The space flight startup Astra closed a launch contract with Spire Global for next year, the Nasdaq-listed company said. Spire Global plans to begin launching with Astra next spring, the launch company said, without giving further details. Spire uses its multi-purpose satellite constellations to source hard to acquire,
Read More »Rocket Lab to supply Photons for Varda´s space factory platform
Rocket Lab will supply three Photon spacecraft to Varda Space Industries to integrate them into Varda´s zero-gravity manufacturing platform and return high-end products produced in space to Earth. Varda’s space-manufactured products target markets such as fibre optic cables, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals.
Read More »Canadian government invests $1.44 billion in Telesat´s Lightspeed
The Canadian government invests $1.44 billion in Telesat to support its new LEO Lightspeed constellation. The government provides a loan of $790 million and makes a $650 million preferred equity investment in Telesat Lightspeed, Telesat said. In return, Telesat commits to invest in Canada and create hundreds of high-quality jobs.
Read More »Cygnus cargo ship completes biggest delivery to ISS
A Northrop Grumman-built Cygnus resupply spacecraft has made a more than 3700 kg delivery to the International Space Station. The cargo ship was named after the first Asian American astronaut, Ellison Onizuka. Ship S.S. Ellison Onizuka delivered science investigations and cargo on behalf of NASA.
Read More »South Korean Hanwha buys 8.8% stake in OneWeb
The South Korean technology and manufacturing conglomerate Hanwha Systems buys an 8.8% share in OneWeb for $300 million, the London-based satellite operator said. Hanwha brings further defence capabilities and the latest antenna technologies to OneWeb, alongside relationships to new government customers and expanded geographical reach, OneWeb said.
Read More »Vega to launch four cubesats for ESA and Unseenlab
Arianespace is planning to launch the optical observation satellite Pléiades Neo 4 and four other passengers on a Vega rocket on 16 August, the company said. Pléiades Neo 4 is the second very high-resolution satellite part of the new Airbus Defence and Space’s Earth Observation constellation.
Read More »Rocket Lab launches three back-to-back missions for BlackSky
Rocket Lab’s next Electron rocket launch is the first of three dedicated missions for global monitoring provider BlackSky. Mission ‘Love At First Insight’ represents the company’s fastest launch turnarounds to date, along with the two other missions to come. The mission is part of a multi-launch agreement signed earlier this year between Rocket Lab and Spaceflight Inc.
Read More »NASA renews support of vertical lift university research
NASA, conjoined with the U.S. Army and Navy, continues backing university research into future technologies for helicopters and other vertical lift aircraft. NASA has designated academic teams as Vertical Lift Research Centers of Excellence (VLRCOE). The teams are led by colleges in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Maryland.
Read More »Intuitive Machines to launch third Moon mission on Falcon 9
The lunar cargo startup Intuitive Machines will launch its third Moon mission (IM-3) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and continues "to build a cislunar economy”, the company said. “By expanding on Intuitive Machines’ capability developed through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, we can offer an annual launch cadence,” Intuitive Machines said.
Read More »AEI joins Boeing´s HorizonX venture capital fund
The private equity firm AE Industrial Partners (AEI) partners with Boeing to manage and increase its HorizonX venture capital fund. The partnership will focus on early-stage minority equity investments in "businesses that will transform the future of space, mobility, industrial tech, connectivity and digital solutions with an emphasis on sustainability", AEI said.
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