Europe

In this first pilot episode of Space Economy Insights, Kevin O'Connell and Emma Gatti interviewed Claire Jolly, Head of Ocean Economy & Space Economy, Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The European Parliament has greenlit the new network of European Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) telecommunication satellites. The Parliament endorsed the network with 603 votes to 6 and 39 abstentions, and the text will undergo formal adoption by the Council before its signature and publication in the Official Journal. As a result, the network will be active from 2024. 

Vyoma has announced a partnership with EnduroSat to help improve the safety of satellites in orbit. As a result, both parties have agreed upon a Memorandum of Understanding outlining how the two companies will support each other to improve the sustainability of space activities.

On the 16th of February, Astroscale Ltd. (“Astroscale UK”) announced it has won funding from Dstl (The MOD Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) to explore space-based space domain awareness (SB-SDA) mission concepts for launch in the 2030s. 

GomSpace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NuSpace, a Singapore Space company providing Space-based infrastructures services (IOT & Connectivity) to develop an extended value proposition in Singapore NewSpace. This MoU builds on NuSpace's expertise and experience in developing satellite-as-a-service projects and GomSpace's more than 15 years of experience in delivering successful space missions and equipment.

On the 15th of February HPtex, a space tech company based in Münchberg, announced the beginning of Phase C/D for the Large Deployable Reflector Subsystem (LDRS) in the Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR) project.

Sidus Space has been awarded a multi-million dollar agreement with The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). The agreement is to deploy and test TNO’s laser communications technology aboard a Sidus’ LizzieSat™ satellite. 

Blackswan Space, a Lithuanian-based developer of space technology software,  has announced the award of three contracts from ESA to add new functionalities to the GNC Rendezvous, Approach, and Landing Simulator (GRALS) facility at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands. 

The UK Space Agency is set to fund 18 projects that intend to boost the space sector across the UK. The funding sum of £6.5 million includes support for high-impact, locally-led schemes and space cluster development managers to help the space sector grow across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

HyImpulse Technologies and Adamant Composites have announced the successful completion of a hydrostatic burst test of a groundbreaking linerless Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) liquid oxygen (LOX) tank. This marks a key milestone in developing HyImpulse's orbital Small Launcher SL1.