27 Sept 24. It’s official – the SANDF has a Space Command.
That the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and its airborne service, the SA Air Force (SAAF), is committed to space was emphasised to delegates attending the second Air and Space Power symposium on 17 September when the newly established Space Command was officially recognised by South Africa’s senior soldier, SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya.
The recognition, as well as making known Major General Lancelot Mathebula as Space Command’s first head, marked progress which SAAF Chief Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo said started “a few years ago”. It was a challenge, he told delegates in his closing address to the symposium, “the men and women in blue did not hesitate to take on”. Before taking charge of the SAAF SCIPT (Space Command Integrated Planning Team), Mathebula was Chief Director Force Preparation.
Reflecting on progress since last year’s National Space Conference at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), where Mbambo said the SAAF would host a space symposium this year, and last month’s second National Space Conference, Maphwanya said two years ago Space Command was “merely a vision, today those concepts have become concrete”.
Maphwanya told delegates to the second Air and Space Power symposium at Air Force Base Waterkloof, as reported by Airman Khanyisile Gina, the South African military’s “engagement with space goes beyond C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)”. “It is integral to advancing multi-domain warfare and ensuring our strategic edge.”
Acknowledging the financial implications of an addition to the SANDF structure, Maphwanya reassured delegates of his commitment to securing the necessary revenues. “As Chief of the South African National Defence Force, I will ensure that funding is made available over the next few financial years to fully support this vision.”
Closing the symposium, staged to coincide with the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition at Air Force Base Waterkloof, Mbambo is reported as saying “there have been remarkable developments” with “impressive performances and contributions” in the space sector. These, according to the three-star, come from the SA National Space Agency (SASA), the University of KwaZulu-Natal by way of its Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) space propulsion programme, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) under the guidance of Minister Blade Nzimande, and unspecified others.
“Several engagements are taking place both internationally and across the South African space landscape, which have been extremely beneficial in accelerating our nascent South African National Defence Force Space Command. We have learned great lessons from our counterparts, and I must highlight that what the SCIPT team learned in Italy cemented my belief in collaboration. Their model, which showcased a national effort working hand in hand with civilian agencies and private industry, is a prime example. Together is the only way we can achieve great things,” Mbambo said.
A SAAF space-based sensing capability project will be registered before year-end with SCIPT continuing visits to international partners. Mbambo set a 2026 deadline for a technology demonstrator to fly. At the same time a Space Operations Directorate (presumably as opposed to the Space Command) will be staffed and in place to commence limited operations in support of both the SANDF and partners, Mbambo is reported as saying by Gina. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
27 Sept 24. Exosens, through its leading brand Photonis has invested £1m (approximately €1.2m) to advance space research and innovation in collaboration with Leicester’s Space Park.
Exosens has worked with University of Leicester academics for more than 25 years and more recently it forged a relationship with the university’s science and innovation hub, Space Park Leicester, working alongside it on technology which is being used in some of today’s most exciting space missions.
It has now invested £1m, through funding and other support, contributing to the creation of a Center of Excellence in Optics Design and Manufacturing at Space Park Leicester. This cumulated funding will enhance the METEOR space programme which brings together more than 100 researchers, industrial research and development personnel working on Earth observation and the challenges facing the space sector’s evolution.
Dr Adrian Martindale, Head of Space Projects and Instrumentation at Space Park Leicester and a Lecturer in Space Instrumentation at the University of Leicester, said: “Photonis’ technology is the enabler for certain types of scientific instruments and as a result its technology is on lots of space missions and is all over the Solar System. Exosens is supporting us to help develop the quality of the product and the performance of the technology, to push us into the next generation of projects. We have aspirations in space and they have aspirations for a market on the ground and by working together we hope to take both of these things forward.”
Chris Tisse, Chief Technology Officer at Exosens said: “We are proud to support cutting-edge space research at Space Park Leicester. This significant investment reflects our commitment to advancing the technology that powers groundbreaking space missions and innovation. By working together with the brilliant minds at the University of Leicester, we aim to push the boundaries of what’s possible in both space exploration and Earth-based applications.”
Leicester space academics worked with Photonis on detector systems and together they developed an entirely new X-ray optic. Photonis’ technology was the cornerstone of Space Park Leicester’s Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) instrument which is on its way to Mercury on the European Space Agency’s BepiColombo mission.
Dr Martindale said: “Photonis’ technology is absolutely crucial to the development of that instrument. Essentially, MIXS will help to measure the X-rays that are emitted from the surface of the planet and by measuring them we’ll be able to figure out what the rocks on the surface are made of. This will tell us how the planet formed and we’ll see whether that fits in with theories about how the Solar System formed.”
The optic Photonis developed with Space Park Leicester has also led to Leicester’s space scientists working on several more significant missions.
These include SVOM (Space-based multi-band astronomical Variable Objects Monitor), which is dedicated to the study of the most distant explosion of stars, and SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) which is a wide-field X-ray telescope that uses micropore optics to spectrally map the location, shape and motion of Earth’s magnetospheric boundaries.
Dr Martindale added: “Photonis’ technology will answer questions about Mercury and as a result questions about planetary science, it will answer questions about astronomy through SVOM and it will answer questions about the Earth through SMILE.”
To find out more about Exosens and leading brand Photonis, visit https://www.exosens.com/brands/photonis
For more information about Space Park Leicester, visit https://www.space-park.co.uk/ or to learn about the University of Leicester, go to https://le.ac.uk/about
ABOUT SPACE PARK LEICESTER:
Space Park Leicester is a community at the forefront of the UK space sector, established through a partnership led by the University of Leicester. A world-leading cluster for innovative research, enterprise and education in space and Earth observation, Space Park Leicester represents a collaborative hub for industry and academia to develop and grow.
Opened in Spring 2022 by British European Space Agency astronaut Major Tim Peake, Space Park Leicester provides state-of-the-art facilities for research, development, and manufacturing. It houses capabilities and companies covering an end-to-end life-cycle, from satellite design and engineering, through to downstream data and its applications. This creates unmatched opportunities for collaboration.
26 Sept 24. UK Space Agency-backed IoT firm to launch locally. An internet of things firm backed by the UK and European space agencies has been given permission to launch in Australia.
Lacuna Space, based in Oxford, England, creates “sensor-to-satellite” devices that allow equipment in remote areas to transmit small amounts of data via CubeSats.
The cheap devices can significantly send data for five years without needing to be recharged or replaced – making them ideal for the Australian outback.
“In Northern Queensland, a particularly dry and remote region, Lacuna Space is working with a company to manage water levels and drought conditions,” the firm said.
“Here, efficient water management is crucial to sustain livestock grazing and support local communities during droughts.
“By eliminating the need for expensive terrestrial infrastructure, Lacuna’s satellite IoT can help provide long-term insights to help mitigate the impact of droughts by ensuring more efficient water and resource management.”
Lacuna says its technology can also allow users to track environmental changes on land, remotely manage agricultural systems or monitor equipment performance. The devices work by transmitting a signal directly to a passing satellite that stores the messages for a short period of time until they pass over its network of ground stations.
The messages are then relayed automatically from the ground station to a cloud platform to be viewed on a web-based application.
Crucially, the signals use a long-range wide area network protocol that are specially designed to conserve battery power.
The news comes after a string of announcements from local companies promising to provide internet services to previously unconnectable regions.
Last month, for example, TPG revealed it would launch a “straight-to-mobile” satellite service for customers living in remote areas.
The agreement will, uniquely, not require customers to obtain any specific hardware and will instead work on all compatible handsets.
TPG told The Australian the service would eventually provide “near-100 per cent mobile coverage” across the country, eliminating “dead zones” in remote areas.
However, unlike its larger telco rival, TPG has agreed to work with Starlink rival Lynk Global, which uses a smaller number of low-Earth orbit satellites than its SpaceX-owned opposition.
Starlink, meanwhile, has pressed ahead with the launch of its portable satellite dish that allows users to access reliable internet on the go.
The device, which resembles a large laptop, works like a traditional dongle but allows users to go online without needing to be within the range of a phone mast.
The new mini dish costs $799 and can be paired with two plans: “Mobile Regional”, which costs $174 per month and offers unlimited mobile data, or “Mini Roam”, which costs $80 per month for 50 GB of data.
Crucially, the plan can be paused or unpaused anytime, opening it up to hikers and travellers who only want to use it for limited periods of the year.
Starlink only launched in Australia in 2021 but was previously only available via a permanent, fixed connection. (Source: Space Connect)
26 Sept 24. Space Commander Outlines Role of Partnerships Amid Growing Threats. The collective efforts of the United States and its allies to safeguard their shared interests in space are critical amid increasing threats in the domain, the commander of U.S. Space Command said yesterday.
