Archives for January 2021

Raytheon Intelligence & Space’s sensor payload for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Blackjack program passed critical design review (CDR) on schedule.

Blackjack is an LEO satellite constellation program that aims to develop and demonstrate the critical elements for persistent global coverage against a range of advanced threats.

During critical design review, the team demonstrated that vital sensor components – focal plane, cryocooler, telescope and electronics – are already in fabrication, which significantly reduces schedule risk.

The team also provided updated sensor analysis, which dictates optimal performance parameters for missions, like orbit and type of mission. It showed that the Blackjack objective constellation can deliver persistent overhead access to any point in the world with a high degree of fidelity.

RI&S will continue to reduce integration timelines for rapid deployment, engaging with major subcontractors to be ready for production. RI&S is on contract to deliver two prototype sensor payloads and to support the systems integrator for integration with the Pit Boss mission management system and the space vehicle. It also includes launch campaign support and the on-orbit demonstration.

“Our Blackjack design has required little change throughout reviews,” said Dave Broadbent, VP and COO for Space & C2 Systems at RI&S. “That design stability as well as procurement and integration of parts has been key to meeting DARPA’s rapid delivery schedule.”

By the very last days of 2020, ANYWAVES received from the French Space Agency (CNES) an accreditation scheme for the company’s S-band TT&C antenna , X-Band Payload Telemetry antenna and GNSS L1 / E1 Band antenna — these antennas were designed thanks to additive manufacturing.

This CNES label is a recognition of “the excellent work done for the agency’s programs” CNES stated in their press-release.

This an honor for the ANYWAVES team to receive such an award only three years after the firm’s inception. This marks yet another milestone on the company’s way to leadership of miniature antennas for satellite constellations.

SEAKR^® Engineering, Inc. (SEAKR) has realized their on-orbit technology demonstration of Pit Boss supercomputing processing hardware in nine months as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blackjack Program.

Pit Boss is an autonomous, collaborative, distributed space-based enterprise designed to self-task, process, and distribute tactically relevant information to manned and unmanned subscribers.  

As Pit Boss prime, SEAKR supports the Blackjack program with two risk reduction demonstration flights as LEO rideshares. The first demonstration, Mandrake I, a cubesat, validates key Pit Boss hardware and chip level technologies prior to full production.  The experimental orbital platform includes a digital twin and provides ‘real-time’ efficacy feedback on LEO radiation mitigations and processor performance. The single satellite system launch supports early evaluation and characterization for risk reduction in technology development. 

The second demonstration, Mandrake II, aims to advance laser communications between satellites and to ground or airborne assets with Blackjack constellation laser terminals.  

DARPA’s Blackjack program focuses on integrating commercial satellite technologies into a constellation of affordable, small, secure, and resilient military satellites. Mandrake efforts combine mission development and management services, integration coordination, as well as mission operations, data reduction and processor prototype development.  The Mandrake program supports  the Blackjack program’s mission by aiming to reduce risk and validating key technologies and capabilities to expand operational fidelity.  

SEAKR Engineering is a provider of advanced electronics for space applications. The company desigsn and manufactures processors, command and data handling systems, advanced payloads, and manned space hardware.  Founded in 1982, SEAKR continues their innovation with state-of-the-art space communications processors that are capable of channelization and beamforming.

Voyager Space Holdings, Inc. (Voyager) has appointed Dr. Cheryl Shavers to the company’s Board of Directors. Alongside National Security Expert and four-star Air Force General William Shelton, leading investor Gabe Finke and world leading planetary Scientist, Dr. Alan Stern, Dr. Shavers will help the Board guide Voyager as it continues on its mission to create a vertically integrated, publicly traded, NewSpace company.

Dr. Shavers’ appointment jump starts a momentous year ahead for Voyager, as the company plans to expand upon momentum generated in 2020. Voyager recently announced its intent to acquire a majority stake in X.O. Markets and its largest subsidiary, commercial space services provider, Nanoracks. Nanoracks will join a growing list of highly capable Voyager subsidiaries, which includes The Launch Company, Pioneer Astronautics and Altius Space Machines. Voyager also expanded its footprint on the East Coast, appointing Eric Stallmer as Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy to lead its Washington, D.C., office.

