News

Intuitive Machines has launched its IM-1 lunar mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander (Odysseus) has subsequently been deployed and has begun its journey to the lunar surface. If successful, the IM-1 lunar mission will be the first commercial soft landing attempt on the Moon. It would also mark the first American mission in 51 years to complete a soft touchdown on the Moon.

LeoLabs has released a joint statement on debris remediation signed by representatives of commercial entities in collaboration with the Secure World Foundation (SWF). LeoLabs and SWF led this effort in response to the continual accumulation of massive derelict objects (e.g. spent rocket bodies, etc.) in low Earth orbit (LEO). As of January 2024, around 29% of the total mass in LEO consists of these massive objects, 43% of which were left in orbit since the turn of the century. These objects pose the greatest debris-generating potential in LEO, putting the satellites the global economy relies on at risk.

The US Space Systems Command (SSC) and its mission partners have successfully launched the U.S. Space Force (USSF)-124 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket today at 5:30 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.  Furthermore, the satellites for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Development Agency (SDA) were safely delivered to their intended orbit.

The Space Café Podcast #100:  Ditching Big Finance for adventure: Exploring Earth and Beyond with Paul Niel. Join Markus for a compelling episode of the Space Café Podcast, where he embarks on a journey through the remarkable adventures of Paul Niel. Niel, an explorer and adventurer, delves into his experiences from unearthing ancient relics to embarking on space analog missions. This episode is a testament to the human spirit of exploration, whether scaling the highest peaks or simulating life on Mars.

Skylo Technologies, a direct-to-device satellite connectivity service provider, has secured $37 million in a funding round co-led by Intel Capital and Innovation Endeavors. The round also enjoyed support from new investors, including BMW i Ventures, Next47, Samsung Catalyst Fund, and Seraphim Space. In addition, David Johnson of Intel Capital will be joining the board, bringing a wealth of experience and insight to fortify Skylo’s leadership team.

SpaceX has issued a commitment to space sustainability, pledging to perform controlled descents of approximately 100 additional early-version 1 Starlink satellites in the coming weeks and months. With space sustainability in mind, SpaceX has to-date initiated controlled deorbits on 406 satellites out of the nearly 6000 Starlink satellites launched. Of those, 17 are currently non-maneuverable, passively decaying, but well-tracked to help mitigate collision risk with other active satellites. The other 95% of satellites the Starlink team initiated controlled descent for have already de-orbited. 

Capella Space Corp., an American space tech company with data and satellite solutions for Government and commercial applications, has announced a partnership with TCarta, a global provider of hydrospatial products and services, to add high-resolution SAR satellite imagery to TCarta's coastal monitoring and shoreline feature extraction solutions. This partnership will enable more consistent and reliable identification of coastline changes so coastal managers have accurate and up-to-date information for mitigating the impacts of climate change. 

CoreLogic Australia has partnered with ICEYE on a disaster response solution for the banking and finance industry. The partnership aims to combine four decades of CoreLogic’s property data with ICEYE’s hazard insights, which leverage synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite data and auxiliary ground data, to develop a new disaster solution that can pinpoint areas and properties affected by flood and bushfire as events unfold.

LeoLabs has raised an additional $29 million in financing to scale up the delivery of insights to commercial and Government operators by further investing in advanced end-user applications and partner integrations. The round saw new investors, including GP Bullhound, 1941, and Dolby Family Ventures. This extension also enjoyed strong support from existing investors, including Insight Partners, Velvet Sea Ventures, Space Capital, MDSV Capital, and the AngelList Syndicate.

Starlab Space LLC (Starlab Space), the transatlantic joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, has announced its leadership team. Retired NASA astronaut and Voyager executive Tim Kopra will become Starlab's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), while Mohit Sharma, currently Head of Mergers and Acquisitions Finance at Airbus Defence and Space, joins Starlab as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).