A world first trial of space-based VHF voice communications has been successfully completed by Skykraft as part of their development of satellites to provide space-based aviation communications and surveillance services. This trial supports the work on operational space-based aviation VHF services leading up to the World Radio Congress 2023 (WRC-23). 
  

Voice radio communications in the VHF band are used for communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. VHF radios are standard aircraft equipment around the world and are vital in ensuring the safety of air travel. Currently, VHF voice communications services are only available when the aircraft is within range of a ground-based radio. This means that large areas of the Earth’s surface, including much of the world’s oceans, are not covered.  

Skykraft’s trial of space-based voice communications in the VHF aviation band demonstrates the feasibility of satellite communication directly with aircraft using existing equipment. The use of satellites in place of ground-based radio systems will enable global real-time communications between pilots and air traffic controllers for the first time.  

The testing took place in the southern area of Australia’s Flight Information Region. Skykraft worked in collaboration with Airservices Australia to implement appropriate test protocols that ensured that there was no interference to the operational Air Traffic Management (ATM) system. 

“We are proud to have taken another step to bringing this world-first capability to market,” said Dr. Michael Frater, CEO of Skykraft.  

“VHF voice and data communication that covers the entire extent of an aircraft’s journey is the missing piece for Air Traffic Management and will unlock efficiency gains globally.”  

The five satellites used for this trial of VHF voice services have undergone six weeks of successful operational testing prior to the trials of space-based ATM services. Skykraft’s initial constellation continues to be under rapid development with two launches already in 2023, and more planned for 2024. 

“The success of the current round of test activities is a tribute to the capabilities of the engineering team at Skykraft. We recognized the need to deliver these space-based ATM services to ANSPs (Air Navigation Service Providers) as soon as possible and our team of engineers, project managers andtechnicians has delivered” noted Mark Skidmore, Chair of Skykraft. 

Skykraft’s Air Traffic Management Constellation 

Skykraft is developing a constellation of more than 200 satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide global ATM services from space, providing: 

• Surveillance services using ADS-B and UAT. 
• Multilateration services for:
  • validation of ADS-B and UAT messages received from aircraft, and 
  • independent aircraft position data in the event of GNSS failure. 
• VHF voice communications. 
• VHF data communications. 

Skykraft’s initial constellation will enter service in 2025.  

A highlight of Skykraft’s next space mission in Q2 2024 will be a demonstration of multilateration to provide independent aircraft position data in the event of GNSS failure. 

AAC Clyde Space and partners have agreed to move into the phase 3B of the xSPANCION project, wherein the project will be completed with the manufacturing of ten novel spacecraft, of which four will be launched within the project’s framework — the UK Space Agency, through the ESA Pioneer Partnership Projects, will co-fund the Group’s investments in the project with 4.5 million (approx. SEK 51.7 million).

The xSPANCION project aims to develop an innovative satellite constellation service and is expected to be operational in Q4 2024. The decision to move into phase 3B was taken while completing the phase 3A with satellite platform qualification, scaling production capacity with increased automation and the development of cloud-based software for delivery of data services to users. The first four Earth observation satellites will become part of AAC Clyde Space’s Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) constellation, whereas the six following satellites will be offered for client payloads.

Through Space Data as a Service agreements, customers can access space-based data more quickly and cheaply, without the need to own and operate space assets. Customer agreements can take three different forms; pay-per-access, non-exclusive access by annual subscription, or exclusive access under a capacity subscription. Since the Group aims for a flexible and dynamic constellation, it has, together with its partners, agreed to move into this final phase before finalizing customer agreements. Larger customer agreements will be announced when they are finalized.

The xSPANCION project is structured as a Public Private Partnership, wherein AAC Clyde Space Ltd. and its partners, Bright Ascension Ltd., the University of Strathclyde, D-Orbit UK, Alden Legal UK and the Satellite Applications Catapult are working in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency to develop a Space Data as a Service offering.

“Good quality and timely data are key aspects of our SDaaS offering and we are delighted to see the xSPANCION project move into its final stretch. These satellites will offer customers new data sets, in a timely manner, opening a variety of opportunities to collect information that will improve life on Earth.” Luis Gomes, CEO, AAC Clyde Space

Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) has deployed all customer payloads from its Vigoride-6 Orbital Service Vehicle that launched in April of 2023 aboard the SpaceX Transporter-7 mission.

