Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) has launched six satellites on the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — these smallsats will demo advancements and new capabilities for the company’s weather and aviation solutions.

Spire’s smallsats carry nextgen Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) payloads, which collect aircraft position data. The satellites will expand Spire’s existing ADS-B constellation and play an integral role in improving coverage and latency for the company’s aviation products. They will demonstrate sophisticated technology for global aircraft tracking, including an advanced antenna design based on years of on-orbit ADS-B payload experience and state-of-the-art, inter-satellite links.

These satellites are Spire’s first to have propulsion systems on board. The multipurpose satellites also carry payloads to monitor Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals for vessel tracking data and for space services customer Myriota, a provider of global Internet of Things (IoT) service from satellites.

One of the satellites on the launch is flying a polarimetric radio occultation (PRO) payload that collects data on precipitation profiles and patterns. The mission will validate PRO sensitivity to precipitation using several global navigation satellite systems as signals of opportunity.

This is the first step toward the assimilation of PRO data into weather models, which will enhance the value and accuracy of global weather forecasts along with the weather variables currently gathered by Spire’s constellation. The PRO payload, which was the first launched by a private company, was designed as part of the ESA InCubed Program, a co-funding program focused on developing innovative and commercially viable products and services that generate or exploit the value of EO imagery and dataset.

This activity is supported by the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA). Spire is the largest producer of radio occultation data, which is leveraged by government agencies such as NOAA, NASA, ECMWF, and EUMETSAT to drive global weather predictions.

The company also launched three satellites to replenish the firm’s fully deployed constellation of more than 100 multipurpose satellites. Spire designs and builds their satellites entirely in house at its manufacturing facility in Glasgow, Scotland. The company has built and launched more than 150 satellites, carrying over 500 years of spaceflight heritage across its fleet.

The satellites were manifested on the mission through a multi-launch agreement between Spire and Exolaunch, which includes access to the Transporter missions through Exolaunch’s long-term launch arrangements with SpaceX. Exolaunch, a global provider of launch, in-space logistics and deployment services, also provides Spire with deployment and integration services.

“We at ESA are very happy with the efficiency, focus, and speed of implementation of this activity, and if we can see it resulting in measurement data and processing results for systematic evaluation of their assimilation into numerical weather prediction, that will be a rewarding completion,” said Thomas Burger, ESA Technical Officer for Spire.

“Satellites and payloads are continuing to get smaller and more powerful,” said Jeroen Cappaert, Spire CTO and Co-founder. “We’re capitalizing on this rapid pace of innovation and miniaturization to continue to enhance our constellation with cutting-edge technology that drives new applications of satellite data. The applications we’re demonstrating for aviation tracking and precipitation data will play a crucial role in solving some of the greatest challenges we face on Earth, such as overcoming climate change with more accurate weather forecasting and bringing transparency to the supply chain.”

Space Systems Command successfully launched the organization’s Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) Weather Systems (EWS) cubesat technical demonstration onboard the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission at 9:56 a.m. (Eastern, 6:56 a.m. Pacific) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on January 3, 2023.

This one-year EWS cubesat tech demo will prove out emerging, space-based, EO/IR radiometric imaging technology, using a smaller sensor to provide timely weather imagery data from LEO.

In February of 2002, the EWS program competitively selected two vendors to develop and launch two separate, sensor prototypes. Orion Space Solutions, a non-traditional government contractor, delivered the cubesat for this demonstration. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Group will deliver the second prototype by 2025.

This launch satisfies the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Congressional mandate to launch a weather EO/IR pathfinder prototype by FY23. The program expects the first transmittal of data early in 2023.

“The EWS cubesat technical demonstration effort represents SSC’s continued commitment to working with non-traditional partners to broaden the competitive industrial base. If successful, this will provide an innovative option to deliver Space-Based Environmental Monitoring data to the warfighter at an operationally relevant speed,” said Lt. Col. Joe Maguadog, EWS Materiel Leader and Program Manager. “This demonstration will inform our transition toward a more affordable, scalable, and resilient EO/IR weather constellation.”

BeetleSat, formerly known as NSLComm, has announced the successful launch of their second smallsat from Cape Canaveral, Florida onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Now in SSO at 550 km altitude, this nanosatellite will provide BeetleSat’s public sector customer with store and forward, very high throughput satellite communication services. This launch is another step forward in the firm’s creation of a LEO constellation that will enable secure, low-latency, high-throughput, and cost-effective point-to-point communications from anywhere on Earth.

With a payload designed by BeetleSat, the fully-digital smallsat weighs approximately 9 kg and transmits data at up to 2 Gbps. Using innovative Software Defined Radio (SDR) and a deployable antenna communication payload, the smallsat delivers a bit-rate performance level equal to a much larger satellite at a substantially lower capital expenditure.

