Archives for September 2022

The world’s third PocketQube satellite constellation tech start-up — Hello Space — plans to become become one of the eye-catching technology start-ups born in Turkey and will offer worldwide data IoT service when the company’s smallsat constellation is delivered to orbit.

PocketQube satellites are the world’s smallest satellite standard, in 5x5x5 cm. size, providing extensive coverage from space through narrowband data communications. ‘Istanbul‘, Hello Space’s first test PocketQube satellite, is getting ready to take its place in space via a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket in February of 2023.

Hello Space will cover the entire world with its 5 cm. 3 ‘Istanbul’ PocketQube test satellite that will provide worldwide, uninterrupted and powerful data service at low cost. Services such as tracing the motion of cargo containers, remote monitoring of several variables as temperature, humidity levels of industrial equipment and tracking agricultural output to secure efficient supply chain management are all part of this smallsat’s portfolio. PocketQube satellite technology transfers remote sensor data in maritime, agriculture, logistics, energy, environment and climate related businesses at a much lower cost than other offerings, all with the newest technology.

“I served as Team Leader in the Grizu-263A project – Turkey’s first PocketQube satellite. I am proud to elevate my experience with Hello Space, working on newest technologies aiming to become a global data service company,” said Hello Space Co-Founder and CEO, Muzaffer Duysal.

“Hello Space boosts our ambition to put Turkey among world’s pioneers in the pocketqube satellite field, which is practically new to everyone. We are accumulating huge know-how by producing both hardware and software in Turkey”, said Hello Space Co-Founder, Zafer Şen. He is also the founding partner of OBSS Technology.

Hello Space was founded in May of 2022 as Turkey’s first, commercial, PocketQube satellite venture. Its founding partners are Muzaffer Duysal and Zafer Şen. The company aims to establish a PocketQube satellite constellation of 50+ satellites in space to offer data services with narrowband data transfer through IoT technology.

OneWeb Technologies Inc. has named Kevin Steen as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Steen is succeeding former CEO, Bob Roe, who announced his retirement earlier this summer.

Mr. Steen most recently served as CEO of iDirect, a market leading, ground segment technology provider for commercial products and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Upon stepping into the role as CEO in 2017, he oversaw the company’s revenue and market share doubling in size through organic and inorganic growth strategies.

Steen has held multiple roles since joining iDirect in 2010, where he was responsible for driving the company’s technology and innovation strategy. Under Steen’s leadership, the company pioneered the satellite industry’s first ground segment platform that supported a global network footprint, enabling the industry’s transition to High Throughput Satellite (HTS) architectures and becoming the technology partner of choice for the top satellite operators and service providers.

Mr. Steen is known for his strong customer relationships, successful track record in balancing strategy against execution and enthusiasm for developing exceptional leadership teams. His experience and expertise will help him transition to his new role.

“I am honored to be entrusted to lead OneWeb Technologies at this exciting time in the company’s evolution. The opportunities created by the deep customer relationships, world-class experience and innovation within the company, combined with the incredible potential of the OneWeb LEO constellation, are almost limitless,” Mr. Steen added “I look forward to helping OneWeb Technologies capitalize on the opportunity that exists in the marketplace given their technology leadership, superior capabilities and passion for serving the defense community.”

Mr. Steen was selected as the next CEO after a rigorous and lengthy selection process conducted by OneWeb Technologies’ Board of Directors. Its Chairwoman, Sue Gordon, said “Kevin stood out as a strong, dynamic leader with the relevant experience we believe will be necessary to execute on our bold plans for the company. The Board is looking forward to working with Kevin to take the company forward.”

In addition, Mr. Steen will join the board as a director of the company. He will work closely with the Board of Directors and the outgoing CEO to ensure a seamless transition.

OneWeb Technologies is a global provider of high-speed, low latency, secure, multi-orbit, satellite network solutions to commercial and government customers. OneWeb Technologies is the U.S. Proxy entity of OneWeb, focused on designing secure end-to-end commercial SATCOM solutions for the Five Eyes (FVYS) and other governmental organizations. As OneWeb’s proxy organization, it has access to the company’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and takes a consultative and adaptable approach toward providing reliable, innovative, secure and cost-effective satellite communications solutions to its customers. Learn more at OneWebTechnologies.net.

