On Sunday, October 18, at 8:25 a.m. EDT, 12:25 UTC, SpaceX launched 60 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported Crew Dragon’s first demonstration mission to the International Space Station, launch of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, and three Starlink missions this year.

Following stage separation, SpaceX landed Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 6th landing for this Falcon 9 first stage, teh 62nd successful recovery of a Falcon 9 first stage and the 32nd landing on this particular droneship.

The Starlink satellites deployed approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes after liftoff.

As this network is still in its early stages, the Starlink team continues to test the system, collecting latency data and performing speed tests of the service. The team also recently installed Starlinks on the Administrative Center building and about 20 private homes on the Hoh Tribe Reservation, located in a remote area of western Washington State where internet access is limited or completely unavailable. Learn more about the Hoh Tribe’s experience at this direct infolink…

RBC Signals has announced Aurora Propulsion Technologies has engaged the company for satellite communication services — the agreement gives Aurora Propulsion Technologies access to the RBC Signals global ground station network in support of its impending AuroraSat-1 mission.

Aurora Propulsion Technologies specializes in creating scalable solutions and services for the small spacecraft movement and lifecycle control. The company’s AuroraSat-1 mission is a cubesat demonstration mission and co-development project with SatRevolution which will provide proof of concept for attitude and orientation control. In addition, the satellite will also demonstrate Aurora Propulsion Technologies’ Plasma Brake technology for satellite de-orbiting. The satellite is scheduled to launch in December 2020 onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Executive Comments

“RBC Signals is proud to provide space communications support to Aurora Propulsion Technologies for their upcoming AuroraSat-1 mission,” said Christopher Richins, CEO of RBC Signals. “This is an exciting demonstration mission to support with our global network.”

“The RBC Signals offering is both a flexible and cost-effective means for us to easily communicate with AuroraSat-1,” noted Perttu Yli-Opas, CTO with Aurora Propulsion Technologies. “We are happy to be able to rely on experts for these services so we can focus our attention on other key aspects of the mission.”

Arianespace has announced that new shared payload opportunities to LEO have been opened with the company’s Vega launcher’s Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS).

For the next launch opportunity – Vega Flight VV18, targeted for the first quarter of 2021 – five companies already have signed contracts for payload slots, thereby fully booking the capacity on this mission.

The initial SSMS launch with Vega – Flight VV16 – was performed last month, fully proving the viability of Arianespace’s latest capability for orbiting small satellites. This inaugural SSMS launch was supported by the European Space Agency and the European Union, deploying 50-plus satellites for 21 commercial and institutional customers.

With the SSMS’ successful introduction, Arianespace is now able to offer a regular launch service for small satellites (mass under 400 kg). Customers will benefit from the highly modular payload carrying systems available on the current Vega and the enhanced Vega C version, along with the re-ignition capability of the launchers’ AVUM upper stage, as well as the new small spacecraft preparation and integration facilities in Europe that complement existing installations at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. Vega C maiden flight is schedule for mid-2021.

Opportunities in 2021 include:

Longer-term opportunities include an SSMS mission to dawn-dusk low Earth orbit, and one to low Earth equatorial orbit.

For Vega’s next SSMS launch, Flight VV18 will be a piggyback mission with a dispenser configuration based on one hexagonal module below the main payload interface. Its fully-booked capacity underscores how attractive this opportunity was to users and customers, including Spire and Nanoavionics through SAB Launch Services; Eutelsat and Myriota, through Tyvak; and the Norwegian Space Center with its Norsat-3 satellite, through SpaceFlight Laboratories.

With the goal of further benefiting the small satellite community, Arianespace today released the new SSMS User’s Manual for Vega C. On Vega C, the SSMS will offer even greater performance capabilities and is to broaden the array of solutions that Arianespace provides to small satellite operators. The SSMS User’s Manual is available for downloading from the Arianespace website at this direct infolink…

Small, versatile, and efficient, the light-lift Vega is part of Arianespace’s launcher family, operating from the Guiana Space Center alongside the heavyweight Ariane 5 and the medium-lift Soyuz. Vega is a European Space Agency program; Italy’s Avio, based in Colleferro, is Vega’s industrial prime contractor, as well as the design lead for the SSMS.

