News

Astrobotic has launched its Peregrine Lunar Lander aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s inaugural Vulcan-1 rocket from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex-41. The Peregrine Lander mission represents the US's first soft landing on the lunar surface since the Apollo missions. Likewise, for ULA, the launch serves as the launcher's first certification mission first of two certification launches that the Vulcan rocket has to complete before it can be put under consideration for national security space missions. Other than Astrobotic's lander, Vulcan also launched Celestis Memorial Spaceflight's deep space Voyager mission, the Enterprise Flight.

Space Systems Command (SSC) has renewed its partnership with the Microsoft Corporation to apply the latest commercial innovations to Space Force missions. The Integrated, Immersive, Intelligent Environment (I3E) is a follow-on to the Immersive Digital Facility (IDF) prototype successfully developed earlier this year. The I3E contract is worth $19.8 million and has a one-year period of performance starting Dec. 1 and reserved scope for an additional three years.

NASA has modified agreements for two funded commercial space station partners that are on track to develop low Earth orbit destinations for NASA and other customers as the International Space Station retires in 2030. The changes add new technical milestones and reallocate existing funding to allow the agency to accelerate efforts as part of NASA’s goal to foster a commercial low-Earth orbit economy.

SpaceWatch.Global is pleased to present: The Space Café Podcast #97:  Building the perfect telescope: Giuseppe Racca and the Quest for the Dark Universe with ESA’s Euclid. In this engaging episode of the Space Cafe Podcast, Markus converses with Giuseppe Racca, the key figure behind the European Space Agency's (ESA) Euclid mission. As a seasoned expert with extensive experience at ESTEC, Racca provides deep insights into the mission's goal to unravel the enigmatic forces of dark matter and dark energy. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of leading a major space exploration project and shares his passion for astrophysics and the pursuit of cosmic knowledge.

Maxar Space Systems has announced that the Ovzon 3 satellite has successfully launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and is performing as expected after launch. Maxar Space Systems manufactured the satellite for Ovzon at their Palo Alto, California, facility using its modular architecture platform. The satellite launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Jan 3, 2024.

Maxar Intelligence has announced the receipt of a contract to provide the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) with a Precision3DTM Data Suite bundle covering 160,000 square kilometers within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility. As a result, the commercial 3D data from Maxar will support the work of NGA’s Office of Geomatics, which maintains accurate 3D GEOINT products in support of a diverse group of military and civilian customers.

The Indian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which is jointly funding India’s contribution alongside the Department of Science and Technology, has announced that plans are now underway to sign the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO) Convention, the intergovernmental organization’s founding treaty. The observatory had anticipated full membership as the Indian Government was a party to the negotiation of the SKAO Convention and participated in the preparatory activities that led to the creation of the Observatory in early 2021.

Sidus Space, a multi-faceted Space and Data-as-a-Service company, has announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has granted it a Tier 1 remote sensing license to include Panchromatic (PAN) and Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) imaging capabilities. This approval includes Sidus’ upcoming LizzieSat scheduled for launch in March 2024, as well as subsequent LizzieSat satellites.

Dhruva Space has announced its successful Space-qualification of its P30 Satellite Platform launched as ‘Launching Expeditions for Aspiring Payloads - Technology Demonstrator’ (LEAP-TD) Payload onboard ISRO’s PSLV-C58 POEM-3 mission. The launch took place at 09:10 IST on 01 January 2024 from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched the XPOSAT Satellite into an Eastward low inclination orbit on January 01, 2024, aboard its PSLV-C58 carrier. The mission will study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions, the structure and geometry of the magnetic field of neutron stars, and develop an understanding of galactic black hole binary sources. The mission will also study and confirm the production of X-rays.