Firefly Aerospace has named long-time aerospace and defense executive, Bill Weber, as the company’s CEO, effective immediately. Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”), a U.S.-based private equity firm that specializes in aerospace, defense and government services, space, power and utility services, and specialty industrial markets.

Mr. Weber previously served as President, CEO, and Director of KeyW Corporation (NASDAQ: KEYW), a provider of agile cyber operations and warfare, data analytics and geospatial satellite payloads and sensors for U.S. government intelligence and defense customers, as well as the commercial sector. During his tenure, he led the Company through a multi-year transformation, focusing on driving consistent growth, operational discipline, and divestitures and acquisitions, culminating in the sale of KeyW to Jacobs Engineering Group (NYSE: J).

Mr. Weber most recently founded First Light Acquisition Group as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, a company focused on investing in technology-enabled solutions with mission-critical applications. Prior to KeyW, Mr. Weber served as President and Chief Operating Officer of XLA, a privately-held, national security and diplomacy technology firm. He previously was President of Kaseman, a technology services firm providing foreign policy assistance to the U.S. government, and has spent the balance of his career in leadership positions in the technology sector serving the A&D community.

A veteran U.S. Army Officer and an Airborne Ranger, Mr. Weber was awarded the Bronze Star for actions during Operation Desert Storm. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington University and is a graduate of The Executive Program at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He currently serves on the boards of Modus eDiscovery, Buchanan Edwards, and America’s Warrior Partnership.

“Bill is a proven leader with an impressive record of helping companies successfully navigate change, making him the clear choice to lead Firefly during this transitional growth period,” said Peter Schumacher, Partner at AE Industrial Partners, who served as interim CEO of the Company. “His deep experience and strong relationships across many areas of the A&D landscape will be invaluable as Firefly transitions to full-rate production across its portfolio of products. On behalf of the Firefly and AEI teams, I welcome him to the Company.”

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to lead a company on the forefront of critical, leading-edge space transportation solutions, and I am honored to join the talented Firefly team,” said Mr. Weber. “I respect and admire Firefly’s innovative corporate culture, which has led to its success, and I know that Firefly is poised to achieve great things. I look forward to collaborating with the Firefly and AEI teams at this critical juncture in the Company’s development.”

“We’re confident that Firefly will transform the space industry with its game-changing technologies, and Bill’s successful track record delivering new technologies for space and defense companies will help to accelerate the Company’s vision and market leadership,” said Kirk Konert, Chairman of Firefly and Partner at AEI. “As a former public company CEO at KeyW, Bill is the perfect mix of space and defense technologist and is an accomplished executive respected by some of the world’s largest financial institutions. I am excited to work closely with him and the management team during the Company’s next stage of growth.”

Firefly has scheduled the second launch of its Alpha rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base for September 11th. It was also announced last month that Firefly has partnered with Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) to develop an American-built, first-stage upgrade for the Antares rocket and a new medium-lift launch vehicle to serve commercial, civil and national security space launch markets. This collaboration will provide American-built engines to replace the Russian-made RD-181 engines.

Headquartered in Cedar Park, TX, Firefly Aerospace is an emerging end-to-end space transportation company focused on developing a family of launch vehicles, in-space vehicles, and services to provide industry-leading affordability, convenience, and reliability to its government and commercial customers. Firefly’s launch vehicles, combined with their in-space vehicles, such as the Space Utility Vehicle (SUV) and Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, provide the space industry with a single source for missions from LEO to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, please see www.firefly.com.

AE Industrial Partners is a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets. AE Industrial Partners invests in market-leading companies that can benefit from its deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and relationships throughout its target markets. AE Industrial Partners is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and the ILPA Diversity in Action initiative. Learn more at www.aeroequity.com.

