Archives for October 2023

Argotec has plans for a multimillion-dollar investment to start the firm’s U.S. operations and will build a manufacturing facility in Largo, Maryland — this 20,000 sq. ft. facility will deliver approximately 100 jobs to the area and will provide a location for Argotec to design, develop, build, test and operate their satellites in the United States.

Argotec has appointed Corbett Hoenninger as U.S. managing director and he has more than 20 years of aerospace engineering experience, including projects for both civil and commercial space markets. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Engineering at Sierra Space. Prior to that, he worked at NASA Johnson Space Center on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs.

The first product to be manufactured in Argotec’s new U.S. facility will be a custom Universal Space Transponder-Lite to improve radio frequency for satellites in deep space and facilitate a planetary service relay system. This advanced space communications project is a collaboration with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Argotec will work with the JPL team to consolidate existing UST-Lite designs and create a streamlined product that can deliver high-speed communications services in deep space. Following the prototype phase, Argotec plans to expand production of the custom UST-Lite for commercial space use and has customers already lined up for the product.

The UST-Lite, originally developed by JPL, is a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) that combines a miniaturized radio package with state-of-the-art processing capabilities. This advanced communications solution is crucial in facilitating reliable transmission and reception in planetary missions, between different sides of the Moon, and also among Earth, Moon and Mars. The UST-lite capabilities enable a multitude of additional cutting-edge technologies and make it a valuable asset for deep space exploration, where reliable communication is essential for mission success.

“It’s an exciting time for Argotec. Our recent missions with NASA, including one recognized as an AIAA Mission of the Year, have proved the reliability and performance of our satellites, and we’re ready to take that expertise to the next level with our new U.S. manufacturing facility and in our collaboration with . These activities reflect our strength and stable growth as a company and demonstrate our commitment to the U.S. market.” — David Avino, CEO and Founder, Argotec

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) is celebrating 25 years of building smallsats that provide big returns for commercial, government, and research clients — established in 1998, SFL has built 70 operationally successful satellites. recording 270 years on-orbit for dozens of distinct smallsat missions.

This year alone, the Toronto, Canada-based smallsat developer has seen 13 of the firm’s satellites launched and deployed, with another 26 satellites under development or awaiting launch. SFL’s record of accomplishments includes developing microspace missions for applications related to EO, atmospheric monitoring, ship tracking, telecommunications, RF geolocation, and space astronomy.

Pushing the envelope of what smaller satellites can accomplish, SFL has achieved microspace breakthroughs in space technology miniaturization including advanced attitude control for precise sensor pointing, drag sail deorbiting, autonomous formation flight, modular power systems, and custom deployables (e.g., antennas, solar panels, instrument shutters and doors) for small spacecraft. 

Notable SFL missions include the following:

• HawkEye 360 Commercial Constellation – SFL has developed 18 formation-flying radio frequency geolocation microsatellites and guided integration of three others by HawkEye 360, all launched since 2018. Additional three-satellite clusters are under development at SFL’s Toronto headquarters and at HawkEye 360’s U.S. facility under SFL’s Flex Production Program.
• GHGSat Commercial Constellation – Since 2016, SFL has developed nine greenhouse gas monitoring microsatellites, achieving remarkably precise attitude control and sensor pointing for the commercial GHGSat of Montreal, in addition to sustained detection and measurement of methane emissions at double the design capacities of the satellites.
• Telesat LEO 3 Communications Microsatellite – Built on SFL’s scalable and versatile DEFIANT platform, this 30 kg demo spacecraft was launched in 2023 and will provide continuity for customer and ecosystem vendor testing campaigns following decommissioning of Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite.
• NEMO-HD Earth Observation (EO) Microsatellite – Built at a fraction of the cost of a traditional EO spacecraft, Slovenia’s first satellite captures 2.8-meter multispectral optical imagery and high-definition video used in a variety of applications since its 2020 launch.
• Commercial Communications Constellation – Eighteen CubeSats have been deployed on orbit and are successfully operating using the SFL 6U-XL SPARTAN design for a Toronto-based company.

“For 25 years, SFL has focused on developing quality smaller satellites that achieve high levels of performance at price points affordable for customers in all sectors. By adhering to rigorous microspace development practices, we have stood the test of time, becoming a leading innovator of small satellites and cutting-edge technologies.”At SFL, we have built our reputation on developing smaller satellites that not only work the first time but exceed expectations both in terms of operational performance and lifespan.” — Dr. Robert E. Zee, Director, SFL

SFL offers a complete suite of nano-, micro- and small satellites – including high-performance, low-cost CubeSats – that satisfy the needs of a broad range of mission types from 3 to 500 kilograms. For a comprehensive list of SFL high-performance satellite platforms, please visit www.utias-sfl.net/satellite-platforms/overview/. 

