Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has successfully test fired a reused Rutherford first stage engine for the first time – a significant technical achievement in Rocket Lab’s efforts to make the firm’s Electron launch vehicle the world’s first, reusable, orbital, small rocket.

Rocket Lab conducted the full duration, full-thrust test fire of the refurbished Rutherford engine earlier this week at the company’s engine test facility. The engine was previously successfully launched to space and returned to Earth during Rocket Lab’s recent recovery mission, ‘There And Back Again’, launched on May 2, 2022. The mission was the first time Rocket Lab attempted a mid-air capture of Electron’s first stage, using parachutes on the rocket to slow its descent from space before a helicopter captured the rocket from the sky as it approached Earth’s surface. The Electron stage was ultimately released for a soft ocean splashdown and was then collected by vessel and returned to Rocket Lab’s production complex.

The refurbished Rutherford engine passed all of the same rigorous acceptance tests Rocket Lab performs for every engine, including 200 seconds of engine fire and multiple restarts. Data from the test fire shows the engine produced full thrust of 21kNs within 1000 milliseconds of ignition and performed to the same standard of a newly-built Rutherford engine. This Rutherford engine will now continue as an engine life-leader for future Rutherford development.

Preparation for Rocket Lab’s next recovery mission, which will include an attempt to catch Electron with a helicopter again but this time fly it back to land, is continuing at pace and is scheduled to launch before the end of the year.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck said, “We’ve always been at the forefront of innovation with Electron, having pushed the boundaries of many technologies including carbon composites, electric turbo-pumps and 3D printed rocket engines. Now, we’re leading the pack once again bringing reusability to small launch vehicles. Being able to re-fly Electron with minimal refurbishment is the ultimate goal, and so the fact that the recovered components on this engine performed on the test stand with minimal rework, is further validation that we’re on the correct path. If we can achieve this high level of performance from engine components recovered from the ocean, then I’m optimistic and incredibly excited about what we can do when we bring back dry engines under a helicopter next time.”

A video of the Rutherford test fire is available for viewing at this direct link…

The latest Ground Segment Market report by Euroconsult projects the ground station segment to remain quite stable over the 2022 to 2031 time period, with a year-on-year growth of 1.4% and a market value forecast of $3.6 billion by 2031, all driven by the growing demand for data and services.

However, this stability hides the transformation towards very high throughput connectivity and non-geostationary (NGSO) constellations at the SATCOM level. Despite delays, NGSO constellation deployment is already counting for most of the growth at this level, with terrestrial competition for video services playing a major role in stunting the growth of the satellite broadcast market value. The terrestrial competition for video services is also playing a major role in the decline of the satellite broadcast market value, despite a temporary and limited growth due to the C-band spectrum reallocation process in the U.S.

The commercial user terminal segment is also expected to experience a major surge in market value due to the sustained effort to build up NGSO constellations, alongside the overall growth in data traffic over satellite networks, with an expected 7.8% compound annual growth up to 2031. This, in turn, will contribute to the acceleration of flat panel antenna (FPA) development, especially the electronically steered variants, as they are better suited to track multiple satellites. Electronically steered antennas (ESAs) are thus expected to reach more than half of the sold commercial user terminals by 2031.

The defence segment is also witnessing a demand around the development of new generation systems, including core ground stations and user terminals. Several European countries have already signed ground segment contracts ahead of new satellite deployments, while the U.S.’s defense sector is still experiencing significant demand for the sustainment of existing terminals. Instead, the U.S.’s greater opportunity is expected to come from the renewal and augmentation of approximately 17,000 terminals currently in use by the different military forces.

The deployment of software-definition in both satellite systems and within ground infrastructure will also stand as a key item in the product roadmap of many ground segment suppliers, with a need to partly transition from a role of hardware to technology suppliers. Satellite operators are relying more and more on virtualization in place of physical hardware, reducing expenditures and improving ground segment flexibility.

Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) providers – especially in EO – are deploying global networks to offer services to satellite operators, shifting the cost from capital expenditure (CAPEX) to operating expenses (OPEX), bolstered by the proliferation of smallsat constellations. The GSaaS market value has, so far, grown proportionally with the pace of deployment of smallsats on a trend to peak at $250 million by 2026. However, the window for market expansion is limited, as the market will deflate as it matures to $200 million by the end of the decade.