BeetleSat’s LEO constellation will provide global and regional satellite operators, mobile network operators, and internet service providers high-quality, global, Ka-band connectivity for commercial and government applications, including point-to-point secure communications, mobility, and cellular backhaul/trunking services.

“Today’s successful launch provides important communication services to one of our public sector clients and marks a meaningful step forward in our mission to become a top LEO constellation operator delivering the highest-quality and most cost-effective satellite-based communication services,” said BeetleSat Executive President, Patricio Northland. “We’re excited to explore new insights from all the data we’ll collect from this mission, but equally important, we’re eager to hear directly from our client how we can further enhance their experience with our company and technology.”

BeetleSat, formerly NSLComm, is a fast-growing, satellite technology startup building a new LEO constellation that delivers exceptionally low-latency, high-throughput and cost-effective point-to-point secure communications, cellular backhaul/trunking, mobility and other services. Comprised of approximately 250 communication satellites, equipped with BeetleSat’s proprietary Ka-band deployable antennas, the groundbreaking constellation promises to revolutionize the way satellite communication networks are designed and operated, providing commercial and public sector customers with truly global Ka-band connectivity, better performance and increased flexibility at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems. Deployed in partnership with ARQUIMEA, and with service to commence in 2026, BeetleSat’s constellation will provide a premium complementary LEO layer for terrestrial and MEO/GEO networks suitable for global and regional operators and telecom service providers looking to enhance their existing solutions.

The STAR VIBE mission, which is the product of a collaboration between the Wrocław-based company Scanway Space and the German company German Orbital Systems, was launched into orbit on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the Transporter 6 mission.

This a demo mission of two proprietary systems — a small EO telescope called STAR and a system for self-inspection of satellite status called VIBE. The objective of the mission is to test the STAR telescope and the VIBE technology under space conditions, as well as to raise the level of technological readiness level to the highest, ninth level. To this purpose, the impact of space conditions (vacuum, temperature fluctuations, high radiation and microgravity) on the telescope’s components, on-board electronics and on the quality of the data collected will be tested.

The STAR telescope is a telescope operating in the visible light spectrum. Its sensor allows images to be taken at a resolution of 25 meters per pixel and provides a large field of view (102.4 x 76.8 km). This allows rapid data collection for many purposes, e.g., on climate change, natural disasters or data supporting efficient agriculture.

VIBE is an optical system that is one configuration of Scanway’s SHS system — Spacecraft Health Scanner — a system used for autonomous smallsat diagnostics. VIBE is a vision system located on a deployable beam. The camera is connected to the spacecraft’s onboard computer, which, by collecting images in its database, allows the data to be analyzed by artificial intelligence (AI), which is able to detect various defects, such as damage to the solar panels.

Prior to the integration of the satellite into the Falcon 9, the STAR and VIBE systems were tested several times to verify correct functionality. The tests were carried out in the company’s laboratory and at an independent scientific institution in Germany; among other things, vibration tests and tests in a thermal vacuum chamber were performed.

In addition, Scanway carried out stratospheric balloon tests, in which the test payload (on-board computer, STAR telescope and VIBE system) was hooked up to the balloon’s nacelle and sent to an altitude of about 35 km. Stratospheric testing allows payload be tested in conditions of low pressure, low temperature and elevated cosmic radiation, which can very much affect the performance of electronic systems.

The STAR VIBE mission is exceptional for the Polish space sector, primarily due to the dispatch of the VIBE instrument which is the first Polish optical instrument for auto-inspection of orbital infrastructure, which is equipped with an algorithm based on AI. Operational duration of the mission — a minimum of three months, but can be extended, depending on the demand for images from the STAR telescope.

Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) launched their 2nd demo flight of the Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV) to LEO aboard the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission on January 3rd, 2023.

Momentus established contact with the Vigoride vehicle on the spacecraft’s first orbital pass and confirmed that both of the solar arrays are deployed and the vehicle is generating power and charging its batteries.

The Vigoride OSV is designed to support a range of transportation and in-space infrastructure services. A key part of the Vigoride spacecraft is the Microwave Electrothermal Thruster (MET) that is designed to use water as a propellant. The MET is designed to produce thrust by expelling extremely hot gases through a rocket nozzle.

Unlike a conventional chemical rocket engine, which creates thrust through a chemical reaction, the MET is designed to create a plasma and thrust using microwave energy. Using the MET, Momentus aims to offer cost-effective, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly propulsion to meet the demands for in-space transportation and infrastructure services.

