Exotrail is organizing the redeployment of the firm’s governing bodies to support the company’s new phase of expansion. As such, Jean-Luc Maria, co-founder and former CTO, succeeds David Henri as Chairman and CEO. David Henri takes on the functions of co-founder and Chief Product Officer in charge of the product marketing and strategy. Nicolas Heitz […]
Propulsion
Aliena Signs Contract With Orbital Astronautics For ORB-12 Strider Mission
Aliena PTE Ltd. (Aliena), a satellite propulsion provider, has signed a contract with Orbital Astronautics Ltd. (OrbAstro), a satellite and on-orbit service provider, to fly its AA Multi-modal, all-electric, AOCS propulsion system onboard an OrbAstro ORB-12 (12U-class satellite) scheduled for launch in September 2022. The ORB-12 Strider mission will host a variety of payloads for […]
Phase Four Developing Iodine-Based RF Plasma Propulsion + Partners With AFRL
Phase Four is partnering with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and working closely with NASA to help advance the state of the art in iodine electric propulsion. Iodine propellant has been on the roadmap of plasma propulsion around the world for a number of years. Studies by NASA Glenn Research Center affirmed that […]
One Hundred Percent Success For SpaceFlight’s SXRS-5 Mission
During the 36th Space Symposium, Spaceflight Inc. announced the company had achieved 100% mission success for both its primary and secondary missions for SXRS-5, including the commissioning and successful firing of Astra’s Apollo Fusion electric propulsion system to enable orbital transfers. The mission, which launched on June 30 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-2 mission from Cape Canaveral, […]
Eaton Increases Satellite Payload Capacity With Their New VITA Propulsion Feed System
Power management company Eaton has announced that the firm’s newly acquired Mission Systems business successfully completed qualification testing for the aerospace industry’s first Valve in Tank Assembly (VITA) propulsion feed system. As the first satellite electric propulsion solution that integrates valves inside the propellant tank, the VITA eliminates the need for a traditional feed system […]
AuroraSat-1 From Aurora Propulsion Technologies To Be Launched By Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab will launch a satellite to test space junk removal technologies for Aurora Propulsion Technologies, a Finnish company dedicated to the sustainable use of space. Lifting-off from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula as part of a rideshare mission scheduled in Q4, 2021, Electron will deploy AuroraSat-1 to LEO in a demonstration […]
MoU Signed Between T4i + Spacety Luxembourg For Electric Propulsion + Mission Flight Opportunities
T4i and Spacety Luxembourg have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set the framework for several intended collaborations regarding Electric Propulsion and flight opportunities. T4i (Technology for Propulsion and Innovation) is an Italian rocket company that specializes in in-space and access-to-space propulsion systems, tailored for smallsats, offering an array of technologies that match the […]
Ad Astra’s VASIMR Plasma Rocket Champions High Power Endurance Test
Ad Astra Rocket Company’s VASIMR® VX-200SS Plasma Rocket has completed 88 hours of continuous operation at 80 kW at the company’s Texas laboratory near Houston. In doing so, the company has established a new high-power world endurance record in electric propulsion. The test also demonstrated the maturity of the VASIMR® engine technology as a competitive […]
Accion Systems Close Series C Funding To The Tune Of $42 Million
Accion Systems has announced $42 million in Series C funding led by an affiliate of Tracker Capital Management, LLC (“Tracker Capital”) — this investment brings Accion Systems’ valuation to $83.5 million and Tracker Capital has acquired a majority stake in the company. The funding will accelerate the development of Accion’s next-generation propulsion system and scale […]
Student Rocket Launch Event Sponsored By ULA + Ball Aerospace Upcoming…
United Launch Alliance (ULA) has selected K-12 student payloads to launch aboard three intern-built sport rockets at this summer’s Student Rocket Launch. ULA intern volunteers design, build and launch the three, 19-foot-tall, high-power, sport rockets – named Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato – while volunteer interns from Ball Aerospace and K-12 students design and build payloads […]