Space Force Gen. Stephen N. Whiting said the risks posed to critical U.S. and allied space capabilities are accelerating as Russia and China, in particular, field an array of capabilities.
“The People’s Republic of China, specifically, is fielding capabilities at breathtaking speed, holding space systems in all orbital regimes at risk,” Whiting said during an address at the Air & Space Power Association’s Defense Space Conference in London.
“Along with Russia, they are deploying counterspace capabilities ranging from reversible, nonkinetic systems, such as and GPS jammers and cyberattacks, to direct ascent and co-orbital antisatellite weapons,” he said.
Threats that were once theoretical or future possibilities are now realities, Whiting said.
“Our strategic competitors also clearly recognize the advantages space provides on the modern battlefield,” he added. “Russia’s aggression in Ukraine shows that forces on land, at sea, and in the air can no longer move or conceal themselves without being tracked and targeted from space or by space-enabled systems.”
He said China has built a robust space-enabled network it aims to use to deny terrestrial forces and navies from accessing the Indo-Pacific region.
In addition to rapidly developing capabilities, Whiting said both China and Russia are challenging norms and responsible behaviors in space.
Whiting noted China’s recurring launch anomalies that generated significant debris, which pose a danger to assets in orbit.
He also highlighted Russia’s reported plan to deploy a nuclear weapon in space in violation of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.
“Such a capability would have indiscriminate effects and pose a threat to all satellites operated by countries and companies around the globe,” Whiting said, adding that the U.S. would continue to engage with like-minded nations “to ensure that Russia understands the global community cannot tolerate a nuclear weapon in space.”
Addressing these growing threats, Whiting said, requires a strategic approach. And it starts with a capable, integrated team.
“Space is a team sport,” he said. “No single nation, department, service, agency or company can succeed alone. The full potential of space power is realized through the integration and synchronization of the joint, interagency, allied and commercial elements creating collective advantage that surpasses any competitor.”
U.S. Space Command plays a critical role in the integrated space enterprise, he said. He highlighted three moral responsibilities guiding Spacecom’s mission, including ensuring space capabilities, protecting and defending space constellations, and safeguarding against space-enabled attacks.
Underpinning Spacecom’s success is the shared trust it forges with partners and allies.
“Yes, and Russia are active in the international arena,” Whiting said. “But they cannot begin to replicate what we have: relationships forged over the decades in wartime and peace, built on a foundation of shared principles and values and in the chaos of conflict.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
25 Sept 24. Space Force picks four firms to design ‘Resilient GPS’ satellites. The Space Force’s Resilient GPS program is meant to shield the vital positioning signal from jamming. (Lockheed Martin)
The Space Force announced this week the four companies that will compete to build its first batch of Resilient GPS satellites, aimed at ensuring military and civilian users have access to reliable positioning, navigation and timing signals.
The service’s acquisition arm, Space Systems Command, chose L3Harris, Astranis, Axient and Sierra Space to create design concepts for the program. From that pool, it will select a subset to finalize their designs and build prototypes and then will pick one or more firms to build the first eight satellites. Command officials wants those spacecraft to be ready to launch by 2028.
The Pentagon has become increasingly concerned about GPS signals — used to guide weapons and help units navigate — being jammed or spoofed by adversaries. Russia has taken advantage of this vulnerability in Ukraine, using electronic warfare to jam signals on a regular basis.
The Resilient GPS program, or R-GPS, is meant to augment the Space Force’s current constellation of GPS satellites with a fleet of smaller spacecraft that will transmit a set of signals widely used by the military and civilian agencies.
The service used an accounting tactic provided by Congress to shift funding from elsewhere in its budget to award initial contracts. Known as a quick-start, the transfer authority came in the Fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, allowing the Defense Department to reprogram up to $100 m in funding to start high-priority programs before they are approved as part of a formal budget cycle.
“Thanks to the Quick-Start authority that was approved by Congress, we were able to field and award contracts for these low-cost satellites in less than six months,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a statement. “This authority allows us to move faster and start new Space Force and Air Force programs.”
The early funding has allowed Space Systems Command to conduct market research, host an industry day, release a solicitation and award the first round of contracts in less than six months.
The Space Force did not disclose the value of those awards. However, it has told Congress it expects the program to cost $1 bn over the next five years. To date, it has shifted $40 m in FY23 funding to support he effort and has asked lawmakers to realign another $77 m in FY25 toward R-GPS.
