Entrepreneurship

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has launched a dedicated Electron mission for Capella Space.. The mission demonstrated several significant milestones for Rocket Lab’s reusability program, including an ocean splashdown of the Electron rocket’s first stage and the successful flight of a previously flown Rutherford engine. The mission was also Rocket Lab’s 40th Electron launch since the Company began launches in 2017, further cementing Electron’s position as a competitive commercial small launch vehicle globally.

Mynaric has announced that the Space Development Agency (SDA) has selected it to contribute to an optical ground terminal demonstration. The research and development program’s mission, slated for 2025, is to demonstrate the successful connection between various space-based optical communications terminals (OCTs) and an optical ground station that Mynaric designed. 

Viasat Inc. has announced that Malaysia Airlines, the national carrier of Malaysia, has selected the company to outfit the airline’s new Boeing 737-8 fleet with its wireless In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system. In the pipeline, as part of its connectivity strategy, Malaysia Airlines will also introduce high-quality internet connectivity on its 737-8 aircraft.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has received information from the United States 18th Space Defense Squadron that it has detected new objects in the vicinity of the VESPA payload adapter. This adapter has remained in orbit following the 2013 launch of a Vega rocket from ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Furthermore, it is a 113 kg, two-meter-diameter, conical upper portion of a payload adapter associated with the VV02 Vega launch that delivered the Proba-V, VNREDSat-1 and ESTCube-1 satellites into Earth orbit.

In this third episode of Space Economy Insights, Kevin O’Connell interviewed Dr. Zolana Joao, Director General of the Angolan National Space Office and Architect of Angola’s Space Strategy.  Dr. Joao has a background in electrical engineering and a doctorate in engineering management from George Washington University, with a focus on productivity and efficiency in large, complex space projects.

The Space Development Agency (SDA) has announced the awards of two prototype agreements with a total value of approximately $1.5 billion to build and operate the Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) – Beta variant prototype constellation. The constellation consists of 72 satellites and will form the foundation of Tranche 2 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

Sidus Space, a satellite manufacturing and space services company, has announced its strategic acquisition of Exo-Space, a California-based firm specializing in Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) software and hardware for space applications. This transaction signals Sidus’s determination to tap into the growing AI sector and expand its offerings in the Earth and Space Observations services market.

Sierra Space, a pureplay commercial space company, has announced that it has signed a strategic partnership with Redwire Corporation. As a result, both Companies will collaborate on groundbreaking commercial pharmaceutical and biotech R&D and manufacturing in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Redwire is delivering state-of-the-art, flight-proven biotechnology and manufacturing technologies that would integrate into Sierra Space's Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) habitat platform.

Axiom Space has announced that it secured $350 million in its Series-C round of growth funding, lifting the total funds it raised to over $505 million from investors and achieving more than $2.2 billion in customer contracts. Aljazira Capital and Boryung Co., Ltd. led the round, with support from various backers, including deep-tech venture capital funds and strategic brand partners. .

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced that it signed a deal to launch an Earth observation satellite on Electron for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company. The mission will tentatively lift off in September 2023 and will carry iQPS’s QPS-SAR-5 satellite "TSUKUYOMI-I" into orbit. Furthermore, it will be a dedicated Electron mission and launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. iQPS named the mission "The Moon God Awakens" in acknowledgement of Tsukuyomi, the Japanese God of the Moon.