Archives for August 2020

Having been delayed since March of 2020, and using a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket with a 3X, previous flight completion record, SpaceX has now successfully launched — from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida — the SAOCOM-1B Earth Observation (EO) satellite for Argentina plus two rideshare smallsats.

This was a rare southern launch trajectory from Florida as SAOCOM-1B headed for a polar orbit (SSO) with the launch vehicle heading over Miami and Cuba. The last time such a southerly launch occurred from Florida was in 1969.

As rockets on this flight path do cross populated areas (one reason most polar orbit launches occur from Vandenberg AFB in California), an automatic flight safety systems is incorporated into the Falcon 9 that enables the rocket to self-destruct without command from the flight operations center, should anything go amiss with the flight, such as straying too far from the designated path.

This particular Falcon 9 previously launched two cargo missions, one in December of 2019 and one in March of 2020 and registers this launch as the 42nd re-flight and 59th landing for the company with this rocket.

The first stage, ID’s as B1059 by SpaceX, accomplished a landing at Cape Canaveral, being only the second time this year such a re-berthing has occurred on dry land.

The twin fairings for this mission splashed down into the Atlantic and one of the company’s recovery craft went into its “scoop-out-of-the-water” mode for this important hardware.

The SAOCOM 1B satellite is operated by the Argentinian space agency and is the second to reach orbit for that nation. A major capability of the SAOCOM 1B is the satellite’s ability to image the same area of Earth each day at the same time.

The rideshare payloads included Tyvak-0172 and GNOMES-1 for PlanetIQ. The former is a smallsat built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems for a customer that remains undisclosed. PlanetIQ, the developer and builder of the GNOMES 1 smallsat, is planning to orbit a fleet of approximately 20 smallsats that will collect data on a variety of atmospheric conditions to assist in weather forecasting.

The FCC has approved OneWeb’s request to deploy an additional 1,280 satellites to provide high-speed broadband services in the US.

The approval increases the number of satellites OneWeb can operate in the US market from 720 to 2,000, offering the company “greater opportunities to deliver satellite-based broadband services to the public,” the agency said in an order released August 26th. The FCC says its ruling will offer OneWeb greater opportunities to deliver satellite-based broadband services to the public.

OneWeb proposes to add a V-band payload to the 720 satellite Ku-/Ka-band constellation previously approved by the FCC and proposes 1,280 additional V-band satellites operating at a nominal altitude of 8,500 km. “The OneWeb constellation will be authorized by the United Kingdom,” stated the FCC, adding, “The additional spectrum bands and satellites proposed in the OneWeb Petition would build upon OneWeb’s Ku/Ka-band Market Access Grant. Such additional capacity would enhance OneWeb’s ability to offer its proposed broadband services in the United States.”

“We conclude that granting OneWeb access to the US market for its proposed V-band satellite system would increase competition for the broadband services proposed to be provided by such systems to American consumers, particularly in underserved areas, offer a greater likelihood that such a large system is able to fulfill its ambitions and deploy the proposed services,” the FCC added.

However, the FCC insists that OneWeb pay a “surety bond” by September 26th this year and also launch 50 percent of the proposed satellites no later than August 26th 2026 and complete the constellation by August 26th 2029.

“We are pleased to hear the FCC granted our V-Band application. The V-band is critical for next generation satellite broadband services. OneWeb looks forward to the future growth opportunities this approval will enable as we commercialize our spectrum and execute on our mission to bring low latency connectivity to communities, governments, businesses, and people in the US and around the world,” a OneWeb spokesperson said.

News stories authored by journalist Chris Forrester,
who posts for the Advanced Television infosite and is also a
Senior Contributor for Satnews Publishers.

Southern Launch will host the September 15 launch at its Koonibba Test Range (KTR) 40km northwest of Ceduna in the far west of South Australia on land leased from the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation.

Launched northwards, the rocket will carry a small payload into the thermosphere where it will be released from the rocket to fall gently back to Earth under a parachute where DEWC Systems, escorted by a local Aboriginal Cultural Monitor, will recover and examine it.

The rocket itself will be unlike any rocket ever launched in Australia. Designed and built in the Netherlands by T-Minus Engineering, the DART rocket will weigh only 34kg, have one rocket engine, yet will have two rocket stages.

The rocket will burn out of fuel 6 seconds after lift-off and be traveling at Mach 5, or approximately 1.5 kilometers per second.

The launch also marks the start of NewSpace launches from Australia.

“This event is more than just Australia’s first launch, but a testament to Australian companies coming together with our international partners to push the boundaries of the conceivable and inspire future generations to be spacefarers,” Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said.

