July 25, 2024

Astranis Raises $200 Million for New GEO Broadband Satellite Design (Source: Space News)
Astranis has raised $200 million to fully fund development of a new broadband satellite design. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz co-led the Series D funding round with investment firm BAM Elevate, bringing the total raised by Astranis to $750 million. The company will use the funding to complete the development of Omega, a spacecraft slightly larger than its existing line of small GEO satellites but still small enough that 12 could fit on a single Falcon 9. The Omega satellites will have five times the throughput of its earlier satellites. Astranis has not disclosed any customers yet for Omega. (7/25)

SES Wins US Army Contract for Satcom Services (Source: Space News)
SES won a U.S. Army contract to provide managed satcom services. The $3.6 million contract to SES Space & Defense, the U.S. arm of the Luxembourg-based operator, is part of a pilot program initiated by the Army in September to explore "satcom as a managed service," a departure from traditional military contracts for satellite capacity. Under this model, SES will deliver comprehensive services including satellite capacity, ground infrastructure and network management. The Army selected SES and Intelsat for the awards in September but only now disclosed the value of the SES contract. (7/25)

Star Catcher Raises $12.5 Million for Power Beaming (Source: Space News)
A startup proposing to beam power to satellites has raised more than $12 million in seed funding. Star Catcher announced Wednesday the $12.25 million seed round co-led by Initialized Capital and B Capital. The company, founded by two former Made In Space executives and a space investor, is proposing to set up a network of spacecraft that can beam sunlight to other satellites, allowing their solar panels to generate more power. Potential applications for Star Catcher's solar energy delivery service include synthetic aperture radar satellites and direct-to-device communications constellations. The seed round will allow the company to conduct ground- and space-based demonstrations of the technology. (7/25)

Ursa Major Opens 3D Printing Center in Ohio (Source: Space News)
Engine manufacturer Ursa Major opened a new 3D-printing center in Ohio. The facility will focus on accelerating material development and qualification processes for aerospace applications of additive manufacturing. Colorado-based Ursa Major chose Ohio for the facility based on access to materials, suppliers and an existing ecosystem of additive manufacturing companies. Ursa Major said its new facility represents a $14.5 million capital investment, including $4 million from a JobsOhio grant. (7/25)

Now Frontier Tests Point-to-Point Hypersonic Engine (Source: Space News)
New Frontier Aerospace has performed the first tests of an engine it plans to eventually use on high-speed point-to-point vehicles. The company's chairman said it successfully hotfired its Mjölnir engine last week for the first time. The engine used an advanced full-flow staged combustion engine design, like SpaceX's Raptor, although with far less thrust. New Frontier proposes to use the engine to power vehicles for hypersonic intercontinental flights that will carry cargo and, eventually, people. (7/25)

Sierra Space Bursts Space Station Module Model (Source: Space News)
Sierra Space has conducted a second burst test of a full-sized space station module. The company announced Thursday it performed the test last month at the Marshall Space Flight Center, exceeding NASA safety margins by more than 20%. The result was similar to the first test the company conducted last December. Sierra Space is developing the inflatable module for the Orbital Reef commercial space station, with this test serving as a milestone in a NASA award to support its development. The company also plans to fly the module on a pathfinder mission before the end of the decade. (7/25)

July 30 Set for Delayed Rocket Lab Synspective Launch (Source; Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab has set a July 30 date for its next Electron launch. The company said the launch will carry a radar imaging satellite for Japanese company Synspective. It will be the fifth of 16 launches Rocket Lab is conducting for Synspective, each carrying an individual satellite. The launch was previously scheduled for earlier this month with a Capella Space radar imaging satellite on board, but Capella requested the launch be postponed to perform additional tests on the spacecraft. (7/25)

Morpheus Space Unveils New Mass Production Facility in Dresden (Source: Space Daily)
Morpheus Space, a leading provider of space mobility solutions, has inaugurated its first mass production facility for space systems in Dresden, Germany. The new "Reloaded" factory will begin by producing 100 units annually of the GO-2, Morpheus Space's second-generation electric propulsion system, designed to meet the increasing demand for satellite mobility solutions. The GO-2 is a modular Field Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) system that offers reliable and continuous mobility throughout the satellite's mission. It aims to solve the mobility challenges faced by the space industry. (7/24)

SmartSat CRC and New Zealand Govt Unveil Collaborative Space Research Projects (Source: Space Daily)
SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat CRC) has announced the commencement of four new space research projects jointly funded with New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), starting in August 2024. These initiatives mark the first phase of the Australia-New Zealand Collaborative Space Program and include projects on methane emissions monitoring, real-time greenhouse gas tracking, free space optical communication management, and maritime domain awareness. (7/24)

NASA Ranks Top Civil Space Technology Challenges for 2024 (Source: Space Daily)
This spring, NASA published a comprehensive document identifying nearly 200 technology areas requiring further development to meet future exploration, science, and other mission needs. The aerospace community was invited to rate the importance of these areas to help integrate the community's technical challenges and guide NASA's space technology development and investments. Click here. (7/24)

Gilat Secures Over $9M in Contracts for Satellite Communications Solutions (Source: Space Daily)
Gilat Satellite Networks announced that the company has received over $9 million in cumulative orders from various satellite operators. These orders aim to enhance global SATCOM networks using Gilat's advanced and proven solutions. Gilat's technology will support a variety of services and applications over GEO and NGSO satellites, including in-flight connectivity, maritime mobility, cellular backhaul, and enterprise services.  (7/24)

Designing Space Exploration with the Human in Mind (Source: Space Daily)
When designing a new spacecraft or exploration vehicle, there is intense focus on its technical performance. Do its systems perform as expected? What kind of power does it need? Will it safely reach its destination? Equally important, however, is whether that vehicle also works for the humans inside. Can astronauts easily reach critical controls? Do the seats conform to a crew member regardless of their height and body size? Does the layout of crew workstations, translation paths, stowage, and other items support effective working and living conditions?