“Dr. Shavers is an accomplished technical expert and business executive. She has spent her career leading private companies and public entities; overseeing international equity investments and acquisitions and serving on federal committees related to national security, international science and commercial space,” said Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Voyager Space Holdings. “As Voyager plans for an exciting year ahead, we’re honoured to have someone as accomplished and scientifically gifted as Dr. Shavers join our Board of Directors.”

Dr. Shavers currently serves as Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Smarts Inc., a technology globalization enterprise that specializes in the integration of capital, technology and information across national borders. She has more than 25 years of experience in the high tech industry, including engineering and managerial positions at Motorola, Hewlett-Packard and Intel. Dr. Shavers was confirmed as Undersecretary of Technology in the Clinton Administration, where she headed the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) and the Secretariat for Space Commercialization. She also served as senior advisor to the Secretary of Commerce in forming new policies and program initiatives within science and technology.

“Despite a tumultuous 2020, commercial space was one of the few industries to not just hold steady, but grow. As we embark on a new year, I’m eager to join the Voyager Board as we work to achieve our goal of delivering any space mission humans can conceive,” said Shavers. “Voyager and its subsidiaries are at the forefront of innovation and I look forward to all we plan to accomplish this year, both within the company and industry wide.”

Kleos Space S.A. (ASX: KSS, Frankfurt: KS1) has named seasoned industry executive, Eric von Eckartsberg, as the firm’s US-based Chief Revenue Officer.

He is a highly qualified business executive with an extensive background leading rapid growth in international sales and business development teams within the defence and intelligence sectors.

His extensive industry expertise includes senior leadership roles at satellite imagery and geospatial services providers Maxar Corporation and Vricon Inc., network security analytics platform RedSeal Networks, and advanced AI and text analytics software company Basis Technology Corp. He also served as a US Government Intelligence Officer for more than a decade.

Eric will be responsible for Kleos’ global sales, the business development and sales teams and strategic customer partnerships. As Kleos prepares for commercialization of its global activity-based intelligence data, the company has also expanded its sales team with the appointment of Product Manager Guillermo Gutierrez and Sales Executive Alex Johnson, both based in the US.

Guillermo Gutierrez brings more than two decades of experience to the role with an in-depth understanding of Geographic Information System (GIS), image and LiDAR processing, 3D modelling and geospatial data. He previously led commercial and international strategic initiatives for the Geospatial Solutions Division at L3Harris Technologies.

Alex Johnson is an experienced business development and sales executive with digital marketing strategy and sales enablement with expertise driving lead generation strategy. In his previous role at space technology company Maxar Technologies, Alex was responsible for the sale of satellite imagery, software and geospatial data to global companies.

Rocket Lab has announced that their first Electron launch of the new year will be a dedicated mission for European space technology company OHB Group.

This dedicated mission, named ‘Another One Leaves the Crust,’ is scheduled for lift-off during a 10-day launch window that opens on January 16 NZT/UTC. Encapsulated inside Electron’s fairing will be a single communication smallsat that will enable specific frequencies to support future services from orbit.

The launch will be Rocket Lab’s 18th Electron mission and was procured for OHB Group through OHB Cosmos International Launch Service GmbH, the launch service division of OHB Group. OHB Cosmos is responsible for launching the spacecraft built by the Group’s satellite manufacturers based in Germany, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

The mission will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula to an initial elliptical orbit, then Electron’s Kick Stage will perform a series of burns with its relightable Curie engine to raise apogee and act as a space tug to deliver the OHB Cosmos’ payload to its precise orbital destination.

Following payload deployment, the Kick Stage will perform a de-orbit burn to lower its perigee where it will experience greater atmospheric drag, enabling it to re-enter and burn up faster to avoid becoming space junk. Rocket Lab will not be attempting to recover Electron’s first stage for this mission.

‘Another One Leaves the Crust’ is the first mission in a packed launch manifest for 2021, which includes multiple dedicated and rideshare small satellite missions for both government and commercial customers. This year will also see Rocket Lab launch a Photon mission to the Moon in support of NASA’s CAPSTONE program and also launch the first missions from Rocket Lab’s two additional launch pads – Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, and the new Pad B at Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said, “We’re proud to be delivering a speedy and streamlined path to orbit for OHB Group on this mission, with launch taking place within six months of contract signing. By flying as a dedicated mission on Electron, OHB and their mission partners have control over launch timing, orbit, integration schedule, and other mission parameters.”

