ATLANTA (GO PR) — On January 17th, 2014, Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc. (GO) signed an exclusive investment banking agreement with The Inman Company, a leading regional investment banking firm. As part of the GO team, Inman will assist in raising capital to fund GO’s continuing growth and will then advise management on maximizing shareholder value.

Generation Orbit, with its network of key industry participants, is developing the GOLauncher, an air-launched rocket system specifically designed for launching small satellite payloads. GOLauncher offers fast, flexible, and dedicated space transportation services for nano and microsatellites, enabling developers and operators to unlock the full commercial and scientific potential of this rapidly growing market segment.

(more…)

TOULOUSE, France (Airbus PR) — Airbus Defence and Space, number two worldwide in space technologies, has been awarded a 60–million-euro contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to continue definition and feasibility studies in 2014 for the new Ariane 6 European launcher. These studies will pinpoint the detailed architecture developed so far and consolidate the launcher’s main characteristics. The results of these studies will be revealed in November 2014 at […]

As part of its lease of Moffett Field, Google-owned subsidiary Planetary Ventures will reskin historic Hangar One and use it to test “new robots, planetary rovers and other space or aviation technology,” the San Jose Mercury News is reporting.

NASA and the General Services Administration (GSA) selected the company’s competitive bid to lease Moffett Federal Airfield, which is now managed by the NASA Ames Research Center. The former Naval Air Station includes two other hangars and a pair of runways.

(more…)

The 28 Flock 1 satellites before being sent to the launch site. (Credit: Planet Labs)

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — It is often said that if everyone had the opportunity to see Earth from the perspective of astronauts in space, respect and admiration for our planet would grow and the environment would be better protected. A new fleet of 28 small satellites, called Flock 1, may help provide this perspective to people like never before. Considered the largest single constellation of Earth-imaging satellites ever to launch into space, the Flock 1 satellites began deploying on Tuesday from the International Space Station.

(more…)

Video Caption: British billionaire [Richard] Branson talks with his typical smile and ultimate optimism. But his body language tells a different story.

Seen at second Dubai Government Summit 2014, February 10.

Editor’s Note: Another sort of firm prediction from the Virgin Galactic founder, delivered in a not very reassuring manner. Branson has been flawless in making inaccurate predictions so far. At some point, he has to be right, but has that time finally arrived?

Maybe. And it depends.

Confused? No problem. I’ll explain. Let’s first look at where things stand here in mid-February to see if this latest schedule makes any sense.

(more…)

Video Caption: Spaceport Sweden is Europe’s gateway to space and space travel. Located in Kiruna, Swedish Lapland we offer launch infrastructure, space adventures under the Midnight Sun and an international astronaut program; Zero-G flights, Centrifuge training & Northern Light Flights. Inaugurated in 2007, Spaceport Sweden is a pioneering initiative to establish commercial human spaceflight in Sweden and become Europe’s gateway to space, a center for excellence and cross-industry innovation. Located […]

Ontario Drive Gear rover (Credit: PISCES)

HILO, Hawaii (PISCES PR) — The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) is just a few weeks away from having its very own robotic spacecraft! As of this writing, a rover is at Ontario Drive Gear (ODG), packed in a crate and ready to make its trek to the Big Island of Hawaii.

Thanks to our partnership with ODG, PISCES is able to use the rover via an extended loan agreement.

(more…)

KIRUNA, Sweden (Spaceport Sweden/IDEAS PR) — Spaceport Sweden, is proud to announce, together with Kiruna Lapland, the completion of a feasibility and concept study by IDEAS, a world leading media and experience-design studio, for the development of a Space Visitor & Science Center to further strengthen the development of Kiruna a leading space destination.

(more…)

Video Caption: The fifth free-flight test of a Morpheus prototype lander was conducted Feb. 10, 2014, at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. The 74-second test began around 1 p.m. EST with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending at 42 feet per second to 467 feet, more than 160 feet higher than its last test. Morpheus then flew forward, covering 637 feet […]

This image demonstrates how CubeSats like NanoRacks-ArduSat-2, NanoRacks-Planet Labs–Dove, and NanoRacks-SkyCube deploy from the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) attached to the Kibo laboratory’s robotic arm. (Credit: NASA)

ATLANTA, February 10, 2014 (SEI PR) – SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) released the annual update to its nanosatellite and microsatellite market assessment. The assessment presents the latest observations, trends, and projections for the nano/microsatellite market.

Projections indicate more than 400 nano/micro satellites will need launches annually in the year 2020 and beyond. The study summary is available in presentation form as a free download on the SpaceWorks website here.

(more…)