Archives for 2022

Unseenlabs has signed a launch services agreement (LSA) with Exolaunch to deploy their BRO-8 smallsat on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 rideshare mission, which is to launch no earlier than (NET) January of 2023.

Manufactured by GOMSpace, BRO-8 (Breizh Reconnaissance Orbiter-8) is a 6U satellite designed to provide customers with data and analytics based on the interception of radio frequency (RF) signals (detection of electromagnetic waves emitted by electronic devices from Earth’s surface). It is to be the eighth satellite of Unseenlabs’ constellation, designed for high-precision maritime vessel tracking.

BRO-8 will be launched via Falcon 9 and deployed via Exolaunch’s EXOpod Nova smallsat deployer into SSO from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Under the LSA, Exolaunch is overseeing all rideshare mission management, environmental testing and satellite integration and deployment.

“We are looking forward to launching BRO-8, our eighth satellite, with Exolaunch and SpaceX,” said Jonathan Galic, CTO and Co-Founder of Unseenlabs. “This RF nanosatellite represents a crucial step in the development of our space-based radio frequency detection technology dedicated to Maritime Domain Awareness. It will allow us to improve our solution and revisit time. Thanks to Exolaunch and SpaceX, we will be able to provide the best quality service possible to our customers.”

“Unseenlabs and Exolaunch have long held a strong partnership, launching together on nearly all of our companies’ space missions and now expanding to new launch vehicles,” said Michael Tolstoj, Mission Director at Exolaunch. ”Unseenlabs is at the leading edge of maritime surveillance, and with so much at stake in this field we are happy to support those who are contributing the most.”

Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) has an agreement with the Australian Research Council Training Centre for CubeSats, Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles, and their Applications (CUAVA), for the transportation of the Waratah Seed WS-1 CubeSat to LEO in October of 2023.

The Waratah Seed WS-1 mission will carry payloads from the winners of a competition to support NSW-based Australian space start-up companies in demonstrating their technology in space and gaining spaceflight heritage. The Waratah Seed WS-1 mission will also carry commercial clients with the final manifest expected to be announced soon.

Waratah Seed is Australia’s first rideshare mission, an Australian-built industry and commercially focused CubeSat. Supported by the NSW Government through their Space Industry Development program, Waratah Seed’s mission is to deliver a 6U CubeSat platform providing spaceflight opportunities in low-Earth orbit to test and prove function and capability.

The Waratah Seed Consortium is a partnership between CUAVA, centered at the University of Sydney, Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER) at the University of NSW, Saber Astronautics, Delta-V NewSpace Alliance, Macquarie University, and the University of Technology Sydney.

Momentus signed its first services agreement with CUAVA earlier this year to fly the CUAVA-2 CubeSat.

“We’re happy to continue to grow our relationship with CUAVA and support the Waratah Seed mission that provides space access to a new generation of innovators,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer, John Rood. “Space infrastructure services can enable expanded access to space and optimize the use of space, and we’re looking forward to supporting Australia’s first rideshare mission as it seeks to bring new ideas and technologies to the space economy.”

“We are very excited to have signed two launch contracts with Momentus that will see both our rideshare satellite WS-1 and the CUAVA-2 CubeSat go into space in 2023,” said Director of Waratah Seed and CUAVA, Professor Iver Cairns. “Working with Momentus has been very productive and enjoyable, despite the many challenges in developing a complex pilot project like the Waratah Seed.”

CUAVA is the Australian Research Council Training Centre for CubeSats, UAVs and their Applications, centered at the University of Sydney. CUAVA aims to fundamentally change the capabilities and applications of CubeSats to create major commercial value with wide applications.

Momentus is a U.S. commercial space company that plans to offer in-space infrastructure services, including in-space transportation, hosted payloads and in-orbit services. Momentus believes it can make new ways of operating in space possible with its in-space transfer and service vehicles that will be powered by an innovative water plasma-based propulsion system that is under development.