Sateliot recently extended the company’s network range with a key partnership with Comfone, a leading provider of mobile connectivity and roaming services — this operation enables more than 480 MNOs (Mobile Network Operator) and MVNOs (Mobile virtual network operator) worldwide to connect with a standard roaming agreement to Sateliot’s 5G NB-IoT smallsat constellation, paving the way for IoT adoption everywhere on the planet.

With this agreement between Sateliot and Comfone, MNOs and MVNOs will be able to cover the entire planet, whereas today cellular coverage reaches only 15% of Earth’s surface. Comfone’s Key2roam Platform Services — comprising IPX, Data Clearing and the Key2roam Roaming Hub — facilitates the integration between Sateliot and MNOs as well as MVNOs. This also enables IoT device owners to send and receive 5G data anywhere in the world, regardless of the SIM card they are using, seamlessly from space cell towers within Sateliot’s non-terrestrial network (NTN).

As a full GSMA member, Sateliot has the capacity to sign standard roaming agreements with any telecom operator. With these two factors into account, MNOs and MVNOs can increase their Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) by enabling NB-IoT satellite access to their existing customers as well as generating additional revenues with new customers and new use cases.

Sateliot has forged agreements with many mobile and virtual mobile operators in several geographies around the globe that benefit from a rapid integration with Sateliot’s Non-Terrestrial Network through the Comfone Key2roam Platform. Starting in 2024, Sateliot will be serving a portfolio of clients valued at $1 billion, formed by more than 500 companies from 30 countries who applied in their pioneer Early Adopter Program. Users will be able to get 5G IoT satellite connectivity at “similar to terrestrial” price points using a standard device from an MNO’s or MVNO’s SIM card of their choice.

Sateliot is the first satellite operator offering standard NB-IoT via the firm’s LEO constellation of satellites, supporting 3GPP Release 17 NTN capabilities. With the new 3GPP release-17, end-user devices can seamlessly switch between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks using the same standard device and the same SIM card from MNOs and MVNOs.

Sateliot’s 5G IoT satellite constellation improves IoT connectivity even in the most remote areas. Some of the application areas of Sateliot’s network are livestock, agriculture, supply chain, and logistics, as well as water management of drinkable wells and rivers to prevent contamination and floods, beekeeping and pollination monitoring to protect food security as the pollinators populations are in decrease, and among other uses in several industries.

“The partnership with Comfone is a key milestone for Sateliot as it allows us to offer seamless NB-IoT roaming capabilities globally. From now on, every IoT application will be able to connect to our satellite network easily. We are confident that this access to satellite connectivity will also open the gate to new applications that will improve our daily lives.” — Jaume Sanpera, CEO, Sateliot

“Because Sateliot’s satellite network services are 3GPP compliant, the different layers of integration between Sateliot and the mobile networks, which are required, can be provided over the standardized GSMA roaming interfaces. These include IPX connectivity, agreements management, roaming relation maintenance, services testing as well as very importantly clearing and settlement services. That’s why Comfone’s Key2roam Platform Services are ideal to facilitate the integration between Sateliot’s Non-terrestrial Network and Mobile Networks and thereby bridging the gap between the two worlds.” — Derek Moser, VP Business Development, Comfone

Skylo Technologies has entered into a strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics’ System LSI Business — this collaboration launches next-generation connectivity by introducing NTN support on Samsung’s flagship 5G chipsets, specially designed and seamlessly interoperable between cellular and Skylo’s satellite network.

As part of the latest Rel-17 of 3GPP, NTN has become essential in addressing global connectivity challenges. With this partnership, Skylo and Samsung’s System LSI Business are poised to redefine the future of ubiquitous connectivity with reliable, high-performance 5G smartphone modems that never lose coverage.

Key highlights of the partnership include:

● Integration of Satellite Connectivity on 5G Modems: Samsung has delivered 3GPP standards-based NTN on the latest flagship modem.

● Global Impact across OEMs: The partnership between Skylo and Samsung enables smartphone, wearable and automotive OEMs to connect over Skylo’s satellite network when out of range of cellular.

