Archives for August 2023

Tomorrow.io and the firm’s two, pathfinder radar satellites — Tomorrow-R1 and Tomorrow-R2 — have successfully characterized precipitation intensity from space. This achievement places Tomorrow.io alongside NASA and JAXA as the only entities to have ever taken such measurements from orbit.

Following the successful launches of Tomorrow-R1 and Tomorrow-R2 satellites in April and June, respectively, the company has completed initial testing of both satellites and their radar payloads are fully operational. With the initial calibration complete, both satellites are entering their longer-term calibration and validation phase, paving the way for the high-fidelity, global precipitation measurements to be ingested into Tomorrow.io’s weather intelligence platform.

For the first time, Tomorrow.io demonstrated its ability in making near, real-time, radar-based forecasting financially viable for every point on Earth, closing a decades-old gap in life-saving weather forecasting. Currently, five billion people live outside radar coverage with no radar-coverage over the oceans.

As a commercially developed and privately funded enterprise, Tomorrow.io offers a revolutionary price-to-performance ratio enabled by private innovation. In contrast to government missions that have been limited by costs and single satellites, Tomorrow.io is building the de facto GPS network for weather, closing the decades-old gap in weather sensing from space.

Tomorrow.io has already been awarded more than $20 million in contracts from the Department of Defense (DoD) and is partnering on a Collaborative R&D Agreement with NOAA.

From farmers predicting crop yields to governments preparing for natural disasters, the benefits of the data provided by Tomorrow.io’s satellite constellation has the potential to be felt worldwide by every person, business and government on Earth.

“The precipitation measurements have already proven the overall system performance, providing significantly more insight into weather than existing satellite-based cloud-top imaging systems. With initial measurements completed, we are now in the process of growing the overall constellation to enable a revolution in weather forecast accuracy globally.” — John Springmann, Senior Vice President, Space & Sensors, Tomorrow.io

Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) has been invited by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and has agreed to participate, in Phase 4 of MagQuest, a prize challenge to advance how Earth’s magnetic field is measured, with multi-million-dollar prize awards.

MagQuest is a multi-phase open innovation challenge designed to accelerate new ideas to increase the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of geomagnetic data. During this phase of the challenge, Spire will design, develop and launch a satellite that will provide a novel approach to geomagnetic data collection for the World Magnetic Model (WMM).

The satellite will carry a first-of-its-kind diamond quantum magnetometer system developed by SBQuantum. Spire will demonstrate operations of the satellite system and provide data to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for assessment.

The WMM is used every day around the world and is embedded in thousands of systems. More than a billion smartphone users depend on the WMM for mobile navigation apps, and drivers rely on it to align the compasses in their cars.

Phase 4 of the challenge is set to conclude in September of 2026. There may be an opportunity for additional funding at the end of the challenge to sustain operations and data provisions beyond the three-year period. The results of MagQuest will inform NGA’s acquisition strategy for a WMM global magnetic field data collection capability, with an expected data procurement that can provide operational capacity by 2027.

“The MagQuest challenge is a prime example of how satellite technology plays a crucial role in powering technology and systems that each and every one of us use on a near-daily basis,” said . “We’re proud to leverage Spire’s expertise in satellite technology and existing infrastructure for manufacturing, ground stations, and data processing with SBQuantum’s magnetometer technology to provide a novel and more accurate solution to collect geomagnetic data.” — Chuck Cash, Vice President of Federal Sales, Spire

The U.S. Space Force (USSF) is exploring the ability of commercial providers to rapidly deliver both launch and on-orbit operations infrastructure. The USSF’s Space Systems Command‘s (SSC) Space Safari Program Office is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) on the next Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission, called VICTUS HAZE, to identify and build-out commercial capabilities to further enable the TacRS program. TacRS focuses on all aspects of the national security imperative to deliver on-orbit capabilities to the joint force with speed and agility.

VICTUS HAZE is related to VICTUS NOX and is a current, Space Safari TacRS mission that is expected to launch later this year. VICTUS NOX is leading the Department of Defense’s ability to launch and establish on-orbit operations in days rather than the months and years it typically takes.

The VICTUS NOX mission informed the VICTUS HAZE goals, which focus on end-to-end execution using commercial capabilities. Space Safari is leveraging commercial solutions that are quickly modifiable and will further reduce timelines, normalize the TacRS Concept of Operations, and increase the range of orbits that can be reached on short notice.

The program includes the logistics, ground segment, launch service, on-orbit operations, and spacecraft bus; which is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft that holds the payload and all scientific instruments.

DIU remains partnered with SSC on several projects, including; Modularity for Space Systems, Readily Accessible Propellant in Diverse Orbits, Hybrid Space Architecture, and Responsive Launch, among others. However, this is the first partnership between the Space Safari Office and DIU.

Established in January of 2021, Space Safari is an acquisition program office responsible for responding to high-priority, urgent space needs by rapidly acquiring, integrating, and executing missions supporting USSPACECOM requirements and other combatant commander needs. By working with DIU, Space Safari has expanded its reach by accessing the joint force’s end users as well as DIU’s network of commercial and industry partners.

DIU posted its Commercial Solution Opening (CSO) for TacRS in August of 2023 and plans to award contracts Fall of 2023.

“It is critical that we tap into and leverage commercially developed capabilities – ones that we can rapidly field to execute the VICTUS HAZE mission and then be able to count on for future TacRS operational needs. Our partnership with DIU provides the right ecosystem, expertise, and mission focus to execute the VICTUS HAZE mission and establish a robust partnership with commercial providers.” — Maj. Jason Altenhofen, Deputy for the Space Safari Program Office, SSC

“The number and complexity of adversary threats in space is constantly growing. To rapidly respond to those threats, we need to deliver the most advanced TacRS capabilities the U.S. has to offer. VICTUS HAZE will help provide the advantage we need to assess the threats and continue our ability to freely maneuver in space.” — Lt. Col. MacKenzie Birchenough, Materiel Leader for Space Safari, SSC

“We started a Small Responsive Launch program in 2017 with SSC to leverage low-cost, high-cadence launch to quickly put small payloads into low Earth orbit, and to deliver a payload to a specific address,. TacRS is taking this to the next level, tapping into the ability for the commercial space industry to provide risk reduction for dynamic space systems to conduct their missions while demonstrating a contingency response capable of inspecting and characterizing a threat on urgent operational timelines.” — Steven Butow, Director of the Space Portfolio, DIU

“Facing the challenge of rapidly connecting space vehicles, specialized payloads, launch services, and ground systems – DIU is perfectly suited to support the acquisition of these transformational technologies and ensure warfighter needs are met.” — U.S. Space Force Maj. David “Merlin” Ryan, Program Manager, TacRS, SSC

LeoStella and Hera Systems have announced a strategic manufacturing alliance that will will mitigate supply chain risks, increase the reliability of production and delivery schedules and maintain competitive pricing for smallsat constellations.

LeoStell and Hera Systems offer a combined manufacturing proposal for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 2 Transport Layer. As part of the proposal, the companies will collaborate on manufacturing the Hera Systems’ Leoness Smart Bus product line. This space-proven platform lends itself to a range of mission applications, has a unique level of network security and mission-specific customization within a high-TRL (technology readiness level), and is SWaP-optimized (size, weight and power).

This collaboration leverages the proven, highly efficient manufacturing capabilities of LeoStella. To date, LeoStella has manufactured and delivered 20 satellites. LeoStella has a proven track record of delivering satellites on time; the company’s satellites have more than 37 years of on-orbit heritage and boast 99% mission availability, delivering high performance and reliability.

LeoStella and Hera Systems and their respective leadership teams bring proven experience and a track record of success in satellite manufacturing. Together, the CEOs of LeoStella and Hera Systems have more than six decades of collective leadership experience in space systems and hands-on expertise in effectively managing intricate space programs crucial to national security and innovative commercial solutions.

The alliance between LeoStella and Hera Systems on the SDA Tranche 2 Transport Layer proposal marks the first collaboration in what is projected to be a long-term relationship to expand the smallsat ecosystem and ensure the rapid delivery of spacecraft for commercial and government customers.

“Our shared pursuit of efficient manufacturing and supply chain management will enhance our competitiveness in a sector known for its complexity. Roger [Hera Systems CEO] and I recognize the challenges many new space companies experience as they scale to meet production timelines for multi-satellite agreements. This strategic collaboration will leverage our resources to directly address schedule and delivery risks that other providers encounter due to supply chain constraints, facility limitations, and staffing shortages.” — Tim Kienberger, CEO, LeoStella

“By strategically using our collective resources and expertise, we are tackling the challenges of the space industry head-on. This collaboration allows us to jointly mitigate capacity and supply chain risks that other manufacturers face independently. It enables us to pursue more ambitious projects and meet the associated customer schedule and cost challenges while facilitating measured growth and long-term success for both companies.” — Dr. Roger Roberts, President and CEO, Hera Systems

SCOUT Space Inc. has acquired Free Space Inc. to strengthen the firm’s defense and technical capabilities and broaden the inroads built with the U.S. Department of Defense, intelligence community and civil government — terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Free Space was founded in January of 2022 by Gil Valdes and Vin Bisceglia to build new Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Space Security Solutions for the U.S. Government (USG), its allies and aligned commercial, satellite operators. During their six years working in the space industry, the company recognized that the space domain was rapidly becoming a less permissive and more contested environment wherein critical satellite constellations were regularly under threat from hostile actors. Due to these growing threats, they founded Free Space to ensure all aligned spacecraft could operate, navigate and communicate freely.

