Archives for 2024

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has been awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin Space to deliver missile warning, tracking and defense payloads to support the company’s recently announced contract award to deliver 18 satellites for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 2 Tracking Layer Program. 

GA-EMS is developing the Electro Optical and Infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems that includes the 16 Wide-Field-of-View (WFOV) Missile Warning/Missile Tracking infrared payloads and two Fire Control/Missile Defense (FC/MD) infrared payloads for integration into the Lockheed Martin satellites scheduled for launch in 2027. 

GA-EMS’ missile warning/tracking payloads and fire control/missile defense payloads, which incorporate on-orbit mission data processing, deliver missile tracks in real-time and will be integrated onto the Lockheed Martin satellites. The satellites will be launched into LEO to be incorporated into SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture LEO constellation to provide persistent worldwide real-time missile detection and tracking capabilities. 

“We are proud to be a part of Lockheed Martin Space’s team supporting the Tranche 2 Tracking Layer program mission,” said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “We look forward to our payloads becoming an integral element of a satellite constellation providing significant military operational support for the detection and tracking of advanced and conventional missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems. The team’s Tranche 2 satellite solution represents a significant step forward in delivering real-time global missile warning, tracking, and defense capabilities to the warfighter.”

“GA-EMS’ dedicated optical sensor team specializes in the design and deployment of compact, high-performance, and affordable EO/IR sensor system solutions, that are ideally suited for this next-generation in missile tracking payloads,” said Dr. Steven Wein, senior director of GA-EMS Optical Sensor Systems. “Our in-house, end-to-end payload systems’ expertise is key to our ability to rapidly innovate and deliver these cost-effective, highly advanced solutions critical to our national security interests. The missile warning, tracking, and defense payloads add to our expanding portfolio of high-performance surveillance and sensing assets, including our compact, 16 spectral band EO/IR weather sensors for the U.S. Space Force’s EO/IR Weather System (EWS) satellite program.”

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) Group is a global leader in the research, design, and manufacture of first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and power generation systems. GA-EMS’ history of research, development, and technology innovation has led to an expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions supporting aviation, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and processing and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide. For further information, visit www.ga.com/ems

Ovzon has received an 12-month order that represents a significant expansion of the company’s integrated SATCOM-as-a-Service offering in Europe.

This order includes a high-powered Ovzon spot beam powered network and a number of Ovzon’s “On-The-Move” mobile satellite terminals. The total order value amounts to $9.7 million (approximately 99 MSEK) and the service will start in the second quarter of 2024.

Ovzon’s SATCOM-as-a-Service offering includes a high performance, resilient satellite network, and both “On-The-Pause” and “On-The-Move” mobile satellite terminals, as well as gateway services and dedicated customer support.

“We are delighted to see the proliferation of Ovzon in Europe. The combination of high performance, mobility and resiliency makes Ovzon SATCOM-as-a-Service the ideal solution to support critical humanitarian, national security and public safety missions. Our solutions will be further enhanced when the unique Ovzon 3 satellite becomes operational mid-year 2024”, said Ovzon’s CEO, Per Norén.

BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has won a multi-million dollar contract in support of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to collect and annotate thousands of BlackSky multi-frame burst images to train moving target artificial intelligence (AI) models for commercial motion imagery.

BlackSky multi-frame burst images are collected in rapid succession during a single satellite pass over an area of interest. With multiple view angles captured within a matter of seconds burst imagery can be used to generate 3D volumetric products and accurate movement-oriented detection analytics. Burst imagery, along with all BlackSky offerings, can uniquely be captured from early in the day to late in the evening.

The contract provides subscription-based access to the BlackSky Spectra® tasking and analytics platform. The customer expects to use BlackSky’s high-cadence, low-latency imagery and automated analytics to support customer-approved exercises, technology demonstrations and operations.

“We are taking BlackSky’s industry-leading ability to monitor moving objects from space another step forward by enhancing analytic accuracy and the ability to recognize patterns of life,” said Patrick O’Neil, BlackSky chief technology officer. “This foundational work is expected to help decrease the time to develop moving target algorithms for other related customer-led initiatives.”

BlackSky is a real-time, space-based intelligence company that delivers on-demand, high frequency imagery, analytics, and high-frequency monitoring of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events in the world. BlackSky owns and operates one of the industry’s most advanced, purpose-built commercial, real-time intelligence system that combines the power of the BlackSky Spectra® tasking and analytics software platform and our proprietary LEO satellite constellation.

ICEYE launched three additional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites on March 4, 2024, including a 1200 MHz radar bandwidth on-orbit technology demonstrator that will enable 25 cm imaging.

The satellites were integrated via launch integrator Exolaunch and successfully lifted off aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-10 rideshare from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. Each spacecraft has established communication and early routine operations are underway. 