Priorities for this flight include hosting Caltech’s Space-based Solar Power Project payload, deploying a satellite with the Qosmosys Zeus-1 payload, and testing Vigoride’s performance in space, including its MET system.

Momentus launched the company’s inaugural mission in May of 2022. The Company deployed eight customer satellites during that mission for FOSSA Systems, Orbit NTNU and Bronco Space at the California State Polytechnic University.

“Today’s mission marks the second Vigoride launch to orbit and is the first of four missions slated for 2023,” said Momentus Chief Executive Officer, John Rood. “I’m proud of the substantial progress our talented team of engineers continues to make in maturing our technology. On this flight, in addition to meeting our commitments to our customers, we’ll put Vigoride through a series of tests to establish its performance in space. We’re particularly interested in testing the MET as our propulsion system aims to provide greater efficiency than a chemical system while generating a higher thrust than electric propulsion. The outcomes of this mission will continue to inform our approach as we look toward advancing our service offerings and tackling the complex in-space infrastructure needs of government, civil and commercial customers.”

Additional info regarding the Momentus Vigoride is available at this direct SatNews.com link…

Planet Labs PBC launched 36 of their SuperDove satellites, Flock 4y, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 3, 2023, at 9:56 a.m., ET (14:56 UTC), on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (SFS), Florida.

These 36 SuperDoves will replenish Planet’s current fleet of approximately 200 satellites on-orbit, working to provide a continuous, and complete view of the world from above every day. Each Planet SuperDove is equipped with eight spectral-bands and improved on-orbit capacity that helps to quickly deliver sharp, analysis-ready data to Planet’s customers. The data collected by Planet’s SuperDoves allows organizations in agriculture, government — both intelligence and civilian agencies — forestry, sustainability, and other industries to make informed, timely decisions.

Further, a select number of these Planet SuperDoves are adorned with artwork and quotes that celebrate the legacy of Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, as a part of Planet’s collaboration with The Roddenberry Foundation’s Boldly Go Campaign. The Roddenberry Foundation launched this campaign in 2021 to celebrate Gene’s hopeful vision of humanity’s future — one of inclusion, scientific progress, and cooperation. Five of the Planet SuperDoves on this mission will have artwork laser-etched onto their side panels that is inspired by the more than 1,500 submissions to the Boldly Go campaign, which asked the world to share what gives them hope for humanity’s future.

This was Planet’s eighth overall launch with SpaceX. Since its founding, Planet has launched more than 500 imaging satellites, more than any commercial company in history. Follow along at Planet’s Twitter account as the company gears up for the launch of its 36 SuperDoves.

“We’re excited to again work with SpaceX to bring 36 SuperDoves to orbit, our eighth overall launch with the launch provider,” said Planet’s Vice President of Launch, Mike Safyan. “Once in orbit, these satellites will join our current fleet and work to deliver cutting-edge geospatial solutions to our global customer base.”

Stanford Student Space Initiative (SSI), an undergraduate student group at Stanford University, will launch the Sapling Sempervirens (Sapling-1) satellite on the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The launch is planned for Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023. Sapling-1 will be deployed from Launcher Space’s Launcher Orbiter vehicle approximately one week after the launch. SpaceX will host a livestream of the launch at this direct link.

The successful launch and operation of Sapling will mark the start of open source, scientific satellite missions designed and built by undergraduate students at Stanford. Such missions will seek to advance humanity’s understanding of Earth and our place in the universe while expanding space’s accessibility for those without significant experience and financial resources.

The Sapling spacecraft’s specific mission is to demonstrate autonomous cloud filtering and smart downlinking of images using a Google Coral payload camera and Google Coral Edge TPU coprocessor. The satellite, which uses silicon solar cells, employs this highly efficient computing platform for performance without relying on higher priced GaAS cells.

The Sapling project leverages the novel opportunities available in space today. Recent rapid growth in the private space sector has generated accessible launch pricing and reliable launch opportunities, including the SpaceX rideshare mission series. SSI students have developed satellite manufacturing processes achievable in a collegiate lab setting.

Sapling makes use of the novel PyCubed SmallSat framework; as a result, the satellite is completely programmable in CircuitPython. All project files are open-source and published through GitHub. With these resources, mission-driven students can develop space-based capabilities, handle flight hardware, and take engineering skills from the classroom into orbit.

Sapling Sempervirens takes its name from sequoia sempervirens, or the coast redwood, a nod to Stanford’s mascot, the Tree. SSI’s next satellite is named for sequoiadendron giganteum, the giant sequoia, and will launch on the SpaceX Transporter 7 mission no earlier than April of 2023.