The Free Space team developed the Guardian Satellite and Trellis satellite autonomy software concepts, which will eventually serve as critical, New Space security infrastructures. Since the Company’s inception, Free Space has secured more than $1.5 million in U.S. Space Force (USSF) contracts to develop this technology, with strong backing from critical USG agencies.

In July of this year, SCOUT announced it had successfully completed an oversubscribed Seed round led by Decisive Point, with majority investment by Noblis Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Noblis, and with participation from Fusion Fund, Techstars and VIPC.

“This acquisition is the result of SCOUT’s business plan to strengthen the company by expanding our defense and technical capabilities with strategic acquisitions. With a high market demand for our on-orbit services and mission augmentation capabilities, this acquisition uniquely positions SCOUT to respond immediately to our government customers’ needs. We look forward to welcoming this team into our incredible SCOUT family.” — Eric Ingram, CEO, SCOUT Space

“We are thrilled to announce the beginning of an extraordinary journey as Free Space joins forces with the fabulous team at SCOUT. Today, we embark on a new chapter together that will shape the future of space domain awareness and advanced satellite technology to another level. As we combine our expertise, resources and visionary spirit, we are poised to accelerate disruptive new solutions that will usher in a new era of vision-based autonomy and SDA solutions. We are looking forward to expanding this amazing frontier together.” — Vin Bisceglia, Vice President of Growth, SCOUT

“Free Space is thrilled to join forces with SCOUT in this mission to deliver groundbreaking space domain awareness and security solutions for government and commercial space operators. Through this business combination, we bring the grit, talent, and capital needed to deliver the space security infrastructure that our military, civil, and commercial space customers require, and on a much more rapid timeline. Vin and I look forward to working with SCOUT’s founders, Eric and Sergio, and their stellar team to build the go-to space security and safety company at SCOUT.” — Gil Valdes, Vice President of Government Programs, SCOUT

PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE: PAR) announced their subsidiary, PAR Government Systems Corporation, in partnership with ICEYE , signed a prime contract award for the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) Satellite-Based Services initiative led by the U.S. Space Force.

The contract serves as a mechanism for satellite-based services and capabilities to support all domains (space, air, land, maritime, cyber) with consistent, quality backed, low-latency offerings. PAR Government was one of 16 awardees on the PLEO Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) effort, which has a $900 milion ceiling over five years, with five-year option periods.

Under the direction of Space Systems Command, the IDIQ effort was orchestrated by the Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO) and is intended to support U.S. Combatant Commands, defense agencies, other federal government agencies, and international coalition partners.

PAR Government’s subsidiary, Rome Research Corporation (RRC), is also included in the contract award. RRC has partnered with the Department of Defense (DoD) customers to provide award-winning satellite communications and space-related operations and maintenance services, including 24/7/365 terrestrial communication systems support, IT-related support, telecommunications engineering, and installation services, and ensures the functionality and positioning of government satellite assets for defense agencies worldwide. To date, RRC’s DoD customers have won more than 80 Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) facility awards.

“PAR Government is an innovative leader in the development, management, and delivery of critical, tactical-edge capabilities for our nation’s warfighters. We are enabling timely delivery of commercial space-based services and products directly to the mobile platforms being used by our nation’s defenders at the tactical edge. To that end, the PAR Government team includes best-in-class Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation capabilities provided by key partner ICEYE US. Delivering critical services and information through the PLEO effort exemplifies PAR’s mission of continuously improving the operational effectiveness of our military and our allies.” — Michael Nelson, President, PAR Government

“PAR Government and ICEYE US have joined forces to create ‘strength-on-strength’ value for the United States Space Force, our military, and allied partners. We are grateful for the opportunity to deliver near-real time persistent monitoring services to decision makers across the DOD under the guidance of Space Systems Comman.” — Eric Jensen, CEO, ICEYE US

Hera is complete — ESA’s asteroid mission for planetary defence was built and prepared in two halves, but now, through a painstaking operation, they have been mated together to make a single spacecraft, ready for full-scale testing of its readiness for space.