Ultra-high data rates for small satellites, free of licensing fees and year-long application processes – this will soon be reality. Thanks to the award to carry out an ESA ScyLight  technology demonstration project supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Defense and Netherlands Space Office (NSO), a Dutch consortium consisting of TNO and Hyperion Technologies will be launching the jointly developed laser satellite terminal into space. The target launch is set for early 2022 on board the NorSat-TD satellite. 

The plug-and-play terminal, called CubeCAT, will enable future smallsats to downlink data with speeds up to 1 Gbps and uplink of 200 Kbps. Currently, smallsats are limited in bandwidth using radio communications with much slower throughput. In addition, the application process to obtain a licence to send and receive on a dedicated radio frequency takes often one to two years. This is not the case for laser communication.

CubeCAT, with its 1U form factor, low power needs and low mass, can be easily integrated into small satellites. In addition, the developers added an on-board data management system, featuring a large data storage buffer, into the terminal.

The demonstration of CubeCAT relies, of course, on the availability of an optical ground stations to receive data. Within the ScyLight project, TNO is building an optical ground station in The Hague, Netherlands. FSO Instruments as well as Hyperion are equally involved by providing key elements, ranging from optical benches, deformable mirrors and receiver technology. ESA’s optical ground station in Tenerife, Spain, and other stations will also support the downlinking of data. Ultimately, the consortium will be able to support laser communication needs for sending and receiving in space, air and ground.

The recent acquisition of Hyperion Technologies by AAC Clyde Space is expected to grant even more clients access to this technology. AAC Clyde Space is based in Sweden, Scotland and, following the equally recent acquisition of Space Quest, now also in the USA. In the future, CubeCAT can be offered as a standard technology option to its worldwide client base.

NorSat-TD is a technology demonstration mission managed by the Norwegian Space Centre (NOSA). It will be built and integrated by the UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory (University of Toronto, Institute for Aerospace Studies).

Bert Monna, Managing Director of Hyperion Technologies, explains the rationale for developing laser communication for small satellites, “Our clients’ mission success depends very much on how much satellite data they can get back to Earth. Imagine having a novel camera onboard of a satellite that can shoot high-resolution images. Within one 90 minute orbit it can only operate for four to six minutes because it cannot download all of the data fast enough. What doesn’t get downloaded, is overwritten in the next orbit. Does this mean we should take lower resolution images? Should we be satisfied with this quantity? Both options are not acceptable. We chose to address the bottleneck of bandwidth with the development of CubeCAT and bring a new era to small satellites.”

He continued, “We believe that our solution will change the landscape of small satellites, for two reasons: First, together with TNO we are able to address all laser technology needs on space and on ground. This enables us to offer a holistic and integrated system from the start. Secondly, working with a research institute ensures that our solution is, and stays, cutting edge.” 

The FCC’s Action 107, which looks after the sale of frequencies covered by the release of the satellite sector’s C-band 3.7 GHz spectrum, continues to break all records.

Two bidding rounds on December 23 took the overall amount of cash on the table to a thumping $69.83 billion.

The position added some $3.5 billion during the two sessions to the previous $66.4 billion already registered as of December 22. January 4 will see another five rounds (Rounds 46-50) taking place.

Also being reported is that OneWeb, the would-be, broadband-by-satellite constellation backed by the UK and India, is contemplating switching its current Florida satellite production line to the UK.

The Mail on Sunday reported that “executives behind OneWeb briefed civil servants” on the merits of moving satellite production from Florida to the UK. Currently, satellite production takes place under a joint-venture between OneWeb and Airbus.

In an interview carried in the same report, Richard Franklin, MD for defence and Space at the UK arm of Airbus, said his company is keen to make the switch. “There’s a real intent and desire in Airbus that manufacturing is done from the UK,” he said.

OneWeb is building its Mark 1 version satellites in Florida at a rate of two craft per day, but there is a plan to start a second-generation version which would include GPS-type functionality. However, first there are obligations to turn out the target 650 satellites needed to get a full service up and running.

Airbus, while headquartered in Toulouse, France, has major British satellite production facilities in Portsmouth and Stevenage in the south of England.