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Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP) as announced that the company’s 12U smallsat built for Advanced Space’s CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) mission in support of NASA has surpassed 450 days on-orbit around the moon.

Launched on June 28, 2022, the space vehicle based on Terran Orbital’s proven Voyager platform continues to demonstrate exceptional stability and performance, while supporting critical lunar navigation experiments.

The space vehicle is forging a new lunar path in support of NASA’s Artemisof program. Designed and built by Terran Orbital, the CAPSTONE satellite entered lunar orbit on November 17, 2022, marking a historic moment for small spacecraft and lunar exploration. The satellite’s robust design and Terran Orbital’s engineering expertise have enabled it to operate flawlessly for an enhanced NASA mission expected to last until May of 2024. This achievement underscores the company’s commitment to building reliable and versatile space vehicle platforms capable of exceeding expectations, even in the demanding lunar environment.

The CAPSTONE satellite continues to gather valuable data and pave the way for future lunar exploration missions. The space vehicle’s success validates the effectiveness of Terran Orbital’s innovative technologies and positions the company as a leader in building reliable and cost-effective solutions for deep space exploration.

“This enhanced mission is a testament to the exceptional capabilities of our Voyager platform and the dedication of our talented team,” said Marc Bell, Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer at Terran Orbital. “We are incredibly proud to have partnered with Advanced Space and NASA on this groundbreaking mission and to contribute to the success of Artemis.”

“The CAPSTONE mission is continuing to deliver valuable data and experience that will inform future exploration missions,” said Bradley Cheetham, CEO and President of Advanced Space. “We remain grateful that NASA provided us this opportunity and together with our mission partners look forward to continued operations.”

To learn more about the Terran Orbital spacecraft platforms, select this direct link…

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an EchoStar company (Nasdaq: SATS), has been awarded by SES Space & Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of SES, a contract to provide a flexible, software-defined, multi-orbit, auto-PACE solution and associated modems in support of SES Space & Defense’s and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) program.

The Hughes solution will enable resilient broadband connectivity using Ku- and Ka-band Geostationary (GEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations for various Comms on the Pause (COTP) and Comms on the Move (COTM) test scenarios.

Under this contract, Hughes will deliver its automated Network Management System (NMS), Enterprise Management and Control (EM&C) capabilities together with the firm’s Smart Network Edge software to be integrated by the SES Space & Defense team with Hughes next-generation, software-defined HM100 and HM400 satellite modems providing GEO and MEO connectivity. SES Space & Defense, which focuses exclusively on delivering satellite network solutions for governments, will integrate a LEO solution into the Hughes auto-PACE offering, adding further to the resilient nature of the ultimate program deliverable.  

“Multi-orbit, flexible networks deliver real-time communications to meet mission requirements across the battlefield,” said Rick Lober, Vice President/General Manager, Hughes Defense and Government Systems Division. “Whether users need connectivity on the ground or in the air, resilient communications must be available using the frequency band and satellite system that is most effective for the application and location. Hughes appreciates the opportunity to continue working with SES Space & Defense and others on this program as the need for multi-orbit communications accelerates.” 

The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Pony Express 2 mission, intended to showcase how space can enhance Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), is ready for launch.

Pony Express 2 is a self-funded technology demonstration that uses a pair of small satellites. Its mission integrates four Lockheed Martin payloads on two 12U Terran Orbital Renegade-class space vehicles. The payloads provide a tactical communications system; a Ka-band crosslink and mesh network; precision relative ranging and time synchronization across the satellites; and a high-end CPU/processor.

Once on orbit, Pony Express 2 will demonstrate:

• Enhanced connectivity: NASA-standard delay-tolerant, mesh networking to show how warfighters could remain connected by data that is resiliently-relayed through a constellation of satellites for direct to users at the tactical edge.
• Autonomous capability: With HiveStar^TM, a “bid-auction” style autonomous mission technology, there will be a significantly reduced need for satellite operator inputs, an increase in resiliency and faster decision-making. HiveStar technology is a scheduling resource that distributes mission tasks based on availability of the space assets.
• Mission flexibility: The company’s SmartSat^TM technology onboard Pony Express 2 allows applications written in almost any software language to be uploaded to an orbiting spacecraft. Similar to an app on a smart phone, this enables edge processing for software-defined missions.
• Agile operations: The mission features formation flight algorithms to enable the spacecraft to maintain a tight formation (within a couple of kilometers), using more efficient ion propulsion not normally used for such cooperative operations.
• AI-enabled proactive troubleshooting: The Artificial Intelligence (AI) application will autonomously monitor spacecraft telemetry and, with the ability to predict potential failures faster than humans, and allow controllers to proactively address issues before they occur.