Additionally, the ground segment industry is not immune to the near-term challenges of supply chain issues and the cost inflation of raw materials and components.

Euroconsult’s newly released annual Ground Segment Market Prospects report provides a strategic overview of all ground-based elements for key downstream services, with in-depth analyses and forecasts to capture the unique dynamics of the ground segment industry. The report also assesses global ground station trends and user terminals for SATCOM and EO – for both Civilian and Defense actors – as well as examining key players in the industry. Visit Euroconsult’s Digital Platform to find out more.

On Tuesday, August 30 at 10:40 p.m. PT, SpaceX‘s Falcon 9 launched 46 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

This was the seventh flight for this Falcon 9 first stage booster that previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and now five Starlink missions.

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and four Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, the Falcon 9’s first stage landed on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean so it can potentially be used again.

Astra Space, Inc. has been selected by Airbus OneWeb Satellites, LLC (“AOS”) to supply the Astra Spacecraft Engine for integration into the portfolio of Arrow commercial smallsats manufactured by AOS.

Airbus OneWeb Satellites LLC is a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb. AOS manufactures satellites for the OneWeb commercial constellation and Airbus customers in Merritt Island, Florida. AOS is producing satellites for Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc., in support of U.S. government programs.

Astra’s mission is to Improve Life on Earth from Space® by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services of any operational launch provider in the world, and one of the industry’s first flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, Astra Spacecraft Engine. Astra delivered its first commercial launch to low Earth orbit in 2021, making it the fastest company in history to reach this milestone, just five years after it was founded in 2016. Astra (NASDAQ: ASTR) was the first space launch company to be publicly traded on Nasdaq. Visit astra.com to learn more about Astra.

Alba Orbital Inc. and SAB Launch Services S.r.l. (SAB LS) have signed an agreement to fly six AlbaPod pico-satellite deployers, and respective PocketQubes, on Arianespace Vega missions VV25 and VV26. This agreement facilitates the first ever PocketQube launch from Europe, using Arianespace’s Vega launch vehicle to deliver them to orbit.

PocketQubes are the world’s smallest commercial satellites, measuring at 5x5x5 cm. with a mass of 250 g. per unit — no bigger than a rubik’s cube. These tiny satellites are bringing down the barriers to space access, as their small form factor facilitates more affordable launches for smaller organisations compared to cubesats.

Italy-based SAB is part of SAB Group and provides launch services on European launchers, including Vega and Vega C multi-payload missions.

Alba Orbital continues to trailblaze in the field of pico-satellite engineering, having now become the world leading PocketQube rideshare company with the most PocketQube satellites on-orbit. The Y-Combinator backed company has successfully launched a total of 23 satellites to orbit over three missions with launch partners, SpaceX and Rocket Lab, including their own fleet of Earth imaging spacecraft.

The upcoming Vega launches will mark a significant milestone in European spaceflight history, as this will be the first time PocketQubes have launched from European soil.

SAB-LS has a leading position in the European launch service market dedicated to smallsats with four successful missions accomplished launching institutional as well as commercial smallsats from International customers.

This agreement comes after the success of the Vega C maiden flight. The partnership between SAB and Alba Orbital highlights the modularity of the SSMS Dispenser on Vega, which is a modular structure that can be seamlessly configured in order to be adapted to the specific satellite aggregate. With the SSMS dispenser, clients have access to increased flexibility through a diverse launch schedule with multiple launch opportunities within a year, offering more orbits, different inclinations, and more.

The next Vega C missions are planned before the end of 2022. In early 2023, the first Vega C rideshare mission with the SSMS Dispenser will be launched, hosting a vast aggregate of smallsats and cubesats.

“We’ve witnessed the demand for PocketQube launches skyrocket after every successful mission we’ve flown”, said Tom Walkinshaw, CEO and Founder of Alba Orbital. “We’re thrilled to be working with SAB on VV25 and VV26 Vega missions, accelerating our launch cadence to provide a reliable quarterly flight schedule for our rideshare customers.”

“We are stoked to be providing the launch for the first pocket cube deployer ever to be launched on Vega”, said Marco Mariani, CEO of SAB Launch Services. “For us, Alba Orbital is becoming a strategic partner, with a significant number of hardware on multiple launches. This launch highlights the flexibility of our end-to-end launch services and positions SAB in the forefront of a market populated by increasing numbers of smallsats and microsats.”

