Space

Amazon has announced it will invest $120 million to build a satellite processing facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the company prepares to launch the first satellites for its Project Kuiper internet network. The facility is the latest long-term investment in Project Kuiper, a low Earth orbit satellite network that will provide fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

Bengaluru, 24 July 2023 - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced the launch date for its PSLV-C56 / DS-SAR Mission from the launch pad at SDSC (Satish Dhawan Space Centre) - SHAR, in Sriharikota Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh as 30th July 2023 at 06:30 Hrs. The mission will carry the DS-SAR satellite which is developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.

constellr has secured further investment to extend its seed round to a total of EUR 17 million. Karista leads the funding extension, with participation from Einstein Industries Ventures alongside existing investors FTTF, Lakestar, Vsquared, Amathaon Capital, Natural Ventures, OHB Ventures, and OHB Ventures. The space-based temperature company will use the investment to accelerate the deployment of its new generation of thermal satellites and to meet growing demand among its US customers.

This Space Café BeNeLux will feature Rudy Stranen, Advisor at the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (“SMC”), a department of the Ministry of State in Luxembourg, in conversation with Dr. Heike Poignand, Founder of C43B - Consulting for Business Building, and a friend of SpaceWatch.Global. Europe’s Quantum Communication Infrastructure: Science Fiction in the making? During our Space Café BeNeLux Rudy and Heike will talk about EuroQCI, the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure in general and its Space Segment in particular.

The United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) recently hosted closed meetings of the Legal Subcommittee’s Working Group on Space Resource Activity at its headquarters in Vienna. The Working Group has just completed the first year of its five-year mandate to review the regulation of such activity, including possible “additional international governance instruments”. Although it had planned to meet only during the Legal Subcommittee’s annual two-week session earlier this year, the Working Group failed at that time to agree on even a preliminary statement.

ESA has conducted extensive work on In-Orbit Servicing (IOS), including as part of its Clean Space initiative for the removal and prevention of space debris. ESA Preparation invited industry partners to outline their vision of Europe’s first IOS mission, which could be launched as early as 2028. 

Rivada Space Networks has announced on the 20th of July that they have joined MEF, a global telecommunications industry association of network, cloud, security, and technology providers working together to accelerate enterprise digital transformation. The organisation and its members work together to drive networking standards and certifications that ensure service quality and empower enterprises to leverage digital transformation and grow their business. 

The United Kingdom (UK) has published its National Space Strategy in Action policy, setting out how the government will deliver on the ambitions set out in the National Space Strategy and summarizes the government's achievements so far. Primarily, the policy paper sets out the next steps in implementing the National Space Strategy across each of its four pillars; unlocking growth, collaborating internationally, growing as a science superpower, and developing resilient capabilities. 

Telesat has announced the successful launch of its LEO 3 demonstration satellite aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket. LEO 3 was one of seven satellites in the rideshare mission that launched from Mahia, New Zealand.

Astranis, an American space-based internet startup, has signed a new deal to launch and operate a dedicated satellite for the Philippines which will provide enough bandwidth to connect up to 2 million people.