News

Information and intelligence platform provider NorthStar Earth & Space and on-orbit services provider Astroscale, formed a strategic partnership at the 2022 International Astronautical Congress to further support space sustainability, NorthStar said. The duo will do so by combining NorthStar’s precise space-based object tracking with Astroscale’s spacecraft navigation and capture capability. 

Space transportation provider Spaceflight, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for upcoming launches with launch services provider Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), RFA said. Under the agreement, Spaceflight will fly its Sherpa orbital transfer vehicles (OTV) and other rideshare payloads on upcoming RFA missions.

In this Space Café Radio – SpaceWatch.Global Senior Editor and Space Cafè Italy Host Dr. Emma Gatti spoke with Prof. Richard Linares, Rockwell International Career Development Professor and Associate Professor at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of MIT (MA - USA), and Prof. Akhil Rao, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Middlebury College (VT - USA).

Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) has been awarded a €1.1 million contract by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Scylight program to support the development of the optical communication project NODES (Network of Optical stations for Data transfer to Earth from Space), SSC said. The company aims to legitimize the ground segment for the optical communication market. 

Wireless technology company Rivada Space Networks, the company launching a 600-satellite constellation to low Earth orbit (LEO), has joined the EU Secure Connectivity Programme. Digitization and increasing geopolitical and cybersecurity threats require secure and resilient global connectivity.

Space exploration company Intuitive Machines, has signed a definitive business combination agreement with Inflection Point Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company, in order for Intuitive Machines to become a publicly listed firm.  Intuitive Machines is expected to have a pro forma equity value of over US $1 billion with shareholders rolling their holdings into the combined company.

On September 1st and 2nd of 2022, the Latin American Satellite Congress (LATSAT) took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Aerospace professionals from different parts of Brazil and the world came to participate in the two day event. Hundreds of people gathered to listen to talks about services and new technologies from the satellite market, the new space race, and the prospects for aerospace science in Latin America. The event was organized by Glasberg Communications, promoted by Teletime News and Tela Viva, and hosted by Samuel Possebon, telecommunications expert and Teletime’s editorial director.

Spaceflight safety platform provider Kayhan Space, focused on innovative collision avoidance and launch security solutions, has appointed space industry executive S. Sita Sonty, as the company’s strategic advisor. Sonty is Partner and Associate Director in the Aerospace, Defense and Public Sector practices of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Optical Earth Observation (EO) technologies company Satlantis, and space missions, satellites and spacecraft subsystems provider OHB Sweden, have signed a contract for two microsatellites based on the OHB Sweden InnoSat platform, the companies announced.

Japan and Germany declared the countries will not conduct direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing, agreeing to the US-driven initiative launched earlier this year. The announcement was made during the second session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats.