Elon Musk’s commercial space launch company, SpaceX, may have deployed the largest fully unmanned commercial vessel in operation today. The 10,000 dwt, 300-foot deck barge Marmac 302 was recently converted at Bollinger’s Port Fourchon yard and renamed A Shortfall of Gravitas. She been outfitted with a wider deck and a set of four thruster pods, enabling her to hold […]
LEO
Satcube Awarded Grant To Develop New, Low Cost, LEO Satellite Terminal
Swedish public innovation agency, Vinnova, has awarded an SEK 4 million development grant to a Swedish project group aimed at boosting development of a next generation, low-cost, LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite terminal — the award is part of Vinnova’s Electronic components & systems — research and innovation projects 2021. The project group, led by […]
UPDATE: Astra Will Acquire Apollo Fusion
According to Astra‘s Chief Engineer, Mr. Benjamin Lyon, the company is definitely acquiring Apollo Fusion. In a statement on the firm’s infosite, he noted the following… “This acquisition enables Astra to efficiently deliver and operate throughout our solar system, and brings incredible technology and talent into our team. “So, what is this all really about? […]
Gilat’s Gateway SSPAs Garner Millions$$$ In Orders For LEO Constellations
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (Nasdaq: GILT, TASE: GILT) has received orders of more than $4 million for support of gateways of LEO constellations. Gilat’s subsidiary, Wavestream, was selected as the vendor of choice to supply Gateway Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs) to a leading satellite operator and the orders were received as part of the […]
The “Go Ahead” Given By ESA For The Second Scout Satellite Mission — HydroGNSS
Following the selection of the first Scout satellite mission last December, ESA has also given the greenlight to start negotiations with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. in the UK to lead the development of HydroGNSS. Complementing ESA’s series of Earth Explorer research missions, Scout missions are a new element in ESA’s Earth Observation FutureEO Program. The […]
HawkEye 360 Secures Additional Funding
HawkEye 360 Inc. has secured $55 million in additional funding, bringing the total raised by the firm to more than $155 million — the Series C round was led by NightDragon and included further investment from existing investors Advance, Razor’s Edge Ventures, Shield Capital, Dorilton Ventures, Adage Capital, and Esri International. Organizations and governments are […]
OHB Sweden AB Signs Rocket Factory Augsburg AG To A Dedicated Launch Contract
OHB Sweden AB, subsidiary of space and technology group OHB SE, has signed a contract for a dedicated launch with Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) for an upcoming mission that is scheduled for mid-2024. OHB Sweden is a Swedish provider of space systems and develops, builds, tests and operates satellites for different kinds of space […]
Navigation Receiver From RUAG Space Aboard KARI’s EO Smallsat Now On-Orbit
On March 20, 2021, an EO satellite from South Korea’s space agency, KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute), was delivered to orbit — the CAS-500-1 smallsat will capture high-resolution pictures of the Earth. The highly precise, single frequency, LEO GNSS receiver, from the new generation of the GNSS receiver family from RUAG Space, will determine the […]
UPDATE: BlackSky Signs Rocket Lab For 9 Smallsat Launches, Plus, BlackSky-7’s 1st Images…
BlackSky, who recently announced a planned business combination with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SFTW), has secured five Rocket Lab missions to deploy nine satellites between March and the end of 2021. The first of these launches occurred on March 22, 2021. BlackSky is accelerating the deployment of their Gen-2 constellation of high-revisit, high-resolution imaging […]
SpaceLink Establishes New HQ Near D.C. As They Build Their MEO / LEO / Ground Relay Network
SpaceLink has established the company headquarters office in Tysons Corner, Virginia, near Washington, DC. The company is building a space relay network in MEO to provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth communications between customers’ LEO spacecraft and the ground. The SpaceLink relay network is designed to pick up where the U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System […]