News

Developing a “Satellite-as-a-Service” business is the driving force behind Loft Orbital, based in San Francisco.

The company has their Series A funding with a collection of $13 million to support operations in Boulder, Colorado, and Toulouse, France, as the company builds smallsats with initial launches scheduled for 2020.

Five customers have signed on for Loft’s first satellite and they include Eutelsat, the UAE Government flying an imager and SpaceChain. The company stated they have also signed on customers for the second and third satellites, as well. The firm’s business model has customers schedule milestone payments and then participate in a subscription service once the satellite is operational on-orbit.

ATLAS Space Operations is partnering with Aevum, Inc. for the The Agile Small Launch Operational Normalizer (ASLON)-45 space lift mission.

ATLAS’ Freedom™ Ground Network currently has 31 operational and planned antennas placed around the world that forms the network that will complement Aevum’s scalable launch service, which enables autonomous lift vehicles to launch from virtually any runway in the world and not be limited to range.

This combination of services gives the partners and their customers global accessibility to space operations. As Aevum already uses ATLAS for telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C), launch support to post-launch support will be a simple transition for customers and will also lower the cost of smallsat launches.

The Agile Small Launch Operational Normalizer-45 (ASLON-45) is a USAF mission that will consist of multiple 3U and larger U.S. government cubesats to LEO at a 45 degree inclination.

Sean McDaniel, CEO and Co-Founder of ATLAS, said this partnership will push the envelope of capabilities that are available to the space community. Beyond the ASLON-45 mission, ATLAS and Aevum are looking forward to conducting many successful launches and continuing to empower global access to space.

Jay Skylus, Founder and CEO of Aevum, added that vertical integration may reduce execution risk but often heightens cost and technology development risks. The company’s choice to integrate with ATLAS for ground communications provides the firm’s customers with more benefits and robust services.

For all involved in the satellite and space industry and the various market segments that enhance these dynamic environments, the 2020 SmallSat Symposium is invaluable.

The 2020 SmallSat Symposium begins on February 3, 2020, with workshops on the first day. Then the Conference continues from February 4 to 6 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The SmallSat Symposium is hosted by Satnews Publishers which, since 1983, has been a provider of satellite news, media and events. This information packed forum enables you and your company to secure a larger portion of market share as well as to take a step into the next stage of your company’s, or organization’s, growth.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

The SmallSat Symposium will focus on the daily changes in new technologies and the business environment that is shaping the implementation of SmallSat constellations, SmallSat launchers, the challenges facing the SmallSat developer and actors as well as the enormous benefits of these advanced technologies that will benefit our world.

This event attracts more than 100 diverse speakers, all of whom possess deep industry experience. Additionally, numerous opportunities exist to mingle and network with peers while enjoying exceptional, complimentary meals and refreshment breakfast.

Learn more at this direct link…

The continued development of the Juventas Cubesat is the focus of an addendum to the contract between GomSpace A/S and the European Space Agency (ESA) for the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission, although final approval for this mission has not yet been approved by Europe’s space ministers as of this writing. That is expected to occur during ESA’s Space19+ meeting this month.

The total value of this contract to be shared among several partners is 1,165,000 euros, with the focus being the development of smallsat payloads in support of ESA’s Hera mission, which itself is part of the AIDA and NASA DART missions. The GomSpace share of the funding is 295,000 euros.

Travel to the Didymos binary asteroid system is the goal. Juventas is a 6U cubesat that contains a low frequency radar as the primary payload and the smallsat will operate in close proximity to the Didymos asteroid system to perform radar and radio-science experiments that target the moon of the binary asteroid, nicknamed Didymoon.

Artistic rendition of Hera at Didymos.

Image is courtesy of ESA.

The mission will be completed when the smallsat attempts to land on the surface of Didymoon to take measurements on the landing dynamics from likely bouncing events to capture details of the asteroids surface properties.

The mission will end with measurements taken by a gravimeter payload to give insight into the dynamical properties of the asteroid.

GomSpace is the project lead with the science team, including collaborators from the Royal Observatory of Belgium and the University of Grenoble Alpes. The project continues its collaboration with:

• GMV Innovating Solutions from Romania leading the guidance, navigation and control subsystem
   
• Brno University of Technology from the Czech Republic contributing to the radar digital design
   
• Astronika from Poland delivering the radar antenna.

This addendum adds new partners to the Juventas team, including EmTroniX from Luxembourg who will deliver the radar electronics and GomSpace Luxembourg who will contribute to the mission operations and AIV activities.