Alba Orbital (UK, USA, Germany) is the world’s leading PocketQube satellite manufacturer and launch broker. Alba is a vertically integrated NewSpace company ‘democratizing access to space’, providing turnkey solutions from advanced pico-satellite platforms, low-cost launch opportunities, and ground station services. Alba has worked with over 30 customers across three continents, including prestigious clients such as Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University and TU Delft.

SAB Launch Services S.r.l. (SAB-LS) is a company that is part of SAB group and offers launch services on European Launchers for all varities of smallsats. SAB-LS offers “end to end” services including launch procurement, separation system procurement, integration activities of the satellite on the launch vehicle structure, pre- and post-launch support. Due to the flexible and direct access to launch capacity afforded by the SAB-LS partnership with Arianespace, SAB-LS is the key European firm serving smallsat customers looking to launch on European vehicles.

On August 31, New Shepard’s 23rd mission, a dedicated payloads flight, will fly 36 payloads from academia, research institutions and students across the globe — the launch window opens at 8:30 a.m., CDT / 13:30 UTC, from Launch Site One in West Texas.

This Blue Origin mission brings the total number of commercial payloads flown on the vehicle to more than 150. Two of the payloads will fly on the exterior of the New Shepard booster for ambient exposure to the space environment, while 18 of the payloads on this flight are funded by NASA, primarily by the Flight Opportunities program.

Twenty-four payloads are from K-12 schools, universities and STEM-focused organizations, including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR), and SHAD Canada STEM Foundation, among others.

This is double the number of education-focused payloads from previous payload flight manifests. In many cases, these payloads expose students as young as elementary school to STEM skills like coding, environmental testing and CAD design often not taught until college.

Among the NS-23 payloads are tens of thousands of postcards from Blue Origin’s nonprofit, Club for the Future, whose Postcards to Space program gives people across the world access to space on New Shepard. The Club’s mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM for the benefit of Earth.

The postcards on this mission come from 19 Club for the Future grant recipients and their partners, including Guayaquil’s Space Society in Ecuador, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, students who participated in STEM NOLA and Kenner Planetarium events in New Orleans, and schools across Kentucky.

This will be the fourth flight for the New Shepard program this year, the first dedicated payload flight since NS-17 in August 2021 and the ninth flight for this vehicle, which is dedicated to flying science and research payloads to space. To date, the New Shepard program has flown 31 humans to space.

The Danish Defence has an important and increasing challenge in relation to surveillance and intelligence gathering in the Arctic area. A major task for Danish Defence is detection of different types of land, maritime and aerial activity in the area. The monitoring of activity in the three domains from space can assist the Danish Defence in the task of enforcing sovereignty, and contribute to other operational tasks e.g. Search and Rescue as well as provide input for the day-to-day operational planning.

The BIFROST project will be initiated as a joint mission with several national as well as international partners. Space Inventor, Terma, GateHouse SatCom and DTU are undertaking a small satellite mission to the Danish Defence with the main purpose of demonstrating AI based surveillance from space. This will form a broad national foundation for the space technology needed to support Danish Defence in the future and will be a stepping stone towards a future international cooperation regarding space-based surveillance activities of common interest.

BIFROST is a satellite-based system for advanced on-orbit image and signal analysis with the aim of establishing a platform in space to gain further experience in AI-based surveillance and sensor fusion using multiple on-board sensors.  The satellite will also test means of communication directly between different satellites in order to achieve real-time access to the intelligence data, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of Tactical Earth Observation. This will demonstrate that the presence of a specific activity can be detected and reported to the operational ground controller in real-time.

 Claus Sølvsteen from Danish Defence Acquisitions and Logistics Organisation says:“We are looking forward to examining the solutions that nanosatellites offer within Danish Defence. These years there is an escalating development in the areas of platforms, sensors and data processing. Therefore, it is important to stay aware of current advancements to investigate options for surveillance by utilising space technologies.” 

The satellite mission includes evaluating the capability of changing AI models during the mission lifespan, which makes it possible for the artificial intelligence core to learn the characteristics of new subjects of interest thereby constantly adding to the capabilities of the surveillance system.

This mission will provide DALO (Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization) with information on applied AI in space for Earth observation missions as well as detecting ships, oil spills and much more due to the versatile payloads on-board. 

