Entrepreneurship

This Space Café WebTalk will feature Laura Anne Edwards, NASA Datanaut and core member of the Oxford Space Initiative, in conversation with Torsten Kriening, publisher of SpaceWatch.Global. Thoughts on the Future of Space and Earth. Laura Anne Edwards is an innovation catalyst, named a 2021 Top 50 Leader in Space Tech.

Interstellar Lab announced a US $5 million seed round with Urania Ventures, Auxxo, 7percent Ventures, Seldor Capital, E2MC, Kima Ventures and BPI. The startup will be able to double its workforce by the end of 2022 with the help of the funding.  The company will accelerate manufacturing of the first BioPods this year, produced for the Earth market.

ESA selected satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability company Astroscale, to lead a collision avoidance study, part of the Collision Risk Estimation and Automated Mitigation (CREAM) activities in ESA’s Space Safety Programme, Astroscale announced. The CREAM 2 study, valued at €800,000, will recommend late commanding paths to save time and resources from unnecessary manoeuvres.

Emerging aerospace company formed by a team of industry leading planetary rover and robotics experts, Venturi Astrolab, announced the development of the Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover built to enhance lunar and planetary mobility. The company aims to produce a fleet of rovers needed to support a sustainable human presence on the Moon and Mars.

Space Cafe WebTalk “33 minutes with Simonetta Di Pippo” on the topic of “International Women's Day 2022 - A Conversation on Women in Space,” took place on 8th March interviewing UNOOSA Director, Simonetta Di Pippo. Ms Di Pippo maintains responsibility for the Office's management and administration,

Satellite communication system provider SatixFy Communications, and Endurance Acquisition, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced the signing of a merger agreement that will see SatixFy becoming a publicly listed company.  The Board of Directors of both companies unanimously approved the transaction, which is still subject to the approval of Endurance’s stockholders.

McLean, Integrated satellite and terrestrial network operator Intelsat, has chosen David Wajsgras as its next chief executive officer (CEO), effective April 4th. Wajsgras succeeds Stephen Spengler, who announced his plans for retirement in October last year.

Dr. Mindy Howard is a Future Astronaut, Astronaut Trainer and TEDx & Keynote Speaker. She has harnessed her academic and professional skills to create the first and only psychological space training program, “Inner Space Training”.  She is in discussions with several organizations to train, coach, and accompany commercial astronauts to space.

Space4Impact, EPFL’s Space Center eSpace, E2MC Ventures, and Space Innovation joined forces to launch an online course on the New Space Economy, hosted on edX, Space4Impact announced. The program is already available as a free EPFLx course.  There are over 30 video lectures accessible for those who want to learn.

Bahrain became the second Arab country to sign the Artemis Accords, an international agreement outlining the peaceful and responsible exploration of the Moon and space in general. The announcement was made during Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad's visit to the US last week.