Archives for 2023

SpaceX is targeting Friday, March 3 at 10:38 a.m. PT (18:38 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of 51 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff.

AAC Clyde Space, a leading new space company, has shipped the first of three satellites that are set to deliver hyperspectral imagery data to Canadian company, Wyvern. The satellites will continue the transformation of AAC Clyde Space into a space-based data company over the coming years.

The launch is planned for April on SpaceX‘s Transporter 7 mission from California onboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite is expected to start delivering data during the second quarter of 2023. The other two satellites under the contract are also expected to be delivered and launched in 2023. AAC Clyde Space will own the three satellites, while Wyvern Inc. has committed to subscribe to the data service for an initial four-year period, for GBP 8.4m (approx. SEK 105m). The contract can be extended on an annual basis thereafter.

In November 2022, AAC Clyde Space delivered the first of two 3U satellites that will deliver data to the U.S. company ORBCOMM Inc, a global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The group also owns and operates a constellation of satellites dedicated to SDaaS which is also under expansion. By the end of 2023, AAC Clyde Space is expected to own a total of 11 satellites dedicated to delivering data from space, a number that is planned to increase further over the coming years.

“This satellite delivery marks a milestone for our Space Data as a Service model that is set to transform not only our business, but also the way other companies access data from space-based assets. Space Data as a Service will enable businesses to access high quality data that will improve their operations. Over the coming years, it will also transform AAC Clyde Space from a hardware company into a space-based information technology business”, says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.

The 6U EPIC VIEW satellites dedicated to Wyvern are designed as ‘application specific’ and feature increased data downlink and enhanced control capabilities and will deliver hyperspectral data, a method for capturing images of Earth across multiple bands, providing much more information than the three main colour bands that the human eye captures. Wyvern, specializing in Earth observation, will first offer the data to the agricultural sector where it will help optimize yields, and detect invasive plants, pests and changes in soil makeup.

constelIr and Exolaunch have signed a multi-launch agreement (MLA) for the former’s high precision versatile ecosphere monitoring (HiVE) smallsat constellation.

The HiVE constellation is designed to provide advanced warning to AgTech companies of plant stress from temperature-induced evapotranspiration. This data enables farmers and the AgTech industry at large to achieve “more crop per drop,” minimizing water waste while maximizing crop output.

The first two operational and commercial satellites of the HiVE constellation are planned to launch to SSO in 2024. Both microsats feature constelIr’s state-of-the-art, cryocooled, long-wave infrared (LWIR) instruments, which are capable of mapping Earth’s land surface temperature with unprecedented precision. These missions mark the first time a cryocooled LWIR sensor will be deployed into space aboard a smallsat.

With a proven track of 18 successful missions and 269 satellites flown, constellr regards Exolaunch as the ideal launch partner to oversee the entire launch mission management, including integration and Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP). Exolaunch’s innovative separation system CarboNIX, flown on 11 missions so far with a record of 49 smallsats launched, guarantees low-shock separation and smooth orbit injection for both of constellr’s microsats.

“Our entire team is excited to move forward with the launch preparation activities and this multi-launch agreement marks a big milestone in our constellation development and deployment,” says Dr. Riccardo Benvenuto, HiVE Programme Director at constellr. “We couldn’t feel safer with Exolaunch as our partner. We already have a great relationship and given their expertise and long-track record of successful launches, we trust them to deploy our HiVE microsatellites smoothly and safely into orbit.”

“We are honored to be awarded a launch contract by constellr and assist a leader in a field as important to 21st century agriculture and society as global land surface temperature monitoring,” said Connor Pollock, Mission Director at Exolaunch. “Moreover, this MLA demonstrates the increasing synergy of the German NewSpace industry.”

Spaceflight Inc. will launch two BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) satellites aboard Rocket Lab’s next mission called “The Beat Goes On,” from Mahia, New Zealand. The spacecraft, now in New Zealand for the final stage of integration, were manufactured by U.S.-based satellite maker LeoStella and co-engineered with BlackSky. The two spacecraft onboard the mission will be the 15th and 16th satellites in BlackSky’s growing constellation. (Read additional information regarding this launch at this direct infolink…)

Spaceflight and LeoStella both offer services and expertise that enable a streamlined process of comprehensive, end-to-end support for BlackSky’s constellation. Everything from the satellite design and manufacturing to integration, mission management, and logistics occurred within a several-mile radius, minimizing the complexities and timeline required to support the mission.

