Entrepreneurship

On Monday, 17 February 2020, at 10:05 am EST, or 15:05 UTC, SpaceX launched its fifth Starlink mission from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Lander will capture raw optical images of the lunar surface and convert them into Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) measurements to land within 200 meters of its intended landing site.

Swiss space startup Astrocast announced the signing of a new contract with Spaceflight for the launch of 10 additional Internet of Things (IoT) nanosatellites.

The Queensland government of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has released the Queensland Space Industry Strategy 2020-2025, the Australian state's plan to create even more jobs in more industries for Queenslanders.

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and NGC Aerospace, have signed a collaboration agreement and initiated the joint development of the flight software for a HyperSpectral Earth-observation satellite.

Rocket Lab has been selected by NASA as the launch provider for a small satellite mission to the same lunar orbit targeted for Gateway – an orbiting outpost astronauts will visit before descending to the surface of the Moon in a landing system as part of NASA’s Artemis program.

Virgin Galactic successfully completed another vital step on its path to commercial service, relocating SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, to its commercial headquarters at Spaceport America’s Gateway to Space building.

A leading Australian rocket startup, Gilmour Space Technologies, has been awarded an AUS$3 million (US$2.01 million) federal research grant to work with the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and partners including Treakle Composites on a project to design, develop, and manufacture lightweight, flight ready rocket fuel tanks called cryotanks.

Spaceflight Industries, Inc. announced on 11 February 2020 that it has signed a definitive share purchase agreement with Japan's Mitsui & Co., Ltd. in partnership with Yamasa Co., Ltd. to sell its satellite rideshare launch business, Spaceflight, Inc.

U.S. microsatellite startup Astranis Space Technologies announced a US$90 million financing round to launch its first commercial satellite and build the foundation for the internet infrastructure of the future.