Space

OQ Technology, a global satellite narrowband IoT connectivity operator, has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for a feasibility study of Direct-to-Cell connectivity. The Luxembourg Government, under the LuxImpulse program, is funding the contract. The  LuxImpulse aims to foster Luxembourg and European space initiatives through the national space program. 

The Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Intent (MOI). The MOI, signed by Isabelle Mauro, Director General at GSOA, and Francisco-Javier Benedicto Ruiz, Acting Director of Connectivity & Secure Communications at ESA, solidifies the commitment of both organizations to work closely together in the pursuit of their shared goals in this area. 

Synthetaic has raised $15 million in Series B funding from new and existing investors, accelerating the Company's commercialization of RAIC, a dual-use model-independent classification and detection platform for image data. Lupa Systems and TitletownTech both co-led the round, with participation from IBM Ventures and Booz Allen Hamilton.

ThrustMe has announced a transformative off-the-shelf contract with the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES). This purchase agreement is a testimony to the rapidly changing aerospace sector, where the lines between the legacy and new space are blurring. Long-standing actors such as CNES can benefit from complete and reliable industrial and standardized products for their space missions to accelerate development times and reduce costs.

LeoLabs has announced its selection to participate in the U.S. Space Systems Command's Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Tools Applications and Processing (TAP) Lab Apollo Accelerator. This program enables LeoLabs to demonstrate its AI-powered solutions for Combat ID and Space Battle Management.

Arianegroup's special ship "Canopée" has picked up the upper stage for the next generation of the European launch system, Ariane-6, from Bremen this week and is bringing it to Kourou in French Guiana. Ariane-6's launch is planned for the summer of 2024.  

Lynk Global, Inc., a satellite-direct-to-standard-phone (“sat2phone”) telecoms provider, and Slam Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (“Slam”), have announced entering into a definitive business combination agreement, under which Slam will combine with Lynk. Upon completion, the combined company will operate as Lynk Global Holdings, Inc., and its common stock will publicly list on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “LYNK”.

ispace, inc. (ispace) has signed two memorandums of understanding related to payload services and strategic cooperation with mu Space and Advance Technology Co., Ltd., (mu Space) a satellite manufacturer and satellite communication service provider. The collaboration marks the first step towards future lunar missions between the two companies.

The NorSat-TD demonstration microsatellite has successfully transferred data to a ground station using optical communications technology. Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) developed the demonstration satellite for the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA). The accomplishment is a first for a Dutch-built laser communication device and among the first achieved by a microsatellite. 

The Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) has launched its NexSat-1 satellite into orbit aboard Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3), China’s small orbital launch vehicle and has subsequently established communications with the satellite. The microsatellite weighs 67 kilograms, and it features a panchromatic imaging payload with 5.7 meters of ground resolution