Pony Express 2 will launch on SpaceX’s Transporter-10 rideshare mission no earlier than March of 2024. After a series of on-orbit demonstrations by Lockheed Martin, Pony Express 2 is expected to be available to participate in government exercises later this year.

Pony Express 2 will eventually be joined by other satellites launched later to form Lockheed Martin’s Space-Augmented Joint All-Domain Operations Environment (SAJE), which will show how space can fully enable and lead the Department of Defense’s CJADC2 vision.

Pony Express 2 is the latest mission in a collection of Lockheed Martin self-funded technology demonstrators launched by the company to showcase technology maturity, including its Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) Payload, LM LINUSS and Pony Express 1.

“The Pony Express 2 mission will showcase how we can keep our warfighters connected from space across every domain even in the most austere and contested environments,” said Maria Demaree, vice president and general manager for Lockheed Martin National Security Space. “These technologies will be key to ensuring information superiority and 21st Century Security for our forces and allies.

BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has won a first-of-its-kind contract with Thales Alenia Space supporting the Ministry of Defense (MoD) of the Republic of Indonesia to deliver Gen-3 Earth Observation (EO) satellites, ground station capabilities and flight operations support — BlackSky has also provided assured subscription-based, real-time imagery and analytics services to support the Indonesian MoD. These multi-year contracts have a combined value of approximately $50 million dollars.

The Indonesian MoD has subscription-based Assured access to BlackSky’s current high-cadence, real-time imagery and analytics services, giving the customer guaranteed access and first-priority tasking capacity over their national and regional areas of interest.

These services, delivered through a separate agreement between PT Len and BlackSky, will provide early intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for satellite capability for the MoD until the Indonesian Defense Satellite System becomes operational. Once operational, the Gen-3 electro-optical satellites are expected to deliver low-latency high-frequency imagery and analytics seamlessly into the customer’s workflow.

“Continuing our string of pioneering innovations in the space-based intelligence industry, BlackSky now offers sovereign nations the ability to gain foresight into critical matters that affect their national security and economy using commercially available Earth observation technology today,” said Brian E. O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “Indonesia’s first sovereign satellites will share the same advanced capabilities as BlackSky’s future Gen-3 commercial constellation.”

“This announcement follows the multi-mission contract already signed between Thales Alenia Space and PT Len Industri to provide a state-of-the-art Earth observation constellation combining both radar and optical sensors and dedicated to the Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MoD). We are very pleased to partner with BlackSky to deliver modern space capabilities aligns with Indonesia’s drive to modernize and restructure its defense capabilities in an increasingly complex threat environment,” said Hervé Derrey, Thales Alenia Space CEO.

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 low earth orbit satellite constellation. With BlackSky, customers can see, understand and anticipate changes for a decisive strategic advantage at the tactical edge, and act not just fast, but first. BlackSky is trusted by some of the most demanding U.S. and international government agencies, commercial businesses, and organizations around the world.

For any satellite orbiting the Earth from above the Equator it is not easy to deliver signals to aircraft flying over the North Pole. Intelsat has managed the challenge with the help of bandwidth from Eutelsat/OneWeb. It has completed a series of test flights to the Arctic Circle demonstrating that airlines that require inflight internet connectivity on long-haul flights at extreme northerly latitudes can access low-latency, high-throughput service at any point on their route map.

“Airlines and their passengers have never had access to polar connectivity, but Intelsat made history as the first inflight connectivity provider to provide high-speed internet service above the Arctic Circle,” said Dave Bijur, the company’s SVP/Commercial Aviation. “This is an important region for airlines operating intercontinental flights. Thanks to Intelsat’s multi-orbit satellite service and ESA antenna, millions of international passengers flying on polar routes will enjoy reliable, non-stop connectivity from gate to gate.”

