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Airbus awarded Bundeswehr contract for MILSATCOM system + Sentinel-2C on the move

Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, has awarded Airbus the SATCOMBw 3 prime contract for the next generation, secure, military satellite system that includes geostationary satellites as well as ground segment, launch and operation services for 15 years. The spacecraft are due to be deployed before the end of the decade and the contract value amounts to 2.1 billion euros.

Artistic rendition of the SATCOMBw 3 satellite on-orbit, courtesy of Airbus.

The contract covers the design, integration, test and on-orbit delivery of two, new, Airbus built ,military GEO telecommunications satellites that are the successor communications satellites to COMSATBw 1B and 2B. The contract also includes upgrading of the existing ground segment to operate the new satellites as well as operational services for 15 years, with the possibility of extension.

The new generation Airbus satellites are based on the Eurostar Neo platform and will weigh around 6 metric tons. They will have extensive capabilities to keep pace with the rapid changes in digitization and the constantly increasing volume of data transfer required. They will also feature the latest state of the art technologies. 

Photo of a Eurostar Neo platform, courtesy of Airbus.

A key element of the overall contract is an in-depth German value chain involving partners such as Bremen-based OHB and numerous smaller German companies. Central elements including the guidance and integration of the advanced payloads, the solar arrays and overall operation of the spacecraft will be from Germany. 

The Bundeswehr’s satellite communications system (SATCOMBw) is indispensable for autonomous and independently deployable communications and information services. It ensures the global command and information capability of the German armed forces, such as operational contingents and special forces. The SATCOMBw 3 project also aims to ensure that NATO’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitments in this area will continue to be met in the future. With SATCOMBw 3, the Bundeswehr is responding to increased user requirements.

Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said, “After the success of the SATCOMBw Stage 2 program, which we have been delivering since 2009, this latest contract reinforces our strategic partnership with the Bundeswehr, providing them with a greatly enhanced secure milsatcom capability that is future proofed into the 2040s. At a time when Western democracies are challenged and where the European institutional space ecosystem is struggling, we are excited and grateful to develop and build this leading-edge system. Long term partnerships are crucial to guaranteeing essential sovereignty and capability, and protecting our armed forces in the increasingly unstable geo-political environment.”

Airbus built Copernicus Sentinel-2C climate satellite heading for launch site

Spacecraft to reach launch site on board sail-assisted Canopée ship. Photo courtesy of Airbus.

After road transport from Airbus in Friedrichshafen to Bremen, Germany, on July 2nd, the Airbus-built Sentinel-2C satellite, the third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, is about to be shipped to the European spaceport in French Guiana.

Artistic rendition of the Sentinel-2C on-orbit.

The container has been loaded onto the iconic Canopée, the first sail-assisted cargo ship designed specifically to transport Ariane 6 rocket components from European ports to the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, where it will arrive in approximately two weeks.

Photo of launch from the Guiana Space Center, courtesy of Arianespace.

Data collected by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites is being used to monitor land use and change, soil sealing, land management, agriculture, forestry, natural disasters (floods, forest fires, landslides, volcanic eruptions and erosion) and to support humanitarian aid missions. Environmental monitoring, which provides information on the pollution of lakes and coastal waters, is also part of these activities, as is the monitoring of glaciers, ice and snow.

The Sentinel-2 mission contributes to the management of food security by providing information for the agricultural sector. Copernicus Sentinel-2, with its multispectral instrument, is the first optical Earth Observation (EO) mission of its kind to include three bands in the “red edge“, which provide key information on vegetation conditions. The satellite is designed to provide images that can be used to distinguish between different crop types, as well as data on numerous plant indices such as leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content and leaf water content – all of which are essential for accurately monitoring plant growth.

Sentinel-2C, like its predecessors Sentinel-2A and -2B, will provide “color vision” for Copernicus, the EO component of the EU Space Program, generating optical images from the visible to the shortwave infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. From an altitude of 786 kilometers, the 1.1 ton ‘C’ satellite will provide continuous imaging in 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10, 20 or 60 meters and a uniquely large swath width of 290 kilometres. The optical design of the MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) has been optimised to provide state-of-the-art image data quality over its very wide field of view, to be transmitted via Airbus’ laser-based SpaceDataHighway (EDRS).

SpaceDataHighway™ (SDH) is a public-private partnership between ESA (European Space Agency) and Airbus. The SpaceDataHighway service uses the Airbus-owned and operated European Data Relay System (EDRS) laser communication infrastructure to provide this high bandwidth capability for both LEO satellites and airborne platforms.

The telescope structure and mirrors are made of Silicon Carbide, a material pioneered by Airbus to provide very high optical stability and minimize thermo-elastic deformation, resulting in excellent geometric image quality. This is unprecedented in this category of optical imagers. Each Sentinel-2 satellite collects 1.5 terabytes per day after on-board compression. 

The Sentinel-2 mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites, Sentinel-2A (launched in 2015) and Sentinel-2B (launched in 2017), flying in the same orbit but 180° apart to optimize coverage and revisit time. The satellites orbit the Earth every 100 minutes, covering all land surfaces, large islands, inland and coastal waters every five days. Once in orbit, Sentinel-2C will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, while Sentinel-2D will later replace Sentinel-2B to ensure continuity of data beyond 2035.

