The CRISTAL satellite will feature, for the first-time, a dual-frequency Ku/Ka-band radar altimeter to measure and monitor sea-ice thickness and overlying snow depth. Thales Alenia Space, the joint company between Thales and Leonardo, signed an amendment to the CRISTAL contract with Airbus Defence and Space, prime contractor for the satellite. The amendment provides for the […]
Climate
Paper or plastic bag at checkout? NanoAvionics sells their first cubesat already operating in LEO
That’s not what happens when a satellite is purchased but this small NanoAvionics cubesat is their first satellite sold already operating in Low Earth Orbit, which provides data on climate change, hidden resources, agricultural improvement and other valuable processes on Earth. Mission integrator and bus manufacturer NanoAvionics has sold, for the first time, one of […]
The Airbus Copernicus CRISTAL Mission Satellite Built For The ESA Successfully Passes The PDR
The Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimetry mission CRISTAL is clearly on track. Following an intensive review process, the European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that the preliminary design of the satellite meets all system requirements. CRISTAL will carry an advanced, multi-frequency altimeter that will measure sea ice thickness and ice sheet elevations – […]
NOAA Is Predicting A Below-Normal 2022 Central Pacific Hurricane Season
There is a 60% chance of below-normal tropical cyclone activity during the Central Pacific hurricane season this year, according to NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, divisions of the National Weather Service — the outlook also indicates a 30% chance for near-normal activity and only a 10% chance of an above-normal […]
Finnish Startup Kuva Space’s Most Extensive Hyperspectral Satellite Constellation Will Fight Climate Change
Hyperspectral satellite technologies enable environmentally responsible decision-making … Finnish startup Kuva Space fights climate change with their plans for the world’s most extensive hyperspectral satellite constellation. The following is an explanation/announcement from Kuva Space: Humankind faces tough challenges: we need to improve food security and productivity while reducing the associated climate risks. This is possible […]
AAC Clyde Space’s ESA Funding Enables Development Of AI Capability
Onboard AI can also improve satellites’ performance beyond Earth observation applications by optimizing data links and upgrading constellation control and navigation… AAC Clyde Space’s subsidiary, AAC Hyperion, has acquired a contract to develop an onboard artificial intelligence (AI) capability for small satellites in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR). The European Space Agency […]
Spire Global Awarded NOAA Contract
Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, today announced that it has been awarded as part of Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Delivery Order 4 of the contract issued by the National Oceanographic and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), for commercially available space-based radio occultation (RO) data for use in […]
GeoOptics Award of NOAA Data Order
GeoOptics announced it has received the inaugural order to provide commercial radio occultation data for NOAA’s operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. GeoOptics will begin near-real-time data deliveries in March, with 1300 occultations per day meeting NOAA’s stringent data quality, latency and reliability requirements. “With strong support from Congress, NOAA has developed pioneering programs to […]
Spaceport Cornwall’s Sustainability Steering Group’s Impact Report And Action Plan
Spaceport Cornwall is set to deliver the first ever launch from the UK soil this summer, creating a service for small satellites in the UK. In the lead up to this historic moment, they are set to release their ‘Sustainability Impact Report and Action Plan’ — the first of its kind to be published by […]
Tomorrow.io Enters Merger Agreement With SPAC Firm Pine Technology Acquisition Corp.
The Tomorrow Companies Inc. (“Tomorrow.io”) and SPAC company Pine Technology Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: PTOC, PTOCW, PTOCU) have announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that would result in Tomorrow.io becoming a public company. Upon closing of the business combination, the newly combined company will operate as Tomorrow.io and trade on Nasdaq under the […]