● Demo at SamsungSystem LSI Tech Day 2023: A live demonstration showcasing the capabilities of Samsung 5G modem on Skylo’s satellite network took place at Samsung SystemLSI’s Tech Day event on October 5th, 2023, inSan Jose, CA.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Samsung to unlock the true potential of NTN. Our shared vision of seamless global connectivity aligns perfectly with Samsung’s commitment to innovation. We’re excited for the experiences that this will unlock on smartphones and other platforms.”— Parth Trivedi, CEO and Co-Founder of Skylo

“We are incredibly excited about our partnership with Skylo Technologies. By integrating NTN support into our flagship 5G chipsets, we are breaking new ground in the world of connectivity. This collaboration aligns perfectly with Samsung’s commitment to innovation and our mission to provide cutting-edge technology to users around the world. Together with Skylo, our joint efforts will undoubtedly open up new possibilities and connected experiences for people in previously unreachable geographies.” — Hui Won Je, Vice Ppresident of the Modem Development Team, Samsung Electronics

On Friday, October 8, 2023, at 22:36 p.m. local time (01:36 a.m. UTC), Arianespace’s Vega mission successfully lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying the optical observation satellite THEOS-2, the weather satellite FORMOSAT-7R TRITON as well as ten auxiliary passengers.

After liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport, the Vega launcher was powered by the first three stages for a little over six minutes before the separation of the upper stage from the third stage, ZEFIRO-9.

The AVUM upper stage ignited twice before releasing simultaneously the two main satellites at an altitude of 601 km. Following two other ignitions of the AVUM, the ten cubesats composing the auxiliary payload all successfully separated, thus marking the end of mission VV23, one hour, 43 minutes and 58 seconds after liftoff. A fifth and last AVUM ignition de-orbited the launcher.

With this launch, Vega successfully orbited: THEOS-2 (THailand Earth Observation System-2), a very-high-resolution Earth observation optical satellite, provided by Airbus Defence and Space to support the Kingdom of Thailand’s key development priorities.

FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON, an experimental satellite designed and manufactured by TASA (Taiwan Space Agency). FORMOSAT-7R/TRITON plays two roles: it is both a weather satellite and a scientific satellite.

Arianespace is responsible for operating the new-generation Ariane 6 and Vega C launchers, developed by ESA, with respectively ArianeGroup and Avio as industrial primes. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a technical facility at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore.

Arianespace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74% of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the Ariane and Vega European launcher industry, and ESA and CNES as censors.

Regarding the cubesats for institutional missions and the European Commission, all separation commands were properly executed; the confirmation of the separation was acquired for 8 satellites; the separation of the last 2 cubesats is still to be confirmed. As prime contractor for the Vega, in charge of development and production, AVIO Spa (Colleferro, Italy) delivers a flight worthy launcher on the launch pad to Arianespace, which sells and operates the launcher from the Guiana Space Center (CSG). During the 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.

”Congratulations to Arianespace teams and their partners, amongst them Avio, ESA and CNES, for this successful Vega launch, commented , after the separation of the last satellite. By delivering multiple satellites to orbit, Vega again has demonstrated its unique versatility. I wish to thank our customers, Airbus Defence and Space for Thailand, Taiwan Space Agency, and the operators and sponsors of the cubesats, amongst them the European Commission, for their trust.” — Stéphane Israël, CEO, Arianespace

”We are very happy about the success of the mission, said . The joint work of Avio, Arianespace and ESA teams has allowed to leverage the Vega launcher, in order to minimize schedule changes for customers, demonstrating resilience and commitment.” Giulio Ranzo, CEO, Avio SpA

PLD Space has made history after successfully completing the launch of the first private European rocket, MIURA 1 — this milestone achievement reinforces PLD Space’s position in building national and European strategic capabilities.

The first launch of MIURA 1 occurred at 02:19 CET (00:19 UTC) on Saturday, October 7th, at the facilities of the El Arenosillo Experimentation Centre (CEDEA), belonging to the Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA). PLD Space has fulfilled the primary mission objectives related to engine thrust, trajectory tracking and launcher behavior.

The flight lasted 306 seconds in which MIURA 1 reached apogee at an altitude of 46 kilometers. The mission concluded with the rocket landing in the Atlantic Ocean and the company will proceed with the work of recovering the rocket during the next few hours.

The launch also tested a technological device from the German Centre for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) under microgravity conditions. The data gathered during the flight will inform future experiments.

Following an in-depth analysis of the mission, PLD Space will publicly release the data collected during the inaugural MIURA 1 flight test. Miura 1 is the first rocket created by a private company in Europe. PLD Space has achieved something which only three companies in Europe has achieved, that being the development of rocket technology that is recoverable and reusable.

The launch of the MIURA 1 suborbital rocket comes 12 years after the creation of PLD Space. With this maiden flight, the Spanish company marks a turning point in the European space race, where small satellites are revolutionizing access to information to accelerate innovation in multiple sectors on Earth. With this launch, Spain becomes the tenth country in the world to have direct space capability. With this launch, Spain has become the tenth country in the world with the capacity to reach space.

