers.”
The ‘inspection and surveillance’ product bundle, includes:
- Gotonomi Velaris Edge Module, with integrated SOM
- Gotonomi 200-A Omni Antenna
- Videosoft’s ultra-low bandwidth video streaming software pre-loaded on the terminal
- Videosoft software licence
- Viasat airtime
- The Inspection Bundle will be launched with introductory incentive pricing applied to a limited quantity. Expressions of interest will be taken at CUAV Expo.
25 Aug 24. ‘Stranded’ Starliner crew to return with SpaceX in U-turn. NASA has finally conceded defeat and revealed the ‘stranded’ Starliner crew on the ISS will return to Earth with SpaceX in February.
The space agency said returning Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore onboard the Boeing spacecraft was too risky as engineers still hadn’t fully deduced what went wrong with its thrusters.
The news means Starliner will now return to Earth without crew early next month, while two of the four astronauts originally due to blast off on the upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission will lose their seats.
After a series of delays, Starliner finally blasted off to the ISS in June on its historic first crewed mission. The spacecraft was due to come back after just a week, but issues with both the thrusters and helium leaks mean their stay will now extend to eight months.
Previously, both Boeing and NASA have strongly denied any suggestion the pair would not return on Starliner, despite the potential to send it back home autonomously without crew.
Over the last two months, teams on Earth have been trying to duplicate the loss of performance in the thrusters, with researchers concluding that a Teflon seal had heated and expanded, which constrained the flow of oxidiser.
However, on Saturday, Steve Stich, NASA commercial crew program manager, revealed there was still “too much uncertainty” in predicting how the thruster would perform after undocking.
“There was just too much risk for the crew, and so we decided to pursue the uncrewed test flight,” he said.
Ken Bowersox, NASA’s associate administrator for space operations, added that one important factor in making the call was that teams didn’t know much about how they could use the thrusters on the way back home “before we encounter a problem”.
In a boost to Boeing, though, Bowersox said the decision was a close call and only made last week.
“With more time, we might have gotten a lot smarter, but we’re just at the point where we need to bring Starliner home,” he said.
Bill Nelson, NASA’s administrator, also attempted to downplay criticism of Boeing by arguing spaceflight is risky “even at its routine” and a test flight “by nature is neither safe nor routine”.
“So the decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the ISS and bring the Boeing Starliner home uncrewed is a result of a commitment to safety,” he said. “Safety is our North Star of what we are trying to do in a very hostile environment, in which if you make a mistake, it’s very unforgiving.”
The current Starliner mission is the final test flight before NASA certifies the vehicle for regular operational missions.
Starliner was initially due to blast off to the ISS in early May, but the first attempt was scrubbed at the last minute because of a faulty valve on the rocket’s Centaur upper stage.
A subsequent try was also repeatedly delayed, this time due to a helium issue. Finally, a third problem was found to be linked to a flange in a thruster in the spacecraft’s service module.
May’s scrubbed launches are the latest in years of issues for Starliner, which Boeing hopes will be able to regularly send US astronauts into space much like SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.
Starliner’s first attempt at a flight without humans onboard failed in 2019 due to software glitches, but it eventually docked with the ISS in May 2022. (Source: Space Connect)
26 Aug 24. Axiom Space and Nokia Partner to Enable High-Speed Cellular Network Capabilities in Next-Gen Lunar Spacesuits.
Axiom Space has partnered with Nokia to integrate advanced 4G/LTE communication capabilities into the next-generation spacesuits that will be used for the Artemis III lunar mission.
Together, Nokia and Axiom Space will incorporate high-speed cellular-network capabilities in the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), supporting HD video, telemetry data and voice transmission over multiple kilometers on the Moon. This advancement will enable Artemis III crewmembers to capture real-time video and communicate with mission controllers on Earth while they explore the lunar surface.
“Axiom Space is excited to work with Nokia to build on the advanced capabilities of our next-generation spacesuit,” said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space executive vice president of extravehicular activity. “Adding high-speed 4G/LTE network capability on the Moon will serve as a vital bridge linking astronauts to Earth, facilitating crucial data exchange, and enabling high-definition video communication over long distances.”