The House Appropriations defense subcommittee has cast doubt on whether the effort will be as resilient as the Space Force hopes. In its version of FY25 defense spending legislation, the panel proposed denying the service’s request to realign FY25 money and questioned whether quick-start authorities should be used for the effort.
“While proliferation may provide some advantages, it is not clear how these additional satellites increase the resilience against the primary jamming threat to GPS, compared to alternative concepts for position, navigation, and timing systems being pursued elsewhere in the Department of Defense,” lawmakers said in a report accompanying the bill, released in June.
They also took issue with the program’s focus on resilient satellites versus improving the GPS ground systems and user equipment. The Space Force has said the goal is for the satellites to use existing devices.
Once the first R-GPS satellites are fielded, Space Systems Command officials envision updating the constellation with new technology on a regular cadence, similar to the Space Development Agency’s approach to fielding missile warning and data transport satellites as part of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
The service said each new batch of R-GPS capability will include up to eight satellites, but didn’t disclose how regularly it plans to field those spacecraft. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
25 Sep 24. Rocket Lab Successfully Launches 53rd Electron Mission, Deploys Another Five Satellites for Kineis. Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 53rd Electron mission and deployed five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) company Kinéis.
The ‘Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star’ lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 11:01 am on 21 September NZST (23:01, 20 September UTC), successfully deploying five satellites to a 643 km orbit. The mission was the second of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, a company backed by private and public investors including the French government’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), an international space-based solutions provider, to improve global IoT connectivity. The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth’s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said: “Today’s successful launch marks another milestone for Rocket Lab as we continue to enable innovative companies like Kinéis to push the boundaries of global IoT connectivity. With each mission, we are bringing the world closer together, allowing vital data to be transmitted from the remotest corners of the Earth.”
Across 53 launches Rocket Lab has now deployed 197 satellites for a diverse range of customers and missions, including NASA missions to the Moon, the National Reconnaissance Office and Space Force missions supporting national security and defense, scientific research to combat climate change, and commercial constellations providing vital data and services to millons of people on Earth. (Source: ASD Network)
24 Sept. 24. Neumann to put electric propulsion into more Inovor satellites. Neumann Space is set to integrate its electric propulsion system into more Inovor-made satellites after the two companies signed an MOU.
It follows the pair’s collaboration on the University of Melbourne’s high-profile SpIRIT nanosatellite, which blasted off last December.
That mission used Inovor Technologies’ “6U Bus platform” – effectively the spacecraft’s main body – but the new deal would see the Neumann Drive propulsion system integrated into the larger Apogee and Australis bus.
Inovor’s CEO, Dr Matt Tetlow, said the SpIRIT collaboration marked a “significant step forward”.
“By combining Neumann’s innovative electric propulsion system with our advanced small satellite capabilities, we’re paving the way for even greater mission versatility and performance for our customers,” he said.
Neumann has previously said its electric technology is simpler than traditional chemical propulsion methods and allows for the potential for spacecraft to be effectively refuelled and deorbited easier. This includes harnessing space debris for fuel.
Earlier this year, the company completed the first tests in orbit of the device onboard SpIRIT, with the spacecraft charging the device’s power capacitors and conducting test firings.
“The SpIRIT nanosatellite has been operating in orbit approximately 500 kilometres above Earth since its launch on 1 December 2023, during which time the consortium has worked to perform numerous diagnostic tests to validate the system’s electronics and, in doing so, confirm the resilience of the Neumann Drive to the challenging launch and orbital environments,” Neumann Space said. (Source: Space Connect)
24 Sept. 24. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully completed its first over-the-air demonstration of a hybrid satellite communications (SATCOM) solution, providing seamless connection with Viasat and a commercial proliferated low Earth orbit (PLEO) communications provider. The demonstration validated resilient, uninterrupted connectivity while rapidly switching between constellations and orbits.
- As a prime systems integrator, Northrop Grumman’s hybrid SATCOM solution enhances communication for pilots and operators between space, air and ground.
- This capability increases mission effectiveness by making it exceedingly difficult for adversarial threats to disrupt U.S. communications across multiple orbits, providers and frequency bands.
- Demonstrated for the Air Force Research Laboratory, this technology is an integral part of the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet program, also known as Global Lightning.
Expert: Steven Conn, director of advanced communications and signals intelligence, Northrop Grumman: “Northrop Grumman is responding to the U.S. Air Force’s need for rapid deployment of resilient communications to develop and field the technologies required by our warfighters to meet today’s challenging missions. This successful test, leveraging a diverse team of commercial and defense SATCOM providers, is critical for the pace of maturity on the Global Lightning program and the ability to begin flight testing in the near future.”
