Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) launched the company’s first Electron mission for 2024, a space-junk focused mission for Spire Global, Inc. (“Spire”) and NorthStar Earth & Space (“NorthStar”).

The ‘Four Of A Kind’ mission for Spire’s customer NorthStar successfully launched from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 19:34 NZDT / 06:34 UTC. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket deployed four Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites to a 530km circular Earth orbit where the satellites, built and operated by Spire, will monitor near-Earth objects from space to provide timely and precise information for space object detection, tracking, orbit determination, collision avoidance, navigation, and proximity alerts.

This mission was Rocket Lab’s 43rd Electron launch overall, bringing the Company’s record of successfully deployed satellites to 176. The mission was the first of a busy launch year for Rocket Lab, with the Company scheduled to launch more in 2024 than any previous year since the Company began missions in 2017.

The mission also resulted in the successful return of the rocket’s first stage after launch as part of Rocket Lab’s plan to evolve Electron into a reusable rocket. After launch and stage separation, Electron’s booster made its way back to Earth under a parachute and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at approximately 17 minutes post lift-off.

‘Four Of A Kind’ is Rocket Lab’s first Electron launch in a sold-out 2024 mission manifest that includes multiple upcoming launches for NASA; hypersonic technology tests on suborbital HASTE missions from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 in Virginia; the beginning or continuation of block launches for satellite operators BlackSky, Synspective, and Kinéis; and several other launches for commercial and defense sector mission partners.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said, “The success of today’s mission to deliver Spire & NorthStar to orbit, and the completion of our secondary mission to return Electron to Earth after launch, has been a fantastic start of what is set to be Rocket Lab’s busiest year ever. We have more missions booked in 2024 than we’ve ever scheduled before, and it is a real privilege to continue to deliver small launch reliability for our satellite customers on advanced missions like these and for all the missions to come in 2024.”

Two launch service providers have agreed to simultaneously operate from a single launch complex. Phantom Space COO Mark Lester and Vaya Space COO Rob Fabian signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) that outlines how the two companies will work concurrently at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 13 (LC-13).

Commercial companies sharing a Launch Complex is a novel approach to maximize limited launch site availability at the Cape. Historically, one company would exclusively occupy a Launch Complex and populate it with unique and proprietary infrastructure dedicated to their use.  While this approach was satisfactory when available launch sites were plentiful and few launch vehicles existed, it is not sustainable in the rapidly growing and diverse commercial space launch environment.

In addition to maximizing available land use, Phantom and Vaya’s approach provides significant national security advantages through responsive and resilient launch.  The ability for multiple companies to share infrastructure and launch support systems in a nimble manner dramatically increases launch pad throughput and launch resilience to provide assured access to space.  This approach leverages proven airport models where runways, taxiways, gates, and operational infrastructure are company agnostic shared resources.

“Vaya Space and Phantom value the importance of collaboration to create new responsive launch capability in a safe and efficient manner for long-term growth and sustainability. We have worked diligently together over the last several months on the agreement to underscore our commitment to safety and best address and balance government, spaceport, and company needs,” said Phantom COO, Mark Lester.

Vaya Space is a privately owned company based on the Space Coast and leveraging patented Vortex Hybrid engine technology to disrupt the Space and Defense Markets.

Founded by inventors and entrepreneurs Jim Cantrell and Michael D’Angelo, Phantom Space Corporation is a space transportation company democratizing space access by mass manufacturing launch vehicles, satellites, and space propulsion systems. Phantom’s vision is to become the “Henry Ford of Space Transportation” through the opportunity to mass manufacture and launch 100s of rockets—a 100% US-controlled and operated enterprise headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, with multiple launch operations centers.

Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) has successfully completed the launch processing of LizzieSat^TM at the Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. 

The Sidus team executed final steps in launch processing of LizzieSat^TM, including mating the satellite to the separation system and the launch vehicle adapter, which allows for mounting to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. LizzieSat^TM has been turned over to SpaceX and is ready for launch on the Transporter-10 mission which is targeted for no earlier than March of 2024.

Fully integrated into the satellite is the Sidus FeatherEdge AI platform which allows for advanced onboard system processing from space-based data sensors. Following launch, Sidus expects to continue to expand both military and commercial customer bases to provide customized intelligence for multiple industries including defense, agriculture, maritime, and oil and gas. 

Sidus Space continues to actively expand the LizzieSat^TM constellation, with additional satellites already in production for launches in 2024 and beyond. This ongoing effort underscores our commitment to advancing space exploration and delivering cutting-edge solutions in satellite technology. 

Carol Craig, CEO and Founder of Sidus Space, said, “LizzieSat’s distinctive multi-sensor data collection platform represents a paradigm shift, offering tangible impacts across multiple industries through the utilization of cutting-edge on-orbit satellite technology. This innovative approach consolidates various data sources into a single on-orbit asset, showcasing the transformative power of advanced space technology in revolutionizing how industries access and utilize crucial information.”

Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) is a Space and Data-as-a-Service satellite company focused on mission-critical hardware manufacturing; multi-disciplinary engineering services; satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations; and in-orbit support. The Company is in Cape Canaveral, Florida, where it operates from a 35,000-square-foot manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing facility focused on vertically integrated Space-as-a-Service solutions including end-to-end satellite support. Sidus Space has a mission of Bringing Space Down to Earth and a vision of enabling space flight heritage status for new technologies while delivering data and predictive analytics to domestic and global customers. Any corporation, industry, or vertical can start their journey off-planet with Sidus Space’s rapidly scalable, low-cost satellite services, space-based solutions, and testing alternatives. More than just a “Satellite-as-a-Service” provider, Sidus Space is a trusted Mission Partner–from concept to Low Earth Orbit and beyond. Sidus Space is ISO 9001:2015, AS9100 Rev. D certified, and ITAR registered. 

RTX‘s (NYSE: RTX) smallsat manufacturer and mission services provider, Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT), has announced that the satellites supporting the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blackjack program have completed critical milestones activities.

National security space assets, critical to U.S. warfighting capabilities, traditionally reside in a GEO to deliver persistent overhead access to any point on the globe. To potentially replace these large systems, the Blackjack program seeks to establish an equally effective network in LEO using a constellation of four connected satellites.

The successful operation marks a significant achievement for BCT in the swift commissioning of multiple spacecraft. This paves the way for global, high-speed networks in LEO orbit and a continued growth of commoditized small satellite buses for LEO constellations and beyond.

“The Blackjack program is a perfect example of how RTX and Blue Canyon Technologies are working to solve the hardest problems in aerospace and defense,” said Chris Winslett, general manager for Blue Canyon Technologies.

Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT), RTX’s small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider, offers a diverse portfolio of innovative, reliable, and affordable spacecraft and components that enable a broad range of missions and technological advancements for the new space economy. The company currently supports numerous unique missions with over 100 cumulative spacecraft orders.

RTX is the world’s largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 185,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2023 sales of $68.9 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.