NanoAvionics has signed a contract with Accion Systems to host their propulsion system, TILE 3, on-board the firm’s new rideshare mission for a demonstration flight in 2021.

Accion Systems procured this flight as the culmination of an ongoing US government sponsored propulsion program. The smallsat for the rideshare mission is based on NanoAvionics flight-proven M6P bus and will include several customer payloads that can fit the 4U payload volume. The rideshare mission is the fourth in a series of NanoAvionics rideshare missions and will be arranged by NanoAvionics US. The expected launch will be during the last half of 2021.

As part of the rideshare mission, NanoAvionics will take care of all aspects related to the satellite mission from payload integration, performance testing and spacecraft registration to launch and logistics, frequencies allocation, spacecraft commissioning and payload on-orbit operations. Previous rideshare missions included payloads by Lacuna Space, Blink-Astro (SpaceWorks Orbital subsidiary) and others.

The TILE propulsion system is uniquely superior to conventional electric propulsion, pioneering ionic liquid electrospray for commercial propulsion activities. TILE combines the use of a safe, inert liquid propellant with a simple mechanical design with few moving parts to create a propulsion system that is low-cost, compact, low pressure, and has less than 50% of the power draw of other propulsion technologies. The compact design and low power draw of the TILE system allows satellite bus manufacturers to allocate more satellite volume and power to revenue generating payloads.

Due to the simple system design, TILE propulsion systems have shorter lead times and are very cost competitive – ideal for smaller constellations through mass manufacturing. TILE’s modular design can be flexibly configured to meet various mission needs, mounting on almost any surface of the spacecraft, and easily and seamlessly integrated with existing mission control software.

Executive Comments

“Accion Systems’ TILE 3 is a revolutionary propulsion technology and NanoAvionics is looking forward to putting it through its paces in orbit,” said F. Brent Abbott, CEO of NanoAvionics US. “When flight proven, the TILE 3 system will make a great additional propulsion option to the NanoAvionics line of satellite buses. Rideshare missions drastically reduce mission cost, making them ideal for technology validation in space. Accion’s TILE 3 will be flying on our flagship M6P satellite bus, which NanoAvionics offers to the market along with a full range of nanosatellite buses up to 16U in size.”

“NanoAvionics is the perfect partner for the TILE 3 launch as a space proven product,” said Peter Kant, CEO of Accion Systems. “We selected a demonstration partner that would fully represent the commercial potential of TILE 3. While this initial flight will provide propulsion to the 6U M6P, TILE 3 is designed to offer full propulsion capabilities to a wide variety of small satellites and we are excited to provide that capability to NanoAvionics’ line of satellite bus products.”

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has announced the successful launch of the Kepler-4 and Kepler-5 cubesats — and the company played an instrumental role in the development of the production workflow at Kepler that will enable that firm to produce additional satellites to deliver the GEN1 constellation.

The two 6U-XL cubesats were launched September 28, 2020, aboard a Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. Within hours of launch, both satellites were in communication with Kepler ground control and were functioning as planned.

Kepler-4 and -5 are the first service-focused cubesats in Kepler Communications’ constellation that will ultimately include 140 satellites. SFL developed Kepler-4 in concert with Kepler, which is based on SFL’s new SPARTAN 6U-XL CubeSat design, with mass production in mind.

As Kepler-4 was in production, SFL personnel provided training and technical support to Kepler in creating the manufacturing workflow capable of assembling and integrating the additional satellites at a 5,000-square-foot facility adjacent to Kepler headquarters in Toronto.

Executive Comments

“Leveraging SFL’s experience we have a high degree of confidence in the performance of these satellites. This will pave the way towards our GEN1 constellation and future spacecraft in our network,” said Director of Space Systems, Jared Bottoms.

“We designed our SPARTAN 6U-XL bus – along with two other new CubeSat platforms – to cost effectively meet the reliability, performance and capability demands of fully commercial operations,” said SFL’s CEO, Dr. Robert Zee.

Established in 1998, SFL has designed and built 52 distinct nano- and microsatellites with 24 under construction and nearing launch and another 28 launched (23 of which are still operational), totaling over 128 cumulative years of successful operation in orbit.
Many of these microspace missions have included SFL’s trusted attitude control and formation-flying technologies.