The rocket will be a symbolic launch of NewSpace in Australia, the name given to the emerging small satellite industry, which will open up a range of new capabilities such as monitoring the seas for piracy, observing the growth of crops across the world, or connecting rural farmers to a distant water tank through the Internet of Things (IoT).

The miniature payload, built by SA electronic warfare company DEWC Systems, is a prototype electronic warfare unit capable of detecting radar signals.

Future versions of the payload will go into orbiting satellites and is part of a $3.1 million contract to advance its space tactical sensor system for the Australian Defence Force.

The Miniaturised Orbital Electronic Warfare Sensor System (MOESS) project will involve a constellation of about 20 CubeSats fitted with a range of sensors and monitoring equipment to detect radio frequencies and signals such as radars to offer a view of ship and aircraft movements from above.

It aims to provide the first fully Australian developed, owned and operated space based Electronic Warfare capability. Previously, Australia has relied on its allies to help provide these capabilities.

DEWC Systems CEO Ian Spencer said the time was right for industry to be bold and to lead.

“This mission is an important step to developing true sovereign, space capability for Defence and is an excellent way to showcase the power of collaboration between innovative Australian industry partners,” Spencer said.

“The challenging question for Australia now, isn’t can industry deliver, it is can government and regulators keep up?”

The front “Dart” section, emblazoned with artwork developed by the Koonibba Community, will detach from the rocket and continue into the thermosphere while the larger rocket motor will fall back to earth.

Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation chief executive officer Corey McLennan said the corporation had been actively engaged with Southern Launch throughout the process and was excited that the venture had come to fruition.

“Our people continue to have a strong connection with the land, the sea and the sky, so with Southern Launch developing a rocket test range on our lands, we are excited to develop a partnership role in developing Australia’s space future,” he said.

South Australia’s history of rocket launches dates back to the 1950s when US, British, European and Australian scientists launched dozens of long-range missiles and sounding rockets from ranges in Woomera, north of the new launching site.

Next month’s Koonibba launch will also be a significant milestone in South Australia’s leadership of the Australian space industry, which has gained significant momentum since it was announced Adelaide would host the new Australian Space Agency in 2018.

South Australia is also home to major Tier 1 defense companies and several emerging space startups, including Fleet Space Technologies, Inovor Technologies and Myriota, which have all announced new IoT initiatives in the past year.

Southern Launch is also building a rocket launchpad on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

The 1190-hectare Whaler’s Way site is about a 35-minute drive from the regional town of Port Lincoln and will be used for launching small satellites over the Great Australian Bight into sun-synchronous or polar orbit.

By Andrew Spence, TheLeadSouthAustralia

Ethiopia is completing their planning for the launch of the nation’s second satellite into orbit next month, just eight months after the launch of the country’s ETRSS-1 satellite last December.

The country’s space ambitions, backed by China’s funds and satellite launch sites, has seen Ethiopian engineers design the satellites in an initiative co-funded by both countries. The ET-SMART-RSS Earth Observation (EO) smallsat is scheduled to take off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, in Wenchang, Hainan province.

Ethiopia’s ETRSS-1 satellite, which is manned by a team of engineers at the Entoto Observatory and Research Center on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa, analyzes weather patterns to extract data and enhance the country’s preparedness in the case of drought.

The country’s collaboration on space projects with China was signed into agreement in 2016, by Ethiopia’s then minister of Science and Technology, the current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Ethiopia’s ETRSS-1 satellite launch sent the African continent’s 41st satellite into orbit. Months earlier, Sudan’s successful debut launch made headlines, as had Rwanda’s in February of 2019. Egypt leads Africa with nine successful satellite launches since 1998, four of them coming last year.

The country’s second remote sensing satellite will weigh 8.9 kilograms and be of improved resolution — costs amounting to $1.5 million are being covered by the ESSTI’s partner on the project, the Beijing Smart Satellite Space Technology.

According to ESSTI’s Director General, Dr. Solomon Belay, Ethiopia is aiming to reach 10 satellites launched by the end of the decade.

OHB Group has signed a contract for a dedicated launch on an Electron rocket with Rocket Lab — the launch was procured through OHB Cosmos International Launch Service GmbH, the launch service division of the OHB Group.

The mission will launch a communications satellite for an OHB customer and is scheduled for lift-off in early 2021 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula. This is the first launch contract between Rocket Lab and OHB, one of Europe’s leading space systems integrators which traditionally offers rideshare opportunities on large launch vehicles.

The mission will represent a rapid turnaround time of just six months between contract signing and launch. This streamlined path to launch, combined with Rocket Lab’s ability to deliver smallsats to precise and unique orbits, were key factors in OHB selecting Rocket Lab as the launch provider.