Innoflight was awarded over $5M in government contracts to radiation-harden and cyber-harden advanced terrestrial sensor payloads for space. Within Department of Defense (DoD) space programs, there is a significant interest in leveraging affordable, advanced, and low size, weight and power (SWaP) avionics systems for use in proliferated Low Earth Orbit (pLEO) space sensors and seekers on aerospace vehicles. This approach allows the DoD to rapidly adopt advanced software-defined and reconfigurable sensor payloads to respond to emerging threats. Innoflight’s contracts cover the entire scope of these payloads, including the sensor, read-out electronics, edge processing and power electronics and will leverage Innoflight’s expertise to space qualify Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies for mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic and radiation requirements. 

A key element of Innoflight’s space qualification is a systems-engineering focused, multi-layer mitigation of both natural and man-made threats to the payload’s electronics and embedded systems. The largest of the government contracts emphasizes the requirement to harden against cyber threats.

“Innoflight has built upon its breadth and depth in radiation mitigation of advanced secure communications, networking and processing solutions for responsive space; furthermore, we have taken our expertise and experience in information assurance through multiple U.S. Government Information Assurance cryptographic solution certification programs to build a comprehensive cyber capability called CyberDog” states Jeff Janicik, Innoflight President and CEO.

CyberDog actively protects all communications between the spacecraft and external entities, including Internet Protocol (IP) traffic. For IP traffic, CyberDog selectively calls upon Intrusion Detection System (IDS) routines to quarantine dangerous data or suspicious outbound traffic for further analysis. The CyberDog algorithm can be tuned to provide high-assurance encryption services to protect sensitive mission data. Finally, CyberDog monitors the internal behavior of the system in real‑time. The proprietary algorithm will monitor for sudden changes in the behavior of the system and rapidly discriminate the change event as an attack or anomaly. CyberDog will meet the attack based on threat condition, programmed rulesets, or updates from an external command and control node.

These contracts will produce prototype hardware that has completed qualification testing and ready for on-orbit demonstration.

SpaceX is targeting 9:56 a.m., ET, (14:56 UTC) on Tuesday, January 3, for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-6 mission to LEO from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34 and 10 Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Transporter-6 is SpaceX’s sixth dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. There will be 114 payloads on this flight, including smallsats and orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs) carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time.

A live webcast of this mission will start about 10 minutes before liftoff.

The planned smallsats deployment order…

KuwaitSat-1 / BDSat-2 / SharedSat 2211 / LEMUR 2 EMMACULATE / LEMUR 2 FUENTETAJA-01 / ConnectaT1.2 / GAMA Alpha / BRO-8 / Menut / Huygens / LEMUR 2 DISCLAIMER / STAR VIBE / LEMUR 2 STEVEALBERS / ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-A / Birkeland / SPACEBEE-156/ / LEMUR 2 MMOLO / ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-B / ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-C / LEMUR 2 PHILARI / ISILAUNCH Kleos KSF3-D / First Flock 4Y / EWS RROCI / SpaceBD ISILAUNCH PolyItan from Kiev / Second Flock 4Y / Guardian-alpha/ Third Flock 4Y deploys / Fourth Flock 4Y / SpaceBD Sony Sphere-1 EYE / ISILAUNCH ClydeSpace NSLSat-2 / ISILAUNCH Sternula-1 / Fifth Flock 4Y / Sixth Flock 4Y / Seventh Flock 4Y / Eighth Flock 4Y / Ninth Flock 4Y / 10th Flock 4Y / 11th Flock 4Y / 12th Flock 4Y / 13th Flock 4Y / 14th Flock 4Y / 15th Flock 4Y / 16th Flock 4Y / 17th Flock 4Y / 18th Flock 4Y / 19th Flock 4Y / 20th Flock 4Y / 21st Flock 4Y / 22nd Flock 4Y / 23rd Flock 4Y / 24th Flock 4Y / 25th Flock 4Y / 26th Flock 4Y / 27th Flock 4Y / 28th Flock 4Y / 29th Flock 4Y / 30th Flock 4Y / 31st Flock 4Y / 32nd Flock 4Y / 33rd Flock 4Y / 34th Flock 4Y / 35th Flock 4Y / 36th Flock 4Y / Lynk Tower 3 / Albania 1 / Lynk Tower 4 / YAM-5 / NewSat 34 / Albania 2 / X22 / X21 / First Umbra / Second Umbra / NewSat 35 / ION SCV-007 GLORIOUS GRATIA / ION SCV-008 FIERCE FRANCISCUS / Launcher Orbiter SN1 / X27 / Skykraft 1 / Vigoride 5 / CHIMERA LEO 1 / EOS SAT-1