The Sentinel-2 mission has been made possible through close cooperation among the European Commission, ESA, industry, service providers and data users. Some 60 companies have been involved in its development, led by Airbus Defence and Space in Germany.

Airbus has played a key role in building the satellites and instruments for Copernicus since the program began in 1998, contributing its environmental expertise to all six Sentinel missions and the new next-generation Copernicus satellites: CRISTAL, LSTM and ROSE-L.

The Sentinel satellites are part of Copernicus, the EO component of the EU Space Program, managed by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA). The Copernicus Sentinels provide remote sensing data of the Earth, providing key operational services related to the environment and security.

Pre-launch activities will be carried out in Kourou to prepare Copernicus Sentinel-2C for launch on the final Vega rocket operated by Arianespace in September.

Copernicus Sentinel-2C - Copyright Airbus
Copernicus Sentinel-2C before loading into its container.
Photo is courtesy of Airbus.

“About half of the data used to assess and monitor the impact of climate change on Earth is actually delivered by satellites,” said Marc Steckling, Head of Earth Observation, Science and Exploration at Airbus. “The Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites have provided valuable climate information to scientists since 2015 and Sentinel-2C will ensure continuity. Additionally, they have also made monitoring marine litter from space a reality, a significant achievement considering how critical this issue has become.”

SpaceX has two Monday launches from each coast—1st is Türksat 6A comsat then Starlink smallsats

We use our competencies in design and production, our infrastructure and human resources in the field of observation satellites and fuse them with our corporate culture to produce communication satellites indigenously.

As usual SpaceX is busy and on Monday has two launches from each coast. If on schedule Falcon 9 will launch Türksat 6A communications satellite for the Turkish operator Türksat first from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, from 5:20-9:43 p.m. EDT.

Türksat 6A is the first geostationary communications satellite to be built in Turkey, with development led by TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute and Turkish Aerospace Industries. It will operate at the 42° East orbital position providing services to customers in Turkey, as well as in Europe, Northern coast of Africa, Middle East, India and Indonesia. Delayed from 2nd Quarter 2023 and March 2024, and launch moved up from July 9.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 88°F, light rain, 100% cloud cover, a wind speed of 13mph and 0.29in of rain.

Then the Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit at 7:46 p.m. PDT (10:46 p.m. EDT, 0246 UTC) from SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

Firefly’s July 3rd sendoff of NASA’s ELaNa 43 mission “provides a path to space for educational small satellite missions”

Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket leaves a glowing trail above the skies of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 3, 2024. Firefly Aerospace/Trevor Mahlmann

As part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, Firefly Aerospace launched eight small satellites on July 3 aboard the company’s Alpha rocket. Named “Noise of Summer,” the rocket successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:04 p.m.PDT.

The CubeSat missions were designed by universities and NASA centers and cover science that includes climate studies, satellite technology development, and educational outreach to students.

Firefly Aerospace completed its Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract with this launch. The agency’s venture-class contracts offer launch opportunities for new providers, helping grow the commercial launch industry and leading to cost-effective competition for future NASA missions.

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative provides a low-cost way for universities, non-profits, science centers, and other researchers to conduct science and technology demonstrations in space.

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative ELaNa 43 mission scrubbed twice by Firefly Aerospace and now set for July 2nd

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A Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i) CubeSat awaits integration at Firefly’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Thursday, June 6, 2024. SOC-i, along with several other CubeSats, will launch to space on an Alpha rocket during NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) 43 mission as part of the agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative and Firefly’s Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract.
NASA

NASA is readying for the launch of several small satellites to space, built with the help of students, educators, and researchers from across the country, as part of the agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. Originally scheduled for Monday night there was a ground systems issue in which mission countdown reached T-8 seconds when the first abort call came through. It was described as a “ground support issue.” “The team has identified the solution and is working quickly to meet our next launch window on July 2nd,” Firefly wrote on social media.

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 2 (SLC-2) at Vandenberg Space Force Base is now targeting Tuesday, July 2, at 9:03 p.m. PDT (12:03 a.m. EDT, 0403 UTC).

Launch teams made the call to recycle to T-19 minutes and aimed for the end of the 30-minute launch window at 9:33 p.m. PDT however, at T-10 minutes and 12 seconds, a second abort call was made and Firefly scrubbed the launch attempt.

The ELaNa 43 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 43) mission includes eight CubeSats flying on Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket for its “Noise of Summer” launch from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) is an ongoing partnership between the agency, educational institutions, and nonprofits, providing a path to space for educational small satellite missions. For the ELaNa 43 mission, each satellite is stored in a CubeSat dispenser on the Firefly rocket and deployed once it reaches sun-synchronous or nearly polar orbit around Earth.

CubeSats are built using standardized units, with one unit, or 1U, measuring about 10 centimeters in length, width, and height. This standardization in size and form allows universities and other researchers to develop cost-effective science investigations and technology demonstrations.

Read more about the small satellites launching on ELaNa 43:

CatSat – University of Arizona, Tucson

CatSat, a 6U CubeSat with a deployable antenna inside a Mylar balloon, will test high-speed communications. Once the CatSat reaches orbit, it will inflate to transmit high-definition Earth photos to ground stations at 50 megabits per second, more than five times faster than typical home internet speeds.

