Earth observation

With the construction of a new research observatory, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is taking the next step in determining the nature and trajectory of objects in low-Earth orbit as quickly, precisely and reliably as possible.

By Raphael Roettgen With almost US$550 million of announced space-related financing rounds, May has turned out to be the top space fundraising month so far in 2020. SpaceX, besides launching astronauts to the ISS on Crew Dragon, came in with over US$346 million by itself. The total amount does not …

Terramonitor, a leader in space data solutions, announced on 28 May 2020 the opening of a Web Store which offers Analysis Ready satellite image mosaics and Up-to-date Maps.

The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting (GEO) satellite program, commonly referred to as NGG, completed its preliminary design reviews (PDR) for its two candidate mission payloads on 21 May 2020.

Stanford University scholars Marshall Burke, David Lobell and Stefano Ermon have spent the past five years leading a team of researchers to home in on an efficient way to find and track impoverished zones across Africa.

The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) announced on 19 May 2020 the selection of  Dr. Miguel Román, Director of The Earth from Space Institute (EfSI) and his research team as recipients of a grant from NASA's Earth Sciences Division.

Space BD Inc. has announced that the H-II Transfer Vehicle No.9 (HTV9) successfully launched from Tanegashima Space Station to the International Space Station via H-IIB launch vehicle.

Momentus Space, provider of in-space transportation services for satellites, and SatRevolution, a forerunner of the space industry in Poland, announced on 20 May 2020 an orbital deployment contract for SatRevolution’s LabSat 3U Cubesat. Momentus will launch the 3U cubesat, called LabSat, on-board the Vigoride Orbit transfer vehicle in December of 2020 …

Japan’s establishment of the Space Domain Mission Unit, which is planned to become fully operational in 2023, reflects the country’s increasing reliance on space systems to meet its security needs. It could emerge as a key actor in the defence of space assets in the Indo-Pacific.

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and Ministry of Defense (MoD) stood up the country’s first Space Operations Squadron – the first component of Japan’s Space Domain Mission Unit (SDMU) – in a ceremony presided by the Japanese Minister of Defense Taro Kono on 18 May 2020.