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In this Space Café Radio in german language – SpaceWatch.Global Event coordinator and Space Café Young Global Talents Host Chiara Moenter spoke with Sabine von der Recke, head of the Berlin office of the space company OHB. The interview was conducted during this year’s ILA Berlin, which is the largest aerospace trade show in Germany which took place June 22 – 26.

In this Space Café Radio in german language – SpaceWatch.Global Event coordinator and Space Café Young Global Talents Host Chiara Moenter spoke with Thomas Reiter, a retired European astronaut, former Brigadier General in the German Air Force, and Advisor to the Director General at the European Space Agency. The interview was conducted during this year’s ILA Berlin, the largest aerospace trade show in Germany, which took place June 22 – 26, 2022.

Microsoft Corp. and Viasat have signed a new partnership to help deliver internet access to 10 million people globally, including 5 million across Africa. Viasat is the first satellite partner to work with Microsoft’s Airband Initiative. As a result, they will deepen Airband’s work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States, and prioritize expanding the program to Egypt, Senegal, and Angola to deliver much-needed internet connection, often for the first time.

Iridium Communications announced the service introduction of Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT), a two-way cloud-native networked data service optimized for use over Iridium Certus. The technology is designed to make it easier to add satellite connections to both existing and new IoT solutions, the company said. 

On 13 January 2023, the Swedish head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf, and European and Swedish political dignitaries will visit Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden to cut the ribbon of a new spaceport. The new spaceport, which saw years of preparation and construction, will significantly reshape the European space landscape. The event will take place in Kiruna in conjunction with Sweden taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

NASA awarded a contract to Collins Aerospace, aerospace and defense company, Raytheon Technologies’ business, along with space exploration technology provider, ILC Dover, and global technology company, Oceaneering, to design, develop and demonstrate the next-generation International Space Station (ISS) spacesuit. Collins said this was its first task order under NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract awarded in May. 

Thales Alenia Space and Space Cargo Unlimited have announced the signing of the first phase contract for the conception and production of “REV1”, the first floating space factory, and the opening of a Space Cargo Unlimited subsidiary in Turin. Founded in 2014. As project contractor, Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for designing, engineering, and developing the REV1 vehicle. Likewise, Space Cargo Unlimited will be the owner and commercial operator of the vehicle. 

California, Space robotics company, GITAI USA, has launched its full operations in the US, and has also secured its first purchase order from a local space company, GITAI USA said.

SpaceX successfully launched 54 of Starlink’s new generation of satellites into low Earth orbit on a record-setting 60th flight of the year and the eleventh launch and landing for the Falcon 9 first stage booster. SpaceX conducted 31 launches in 2021.

The Meteosat Third Generation – Imager 1 (MTG-I1) satellite has successfully reached its intended orbit, nearly 36,000km above the Equator, after its 13 December launch from Kourou, French Guiana. As a result, EUMETSAT has taken control of its newest addition to its fleet of meteorological satellites.