The CatSat design inspiration came to Chris Walker after covering a pot of pudding with plastic wrap. The CatSat principal investigator and professor of Astronomy at University of Arizona noticed the image of an overhanging light bulb created by reflections off the concave plastic wrap on the pot.

“This observation eventually led to the Large Balloon Reflector, an inflatable technology that creates large collecting apertures that weigh a fraction of today’s deployable antennas,” said Walker. The Large Balloon Reflector was an early-stage study developed through NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program.

KUbeSat-1 – University of Kansas, Lawrence

The KUbeSat-1, a 3U CubeSat, will use a new method to measure the energy and type of primary cosmic rays hitting the Earth, which is traditionally done on Earth. The second payload, the High-Altitude Calibration will measure very high frequency signals generated by cosmic interactions with the atmosphere. KUbeSat-1 is Kansas’ first small satellite to launch under NASA’s CSLI.

MESAT-1 – University of Maine, Orono

MESAT-1, a 3U CubeSat, will study local temperatures across city and rural areas to determine phytoplankton concentration in bodies of water to help predict algal blooms.  MESAT-1 is Maine’s first small satellite to launch under NASA’s CSLI.

R5-S4, R5-S2-2.0 ­­­­­- NASA’s Johnson Space Center

R5-S4 and R5-S2-2.0, both 6U CubeSats, will be the first R5 spacecraft launched to orbit to test a new, lean spacecraft build. The team will monitor how each part of the spacecraft performs, including the computer, software, radio, propulsion system, sensors, and cameras in low Earth orbit.

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NASA and Firefly Aerospace engineers review the integration plan for the agency’s CubeSat R5 Spacecraft 4 (R5-S4) at Firefly Aerospace’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
NASA/Jacob Nunez-Kearny

“In the near term, R5 hopes to demonstrate new processes that allows for faster and cheaper development of high-performance CubeSats,” said Sam Pedrotty, R5 project manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The cost and schedule improvements will allow R5 to provide higher-risk ride options to low-Technology Readiness Levels payloads so more can be demonstrated on-orbit.”

Serenity – Teachers in Space

Serenity, a 3U CubeSat equipped with data sensors and a camera, will communicate with students on Earth through amateur radio signals and send back images. Teachers in Space launches satellites as educational experiments to stimulate interest in space science, technology, engineering, and math among students in North America.

SOC-i – University of Washington, Seattle

Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i), a 2U CubeSat, is a technology demonstration mission of attitude control technology used to maintain its orientation in relation to the Earth, Sun, or other body. This mission will test an algorithm to support autonomous operations with constrained attitude guidance maneuvers computed in real-time aboard the spacecraft. SOC-i will autonomously rotate its camera to capture images.

TechEdSat-11 (TES-11) – NASA’s Ames Research Center, California’s Silicon Valley

TES-11, a 6U CubeSat, is a collaborative effort between NASA researchers and students to evaluate technologies for use in small satellites. It’s part of ongoing experiments to evaluate new technologies in communications, a radiation sensor suite, and experimental solar panels, as well as to find ways to reduce the time to de-orbit.

NASA awarded Firefly Aerospace a fixed-price contract to fly small satellites to space under a Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract in 2020. NASA certified Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket as a Category 1 in May, which authorized its use during missions with high risk tolerance.

NASA’s Launch Services Program is responsible for launching rockets delivering spacecraft that observe Earth, visit other planets, and explore the universe.

July 3rd Boeing’s Starliner report, Starliner testing continues in space and on the ground, “We really want to understand the thruster and how we use it in flight”

Starliner is seen on the International Space Station over Houston, home to Starliner mission control and astronaut training. (NASA photo)

July 3rd, Starliner crew enters fourth week on orbit while teams prepare for ground testing

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams climbed into Starliner at the International Space Station and worked with Boeing flight controllers and engineers on Tuesday, July 2, during power up of the spacecraft.

The teams on-console in NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston and Boeing’s Mission Control Center at Kennedy Space Center checked out various systems of the spacecraft with the crew, including repressurizing the propellant manifolds. They also conducted mission data loads, or MDLs, which are files for the spacecraft’s computer to understand current inertial and relative navigation states, Earth rotation, and thermal conditioning on thrusters used during Starliner’s return, and more.

“We updated some products on board to support the continued docked duration through the month of July and through the higher positive beta periods we are approaching,” said Chloe Mehring, the Starliner flight director who coordinated the power-up actions with Wilmore and Williams. “Starliner is healthy and no anomalies were written against the spacecraft.”

Additional Operational Checkout Capabilities, or OCCs, that were added during Tuesday’s testing included tablet and procedure updates. Camera and tablet batteries were also charged while the spacecraft was fully powered up.

Yesterdays photo is poignant when reviewing the courage necessary to endure the tension of such an incredible mission. Satnews reports
At the last few minutes the astronauts’ nerves are beginning to show. Photo captured on Saturday, June 1, by Satnews from ULA video stream.

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Josh Kutryk, the CAPCOM or capsule communicator, who will fly on Starliner-1 following CFT, was also on console working with the crew. Kutryk updated crew toward end of power up that transfer of the MDLs were successful and all software updates are in a good configuration.