Details: The Northrop Grumman hybrid SATCOM terminal is capable of hosting nine modems with network routing, security and encryption for mission networks. The terminal alternates among the modems if network failures occur to maintain resilient connectivity for the user.
The demonstration proved communications diversity with a connection to a commercial PLEO communications provider at Ku frequencies in low-Earth orbit and Viasat at Ka frequencies through its ViaSat-3 F1 satellite in geosynchronous orbit. The hybrid SATCOM terminal includes a Northrop Grumman radio outfitted with an antenna provided by GetSat.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.
19 Sep 24. Sidus Space Enhances LizzieSat Constellation Operations via Agreement with Neuraspace.
- Neuraspace’s Space Traffic Management (STM) platform provides cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) features that reinforce mission safety, efficiency and longevity for Sidus Space.
Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) (the “Company” or “Sidus”), a provider of end-to-end precision Space Infrastructure solutions and Data-as-a-Service products, announced today, at the World Space Business Week (WSBW) conference in Paris, the signing of an agreement with Neuraspace. Under the agreement, Neuraspace will provide Space Traffic Management and LEOP (Launch and Early Operations) support services to Sidus Space, thereby enhancing the Company’s constellation operation capabilities.
“This agreement is a strategic step as we prepare for the launch of our next LizzieSat™ satellite, which is manifested to launch later this year” explained Carol Craig, CEO of Sidus Space. “Precise situational awareness of our on-orbit assets is imperative to delivering solutions to our customers. We believe that the high accuracy and efficiency enabled by Neuraspace’s advanced AI and ML capabilities makes them the right STM partner for Sidus.”
Neuraspace will provide Sidus with high-precision tracking and real-time conjunction screening, using a global network of ground-based sensors, including optical, radar, and laser systems. Neuraspace will also deliver accurate and timely two-line element (TLE) data and deliver refined orbit determination, to ensure positive satellite identification and safety during separation.
Dr. Chiara Manfletti, CEO of Neuraspace, said “WSBW is a tremendous platform to network and exchange ideas with industry leaders on a world stage. It was the perfect opportunity for Sidus and Neuraspace to finalize this exciting agreement. Sidus’ LizzieSatTM constellation will benefit from the real-time collaborative exchange that Neuraspace’s services enable between satellite operators, which is the foundation for a sustainable space infrastructure.” (Source: ASD Network)
20 Sept. 24. Rocket Lab’s successful launch today of Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star after yesterday’s abort. Rocket Lab’s Electron takes to the skies for its 53rd launch out of Mahia, NZ, for return French Internet-of-Things customer, Kinéis. Photo Credit: Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), provider of launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 53rd Electron mission and deployed five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) company Kinéis.
The ‘Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star’ lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, at 11:01 a.m. on 21 September NZST (23:01, 20 September UTC), successfully deploying five satellites to a 643 km orbit.
The mission was the second of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, a company backed by private and public investors including the French government’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), an international space-based solutions provider, to improve global IoT connectivity. The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption.
By enabling internet connection to the Earth’s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said, “Today’s successful launch marks another milestone for Rocket Lab as we continue to enable innovative companies like Kinéis to push the boundaries of global IoT connectivity. With each mission, we are bringing the world closer together, allowing vital data to be transmitted from the remotest corners of the Earth.”
Across 53 launches Rocket Lab has now deployed 197 satellites for a diverse range of customers and missions, including NASA missions to the Moon, the National Reconnaissance Office and Space Force missions supporting national security and defense, scientific research to combat climate change, and commercial constellations providing vital data and services to ms of people on Earth. (Source: Satnews)
17 Sept. 24. SpaceX launches ESA’s Galileo L13 navigation satellite, Europe’s alternative to American and Russian GPS.
On Tuesday, September 17 at 6:50 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched the European Commission’s Galileo L13 mission to orbit from to medium Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
As reported yesterday weather was an issue and SpaceX got lucky today as the 45th Weather Squadron forecast just a 40 percent chance of favorable weather at liftoff. The booster recovery weather risk was also noted as “moderate” on a scale of low-moderate-high.
“Several factors are in play for the weather this week. Primarily an area of low pressure spinning off the southeast U.S. coastline will gradually move onshore near South Carolina by Tuesday afternoon,” meteorologists wrote. “This circulation pattern, along with several waves of upper-level vorticity will help generate convergent bands of clouds and associated showers rotating through most of Florida into Tuesday.
