Satellite

Space Systems Command (SSC) started its technology accelerator program at its newest Technology, Applications, and Process (TAP) Lab on the 28th of October. It has been supported by Virginia Tech’s Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC) and MITRE Corporation. The opening day agenda welcomed more than 200 participants and showcased not only the mission of the Accelerator program, but also the physical space TAP Lab provides aiming to enhance the collaboration experience. 

Northrop Grumman Corporation has received an agreement with a total potential value of approximately $732 million to design and build 38 data transport satellites, from the Space Development Agency (SDA). These satellites will support Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Alpha (T2TL-Alpha), the latest iteration of SDA’s low-Earth orbit Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Furthermore, the announcement follows an August 2023 award to Northrop Grumman of 36 satellites as part of Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Beta (T2TL-Beta)

ICEYE, a Finnish microsatellite manufacturer announced on the 26th of October a partnership with Suhora Technologies, an Indian software and geospatial intelligence company. The partnership will allow Suhora access to ICEYE’s satellite imagery of any location on the planet. It will play a role in providing Suhora’s users with advanced monitoring and analytical geospatial solutions. 

NASA, on behalf of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), has awarded a delivery order under the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV (Rapid-IV) contract to Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio for the QuickSounder spacecraft. Furthermore, the total value of the order is $54 million, with the period of performance beginning Wednesday, Oct. 25, and scheduled to run until May 2029.

Lockheed Martin has awarded Terran Orbital Corporation a contract to build 36 satellite buses for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) Beta constellation. Terran Orbital will consequently deliver the buses to Lockheed Martin, which will conduct payload integration and jointly operate the satellites with SDA.

StarWin has announced that it has successfully tested its Electronically Steered Phased Array Antenna (ESA) terminal for Communications on the Move (COTM) on Avanti Communications’ (“Avanti”) high-speed HYLAS 4 Ka-band satellite. This achievement aims to provide seamless broadband connectivity for Government, military, and enterprise customers across Africa. During testing, StarWin’s ESA terminal demonstrated impressive capabilities, ensuring high-speed data and reliable communications while on the move.

In this Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Aaron Addison, incoming Executive Director of the World Geospatial Industry Council, at the Intergeo 2023 in Berlin. WGIC's Role and Growth: Aaron highlighted the significant growth in the geospatial and space sectors, emphasizing the successful experience at Intergeo. He introduced the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC) as a trade association aiming to unite various facets of the geospatial industry globally. The organization recently rebranded to reflect its diverse membership, which now includes traditional geospatial companies and newer entrants like satellite and ocean data companies.

Neuraspace, a provider of space traffic management (STM), announced on the 17th of October that they will partner with Arcsec, a provider of star trackers to develop a new way to detect space debris.

Horizon Technologies has announced a £1.2 Million grant from the UK Space Agency as part of a £2.8 Million total program called the Amber Phoenix Mission. The Phoenix Mission will see another Amber RF (Radio Frequency) Earth Observation payload launched into orbit in mid-2024. The Company made the announcement at an event at the Army-Navy Club in London. 

At the end of the 2nd German Space Congress in Berlin, our publisher Torsten Kriening, spoke with Sebastian Roloff, Member of the German Parliament, about the German Space Strategy, the proposed space budget cuts, and the outlook for the German space sector.