North America

Canadian space transportation company SpaceRyde, signed an agreement for multiple launches with Netherlands-based launch services company ISILAUNCH. Under the agreement ISILaunch will pair customer payloads with four SpaceRyde flights in 2024. 

LEOcloud has announced entering into a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with Axiom Space Inc., the world’s first commercial space station developer, to develop and deliver Space-based cloud services. LEOcloud’s Space Edge™ Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) will enable scalable, resilient, highly reliable Space-hardened cloud edge computing services that seamlessly extend today’s terrestrial cloud services.

SpaceX was awarded a NASA contract modification, Option B, to further develop its Starship human landing system to meet agency requirements for long-term human exploration of the Moon as part of the Artemis program, NASA said. According to the modification, SpaceX will conduct a second crewed landing demonstration in 2027 as part of the Artemis IV mission.

Satellite-based solutions provider Terran Orbital, successfully launched Moon-mapping satellite, LunIR (Lunar Infrared Imaging). This is the second Terran Orbital-developed lunar satellite to launch this year after CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment). CAPSTONE entered a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit around the Moon just days ago after its launch in June. Both spacecraft support NASA’s Artemis program.

Propulsion systems provider Benchmark Space Systems, has almost tripled its team from 30 to 83 staff members and boosted its five-year production capacity to one-thousand engines to meet rapidly rising demand for its mission-proven thrusters, the company said.

NASA successfully launched Artemis I, comprising its Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, with the uncrewed Orion spacecraft aboard, which is on its way to cislunar orbit as part of the Artemis program, NASA said. During its 25.5-day space trip, Orion will travel approximately 64,000 km beyond the Moon before returning to Earth.

The Terran Orbital-developed CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) spacecraft successfully arrived in a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon, the satellite product manufacturer said. The successful orbit insertion is the first step of the pathfinding lunar mission’s next phase.

Spaceflight safety software-as-a-service provider Kayhan Space, and spacecraft electric propulsion systems provider Morpheus Space, entered into a strategic partnership to offer satellite operators and missions a mobility-as-a-service collision avoidance solution, Kayhan said.

Canadensys Aerospace, a space systems company, has announced it has received a contract from the Canadian Government to design and build Canada’s first lunar rover. Initiated under the Canadian Space Agency’s Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), the lunar rover will demonstrate key technologies for future lunar activity and accomplish meaningful lunar science.

Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund invested US $450 million in critical infrastructure supporting Emergency SOS via satellite for iPhone 14 models in the US and Canada. The new service will be available later this month, making the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models capable of connecting to a satellite directly. The connection in turn, will allow for messaging emergency services even without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.