SAIC signs another commercial partner for its small satellite business
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-05 23:22
SAIC will partner with European manufacturer GomSpace to develop small satellites. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding April 18 in Colorado Springs. SAIC signed a similar agreement last year with small satellite startup Rogue Space Systems. SAIC is looking to grow its space business integrating commercial satellite buses and payloads.
DoD spending on commercial space services negligible, despite growing Space Force budget
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-05 13:36
Commercial space services include imagery, space surveillance, weather data. Pentagon's funding proposal for fiscal year 2024 seeks $30 billion for the U.S. Space Force. Most of that funding is for the development and procurement of next-generation satellite constellations. Most of the commercial space office’s efforts now are on contracting for satellite communications.
Society and Technology: The Space Observing Imperative
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-05 12:51
Daniel Baker: Robotic space programs have been one of the greatest achievements of the U.S. Baker: Science is a key motivation for the Artemis program and is built into all aspects of that program. Baker: If this PBR plan were to be adopted, a highest priority flight mission would be forced to slow to a snail's pace.
BlackSky seeks to extend operations of satellites running on empty
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-05 11:55
BlackSky is seeking permission to operate two of its satellites in lower orbits. The spacecraft are running out of the propellant needed to maintain their orbits. The company is requesting permission to operate the satellites at altitudes as low as 340 kilometers. The two spacecraft launched as rideshare payloads on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink mission.
Twin TROPICS satellites set to be lofted into orbit
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-05 00:00
NASA's second pair of TROPICS hurricane research satellites has been rescheduled for Sunday (U.S. Time) The first two were lost in an Astra launch failure last year, and the remaining four were subsequently switched to Rocket Lab. The two dual-launch missions will liftoff this month within approximately two weeks of each other.
Explore JPL to Take Place April 29-30
The first “Explore JPL’ event since the COVID-19 pandemic began will take place April 29 to 30. Tickets are free but very limited and go fast. They will be available online at explore.jpl.gov at 9 a.m. PDT Sunday, April 2.
US, Russian EVAs install upgrades and make history aboard ISS
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-05 23:18
US EVA-86, with NASA astronaut Steve Bowen as EV1 and Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi as EV2, began at 13:11 UTC on Friday, April 28. AlNeyadi also became the first Emirati, the first Arab, and the first citizen of a Middle Eastern country to conduct an EVA outside of a spacecraft. The pair finished their EVA seven hours and one minute after exiting the ISS.
Orbex breaks ground on Sutherland Spaceport as UK prepares to enter domestic launch market
Original Publication Date: 2023-05-04 23:01
Sutherland Spaceport in Scotland will be the UK mainland’s first vertical launch site. The site will be the home spaceport of Forres-based rocket and launch services company, Orbex. Orbex will use the site to launch up to 12 orbital rockets per year for the deployment of satellites into orbit.