“Additionally, expect west coast seabreeze convection to make its way across Florida nearing the spaceport Tuesday afternoon further enhancing possibilities for showers and thunderstorms.”
Galileo is Europe’s own global navigation satellite system, providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control. Currently providing Initial Services, Galileo is interoperable with GPS and Glonass, the US and Russian global satellite navigation systems. By offering dual frequencies as standard, Galileo can deliver real-time positioning accuracy down to the metre range.
This is the 22nd launch for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, that previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat, HOTBIRD 13G, O3B mPOWER, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Marah Putih 2, and 12 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Rapid and reliable reusability is key to making life multiplanetary – every mission is an opportunity to learn and inform future missions. During the Galileo L12 mission earlier this year, the Falcon 9 booster was expended to provide the additional performance needed to deliver the payload to its orbit. (Source: Satnews)
16 Sept. 24. Russian military satellite(s) payload identity highly uncertain top secret launch on Tuesday. On Tuesday, September 17th Russia’s Angara 1.2 rocket is launching a Russian military satellite(s) of unknown identity from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation at a cost of $31,000,000, weather permitting.
The forecast calls for a temperature of 61°F, overcast clouds, 100% cloud cover and a wind speed of 3mph.
The Angara 1.2 is the base launcher for the Angara launch family that uses a modular approach to create multiple launch vehicle configurations for various mission requirements. The Angara 1.2 consists of a standard Universal Rocket Module for the core stage and either a modified Block I Upper Stage or a Briz-KM upper stage.
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation, has witnessed the launch of 6 rockets, including 6 orbital launch attemptsfor 1668 rocket launches. (Source: Satnews)
17 Sept. 24. ULA to launch Vulcan second certification mission, and continues the legacy of Atlas.
The United Launch Alliance second Vulcan certification flight (Cert-2) is scheduled for no earlier than (NET) October 4 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, during a window of 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. EDT.
The Cert-2 mission serves as the second of two certification flights required for the U.S. Space Force’s certification process. Vulcan continues the legacy of Atlas as the world’s only high energy architecture rocket and ushers in a new, innovative capability to meet the ever-growing requirements of space launch.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) hoists its Centaur V upper stage atop the Vulcan Cert-2 booster into the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance
The Cert-2 mission includes an inert payload and demonstrations associated with future Centaur V technologies. This is the second of two test flights required for ULA’s certification process with the U.S. Space Force. (Source: Satnews)
15 Sept. 24. TNO launches Qu-STAR to pioneer quantum internet via space.
TNO has launched a new project called Qu-STAR to define the role of space in quantum information networks.
The quantum internet, envisioned to connect quantum devices globally, currently faces distance limitations when relying exclusively on ground networks, restricting the exchange of quantum information to just a few hundred kilometers. Satellites present a promising solution to achieve global connectivity, yet the comprehensive architecture for a global quantum internet remains undefined. Qu-STAR will have the added benefit of strengthening the position of the Netherlands in this emerging field, leveraging the country’s strong expertise in quantum technology, free space optics, and photonics.
Quantum computing holds the potential to tackle some of today’s most significant challenges. To harness its full power, a network is needed that can link quantum devices around the world. Ground networks can only transmit quantum information over relatively short distances, making them insufficient for global connections. Satellites offer a promising solution for achieving worldwide reach, but the design of a comprehensive global quantum internet is still missing.
TNO will collaborate with Airbus Central Research and Technology to take up this task, aiming to define such a design. They will seek collaboration with stakeholders globally, in particular by contributing to the Quantum Internet Alliance and its recently launched Special Interest Group on Space. More broadly, the results of this will be openly accessible to the community.
TNO brings its extensive expertise in optics for laser satellite communications, quantum technology, and novel ICT (Information Communication Technology) infrastructures. Airbus, a key player in all pillars of quantum technology with a focus on aerospace applications, has developed advanced knowledge in ground-satellite optical and quantum communication links and quantum communication networks. Qu-STAR is the direct follow-up of the letter of intent that Airbus and TNO signed last November at the Conférence Érasme Descartes in presence of the ambassadors of France and the Netherlands.
Kees Buijsrogge, director TNO Space, said, “Our goal is to advance technologies and make a significant impact in achieving a global quantum internet. We believe that a collaborative, open approach will yield the best results, and welcome other organizations to join us in this initiative.” (Source: Satnews)