Tag: Luxembourg Space Agency

ESRIC Unveils First Five Start-ups Selected as Part of “Start-up Support Programme”

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ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE, Luxembourg (ESRIC PR) — Following the first call for applications, the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) has selected the five start-ups to participate in the “Start-up Support Programme” (SSP) and begin their pre-incubation in April 2022.

Based in Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg, ESRIC is Europe’s leading research and innovation centre in the field of space resources. Launched in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), and Technoport (Luxembourg’s main technology incubator), ESRIC’s Start-up Support Programme (SSP) aims to support early-stage start-ups in the space resources sector, to develop their business models, attract their first customers and secure their first investments. Targeting terrestrial and/or space applications, the Start-up Support Programme is managed jointly with ESA.

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Key Updates for HAKUTO-R Announced as Mission 1 Lander Prepares to Enter Final Stage of Integration

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A fuel tank being installed into the lander. (Credit: ispace)

M1 and M2 currently planned for launch as early as Q4 2022* and 2024*, respectively, and an early look at a new micro rover planned for first deployment on M2, among other updates

TOKYO – January 25, 2022 – Today, ispace, inc. (ispace), a lunar exploration company with its headquarters in Japan and regional offices in the United States and Europe, shared key developments related to the company’s HAKUTO-R program, which consists of its planned first and second lunar missions, Mission 1 (M1) and Mission 2 (M2).

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Luxembourg Invests in NorthStar Earth & Space That Establishes its European Headquarters in Grand Duchy to Support Sustainable Space Activities

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LUXEMBOURG, DECEMBER 17, 2021 (NorthStar Earth & Space PR) – The Luxembourg Future Fund (LFF) will be investing in NorthStar Earth & Space. The investment is building on the announcement made in December 2019 of a partnership between Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Economy and the Canadian-based company.

For nearly four decades, Luxembourg has been at the forefront of commercial and co-operative initiatives that have shaped a vibrant space economy by attracting ground-breaking companies in this sector. NorthStar is the first commercial service aiming at monitoring space, from space, via a constellation of satellites with dedicated optical sensors to deliver timely and precise Space Traffic Data, Collision Avoidance and Navigation Services. Monitoring of space objects has, so far, mainly been done using ground-based data. This method gives information on the distribution of space objects but has limitations when it comes to small objects, which can also cause serious damages due to their velocity.

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SES-led Consortium to Define Luxembourg’s Quantum Communication Infrastructure for Europe

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Joined by InCert, itrust consulting, LuxConnect, LuxTrust and SnT, the SES-driven consortium will develop satellite-terrestrial infrastructure and the roadmap for wider European integration, setting the path for next-generation cybersecurity 

LUXEMBOURG, 13 July 2021 (SES PR) — The Luxembourg’s Quantum Communications Infrastructure project (LuxQCI), coordinated by the Department of Media, Telecommunications and Digital Policy (SMC) of the Luxembourg Ministry of State, and supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) under the Luxembourg National LuxIMPULSE programme, will create a secure communications shield against cyber threats based on quantum technology. To design the LuxQCI, Luxembourg has put in place a consortium comprising InCert, itrust consulting, LuxConnect, LuxTrust and the University of Luxembourg (SnT), that is led by SES’s fully-owned affiliate SES Techcom.

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France-Luxembourg Space Cooperation Agreement to Focus on Exploration and Space Resources

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LUXEMBOURG (Luxembourg Space Agency PR) — CNES, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) and Air Liquide signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) confirming their commitment to work together on developing research and technology (R&T) activities. In the months ahead, the four partners will be pursuing their discussions on research projects encompassing space exploration and in situ resource utilization (ISRU).

A first CNES-LSA workshop in September 2020 identified joint initiatives aiming in particular to address the challenges and opportunities arising out of developments in space exploration. At the same time, LSA, ESRIC and Air Liquide, drawing on a 50-year heritage of handling gases in space, engaged discussions with a view to collaborating on production and use of gases produced from in situ space resources.

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Asteroid Day TV Launches 1 June Kicking Off the Countdown to Asteroid Day 2021, 30 June

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LUXEMBOURG, 27 May 2021 (Asteroid Foundation PR) — The Asteroid Foundation will launch Asteroid Day TV on 1 June 2021 with digital video content from Discovery Science, TED, IMAX, BBC, CNN, The Planetary Society, the European Space Agency (ESA), independent filmmakers and other educational content producers. The programming will cover themes such as asteroid discovery, planetary defense, space resources, asteroid exploration missions and more.

Asteroid Day is an official United Nations’ day of global awareness about the opportunities and challenges that asteroids present. Asteroid Day was co-founded by astrophysicist and famed musician Dr Brian May of the rock group Queen; Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty Schweickart; Filmmaker Grig Richters; and B612 Foundation President Danica Remy to educate the public about the importance of asteroids in our history, the role they play in the solar system and how they could affect our future.