Nokia plans to deploy the first cellular network on the Moon as part of Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission, which is scheduled to be delivered to the launch site in 2024. During that mission, Nokia aims to demonstrate that cellular connectivity can facilitate crucial communications during future lunar or Mars missions. Nokia’s Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), pioneered by Nokia Bell Labs’ research and innovation, will be deployed during IM-2 and will be further adapted for use in the AxEMU spacesuit.
“Just as astronauts will need life support, shelter and food, they will need advanced networks to communicate with each other and go about their crucial work,” said Thierry E. Klein, President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia. “Bell Labs has a long history of working on space projects, and Nokia is a leader in designing and building networks that connect the world. We are taking advantage of the same standards-based technologies that connect bns of devices on Earth every day, while bringing new innovation and technologies to bear on the specific challenges encountered in space.”
The fully autonomous LSCS has two components: a network- in- a- box combines the radio, base station and core network elements of a terrestrial cellular network into a single unit, and device modules that will be integrated into the AxEMU spacesuits. Both the network and device modules have been carefully engineered to withstand the extreme environmental conditions on the lunar surface and the dynamic stress of spaceflight, and have been optimized for size, weight and power consumption.
Axiom Space was recently awarded $57.5m from NASA to make this 4G/LTE network modification to the lunar spacesuit for the Artemis III mission, building upon its first Artemis task order in 2022, valued at $228 m.
Axiom Space’s spacesuits will provide astronauts with advanced capabilities for space exploration while providing NASA with commercially developed human systems needed to access, live, and work on and around the Moon.
Axiom Space’s development of these next-generation spacesuits and Nokia’s lunar surface communications innovations are significant advancements toward furthering American leadership in space exploration, enabling a deeper understanding of the Moon, the solar system, and beyond. (Source: ASD Network)
20 Aug 24. SpaceX shares the sky with smallsat rideshare mission. On Friday, August 16, SpaceX launched its rideshare satellites. Photo captured by Satnews from SpaceX’s video stream.
A beautiful day at the beach just perfect for a launch. SpaceX enjoyed another successful launch at 11:53 PDT on Friday, August 16, when Falcon 9 launched the Transporter-11 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Transporter 11 includes a variety of payloads from different companies such as an Nvidia Jetson Orin NX chip that provides AI and edge computing graphics processing unit (GPU).
There are 116 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, and an orbital transfer vehicle carrying eight of those payloads, five of which will be be deployed at a later time. To date, SpaceX has launched more than 1,000 smallsats for 130+ customers across their entire Rideshare program.
This is the 12th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission which previously launched SDA-0A, SARah-2, and nine Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 landed on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. (Source: Satnews)
20 Aug 24. ISRO’s mission success with EOS-08 launch.
SSLV-D3 Mission:
The third developmental flight of SSLV is successful. The SSLV-D3 placed EOS-08 precisely into the orbit.
The third developmental flight of SSLV is successfully launched on August 16, 2024.
This flight completes the SSLV Development Project and enables operational missions by Indian industry and NSIL.
The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites.
ISRO to launch EOS-08’s three payloads on Friday
ISRO is prepped to launch an Earth observation satellite EOS-08 onboard the third and final developmental flight of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle on Friday morning. The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites.
The Satish Dhawan Space Centre spaceport located about 135 km east of Chennai is buzzing with activity once again as ISRO gears up for a rocket launch nearly after a gap of about six months.
The previous missions undertaken by the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency in 2024 were the successful launches of PSLV-C58/XPoSat mission on January 1 and GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS mission on February 17. (Source: Satnews)
16 Aug 24. Sateliot prepares for commercial ops following the successful launch of 4 new satellites. Sateliot has successfully launched four additional satellites as part of the company’s 5G NB-IoT NTN constellation— these satellites, designed to extend the coverage of Mobile Telecom Operators to 100% of the planet, were deployed via the SpaceX Transporter-11 mission.
The launch occurred on Friday, August 16, at 20:18 CET, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. A special event in Barcelona brought together the Sateliot family and key stakeholders to witness the launch live, featuring support from ESA, GSMA, the Spanish Government, and more.