Niels Buus

Niels Buus, CEO of GomSpace, said Juventas will be the first GomSpace designed nanosatellite in deep space demonstrating its capabilities in the most harsh  of environments to date.

An industry first will create a strategic relationship that pairs Earth observation with a global communications infrastructure. The companies are BlackSky, provider of geospatial intelligence, satellite imaging and global monitoring services, and a $50 million senior secured loan from the global satellite communications company, Intelsat (NYSE: I). BlackSky currently has four 1-meter satellites in orbit with another four slated for launch in early 2020, and plans to have 16 satellites in its constellation by early 2021.

For this transaction, Evercore acted as a financial advisor to BlackSky and PJT Partners acted as financial advisor to Intelsat. The new capital enables BlackSky to further its existing assets and alliances to remain competitive in delivering Earth intelligence faster, with greater accuracy and more affordably. The objective is that over time, BlackSky could incorporate access to Intelsat’s global communications infrastructure, delivering first-to-know insights to customers anywhere in the world. With an established manufacturing capability, mission operations center and sales channels in place, BlackSky is in the process of expanding its constellation of smallsats that the company declares “will deliver the highest revisit rate in the industry.”

The company is also leading the industry in fusing AI/ML-powered computer vision, high revisit rate imagery from orbital assets and open-source intelligence to provide customers with comprehensive, deep insights about the locations in the world they care about.

Brian E. O’Toole, President and CEO of BlackSky stated that BlackSky is enabling a whole new level of global intelligence by leveraging the economics of small satellites so that their customers will always be the first to know. It takes a lot of expertise, engineering and capital to make smallsats viable; BlackSky is the first company to overcome these challenges with proven economies of scale. This latest partnership is a vote of confidence in their ability to deliver industry leading insights to their customers from one of the biggest players in the market.

Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler offered that, BlackSky is well positioned to be a significant player in the expanding Earth observation sector, which they believe benefits from accelerating trends including cloud computing, change detection, predictive analytics and machine learning. They believe a significant number of commercial and government sector customers will increasingly rely on geospatial intelligence. Their investment will be used to fund enhancements to the current BlackSky infrastructure and will serve as a springboard for a commercial alliance with Intelsat and their Intelsat General government subsidiary.

For all involved in the satellite and space industry and the various market segments that enhance these dynamic environments, the 2020 SmallSat Symposium is invaluable.

The 2020 SmallSat Symposium begins on February 3, 2020, with workshops on the first day. Then the Conference continues from February 4 to 6 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The SmallSat Symposium is hosted by Satnews Publishers which, since 1983, has been a provider of satellite news, media and events. This information packed forum enables you and your company to secure a larger portion of market share as well as to take a step into the next stage of your company’s, or organization’s, growth.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

The SmallSat Symposium will focus on the daily changes in new technologies and the business environment that is shaping the implementation of SmallSat constellations, SmallSat launchers, the challenges facing the SmallSat developer and actors as well as the enormous benefits of these advanced technologies that will benefit our world.

This event attracts more than 100 diverse speakers, all of whom possess deep industry experience. Additionally, numerous opportunities exist to mingle and network with peers while enjoying exceptional, complimentary meals and refreshment breakfast.

Learn more at this direct link…

Another contract for small sats, and this one is for a Singaporean research mission —  nano-satellite mission integrator NanoAvionics received a contract to build a 12U nano-satellite bus for the Singaporean research mission “Cathode-Less Micro Propulsion Satellite” (CaLeMPSat). 

Developed by SpaceSATS, Plasma Innovation Labs (PILS) and the Plasma Source and Application Center (PSAC) at National Institute of Education (an autonomous institute of Nanyang Technological University), CaLeMPSat will test miniature Hall effect thrusters (HETs) that operate at power classes never before achieved.

The CaLeMPSat mission will test miniature HETs that operate at power classes far below the 100W-class thrusters of the current satellite industry. The research payload will consist of a 60W HET, an integrated 30W HET (in a 1.5U volume), and two 10W Hall Effect Micro Jets (HEM-Jets). A 3-axial, 5-nozzle cold gas thruster will round out the experimental thruster payload. The consortium will test additional miniaturized systems for plasma propulsion including:
 

• 8-channel gas feeding unit,
• plasma diagnostic unit,
• power processing and control unit,
• Earth magnetic field measurement unit.

NanoAvionics will provide its nano-satellite bus in a 12U configuration, of which CaLeMPSat will occupy more than 9U of payload volume. To support that payload, the nano-satellite bus will provide an average orbit power generation exceeding 20W as well as UHF and S-band communications. The spacecraft’s orientation will be managed by NanoAvionics’ Attitude Control and Determination System which includes reaction wheels, magnetorquers, an IMU, GPS, solar sensors, and a star tracker.

