Satellite News
Starlink and SES join forces for multi-orbit cruise connectivity
SpaceX and SES are pooling their broadband satellites to offer cruise operators an integrated service promising up to 3 gigabits per second (Gbps) of capacity per ship. The SES Cruise mPowered + Starlink service would mostly use SpaceX’s low Earth orbit network (LEO) and satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO) from SES.
Thaicom picks Airbus to build Eutelsat-backed GEO satellite for Asia
Airbus said Sept. 11 that Thaicom-10 would be the Thai operator’s first satellite with a software-defined payload, enabling the company to adjust capacity and coverage while in orbit to adapt to changes in demand.
Earth observation players seek new capabilities to tackle climate change
The growing need to tackle climate change presents a transformational growth opportunity for the Earth observation industry, executives from an international mix of companies in this market said Sept. 15. Companies that include Canada-based GHGSat, France’s Absolut Group, and Satlantis of Spain are also actively pursuing this market with dedicated constellations.
Intelsat and Aalyria aim for “subsea cables in space”
As a first step, Intelsat and Aalyria plan to establish a bi-directional optical ground and space network in 2024 to transfer data at speeds of hundreds of gigabits per second. The network will rely on Tightbeam, Aalyria’s optical communications technology initially developed at Google parent company, Alphabet, and Spacetime, Aalyria network orchestration technology.
Launcher News
Arianespace to launch Intelsat small GEO satellite
Intelsat ordered IS-45 last November from Swissto12, a Swiss company that has developed 3D-printing technologies for space systems. The one-ton satellite will carry a payload of 12 Ku-band transponders. The satellite is based on the HummingSat platform that Swissto12 developed with support from the European Space Agency. Arianespace announced Sept. 12 it signed a contract with Intelsat to launch the IS-45 satellite in the first half of 2026. The satellite will fly with unnamed co-passengers on the more powerful version of the Ariane 6, the Ariane 64.
Exploration News
Germany signs Artemis Accords US astronaut sets record for stint in space
Exploring the lunar south pole: lessons from Chandrayaan-3
On August 23 the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully landed a spacecraft on the Moon’s south pole, a location that has always been of particular interest to scientists due to the unique conditions created by the planet’s extremities. The Moon rover, Chandrayaan-3, which recently completed its 14-day mission, made history by landing on the lunar south pole.
China to launch solar probe to unexplored L5 point in 2026
China is planning to launch a solar exploration satellite to a previously unexplored orbit between the Earth and the sun in order to carry out solar probe and space weather monitoring.
NASA approves crew for Axiom’s third private mission to space station
NASA has approved a four-person crew for the third Axiom mission, which is intended to launch no sooner than January 2024. “Axiom Space’s chief astronaut and former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria will command the private mission. Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are Alper Gezeravci of Turkey and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden,”
Maduro says Venezuelan astronauts could go to Moon in Chinese spaceship
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said his country could send its first astronauts to the Moon in a Chinese spacecraft, hailing on Thursday a scientific cooperation agreement he reached with President Xi Jinping.
NewSpace News
Microsoft and Esri to speed up access to Earth-observation data
To speed up access to Earth observation data for millions of customers, Esri is closely integrating its ArcGIS geographic mapping platform with Microsoft Azure Space.
Swissto12 secures million€€ in growth financing for 1st GEO smallsat
Swissto12 has secured a 26.15 million euros working capital facility from UBS Switzerland AG. The bank will provide Swissto12 with access to …
KaleidEO demonstrates on-orbit processing
KaleidEO, a subsidiary of SatSure Analytics India, has shown that its deep-learning algorithms can analyzing imagery in orbit. Since Bengaluru-based KaleidEO has yet to launch its own satellites, the company demonstrated this capability by analyzing sub-meter resolution imagery gathered by Uruguay-based Satellogic and processing data with in-orbit computers operated by Australia’s Spiral Blue. KaleidEO’s edge-processing algorithms are designed to detect clouds, roads, buildings and bodies of water. Additional algorithms compare images to detect changes.
Nonprofit supporting European startups expands rapidly
The rapid growth of European space startups is reflected in Young European Enterprises Syndicate for Space (YEESS), a nonprofit formed in 2021. Juan Tomás Hernani, Satlantis co-founder and CEO, (left) and Anywaves CEO Nicolas Capet serve as president and vice president, respectively, of Young European Enterprises Syndicate for Space (YEESS), a nonprofit established in 2021 to support European space startups.
Space Safety News
NASA joins the still controversial search for UFOs
The official’s appointment is the result of a year-long NASA fact-finding report into what NASA calls “unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP).” An independent team of 16 researchers concluded in the report that the search for UAPs “demands a rigorous, evidence-based approach. NASA is well positioned to play a prominent role, thanks to its satellite capabilities and other technical assets. But the agency stressed in its report that any findings of possible extraterrestrial origin “must be the hypothesis of last resort — the answer we turn to only after ruling out all other possibilities.”
ITU emphasizes importance of space sustainability
“As orbital traffic increases and intensifies, so does the urgency to maintain a safe and also a clean space environment that will protect the trillions of dollars’ worth of assets,” she said. “We do need to prioritize sustainability of our shared space environment and resources, because what is at stake is progress toward bridging the digital divide.”
Science & Technology News
Rogue Space ready for liftoff
Rogue Space Systems, creator of Orbots, autonomous AI robots, that provide in-space infrastructure and services, has successfully integrated their “Barry” (Barry-1) spacecraft into its deployer with partner Exolaunch — Barry-1 is now ready for transport to Vandenberg Space Force Base where it will be flying on the SpaceX Transporter-9 mission NET October 2023.
Technology to boost high-speed satellite connectivity
British electronics specialist Filtronic is developing advanced technology that will enable next-generation satellite constellations to deliver high-speed broadband internet coverage.