“Good news. Great work. Copy all,” Wilmore replied over the ISS Space-to-Ground loop.

That work took place as teams at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico prepared for Starliner’s Reaction Control System, or RCS, thruster testing. An acceptance test, which is standard for all new thrusters as a quality check and to gather baseline performance data, is starting today, July 3. This thruster was planned for a future Starliner mission.

Beginning next week, teams will run the thruster through similar conditions that Starliner experienced after launch on the way to the space station. The tests will include replicating the phase of the Crew Flight Test from launch to docking. Then tests will be performed to replicate what thrusters will experience from undocking to landing.

“We really want to understand the thruster and how we use it in flight,” said Dan Niedermaier, the lead Boeing engineer for the thruster testing. “We will learn a lot from these thruster firings that will be valuable for the remainder of the Crew Flight Test and future missions.”

Wilmore and Williams have remained busy assisting the space station crew with organizing stowage on orbiting laboratory. Earlier this week, Wilmore disassembled an empty NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer in the Japanese Experiment Module in preparation of upcoming NanoRacks missions. He also prepped and viewed samples for Moon Microscope, a demonstration that allows flight surgeons on Earth to diagnose illnesses and could provide diagnostic capabilities for crews on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Williams conducted some routine orbital plumbing, then audited U.S. stowage items housed inside the Zarya module. Go here to see more work the two performed Tuesday and today.

The Crew Flight Test astronauts will also provide an update on their mission and stay at the ISS during a news conference at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 10. Media interested in participating should RSVP by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, and can learn how here.

By Boeing

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative ELaNa 43 mission scrubbed twice by Firefly Aerospace and now set for July 3rd

A Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i) CubeSat awaits integration at Firefly’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Thursday, June 6, 2024. SOC-i, along with several other CubeSats, will launch to space on an Alpha rocket during NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) 43 mission as part of the agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative and Firefly’s Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract.
NASA

NASA is readying for the launch of several small satellites to space, built with the help of students, educators, and researchers from across the country, as part of the agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. Originally scheduled for Monday night there was a ground systems issue in which mission countdown reached T-8 seconds when the first abort call came through. It was described as a “ground support issue.” “The team has identified the solution and is working quickly to meet our next launch window on July 2nd,” Firefly wrote on social media.

UPDATE: Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 2 (SLC-2) at Vandenberg Space Force Base is now targeting Wednesday, July 3, at 9:04 p.m. PDT (12:03 a.m. EDT, 0403 UTC).

The original launch date of July 2 found the Firefly launch teams making the call to recycle to T-19 minutes and aimed for the end of the 30-minute launch window at 9:33 p.m. PDT; however, at T-10 minutes and 12 seconds, a second abort call was made and Firefly scrubbed the launch attempt.

The ELaNa 43 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 43) mission includes eight CubeSats flying on Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket for its “Noise of Summer” launch from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) is an ongoing partnership between the agency, educational institutions, and nonprofits, providing a path to space for educational small satellite missions. For the ELaNa 43 mission, each satellite is stored in a CubeSat dispenser on the Firefly rocket and deployed once it reaches sun-synchronous or nearly polar orbit around Earth.

CubeSats are built using standardized units, with one unit, or 1U, measuring about 10 centimeters in length, width, and height. This standardization in size and form allows universities and other researchers to develop cost-effective science investigations and technology demonstrations.

Read more about the small satellites launching on ELaNa 43:

CatSat – University of Arizona, Tucson

CatSat, a 6U CubeSat with a deployable antenna inside a Mylar balloon, will test high-speed communications. Once the CatSat reaches orbit, it will inflate to transmit high-definition Earth photos to ground stations at 50 megabits per second, more than five times faster than typical home internet speeds.

The CatSat design inspiration came to Chris Walker after covering a pot of pudding with plastic wrap. The CatSat principal investigator and professor of Astronomy at University of Arizona noticed the image of an overhanging light bulb created by reflections off the concave plastic wrap on the pot.

“This observation eventually led to the Large Balloon Reflector, an inflatable technology that creates large collecting apertures that weigh a fraction of today’s deployable antennas,” said Walker. The Large Balloon Reflector was an early-stage study developed through NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program.

KUbeSat-1 – University of Kansas, Lawrence

The KUbeSat-1, a 3U CubeSat, will use a new method to measure the energy and type of primary cosmic rays hitting the Earth, which is traditionally done on Earth. The second payload, the High-Altitude Calibration will measure very high frequency signals generated by cosmic interactions with the atmosphere. KUbeSat-1 is Kansas’ first small satellite to launch under NASA’s CSLI.

MESAT-1 – University of Maine, Orono

MESAT-1, a 3U CubeSat, will study local temperatures across city and rural areas to determine phytoplankton concentration in bodies of water to help predict algal blooms.  MESAT-1 is Maine’s first small satellite to launch under NASA’s CSLI.

R5-S4, R5-S2-2.0 ­­­­­- NASA’s Johnson Space Center

R5-S4 and R5-S2-2.0, both 6U CubeSats, will be the first R5 spacecraft launched to orbit to test a new, lean spacecraft build. The team will monitor how each part of the spacecraft performs, including the computer, software, radio, propulsion system, sensors, and cameras in low Earth orbit.