NanoAvionics has committed to deliver the satellite bus before the end of February 2020 and SpaceSATS and its partners are targeting launch of CaLeMPSat in late 2020.

NanoAvionics CEO Vytenis J. Buzas said that the propulsion technology that SpaceSATS and its collaborators will demonstrate on CaLeMPSat will open the door to new mission opportunities for nano-satellites. NanoAvionics is pleased to have been chosen to support such an innovative project with their multi-purpose nano-satellite bus, which has a proven track record of serving in-orbit demonstration missions in the past.

Miniaturized HETs will allow nano-satellites to perform high-impulse maneuvers such as orbital maintenance or formation flying as well as the decommissioning maneuvers needed to minimize space debris.

Dr. CHAN Chia Sern, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceSATS and Plasma Innovation Labs added that the robustness of NanoAvionics’ technology, its track record of successful nano-satellite missions and short lead times made NanoAvionics the ideal choice for the CaLeMPSat mission. The NanoAvionics team has given a great amount of support to provide the best possible technical solution, even before signing the contract, and they look forward to working together through integration, launch, and operation to achieve CaLeMPSat’s pioneering mission objectives.

SpaceX is targeting On Monday, November 11, at 9:56 a.m.EST, 14:56UTC, SpaceX launched 60 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Falcon 9’s first stage previously supported the Iridium-7, SAOCOM-1A, and Nusantara Satu missions, and this Starlink mission’s fairing was previously flown on Falcon Heavy’s Arabsat-6A mission earlier this year.

Following stage separation, SpaceX landed Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. There was no attempt to capture the fairing as previously planned by the recovery vessels, Ms. Tree and Ms. Chief, due to concerns regarding heavier than expected seas in the Atlantic Ocean. 

The Starlink satellites deployed at an altitude of 280 km. Prior to orbit raising, SpaceX engineers conducted data reviews to ensure all Starlink satellites are operating as intended — the satellites then used their onboard ion thrusters to move into their intended orbits.

SpaceX is developing a low latency, broadband internet system to meet the needs of consumers across the globe. Enabled by a constellation of LEO satellites, Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet to populations with little or no connectivity, including those in rural communities and places where existing services are too expensive or unreliable. As the most recent launch of Starlink satellites in May, SpaceX has increased spectrum capacity for the end-user through upgrades in design that maximize the use of both Ka- and Ku-bands.

The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that uplifted the SpaceX Starlink mission to orbit re-lands on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship.

Additionally, components of each satellite are 100% demisable and will quickly burn up in Earth’s atmosphere at the end of their life cycle — a measure that exceeds all current safety standards. Starlink is targeted to offer service in parts of the U.S. and Canada after six launches, rapidly expanding to global coverage of the populated world after 24 launches.

Additional information on the system can be found at the SpaceX Starlink infosite.

Don’t know if any penguins were involved in the successful experiment that Kepler Communications demonstrated delivering over 100Mbps connectivity service in the Arctic region to the German icebreaker Polarstern.

The vessel is located around 85 degrees N and is the home to the MOSAiC scientific expedition. The demonstration marks the first time in history that the central Arctic is successfully connected through a high-bandwidth satellite network. 

Kepler’s two polar-orbiting satellites are being used to transfer data for scientists taking part in MOSAiC, the most extensive research expedition ever to the North Pole. MOSAiC is an international expedition consisting of hundreds of scientists and operations crew, which will remain locked into the Arctic ice sheet to study the environment. The team will spend the next 12 months drifting along with the ice sheet, with the purpose of the mission being to take the closest look ever at the effects of climate change on the Arctic. 

Kepler has provided the Polarstern is equipped witthe world’s only high-bandwidth satellite data link delivered from low-Earth orbit (LEO) that is available in the Arctic. With the vessel operating well outside the range of traditional high-throughput satellites, Kepler is providing 100x higher data speeds, when the satellite passes the vessel than would be otherwise available to the ship. This improved data transfer capability means scientists can share large data files between ship and shore, improving the ability to share, analyze, and disseminate information.

MOSAiC scientists setting up camp in the North Pole.
Photo by Stephan Hendricks.

Mina Mitry, CEO at Kepler said that their Global Data Service provides a cost-effective means to transfer large data volumes that will be gathered over the course of MOSAiC. Rather than only storing data locally and analyzing once physical storage can be sent back with supply vessels, they are giving scientists the ability to continuously transfer test and housekeeping data sets over their unique LEO satellite network. 