Presented by Josep Calatayud, director of the “Control de Misión” YouTube channel , the event featured interviews with shareholders, authorities, and employees. Co-founders Jaume Sanpera (CEO) and Marco Guadalupi (CTO) provided in-depth explanations and forecasts for Sateliot’s future.
Re-watch the entire event at this direct link…
Inspired by Antoni Gaudí‘s iconic dragon, the mission badge for ‘Revolution‘ symbolizes the resilience of Sateliot’s technology and the company’s global ambitions. The four flames represent each newly launched satellite, with the multicolored fragments foreshadowing a constellation of more than 100 satellites by 2028. It also represents the revolution of the 5G NB-IoT NTN standard as Sateliot is presented with the opportunity to transform industries worldwide; regardless of location or infrastructure, connectivity black spots will become a thing of the past.
The technology incorporates enhancements from previous satellites and is the first constellation to implement standard GSMA and 3GPP developments fully on satellites. In addition to providing commercial services, Sateliot aims to use these advancements to continue leading the NTN community in future innovations.. Sateliot’s approach, featuring its patented “Store and Forward” technology, offers unparalleled global connectivity with its new orbital plane.
Additionally, the company is advancing a certification program for commercial terminals to expedite the integration of their service into the market. Looking ahead, Sateliot plans to deploy additional satellites by 2025 and is actively engaged in discussions to secure a Series B funding round of 30m euros.
Since its founding in 2018, Sateliot has raised 25m euros and aims to achieve revenues of 1bn euros by 2030. Sateliot’s technology, which initially will connect more than eight m devices from companies that have already contracted the service, is characterized by its democratic and accessible nature. It is designed to support a wide range of use cases for SMEs, public administrations, and large enterprises in sectors such as agriculture, livestock, logistics, and critical infrastructures. (Source: Satnews)
18 Aug 24. Planet launches 1st Tanager-1 (Hyperspectral Satellite) + 36 SuperDoves with SpaceX. Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) has revealed that the company’s first announced hyperspectral satellite, Tanager-1, along with 36 SuperDoves (Flock 4BE) were successfully launched into orbit during the Transporter-11 Rideshare mission with SpaceX, which lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Friday, August 16, 2024 — the Planet team has successfully made contact with Tanager-1 and has started the commissioning process.
Tanager-1 is made possible by the Carbon Mapper Coalition , a philanthropically-funded effort to develop and deploy satellites designed to detect and track methane and CO2 super-emitters at a level of granularity needed to support direct mitigation action.
Tanager-1 combines Planet’s cutting-edge agile aerospace and smallsat bus technology with the state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer design developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has accounted for around 30 percent of atmospheric warming since 1750. In order to slow and ultimately halt global warming, methane emissions must be slashed this decade along with a sustained program to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Future Tanager imagery will be analyzed by expert scientists at Carbon Mapper for methane and CO2 source detection and quantification, meanwhile Planet will commercialize the hyperspectral data for a variety of use cases including defense and intelligence monitoring, biodiversity assessments, mineral mapping, and water quality assessments.
Photo of Planet’s SuperDoves smallsats, image courtesy of the company.
In addition to Tanager-1, the Transporter-11 rocket delivered 36 SuperDoves to orbit to contribute to Planet’s flagship daily, global monitoring mission (please see www.planet.com/pulse/36-planet-superdoves-successfully-launch-on-spacexs-falcon-9-rocket/). PlanetScope data is used by hundreds of customers in defense and intelligence, civil government, and commercial markets to take informed action, and better contextualize events they’re seeing on the ground now. Planet’s daily scan and deep archive of data across the globe is unique within the industry and provides customers with a continuous and comprehensive view of their areas of interest. Further, the archive acts as a rich training ground for predictive machine-learning and advanced artificial-intelligence models, accelerating users’ ability to draw insights from the terabytes of data collected by Planet each day.