There’s a Dutch company that will be joining the Swedish-Scottish Group at AAC Clyde Space, subject to approval by an AAC Clyde Space Extraordinary General Meeting.

Based on a cash and shares deal, Hyperion Technologies has agreed to be acquired by AAC Clyde Space. The acquisition is subject to approval by  an AAC Clyde Space Extraordinary General Meeting.

The Dutch space company will join the Swedish-Scottish Group to strengthen the offering to the global space market. The CEO of Hyperion Technologies is enthusiastic about this step, “We have always strived to grow and to expand. Our success in the market has shown that we need to up our game in order to respond appropriately to our clients. As part of AAC Clyde, we can address these needs by offering a more integrated one-stop-shop, increased service levels and more robustness as a business.

The smallsat market is a fast-paced and competitive industry. New business models and actors make it necessary to adapt. Many of them shake up the way we deliver satellites or components, the speed in which they are delivered, and the ease of purchase. For Hyperion, it was a logical step to seek an internationally renowned partner with a similar mindset and complimentary product portfolio to achieve just that. As a larger group, we will be able to respond better to procurement needs, small series production for constellations and integrated service offerings.” 

Steven Engelen, CTO of Hyperion, ensures, “We will continue supporting our clients in their mission. Our technical team is available as usual. It is in our joint interest with AAC Clyde to maintain clients’ satisfaction. We are also looking forward to joining forces with teams from the group, sharing our knowledge and providing a new generation of integrated solutions.”

Current contracts and agreements will continue to be executed normally. 

Hyperion continues to be open for inquiries and orders for Hyperion products. Alexandra Sokolowski, Business Development Manager stated, “We would like to invite our current clients to explore the AAC Clyde offering. Together, we will create a new integrated offering. Our clients’ feedback is going to play a key role in shaping it.”

Hyprion Technologies is an independent Dutch space company located in Delft, Netherlands. Active since 2013, it specializes in the development of miniaturized, high-performance and smart components for small satellites as well as satellite platforms for complete missions including both hardware and software.

The company was founded by CEO Bert Monna, CTO Steven Engelen and Cor in ‘t Veld.

Orbital Transports, Inc., has announced that their Get Spaceborne service has payload slots available now for flight opportunities in 2021.

According to the company, Get Spaceborne is a great resource for smallsat component manufacturers. Rather than requiring an expensive, dedicated mission for on-orbit testing and qualification, products being qualified have the opportunity to rideshare on a spacecraft bus along with other hosted payloads. Orbital Transports handles all the logistics of planning your mission, integrating the smallsat component with the spacecraft bus, operating the mission, and delivering the flight qualification data to the customer.

The spacecraft bus provides the hosted payload with power, two-way communications and propulsion. Payload slots are available in standard CubeSat form factors ranging from 0.5U to 6U, accommodating a range of potential payloads. A standard payload management API simplifies integration of the product with the spacecraft bus. Several launch opportunities to Sun-synchronous orbit and potentially other orbits are now available in 2021, starting in the second quarter. Contact Orbital Transports to book your flight and Get Spaceborne today.

Get Spaceborne is one of many services and products featured in the SmallSat Catalog. Orbital Transports’ SmallSat Catalog showcases a wide variety of smallsat hardware components, smallsat buses specialized for common space missions, mission analysis services, ground station services, mission operations software, and more from industry partners. Orbital Transports has brought together many of the industry’s most innovative and reliable companies to offer a wide set of solutions while meeting clients’ quality requirements.

Executive Comment

“Our turn-key service for in-orbit demonstration is a fast and cost-effective way for smallsat manufacturers to acquire flight heritage for their products including communications, imaging, data processing, propulsion, power, and other smallsat components,” said David Hurst, CEO of Orbital Transports. “With Get Spaceborne, there’s no need for customers to jump through all the hoops of planning an entire mission, building a satellite, integrating with the launch provider, handling mission ops, or contracting with ground station networks. We handle all of that for you.”

Orbion Space Technology has revealed a strategic manufacturing deal with Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) to provide the propulsion system for the first production run of their satellites designated for DARPA’s Blackjack satellite constellation program.

