Space Resources

Interstellar Lab, a biotech startup that develops, builds, and operates biofarming solutions on Earth and in Space, has announced its collaboration with Astrolab on a lunar mission named LITTLE PRINCE. The Mission aims to grow flowers on the Moon in transparent controlled-environment plant pods and capture data and pictures of this first step towards making any life multi-planetary. The company partnered with Astrolab to install the payloads on the lunar surface with the FLEX (Flexible Logistics and Exploration) rover. As a result, the LITTLE PRINCE Mission will be part of Astrolab’s Mission 1.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Government of Japan, in cooperation with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), are providing opportunities for students from developing countries to study nano-satellite development. As a result, the Post-graduate Study on Nano-Satellite Technologies (PNST) Fellowship Program is making three slots in the Master Programme and three slots in the Doctoral Programme available. The program will also cover tuition fees and provide a stipend to cover living expenses. As a result, students are invited to submit their applications by 5 January 2024 and follow in the footsteps of more than 60 graduates over the years.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced the expansion of its space systems business with a dedicated production and development complex. The complex will deliver a comprehensive suite of advanced composite products for the space industry and further vertically integrate supply for the Company’s internal needs across launch and space systems. Furthermore, Rocket Lab's complex will support the development and manufacture of carbon composite spacecraft buses, structural panels and assemblies, among others. 

ispace, inc. has announced its Mission 2, part of the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program, to serve as the company’s second technological demonstration, based on lessons learned from Mission 1. Mission 2 aims to further validate the lander’s design and technology, as well as ispace’s business model, to provide reliable lunar transportation and data services. Concurrently with the second mission, ispace also unveiled the final design of its micro rover, which it will transport to the surface of the Moon by its lunar lander as part of exploration activities during Mission 2.

Space Data Association has announced The European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking Partnership (EU SST) as the recipient of the T.S. Kelso Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to space flight safety. The EU SST Partnership relies on the SSA capabilities of 15 Member states of the European Union to provide space safety services, with the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) acting as the Front Desk.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced it has set a return-to-launch window for its Electron launch vehicle. As a result, the Company will return to the pad at Launch Complex 1 with a dedicated Electron mission for Japan-based Earth imaging company iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc.) during a launch window which opens on November 28th, 2023 and extends into December.

Bulgaria has become the 32nd signatory to the Artemis Accords after Milena Stoycheva, the Bulgarian minister of innovation and growth, signed the accords. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also participated in a signing ceremony, which took place on Thursday, 9 November. Also participating in the event at NASA Headquarters in Washington were NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Georgi Panayotov, ambassador of Bulgaria to the United States and Sonata Coulter, deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of State.

The Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see ISRO design, assemble, integrate, test, launch and operate an Earth Observation satellite for Mauritius. The signing happened in the presence of Hon. Deepak Balgobin, the Mauritian Minister of Information Technology, Communication, and Innovation, Republic of Mauritius, and Hon. Shri V. Muraleedharan, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs & Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs.

Aerospacelab and DUPUIS, a renowned publisher of comic albums and magazines, have announced their collaboration with the launch of Aerospacelab’s Versatile Satellite Platform (VSP), SPIP satellite, the company’s fourth satellite to travel into space. Less than a month after the launch of its PVCC satellite, Aerospacelab is gearing up for another launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States.

Sierra Space has announced the completion of its first  Dream Chaser spaceplane, which will ship to NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio for environmental testing in the coming weeks. Sierra Space was able to develop the spaceplace through a substantial contract from NASA to resupply the International Space Station. The Pureplay commercial space company intends the Dream Chaser to lead the way in democratizing access to space, forging a path towards joint space exploration and international cooperation.