NASA and Firefly Aerospace engineers review the integration plan for the agency’s CubeSat R5 Spacecraft 4 (R5-S4) at Firefly Aerospace’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
NASA/Jacob Nunez-Kearny

“In the near term, R5 hopes to demonstrate new processes that allows for faster and cheaper development of high-performance CubeSats,” said Sam Pedrotty, R5 project manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The cost and schedule improvements will allow R5 to provide higher-risk ride options to low-Technology Readiness Levels payloads so more can be demonstrated on-orbit.”

Serenity – Teachers in Space

Serenity, a 3U CubeSat equipped with data sensors and a camera, will communicate with students on Earth through amateur radio signals and send back images. Teachers in Space launches satellites as educational experiments to stimulate interest in space science, technology, engineering, and math among students in North America.

SOC-i – University of Washington, Seattle

Satellite for Optimal Control and Imaging (SOC-i), a 2U CubeSat, is a technology demonstration mission of attitude control technology used to maintain its orientation in relation to the Earth, Sun, or other body. This mission will test an algorithm to support autonomous operations with constrained attitude guidance maneuvers computed in real-time aboard the spacecraft. SOC-i will autonomously rotate its camera to capture images.

TechEdSat-11 (TES-11) – NASA’s Ames Research Center, California’s Silicon Valley

TES-11, a 6U CubeSat, is a collaborative effort between NASA researchers and students to evaluate technologies for use in small satellites. It’s part of ongoing experiments to evaluate new technologies in communications, a radiation sensor suite, and experimental solar panels, as well as to find ways to reduce the time to de-orbit.

NASA awarded Firefly Aerospace a fixed-price contract to fly small satellites to space under a Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract in 2020. NASA certified Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket as a Category 1 in May, which authorized its use during missions with high risk tolerance.

NASA’s Launch Services Program is responsible for launching rockets delivering spacecraft that observe Earth, visit other planets, and explore the universe.

Delay again as NASA states Starliner on ‘indefinite hold’ from bringing astronauts home from ISS

This view from a window on the cupola overlooks a portion of the International Space and shows the partially obscured Starliner spacecraft from Boeing docked to the Harmony module’s forward port. Image: NASA

After three scrubs, two of which had the astronauts strapped in and ready to go, on June 5 NASA thought the hard part was over as the astronauts finally arrived at the International Space Station on June 6. This is where the saga began when on June 6 Starliner docking at the ISS was delayed for an hour because five of its 28 maneuvering thrusters had failed. The thruster that remained off failed for reasons different from the other four.

At 250 miles in space the folks at Boeing managed to get the propulsion system’s software to enable four of the thrusters to work and begin docking with the ISS.

The return to Earth of Boeing’s Starliner capsule is on indefinite hold pending results of new thruster tests and ongoing analysis of helium leaks that cropped up during the ship’s rendezvous with the International Space Station, NASA announced Friday.

Boeing’s Starliner SCRUBBED at T-3:50 with NASA astronauts offloading … again

At the last few minutes the astronauts’ nerves are beginning to show. Photo captured on Saturday, June 1, by Satnews from ULA video stream.

JUNE 1: At 12:21 PM EST A long and nerve racking morning was appearing to lead up to the much delayed NASA Boeing Starliner mission. HOWEVER after many other issues the Ground Launch Sequencer held at 4 minutes. Not knowing what the problem is the launch is scrubbed. Careful attention to offloading the crew.

“From being a representative of Boeing, a representative of the Starliner program, it’s pretty painful to read the things that are out there,” he said. “We’re not stuck on ISS. The crew is not in any danger.”

Tense times with unanswered questions caused Boeing’s Starliner chief, Mark Nappi, to criticize news reports that said Starliner and its two astronauts are “stuck” in space. The press responded that NASA and Boeing should be more transparent about the mission since the original plan was to remain at the ISS for eight days.

While NASA and Boeing report that Starliner is capable of returning the astronauts to Earth should there be an emergency on the ISS, the capsule is not approved to fly home under normal, non-emergency circumstances until its thruster issues are solved or at least better understood after the upcoming tests. The mission has had management engineering and other issues that now have cost Boeing $1.5 billion in budget overruns.

‘We have decided to make a two-seater to use the space for the comfort and safety as much as possible, because 90% of rides are with one or two people.

A joint NASA-Boeing team focusing on the thruster issues have planned ground tests at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to test fire the same kind of Starliner thrusters currently in space.

“This will be the real opportunity to examine the thruster, just like we’ve had in space, on the ground for detailed inspection,” NASA commercial crew chief Steve Stich told reporters during a news conference.

But agency officials insisted Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams are not “stranded” in space.

ULA’s Boeing Starliner launch for NASA astronauts delayed again adding to the $1.5 billion over budget

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An Atlas V N22 rocket will launch Boeing’s Starliner on CFT. Photo by United Launch Alliance

“We don’t have a targeted (landing) date today,” Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, told reporters during a teleconference. “We’re not going to target a specific date until we get that testing completed.

“So essentially, it’s complete the testing, complete the fault tree, bring that analysis into (the mission management team) and then have an agency-level review. And then we’ll lay out the rest of the plan from undock to landing. I think we’re on a good path.”

