Europe

Government ministers representing ESA’s Member States, Associate States and Cooperating States have resolved to strengthen Europe’s space ambitions to better serve European citizens after the ESA Space Summit in Seville. As a result, Europe aims to harness space for a greener future, take decisive steps in exploration, and ensure autonomous access to space while preparing a paradigm shift towards a more competitive next generation of launchers, following decisions taken today at the Space Summit.

Aerospacelab and DUPUIS, a renowned publisher of comic albums and magazines, have announced their collaboration with the launch of Aerospacelab’s Versatile Satellite Platform (VSP), SPIP satellite, the company’s fourth satellite to travel into space. Less than a month after the launch of its PVCC satellite, Aerospacelab is gearing up for another launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States.

An illuminating discussion from #SDC2023 with two trailblazing Estonian space leaders - Elise Olt and Marily Hendrikson! � Get inspired as they share a vibrant vision for Estonia's growing role in the global space industry. Learn how their work is expanding access and opportunity in space tech for future generations. Elise and Marily provide unique perspectives on Estonia's emerging space sector and shaping the new space economy.

POLARIS Spaceplanes, a German aerospace start-up, has successfully flown MIRA under turbine thrust for the first time. The first flight took place in Peenemünde with 260 km squared of closed airspace. It had a flight time of just under 2.5 minutes and a distance of approximately 9km. POLARIS received the Operation License on the 25th of October and the following day flew MIRA.

The Netherlands has become the newest and 31st signatory to the Artemis Accords, signing the document during a ceremony at the Dutch Ambassador’s Residence in Washington on Wednesday. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participated in the signing ceremony for the agency, and Netherlands Space Office (NSO) director Harm van de Wetering signed on behalf of the Netherlands.

Kuva Space, a Finnish hyperspectral satellite imagery company, has successfully raised 16.6 million euros ($17.6 million) in a recent Series A funding round. The startup, founded in 2016, aims to accelerate its satellite launches and expand its market reach, especially in the United States. The funding will be utilised to enhance Kuva Space’s AI analytics platform.

Andøya Spaceport has been officially inaugurated as the first operational spaceport in continental Europe, and the first launch site of the European launch service company Isar Aerospace. The inauguration happened in an official ceremony, with H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon inaugurating the spaceport. The inauguration also marks an essential milestone on Isar Aerospace’s path to its first test flight.

Straight from Tallinn! �� Torsten Kriening spoke with Dr. Daniel Fischer, Head of Ground Segment System and Cyber Security Engineering at European Space Agency - ESA, about critical work safeguarding our space infrastructure. Hear directly from Dr. Fischer on ESA's cutting-edge approaches to cybersecurity in the space sector. He discusses how to build resilience against emerging threats in an increasingly complex space ecosystem. ☄ Dr. Fischer also provides fascinating insights into ESA's Zero Debris Universe initiative - charting innovative ways to mitigate dangerous space junk. Join us from Software Defined Space Conference for an engaging conversation at the intersection of space technology, engineering, and security. This exclusive interview sheds light on critical work you won't hear about anywhere else!

Don't miss this exclusive fireside chat with an influential leader and innovator! Torsten Kriening spoke with Martin Ruubel, CEO of Estonian tech giant Nortal, at #SDC2023 about their bold move into the space industry. Hear Martin's vision straight from the source on why and how Nortal is leveraging their software expertise to help shape the future of space tech. We discuss key takeaways from the conference, trends to watch, and insights

The day before the official start of the 3rd Software Defined Space Conference, hosted by the Estonian Space Office, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia in Tallinn, our Publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Linda Võeras of Karma Ventures about the challenges and to-dos for startups that are looking for funding, the market and space as an area to fund.