“We are excited to support another mission with our long-standing customer BlackSky in the development of its rapidly growing constellation,” said Tiphaine Louradour, CEO of Spaceflight. “Spaceflight has managed the launch services and missions for all of BlackSky’s satellites to date and we are pleased to continue this trusted partnership to achieve another successful mission.”

“Rapid access to space is critical for our customers, including BlackSky. It requires efficient smallsat design and production and effective launch services and integration, as provided by Spaceflight,” said Tim Kienberger, CEO of LeoStella. “We greatly value the ongoing collaboration with Spaceflight and Rocket Lab. LeoStella is proud to have manufactured the last 16 satellites in BlackSky’s constellation, securing more than 29 years of on-orbit heritage and delivering 99% mission availability.”

This represents Spaceflight’s second mission of 2023. The company plans to support up to 10 launches throughout the year, leveraging its vast global network of launch vehicle providers. In addition to traditional rideshare launches, Spaceflight continues to develop its Sherpa OTV program, preparing for the debut of the next variation in its OTV – Sherpa-ES, a higher energy variant with a bipropellant, high delta-V OTV that enables smallsat delivery anywhere in cislunar space.

West Virginia University Research Corporation has awarded TMC Technologies (TMC) a contract to be the private partner in creating and operating the West Virginia (WV) Small Satellite Center of Excellence (WVSSCE) in Morgantown, WV.

The creation of the WVSSCE is made possible through a U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant awarded to West Virginia University and the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium.

The WVSSCE will develop smallsat modeling/simulation software, verification and validation; and advanced aerospace manufacturing services for commercial, academic, and government customers. TMC will collaborate with WVU to provide high-level software and hardware engineering expertise in spacecraft and smallsat development, manufacturing, and program management. TMC will also provide strategic marketing and outreach support to capture additional investment from the public and private sectors.

The Center will be a hub for smallsat research, development, testing, production, and commercialization, and “truly an innovation incubator that meets the needs of an industry that meets the needs of customers,” according to Dr. David Martinelli, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and WVSSCE Program Lead.

The inspiration for the WVSSCE is rooted in the highly successful Simulation to Flight-1 (STF-1) SmallSat mission, also known as “West Virginia’s First Spacecraft.” TMC led the effort in 2014 alongside WVU, NASA, and other partners to design, build, launch, and operate STF-1, which has been working near peak efficiency for more than 1,530 days in LEO.

WVSSCE also includes an educational component that fosters careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“Since returning to West Virginia 30 years ago to help build the technology industry here, this award is among the most exciting accomplishments to date,” TMC President and CEO Wade Linger said, referring to the award from WVU. “A West Virginia-based small business will now act as the technology catalyst in leveraging the academic prowess of WVU and the entrepreneurial spirit of a small business to build a world-class Small Satellite Center in West Virginia.“

“We are excited to partner with TMC,” Martinelli said. “Their team of smallsat engineers and scientists have pioneered SmallSat development, modeling, and simulation technology for NASA and West Virginia. We’re going to use the SmallSat Center as an opportunity to aggressively hit STEM-related careers. I will look at all possibilities to showcase what we’re doing to K-12 students across the state.”

TMC Vice President of Federal Civilian and Commercial Programs, Denise Lindsey, will oversee the contract for TMC. “I am extremely proud of the teamwork that went into making this a reality,” Lindsey said. “TMC’s Chief Scientist, Scott Zemerick, and his team’s deep knowledge and experience with SmallSat hardware and software will be invaluable to WVU and the WVSSCE.”

TMC Executive Vice President and Chief Strategist, Jeff Edgell, attributes the WVSSCE contract win to Denise’s focused leadership style and her unique ability to bring out the best in the team. He stated, “Denise’s (Lindsey) outstanding track record of innovation, execution, operational excellence, and team development has helped elevate TMC quickly. Through her leadership, TMC will harness its formidable NASA and Defense SmallSat technical talent and expertise to help the WVSSCE become a hub for Small Satellite research, development, testing, production, and commercialization.”