Kepler’s Global Data Service™ will save time, money and, most importantly, improve the ability for MOSAiC scientists to carry out their critical mission of studying climate change.

In charge of MOSAiC’s logistics is the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), from Germany. They are responsible for leading this international expedition that involves the joint efforts of 19 countries around the world. With over USD 158 million in funding, the most advanced technology on a research icebreaker, and an astonishing quantity of planning and logistics, MOSAiC is the largest expedition to the North Pole ever in history.

Professor Markus Rex, MOSAiC project leader and atmospheric scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam added that the high polar regions are the last frontiers of the globe where high bandwidth data connections could not be established so far. Kepler’s new Global Data Service now enables them to send back bulk data, including key data files for monitoring the status of instruments together with experts at home. This will contribute to the success of MOSAiC.

The MOSAiC expedition began when the Polarstern set sail from Norway this past September and will continue for more than a year. Findings from the mission will help better assess the future of Earth’s climate, and provide valuable information to help fight climate change. 

Kepler is the world’s only provider of high-bandwidth satellite services in the poles. Aboard the Polarstern, Kepler has demonstrated data rates of 38 Mbps downlink and 120 Mbps uplink to a 2.4m Ku-band VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal). 

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) has shipped a 16 kg. Target satellite for Astroscale’s End-of-Life Services by Astroscale demonstration (ELSA-d) mission to Tokyo, where it will be bolted to the Chaser satellite for environmental testing ahead of the launch in 2020.

The ELSA-d mission is designed to simulate capture of orbital debris and validate key technologies for end-of-life spacecraft retrieval and disposal services. The Target and Chaser satellites will be attached for launch and de-orbit, but while on-orbit at 500 to 600 km., they will be deployed in a series of increasingly complex separation and capture maneuvers using search, identification, rendezvous, docking, and de-orbit technologies.

The ELSA-d mission comprises of a Chaser satellite and the Target satellite, and will demonstrate key technologies for orbital debris removal.

Photo is courtesy of SSTL.

The ELSA-d Target satellite was designed and manufactured by SSTL in Guildford, UK, and incorporates S-band communications, GPS positioning, and a 3-axis control system. It will also fly an HD camera and lighting to record the capture sequences during eclipse. A ferromagnetic docking plate with optical markers is attached to the Target, allowing the ~180 kg. Chaser satellite to identify and estimate attitude before deploying a capture extension mechanism with a magnetic plate to latch on to the Target satellite.

While rendezvous has been performed on-orbit in the past, ELSA-d will demonstrate the first semi-autonomous capture of a non-responsive, tumbling Target, as well as the first identification of a Target that is outside of the field of view of the relative navigation sensors on the Chaser. Once the demonstration concludes, the linked satellites will be moved to a lower orbit in readiness to re-enter the atmosphere where they will burn up.

Artistic rendition of the ELSA-d satellite. This mission is Astroscale’s on-orbit demonstration that aims to test several capabilities and technologies needed for future services.

Image is courtesy of Astroscale.

ELSA-d is scheduled to launch in 2020 on a Soyuz from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Sarah Parker, Managing Director of SSTL, said it is vital that the international space community tackles the issue of space junk and the company is pleased to be involved in Astroscale’s ELSA-d inaugural end-of-life spacecraft retrieval demonstration mission. SSTL is looking forward to following the on-orbit operations of this milestone mission.

Nobu Okada, Founder & CEO of Astroscale, added the company is delighted to receive SSTL’s Target satellite at the firm’s Tokyo headquarters as the next step is taken in this groundbreaking mission. Astroscale thanks SSTL for the commitment to ELSA-d and for working together to address the ongoing buildup of hazardous space debris in LEO.

Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) has signed an agreement with Republic of the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) to provide a share of the tasking and data acquisition services from NovaSAR-1, the innovative S-Band radar smallsat launched into a 580 km. SSO in September of 2018.

The agreement gives DOST ASTI tasking priorities over the Philippines and the ability to access the raw data directly from the satellite, with a license to use and share the data with their partners over an initial five year period, extendable to the actual lifespan of the satellite.

NovaSAR-1 S-band SAR image of the Cebu city area of Cebu Island and shows Mactan-Cebu International airport, boats and sea-going vessels around the shipping port, and the rugged terrain of the interior of the island.

Image is courtesy of SSTL.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has the ability to image the Earth through cloud cover and at night, and DOST-ASTI will use data from NovaSAR-1 in support of a number of applications, including disaster monitoring, agricultural and forestry management, and coastal and maritime applications such as ship detection.

