Satellite

Launch vehicle company Astra, revealed its new launch vehicle suitable for heavier payloads and more frequent launches. Rocket 4.0 is part of the company’s Launch System 2.0. The launch vehicle will be able to carry up to 300 kg into low Earth orbit at a base price of US $3.95 million.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced they are opening up the Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC) facility at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, to UN Member States.

Australian commercial space launch provider Southern Launch, announced it has opened its new headquarters following the expansion of its space launch services and applied space engineering consultancy operations in the country. The facilities in Hindmarsh, South Australia, include a warehouse for space vehicles preparing to launch as well as office space.

The United Kingdom and the United States signed a partnership to boost opportunities in the UK, the UK Government reported. The agreement lays the foundation for rockets, high-altitude balloons and spaceplanes to lift off from British spaceports. The UK and the US work together on future commercial spaceflight missions in the Smithsonian Institution, according to the partnership.

In this Space Café Radio -  SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Jim Bridenstine, Senior Advisor at Acorn Growth Companies, former NASA Administrator and US Congressman at the LEO Kinetic Space Safety Workshop in Lausanne about threats and risks in Low Earth Orbit and how to move forward to a sustainable future in space

German Rivada Space Networks, a new company launching a constellation of 600 low-Earth-orbit communication satellites, announced a pledge of US $112 million toward creating an Open Access Platform for the ITU Partner2Connect Digital Coalition to help bridge the digital divide. 

Italian Officina Stellare announced that it signed an investment agreement with shareholders Virgilio Holding, Astro Alliance, MIRAK Enterprise, Gino Bucciol and Nettar Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Satellogic, a geospatial company and leader in sub-meter resolution Earth observation data collection. 

Sub-meter resolution Earth observation data collection company Satellogic, announced that it has entered into a teaming agreement with German real-time risk and disaster intelligence provider Mayday.ai, to improve data intelligence for risk and disaster management.

UK-based spaceflight company Orbex, has unveiled the first full-scale prototype of the Prime orbital launch vehicle on its dedicated launch pad. Prime is designed to launch small satellites to orbit and it is the first microlauncher developed in Europe to reach this stage of technical readiness. Orbex is now preparing for the first vertical rocket launch in history from UK soil.

The Republic of Colombia signed the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters where Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez signed the agreement on behalf of the country. The countries also celebrate the 200th anniversary of the US–Colombia diplomatic relations.