SpaceX launches ninth dedicated rideshare mission
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-11 21:32
SpaceX launched more than 100 satellites in the ninth in a series of dedicated smallsat rideshare missions. Transporter-9 carried 90 payloads deployed over the course of half an hour, starting about 55 minutes after liftoff. The Transporter missions have elicited strong reactions across the commercial space industry.
Transportation Department official suggests industry help pay for FAA commercial space office
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-11 00:07
FAA deputy secretary of transportation says industry should help fund agency. Polly Trottenberg spoke at a virtual meeting of the FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee. Trottenberg all but rejected calls from industry to sharply increase the budget of the office. One factor driving industry’s desire to increase FAA’s budget is a new licensing regime.
Avanti in LEO talks to become a multi-orbit connectivity provider
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-10 20:41
Avanti Communications is in talks to procure capacity from a low Earth orbit (LEO) operator. The British regional geostationary satellite operator wants to transform into a provider of multi-orbit broadband services. Avanti has a fleet of five geostationary satellites, giving it Ka-band broadband coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Qualcomm ends partnership for connecting Android phones to Iridium satellites
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-10 19:08
Iridium announced Nov. 9 that no smartphone makers have included Qualcomm’s enabling technology. Iridium and Qualcomm had expected smartphones to be released in the second half of 2023. Qualcomm said in an emailed statement that smartphone manufacturers prefer a standards-based approach.
SpaceNews 2023 Icon Awards honorees: Commercial Space Achievement of the Year
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-10 16:29
Commercial space is no longer the sole domain of satellite telecommunications. Nearly every sector of the space enterprise is opening up to commercial providers. Intelsat and SES are due a combined $7 billion windfall for returning publicly owned C-band to the FCC. Tickets are on sale now for the SpaceNews 2023 Icon Awards.
Bulgaria signs Artemis Accords
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-10 12:55
Bulgaria is the 32nd country to sign the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. The Accords outline principles for cooperation in space exploration. Bulgaria is the third country to sign the Accords in recent weeks. The Netherlands signed on during a Nov. 1 ceremony.
SpaceX Transporter 9 rideshare features new OTV from Tom Mueller’s Impulse Space
Original Publication Date: 2023-11-11 15:02
SpaceX launched the Transporter-9 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The rocket lifted off at 10:49 AM PST (18:49 UTC) on Saturday, Nov. 11. The booster used for this flight was B1071-12, the same booster used for the previous Transporter flight. This was the 82nd Falcon mission of the year for SpaceX.