The problem for NASA and Boeing is that the Starliner’s service module, which houses the helium lines, thrusters and other critical systems, is discarded before re-entry and burns up in the atmosphere. Engineers will not be able to study the hardware after the fact and as a result, they want to collect as much data as possible before Wilmore and Williams head home.

While docked at the station, valves are closed to isolate the helium system, eliminating any additional leakage. But once Wilmore and Williams depart and head for home, the valves will be re-opened to repressurize the lines, or manifolds.

Stich said even with the known leaks, the spacecraft will have 10 times the amount of helium it needs to get home. But engineers want to make sure the leaks won’t get worse once the system is again pressurized.

“We’ll recreate that profile,” Stich said. “Then we’ll put a pretty aggressive profile in the thruster for (the undocking-to-re-entry) phase.

On Wednesday, a damaged Russian satellite in a slightly lower, more tilted orbit than the space station suffered a catastrophic “event” that produced more than 100 pieces of trackable debris. The nine member crew “sheltered in place” each aboard their respective spacecraft, to return to Earth in case of a damaging impact.

SpaceX launches NROL-186 spy satellite mission to increase “space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance”

Photo captured on Friday, June 28, by Satnews from SpaceX’s video stream.

On Friday, June 28 at 8:14 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched the NROL-186 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Photo captured on Friday, June 28, by Satnews from SpaceX’s video stream.

This was the eighth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, and two Starlink missions.

The satellite’s structure follows the NRO’s new concept of space architecture by using many smaller satellites to create constellations that will insure resistance from attacks.

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. federal government, and provides satellite intelligence to several government agencies, particularly signals intelligence (SIGINT) to the NSA, imagery intelligence (IMINT) to the NGA, and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) to the DIA.

SpaceX Falcon 9 ready to roll out the NROL-186 mission on Friday

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SpaceX is targeting Friday, June 28 for a Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-186 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The two-hour launch window opens at 8:14 p.m. PT. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Saturday, June 29 starting at 8:00 p.m. PT. The cost is $69.75 million.

The mission will release a satellite into Earth’s orbit in efforts to increase “space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,” according to a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) April press release.

The satellite’s structure follows the NRO’s new concept of space architecture by using many smaller satellites to create constellations that will insure resistance from attacks.

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. federal government, and provides satellite intelligence to several government agencies, particularly signals intelligence (SIGINT) to the NSA, imagery intelligence (IMINT) to the NGA, and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) to the DIA.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.

This is the eighth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, having previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

Starliner updates regarding stranded NASA astronauts’ “adjusted” schedule, and a Boeing statement

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On June 18 NASA announced that Starliner would start its journey home at 22:00 EST on Wednesday 26 June (03:00 Thursday 27 June BST).

NASA had earlier stated in a blog post that the leaks posed no safety risk to the astronauts because: “Only seven hours of free-flight time is needed to perform a normal end of mission, and Starliner currently has enough helium left in its tanks to support 70 hours of free flight activity following undocking.”

“We’re just taking a little more extra time to review all the data and also learn as much as we can while we have this service module in orbit,” Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, said at a news conference last week before the latest postponement.

However several days later, following high-level meetings, NASA concluded that the scheduled return should be “adjusted” to a date in July. No additional information was given as to why the decision had been changed.

NASA stated that flight engineers wanted to study the spacecraft to get to the bottom of the faults before it re-entered into the Earth’s atmosphere. That’s because while the crew capsule will parachute to the ground, Starliner’s faulty lower ‘service module’ will burn up upon re-entry, meaning the loss of some information on what went wrong.

There were three scrub situations, shown below, including two in which NASA’s astronauts were strapped in for launch and halted at the last minute. There were problem leaks then and apparently there still are…

Godspeed when the crew is finally homeward bound.

MAY 6: ULA’s Launch director Tom Heter III has scrubbed tonight’s Starliner launch. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the flight and pad crew, we scrubbed the Crew Flight Test (CFT) launch attempt today due to an observation on a liquid oxygen self-regulating solenoid relief valve on the Centaur upper stage. The team needs additional time to complete a full assessment, so we are targeting the next launch attempt no earlier than Friday, May 10.

MAY 8: NASA’s statement regarding the scrub indicated that the two astronauts flying the CFT mission, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will remain at the Kennedy Space Center in pre-flight quarantine for this latest delay.

The delay enables United Launch Alliance to return the rocket to its Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) hangar near the pad to replace a liquid oxygen pressure regulation valve in the Centaur. That valve started oscillating after the stage was loaded with liquid oxygen, creating a buzzing noise noticed by launch pad crews.

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JUNE 1: At 12:21 PM EST A long and nerve racking morning was appearing to lead up to the much delayed NASA Boeing Starliner mission. HOWEVER after many other issues the Ground Launch Sequencer held at 4 minutes. Not knowing what the problem is the launch is scrubbed. Careful attention to offloading the crew.

Boeing’s Mission Update

NASA and Boeing leadership are adjusting the return to Earth of the Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft with agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station. The move off Wednesday, June 26, deconflicts Starliner’s undocking and landing from a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to review propulsion system data. Listen to a full replay of the June 18 media briefing where NASA and Boeing leadership discussed the ongoing efforts.

“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking. Additionally, given the duration of the mission, it is appropriate for us to complete an agency-level review, similar to what was done ahead of the NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return after two months on orbit, to document the agency’s formal acceptance on proceeding as planned.”