ThrustMe has delivered seven propulsion systems to Spire Global, Inc. for that company’s LEMUR 3U satellites as it continues to build upon its fully deployed constellation of more than 100 satellites.

Spire’s LEMUR satellites will carry ThrustMe’s I2T5 iodine cold gas system on the next launch that is scheduled for Q4 2022 onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission. These propulsion systems will enable Spire to optimize its constellation performance and prepare for upcoming deorbiting regulations. For the first time, Spire will integrate and use propulsion on its LEMUR satellites.

The integration of ThrustMe’s iodine cold gas propulsion system, the I2T5, will provide Spire significantly improved satellite maneuverability for satellite phasing, collision avoidance maneuvers, and end-of-life deorbiting.

Spire’s Low Earth Multi-Use Receiver (LEMUR) constellation is used to track maritime, aviation, and weather activity from space, and the satellites are equipped with multiple sensors, capable of capturing data day and night — even in extreme weather conditions. Spire also has a Space Services business, which allows organizations to deploy and scale their own constellations at maximum speed with minimum risk. This is accomplished by leveraging Spire’s proven space platform, global ground station network, end-to-end manufacturing facility, and extensive launch partnership network.

ThrustMe has now delivered more than 20 I2T5 systems to clients across the globe and is setting up a dedicated, high-volume, industrial production facility to meet the strong commercial demand from the industry.

“Incorporating propulsion into our satellites will increase the capability of our constellation and safety of operations. ThrustMe’s I2T5 unit has distinct advantages for Spire from a technical risk perspective. The small physical volume and low power requirements are critical for 3U satellites,” said Jeroen Cappaert, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Spire.

“It is particularly important for us to meet the needs of clients such as Spire, who have specific parameters for propulsion solutions. We have designed and developed a system that provides sufficient in-orbit manoeuvrability for satellites with power and volume constraints, so that they can perform essential and soon-to-be mandatory operations,” said Dr. Ane Aanesland, co-founder and CEO of ThrustMe.

ThrustMe is a one-stop shop provider of high performing in-orbit mobility solutions for customer across the globe. It offers a portfolio of disruptive, deeply integrated and smart in-orbit space propulsion solutions design for the new industrialized constellation space era. The company made the world’s first demonstration of an iodine-fueled electric propulsion system in space – an achievement the space industry has tried to reach for 60 years. Now delivering propulsion systems to major constellation players, ThrustMe has set up an industrial production line in the southern outskirt of Paris in France.

OQ Technology has closed a 13 million euro Series A funding round led by Wa’ed Ventures, the venture capital arm at Aramco (the Saudi oil and gas company), and Phaistos Investment Fund, managed by 5G Ventures in Greece.

OQ Technology will use the funds to further develop their own technology solutions, acquire more spectrum licenses and grow its 5G IoT satellite constellation. The constellation provides fast and real-time data processing for IoT and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) applications in remote and rural areas. Such applications can range from wellhead monitoring, SCADA system, asset tracking, drone control, vehicle telematics and smart cars to artificial intelligence, mining, defence, and automated transport.

According to a GSMA Intelligence report published this year, the global direct-to-device (D2D) market is growing fast, with 3GPP standardized technology offering access to new revenue for telcos and will be worth over $30 billion by 2035.

Recently, OQ Technology has started the establishment of two subsidiaries with global remit, one in Athens, Greece and the other in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi subsidiary will host the first and only satellite 5G network center of its kind in the Kingdom and in the MENA region. It will also be one of the largest data and network operations centers for 5G satellite services in the Middle East. The subsidiary will be used to engage with large oil and gas companies in the region and with the local industrial ecosystem and universities. The latter is in line with Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic framework to accelerate the Kingdom’s energy transition, achieve sustainability goals, and drive a new wave of investment.

Earlier this year, OQ Technology launched its third satellite mission — Tiger-3 — aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-4 rideshare mission. The company has more planned satellites that will be launched soon to further grow their constellation.