The OHB mission will be one of the first missions in a busy year of launch activity for Rocket Lab, with the company booked for launches every two weeks in 2021 across its two launch sites, Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand and Launch Complex 2 in Virginia.

Executive Comments

Peter Beck, Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, said the contract highlights the growing need that small satellite operators have for responsive, dedicated launch and noted, “As a respected leader in space, OHB Group has been providing access to orbit through rideshare opportunities and dedicated launches on medium and large size rockets for many years. We’re excited to be enabling a new capability for OHB and its mission partners by delivering rapid turnaround, dedicated small satellite launch on Electron. Missions like this one put small satellite operators in the driver’s seat, giving them control over their launch schedule and orbit, on their terms.”

“OHB delivers an unmatched delivery time to its customer with this project. This would not have been possible without the impressive reactivity of Rocket Lab“, said Lutz Bertling, Chief Strategy & Development Officer OHB Group.

“For this mission, OHB COSMOS International Launch Service is not only providing the launch service procurement like for several previous OHB missions in the last 25 years. In the New Space Era we are leading this specific spacecraft, payload and mission development supported by OHB divisions in Sweden, Germany and Czech Republic,” said Indulis Kalnins, OHB Cosmos Managing Director.

Redwire has named Al Tadros as the firm’s Chief Growth Officer and EVP of Space Infrastructure, effective August 24.

As a thought leader in on-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, Mr. Tadros will advance development, increase adoption, and build momentum for Redwire’s mission-enabling capabilities within civil, defense and commercial space sectors. Tadros will lead Redwire’s long-term growth strategy and business development activities, positioning the company for accelerated growth and market expansion. He will report to Redwire Chief Operating Officer Andrew Rush.

Executive Comment

“Al is a respected aerospace thought leader and executive with a proven track record in maturing satellite and space systems programs for exploration and commercial benefits while also driving revenue growth,” said Andrew Rush, COO of Redwire. “By integrating civil space and national security interests, prioritizing our customer’s mission objectives, and advancing our cutting-edge technologies, Al’s leadership will position the company as a global leader in space infrastructure solutions.”

Tadros joins Redwire from Maxar, a leading provider of Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure solutions, with $1.7 billion dollars in annual revenue. Tadros served as Vice President of Space Infrastructure and Civil Space at Maxar, formerly Space Systems/Loral (SSL), since 2011. In that role, he led the expansion of Maxar’s satellite business among civil and commercial space customer segments, including securing a $375 million contract for Maxar to develop a solar electric propulsion spacecraft for NASA’s lunar Gateway.

Tadros has more than 30 years of experience in the aerospace industry, spending the past nine years at Maxar as a Vice President. Prior to that, he held leadership positions in program management, systems engineering, and spacecraft guidance navigation and control engineering.

Tadros holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

AE Industrial Partners, LP (“AEI”), a private equity firm specializing in Aerospace, Defense & Government Services, Power Generation and Specialty Industrial markets, launched Redwire in June of 2020 through the combination of portfolio companies Adcole Space, Deep Space Systems and Made in Space. These companies were acquired by AEI earlier this year.

Capella Space has announced that the company is one step closer to making their mission vision a reality — the firm is partnering with Rocket Lab to launch Sequoia, the first, publicly available satellite in the company’s planned constellation — the two-week launch window opens on August 26, 2020.

The company is especially proud of the team for achieving this milestone in spite of the challenges of COVID-19. The pandemic has impacted much of the economy, and the space industry is no exception. COVID-19 has affected Capella Space’s supplier network as well as the initial launch plans and required the satellite team to work in shifts in reduced group sizes. However, despite all the challenges, the team was able to get Sequoia across the world to the Rocket Lab launch site in New Zealand and is also on track for manufacturing the rest of the constellation as the other launches are approaching.

Sequoia is a 100 kg class smallsat and will be positioned in a 45-degree inclination. This mid-inclination allows the company to give customers immediate access to rapid coverage of important regions, including the Middle East, Korea, Japan, Europe, South East Asia, Africa, and the U.S. Like all of the Capella satellites, Sequoia will be able to see through clouds and in the dark and detect sub-0.5 meter changes on Earth’s surface. When fully deployed, this satellite constellation will offer hourly coverage of every point on Earth.

Capella Space worked with Rocket Lab to name this mission “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical,” a reference to the firm’s SAR satellite technology, which overcomes the limits of the optical imagery used in other commercial satellites. Unlike optical, SAR can see through clouds, in all weather conditions and even at night. The Capella Space team voted on the mission name in June, ultimately choosing it as a nod to this satellite technology and the infamous advertisement campaign for “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.”

This launch marks a significant milestone for Capella and the company is looking forward to the next few weeks and days as preparations continue for the launch.