Geopolitics

UK-based orbital launch services company, Orbex, has won £3.3 million in funding from the UK Space Agency as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) “Boost!” initiative. The initiative, which is part of ESA’s Commercial Space Transportation Services and Support programme, aims to further the development of world-leading space launch technologies.

Spire Global, Inc. has received a multi-million euro contract from EUMETSAT, Europe’s meteorological satellite agency, to provide radio occultation (RO) data. The contract is for an initial period of two years, from 2024-2026, with three optional, one-year extensions. The award follows a successful pilot program, which demonstrated the benefits of Spire’s RO data for weather forecasting accuracy and value. The Company’s RO data provides information about the vertical profiles of pressure, humidity and temperature across all points of the globe, including in the most remote regions and open oceans.

At the end of day one of the World Space Forum 2023 at UNOOSA in Vienna, Dr. Emma Gatti and Torsten Kriening offer their recap of the day. They have recorded the Space Cafe Clip directly after Dr. Gatti's Worksop titled "Nobody cares about your satellite. Our struggle for a better space communications"

Thales Alenia Space has signed a multi-mission contract with PT Len Industri to provide a state-of-the-art Earth observation constellation combining both radar and optical sensors and dedicated to the Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MoD). As a result, both companies will join forces to deploy an end-to-end system including space and ground segment in Indonesia.

The U.S. Space Force, the U.S. European Command, and the U.S. Africa Command have launched the U.S. Space Forces Europe and Africa component, their newest service component. The component was established to ​​support the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in an expansion of USSF’s growing reach into combatant commands.

Amos has won an ESA contract to supply six hyperspectral spectrometers that will serve as the heart of the CHIME satellite mission (Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment, also known as Sentinel-10). CHIME is an extension of the Copernicus program of the European Commission, in partnership with the ESA. 

The intersection between space exploration and climate action is becoming increasingly relevant, as advancements in technology enable us to monitor and understand our planet's changing climate from a unique vantage point.

Focus on local industries, people and communities brings #space community closer. Remco Timmermans gives us his final thoughts from the NSE ExpoForum held in Italy this past week. The highlights include : - The need for legislation and space law, nationally and internationally, - EU Space law to presented during March 2024, - Role of space in national and international security

Neutron Star Systems (NSS) has announced the signature of its second contract with the European Space Agency to deliver "Very High Thrust Density for Space Transportation". Under the agreement, NSS and its partners will design and manufacture a high-power electric propulsion (HPEP) prototype which will lay the groundwork for deploying electric propulsion (EP) technologies on future missions and ensuring European independence and capabilities for future operations.

Capt. Andrea Patassa the European Space Agency - ESA Reserve Astronaut , from the Italian Air Force spoke with Remco Timmermans at the NSE ExpoForum The conversation highlighted the dual use and the relevance of defence in space.