News

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.

Terran Orbital Corporation has announced that it has received a payment from Rivada Space Networks pursuant to the Company's previously announced contract with Rivada. The amount was for the completion of a program milestone, and as a result, Rivada is current on all outstanding invoices. The Company expects to receive additional milestone payments in 2024 and continues to expect to meet its delivery obligations under the Rivada Contract on schedule in 2025 and 2026.

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Govt. of India company under the Department of Space and the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced a launch partnership with SpaceX and the Falcon Heavy rocket. As a result, SpaceX will launch NSIL's 2nd Demand-driven communication satellite mission involving GSAT-20 [renamed as GSAT-N2], a high throughput Ka-band Satellite, during the 2nd quarter of 2024. 

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has selected DCUBED as its first choice for space pin pullers for the critical Space Qualified Rover Lidar (SQRLi) Support project. The SQRLi project is a LIDAR engineering test unit with a 35m or greater range sensor array to provide a 40×40 field of view and operate under poor lighting conditions for rover-based missions and autonomous exploration of extreme environments like permanently shadowed lunar craters. 

The U.S. government has selected Rocket Lab to design, manufacture, deliver, and operate 18 space vehicles through a contract worth up to $515 million. Rocket Lab disclosed the award in a December 21 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to Rocket Lab’s SEC filing, the contract includes a base amount of $489 million, with incentives and options worth $26 million.

As we close another remarkable year at SpaceWatch.Global, I want to take a moment to reflect on our journey through 2023, a year that has been both challenging and exhilarating in the world of space, space policy, space exploration and space technology. This year, we witnessed groundbreaking advancements and inspiring collaborations. From the launch of next-generation satellites that promise to revolutionize communication networks, to the deep-space missions that have brought us closer than ever to understanding the mysteries of our universe, 2023 has been a year of phenomenal achievements.

GPS signals that guide civilian aircraft in the Middle East and Ukraine are being jammed and spoofed, diverting flights and risking the safety of all onboard. Meanwhile, diplomats from 25 countries met again in Geneva to consider possible elements of a legally binding agreement to prevent an arms race in outer space (PAROS). Both situations arise from decades of unsuccessful diplomatic attempts to ensure that outer space – a shared, global environment on which the entire world depends – remains peaceful and available to all.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the launch schedule for the second H3 Launch Vehicle (H3TF2), set for February 15, 2024, from the Tanegashima Space Center. This marks a return to flight for the H3 rocket after its unsuccessful inaugural launch in March 2023. The aborted inaugural launch was attributed to the second-stage engine's failure to ignite, prompting the flight termination system.

Space Systems Command (SSC) and SpaceX have successfully launched the U.S. Space Force (USSF)-52 mission using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex (LC)-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon Heavy carried the seventh mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, an experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the USSF.