Those are just a few of the questions NASA's Center for Design and Space Architecture (CDSA) seeks to answer. Based within the Human Health and Performance Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston, the CDSA is NASA's conceptual, human-centered design studio. It creates advanced concepts for spacecraft, exploration vehicles, and habitats that put crew needs first. The team provides a full spectrum of design services, from concept sketches to CAD models, to scaled mockups and virtual reality (VR), to full-size prototype fabrication. (7/24)

ICON Mission Ends with Critical Breakthroughs on Earth, Space Weather (Source: Space Daily)
Nearly five years after it launched, NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer -- or ICON -- mission has officially come to an end, the space agency announced Wednesday. NASA's ICON mission gathered valuable data as it orbited the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere, about 55 miles to 360 miles into space in the ionosphere, and provided critical breakthroughs on how space weather affects Earth's weather. (7/24)

Chandra Turns 25 (Source: 1440)
NASA marked 25 years since it launched its X-ray observatory Chandra yesterday by publishing 25 previously unseen cosmic images the telescope has collected since its inception. Named after Indian American Nobel laureate and astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Chandra is the most powerful X-ray observatory in operation. X-rays originate when matter is heated to millions of degrees, commonly in high-energy regions with extreme magnetic or gravitational forces. (7/24)

NASA’s Big Bet on Blue Origin (Source: LaunchPad)
Mars is about to get its next probe, and Blue Origin is going to launch it. When it debuts, the ultra heavy-lift rocket built by Jeff Bezos’ rapidly growing aerospace company will be the 3rd largest rocket in the world. And partially reusable, with an expendable second stage and a massive self-landing booster.

NASA has entrusted Blue Origin with a rare confidence for the maiden flight, awarding multimillions in contract value to send the ESCAPADE probe into Martian orbit. There, it will study the Martian magnetosphere and its interaction with the solar wind, for scientific research and in preparation for future manned missions to the Red Planet. (7/24)

Dream Ticket for Space? Harris Considers Kelly as VP Running Mate (Source: SPACErePORT)
Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads the National Space Council for the Biden Administration, is currently considering Arizona Senator Mark Kelly to be her running mate for November's presidential election. The NSC has given Harris a solid understanding of our nation's military, civil, and commercial space enterprise. And as a former NASA astronaut, Sen. Kelly has a career-long interest in space exploration and NASA's mission. Together they could represent attractive ticket for space-minded voters. (7/24)

Still Room to Grow. Multiple Florida Launch Pads Unassigned or Potentially Available (Source: SPACErePORT)
Recent moves by ABL and Firefly could add to Florida's inventory of available launch pads. Launch Complexes 15 and 20 were recently assigned to Firefly and ABL, but those companies have committed to using Virginia (Firefly) and Europe (ABL), raising question about their plans at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

Meanwhile, LC-37 hosts the retiring ULA Delta rocket, LC-12, LC-19, and LC-34 are unassigned, and LC-47 is seldom used for tiny weather sounding rockets and balloon launches. Add to this the greenfield LC-48 and LC-49 being considered for SpaceX Starship, and it's clear that there is room for new users at the Cape. Of course, launch pads are only part of the requirement, what about access to launch slots and range services? The Space Force has demonstrated a vast increase in Eastern Range throughput, allowing daily launches and even multiple launches per day. (7/24)

What is Space Force Fit? (Source: AFNS)
Military service members are expected to be fit – it’s all a part of making sure a fighting force is ready for duty and the U.S. Space Force is no exception. Guardians may spend more time tracking satellites and space debris and staying alert for hostile missiles than engaging in hand-to-hand combat, but that doesn’t mean they can slack off when it comes to physical training. As the newest military service, the U.S. Space Force is taking a more holistic health approach to fitness standards.

“Regular exercise isn't just about building physical strength; it's about optimizing our potential,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jacqueline Sauvé, Space Systems Command senior enlisted leader. “Research consistently affirms that exercise isn't merely a routine; it's a vital component fostering resilience, mental clarity and holistic health. From safeguarding against cardiovascular risks to bolstering mental well-being, fitness is a mission imperative.”

When the Space Force was first established in December of 2019 without its own formal health and fitness program, it relied mostly on the Air Force's standard Physical Fitness Assessment test, which includes a plank, crunches, hand-release and conventional push-ups and a 1.5 mile run, or shuttle run to gauge the fitness levels of Guardians. (7/23)

NASA Should Ditch the Spin on Starliner (Source: The Atlantic)
One week turned into another, and then another, and then seven. Before Starliner launched, NASA had set a 45-day deadline for keeping the spacecraft in orbit for the sake of the capsule’s batteries, which hadn’t been tested in space yet. Today is day 48. According to NASA officials, the batteries are still performing well, and Starliner could remain docked to the space station as late as mid-August while the agency and its aerospace contractor troubleshoot issues with the spacecraft.

Officials at the agency and Boeing have insisted that Wilmore and Williams are not in any danger, but the public narrative—that the astronauts are stranded on the ISS—has not been flattering. Boeing has taken the brunt of the bad reviews. But NASA, which hired Boeing to transport its astronauts, bears significant responsibility too: for its uneven supervision of Starliner’s development leading up to launch and its overly guarded communications to the public since, which have done more to fan rumors about the state of the mission than dispel them. (7/24)