Telesat (NASDAQ and TSX: TSAT), a large and innovative satellite operator announced the appointment of Philip Harlow as President of Telesat Government Solutions, a U.S.-incorporated, wholly-owned subsidiary of Telesat that is focused on providing resilient and secure satellite solutions to the U.S. Government and allied nations.

With over 25 years of leadership experience, Mr. Harlow joins Telesat Government Solutions with deep knowledge and expertise in delivering SATCOM solutions to government users, including the U.S. Department of Defense and law enforcement and emergency services personnel. He most recently was the President and CEO of DTC Communications, where he was brought in to define the corporate strategy, team and technology infrastructure for short and long-term growth.

Prior to that, he was the Vice President of the Global Solutions Group for SES Government Solutions, where he spearheaded business development capture activities and engineered trusted solutions for government and defense customers.

From 2010-2018, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of XTAR, LLC, designing innovative ways for military and government users to access commercial space platforms. Prior to XTAR, Mr. Harlow held a variety of executive and engineering roles with leading defense integrators and satellite operators, including Caprock Communications, DRS Technical Services, Intelsat General and Esatel Communications.

“Philip’s distinguished career in delivering best-in-class solutions to the U.S. Government and defense sector spans leadership roles with satellite operators, SATCOM integrators, and military service. He’s the right choice for executing our vision of delivering assured, cutting-edge solutions to support the U.S. Government and allied nations’ defense missions,” stated Dan Goldberg, President and CEO of Telesat.

“This is a transformative time in the satellite industry, and the perfect time to join Telesat Government Solutions as we execute pathfinder programs to make the DoD’s proliferated LEO vision a reality,” stated Philip Harlow. “The upcoming Telesat Lightspeed network is a game-changer for government customers — far more advanced than any other LEO system — and will deliver enterprise-class LEO connectivity for unsurpassed flexibility and resiliency to meet mission requirements in a contested space environment.”

Mr. Harlow will replace Tom Eaton, who announced this past summer that he would be retiring from the company at the end of the year after serving as President of Telesat Government Solutions since October 2021, in addition to seven successful years as Telesat’s Vice President of International Sales.

Goldberg continued, “I’d like to thank Tom for his trusted leadership and significant contributions to Telesat and Telesat Government Solutions, including the recently announced contract awards for the NASA Communications Services Project (CSP) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Space-BACN program. Tom has been a tremendous colleague and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Arianespace Flight VV22 via the Vega C launcher that was taking two Pléiades Neo satellites to their orbital slots came to end two minutes and 27 seconds into the liftoff, due to an anomaly with the Zeofire 40, second stage, propulsion system. An investigation is now underway to determine how and why this failure occurred and more details will be forthcoming.

Update 2 posting…

After the discovery of a defective equipment when arming the Vega C launcher for the Flight VV22, Arianespace has taken the decision to postpone the launch. In order to replace the equipment, the upper composite of the launcher will be taken back to the payload preparation facilities and the payload fairing will be opened for the intervention.

All the operations will be handled, in respect of the environmental requirements of the two Pléiades Neo satellites and in accordance with Arianespace’s quality policy. In order to secure both launch dates for Ariane 5 flight VA259 and Vega C flight VV22, Arianespace decided to update its manifest, swapping the two missions:

• The new targeted launch date for VV22 now is December 20;
• The new targeted launch date for VA259 –initially scheduled for December 14- now is December 13.

Update 1 posting…

Due to a defective equipment that needs to be replaced on the launcher, Flight VV22 – initially scheduled for November 24th from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana –must be postponed.

The Vega C launch vehicle and the two Pléiades Neo satellites are in safe conditions.

A new launch date, in December, will be shared as soon as possible.