Neumann Space and Inovor Technologies have successfully completed delivery of the Neumann Drive with the Apogee satellite platform ready for spacecraft integration and launch.

This milestone represents the first time an Australian electric propulsion product has qualified for integration on a satellite and signals the progress that these companies have made together toward increasing the capability and commercial viability of Australia’s space industry.

Neumann Space and Inovor Technologies progress on integrating the Neumann Drive has enabled the readiness for flight heritage of an Australian made satellite platform with electric propulsion, further de-risking the integrated product for the global market.

Neumann Space currently has two product classes in various phases of development and testing, one that is designed for cubesats and the other for the smallsat market. The Neumann Drive selected for the Apogee satellite is its CubeSat Product Class incorporating a Thruster Unit that contains Molybdenum as the solid metallic propellant. The propulsion system is based on the company’s patented pulsed cathodic arc thruster technology and is designed to be safer, storable fully fueled and integrated, more efficient, and importantly more robust and easier to operate than other solutions currently on the market.

Inovor Technologies has developed a family of small satellite buses in the CubeSat (Apogee Bus) class and is designing its smallsat (Australis Bus) class. This technology can be used to build satellites across a range of sizes, and for most mission types, including space domain awareness, Earth imaging, communications, climate science, AgTech, scientific experimentation, and more. Propulsion is a key technology enabler to support customer mission requirements and Inovor Technologies’ Hyperion and Skyris missions.

Neumann Space’s CEO, Herve Astier, said, “The Neumann Drive offers a step change in mobility to the global satellite market, and this milestone represents an important step forward in ensuring that this critical technology is able to serve the growing need for better propulsion in space. Proving the performance of the Neumann Drive in space will enable our company to continue the solid progress we are making to commercialize our products. We are excited about the work we are doing with Inovor Technologies and the contribution that we are making to securing flight heritage of a system with the real potential to significantly disrupt the way satellite propulsion is done today.”

Dr. Matthew Tetlow, Founder and CEO of Inovor Technologies, said, “The Apogee satellite platform is a high-performance spacecraft requiring a highly efficient propulsion system, which is why we are very pleased to be ready for spacecraft integration and launch. Both our products are Australian-designed and made, demonstrating the sovereign capability that exists within our nation’s space sector, and the potential for growth of the industry. Continuing to prove and test our industry’s platforms and capability in space is essential to progress.”

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) is preparing to launch two dedicated missions in March from the Company’s launch sites in the United States and New Zealand — within days of each other.

One Electron rocket is ready and in position at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand to deploy satellites for Spaceflight Inc. customer BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY), a real-time, geospatial intelligence company.

A second rocket is simultaneously undergoing final launch preparations at Launch Complex 2 in Virginia to deploy satellites for American space tech company Capella Space, a provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery.

Both launches are scheduled to occur in March with the launch windows to be finalized based on individual customer and range requirements; however, both missions are expected to launch within days of one another. Capella Space’s two satellites have been integrated to Electron at Launch Complex 2 and are ready for launch, while BlackSky’s two satellites are undergoing final check outs before integration to Electron at Launch Complex 1.

Rocket Lab has also completed a Wet Dress Rehearsal at Launch Complex 2 and the mission is now awaiting range clearances from NASA and the FAA to proceed with launch. Meanwhile, Launch Complex 1’s Wet Dress Rehearsal is scheduled to take place in the coming days.

Running simultaneous launch campaigns across two continents once again demonstrates Rocket Lab’s ability to deliver responsive and flexible launch solutions to the small satellite market. The upcoming missions are expected to best Rocket Lab’s previous launch turnaround record set at Launch Complex 1 in 2022 when Rocket Lab launched the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA, followed by a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) 15 days later.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said, “The ability to run simultaneous launch campaigns and deliver a rapid launch cadence is exactly what Electron and our launch sites were built for. We’re dedicated to serving the responsive space needs of our customers across commercial and government space. It’s not a capability we’re promising in the future, it’s a reality that we’re delivering on right now.”