“This is an amazing all California effort! A Planet satellite carrying a JPL payload on a SpaceX rocket, from Vandenberg Air Force Base for a California charity Carbon Mapper to help the State of California! We’re proud to be a part of it,” said Will Marshall, Co-Founder and CEO of Planet. “Delivering innovative space-based solutions to our customers that improve environmental conditions is core to our mission. Placing cutting-edge imaging spectrometer technology in a smallsat bus platform is a remarkable achievement for this Coalition. I’m incredibly proud of our team and everyone who helped bring this satellite to life.” (Source: Satnews)
18 Aug 24. KSAT providing satellite C&C for ESA’s Arctic Weather satellite. Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) significantly expanded their ground segment capabilities and the company is delivering comprehensive, end-to-end, ground segment services, including satellite operations (SatOps), for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Arctic Weather Satellite mission as part of a consortium with Thales Alenia Space, headed up by OHB Sweden.
As part of their New Space approach, ESA has engaged a consortium of industry leaders, with OHB Sweden responsible for building the satellite and KSAT entrusted with operating the entire ground segment.
KSAT’s role in this mission is essential. The company is operating all aspects of the ground segment, from launch support to first contact all the way through to decommissioning. This includes advanced satellite operations designed to optimize performance and reliability through automated systems, minimizing the need for human intervention. With this capability, KSAT ensures seamless communication and control throughout the entire lifecycle of the Arctic Weather Satellite.
The data collected by this satellite will be critical in improving weather forecasting in the Arctic region and supporting vital climate research. KSAT’s extensive ground station network, including the world’s largest polar station in Svalbard, provides unparalleled access and communication capabilities for LEO satellites, making it an ideal partner for this mission.
“ESA’s New Space approach for this mission is a game-changer, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. By providing the full ground segment, including satellite operations, we are not only supporting the Arctic Weather Satellite but also showcasing the strength and flexibility of commercial partnerships in space,” said Rolf Skatteboe CEO and President of KSAT. “By incorporating satellite operations into our ground segment services, we are now able to provide an unmatched end-to-end solution for satellite missions. This positions KSAT as a total provider in the ground segment, capable of delivering scalable and cost-effective services to our clients. We take care of the ground so that they can focus on their mission. Our involvement in the Arctic Weather Satellite mission is a testament to our advanced capabilities and our ability to meet the demands of complex satellite missions. We are excited to contribute to this mission, which will have a significant impact on weather forecasting and climate research in the future.” (Source: Satnews)
23 Aug 24. UK says space-related risks remain 50 percent above average. The National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) says that overall risks to UK interests in space and on Earth from space-related threats, risks, and hazards were lower in July than in June with fewer re-entry, conjunction and space weather alerts issued. Whilst the number of re-entry events meeting the alert threshold reduced from a high in June, the number of re-entries monitored remained above average for 2024.
NSpOC reports that all the centre’s warning and protection services functioned as expected throughout the period.
A total of 44 uncontrolled re-entries were monitored by NSpOC in July. This represents 8 percent fewer objects re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere in July than June, but this is still approximately 50 percent above average for the year. NSpOC attributes this trend to the planned decommissioning of small communications satellites and expects this above average trend to continue in August. On 19 July, a US satellite DMSP 5D-2 F8 fragmented, generating five pieces of catalogued debris. Investigations suggest that the main body of the satellite may remain largely intact.
During the whole month of July, NSpOC warned UK-licensed satellite operators of 1,795 potential collision risks. Such warnings enable operators to take critical collision avoidance decisions. Meanwhile, the Met Office issued 27 critical space weather alerts in July, representing a 58 percent decrease from June.
There were 13 new launches in July and a total increase in the US Satellite Catalogue of 143 registered space objects (RSOs). Of those launches, three were performed by SpaceX to deploy an additional 22 Starlink satellites. The remaining 121 RSOs were from previous months or new launches, ISS deployed satellites, or debris newly recorded in the US Satellite Catalogue.
The UK Space Agency released its updated evaluation strategy on 22 August. The strategy notes that “the evidence base for understanding which space interventions work, why, and how is emerging” but warns that research development and innovation in space is challenging to evaluate. It cites the example of the first Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission, which is yet to happen but scheduled to take place in 2025. The UK government first unveiled its Plan for Space Sustainability in 2022 with the aim of tackling the growing volume of debris in space.
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)