Entrepreneurship

UNIO has announced the successful test of its ‘Powered by UNIO’ bridge product for connected vehicles as the Munich-based company achieved a seamless switch from 5G to satellite connectivity. During a live demonstration in Munich on November 20, a vehicle demonstrated a seamless transition between a connected 5G data rate and an equivalent data rate satellite connection. This demonstration featured a 'bridge' installation, and the transition occurred without any interruption to the data connection.

Skyrora and Spirit AeroSystems have announced a collaboration on orbital launch capability. The companies celebrated the announcement on the conference’s opening day in Belfast, home to Spirit’s largest UK manufacturing facility. This partnership will enable Skyrora to transition its orbital launch vehicles from development to full-scale production, in addition to localizing its supply chain. 

Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) has announced that it has reached an agreement with eight enterprise customers to use its Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover to deploy the customers’ payloads on Astrolab’s upcoming mission to the Moon - Mission 1. Five customers are releasing details of their payloads today: Argo Space, Astroport, Avalon Space, Interstellar Lab, and LifeShip. Three more customers are contracted with Astrolab but intend to release details of their payloads at a future date, closer to launch. Collectively, Astrolab values the eight contracts at more than $160 million.

Anywaves has announced the appointment of Eric de Saintignon as General Manager to support the space antenna specialist in its upward trajectory. The appointment builds on the Company's recent commercial successes and the development of new products and drive towards market expansion. This appointment will consequently enable Nicolas Capet, the Founder and President, to prepare the future of Anywaves through the Strategy Department, for which he assumes responsibility.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced the expansion of its space systems business with a dedicated production and development complex. The complex will deliver a comprehensive suite of advanced composite products for the space industry and further vertically integrate supply for the Company’s internal needs across launch and space systems. Furthermore, Rocket Lab's complex will support the development and manufacture of carbon composite spacecraft buses, structural panels and assemblies, among others. 

SpaceX has conducted the second test of its Starship Rocket to launch it into Space in an attempt to evaluate the spacecraft's ability. The Spacecraft lifted off successfully but the rocket's Super Heavy first stage booster exploded in a fireball over the Gulf of Mexico after crucially maneuvering to separate with its core Starship stage. Despite the booster's explosion, Starship continued its trip to space - crossing the 100km mark - until a SpaceX company broadcaster confirmed that mission control suddenly lost contact with the vehicle.

ispace, inc. has announced its Mission 2, part of the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program, to serve as the company’s second technological demonstration, based on lessons learned from Mission 1. Mission 2 aims to further validate the lander’s design and technology, as well as ispace’s business model, to provide reliable lunar transportation and data services. Concurrently with the second mission, ispace also unveiled the final design of its micro rover, which it will transport to the surface of the Moon by its lunar lander as part of exploration activities during Mission 2.

Spire Global, a provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, announced on the 14th of November at the Space Tech Expo Europe their Constellation Management Platform. The new web-based app aims to simplify satellite constellation operations through its interface. The development of the platform is co-funded by ESA under the ARTES Core Competitiveness (CC) programme with €1.5 million awarded to Spire, with support from the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA).

Bayanat, a provider of AI-powered geospatial solutions, and Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) announced on the 15th of November the expansion of their Earth Observation (EO) program. The program is expanding from five to seven synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. 

HyImpulse has partnered with Southern Launch to launch into space from the Koonibba Test Range in 2024. In the same vein, the German rocket manufacturer has entered into agreements regarding the provision of facilities and services of the SaxaVord spaceport for future launch activities. As a result, HyImpulse will offer launch services from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands, and test its SR75 rocket via a suborbital launch at the Koonibba test range.