To date, Momentus has deployed a total of 15 customer satellites over three missions conducted over the past year and has also placed three Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicles (OSVs) into orbit. While these initial three missions were demonstration missions focused on testing the performance of the Vigoride OSV, Momentus orbited a number of customer satellites in the missions summarized below:

Vigoride-3 launched in May of 2022: Momentus’ inaugural mission deployed six satellites for FOSSA Space Systems and the SelfieSat satellite for Orbit NTNU from Vigoride. The Company also used a third-party deployer to deliver a satellite to orbit for CalPoly Pomona for a total of eight satellites deployed from Vigoride-3 and a third-party deployer.

Vigoride-5 launched in January of 2023: Momentus’ second mission included the deployment of the Qosmosys Zeus-1 payload. The Company is providing ongoing hosted payload services to Caltech’s Solar Power Project Demonstrator (SSPD) mission. Caltech reports that its payload recently demonstrated its ability to wirelessly transmit power in space and to beam detectable power to Earth. Momentus will continue to provide hosted payload support to SSPD over the coming months as it continues its operations.

During the Vigoride-5 mission, the Momentus team also tested its Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (MET) that uses water as a propellant. This included 35 firings of the thruster that demonstrated its ability to perform its intended use cases in LEO.

Vigoride-6 launched in April of 2023: The Vigoride-6 mission successfully deployed the REVELA payload for ARCA Dynamics, the VIREO CubeSat for C3S LLC., the DISCO-1 CubeSat for Aarhus University, and the IRIS-C payload for an Asian customer booked through ISILAUNCH.

During the Vigoride-6 mission, Momentus also deployed two CubeSats into LEO as part of the NASA LLITED (Low-Latitude Ionosphere/Thermosphere Enhancements in Density) mission. These two CubeSats, housed behind a single deployer door, were released from the Vigoride OSV earlier than scheduled.

While the CubeSats were deployed at the intended altitude of 495 km., they were deployed at a different inclination than the intended target orbit needed for the science experiment. NASA has confirmed the two CubeSats are functional and the team will be able to operate the science instruments onboard. Momentus conducted a thorough investigation and identified the root cause as human error in the mapping of a software command. The Company is implementing corrective actions to prevent a recurrence.

LLITED launched in April as ELaNa 40 (Educational Launch of a Nanosatellite) managed by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative.

The TASSA features 11-meter-long metal sheets with flexible solar cells bonded to them. To stow, they are tightly coiled around a mandrel. After launch, motors unroll the mandrel, deploying the solar array. The goal of the TASSA program is to reduce the cost per watt of power generated by 50% over arrays currently on the market. Momentus aims to drive down vehicle production costs and streamline on-orbit operations, while reducing the cost of power for the satellite, with this technology once operational.

Along with Vigoride-6, Momentus is concurrently operating its Vigoride-5 spacecraft that launched in January of 2023. As mentioned above, the Vigoride-5 spacecraft is providing ongoing hosted payload services to Caltech’s SSPD mission.

The Company’s next flight is targeted for no earlier than November of 2023 aboard the SpaceX Transporter-9 mission. During this mission, Momentus will use a deployer to place three satellites into Low-Earth Orbit for three different customers:

• The AMAN-1 Earth Observation satellite will be deployed for SatRev. The satellite can also be used for other services such as land survey, precision agriculture, weather, environmental and smart cities.

• The JINJUSat-1 satellite will be deployed for CONTEC Co. of the Republic of Korea. JINJUSat-1 is spearheaded by three entities: Jinju City, Korea Testing Laboratory, and Gyeongsang National University. Once on-orbit, cameras mounted on the satellite will carry out a mission to take pictures of the Earth.

• The Picacho satellite will be deployed for Lunasonde – a U.S. sub-surface imaging company with the goal of making underground resources – such as water and minerals – easier to find. The Picacho CubeSat is a technology demonstration of Lunasonde’s sensors. It will measure the power spectral density of low-frequency radio signals in the ionosphere, which will help inform designs for the company’s future satellites.

Additionally, Momentus now plans to launch its Vigoride-7 OSV, originally scheduled for launch in October of 2023, on SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission that is targeted for no earlier than February of 2024. On the Vigoride-7 mission, Momentus will aim to deploy several customer satellites in LEO and provide services to a hosted payload.

The Company will also release a target satellite and maneuver the OSV into proximity with the target satellite for a Remote Proximity Operations demonstration. The revised mission plans will enable Momentus to launch Vigoride-7 with a fuller load of payloads for deployment in LEO with better mission economics, while still meeting the needs of customers requiring orbital delivery in 2023.