Omar Qaise, founder and CEO of OQ Technology, said, “This investment is testament to the strength of our business plans, capabilities, and technology that OQ has been implementing since its inception in 2016, and a clear differentiator from many satellite IoT companies who rely on non- standard technologies. Against a challenging economic backdrop, our decision to seek funding was rewarded with a raise that will help us achieve our immediate goals in terms of growth, expansion into Middle East, African, Asia, South America, and Oceania, increasing our spectrum licenses and patents portfolio, and advancing our product development. The company will also accelerate its growth and recruitment efforts in Luxembourg.“

He added, “We have pioneered satellite-based 5G communications with the introduction of the world’s first universal IoT device providing connectivity using a satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) in 2019 and other patented technologies since. All our launched missions and our service demos with Global Fortune 500 companies have been successful, and we have more mission in the pipeline.”

“Our investment in OQ Technology, a global pioneer in the satellite technology, is a true manifestation of our mission to position the Kingdom as the center of gravity for global tech ventures,” said Fahad Alidi, Managing Director and CEO at Wa’ed Ventures. “We envision OQ to become the nucleus to building a full space tech ecosystem that starts with the Kingdom and outspread to the surrounding region.”

The Greek subsidiary, under the name of “OQ Technology Hellas,” will nest within the incubator/ accelerator unit “Corallia” of the Athena Research Centre (“Athena”) that also hosts the Hellenic Space Technologies and Applications Cluster (si-Cluster). 5G Ventures has signed MoUs (memorandum of understanding) with both “Athena” and “Corallia” and OQ Technology has already contacted companies from the si-Cluster to explore synergies and opportunities in Greece.

5G Ventures CEO Antonis Tzortzakakis said, “We believe there is great potential for 5G IoT technology, and together with Saudi Aramco’s Wa’ed Ventures we are very excited to invest in OQ Technology. The investment fits perfectly into 5G Ventures’ strategy for supporting innovative 5G-related technologies capable of creating value and contributing to the evolution of an ecosystem of innovation in Greece.“

Outpost Technologies Corporation (“Outpost”) has closed a $7.1 million series Seed round. This round was oversubscribed, demonstrating Outpost’s visionary approach to disrupting the satellite market.

The company has developed and flight tested a novel, re-entry method that enables satellites to safely return to Earth with precision landing. This technology makes single-use satellites obsolete as well as enables the broader aerospace market to attain dedicated payload return to Earth. This round of funding will enable Outpost to advance technology development and build their team with exceptional talent.

The seed round was led by Moonshots Capital, with participation from Draper Associates, Starlight Ventures, Kittyhawk Ventures, AIR Capital, Starburst Ventures, Shasta Ventures and others. This cohort of investors represents industry leaders in space and frontier technology with a strong track record and a deep understanding of the market Outpost is operating in.

“Outpost is re-imagining, from first principles, how a satellite mission would change if the satellite were reusable,” said Jason Dunn, CEO and co-founder at Outpost and previously the founder at Made In Space. “We believe that our approach will be the default expectation of the market over the coming years, and that the current single-use satellite approach will eventually disappear. It is a gamechanger for our customers.”

“In the last 20 years, we’ve seen how reusability for rockets has transformed launch, and we believe that the Outpost team will lead an equally important disruption in satellite operations that is critical for the $270B satellite industry to reach its full potential,” said Craig Cummings, partner at Moonshots and future board member at Outpost.

“The only available options for returning satellites to Earth are costly and inefficient,” said Michael Vergalla, CTO and co-founder at Outpost. “Our two-stage re-entry system offers low-mass, high-efficiency Earth Return, and our advanced autonomous paraglider technology delivers unparalleled landing precision for full recovery of satellites from space.”

Outpost is spearheading a new way of space development that’s reusable, not disposable. With its very first product, Outpost is building reusable satellites that deliver customer payloads to space and back to Earth. By flying payloads with Outpost, users can put their product into space, iterate, and learn how they performed in space. Outpost facilitates iteration in space at a quicker pace than anything else available. The future of space (and Earth) requires a focus on low-cost reusability to create a sustainable industry. At Outpost, we are proud to be leading the charge to develop products with sustainability as the core design.