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Welcome from day 2 of the FT Live Investing in Space event in London, our Dr. Emma Gatti and Torsten Kriening offer an outlook of the in-person day.

Arianespace has announced the signature of a launch contract for the Earth observation satellite Kompsat-6 (KOrean Multi-Purpose SATellite-6) for the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The launch company will subsequently deliver the satellite to orbit with the European light launcher Vega C from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana in December 2024.

Share My Space has signed a new contract with Astroscale to optimally enable Astroscale to assess space objects’ attitude in LEO, a requirement for any on-orbit rendezvous. Attitude analysis of space objects is a critical factor in ensuring environmental safety, mitigating the risk of catastrophic collisions in space, and preventing further polluting fragmentation. To that effect, Astroscale has called upon Share My Space’s value-added services in orbital object attitude analysis. 

The Saudi Ministry of Education has approved the teaching of earth and space sciences as part of the curricula for the secondary school system, starting the academic year 1445, corresponding to 2023-24, according to local reports. This is because the ministry aims to cultivate positive attitudes toward space science among male and female students. This will be in accordance with international best practices for academic courses, as well as recent developments and scientific and national standards in this field.

On the first day of the FT Live Event Investing in Space, SpaceWatch.Global CEO Torsten Kriening had the chance talking with European Space Agencys Director General, Dr. Josef Aschbacher about the status of commercialization at ESA, lessons learned from NASA and “why space is an area to invest?”

In this  Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Dr.-Ing. Sandra Häuplik-Meusburger  from TU Wien, Institute for Architecture and Design during the opening of the exhibition Room with a View in the Science Corner at the Technical Museum in Vienna in March 2023.

Westinghouse Electric Company and Astrobotic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programs for NASA and the Department of Defense. The collaboration will consequently focus on developing space nuclear technology and delivery systems. The joint effort will also include strengthening the space nuclear supply chain and workforce in the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia regions.

A bold ambition for Europe in space exploration has received enthusiastic support from politicians, business leaders, and independent experts from across Europe at an event held today in Vienna. Delegates discussed the immense international, economic, and societal importance of space exploration for Europe – and how to establish the way forward.

Azista BST Aerospace will launch its first satellite ABA First Runner (AFR), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 12th June 2023 as part of the Transporter 8 Mission. This follows from the Company's creation of a 50,000-square-foot facility capable of supporting the production of two satellites per week.

Launch service provider Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) has successfully hot-fired its upper stage for a full duration of 280 seconds. This marks the successful completion of the Integrated System Test (IST) campaign, in which the Company integrated a staged combustion Helix engine into an upper-stage tank system and hot fired several times prior to completing the full duration in the final test.