The inaugural suborbital flight of MIURA 1 marks a pivotal moment for the MIURA 5 orbital launcher’s development. The data gathered will enable validation of nearly 70% of the design and technology set to be incorporated into MIURA 5.

At present, over 90% of the PLD Space team is dedicated to developing MIURA 5 with the maiden launch scheduled for 2025 at the European spaceport CSG in Kourou, French Guiana, with commercial operations set to begin in 2026.

“This launch culminates over 12 years of relentless effort, yet it marks just the start of our journey. This test flight has yielded valuable data, enabling us to validate crucial design elements and technologies that will underpin the development of our MIURA 5 orbital launcher.” — Raúl Torres, Launch Director and Co-Founder, PLD Space.

“This launch establishes PLD Space as the frontrunner in the European space race. We ventured into space fueled more by determination than resources, yet we triumphed. The team’s elation is visible. Indeed, the mission’s success is a collective accomplishment, encompassing our investors, partners, and suppliers.” — Ezequiel Sánchez, CEO, PLD Space

“Looking to the immediate future, the success of a test flight like this is gauged by the insights we gain, insights that enhance our future reliability and success rate. We developed MIURA 1 as a stepping stone to accelerate the technological advancement of MIURA 5. With this mission’s success, our team is poised to rapidly progress towards the inaugural flight of MIURA 5 – our ultimate goal.” — Raúl Verdú, Business Development Manager and Co-Founder, PLD Space

A briefcase-sized CubeSat being flown on Europe’s next Vega launcher this week will gather 340 km wide views of Earth’s vegetation growth, employing a spectral imager originally designed for ESA’s decade-in-flight Proba-V.

The Proba-V Companion CubeSat has been built by Aerospacelab in Belgium, hosting a Proba-V spectral imager provided by OIP Space Instruments and Belgium’s VITO Research Institute processing and making use of its data. The goal of the mission is to see whether this already well-characterized imaging payload can operate well aboard a miniature CubeSat platform.

ESA’s Proba-V mini-satellite was launched by Vega in 2013, flying a miniaturized version of the Vegetation instrument previously flown aboard the full-sized Spot-4 and Spot-5 satellites.

A cubic metre in scale, Proba-V achieved a daily continent-spanning 2250 km field of view, collecting light in the blue, red, near-infrared and mid-infrared wavebands, ideal for monitoring plant and forest growth as well as inland water bodies.

Proba-V’s wide swath was achieved by combining a trio of spectral imagers, with 350 meter spatial resolution from its side imagers and 100 meters resolution in its central field of view.

“Actually a total of four spectral imagers were manufactured– one stayed behind, intended to help with troubleshooting the mission by reproducing any in-orbit problems on the ground. So then the idea emerged from VITO: why not try and fly this spare spectral imager as well? We can extend the continuity of Vegetation data, since in 2019 Proba-V’s orbit drifted so much that part of its swath is now in the eclipse side, meaning its working mission has ended. In addition, in the same way that Proba-V demonstrated useful imagery could be returned from a small platform, we will also be able to test whether this much smaller CubeSat platform can also serve to gather acceptable imagery.” — Iskander Benhadj, VITO

CubeSats are low-cost satellites assembled from standardized 10 cm boxes. Proba-V CC is a 12 unit CubeSat, although around half the satellite volume is taken up by its spectral imager and dedicated read-out electronics.

“In practice, the mission has been built around the imager. The hardware was taken directly out of storage, where it was kept in stable conditions, double bagged and in an inert nitrogen gas environment. The imager has been secured to an optical bench along with the startrackers used to precisely measure the CubeSat’s attitudes. The rest of the satellite is taken up with reaction wheels that serve to rotate the mission in the correct orientation, plus the usual battery, power systems and on-board computer.” — Xavier Collaud, Aerospacelab

Once in its 564 km altitude orbit Proba-V CC will perform co-observations of global vegetation with Europe’s two Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, which are similarly optimized for land cover and vegetation.

As is standard for Earth Observation (EO) satellites, the CubeSat will be placed in a Sun-synchronous near-polar orbit, meaning that it retains the same conjunction with the Sun as it orbits, so that the same solar local time prevails under the locations it overflies – Proba-V CC’s initial local time of the descending node is targeting 10:14 in the morning.

Its predecessor, Proba-V, was placed in a comparable orbit, although because it far outlived its planned 2.5 year original working lifetime this orbit ended up drifting earlier in the morning, to below 09:00 at the moment, meaning its images contains zones that are in eclipse, have longer shadows and are no longer scientifically useful.