Two of the three SAR satellites launched on the mission are manufactured by ICEYE US, while one is an on-orbit technology demonstrator manufactured by ICEYE in Finland.  The on-orbit demonstrator model features an upgrade to ICEYE’s X-band antenna, increasing radar bandwidth to 1200 MHz. This enables higher-resolution imagery, up to 25 cm, and will be initially assigned to engineering tests before being made available to ICEYE customers. 

The satellites launched include an advanced radar that enables major improvements in image quality, faster downlink speeds for more agile imagery collections, and better integration with ICEYE’s global network of ground stations. ICEYE has now successfully deployed 34 spacecraft since 2018 and operates the world’s largest constellation of SAR satellites, which can image any location on the Earth’s surface in any environmental condition, day or night. SAR data provides precise insights for ICEYE’s government and commercial customers in near real-time. ICEYE plans to launch as many as 15 satellites during 2024.

“Our growing constellation provides an objective and reliable source of intelligence, enabling a faster, more accurate response to changes taking place anywhere on the planet,” said Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE. “The launch of the 1200 MHz bandwidth technology demonstrator delivers 25 cm resolution SAR imaging, unlocking a new level of clarity and detail for high-priority decision-making.” 

Eric Jensen, CEO of ICEYE US, said, “Our partners require dependable and persistent change detection to address emergent, time-critical needs.  We are proud to add two additional U.S-built satellites to our constellation, strengthening our commitment to deliver strategic insights for our defense, intelligence, civil, and commercial customers.”

Veery v0.3 Ectobius is the first in Care Weather‘s fledgling series of weather satellite precursors.

This smallsat will test a high-voltage radar power system

According to the company, this is the smallest satellite radar ever placed into orbit. Plus, onboard, there is an amateur radio payload.

For this mission, Care Weather partnered with the BYU Spacecraft Club as the lead operator of the amateur radio payload and they will coordinate the sharing of radio access details and data.

This 1.3 kg satellite features 10W of instantaneous power, 4W of solar power, a 3.2A-hr battery capacity, a 10 kbps data rate, 1000 MHz processor and is expected to have 3 years of orbital life. The mission duration is for two months.

The Ectobius launched on the SpaceX Transporter 10 mission and deployed its antenna and commissioned its radio, pointing sensors, and actuators. Ectobius’ tests include fully radio data rate stress testing and radar detection of the Earth.

Ectobius will also be available to amateur radio operators to use as a mailbox, digipeater, and telemetering station for the study of cubesat thermals. The satellite was built by Alex Laraway and Patrick Walton.

Exolaunch, the global leader in launch mission management, integration, and satellite deployment services, announced the successful deployment of 28 customer satellites during the SpaceX Transporter-10 Rideshare mission. The mission, which took place on March 4, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marks another milestone in Exolaunch’s commitment to advancing the booming commercial space and smallsat industry.

Exolaunch has participated in all Transporter missions to date, and the Transporter-10 mission builds upon Exolaunch’s previous successes, bringing the company’s total number of deployed satellites up to 391. Exolaunch has a Multi-Launch Agreement with SpaceX, and with each launch procured under the contract, Exolaunch provides its trusted mission management, industry-leading integration services, and flight-proven proprietary separation hardware to ensure efficient and reliable satellite deployments to its customers.

Exolaunch’s customers on the Transporter-10 mission included: Aerospacelab, Careweather, ICEYE, Kongsberg NanoAvionics, Loft Orbital, Muon Space, ONDO Space, Open Cosmos, Orbital Astronautics, SATORO Space, Satlantis, Spire Global, Unseenlabs, and Universität Würzburg.

The end-users that were also served included: CEiiA (Portugal’s Center of Engineering and Product Development) via Open Cosmos, CONTEC via Kongsberg NanoAvionics, and Hubble Network via Spire Global.

In addition, Exolaunch provided its proprietary deployment solutions and integration services to Sidus Space, Space Machines Company and Satellogic.

Hailing from locations around the world – such as Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Mongolia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States – this mission marked one of Exolaunch’s most diverse yet. To effectively navigate intricate technical, logistical, and legal processes, Exolaunch clients onboard the mission received a service package which facilitated end-to-end testing, integration, global shipping, and deployment of their satellites.

The Exolaunch satellites aboard this mission included 16 nanosatellites up to 16U and 12 microsatellites up to 250+ kilograms, and were deployed via eight of Exolaunch’s EXOpod Nova deployers and 12 CarboNIX separation systems. Each payload serves various purposes, contributing to critical advancements in space technology. Notable applications include maritime domain awareness, testing artificial intelligence capabilities in space, and environmental and climate monitoring.

Exolaunch continues to demonstrate its expertise in launch mission integration and deployment technologies, with the Transporter-10 mission showcasing the deployment of a wide range of satellites for a variety of innovative purposes. The success of Exolaunch’s customers on the Transporter-10 mission highlights Exolaunch’s commitment to providing turnkey solutions that meet customer needs and respond to market trends.

