Relativity Space scrubs first launch attempt
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 00:00
Relativity Space’s first launch countdown aborted about a minute before liftoff. The startup aerospace company plans to try again Saturday. The Terran 1 rocket could become the first methane-fueled launcher to reach orbit. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to take off Thursday afternoon.
U.S. intelligence report: China’s commercial space sector to become global competitor by 2030
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-09 00:23
China is “steadily progressing toward its goal of becoming a world-class space leader,” report says. Space activities are designed to advance China’s global standing, report says. China’s commercial space sector “is growing quickly and is on pace to become a major global competitor by 2030,” it says.
U.S. Space Force game plan: Compete with China, prevent shooting war in orbit
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 17:45
U.S. Space Force chief talks about security challenges in the space domain. China is developing "remarkable capabilities on orbit," He says. U.S. Relies on satellites to project power across the planet, Lt. Gen. John Shaw says. Shaw: "We have to completely rethink how we do our space architectures"
Starfish Space raises $14 million for in-orbit servicers
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 17:01
Starfish Space has raised $14 million for its planned satellite life extension and debris removal service. Insurance giant Munich Re’s venture capital arm led the funding round. The Kent, Washington-based startup founded by former Blue Origin and NASA engineers in 2019. This summer, SpaceX plans to launch a microwave-sized demonstrator for Starfish.
Shield Capital adds retired general Goldfein to national security advisory board
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 15:13
David Goldfein was chief of staff of the Air Force from 2016 to 2020. Goldfein will advise investors and entrepreneurs trying to match commercial technologies with national security needs. San Francisco-based Shield Capital has a portfolio of companies focused on artificial intelligence, autonomy, cybersecurity and space.
ISS dodges commercial imaging satellite
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 13:22
NASA says spacecraft fired its thrusters for a little more than six minutes. The maneuver, lasting 375.8 seconds, changed the station’s velocity by 0.7 meters per second. Satellogic says it received a conjunction data message, or CDM, from the 18 th Space Defense Squadron.
SpaceX Falcon 9 prepped and ready to push the next OneWeb set of satellites to LEO – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 00:00
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, March 9 at 2:13 p.m. ET (19:13 UTC) for Falcon 9’s launch of the the OneWeb Launch 17 mission to LEO. A live webcast of this mission will start about 15 minutes prior to liftoff. If needed, there is a backup opportunity available on Friday, March 10 at 2:08 p.m.
BlackSky wins million$$$ contract for tactical GEOINT service – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 00:00
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has won a $150+ million competitive contract to provide advanced, space-based, tactical GEOINT-as-a-service to an international ministry of defense customer. This multi-year contract for advanced, subscription-based, GEOINT- as-a-services is aligned with the deployment of Blacksky’s next-generation constellation.
L3Harris to provide deployable reflector antennas for Maxar’s satellites – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 00:00
L3Harris Technologies announced a contract from Maxar Technologies to design and build reflector antennas for two geostationary communication satellites. The two nine-meter unfurlable mesh reflector antennas will provide high-power signals and improved service quality across the satellites’ coverage areas.
Gilat disrupts the community with Endurance, a new line of “Always-On” SSPA products – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2023-03-08 00:00
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. Launches “Endurance,’ a new line of high-power, “always-on” solid state power amplifier (SSPA) products. Wavestream’s Endurance product line is positioned to lead the industry in linear power with its gateway-ready, fully redundant design.
NASA-ISRO Science Instruments Arrive in India Ahead of 2024 Launch
NISAR will observe nearly all of Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, measuring movements in extremely fine detail. It will also survey forests and agricultural regions to help scientists understand carbon exchange between plants and the atmosphere. NISAR’s payload will be the most advanced radar system ever launched as part of a NASA science mission.
NASA and Italian Space Agency Join Forces on Air Pollution Mission
NASA and the Italian space agency Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) are partnering to build and launch the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) mission. MAIA will investigate the health impacts of tiny airborne particles polluting some of the world’s most populous cities.