Original posting…

On Thursday, November 24, 2022 at 10:47 pm local time (01:47 am (UTC) on Friday, November 25), Arianespace’s first Vega C mission will lift off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with the 30cm resolution satellites Pléiades Neo 5 and 6. This first commercial flight follows the success, July 13, of Vega C inaugural launch operated by the European Space Agency (ESA).

After liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport, the Vega C launcher will fly powered by the first three stages for a little over seven minutes. The third stage ZEFIRO 9 will then separate from the upper composite, which comprises the AVUM+ upper stage and the two Pléiades Neo satellites. The AVUM+ stage will ignite its engine for the first time about nine and an half minutes, followed by a ballistic phase lasting approximately 35 minutes, in order to reach the injection altitude of the first satellite.

The AVUM+ stage will then restart its engine for a second burn lasting 2 minutes and 30 seconds to circularize the orbit at an altitude of 629 km before releasing the first satellite. The next step, 6 minutes and 39 seconds later, will be a 15 seconds RACS boost leading to a new ballistic phase lasting about 36 minutes. It will be interrupted by a third AVUM+ ignition phase lasting exactly 5 seconds, and will be followed by the release of the second satellite at an altitude of 614 km.

Approximately nine minutes later will occur the fourth and last AVUM+ ignition for a period of 61 seconds, that will deorbit the launcher — marking the end of mission VV22, one hour, 53 minutes and 55 seconds after liftoff.

Pléiades Neo 5 and 6 fully funded and manufactured by its operator Airbus, are the two final satellites of the Pléiades Neo constellation that will respectively be the 139^th and 138^th Airbus Defence and Space satellites to be launched by Arianespace as well as the 120th and 119th satellites launched by a launcher of the Vega family.

The first one, Pléiades Neo 3, has been successfully orbited by Vega Flight 18 on April 28, 2021, and the second one, Pléiades Neo 4, by Vega Flight 19 on August 16, 2021. Built using the latest Airbus’ innovations and technological developments, the constellation allows imaging any point of the globe, several times per day, at 30cm resolution. Highly agile and reactive, they can be tasked up to 15 minutes before acquisition, and send the images back to Earth within the following hour. Smaller, lighter, more agile, accurate and reactive than the competition, they are the first of their class whose capacity will be fully commercially available. Thanks to these state-of-the-art satellites, each step of the acquisition and delivery cycle offers top-level Earth observation services now and going forward for the next ten years.

Vega C, which stands for Consolidation, has been developed to better respond to customers’ needs based on the lessons learned from the first decade (2012-2022) of Vega operations. The launcher has been upgraded with more powerful first and second stage Solid Rocket Motors, bigger AVUM tanks and with a larger fairing that significantly increase payload mass (up to 2,350t in SSO – Sun-Synchronous Orbit) and double allowable volume.

The launcher also better meets the specific needs of small spacecraft, as a result of its improved SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) dispenser and to its AVUM+ that will allow seven re-ignitions. Vega C can thus achieve three different orbits for its multiple payloads on the same mission, instead of the two previously possible with Vega.

Vega C development program has been managed by ESA. It associates 12 of Member States of the Agency. Avio Spa (Colleferro, Italy) is the industrial prime contractor for both launch vehicle and interfacing ground infrastructure. Avio is also responsible for campaign operations and preparation of the launch vehicle up to lift-off. Avio hands over a “ready to fly” rocket to Arianespace, which sells the Vega C, defines the missions’ requirements, validates its flight worthiness, and operates it from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

During launch campaigns, Arianespace works closely with CNES, the French space agency and the launch range authority at the European Spaceport in Kourou, who is notably looking after the satellite preparation facilities besides being responsible for the protection of populations.

Spacecom, the satellite services provider and owner-operator of the AMOS satellite fleet, and Telesat, innovative satellite operators, announced the completion of Spacecom’s successful testing campaign with Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO (Low Earth Orbit) demonstration satellite.