With thousands of satellites and countless debris bound for busy orbits, Kayhan Space has now unveiled their next-gen Pathfinder spaceflight safety platform to enable satellite and mission operators to better manage operational risks and make preemptive maneuvers based on precision analytics to avoid pileups in space.

Capella Space, Globalstar and Lynk Global are among an initial group of leading operators using Kayhan’s subscription-based, autonomous, Pathfinder platform following successful beta deployments of the solution, which was officially rolled out for general availability last week.

Among the product’s advanced capabilities, the cloud-delivered offering uses proprietary advanced algorithms along with precise space catalog data, the operators’ GPS positioning signals, propulsion capabilities, and flight plans to simulate, coordinate and quickly generate optimal maneuver options in the event of a potential oncoming collision threat or conjunction. This breakthrough platform enhances communication and coordination capabilities across operators and agencies to improve overall situational awareness in global space.

Kayhan Pathfinder can also optimize revenue-generating missions whenever possible by scheduling preemptive and preplanned maneuvers during operational downtimes. An advanced edition of the product enables precise orbit determination capabilities to significantly improve the accuracy of the satellite trajectory predictions, keeping rendezvous proximity operations (RPO) and other sophisticated in-space servicing moves safe.

The Kayhan Space roadmap leads to a spaceflight safety software solution that encompasses the full mission lifecycle – from launch and on-orbit collision avoidance maneuvers to deorbiting and decommissioning the spacecraft.

“Our next-gen Kayhan Pathfinder comes at a critical time as satellite and mission operators need precise, real-time data to inform automatic alerts and decisions to safely navigate busy orbits and evade accidents in space,” said Siamak Hesar, Kayhan Space co-founder and CEO. “Manual collision avoidance processes are prone to human error and simply can’t stay ahead of the increasingly congested orbits and the growing number of complex collision scenarios they represent. Kayhan Pathfinder is an autonomous spaceflight safety platform that enables operators to run their missions in the busiest orbits with confidence.”

“We are thrilled to be among the first to use Kayhan Space’s next-gen Pathfinder spaceflight safety platform across a portion of our satellite fleet,” said Rico Walker, Director of Mission Operations for Capella Space. “Capella is committed to making space operationally sustainable and safe. Our collaboration with Kayhan Space plays a big part in our ability to fly in increasingly congested orbits that have become a priority for the communities and businesses depending on connectivity and content around the world.”

“Kayhan Space is already providing a broad range of spaceflight safety services to many of the world’s leading satellite operators, running hundreds of satellites on our Pathfinder platform in multiple orbital regimes around the Earth,” said Araz Feyzi, Kayhan Space co-founder and CTO. “Pathfinder allows operators to optimize missions by avoiding unnecessary and costly maneuvers and provides an exciting path for safe and secure operations across the new space economy.”

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, CAPSTONE, led by Advanced Space, was launched seven weeks ago to perform its historic pathfinding mission to the Moon for NASA.

The award was selected by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Small Spacecraft Technical Committee, Some of the criteria for the award were to demonstrate a significant improvement in the capability of small satellites, spacecraft structural design, scientific instrument development, and communications capabilities, all characteristics of the microwave-sized 12U smallsat designed and built by Terran Orbital.

CAPSTONE is 55 pounds and will help inform future operations in cislunar space and for the future lunar space station in the near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO), the intended orbit for the Gateway as part of the Artemis program.

The spacecraft also will demonstrate the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System (CAPS) technology that will enable spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation services reducing reliance on Earth-based ground systems.

CAPSTONE’s cubesat creation and operations success stems from the collaboration of many small businesses transforming the future of space exploration.

Chris Baker, Small Spacecraft Technology program executive of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), received the award on stage at the 36th Annual Small Satellite Conference in Utah. He was joined on stage by key members of the CAPSTONE Mission team – principal investigator and CEO of Advanced Space, Bradley Cheetham, chief engineer of Advanced Space and mission program manager, Tom Gardner, NASA Ames STMD Deputy Program Manager, Elwood Agasid, Keith Thompson of Terran Orbital, Tomas Svitek of Stellar Exploration, and Richard French of Rocket Lab. CAPSTONE uses a monopropellant, hydrazine-fueled, propulsion system that was developed and implemented by Stellar Exploration Inc. and was launched on an Electron by Rocket Lab.