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LIST & Gradal Announce Joint Luxembourg Lab Producing Ultra-lightweight Structures for Satellites

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Ultra-lightweight technology. (Credit: Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology)

LUXEMBOURG (LIST PR) — The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is thrilled to announce a new partnership venture with established Luxembourg company Gradel to research and produce ultra-lightweight structures for the aeronautics and space industry. Parts will be produced for three European giants in satellite construction; Thales Alenia Space (France), Airbus Defence and Space (France), and OHB (Germany).

*LIST will be the home of a joint laboratory at the institute’s new premises in Hautcharage to research and develop the ground-breaking Gradel’s technology known as “xFK in 3D”. 

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Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies Approves Laws to Reinforce Legal Framework for Space Operators

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LUXEMBOURG (Luxembourg Space Agency PR) — On 10 December two new laws enhancing Luxembourg’s legal framework for space activities authorisation and supervision were submitted to Parliament for approval. The legislation responds to a growth and diversification of activities carried out by space players, especially from private industry.

The Chamber of Deputies unanimously voted the law on the approval of the Convention of the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (draft law n° 7270) and the Law on Space Activities (draft law n° 7317) was passed by 58 votes in favour and 2 against.

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Luxembourg, ESA Team to Create European Space Resources Innovation Centre

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LUXEMBOURG (LSA PR) — Luxembourg just entered a strategic partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) to create a “European Space Resources Innovation Centre”, called ESRIC in abbreviated form. Unique of its kind, ESRIC aims to become an internationally recognised centre of expertise for scientific, technical, business and economic aspects related to the use of space resources for human and robotic exploration, as well as for a future in-space economy.

Based in Luxembourg, ESRIC will partner with public and private international players in this field to create a hub of excellence for space resources in Europe. The creation of ESRIC was part of the Luxembourg government initiative SpaceResources.lu launched in 2016 to establish an ecosystem favorable to the development of activities related to the exploration and use of space resources.

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Mathias Link Appointed Interim Director of European Space Resources Innovation Centre

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Mathias Link (Credit: Mike Zenari)

LUXEMBOURG (LSA PR) — The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) appointed Mathias Link as the Director ad interim of the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC).

In August 2020, the LSA and LIST jointly set up this new innovation centre as a department within LIST during the first phase. The European Space Agency (ESA) will join as a strategic partner by the end of 2020. The creation of ESRIC follows a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between ESA and the Luxembourg Government in 2019.

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ESA, GomSpace Luxembourg Sign Contract for Continued Constellation Management Development

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LUXEMBOURG (Luxembourg Space Agency PR) — On 20 October GomSpace’s subsidiary in Luxembourg and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a development contract valued at EUR 1.350.000 for the continued development of GomSpace’s satellite operations platform called HOOP by GomSpace Luxembourg SARL.

The development of the Hands-Off Operations Platform (HOOP) to enable autonomous satellite operations for single satellites and constellations was initiated in 2018 (https://gomspace.com/news/gomspace-luxembourg-receives-development-cont.aspx) under a first development contract resulting in the development of the minimum viable product. HOOP is today fully flight proven and operationally deployed in customer projects.

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Luxembourg Signs Artemis Accords

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LUXEMBOURG (Luxembourg Space Agency PR) — The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg became a founding member of the Artemis Accords when Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot signed the Accords on behalf of Luxembourg. The virtual signing took place yesterday 13 October at the 71st International Aeronautical Congress.

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Canadian Space Agency Signs Artemis Accords

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Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Canada. (Credit: Canadian Space Agency)

LONGUEIUL, Quebec (CSA PR) — The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is working with national and international partners to write the next chapter of space exploration—sending humans to more distant destinations like the Moon and Mars.

Today, the CSA proudly joined other space agencies – NASA, the Australian Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Luxembourg Space Agency, the United Arab Emirates Space Agency, and the UK Space Agency – in signing the Artemis Accords. This commitment is an important first step towards ensuring safe and sustainable exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.

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ESA, GomSpace Sign Contract for Juventas CubeSat in Support of Hera Mission

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Juventas CubeSat (Credit: ESA/GomSpace)

LUXEMBOURG (GomSpace PR) — GomSpace Luxembourg SARL and the European Space Agency (ESA), today signed a contract to continue development and implementation of the Juventas CubeSat in support of the Hera mission.

The contract value is approximately EUR 11,000,000, focused on delivery of the Juventas spacecraft and its associated payloads for launch with Hera in 2024. The amount will be divided between several partners, whereof GomSpace share is about EUR 6,100,000.

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Luxembourg Space Agency, LIST Create European Space Resources Innovation Centre

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LUXEMBOURG (LSA PR) — On 4 August 2020, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Ministry of the Economy, as the supervisory body of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), and Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) in view of the creation by the end of 2020, in Luxembourg, of a “European Space Resources Innovation Centre”, called ESRIC in abbreviated form.

Signed today by the Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot, Chairman of the Board of LIST Jacques Lanners, and CEO of LIST Thomas Kallstenius, the agreement paves the way for cooperation between LSA and LIST to implement the national component of this initiative until the European Space Agency (ESA) joins the project in turn as a strategic partner as provided in the Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of Space Resources signed by Luxembourg and ESA (Space19 +) during the ESA meeting of the ministerial council in November 2019 in Seville.

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