Space

Exotrail has announced the successful release in orbit of an 8U satellite by its Spacevan orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), gaining meaningful space heritage with a first “last-mile” in-space delivery. Endurosat manufactured the 8U satellite, named EXO-0, which in turn carried an Airbus Defense and Space payload. This success is an essential achievement for the Company on its path towards becoming a space logistics leader worldwide.

Slingshot Aerospace has announced the expansion of its international operations with the launch of Slingshot Aerospace Ltd. The new entity will operate from Slingshot’s first international offices in Cornwall and London – representing a significant step in the company's commitment to a global growth strategy.

As the publisher of SpaceWatch.Global, I am honored to acknowledge International Women's Day during these tumultuous times. The world is emerging from a pandemic, facing wars at Europe's borders, grappling with global recessions, and navigating a fragile political climate amidst elections in over 70 countries. Amid these challenges, it's vital to express our gratitude to the women in our professional and personal lives for their resilience and contributions. International Women's Day on March 8th invites us to reflect on the pivotal role of women in the workplace and the persistent obstacles they face.

ICEYE has announced the launch of ICEYE Ocean Vision, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) product family, to provide actionable intelligence for maritime domain awareness. As the first in the ICEYE Ocean Vision family of SAR derivative products, ICEYE Ocean Vision Detect delivers insights into the presence, location, and size of vessels at sea, allowing authorities to take decisive action in mitigating threats.

China has turned in its submission to the Working Group of Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS). The Working group invited member states to submit their inputs towards the Group's mandates and purposes. The submission emphasized the importance of the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty in directing any member-state activity regarding the lunar surface, particularly lunar space resources. 

HyImpulse has received its first flight license from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for its sounding rocket, which is now ready to launch from the Shetland Islands thanks to the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS). Furthermore, the Company plans consecutive launches of the sounding rocket for later this year from the SaxaVord spaceport in Shetland. The rocket’s maiden launch will tentatively commence from Australia this April.

Olsen Actuators and Drives has won its first UK Space Agency (UKSA) funding to deliver a Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrator for a new lunar rover the University of Manchester is designing and funded by the Enabling Technologies Programme (ETP). The project will develop and fabricate a jumping robot system capable of thrusting upwards, descending, and self-righting that will lower into lava tubes under the surface of the Moon. Experts have earmarked these lava tubes for potential initial future human habitation.

Astrolight, a technology company dedicated to facilitating space-to-Earth and ship-to-ship laser communications, has joined the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA). This collaboration marks a significant achievement for Astrolight as it seeks to contribute to NATO’s defense initiatives and advance its dual-use laser communication technology in the defense sector. DIANA provides startups like Astrolight with access to a network of experts, resources, and funding opportunities to help them develop and commercialize innovative technologies for defense applications.

Thaicom Public Company Limited (Thaicom) has selected Astranis to provide THAICOM-9, the newest addition to Thaicom’s fleet of high-throughput satellites at 119.5 degrees East. Thaicom’s subsidiary, Space Tech Innovation Limited (STI) and Astranis have signed an agreement for an Astranis MicroGEO satellite to provide Ka-band services over Asia, with an option for expanded coverage through future satellites.