“Exolaunch was thrilled to fly on the Transporter-10 mission with SpaceX, deploying an impressive 28 customer satellites into space,” said Jeanne Allarie, chief commercial officer at Exolaunch. “We extend our deepest gratitude to our valued customers and partners, who have placed unwavering trust in our team and services. SpaceX’s Transporter program has redefined the landscape of launching small satellites into orbit, providing an unparalleled and reliable service that reflects their spirit of innovation and cutting-edge launch capabilities. As we celebrate this milestone, we are thankful for the trust we’ve earned and excited for the program’s future, anticipating the rapid launch of many more satellites on a large scale. Exolaunch is well-positioned and prepared to grow alongside the evolving market dynamics, and we look forward to continued success in contributing to the Transporter program.”

About Exolaunch

Exolaunch (Germany, USA) is a global leader in launch mission integration and deployment technologies. With a decade of flight heritage and over 390 satellites launched across 26 missions to date, Exolaunch leverages industry insight to tailor turn-key solutions that meet customer needs and respond to market trends. Exolaunch fulfills launch contracts for industry leaders, the world’s most innovative start-ups, research institutions, government organizations, and international space agencies. The company develops and manufactures its own flight-proven and industry-leading small satellite separation systems, with the fastest-growing heritage on the market. Exolaunch is committed to making space accessible to all and to promoting its safe, sustainable, and responsible use.

Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) has successfully launched and deployed to LEO as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-10 Rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The successful deployment of LizzieSat signifies a monumental achievement for Sidus Space, marking the company’s entrance into the next era of space technology and data services.

“We are thrilled to announce the successful launch of our first LizzieSat satellite,” said Carol Craig, CEO at Sidus Space. “This accomplishment is a testament to the dedication, expertise, and collaboration of our team. LizzieSat epitomizes our commitment to pushing the boundaries of space technology and advancing our mission of Bringing Space Down to Earth.”

LizzieSat is positioned to revolutionize space-based data collection and analysis with its innovative Space Platform with a Purpose and FeatherEdge AI integration. This mission aims to broaden its customer base across military and commercial sectors, offering tailored intelligence solutions for industries such as defense, agriculture, maritime, and oil and gas.

As the LizzieSat mission progresses, Sidus Space remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions and pushing the frontiers of space technology and data collection. The company looks forward to upcoming missions, with LizzieSat-2 and LizzieSat-3 expected to launch on future SpaceX Rideshare missions.

NASA’s PY4 mission’s four CubeSats launched on Monday, March 4, at 2:05 p.m. PST, to LEO aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Led by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and funded by NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology program, PY4 seeks to demonstrate spacecraft-to-spacecraft ranging, in-orbit navigation, and coordinated simultaneous multi-point radiation measurements at low size, weight, power, and cost. It uses a unique avionics platform called PyCubed that integrates power, computing, communications, attitude determination, and orbit control functionalities into a single board system. The PyCubed system is also open-source, programmable entirely in the Python programming language and uses affordable commercial off-the-shelf components.

Once in orbit at more than 325 miles above Earth, the spacecraft will periodically measure their relative distances. These range measurements provide information about the spacecrafts’ positions relative to each other, and when combined with other sensor data, can be used to determine the configuration of the swarm. Advancing these capabilities could decrease the workload for operators on the ground while enabling multi-spacecraft missions at an accessible price point. The PY4 platform was previously used in demonstrations of the V-R3x technology, both in orbit and in a suborbital flight test on a commercial high-altitude balloon with NASA’s Flight Opportunities program. Those initial tests helped researchers evaluate PY4’s functionality ahead of this larger demonstration mission.

In addition to the PY4 demonstration, NASA is also testing critical swarming technologies via the agency’s ongoing Starling mission that launched in 2023. PY4 could dramatically reduce the cost of small spacecraft swarming capabilities and make demonstrating technologies like the autonomous navigation system tested via Starling more widely accessible by offering a flight-ready hardware and software platform.

In the top image, engineers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley insert the mission’s four spacecraft into their dispenser supplied by Maverick Space Systems of San Luis Obispo, California, in preparation for vibration testing.  Each of the one-and-a-half-unit (1.5U) CubeSats measure about 4 inches x 4 inches x 6.5 inches. The spacecraft were later transported to SpaceX for integration on the Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for launch.

PY4 is led by the Robotic Exploration Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University with funding from the Small Spacecraft Technology program at NASA’s Ames. The Small Spacecraft Technology program expands the ability to execute unique missions through rapid development and demonstration of capabilities for small spacecraft applicable to exploration, science and the commercial space sector. Engineers at NASA Ames supporting the Small Spacecraft Technology program aided the assembly, testing, and integration of the four PY4 spacecraft as well as their delivery to Maverick Space Systems – the PY4 mission’s launch integrator.

This article authored by Chloe E. Truck, NASA