DARPA awarded Blue Canyon a $14.1 million contract in June of 2020 to begin manufacturing the first 4 of the planned satellites for the Blackjack program, which will be based on Blue Canyon’s X-SAT microsatellite bus. Orbion will provide onboard electric propulsion for the spacecraft with the Orbion Aurora Hall-effect thruster system for small satellites built and manufactured in the United States.

DARPA’s contract with Blue Canyon has options for DARPA to buy up to 20 Blue Canyon satellites for a total of $99.4 million. The spacecraft will support DARPA’s program objectives for military relevant payloads.

The goal of the Blackjack Program is to demonstrate that a constellation of LEO satellites meets Department of Defense (DoD) performance and payload requirements, at a significantly lower cost, with shorter design cycles and with easier and more frequent technology upgrades. The spacecraft will be delivered on a rapid timeline to support the critical DARPA demonstration schedule with the first spacecraft to be delivered in mid-2021.

Executive Comments

“DARPA’s goal with Blackjack is to capitalize on commercial-sector space advances and use them for military utility,” said Brad King, CEO, Orbion Space Technologies. “Orbion’s philosophy is to offer propulsion systems that are priced for commercial customers, but that retain the high-reliability required by government users, and this is a perfect fit for Blackjack. We’re excited to play a vital role in this program. Our mass manufacturing technique will offer economies of scale previously unavailable.”

“We are very excited to have Orbion as a partner for this effort,” said BCT’s Program Manager, Bill Schum. “Orbion has fully embraced the challenge we have in front of us to produce and integrate a highly capable propulsion system, in a small form-factor, with affordable reliability.”

Another launch for SpaceX is planned for Thursday, September 17, at 2:19 p.m. EDT, 18:19 UTC, for launch of its thirteenth Starlink mission. The company will launch 60 Starlink satellites to orbit.

Falcon 9 will lift off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A backup opportunity is available on Friday, September 18 at 1:57 p.m. EDT, 17:57 UTC.

Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported launch of Crew Dragon’s first flight to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts onboard and the ANASIS-II mission. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. One of Falcon 9’s fairing halves supported two previous Starlink launches.

The Starlink satellites will deploy approximately 1 hour and 1 minute after liftoff.  You can watch the launch webcast here, starting about 10 minutes before liftoff. If you would like to receive updates on Starlink news and service availability in your area, please visit starlink.com.

Momentus Inc. (“Momentus” or the “Company”) has announced the appointment of Dr. Fred Kennedy as President of the Company, effective September 14, 2020.

Momentus has gained significant traction since its founding in 2017, attracting dozens of customers ranging from private commercial space companies to the likes of Lockheed Martin and NASA, and penning important industry partnerships, most notably with SpaceX. Dr. Kennedy’s significant experience within the industry will help accelerate Momentus’ goal of becoming the leading transportation and infrastructure services company of the new space economy.

Dr. Kennedy most recently served as the inaugural Director of the Space Development Agency (SDA), a U.S. Department of Defense agency responsible for developing threat-driven space architectures to sustain the U.S.’s technological advantage in space. Prior to that, he led the Tactical Technology Office (TTO) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Before joining DARPA, Dr. Kennedy served as the senior policy advisor for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), advising the President of the United States on space and aviation policy. Dr. Kennedy retired as a colonel from the U.S. Air Force after 23 years of service, filling multiple senior roles related to spacecraft technology demonstration and satellite system production.

Executive Comments

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Fred Kennedy to the Momentus team,” said Mikhail Kokorich, Founder and CEO of the Company. “Dr. Kennedy has a proven track record of leadership and innovation throughout his career in the Department of Defense and brings a wealth of expertise in satellite systems and space technology to our team. We are confident that Dr. Kennedy’s extensive technical experience and relationships across the aerospace and defense industry will support Momentus’ efforts to advance and deploy our leading-edge technology for low-cost satellite transportation.”

Dr. Kennedy commented, “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Momentus and am eager to start working with its very talented team of engineers and experts. Given the increasing demand for satellite transportation and services across the space industry, Momentus’ water-based propulsion technology is well-positioned to capitalize on this sector’s rapid growth.”