“Thank you to NASA Ames for the nomination, to the SmallSat committee for the recognition, and to our resilient Advanced Space team, and to all our mission partners. We have come a long way and still have a way to go but are on a trajectory to arrive at the Moon on November 13th and we continue to make history,” said Bradley Cheetham, Advanced Space’s chief executive officer. “Congratulations to all the nominees for the award, we are honored to be recognized among such competition. It is tremendous to see the breadth of technical prowess in the category.”

CAPSTONE is owned and operated by Advanced Space and is the first cubesat to fly in cislunar space – the orbital area near and around the Moon – and demonstrate an innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation technology. Critical partners in the CAPSTONE mission include:

• NASA: CAPSTONE’s development is supported by the Space Technology Mission Directorate via the Small Spacecraft Technology and Small Business Innovation Research programs at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
• The Artemis Campaign Development Division within NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate supports the launch and mission operations.
• NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida is responsible for launch management.
• NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory supported the communication, tracking, and telemetry downlink via NASA’s Deep Space Network, Iris radio design and groundbreaking 1-way navigation algorithms.
• Terran Orbital Corporation: Spacecraft design, development and implementation, hardware manufacturing, assembly, testing and mission operations support.
• Stellar Exploration: Propulsion subsystem provider.
• Rocket Lab USA, Inc.: Launch provider launching CAPSTONE on a three-stage Electron launch vehicle.
• Space Dynamics Lab (SDL): Iris radio and navigation firmware provider.
• Orion Space Solutions (formerly Astra): Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) hardware provider necessary for the 1-way ranging experiment.
• Tethers Unlimited, Inc.: Cross Link radio provider.
• Morehead State University (MSU): Operates the newest “affiliated node” on the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN). Providing telemetry, tracking and control services for NASA and commercial space missions and to engage university students in deep space mission operations.

At 05:00 UTC on August 4, 2022, Rocket Lab successfully launched the company’s second of two, back-to-back, national security missions for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Highlights of this mission include:

• This mission follows the successful delivery to orbit of its predecessor NROL-162 three weeks earlier, launched on the “Wise One Looks Ahead” mission on July 13, 2022.
• The launches of NROL-162 and NROL-199, combined with the successful launch of the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA on June 28, 2022, make up a record launch cadence for Rocket Lab of three successful Electron launches in just over five weeks.
• The turnaround between NROL-162 and this NROL-199 launch is the shortest time between national security missions by a small launch provider, setting a new standard in responsive space.  

Previous mission postings…

Electron is on the pad and ready to launch a national security mission for the National Reconnaissance Office — the second of two missions for the NRO from a spaceport outside the United States.

Lift-off of NROL-199 was scheduled for:

• UTC | 05:00, Aug 4
• NZT | 17:00, Aug 4
• EDT | 01:00, Aug
• PDT | 22:00, Aug 3

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has confirmed that the second of two, back-to-back, national security launches for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), originally scheduled for August 2 UTC, is now pushed out to at least Thursday, August 4th, due to rather windy conditions.

The NROL-199 (“Antipodean Adventure”) mission was scheduled to lift-off from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 during a launch window opening on August 2, 05:00 UTC. This Electron mission follows on from an earlier successful launch for the NRO on July 12, 2022 that deployed the NROL-162 national security payload to orbit.

The NROL-199 mission will launch a national security payload designed, built, and operated by the NRO in partnership with the Australian Department of Defence as part of a broad range of cooperative satellite activities with Australia. The satellites will support the NRO to provide critical information to government agencies and decision makers monitoring international issues

The mission was originally scheduled for lift-off on July 22; however, the launch was rescheduled to allow the NRO additional time to implement required payload software updates. This schedule shift demonstrated Rocket Lab’s responsive space capabilities, which provide customers with a high degree of flexibility over their mission, including orbit and launch timing. By operating a private launch complex, Rocket Lab doesn’t have to wait in a launch queue behind other operators and could instead quickly reschedule the launch to suit the NRO’s preferred timeline.

“Antipodean Adventure” launch details:

Launch Window Opens: August 02, 05:00 UTC
Launch vehicle: Electron
Customer: National Reconnaissance Office
Launch site: Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Pad B
Mission type: Dedicated
Payload: NROL-199