The test flights were completed on Intelsat’s test aircraft, a CRJ-700 regional jet equipped with an Electronically Steered Array (ESA) antenna. During the test flights, engineers from Intelsat and Ball Aerospace collected data necessary to understand the ESA’s operations and connections with different satellite orbits at different latitudes.

On December 17th, 2023, Intelsat operated its test aircraft from Seattle, Washington, to Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage is located at roughly 61° north, making it the northernmost city served by major airlines, anywhere on the planet. This flight was operated using Intelsat’s fleet of GEO satellites, proving high-throughput GEO service is available using Intelsat ESA at all global airline hubs.

On December 18th, 2023, Intelsat operated a roundtrip flight from Anchorage to Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly Barrow, AK). Utqiaġvik is situated at a latitude of 71° north, the same as many polar routes connecting Asia, North America and Europe. This flight was operated using OneWeb’s fleet of LEO satellites and demonstrated that high-speed, low latency performance is available even in a challenging geographic region that previously never had inflight internet service.

“The two tests validated the capabilities of Intelsat’s multi-orbit solution for airlines,” said Pat Walsh, SVP/Engineering. “As the aircraft traveled due north from Anchorage into the Arctic Circle, we seamlessly connected to the OneWeb low-earth orbit constellation delivering 150 megabits per second inflight and on the ground in Alaska. In addition, near the polar region, Intelsat’s GEO operations exceeded expectations, delivering a reliable, high-speed connection all the way to Anchorage.”

Ben Griffin, VP Mobility at Eutelsat OneWeb, said, “We congratulate Intelsat on this milestone moment, made possible by OneWeb’s low Earth orbit constellation. This continuous connectivity across all routes and latitudes is a game changer for international airlines flying between East and West across the polar region. This historic flight validates the 5C’s of connectivity that together OneWeb and Intelsat can deliver to our airline customer namely – coverage, capacity, connection, consistency, and community.”

ThrustMe has received a direct order for the firm’s off-the-shelf propulsion products from the French Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).

This contract from CNES illustrates the agency’s procurement policy now embraces agile and commercially focused strategies to meet the dynamic needs of modern space missions.

The NPT30-I2, ThrustMe’s miniaturized iodine electric propulsion system, is at the heart of this contract. Offering unparalleled procurement efficiency with remarkably short lead times and impressive performance levels, this system ensures swift adaptability to the dynamic demands of CNES projects. This system symbolizes ThrustMe’s engagement in providing reliable and innovative solutions that are ready to launch, facilitating rapid progress in space exploration and satellite deployment.

“ThrustMe was able to design, develop and produce a very innovative product that meets the needs of the market. All this in record time! CNES is a proud customer of ThrustMe, their Iodine electric propulsion systems are key to the future of European satellites”, said Philippe Baptiste, CNES Chairman and CEO.

Ane Aanesland, CEO and co-founder of ThrustMe, said, “We are honored to be chosen by CNES to provide propulsion systems for their upcoming missions. Today, with dozens of systems in orbit and delivering to clients worldwide, ThrustMe celebrates the agency’s confirmation of our reliability and innovation in this future oriented contract.”

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) was recently awarded a contract from the Space Development Agency (SDA) to demonstrate the capabilities of the company’s Optical Communication Terminals (OCTs) hosted on GA-EMS’ GA-75 (75 kilogram class) spacecraft while in LEO.

GA-EMS is designing and building two OCTs to provide robust space-to-space communication in a degraded environment and establish and maintain links to meet SDA standards and requirements. The OCTs can support a vast network of satellites, data and information sharing, and collective on-orbit computing resources to support customer and mission requirements. 

The OCTs will be integrated on two GA-EMS GA-75 spacecraft.  The GA-75 is a resilient, modular, and configurable half-ESPA bus design with capabilities to support a variety of communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) payloads and missions.  The GA-75 is a commercially available platform that utilizes standard payload interfaces to enable seamless integration and mission-ready delivery times. It is also compatible with multiple launch vehicles and can package two spacecraft per ESPA port or fill a single ESPA port depending on mission payload size.

