IRIS2 (pronounced “iris square”) is the new EU secure satellite constellation project, which stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite. Touted as “the European Union’s answer to pressing challenge of tomorrow, offering enhanced communication capacities to governmental users, businesses, while ensuring high-speed internet broadband to cope with connectivity dead zones,“ IRIS2 is the result of a brilliant vision at the intersection of European “strategic autonomy,” orbital economy and policy, space industry majors, innovative startups, bureaucratic agendas, and a European Union space strategy for security and defense. Like many brilliant visions, it runs the risk of being eaten for breakfast by the tyranny of execution. Could it be different this time?
Read More »Dr Ouattara to Head AUC’s Science, Technology and Space Division
The African Union Commission has appointed Dr Tidiane Ouattara as the Head of the Science, Technology and Space Division at the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, African Union Commission, as reported by Space in Africa. Prior to this, Dr Ouattara was (and still remains) the Space Expert in charge of the development and implementation of the African Outer Space Program, including implementing the African Space Policy and Strategy and establishing the African Space Agency. He also remains the Program Coordinator for the GMES and Africa program.
Read More »Voyager Space Appoints Smith as CTO and Board Member
Voyager Space (Voyager) has announced the appointment of Marshall Smith as the company's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and as a member of Starlab Space's Board of Directors. Smith, who previously served as Voyager Space's Vice President of Exploration, will lead the technical strategy for Voyager's enterprise and guide the Starlab team through the design, development, and operations of the commercial space station.
Read More »Belgium Becomes Latest Signatory to the Artemis Accords
Belgium has become the latest country to append its signature to the Artemis Accords, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, and the Secretary of State for Science Policy, Thomas Dermine, signing the accords yesterday, 23rd of January 2024.
Read More »Aldoria Closes Series A Funding Through Green Financing
ALDORIA (formerly Share My Space) has announced closing its Serie A funding round, securing €10 million in equity investments from a strong syndicate, bringing the total amount of investment in the company to €22 million to date. To support this new stage of development, the company is strengthening its brand and effective today, Share My Space has become ALDORIA, a former name of the Pleiades nebula.
Read More »Redwire Wins Blue Origin Contract to Develop ROSA Wings
Redwire Corporation has announced that it has won a contract to develop and deliver four Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) wings, along with multiple Argus cameras and Low Voltage Distribution Units (LVDUs) for Blue Origin’s multi-orbit space mobility platform, Blue Ring. The ROSA wings Redwire is developing for Blue Ring will power the platform across a variety of missions focused on in-space logistics and delivery in medium-Earth orbit and beyond.
Read More »Sierra Space Announces Successful UBP Test of LIFE Habitat
Sierra Space has announced the successful test of its first full-scale, expandable space station structure, the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE), alongside exclusive softgoods technology partner ILC Dover. The test represents the Company's first stress test of a full-size, inflatable space station structure.
Read More »Astrobotic Peregrine Mission 1 Re-enters Earth
Following a successful launch and separation from the ULA Vulcan Centaur rocket on Jan. 8, 2024, Peregrine experienced a loss of propellant. Not only did that prevent any soft landing on the Moon, but the valve connecting helium to oxidizer had caused flooding and ruptured the tank. The spacecraft was now a flying hazard that could potentially create more debris in cislunar space or lunar orbit. After analysis and recommendations from NASA and the space community, Astrobotic determined the best option for minimizing risk and ensuring responsible disposal of the spacecraft would be to maintain Peregrine's trajectory toward Earth for atmospheric re-entry and burnup.
Read More »Scout Space Announces Philip Hover-Smoot as CEO
Scout Space Inc. has announced long-time aerospace and defence executive Philip Hover-Smoot as the company's Chief Executive Officer as of January 12, 2024. He will consequently be succeeding Co-founder and CEO Eric Ingram, who will now be taking on the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief Strategy Officer.
Read More »JAXA Lands on the Moon Albeit with Limited Power Supply
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced the successful soft-landing of its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft on the moon, on January 20, 2024, at 0:20 am (JST). This feat makes Japan the fifth country to soft-land on the moon, joining the USA, China, the former Soviet Union, and India. Despite the historic landing, however, JAXA may not achieve full operationalization of the spacecraft as its solar cells are currently not generating power.
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