The satellite itself remains in good working order, so some co-observations with Proba-V CC might be possible for experimental studies. It is also acquiring monthly images of the Moon, whose unchanging surface makes a useful radiometric calibration target.

“Being in a lower orbit than Proba-V means the spectral imager will achieve a higher spatial resolution, down to 70 m. But that means the satellite is moving faster, so the line rate will be affected, meaning small pixels will end up rectangular rather than square if the nominal Proba-V line rate is used. We can try to accelerate the image to compensate for this, but this will require extra power.Quality and operational trade-offs such as the selection of optimal line rate or the area of interests to be monitored, have to be carried all over the Proba-V CC lifetime, which includes the commissioning phase, with the objective to provide optimal products for the end user.“ — Iskander Benhadj

Proba-V CC’s lower orbit will also give daily views of the same locations for multiple successive days at a time, with its ground track moving just 20 km westward daily, opening up particular scientific uses.

Vega flight VV23 is due for lift-off on the night of Octobe 6 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Along with its main satellite payloads it carries multiple CubeSats including ESA’s PRETTY mission investigating reflected satnav for environmental monitoring and multiple missions flown through the European Commission’s In-Orbit Demonstration/In-Orbit Validation Programme.

ESA is supporting Proba-V CC through the Fly element of its General Support Technology Program, offering early space access to promising technologies. Use of Proba-V CC data is being overseen by ESA’s Earth Observation Program, as was the case with the original Proba-V.

Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) has been selected for a Multiple-Award, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by NASA to provide Earth Observation (EO) data for the agency’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program — this contract will be effective for five years, with the opportunity to compete for task orders under a $476 million shared ceiling among all of the contractors selected.

Spire has participated in the agency’s CSDA Program since its pilot in 2018.

Spire will provide NASA with its comprehensive catalog of EO data, associated metadata and ancillary information from its fully deployed satellite constellation to support NASA’s Earth science research and application activities. Data collected and shared will include, but is not limited to:

• GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) soundings, which can be assimilated into weather models to improve global weather forecasting accuracy
• GNSS Reflectometry data (GNSS-R) to measure sea ice, soil moisture and ocean surface wind speed
• Space weather measurements of electron density and scintillation to monitor the ionosphere and prepare for and react to weather events in space
• Satellite state vector, altitude and precise orbit determination data to correct errors in orbital drag models
• Magnetometer observations

“Better and more accurate Earth Observation data is vital to addressing the increasingly complex climate issues we face today. Our long-standing work with NASA and the CSDA Program uniquely positions us to continue delivering high-quality Earth observation data and innovative solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future.” — Chuck Cash, VP of Federal Sales, Spire

Outpost Technologies Corporation has been awarded a Phase II Ignite Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract from NASA to continue development of the company’s “Cargo Ferry” in order to deliver cargo back to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) and future commercial space stations in LEO.

The Outpost Cargo Ferry is an adaptation of the company’s Earth-returning Ferry satellite system, being built for commercial use. Applications of the Cargo Ferry include fast and reliable return of important cargo and payloads on ISS and commercial space stations including those with limited shelf life that need to be processed quickly on Earth.

The ISS is faced with the challenge of limited storage space in its labs and reducing stored cargo will allow for more scientific and R&D activities on the station. ISS also has more payloads waiting for return than Dragon’s capacity can handle, and Cargo Ferry will fill the gap so that cargo will not be lost once ISS is decommissioned. A consistent method for prompt return of payload and cargo to Earth is also a gap in the business models for commercial LEO destinations that need to adapt rapidly in space.

A key component of the Outpost Earth return system is its compact design – about the size of a school backpack, which contains a flight-proven NASA heat shield to be deployed in space, thus maximizing space for customer payloads and making it a better fit for CLDs which are anticipated to be smaller than the ISS. Outpost’s satellite platform also includes a flight-proven re-entry system that has demonstrated the ability to achieve a 5 meter landing target accuracy.

This landing-pad precision is a pivotal advancement for cargo return as many other capsule systems approach Earth with a dispersion range of over 1,000 km, which carries uncertainty on the safety and efficiency of payload retrieval. Outpost is focused on creating an Earth return system that is more accurate, reliable, and adaptable to current and future NASA and commercial needs.

“For humans to expand our presence in space, we need the flexibility to transport new assets to space and, within the same mission, bring raw materials and existing assets back to Earth,” said . “Our Cargo Ferry is the most cost-effective, flexible, and safe Earth return system in development, offering the most precise landing capability. We are pleased that NASA continues to value the engineering capabilities of Outpost in establishing this new operations paradigm.” — Jason Dunn, Founder and CEO, Outpost