Space for Earth News

The United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command, through its Space Safari Program Office, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and SpaceWERX, is awarding contracts to two separate space industry vendors, Rocket Lab and True Anomaly. The vendors will exercise a realistic threat response scenario in an on-orbit space domain awareness (SDA) demonstration called VICTUS HAZE.

The Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS) has announced its new executive committee, with iboss boss Joerg Kreisel elected as President. The Association also elected Jon Beam, CEO of Rogue Space Systems Corporation, as Vice President, Dr Brien Flewelling, Director of Strategic Program Development at ExoAnalytic Solutions, as Secretary, and Joseph Anderson, Vice President of Space Logistics, LLC, as Treasurer.

HEO has finalized a deal with Sidus Space, which will see Sidus Space host HEO’s NEI imager, HOLMES-006, onboard LizzieSat-3 as part of the Bandwagon-2 launch, along with a monthly data services contract. This consequently marks the second agreement between HEO and Sidus Space, as Sidus Space’s LizzieSat-2 will be hosting HEO’s HOLMES-004 on the same launch.

Kepler Communications, Inc. has entered into an agreement with TESAT-Spacecom and Airbus Defence and Space to develop a high bandwidth optical communications network in low Earth orbit (LEO) to address emerging opportunities such as the European Space Agency’s (ESA) High Throughput Optical Network (HydRON) program. This marks a significant milestone toward the development of terabit-class optical networking in space.

The European Space Law, a flagship project of the EU aimed at protecting satellites and ensuring safer and more sustainable space flights, initially scheduled for release this month of April 2024, is again delayed. It is unlikely that the European Space Law will make it in the current EU legislative season, which poses significant risks.

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) and its mission partners have successfully launched and delivered on orbit a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload, NROL-70, onboard United Launch Alliance (ULA)’s final Delta IV Heavy rocket. The launch happened from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), on the central coast of Florida.

Astrobotic is partnering with Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) on MOONRISE, a project in which researchers are working to bring 3D printing to the Moon. As a result, LZH has contracted with Astrobotic for a flight to the Moon, which will tentatively take place in late 2026. LZH will equip Astrobotic’s lander with a compact, sturdy laser that will melt lunar dust, known as regolith, creating 2D structures on the lunar surface.

SpaceX has successfully launched 11 satellites for various clients on its new Bandwagon mission aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The mission launched satellites for Companies, including Capella Space, Hawkeye 360, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Tyvak International, and the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). The Bandwagon-1 mission also launched a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite for South Korea. 

Phase Four has won a $14.9M contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to deliver an "air-breathing" EP system to enable extended satellite operations in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), at altitudes as low as 90-450km.

Scout Space Inc., an in-space observation service provider focused on space security and comprehensive Space Domain Awareness (SDA), has unveiled its Owl product line of advanced modular long-range SDA sensors. The Company designed the Owl product line as a scalable solution bringing purpose-built capabilities to a broad array of operators. Building upon the operational success of the TRL-7 Sparrow (formerly known as Scout-Vision) hardware and software, the Owl system offers visible spectrum sensing and insights to host vehicles.