French SSA startup Aldoria raises $10.9 million
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-23 08:16
Aldoria, a company previously known as Share My Space, raised $10.9 million. The company currently operates a network of six optical telescopes that track objects in orbit. The funding will be used in part to expand that network to 12 telescopes by 2025. The company also used the funding round to change its name from Share My Space.
Industry report calls for greater use of AI to extract untapped value from satellite data
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 23:02
Earth observation satellites are capturing huge amounts of data to monitor environmental and economic change. Companies in this industry rely heavily on defense and intelligence government contracts. There is a burgeoning demand for data related to climate and sustainability, precision agriculture, and ESG reporting requirements. Companies are stepping up outreach efforts to educate corporations, nonprofits and other groups.
Video Replay – Not Invisible Anymore: How satellites monitor atmospheric methane
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 22:57
International experts see cutting methane emissions as a key to slowing climate change. A growing fleet of government and commercial satellites are revealing methane leaks around the world. We’ll discuss the importance of these observations and campaigns to monitor methane with experts from NASA, NOAA, Carbon Mapper, GHGSat and MethaneSAT.
The White House versus the private sector in space
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 15:30
The White House National Space Council’s “ Novel Space Activities Authorization and Supervision Framework” is more a leash than a catalyst for the creative economic expansion of the newspace revolution now underway. The document defines this term as referring to anything “not directly regulated under the current U.S. Regulatory regime.” It is one thing to honor international obligations, another to create a byzantine bureaucratic maze.
Space race 2024: A critical year ahead for U.S. Space Force
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 15:00
The U.S. Space Force enters its fifth year amid heightened threats to the nation’s space assets, rising geopolitical tensions and technological challenges. Chief of space operations Gen. Chance Saltzman set the tone for the year ahead in a keynote speech at the service’s first annual conference in December.
Japan’s moon lander forced to power down but may yet be revived
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 14:09
Japan's SLIM lander forced to power down on the moon with its solar cells unable to catch sunlight. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) confirmed the successful landing just under two hours later. Two small rovers, Lunar Excursion Vehicle 1 and 2 (LEV-1 and 2) were successfully deployed.
Sierra Space tests full-scale inflatable module
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 13:00
Sierra Space has successfully tested a full-scale version of an inflatable module. The company is developing the module for commercial space stations. The module burst at a pressure of 77 pounds per square inch (psi) The module will have a volume of 300 cubic meters, about one third of the International Space Station.
UPDATE #3: SpaceX holding steady to Tuesday for launch of 22 smallsat Starlinks – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 00:00
SpaceX is still targeting Tuesday, January 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit. An attempt at a launch on Sunday night was called off due to poor conditions making it the fifth delay. A live webcast of this mission will begin on X @SpaceX about five minutes prior to liftoff. There may be a sonic boom approximately eight minutes after launch.
Iran satellite launch raises concern over missile program – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 00:00
Iran announced Saturday a ‘new record’ satellite launch as part of its space program. Many fear it could be a cover for the regime to expand it ballistic missile program. Iran insists that its satellite launches are for communications purposes, but many see the regime’s ‘space program’ as part of its missile program.
Innoflight delivers initial engineering development units to L3Harris for SDA Tranche T1TL – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 00:00
Innoflight is on contract with L3Harris for the delivery of key avionics for the SDA T1 Tracking Layer program. Innoflight recently delivered mesh network encryption/decryption, networking and precision timing EDUs and precision timing Flight Units to L3Harris.
Advanced future military laser achieves UK first – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 00:00
DragonFire laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) achieved the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets. Laser-directed energy weapons can engage targets at the speed of light, and use an intense beam of light to cut through the target. Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour.
Pixxel to launch six home-built hyper-spectral Fireflies satellites in June – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2024-01-22 00:00
Pixxel recently launched its satellite manufacturing unit, Mega Pixxel, in Bengaluru. The facility can assemble, integrate and test 40 satellites weighing 100 kilograms every year. Pixxel aims to launch six 100-kilogram satellites, named Fireflies, by June.
Hubble Observes an Askew Galaxy Coaxing Star Formation from its Partner
Arp 300 consists of two interacting galaxies, UGC 05028 (the smaller face-on spiral galaxy) and UGC 05029 (the larger face-on spiral). Likely due to its gravitational dance with its larger partner, U GC 05028 has an asymmetric, irregular structure.
Hubble Views a Galactic Supernova Site
Even after supernovae fade to non-observable levels, it is still interesting to study the environments where they occurred. Such studies can provide astronomers with valuable information. Follow-up studies after supernovae also improve our understanding of the immediate aftermath of such events.
Episode 4: A Lifetime on Mars: The Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity
This week's episode of the podcast is the fourth in a series of tracks following the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. NASA engineers fine-tuned the landing instructions for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers as they approached Mars in January 2004, using weather observations of the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey satellites. Spirit entered the hazy Martian air space on January 3rd, 2004.