“One of the upcoming events that we are looking forward to conducting on the Vigoride-6 mission is a test of the Tape Spring Solar Array (TASSA), a Momentus technology demonstration of a new kind of solar array.” — Krishnan Anand, Vice President of Program Management, Momentus

SpaceX engaged the company’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle to send 22 Starlink satellites to LEO from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida.

This is the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and seven Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Rivada Space Networks GmbH has appointed satellite industry veteran Donald Chew to lead commercial activities for the company in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region and he will be based in Singapore.

Donald Chew has more than 25 years of experience in the telecom and satellite industries in Asia Pacific, including key roles developing maritime and aero connectivity for Singtel and overseeing data and maritime projects for AsiaSat. For SES, Donald was responsible for growing revenue in new markets, including Indochina and Papua New Guinea. He was also responsible for developing special connectivity projects at Kacific, a company which delivers satellite broadband to isolated islands in the Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Rivada is launching a global, low-latency, point-to-point connectivity network of 600 LEO satellites: the “OuterNET.” This nexgen architecture combines inter-satellite laser links with advanced, onboard, data routers to create an optical mesh network in space.

This approach to “orbital networking,” in which data stays in space from origin to destination, creates an ultra-secure satellite network with pole-to-pole reach, offering end-to-end latencies similar to or better than terrestrial fiber. This is a unique capability for operations in the government services, enterprise, telecom, maritime and energy markets. The first satellite launch is set for 2025, with global service starting in 2026.

By allowing satellites to go beyond their traditional role of “gap-filler,” Rivada’s LEO system will become the technology of choice for data communications in Asia-Pacific and a more dynamic extension of the terrestrial telecoms networks. Rivada’s OuterNET will solve essential communications and connectivity challenges and meet the ever-growing need for an enterprise-grade, on-demand experience anywhere in the world for multinational enterprises and governments. For regional satellite operators, Rivada’s LEO network will complement their existing GEO infrastructure and help them expand into new markets.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Rivada Networks, Inc., Rivada Space Networks is rapidly moving ahead to deliver a game-changing LEO network of 600 Ka-band communications satellites. The company has placed a contract with Terran Orbital to build the satellites and SpaceX for the launch.

“I am excited to be joining Rivada Space Networks at this time when everything is on track to deliver a LEO network unlike any other. The OuterNET addresses real market needs of enterprise and government customers in Asia and around the globe, utilizing key attributes of low latency, high throughput and data sovereignty. I look forward to contributing my experience to bring this new opportunity in data communications to the Asia Pacific region.” — Donald Chew, VIce President, Asia-Pacific, Rivada Space Networks

Scientists and engineers at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) are working with colleagues at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) RAL Space to deliver a smallsat calibration facility.

The new facility is being designed, manufactured and tested at NPL’s Teddington site in south-west London and will be located at Harwell Campus. It will draw on expertise from NPL’s STAR-cc-OGSE facility, which provides innovative solutions for calibrating scientific instruments on satellites before their launch into space.

The facility will provide a state-of-the-art solution to instrument calibration and characterization, ensuring the required performance for both full satellite payloads and components is achieved.

The facility is intended for use by smallsat providers at short notice to perform essential pre-flight calibration and characterization tasks for individual satellites. This will ensure the end-to-end performance of a satellite instrument is understood before it is launched, which is a critical task for any space mission. By checking that all on-board instruments are correctly calibrated before launch, the new facility ensures that the satellite will collect reliable, accurate and trusted Earth Observation (EO) information that can be used by governments to make informed decisions on policies relating to climate change and emission reduction.

The new facility forms part of the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s £200 million ‘Earth Observation Investment Package’ that was launched last year to drive innovation in the UK EO sector. It will build on NPL’s and RAL Space’s existing programs that support the UK’s thriving EO sector, with a particular focus on how EO technology and data can help solve global challenges such as climate change. These programs also aim to create attractive opportunities to encourage individuals to develop their skills and build their careers here, and explore exciting new international collaborations.

The facility will support the government’s aim for the UK to become the global home for trusted climate and Earth information services.

The ‘new space’ sector is developing smallsat instruments that operate in a range of wavelengths for various EO applications. Calibration of these sensors is essential in ensuring the usefulness of data collected by these missions.