“We’re excited to continue working with SDA and look forward to demonstrating our OCT capability developed, built, and tested by GA-EMS, and integrated on GA-EMS-designed and built spacecraft,” said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “This contract supports the deployment of next generation optical communication technologies that will provide faster, more secure, higher fidelity transmissions, and greater resiliency to ensure 24/7 connectivity from the Earth to space.”

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.

SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation has established Orbital Lasers Co., Ltd. — this milestone follows the announcement in June of 2020 to design and develop the payload of the world’s first (based on SKY Perfect JSAT research) satellite for space debris removal using laser technology, in collaboration with the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN – Satellite Orbital State Control Laser Laboratory (Japanese Web page).

Orbital Lasers will engage in space debris removal as well as further use and develop its laser technologies. By incorporating space-based LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology that measures the distance to and shape of a target object by emitting laser light and using information obtained from the reflected light) technology into satellites. The new company aspires to become the world’s first commercial provider of high-precision ground surface information through the use of satellite LiDAR.

In connection with this Satellite LiDAR business, SKY Perfect JSAT and JAXA entered into a contract regarding the conceptual study of EO LiDAR satellites system and their future commercialization, this occurring on January 12, 2024. Orbital Lasers is scheduled to undertake this conceptual study under contract from SKY Perfect JSAT.

Orbital Lasers will engage in the following businesses…

• Space Debris Removal — Detumbling (DTB): Development and sales of payload capable of detumbling space debris *Planned in FY2025, and, Active Debris Removal (ADR): Service to remove space debris *Planned in FY2029
• Satellite LiDAR — Earth Observation (EO): Provision of ground surface information using Satellite LiDAR *Planned

The issue of space debris is now regarded as an environmental problem as significant as global warming and marine plastic pollution. SKY Perfect JSAT and Orbital Lasers are earnestly addressing this concern and aiming to contribute to the improvement of a sustainable space environment.

Tadanori Fukushima, President and CEO, Orbital Lasers, said, ” In my 14 years of experience in satellite operations, I have always been highly concerned about the impact of space debris on the space environment. Consequently, I applied for an internal startup program and engaged in research and development of space debris removal with universities, research institutions, government agencies, companies, and experts to advance its business development. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the people involved in the establishment of Orbital Lasers. Furthermore, during this progress, we were able to discover new possibilities using space-based lasers, leading to the Satellite LiDAR Business. Through Orbital Lasers’ initiatives, we aim to contribute to society by further enhancing the usability of space.”

Eiichi Yonekura, Representative Director, President and CEO, SKY Perfect JSAT, said, “I am deeply honored that we have finally been able to establish this new company through the startup program—an employee-initiated new business proposal system—that we launched in 2018. As a leader in the space industry, SKY Perfect JSAT will continue to aim for further business expansion and embrace challenges, seeking not only to create the next new businesses but also to generate new business models and values, including through partnerships with other companies.”

Setsuko Aoki, Outside Director, SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings Inc., said, “The Orbital Lasers Co., Ltd. has started two world’s first businesses through state-of-the art lasers technology: aiming to provide high-quality Earth information; and protect orbits as ‘limited natural resources’ by active debris removal. This is not just a new venture. This also qualifies as a part of Japan’s contribution to the global society whose urgent needs include the safe and sustainable use of outer space. As an outside director, I am most proud of the innovative enterprise on which both companies have embarked.”

View the Orbital Lasers Concept Movie at this direct link…

Orbit Fab and ClearSpace have engaged in a multi-faceted strategic partnership to advance in-space refueling and servicing capabilities that will revolutionize space operations and serve as a foundation for a vibrant and sustainable space economy.

Under MoU, Orbit Fab and ClearSpace will develop key enabling technologies, building on their initial collaborative work that began several years ago. The two companies will leverage their complementary capabilities and missions to accelerate the availability of propellants in space by creating a refueling service architecture pairing an Orbit Fab fuel depot with a ClearSpace shuttle.