About the Capella Space Launch
Mission Name: Stronger Together
Payload: Two SAR satellites
Launch Site: Launch Complex 1, Wallops Island, Virginia, USA

Rocket Lab will deliver to orbit two SAR satellites for San Francisco-based Capella Space. Capella provides the best quality, high resolution SAR imagery to customers globally for a wide range of government and commercial applications. The “Stronger Together” mission carrying Capella Space’s two 100-kg class satellites will expand Capella’s existing SAR constellation, increasing imaging capacity to meet growing customer demand.
Capella Space delivers the highest quality, highest resolution SAR imagery commercially available with the fastest order-to-delivery time, empowering organizations across the public and private sector to make informed, accurate decisions. Its satellite imaging technology can penetrate all weather conditions and capture clear imagery 24-7, day and night, delivering accurate and timely data about what is happening across the Earth at any given moment. With this latest launch into low Earth orbit, Capella Space will expand its market-leading SAR satellite constellation in response to increased customer demand for SAR data.
Rocket Lab has delivered a Capella satellite to space previously on the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical” mission in August 2020. Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply Capella Space with two of the Company’s own Motorized Lightbands; separation systems designed to separate the Capella satellites from Electron once in orbit.

About the BlackSky Launch
Mission Name: The Beat Goes On
Payload: Two Earth-imaging satellites
Launch Site: Launch Complex 1, Mahia, New Zealand

Rocket Lab will deliver to orbit two Earth-imaging satellites for BlackSky through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc. “The Beat Goes On” mission will deliver BlackSky’s high-resolution, Gen-2 satellites to LEO, adding capacity to the company’s real-time geospatial intelligence and monitoring capabilities. BlackSky delivers on-demand, high-frequency imagery, monitoring, and analytics of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events in the world.
“The Beat Goes On” is the final mission of a multi-launch agreement with launch services provider, Spaceflight, Inc., who managed the integration and launch services for BlackSky. As part of the agreement, Blacksky satellites have been launched on five previous Electron missions since 2021. Rocket Lab also delivered two BlackSky satellites to orbit prior to 2021, bringing the total number of BlackSky satellites deployed to orbit by Electron to nine.

Note: Rocket Lab is also expecting to conduct a marine recovery operation for this mission to return the Electron first stage to its manufacturing facilities post launch.

Original news posting…

Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB) has secured a multi-launch deal for a rapid succession of four, Electron missions for Capella Space.

Scheduled for launch starting in the second half of 2023, each Electron mission will deploy a single Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Earth-imaging, Acadia satellite, a new generation satellite designed, manufactured, and operated by Capella Space, to LEO. These missions, scheduled to launch in quick succession, will follow an existing launch on the Rocket Lab manifest for Capella Space, the “Stronger Together” mission that is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, in March of 2023. Capella Space is a returning customer to Electron, with Rocket Lab having launched a dedicated mission for the SAR company in August of 2020.

The four, newly-signed missions are planned to lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand — however, Rocket Lab has provided Capella Space with the flexibility to move any of the missions to Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, if required as the mission campaigns progress in order to meet optimum customer and mission requirements.

By operating three orbital launch pads across two continents, Rocket Lab’s responsive and flexible launch solution enables assured access to orbit for Capella Space to quickly and reliably increase their constellation’s capacity and orbital diversity to meet growing demands for its SAR imagery and analysis.

In addition to providing the launch service, each Capella Space mission will feature separation systems produced by Rocket Lab in line with the Company’s vertical integration strategy.

Rocket Lab CEO and founder, Peter Beck, said, “We delivered mission success for Capella in our first mission for them in 2020 and now we’re thrilled they’ve entrusted us with a further five missions to help expand their growing SAR constellation. We’re proud to provide the team at Capella with a reliable ride to space, combined with the flexibility of two launch sites in different hemispheres to enable flexibility and responsiveness.”

Capella Space CEO and founder, Payam Banazadeh, said, “We are experiencing increased market demand for our highest-quality SAR data, and this announcement underscores Capella’s strong commitment to our global customers across the defence and intelligence and commercial markets. We are excited for the multiple launches with Rocket Lab, including the introduction of our new generation Acadia satellite technology, to further enhance our market-leading capabilities of high-frequency, best quality SAR imagery with the fastest order-to-delivery speeds of any commercial SAR provider.”

Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB) has secured a multi-launch deal for a rapid succession of four, Electron missions for Capella Space.

