Dr David Parker, ESA’s Director for Human and Robotic Exploration, has named the “specially trained woolly astronaut”, Shaun the Sheep, Aardman’s family favourite TV series, as the first astronaut on the Artemis I mission to the Moon. “This is an exciting time for Shaun and for us at ESA.

ALL.SPACE, (formerly Isotropic Systems), has launched its fifth generation software-defined service enablement ‘smart terminal’, which is moving into initial production for release at the end of 2022, the company said. The platform is able to connect with all networks utilizing intelligent routing, edge computing, integrated modems, and cellular access.

The Space Report 2022 Q2 edition has been published providing insight into the expanding global space economy, reaching a record US $469 billion, with a growth rate that is the fastest in seven years. The edition examines 46 nations’ actualized government space spending as well as commercial revenue from last year.

Parts of the first stage of the Chinese Long March 5B rocket, that launched the second, Wentian module of the Tiangong Space Station last month reentered Earth’s atmosphere over Southeast Asia six days after launch, the China Manned Space Agency confirmed.

SES and its wholly-owned subsidiary SES Government Solutions (SES GS) completed the acquisition of DRS Global Enterprise Solutions (GES) from Leonardo DRS for US $450 million, SES announced. The combined business will create a scaled solutions provider to serve the US Government’s multi-orbit satellite communications needs.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Government of Japan in cooperation with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) announced that they are looking for students from developing countries to study nano-satellite development as part of another round of the post-graduate study on Nano-Satellite Technologies

Space infrastructure company, Masten Space Systems, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to increasing debts following its 2020 contract from NASA for a robotic lunar lander. Masten was founded in 2004 and had won a number of NASA contracts.

Congress has passed a NASA authorization bill, the first in five years, extending the operational life of the International Space Station (ISS) up until 2030 while also backing the agency’s Artemis program. The passing of the bill signals that Congress pioritizes the advancement of NASA’s technology, infrastructure, and workforce.

Florida-based company, Space Perspective unveiled the design of its pressurized, balloon-borne capsule, Spaceship Neptune, which will become operational in about two years from now. if all goes according to plan. The carbon-neutral spaceship will comprise the SpaceBalloon, Reserve Descent System and Neptune Capsule.

Volume I of McGill Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS): Volume I – Rules containing the 52 rules agreed by consensus among subject-matter experts and institutions over a six-year process, has been published. The project was initiated by the Faculty of Law’s Centre for Research in Air and Space Law involving over 80 international participants