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by Christophe Bosquillon   At most conferences, there’s always the excuse of a plane to catch if you want to skip that last lunch keynote address. In the case of the latest von Braun Space Symposium thou, it would have been ill-advised. Mike Griffin delivered a compelling call to arms …

Spire Global, Inc. has announced the launch of its High-Resolution Weather Forecast model, a differentiated regional high-resolution weather forecasting service to meet the critical demands of the energy and commodity markets. The solution provides precise and customizable weather forecasts extending up to six days, with the capability to be run at resolutions as fine as 1 kilometre, covering any point on the globe, including the most remote regions and the open oceans.

Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing company, announced on the 27th of November that it has completed the critical design review (CDR) for its Missile Track Custody (MTC) space vehicle. The CDR investigated not just an individual spacecraft, but also the overall constellation design. The MTC program is part of Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Space Sensing Resilient Missile Warning, Missile Tracking, Missile Defense program office.

Lockheed Martin announced on the 27th of November that it will soon launch a Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) payload demonstrator. The ESA sensor intends to extend Lockheed Martin’s investment in scalable wideband ESA technology development to showcase on-orbit capability. The payload demonstrator will launch aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket, under the mission Fly the Lightning.

In an interview directly after the end of the mission, Dr Aidyl Gonzalez-Serricchio, member of CAMoes Crew Zero, gave Torsten Kriening an interview near her home in the cave. Aidyl is a research scientist experienced in space research analogs focusing on astrobiology. She earned her Doctorate in Molecular Genetics at California Institute of Technology and went on to complete postdoctoral work on myotonic dystrophy at the Institute of Genetic Medicine at the University of California, where she gained valuable experience in translational research. She will support CAMões molecular genetics, soil health, and microbiologic research.

Shortly before the analogue astronauts left the cave, our Torsten Kriening spoke with Dr Pedro Caetano CAMoes Mission Medical Doctor. Pedro is co-founder of a medical company, PLANET EXPLORERS, that since 2017 has offered medical support for extreme environments (expeditions, travels, scientific, leisure, etc). He has experience in different environments from the North Pole, to Patagonia, to high mountains. He supports Mission Control and CAMões human performance and space medical research.

During the CAMoes project, our CEO Torsten Kriening spoke with Paulo Barcelos from CAMoes Mission Control. Paulo is the Chairman of the Board of our lead Azores host organisation, Associação Os Montanheiros, and manages the Natal Cave. Has over 25 years as a speleologist exploring lava tubes and caves across the Azores islands. He teaches speleology and safety in caves and facilitates Azores and Angra host government engagement, permits, and environmental approvals for the mission.

The goal of this first analog mission is to prove the use of Azorean volcanic caves as a scientific and research space analog context for multisectoral and long-term investigations. Here some facts about the mission. This seven-day space research analog will take place in the Natal Cave on Terceira Island. Seven crew members will spend six nights and seven days in this lava tube cave, the first people to overnight in this environment.

Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, will present its innovative space technologies at the upcoming COP28 in Dubai. One of the conference's primary aims is to address the challenges of global climate change. Yahsat is already working closely with various UAE Government entities and international organisations, including the United Nations. The company also actively commits to providing advanced, affordable, resilient, and reliable solutions that will address the challenges of global climate change. 

The UK is aiming to join Portugal and Spain as a member of the Atlantic Constellation and is contributing a new pathfinder satellite designed and built by a UK-based company adding to the innovative Earth and coastal monitoring and data sharing network. This new commitment will further strengthen the UK’s national capabilities in Earth observation technology and complement the UK’s contributions to the EU Copernicus program, European Space Agency and bilateral missions.