The mating occurred at OHB Bremen in Germany, with Hera’s Core Module raised more than 3 meters above its Propulsion Module then gradually and carefully slotted into place, over a three-hour period. The modules had been placed in cages to ensure their correct alignment relative to each other down to a few tenths of a millimetre.

Hera is Europe’s contribution to an international planetary defence experiment. Following the DART mission’s impact with the Dimorphos asteroid last year – modifying its orbit and sending a plume of debris thousands of kilometers out into space – Hera will return to Dimorphos to perform a close-up survey of the crater left by DART. The mission will also measure Dimorphos’ mass and make-up, along with that of the larger Didymos asteroid that Dimorphos orbits around.

To make its rendezvous with Dimorphos Hera has to lift off in October 2024 — to maximize working time, the mission was constructed by prime contractor OHB as two separate modules, which could be worked on in parallel.

Hera’s Propulsion Module incorporates its propellant tanks – housed within a central titanium cylinder, the ‘backbone’ of the spacecraft – along with piping and thrusters, which will have the job of hauling the mission across deep space for more than two years, then to manoeuvre around Dimorphos and Didymos.

Manufactured together, the Core Module remained at OHB while the Propulsion Module traveled to Avio near Rome in Italy for the addition of its propulsion system. The pair were then reunited in Bremen to prepare for the mating operation.

Once the tip of the Propulsion Module cylinder met the top deck of the Core Module the mating was complete. Then an initial test bolt was inserted to check the alignment was entirely correct in advance of the two modules being fully bolted together.

Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) has acquired Exo-Space, a firm that specializes in edge Artificial Intelligence (eAI) software and hardware for space applications — this transaction signals Sidus’s determination to tap into the growing AI sector and expand its offerings in the Earth and Space Observations services market.

Pursuant to the terms of the acquisition agreement Sidus has acquired Exo-Space’s assets in a combination of cash, stock options, and performance bonus incentives in alignment with Sidus’ growth into an AI-enabled space services company. Exo-Space brings a current revenue stream of commercial and government contracts extending through 2025, as well as a pipeline of potential clients. The deal is projected to have a positive impact on Sidus’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA).

Exo-Space occupies a unique niche in the realm of U.S. owned eAI computing, concentrating on software and hardware solutions for space assets that use faster processing speeds. Exo-Space’s current operations complement Sidus’ established U.S. DoD/Intelligence relationships.

Sidus believes the acquisition of Exo-Space will seamlessly integrate stand-alone AI and machine learning products into Sidus’ business lines, with the ability to market the hardware for third-party purchase. A distinguishing feature of Exo-Space’s solution is its adaptability, designed to smoothly integrate the latest processor advancements. Proprietary hardware-agnostic software allows this flexibility. The synergy between Sidus’ satellite constellation, edge computing, and AI platform is expected to deliver substantial enhancements in leveraging space-based data.

Sidus has issued non-qualified stock option awards to purchase an aggregate of 3,955,212 shares of Class A common stock to certain former employees of Exo-Space. The stock options were granted as inducements material to the new employees becoming employees of Sidus in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The options have an exercise price of $0.16 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Sidus’ Class A common stock on August 21, 2023. Each option will vest over a 4-year period, subject to the employee’s continued employment with Sidus on such vesting dates. Notwithstanding the foregoing vesting conditions, no portion of the options shall be exercisable prior to the second (2nd) anniversary of the date of grant.

“This accretive acquisition expands our talent, technology, and total addressable market. Along with sales contracts and existing AI technology, the transaction includes the acquisition of Exo-Space’s collective experience in AI and machine learning. This transaction provides the opportunity for us to enhance our presence in the Earth and Space Observations markets by providing actionable solutions for our customers’ needs as opposed to just raw data. The integration of Exo-Space EdgeAI technology with Sidus’ sensors provides significant value and transformative potential across various domains.” — Carol Craig, Founder and CEO, Sidus Space

“Exo-Space’s combination of space hardened hardware and resilient software made this an attractive acquisition in creation of value to both our customers and shareholders. The concept of offering customers a special “rideshare” opportunity with a software platform to upload, change, and improve analytics of payloads onboard is a forward-thinking and innovative approach. This idea aligns with the increasing demand for flexibility and customization in satellite missions and data collection.” — Jared Novick, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Special Projects, Sidus Space

“By joining the Sidus team and integrating our AI capabilities into LizzieSat, we can now better deliver the benefits of space-based AI to more customers and on a shorter timeline than was previously possible.” — Jeremy Allam, Chief Executive Officer, Exo-Space