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During this week’s Space Café, SpaceWatch.Global Publisher Torsten Kriening sat down with Peter Hulsroj, a legal consultant for intergovernmental organisations, attorney, specialist in nuclear disarmament, space and international law, and now, author and blogger.

This Space Café WebTalk will feature Dr. Jan Frohloff, lawyer and independent practitioner advising on dispute resolution and corporate matters in conversation with Torsten Kriening, publisher of SpaceWatch.Global. Space Disputes – Phantom Menace or Return of Justice?

Satellogic announced that private equity firm, Liberty Strategic Capital, led by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, is investing US $150M into Earth imaging company Satellogic. The funding will help to close a delayed merger with CF Acquisition Corp. V., a special purpose acquisition corporation for the company to go public.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris charged the National Space Council to focus on the rules and norms governing space, leveraging space to tackle the climate crisis, and building a diverse space and STEM workforce, NASA said. The agency also announced a “strategic, first-of-its-kind partnership" with the European Space Agency (ESA) to observe Earth, its climate and changing environment.

Radian Aerospace (Radian), announced that the company recently closed US $27.5M in seed funding. The round was led by venture capital fund Fine Structure Ventures, with investment from EXOR, The Venture Collective, Helios Capital, SpaceFund, Gaingels, Explorer 1 Fund, Type One Ventures among others.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) withdrew its objection to plans for the proposed space centre in Unst following the preparation of a revised scheme of works and discussions with those behind the plans. HES originally objected due to the “extensive and adverse” impact on the cultural significance of Skaw radar station.

The European Space Agency (ESA) wants to accelerate the use of space in Europe with an annual budget of € 7.15 billion, the agency said. The largest envelopes are invested in Earth Observation (€ 1.6 billion), Navigation (€ 1.5 billion), and Space Transportation (€ 1 billion). Copernicus suffers a budget shortfall of € 750 million due to the withdrawal of the UK.

The European Space Agency (ESA) completed its astronaut selection, moving on to the next stage with 1391 applicants invited to a full day of testing. The candidates were selected from over 23 000 European applications, ESA said. The agency had issued the call for new astronauts in March last year.

Rocket Lab has announced the date for its first Electron mission in 2022, which will be a dedicated mission for BlackSky through global launch services provider Spaceflight. Electron is scheduled to launch the “Without Mission A Beat” from New Zealand on 4th February.

SpaceWatch.Global is pleased to present the 46th episode in our podcast series The Space Cafe Podcast #046: Frank Salzgeber, ESA is looking for the crazy ones among you. Episode 046 features a special guest Frank Salzgeber. Feel like you're maladjusted or perhaps a little crazy? Fear not. Someone out there may have interest in you as you read this. Frank Salzgeber for example.