A SpaceX Falcon Heavy begins its first flight. (Credit: NASA)
HAWTHORNE, Calif. (SpaceX PR) — The Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission, managed by the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), is targeting launch on June 24, 2019, with the launch window opening at 11:30 p.m. ET. Lifting off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this mission will deliver 24 satellites to space on the DoD’s first ever SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle.
The STP-2 mission will be among the most challenging launches in SpaceX history with four separate upper-stage engine burns, three separate deployment orbits, a final propulsive passivation maneuver and a total mission duration of over six hours. In addition, the U.S. Air Force plans to reuse side boosters from the Arabsat-6A Falcon Heavy launch, recovered after a return to launch site landing, making it the first reused Falcon Heavy ever flown for the U.S. Air Force. (more…)
IRVINE, Calif., February 5, 2019 (Myriota PR) – Myriota Pty Ltd has partnered with Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. to develop and launch multiple satellites in 2019, taking Myriota another step towards its goal of having a constellation of 50 nanosatellites.
Each satellite will run Myriota’s unique, patented software which provides reliable, direct-to-satellite Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for millions of users worldwide.
MIDLAND, Texas (NanoAvionics PR) — NanoAvionics today announced it will build, integrate, launch and operate three new low-Earth-orbit (LEO) nano-satellites for AST & Science starting early this year.
AST & Science acquired a controlling interest in NanoAvionics in March 2018 as part of its strategy to establish manufacturing capabilities in Europe and North America. Abel Avellan, CEO and chairman of AST & Science serves as chairman of NanoAvionics’ Board of Directors.
ATLANTA (SpaceWorks PR) — SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) announced today the release of its annual nanosatellite and microsatellite market forecast. The 9th edition of this report details the latest observations and trends in the nano/microsatellite market.
TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 11, 2019 (Vector PR) —Vector, a space access company serving the over $300 billion space market, today announced it will conduct a dedicated launch of a nanosatellite for Hiber later this year from the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska in Kodiak. Hiber, a Dutch company with two nanosatellites already in orbit, plans to utilize the Vector-R dedicated small satellite launch system to deploy its nanosatellite.
Pioneer Spire nanosatellite in RF test chamber. (Credit: Spire)
SRIHARIKOTA, India (ESA PR) — The first ‘Pioneer’ mission lifted off last week from Sriharikota, India, with the two inventive little nanosatellites now circling the Earth, ready for action.
The shoebox-sized satellites were launched at 04:27 GMT into low Earth orbit by the Indian Space Research Organisation’s PLSV launcher, and opened their first communication windows with their owner, Spire Global, less than an hour after they separated from the rocket.
PUNE, India (QYResearch PR) — Nanosatellites and microsatellites (NaM) are mainly used for space research, earth observation and communication purposes. Besides these uses, application of nanosatellites and microsatellites is also seen in defense and military sector and for commercial purposes. Nanosatellites and microsatellites are basically used for research requirements and for scientific objectives on a large scale.
The Global Nanosatellite and Microsatellite Market Estimated to grow at a CAGR of +12% during forecast period.
ESA’s biggest small satellite yet: the GomX-4B six-unit CubeSat will demonstrate miniaturised technologies, preparing the way for future operational nanosatellite constellations. (Credit: GomSpace)
STOCKHOLM (GomSpace PR) — As part of a mission to demonstrate interlink communication on nanosatellite tandem formation flights and data retrieval, including surveillance of the Arctic area, the Danish nanosatellite specialist GomSpace launched two nanosatellites in February.
Twelve weeks later, GomSpace for the first time showed the possibility of live data capture from the two nanosatellites in space at a press conference held in Aalborg, Denmark. At the same time, the press conference marked the official transition to the so-called demonstration phase, following the mission’s test phase. The latter has thus been successfully completed, and the mission is now ready to carry out its scheduled tasks.
CubeSats STMSat-1, CADRE and MinXSS are deployed from the International Space Station during Expedition 47. (Credit: NASA)
ATLANTA, January 30, 2018 (SEI PR) – SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) announced today the release of its annual nanosatellite and microsatellite market forecast and the unveiling of its updated SpaceWorks Commercial website.
Projections indicate as many as 2,600 nano/microsatellites will require launch over the next 5 years. The 2018 market forecast is available in presentation form as a free download on the SpaceWorks Commercial website, www.spaceworkscommercial.com.
TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2018 (Kepler Communications PR) — A new era in space communications began on Friday, January 19 with the successful launch of an ultra-low-cost telecommunications satellite from Canada-based Kepler Communications. The mission serves as a technology demonstration for Kepler’s novel Ku-band telecommunications payload, and offers the best price per MHz of any communication satellite on the market.
With this launch, the Canadian start-up becomes the first commercial company ever to launch and successfully operate a LEO communications satellite in Ku-band. This highly valuable frequency band is ideal for telecommunication services, and is currently being sought for use by many companies planning on deploying mega-constellations of satellites. Kepler’s network of satellites will eventually enable in-space connectivity for other satellites, space stations, and transport vehicles.
Total solar eclipse photographed from NASA Armstrong’s Gulfstream III. (Credit: (NASA/Carla Thomas)
by Douglas Messier Managing Editor
I realize it’s a bit late, but here’s a look back at the major developments in space in 2017.
I know that I’m probably forgetting something, or several somethings or someones. Fortunately, I have eagle-eyed readers who really seem to enjoy telling me just how much I’ve screwed up. Some of them a little too much….
So, have at it! Do your worst, eagle-eyed readers!
LauncherOne ignites after being released from Cosmic Girl 747. (Credit: Virgin Galactic)
STOCKHOLM, Jan. 16, 2018 (GomSpace PR) — GomSpace has purchased a launch for several nanosatellites onboard a LauncherOne rocket from the California based company Virgin Orbit. The flight, which is bound for a low-inclination orbit, is scheduled to occur in early 2019. (more…)
ISRO is looking to double its launch rate and turn over more responsibility to the private sector in the coming years.
Currently, the space agency launches 9 to 10 spacecraft built by it every year. Dr K Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said, “Isro is targeting to double the number of launches from 9-10 to 18-19 launches per year.”
On outsourcing of jobs to the private industry, Isro chairman A S Kiran Kumar said the space agency does as much activity as possible with the industry. “Wherever it’s possible to get things done through the industry, we are doing and it will only increase in the coming days because we need to do more frequent activities,” he told a news agency.
Dr Sivan said, “Currently, 80-90 per cent of work relating to launch vehicles are being done by the industry, including private and public sector companies. Only, critical components are manufactured by Isro. After we purchase 90 per cent of vehicle components, propellant casting and vehicle integration are done at the Sriharikota launch centre.” He said, “The space agency currently focuses on vehicle integration, vehicle engineering, mission design (marking trajectory), launch and quality assurance.”
“But gradually Isro wants vehicle parts vendors to become part of the system through joint ventures. Therefore in this direction, Isro is preparing the ground work to involve such companies directly into launch projects,” Dr Sivan said.
The Isro chairman, too, said the space agency is looking at the possibility of building a PSLV in a joint venture with a set of industry partners by 2020-21. The role of industry in the making of satellites, however, is restricted to 30-35 per cent as the spacecraft is the key part of any space mission.
Meanwhile, ISRO is looking to return to flight in December following the failure of a PSLV booster on Aug. 30. The IRNSS-1 navigation satellite was lost after the rocket’s payload shroud failed to separate.
The Cartosat-2 remote sensing satellite is the primary payload for the PSLV flight next month. Along for the ride will be 25 nanosats, three microsats and possibility a university-built spacecraft.
Sky and Space Global (SAS) has signed a binding agreement with Italian space system company, D-Orbit, to provide launch and deployment services for the upcoming roll-out of the SAS nanosatellite constellation
The partnership will allow SAS to maximize the operational capabilities and potential revenue generation for their upcoming nanosatellite constellation
The agreement follows the recent announcement of the Pearls, the next generation of SAS nanosatellites, which will be launched into space and were unveiled at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide in September
This partnership demonstrates SAS’ strong commitment to the success of its constellation launch plans and delivering on its promises to investors and shareholders
Paris, Washington D.C., Montreal, Yokohama, October 11, 2017 – According to the 20th edition of the report Satellites to be Built & Launched, Euroconsult anticipates that 300 satellites with a mass over 50 kg will be launched on average each year by 2026 for government agencies and commercial organizations worldwide. This is a threefold increase over the past decade as the satellite market experiences a paradigm shift with the rise of small satellites and mega constellations, such as that of OneWeb.