The tests, conducted from Spacecom’s Teleport and labs facility located in the Judean Hills outside of Jerusalem, reached an average latency of below 30 milliseconds and data rates over 50 Mbps. In one case study, the companies tested backhauling for WiFi hotspots – such as in enterprise offices and remote communities using Spacecom’s DCP (Digital Community Platform).

The proof of concept tests for the satellite’s efficiencies showed speeds and complete system reliability consistent and similar to top-of-class land-based internet connectivity. The testing of various applications including video uploads, video conferencing, Cloud applications, and VPN used over 10 devices connected simultaneously to the hotspot. The download speeds were measured at over 10 Mbps and upload speeds of over 20 Mbps per device.

“Spacecom is working towards offering multi-orbit services and these steps with our partners at Telesat prove that we are on the right path to offer Telesat Lightspeed services in the future,” stated Ofer Asif, Senior Vice President of Strategy and BizDev at Spacecom. “Our technical and engineering capabilities, alongside creative and dedicated problem solving, are exactly what is needed to take advantage of our position in the satellite industry and deliver unique value to our customers.” 

Telesat’s Chief Commercial Officer Glenn Katz commented, “We are excited to partner with the Spacecom team to expand their services portfolio with enterprise-class, high throughput, low-latency connectivity. With our programmable virtual network operator (pVNO) model and committed information rates backed by SLAs, Telesat Lightspeed provides a flexible and compelling value proposition for Spacecom’s next-generation offerings.”

INNOSPACE, a South Korean private spaceflight startup for small satellite launch vehicles, set December 20th (Brasilia Time, BRT) as the first rocket engine test flight of the HANBIT-TLV, privately made test launch vehicle.

HANBIT-TLV will launch Tuesday, December 20th at 06:00 BRT from the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil if there are no issues on the preparation process and weather conditions. The launch window is the period between December 14 and December 21.

HANBIT-TLV flight model left Incheon International Airport, December 2nd (UTC), and arrived at the Alcântara Launch Center via Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport and in Brazil, December 3rd (UTC).

INNOSPACE and its supplier HANYANG ENG team at the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil are carrying out final preparations ahead of the upcoming the first test launch of HANBIT-TLV. The company recently installed its portable Coalesed Launch System (CLS) and completed assembling the HANBIT-TLV flight model and vertical standing test. HANBIT-TLV will spend a dress rehearsal including conducting a full launch countdown approximately two-days before the launch date.

INNOSPACE is developing a series of HANBIT small satellite launch vehicles. The HANBIT-TLV, a test launch vehicle, is to validate the first stage engine of HANBIT-Nano, which is a two-stage small satellite launcher capable of carrying a 50kg payload. HANBIT-TLV is a 15-ton thrust single stage hybrid rocket with a height of 16.3m, 1-meter-diameter, and weight of 8.4-ton.

Additionally, an agreement signed with the Brazilian Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) under the Brazilian Air Force on May 3rd, the HANBIT-TLV will carry onboard the payload SISNAV, an inertial navigation system being developed by DCTA and other institutions during a test flight. SISNAV has weight of 20kg and 310 × 400 × 280 mm³ in size.

INNOSPACE will verify the flight performance focusing on the normal operation and stable thrust of the hybrid rocket engine, and the success of the engine verification will be finally confirmed based on the results of a comprehensive analysis of engine and flight data obtained after launch.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. completed their final launch rehearsal for the Electron launch of three, HawkEye 360 satellites in November and was preparing for lift-off on December 7 — however, that launch has now been moved to December 18th, as all important Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NASA paperwork for range activities requires completion before the launch is permitted to occur.

This mission will occur from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility – a launch pad developed to support U.S. Electron missions for government and commercial customers.

The pre-launch exercise saw the launch team carry out identical activities they will conduct on launch day to ensure the Electron rocket, launch pad, and supporting systems are ready for flight.

Called the “Virginia Is For Launch Lovers” mission, three satellites are scheduled to be deployed for HawkEye 360. Additionally, NASA’s Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) software will be flown for the first time from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, representing a valuable, new capability for the nation.