Market demand for in-orbit refueling reflects the need for unconstrained in-space mobility and the value of extending the operational utility of critical space assets. The U.S. Space Force (USSF) considers Space Mobility and Logistics (SML) as one of its core competencies, and in-orbit refueling directly addresses the challenge of replenishing spacecraft consumables. Furthermore, refueling will become a key competitive advantage for operators of commercial satellites and service vehicles.

Orbit Fab is already supporting ClearSpace with the design of its CLEAR mission for active debris removal, funded by the UK Space Agency, to enable the service vehicle to be refueled and reused.

The development of ClearSpace’s refueling shuttle adds to the growing ecosystem of service providers, building on the standards and vision established by Orbit Fab’s foundational work in fuel depot development and fuel transfer interfaces. Its RAFTI (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) refueling ports and its GRIP robotic docking devices are already being integrated aboard a fast-growing number of vehicles, with RAFTI slated for integration on more than a dozen spacecraft, and GRIP being baselined on another five.

By combining Orbit Fab’s fuel transfer expertise with ClearSpace’s vision system and RPO capabilities, ClearSpace expands its in-orbit service portfolio and Orbit Fab extends the reach of its fuel distribution services, resulting in the creation of a competitive, commercial marketplace for turn-key, in-orbit refueling services.

“Orbit Fab is the clear leader in satellite refueling, and ClearSpace is excited to partner with them as we explore possibilities for advancing new servicing and refueling capabilities that will ultimately benefit everyone participating in the space economy and beyond,” said Luc Piguet, ClearSpace Co-Founder and CEO. “ClearSpace and Orbit Fab are seeing growing demand in the U.S., UK, and around the world for service vehicles and refueling as government and commercial operators seek to boost the ROI of their missions and extend operations.”

“ClearSpace is developing key technologies that will unlock opportunities for last-mile fuel delivery in both GEO and LEO, and we’re delighted to see our collaboration with ClearSpace push the boundaries of what is possible today,” said Daniel Faber, Orbit Fab Founder and CEO. “Our RAFTI and GRIP refueling systems are the interfaces of choice for secure, sustainable in-space refueling operations, and our work with ClearSpace, both in the U.S. and in the UK, is revolutionizing the capabilities that make extended satellite operations a reality.”

AAC Clyde Space, with its partner TNO, have successfully transferred data from a compact laser SATCOM terminal, called SmallCAT, onboard a spacecraft in LEO to Earth — this demonstrates that the laser satellite communication technology works under spaceflight conditions. AAC has contributed electronics and firmware to the laser communication terminal.

The satellite communication terminal is developed by a TNO-led consortium with AAC Hyperion, the AAC Group’s subsidiary in the Netherlands specialized in optical communications, for the onboard electronics, drivers as well as software, and Gooch & Housego for the laser transmitter. The development was financed by the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) through the ESA ARTES ScyLight Programme program and the Dutch Ministry of Defense‘s innovation budget. TNO also contributed in co-funding this program.

The project also includes delivery of AAC Hyperion’s gigabit detector — the GD200 — for the optical ground station in the Hague which successfully detected signal from the terminal which is carried by the Norwegian NORSAT-TD satellite launched in April 2023.

A commercial version of the laser communication terminal, CubeCAT, is being commercialized by AAC Hyperion with its Dutch partner, FSO Instruments. Measuring 10 x 10 x 10 cm and weighing 1.3 kg, the terminal is ideally suited for use on nano satellites.

As commercial and government data demands continue to grow, the need for high-quality, timely data from space is growing rapidly. Laser communication technologies are being increasingly used to send data generated on satellites directly to Earth, as an alternative to traditional radio-frequency (RF) communication. By transmitting through the infra-red wavelength band, the limitations of standard radio frequency communication technologies are avoided, thereby increasing transmission capabilities of satellites by factors of 10 to 100. Moreover, laser communication links are seen as more secure and laser communication systems have the potential of lower size, weight, and power, which is important in the space domain.

“This is a milestone in our aim to remain in the forefront of space tech development. The demand for direct laser communication between satellites and Earth is growing rapidly catering to the needs of customers in several sector. This achievement points towards the future of space-based communication,” says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.