Entrepreneurship

SpaceWatch.Global is pleased to present the 38th episode in our podcast series The Space Cafe Podcast: Joellen Russell, Mayday Mayday, an oceanographer's passionate cry for help to the space community. Episode 038 features a special guest Joellen Russell. 

Orbofleet’s report titled ‘Global Non-Geostationary (NGSO) Satellite Communications Market’ has found potential US$300 billion opportunities across multiple market verticals between 2021-2035. The 2021 edition report taps onto the most significant and promising markets that are set to flourish with the growth of satellite broadband connectivity.

Iceye on Copernicus: the company announced it has become a Contributing Mission to the Copernicus Programme, the largest Earth observation programme in the world. According to the agreement, Copernicus services will have access to Iceye’s synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The collaboration will be funded by the European Commission and operated by ESA.

Skyrora has signed a multi-launch deal over the next decade with SaxaVord Spaceport (formerly Shetland Space Centre) on Unst, the Shetland Islands. With the agreement, Skyrora is to become the first company to launch a rocket from UK soil. The company is aiming to deliver up to 16 launches a year by 2030.

LatConnect 60 is to use Spire Global’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-tracking data as a foundation for better predicting maritime traffic patterns, the companies announced. LatConnect will layer other data sources like satellite imagery, drones, and IoT sensors on Spire’s maritime data.

South Korean Intellian Technologies signed a US $60M supply deal with satellite fleet operator SES, Intellian announced. The company will equip SES with antennas that are a “mix of products operating on the ground and in the ocean,” said Intellian. The firm will provide Ka-band antennas for SES’s MEO broadband constellation, O3b mPOWER.

In this Space Café Radio - on tour in Geneva, SpaceWatch.Global event coordinator Chiara Moenter spoke with Aila Raquel from Alya Nanosatellites Constellation Brazil during the UNIDIR Outer Space Security Conference 2021 about her company, the need for space data for local farmers, and her expectations and lessons learned from the conference.

The Austrian Space Forum awarded the thirteenth Polar Star Award to Thomas Grübler, M.Sc., CEO and co-founder of OroraTech. The company uses satellite imaging for early detection of wildfires. First awarded in 2009, the Award honours personalities who are committed to get people excited about space.

Andøya Space is to receive US $42.9 million from the Norwegian government to build a small satellite launch base at Andøya in Northern Norway, the government announced. The project will add 150 new positions in the territory. It will also put Norway on the list of countries that are capable of launching satellites from their own land.

Finnish Kuva Space raised € 4.2 million (US $4.85 million) to establish a constellation of commercial hyperspectral CubeSats, Kuva announced. The seed round brought investments from Voima Ventures and Nordic FoodTech VC, ESA Φ-lab’s InCubed programme and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The funding enables the company to build