The target area for the first image acquisition was Cebu city and the nearby Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The captured image shows sea-going vessels around the shipping port together with the rugged terrain of the interior of Cebu Island.  Masbate Island in the Bicol region of the Philippines serves as the target area of the second image acquisition.  The resulting image reveals a crater site hidden by forest canopy that is not visible in optical satellite images.  Other features such as aquaculture sites along the coast and the rolling hills in the central region of the island were also captured in the image. 

Artistic rendition of NovaSAR-1 on-orbit.

NovaSAR-1 was designed and manufactured at SSTL, with an S-band payload developed by Airbus Defence and Space in Portsmouth, UK, and an Automatic Identification Receiver supplied by Honeywell Aerospace. The SAR payload has a dedicated maritime mode designed with a very wide swath area of 400km to enable the monitoring of the marine environment and will provide direct radar ship detection information simultaneously with AIS ship tracking data to assist with the identification and tracking of sea-going vessels.  

Mission partners already under contract for NovaSAR-1 data include the UK Space Agency, Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). 

NovaSAR-1 is owned and operated by SSTL.

Andrew Cawthorne, Director of Earth Observation at SSTL, said the company is delighted to welcome DOST-ASTI colleagues to the NovaSAR-1 data team. SSTL anticipates that the Philippines will benefit greatly from NovaSAR-1 data, particularly as the country has a tropical climate with frequent cloud cover, and an extensive coastline and maritime territory.

Dr. Joel Marciano, Jr., Acting Director of DOST-ASTI, added the SAR imaging capability of NovaSAR-1 is a timely and powerful resource as the institute continues to push scientific data, computing and space technology in support of evidence-based politics and decision-making in the country.

Mr. Alvin Retamar, Chief Science Research Specialist at DOST-ASTI, commented that NovaSAR-1’s simultaneous acquisition of SAR and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data targets enhanced maritime domain awareness that is expected to lead to more effective interventions.

Kepler Communications has delivered more than 100 Mbps connectivity service in the Arctic region to the German icebreaker Polarstern.

The vessel is located around 85°N and is the home to the MOSAiC scientific expedition. The demonstration marks the first time in history that the central Arctic is successfully connected through a high-bandwidth satellite network.

Kepler’s two polar-orbiting satellites are being used to transfer data for scientists taking part in MOSAiC, the most extensive research expedition ever to the North Pole.

MOSAiC is an international expedition consisting of hundreds of scientists and operations crew, which will remain locked into the Arctic ice sheet to study the environment. The team will spend the next 12 months drifting along with the ice sheet, with the purpose of the mission being to take the closest look ever at the effects of climate change on the Arctic.

Thanks to Kepler, the Polarstern is equipped with the world’s only high-bandwidth satellite data link delivered from LEO that is available in the Arctic. With the vessel operating well outside the range of traditional high-throughput satellites, Kepler is providing 100x higher data speeds, when the satellite passes the vessel than would be otherwise available to the ship. This improved data transfer capability means scientists can share large data files between ship and shore, improving the ability to share, analyze, and disseminate information.

In charge of MOSAiC’s logistics is the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), from Germany. They are responsible for leading this international expedition that involves the joint efforts of 19 countries around the world. With over $158 million in funding, the most advanced technology on a research icebreaker, and an astonishing quantity of planning and logistics, MOSAiC is the largest expedition to the North Pole ever in history.

The MOSAiC expedition began when the Polarstern set sail from Norway this past September and will continue for more than a year. Findings from the mission will help better assess the future of Earth’s climate, and provide valuable information to help fight climate change.

Kepler is the world’s only provider of high-bandwidth satellite services in the poles. Aboard the Polarstern, Kepler has demonstrated data rates of 38 Mbps downlink and 120 Mbps uplink to a 2.4m Ku-band VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal).

Mina Mitry, CEO at Kepler, said that the firm’s Global Data Service provides a cost-effective means to transfer large data volumes that will be gathered over the course of MOSAiC. Rather than only storing data locally and analyzing once physical storage can be sent back with supply vessels, the company is giving scientists the ability to continuously transfer test and housekeeping data sets over outhe firm’s unique LEO satellite network.

Professor Markus Rex, MOSAiC project leader and atmospheric scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam, added that the high polar regions are the last frontiers of the globe where high bandwidth data connections could not be established so far. Kepler’s new Global Data Service now enables the institute to send back bulk data, including key data files for monitoring the status of instruments together with experts at home. This will contribute to the success of MOSAiC.

Kepler’s LEO satellites spin around the Earth at 575 km. altitude, completing an orbit every 90 minutes and deliver total coverage to the planet. From pole-to-pole, each satellite can transport hundreds of GB every day for customers.