A media telecon with mission leadership will follow the readiness review’s conclusion, and the agency will share those details as they are solidified. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains cleared for return in case of an emergency on the space station that required the crew to leave orbit and come back to Earth.

Mission managers are evaluating future return opportunities following the station’s two planned spacewalks on Monday, June 24, and Tuesday, July 2.

“Starliner is performing well in orbit while docked to the space station,” said Stich. “We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.”

Wilmore and Williams remain integrated with the Expedition 71 crew, assisting with station operations as needed and completing add-on in-flight objectives for NASA certification of Starliner.

“The crew’s feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and they know that every bit of learning we do on the Crew Flight Test will improve and sharpen our experience for future crews,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing’s Starliner Program.

The crew is not pressed for time to leave the station since there are plenty of supplies in orbit, and the station’s schedule is relatively open through mid-August.

WISeKey announces developments in secure IoT connectivity + upcoming smallsats launch

WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY) has announced that its subsidiary, WISeSat.Space, is engaging in new developments that include the launch of a new generation of satellites, installation of a satellite antenna in Switzerland, development of a neutral satellite constellation from Europe, and collaboration with the Swiss Army.

Artistic rendition of WISeSat’s WISeSat-1 and WISeSat-2 smallsats on-orbit.

In Q4 2024, WISeSat.Space is set to launch a new generation of satellites from California. This launch will mark a significant milestone in the Company’s efforts to expand its satellite constellation, further enhancing its ability to provide global IoT connectivity and environmental monitoring. The new generation of satellites are expected to offer improved performance and capabilities, supporting a wide range of applications from climate change monitoring to disaster management and smart agriculture.

In the same quarter, WISeSat.Space plans to install a satellite antenna in Switzerland. This installation will enable the monitoring and management of its satellite constellation, ensuring optimal performance and reliability of its IoT connectivity solutions. This development underscores WISeSat.Space’s commitment to maintaining robust and secure satellite operations.

The Company is also currently developing a constellation of 88 additional low-orbit satellites to optimize global coverage for IoT devices and an enhanced WISeSat satellite, planned for launch in Q3 2024. This upgraded satellite will incorporate SEALSQ Corp. (“SEALSQ”) (NASDAQ: LAES) semiconductor technology and WISeKey cryptographic keys, designed to boost performance in space and communication capabilities.

To date, the Company has successfully launched 17 low-orbit satellites in cooperation with FOSSA Systems, primarily aboard SpaceX Transporter Rideshare missions.

An important aspect of WISeSat.Space’s initiative is the development of a dependent and neutral satellite constellation from Europe. Having a European-based satellite constellation is crucial for several reasons. First, it ensures data sovereignty and reduces reliance on non-European entities for critical data and services. This autonomy is essential for maintaining control over data security and privacy.

Second, a neutral European constellation can facilitate international cooperation and trust, as it is perceived as unbiased and not tied to any geopolitical agendas.

Lastly, it promotes technological independence and innovation within Europe, driving economic growth and creating high-tech jobs. This European-centric approach aligns with broader strategic goals of enhancing the region’s competitiveness and resilience in the global space sector.

WISeSat.Space has also established a partnership with the Swiss Army, which underscores the strategic importance of its satellite initiatives. This collaboration involves leveraging WISeSat.Space’s secure IoT connectivity solutions to enhance the Swiss Army’s operational capabilities.

By integrating satellite-based communication systems, the Swiss Army can improve its situational awareness, logistics, and disaster response efforts. This partnership not only strengthens national security but also exemplifies the critical role of space technology in modern defense strategies.

WISeSat.Space employs picosatellites and low-power sensors to create a cost-effective and secure IoT connectivity solution. These smallsats are smaller and less expensive to launch than traditional satellites, making IoT connectivity more accessible. The constellation of picosatellites ensures global coverage, providing a reliable network for data collection and transmission.

The low-power sensors are designed to operate with minimal power consumption, making them ideal for environmental monitoring in remote and off-grid locations. WISeKey’s expertise in cybersecurity ensures that data transmitted through its network is secure and protected from unauthorized access.

WISeSat.Space’s play a significant role in disaster management by offering early warning systems for extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and floods. Enhanced forecasting capabilities assist in planning and mitigating the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities and ecosystems. Additionally, high-quality data generated from the satellite constellation supports informed decision-making and policy formulation aimed at addressing climate change.

WISeSat.Space’s initiatives leverage space technology for global IoT connectivity and environmental monitoring, addressing key challenges in climate change and disaster management, thus contributing to a more resilient and sustainable future. By developing a neutral satellite constellation from Europe, launching a new generation of satellites from California, and collaborating with the Swiss Army, along with the installation of a satellite antenna in Switzerland by November, WISeSat.Space further strengthens its commitment to data security, international cooperation, and technological advancement.

WISeSat AG is pioneering a transformative approach to IoT connectivity and climate change monitoring through its innovative satellite constellation. By providing cost-effective, secure, and global IoT connectivity, WISeSat is enabling a wide range of applications that support environmental monitoring, disaster management, and sustainable practices. The integration of satellite data with advanced climate models holds great promise for enhancing our understanding of climate change and developing effective strategies to combat its impacts. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, initiatives like WISeSat’s IoT satellite constellation are essential for creating a more resilient and sustainable future.

WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, and (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions. 

SpaceX launches NOAA’s “monumental” GOES-U mission claiming “the nation’s most advanced weather observing and environmental monitoring satellite system” 

Photo captured on Tuesday, June 25, by Satnews from NASA TV’s video stream.

On Tuesday, June 25 at 5:26 p.m. ET, Falcon Heavy launched the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) GOES-U mission to a geostationary orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In addtion the event included a most impressive double booster landing of the Falcon Heavy’s side boosters (see below).

The GOES-U satellite will orbit above the Earth’s equator at approximately 35,700 km (22,236 mi) observing weather patterns in the contiguous USA, Central and South America, and Atlantic Ocean. GOES-U is part of NOAA’s most sophisticated Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) series and will assist weather forecasters and climate researchers with real-time high-resolution imagery, earlier detection of severe weather that could save lives, and tropical cyclone forecasts. The weather satellite also carries a suite of space weather instruments that will be used to detect solar storms early and help predict their possible impacts.

GOES-U hosts a suite of instruments that improve the detection of approaching space weather hazards. The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) and Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) provide imaging of the sun and detection of solar flares. The Compact Coronagraph-1 (CCOR-1) images the solar corona (outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere) to detect and characterize coronal mass ejections (CMEs). CCOR-1 is a new instrument for GOES-U and is part of NOAA’s Space Weather Follow On mission. 

The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) and Magnetometer monitor, respectively, energetic particles and the magnetic field variations that are associated with space weather. Together, observations from these instruments contribute to space weather forecasts and early warning of disruptions to power utilities and communication and navigation systems as well as radiation damage to orbiting satellites. 

Photo captured on Tuesday, June 25, by Satnews from NASA TV’s video stream.

This was the first launch for Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters. Following booster separation, the boosters successfully landed on SpaceX’s Landing Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Photo captured on Tuesday, June 25, by Satnews from NASA TV’s video stream.

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is the primary instrument on the GOES-R Series satellites for imaging Earth’s weather, ocean and environment. Forecasters use ABI data for a wide range of applications related to severe weather, hurricanes, aviation, natural hazards, the atmosphere, ocean and cryosphere. 

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) is the first operational lightning mapper flown in geostationary orbit. Developing severe storms often exhibit a significant increase in lightning activity and GLM data can help forecasters focus on initial  thunderstorm development and intensifying severe storms before they produce damaging winds, hail or even tornadoes. 

GOES-U will provide critical atmospheric, hydrologic, oceanic, climatic, solar and space data for advanced detection and monitoring of environmental phenomena that threaten the security and well-being of everyone in the Western Hemisphere.

  • Hurricane track and intensity forecasts 
  • Early warning of severe storms and tornadoes 
  • Fire detection, monitoring, and intensity estimation 
  • Identification of lightning strikes most likely to ignite fires 
  • Detection of low clouds and fog 
  • Monitoring of atmospheric river events that can cause flooding and mudslides 
  • Monitoring of smoke, dust and aerosols 
  • Data for air quality warnings and alerts 
  • Data for aviation route planning and reducing weather-related flight delays 
  • Detection of volcanic eruptions and monitoring of ash and sulfur dioxide 
  • Detection of heavy rainfall and flash flood risks 
  • Sea surface temperature data for monitoring fisheries and marine life 
  • Monitoring of vegetative health 
  • Data for long-term climate variability studies 
  • Detection of meteors entering Earth’s atmosphere 
  • Detection of coronal holes, solar flares, and coronal mass ejection source regions 
  • Characterization of size, velocity, density and direction of coronal mass ejections 
  • Warning of space weather hazards responsible for communications and navigation disruptions and power blackouts 
  • Monitoring of energetic particles responsible for radiation hazards

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy to launch second NOAA’s GOES-U weather satellite Tuesday after leak causes delay

NOAA and SpaceX have finally set a date to launch the last satellite of the GOES-R Series into geostationary orbit on June 25 after a lengthy delay due to a rocket booster leak. The launch is to take place at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 2:16 – 4:16 PM PSDT.

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S Series (GOES-S) is the second of the next generation of geostationary weather satellites. The four satellites of the series will provide advanced imaging with increased spatial resolution and faster coverage for more accurate forecasts, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and improved monitoring of solar activity. The cost is $90Million.

NOAA called this launch “monumental” and claimed its network of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites is “the nation’s most advanced weather observing and environmental monitoring satellite system.” 

GOES-U is the fourth and last satellite to join the series. Once in orbit, it will be renamed GOES-19. From 22,236 miles above the equator, GOES-19 will continuously observe weather systems across the Western Hemisphere. It will replace GOES-16 in the GOES-East orbit.

The view from GOES-East and West stretches from the west coast of Africa to New Zealand and from near the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle, according to NOAA.

According to weather officials, there’s a 30% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch. The forecast calls for a temperature of 86°F, few clouds, 24% cloud cover and a wind speed of 17mph.

The Launch Complex 39A has witnessed the launch of 180 rockets, including 179 orbital launch attempts, while Kennedy Space Center, Florida, has been the site for 238 rocket launches.