Personnel Moves: Spaceflight Inc. Gets New CEO as Curt Blake Steps Down, Justin Kugler Departs Redwire, and More

Here’s a roundup of the latest personnel changes by Spaceflight Inc., ILS, Redwire, Astra Space and Astroscale.

New Spaceflight Inc. CEO

Spaceflight Inc. has announced that former International Launch Services (ILS) President Tiphaine Louradour will succeed Curt Blake as CEO of the company, which arranges rideshare launches and in-orbit transportation for small satellite operators.

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U.S. & India to Extend Cooperation to CLPS Program, Train Indian Astronaut in Houston

The Biden Administration has announced that the United States and India will expand cooperation in space to include the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program under which NASA pays companies to deliver payloads to the moon. An Indian astronaut will also undergo spaceflight training at the space agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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Space SPAC Index: Myairops Integrates Spire Global Weather Data into Software, Astra Space Faces Investigation, Virgin Galactic Class Action Lawsuit

Welcome to this week’s edition of S-SPACi.

Spire Global’s (NYS: SPIR) weather data is being integrated into myairops’ aviation software in a deepening of the two companies’ strategic data partnership. The updated software will provide customers with additional situational awareness and data insights.

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SpaceX Postpones Vandenberg Launch Until Monday

SpaceX has postponed a planned launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with 49 Starlink communications satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base until Monday morning due to the need complete pre-flight checks. The launch is scheduled at 8:34 a.m. PST (11:34 a.m. EST/16:34 UTC), with a backup launch opportunity later in the day at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST/20:31 UTC). SpaceX will webcast the launch.

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Biz Briefs: Intuitive Machines Sending AstroForge Spacecraft to Asteroid, Reaction Engines Raises $47.7 Million, HawkEye 360 Wins Contract and More

Contracts & Deals

Intuitive Machines Announces Agreement to Deliver AstroForge’s Asteroid Mining Payload

Houston-based Intuitive Machines, LLC has signed an agreement to deliver AstroForge’s Brokkr-2 spacecraft to deep space to observe an asteroid the California company is targeting for mining operations. Brokkr-2 is expected to launch during Intuitive Machines’ second lunar mission in the second half of 2023.

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Space SPAC Index: SatixFy Plunges 68% on Stock Sale, BigBear.ai’s Big Contract, AST SpaceMobile Signs MOU with Brazilian Telecom, BlackSky JV Appoints New CEO

Welcome to S-SPACi.

Shares of SatixFy Communications (NYS: SATX) plunged by $4.94 (68.3 percent) to $2.29 on Tuesday following the announcement that the Israeli satellite communications equipment manufacturer is looking to sell up to 28.4 million shares and $1 million in redeemable warrants.

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India Got its Groove Back, Made Progress on Commercializing Space Industry in 2022

When Shri S. Somanath assumed the chairmanship of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) last January, he took over a space agency that had been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. ISRO conducted only four launches in 2020-21, one of which failed. The pandemic had wrecked an ambitious plan to launch Indian astronauts into orbit before the 75th anniversary of the nation’s independence from Britain in August 2022.

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