This mission will be the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see the company deliver 15 satellites to LEO between late 2022 and 2024.

These missions will grow HawkEye 360’s constellation of radio frequency monitoring satellites, enabling the company to better deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency emissions anywhere in the world.

A live launch webcast will also be available at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream approximately T-40 minutes prior to lift-off.

While “Virginia Is For Launch Lovers” will be Electron’s first launch from the U.S., Rocket Lab has already conducted 32 Electron missions from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, delivering 152 satellites to orbit for customers including NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), DARPA, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) and a range of commercial constellation operators. Electron now has the capacity to launch from the pads at Launch Complex 1 and 2 combined — the company has more than 130 Electron launch opportunities every year. 

The UK Space Agency has announced £2.7 million for 13 early-stage technology projects across England, Scotland and Wales to support the satellite launch sector

Funding from the agency’s new Launch UK Technology Investment Program will support teams from industry and universities to develop technology, products and services that will enhance the UK spaceflight supply chain, strengthen international competitiveness and catalyze further investment.

One project will recycle materials, including natural cork, to create thermal protection solutions for launcher propulsion systems and launch vehicles with a lower environmental impact, while another will develop launcher components out of lighter and more cost-effective metal composites, reducing the risk of creating space debris. Two further projects will follow next year.

Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said, “Funding new science and technology developments is crucial to growing the UK space sector and catalyzing further investment into our economy. While we look forward to marking a major milestone in UK launch capabilities with the upcoming launch from Spaceport Cornwall, projects such as these ensure we have growing pipeline of new technologies ready for lift-off to support our long-term ambitions.”

Launch services are worth a potential £3.8 billion to the UK economy over the next decade. The UK Space Agency is already delivering a program of spaceflight projects, including Virgin Orbit’s first launch from Spaceport Cornwall, which will carry nine satellites into orbit early next year.

Work is also underway on the construction of spaceports in Sutherland and Shetland, which will host vertical rocket launches from national and international launch providers. Further spaceports are in development at other locations in Scotland and Wales, with the potential to host a wide range of new and innovative launch technologies.

The projects in detail

Organization: Space Prime, London
Funding: £17,000
Summary: Demonstrate the ability to recycle advanced engineering materials, including natural cork and thermoplastics, for use in high temperature launcher propulsion system applications and launch vehicle structures. This capability will provide the UK launch market with solutions for thermal protection systems that offer a low environmental impact and opportunities for use across the engineering industry.

Organization: UKLSL, London
Funding: £26,000
Summary: Develop tools to streamline the process of applying for spaceflight licenses under the 2021 Space Industry Regulations (SIR). The project should reduce time and costs associated with preparing and maintaining a license application for any organization wishing to operate launch systems from UK spaceports, and also satellite operators wishing to launch or operate satellites from the UK, making the UK a more attractive launch option for customers.

Organization: Rocket Engineering, London
Funding: £50,000
Summary: Commercial feasibility study to examine how the UK’s nuclear space power program, coordinated by the Nuclear Space Power (NSP) Working Group, could significantly widen and strengthen the use case for commercial spaceflight. This will enable the UK to deliver innovative space power services, leading to new launch contracts, a wider role for government and spaceports, and the potential to stimulate development of both launch and power services for commercial spaceflight and deep space exploration.

Organization: European Astrotech, Westcott
Funding: £54,000
Summary: Development, building and qualification of a propellant loading cart (GSE) to service satellites with electric propulsion systems using xenon or krypton. This project expands on the firm’s established fuelling GSE to provide a similar, low-cost service to customers using satellites with electric propulsion.

