Satellite News
Thales Alenia Space and Telkom Indonesia to Build Hts 113BT Telecommunication Satellite
Thales Alenia Space announced that it has signed a contract with the leading satellite service provider in Indonesia, PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia (Telkomsat) as subsidiary of PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) a state-owned digital telecommunication company in Indonesia, to build HTS 113BT, a new High Throughput Satellite telecommunications satellite in C-band/Ku-Band from its orbital position at 113° East. Thales Alenia Space is the program prime contractor and responsible for the
Communications Satellites Built by Thales Alenia Space Now in Orbit
The Syracuse 4A and SES-17 communications satellites built by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, have been successfully launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. “This was an exceptional launch for Thales Alenia Space because we built both of the satellites orbited today by Ariane 5,” said Hervé Derrey, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space
Airbus, Air Liquide and ispace Europe launch EURO2MOON
In a contex of increased momentum around space exploration, Airbus Defence and Space, Air Liquide and ispace Europe have announced the joint creation of EURO2MOON. This non-profit organisation will be dedicated to promoting a better use of lunar natural resources, while accelerating the cis-lunar economy and federating industrial efforts across Europe.
Exploration News
German astronaut to become 600th person to fly into space
Astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Matthias Maurer, and Kayla Barron flew from their home base in Houston to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Tuesday to begin their final few days of launch preparations before blasting off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the International Space Station Sunday.
Beresheet 2 to include two landers and an orbiter
The company that built the first Israeli spacecraft to attempt to land on the moon is starting work on the second mission with a significantly different
U.A.E. examining options for future human spaceflight missions
The space center responsible for the United Arab Emirates’ human spaceflight program is looking at a range of flight options for its astronaut corps.
Poland signs Artemis Accords
Poland has joined the U.S.-led Artemis Accords for space exploration, hoping to use the agreement as a means of enhancing space cooperation between the two nations.
Launcher News
Rocket Lab to Recover Electron Rocket, Introduce Helicopter Operations During Next Launch
Rocket Lab USA, Inc (“Rocket Lab” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: RKLB) has today revealed it will attempt a controlled ocean splashdown and recovery of the first stage of an Electron rocket during the company’s next launch in November. The mission will be Rocket Lab’s third ocean recovery of an Electron stage; however, it will be the first time a helicopter will be stationed in the recovery zone around 200 nautical miles offshore to track and visually observe a descending stage
NewSpace News
Blue Origin and Sierra Space Developing Commercial Space Station
Blue Origin and Sierra Space today announced plans for Orbital Reef, a commercially developed, owned, and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit. The station will open the next chapter of human space exploration and development by facilitating the growth of a vibrant ecosystem and business model for the future. Orbital Reef is backed by space industry leaders and teammates including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University.
Firefly Aerospace is One Step Closer to Landing on the Moon
Firefly Aerospace, Inc., a leader in economical launch vehicles, spacecraft, and in-space services, today announced it reached a major milestone with the successful completion of the Critical Design Review (CDR) of their Blue Ghost lunar lander. This CDR paves the way for construction of the Blue Ghost lander, which is scheduled to touch down in the Mare Crisium lunar basin in September of 2023 carrying ten NASA payloads as part of the $93.3-million Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)
Space Safety News
US-South Korea joint space drills to focus on space situational awareness
“What we urgently need is ‘eyes’ to look at what’s happening in outer space,” said ROK Air Force Col. Park Ki-tae, inaugural chief of the air force’s Space Operations Center, during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2021.
War in Space is Coming
A new arms race is unfolding among spacefaring nations. Space experts have been telling us about contested space for the last several years. The number of active satellites is exploding from about 1,000 a few years ago to an expected 50,000+ within 10 years. The sky is indeed getting very congested.
UK funds studies to remove two spacecraft from LEO
The UK Space Agency has awarded study contracts for a mission to remove two spacecraft from low Earth orbit by 2025.
China launches classified space debris mitigation technology satellite
China launched the Shijian-21 satellite from Xichang late Saturday with the stated aim of testing space debris mitigation technologies.
Science & Technology News
Satellites used to track methane leaks in climate fight
A yellow streak representing high concentrations of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas, is visible over southern Iraq on a map produced by Kayrros, a French firm that uses satellites to track leaks from fossil fuel facilities.
Shape-shifting materials with infinite possibilities
Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a shape-shifting material that can take and hold any possible shape, paving the way for a new type of multifunctional material that could be used in a range of applications, from robotics and biotechnology to architecture.