Large satellite missions developed under international space agency programmes may invest in bespoke calibration equipment solutions which would be a significant barrier to smaller private companies. These companies typically do not have the capability, budgets or expertise to individually develop their own pre-launch calibration testing facilities and programs. However, this facility, supported by experts from NPL and RAL Space, will provide state-of-the-art calibration to these companies at short notice and at a relatively low cost.

“Small satellite companies often struggle to find affordable and accessible calibration facilities, limiting the prospect of innovative new companies thriving in the UK’s fast growing space sector now worth £17.5bn. This new facility will provide a much-needed service to level the playing field for these companies, while driving economic growth in the UK. Such companies are playing an increasingly important role in monitoring our planet and collecting vital data on climate change, emissions and sustainable development. By ensuring that these satellites are properly calibrated, we can be confident that the data they collect is accurate and reliable – helping us to make better decisions about how to protect our planet, through means such as monitoring Earth’s temperature levels. This is the UK delivering on our commitment to support the UK Earth Observation sector.” — George Freeman MP, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Minister of State

“This new facility forms part of NPL’s commitment to delivering the UK’s National Space Strategy. Space technology, as well as trusted earth observation data, is intrinsic to addressing challenges such as climate change on a global scale. By supporting companies in developing and measuring the performance of their instrumentation we’re ensuring they can be used with confidence.” — Dr. Emma Haynes, Partnerships Director, NPL

“We’re thrilled to be delivering this new facility to support the UK’s thriving Earth observation sector. Thanks to the expertise of RAL Space and NPL staff, the Small Satellite Calibration Facility will play a pivotal role in allowing companies to enhance the quality of their satellite data for a growing user community, at lower cost.” — Dr. Sarah Beardsley, Director, RAL Space

“The UK has a rich heritage in satellite manufacturing and Earth observation technology, with innovative start-ups and space companies developing powerful capabilities that would have been unthinkable only a decade ago. Thanks to government funding, this new small satellite calibration facility will open up access to NPL’s world-leading calibration expertise to even more companies, supporting the continued growth of the UK’s vibrant Earth Observation sector and increasing the value of the data it provides on our planet.” — Harshbir Sangha, Missions and Capabilities Delivery Director, UK Space Agency

Cloudeo has partnered with Spire Global to bring weather data to more than 34,000 GIS and Earth Observation (EO) experts from around the world.

Spire Global builds, owns and operates a fully deployed satellite constellation that observes the Earth in real time using radio frequency (RF) technology. Spire’s radio occultation (RO) technology processes more than 20,000 atmospheric readings daily and has been trusted by leading weather service providers such as ECMWF, NOAA, and NCAR.

Spire Global will be the exclusive weather data provider on Cloudeo’s platform, bringing already historical, current and 15 day weather forecast data sets. Satellite-powered weather data enables GIS experts to perform spatial analysis, emergency management, environmental studies, urban planning, natural resource management, among other decision-support utilities.

Spire’s listing on Cloudeo’s marketplace will encompass a wide range of weather datasets, including maritime, soil moisture, historical weather and more. This partnership will pave the way for researchers and commercial entities to build better decision-support products, particularly when integrated with other Earth Observation data.

Numerous opportunities for growth and continued innovation in the industry will be resultant of this agreement by allowing…

• Expanded Data Access: The partnership will lead to expanded access to satellite powered weather data.
• Enhanced Data Analytics: Collaborations between Spire Global and cloudeo’s partners specializing in data analytics and Earth Observation can result in more advanced and refined analytical tools.
• Improved Data Processing and Delivery: Partnerships such as this can streamline data processing and delivery workflows. This allows for quicker access to up-to-date information, benefiting various industries and applications.

“Through our partnership with Cloudeo, we are excited to expand our market reach and unlock new opportunities. By combining our weather and satellite expertise, resources, and networks, we can offer integrated solutions that address specific industry needs, reaching new markets and customers. This partnership is an enabler for breakthroughs in the industry, opening up new applications and expanding our customer base.” — Mike Eilts, General Manager of Weather and Earth Intelligence, Spire Global

“By teaming up with Spire, we are expanding access to high-quality weather data and driving innovation in the industry. This partnership represents a significant milestone for Cloudeo and addresses the growing demand for accurate and reliable data, by empowering commercial entities and researchers to build better decision-support products. We are confident that this collaboration will drive growth and innovation in our network of partners and customers while benefiting various sectors and applications.” — Dr. Manfred Krischke, CEO, Cloudeo