Organization: SmallSpark Space Systems, Cardiff
Funding: £76,000
Summary: Development and maturation of SmallSpark’s dual-firing mode propulsion system, the S4-NEWT-A2; which will form part of the architecture of its S4-SLV in-space logistics vehicle, and as a candidate system for upper-stage launch vehicles. The SLV seeks to provide logistics support for small satellites and aims to remove the need for manufacturers to develop dedicated propulsion, power and communications systems, by providing all of these onboard its reusable vehicle. A demo mission is slated for 2024 onboard one of the UK’s upcoming launch vehicles and is designed to service up to 60 satellites in a lifetime; with slot reservations available on the SmallSpark site.

Organization: Lúnasa, Harwell
Funding: £216,000
Summary: Reach technology readiness level of Lúnasa’s reusable dual-stage spacecraft that will provide in-space logistics and infrastructure services for small satellites. The first-of-its-kind vehicle will fit the type of launch vehicles planned for use from UK spaceports, offering satellite operators opportunities to reach otherwise unattainable or fuel-exhaustive orbits. This project, funded in partnership with the Satellite Applications Catapult at Harwell will focus on de-risking the vehicle’s rendezvous proximity operations and docking capabilities.

Organization: Magdrive, Harwell
Funding: £250,000
Summary: Next stage of development for the Magdrive kick-stage for launch, which will allow satellites launched from the UK to reach higher altitudes and new orbits, filling a supply chain gap and building resilience in the UK launch market. The kick-stage uses the Magdrive electric plasma thruster, which can future-proof against the risk of colliding with or causing space debris by rapidly burning.

Organization: Shetland Space Centre, Scotland
Funding: £378,000
Summary: Project SkyReach will build and install a rocket launch rail for sub-orbital launches that can be used by different sounding rockets up to three tonnes gross lift-off weight, giving rocket launch providers in the UK the ability to test components of their vehicles in advance of orbital launch. SkyReach is planned for SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, due to begin launch activities early next year.

Organization: HyImpulse, Shetland
Funding: £399,000
Summary: Create a Shetland-based motor test program to implement design improvements for an advanced hybrid rocket, which will power the company’s sub-orbital and orbital launch vehicles. This is an important step towards the sub-orbital demonstration flight, which will be the most powerful European hybrid rocket ever flown to date. HyImpulse has also partnered with Cranfield University to analyse the liquid oxygen feed system.

Organization: Gravitilab Aerospace Service Ltd, Norwich
Funding: £400,000
Summary: Plans to develop Gravitilab’s suborbital launch vehicle, ISAAC, from the advanced design and development stage through to design freeze and prototype build. The ISAAC launch vehicle aims to reach a max altitude of 250km with a payload mass of 20kg and a microgravity duration of around 300 seconds. In addition, this project also includes the acquisition and build of bespoke testing facilities.

Organization: AltaRange Ltd, Scotland
Funding: £400,000
Summary: Plans for a simulated test of AltaRange’s telemetry, tracking and termination system, which will provide customers with range services – the processes performed by license providers to reduce risks to the public and property throughout launch events – at lower costs. AltaRange aims to catalyse investment into Scotland while prioritising and upskilling local suppliers to provide specialised system parts.

Organization: Discover Space, Scotland
Funding: £227,000
Summary: Work with the University of Glasgow to develop the MachLab propulsion and space research laboratory, which will offer testing capabilities of Earth-storable and cryogenic rocket engines of up to 10kN. The facility will offer ancillary testing capabilities to support a wide range of propulsion systems at various technology readiness levels. The project also includes designing the first UK propellant densification system and high-thrust test facilities for full scale launch vehicles.

Organization: TISICS Metal Composites, Farnborough
Funding: £123,000 (grant amount)
Summary: Develop launcher components that demise during re-entry, eliminating space debris. TISICS lightweight tanks for launchers will enable a UK on-shore supply chain for high-value propulsion components. TISICS innovative manufacturing capability provides short lead time, low-cost, customer optimized solutions which will ensure lasting competitive advantage to the UK’s commercial spaceflight ambitions.