Scheduled for launch starting in the second half of 2023, each Electron mission will deploy a single Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Earth-imaging, Acadia satellite, a new generation satellite designed, manufactured, and operated by Capella Space, to LEO. These missions, scheduled to launch in quick succession, will follow an existing launch on the Rocket Lab manifest for Capella Space, the “Stronger Together” mission that is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, in March of 2023. Capella Space is a returning customer to Electron, with Rocket Lab having launched a dedicated mission for the SAR company in August of 2020.

The four, newly-signed missions are planned to lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand — however, Rocket Lab has provided Capella Space with the flexibility to move any of the missions to Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, if required as the mission campaigns progress in order to meet optimum customer and mission requirements.

By operating three orbital launch pads across two continents, Rocket Lab’s responsive and flexible launch solution enables assured access to orbit for Capella Space to quickly and reliably increase their constellation’s capacity and orbital diversity to meet growing demands for its SAR imagery and analysis.

In addition to providing the launch service, each Capella Space mission will feature separation systems produced by Rocket Lab in line with the Company’s vertical integration strategy.

Rocket Lab CEO and founder, Peter Beck, said, “We delivered mission success for Capella in our first mission for them in 2020 and now we’re thrilled they’ve entrusted us with a further five missions to help expand their growing SAR constellation. We’re proud to provide the team at Capella with a reliable ride to space, combined with the flexibility of two launch sites in different hemispheres to enable flexibility and responsiveness.”

Capella Space CEO and founder, Payam Banazadeh, said, “We are experiencing increased market demand for our highest-quality SAR data, and this announcement underscores Capella’s strong commitment to our global customers across the defence and intelligence and commercial markets. We are excited for the multiple launches with Rocket Lab, including the introduction of our new generation Acadia satellite technology, to further enhance our market-leading capabilities of high-frequency, best quality SAR imagery with the fastest order-to-delivery speeds of any commercial SAR provider.”

On Monday, February 27th at 6:13 p.m. ET, SpaceX launched 21, second-generation, Starlink satellites to LEO from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

This was the third launch and landing of this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched CRS-26 and OneWeb Launch 16.

There are two versions of Starlink’s second generation of satellites — V2 designed to fly on Starship, and V2 Mini, designed to fly on Falcon 9. 

The V2 Minis are smaller than the V2 satellites (hence the name) but don’t let the name fool you — the V2 Minis include more advanced phased array antennas and the use of E-band for backhaul, which will enable Starlink to provide ~4x more capacity per satellite than earlier iterations. 

The V2 Minis are also equipped with new argon Hall thrusters for on orbit maneuvering. Developed by SpaceX engineers, they have 2.4x the thrust and 1.5x the specific impulse of our first gen thrusters. This will also be the first time ever that argon Hall thrusters are operated in space.

Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage successfully landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

NASA has released a pre-solicitation summary for TechFlights 2023 [SAM.gov infolink], and anticipates a release of the solicitation on or about April 7, 2023.

The purpose of TechFlights is to provide funding for the rapid testing or demonstration of space technologies in relevant environments. Payloads may be tested aboard flights on U.S. commercial suborbital rockets, rocket-powered lander vehicles, high-altitude balloons, aircraft following reduced-gravity flight profiles, and orbital platforms.

Emphasis will be placed on decreasing the amount of time between award and flight testing with a goal of increasing the pace of technology development. Emphasis will also be placed on the overall impact to be achieved via the flight test awards made under this Appendix.

NASA’s Flight Opportunities program is, once again, joined in TechFlights by the Small Spacecraft Technology program.

In addition, the agency’s Science Mission Directorate is a partner in this solicitation to support development of transformative research capabilities with the commercial space industry to dramatically increase the pace of research.

Two topics are anticipated for this solicitation:

• Topic 1 addresses demonstration of capabilities that support global lunar use leading to commercial commodities and services for a robust lunar economy and/or demonstration of technologies for LEO to GEO that support additional future services for a growing LEO/GEO economy.

• Topic 2 addresses technologies that can support the Commercially Enabled Rapid Space Science (CERISS) initiative, which aims to develop transformative research capabilities with the commercial space industry to dramatically increase the pace of research.

Read the full synopsis for additional award details.

Visit the Flight Opportunities website for resources on proposing to TechFlights.