European leaders kicked off the process of developing an independent human spaceflight capability at a space summit chaired by French President Emmaneul Macron on Wednesday.

Officials representing the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Union (EU) directed ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher to initiate detailed discussions on how to initiate the program.

Leading small satellite provider to expand production by leasing a new manufacturing facility in Irvine

BOCA RATON, Fla., February 15, 2022 – Terran Orbital Corporation (“Terran Orbital,” or the “Company”), a leading vertically integrated provider of end-to-end satellite solutions, signed a 10-year lease for a 60,000 square-foot commercial facility in Irvine, California. The location of the facility is adjacent to the Company’s existing facility.

“Terran Orbital continues to expand our status as an industry leader by growing our portfolio of satellite production and assembly facilities,” said Terran Orbital Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc Bell. “This is another in a long line of developments to maintain our leadership as a top small satellite manufacturer in the country.”

Association of Space Explorers – Europe
16 February 2022

Humans are explorers. Curiosity is in our nature, and the need to expand our reach is intimately connected to our evolution: it has led us to develop technology and capabilities beyond any other species on our planet.

Humanity’s innate desire to explore has a unifying power that is unsurpassed, even in a time of increased polarization and political divide. Space programmes like the International Space Station have provided a unique capability to bridge across ideological and geographical chasms. Throughout recent times challenged by political unrest, economical struggles, and an ongoing pandemic, space programmes have received world-wide support thanks to their peaceful purpose and the universal appreciation of the values they provide: the protection of Earth, the advancement of science and development of technology – simply put, progress. The necessary international cooperation to achieve these global goals is a constant incentive to improved relations, stability, economic growth, innovative approaches and infrastructure enhancements. And yet even more important is the space programmes’ unique ability to inspire: seeing humans working and living in space, achieving things that once were called “impossible”, is one of the most powerful motivators for the younger generations. It shows young Europeans that they can be anything they want, if they just dare to dream ambitiously, to become the scientists, engineers, and explorers of tomorrow.

TOULOUSE, France, 16 February 2022 (ESA PR) — European leaders today confirmed their ambitious plans to work closely together to accelerate Europe as a world leader in space during a series of high-level meetings held in Toulouse, France.

Under the plans, ESA, the EU and their member States are uniting to ensure that Europe fully realises the enormous untapped potential for space to tackle the urgent and unprecedented societal, economic and security challenges it faces.

The French Presidency of the European Space Agency and the European Union chaired the meetings, reflecting the close and growing cooperation between the EU and ESA.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., February 14, 2022 (CASIS PR) – The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS), manager of the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, today made public a research announcement soliciting flight projects for in-space production applications. With this solicitation, In-Space Production Applications: Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, CASIS seeks applied research and development projects leveraging the ISS National Lab within the areas of advanced or exotic materials production and associated technologies.

For this research announcement, flight investigations should demonstrate space-based manufacturing and production activities that:

New film shows ‘Orbex LP1’ launch platform’s 80-mile road trip across Scotland and construction

FORRES, UK, February 15, 2022 (Orbex PR) – The first rocket launchpad constructed in the UK for more than 50 years is now in place at the Orbex test site in Kinloss, Scotland.

The new launchpad – known as ‘Orbex LP1’ – recently completed an 80-mile road trip from Peterhead to Kinloss on two trucks, accompanied by a police escort. The three-hour journey through the dramatic Scottish countryside during sun, rain and snow was captured in a short film shown above.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Terra Orbital/Tailwind Two PR) — Terran Orbital Corporation (“Terran Orbital”), a leading vertically integrated provider of end-to-end satellite solutions and Tailwind Two Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: TWNT) (“Tailwind Two”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, today announced that the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of Tailwind Two (the “Extraordinary General Meeting”) to approve the pending business combination (the “Business Combination”) between Terran Orbital and Tailwind Two is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Holders of Tailwind Two’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares at the close of business on the record date of February 4, 2022 will be entitled to notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting and to vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting.

TUCSON, Ariz. (University of Arizona PR) — The presumed SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster that’s on a course to hit the moon March 4 is actually a Chinese booster from a rocket launch in 2014, a University of Arizona team has confirmed.

UArizona students in the university’s Space Domain Awareness lab at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory have had their eyes on the piece of space junk for weeks as they studied its rotation. They have been gathering other data as well, which they used to confirm its Chinese origin.

The former Manager of Additive Manufacturing at SpaceX will lead Launcher’s Additive and Machining capabilities and build world-class Production and Integration systems for Launcher’s products.

HAWTHORNE, Calif., February 15, 2022 (Launcher PR) – Launcher (launcherspace.com), an industry-leading developer of highly efficient rockets and transfer vehicles, has appointed Tim Berry as its Head of Manufacturing.

DENVER, Feb. 15, 2022 (Lockheed Martin PR) – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] was awarded three NASA contracts for key elements of the agency’s visionary Mars Sample Return program.

The first contract is for the cruise stage that will power and steer the Mars-bound journey of the lander that retrieves Martian rock and soil samples from the Perseverance Rover. For this $35 million award from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California (JPL), Lockheed Martin will produce the cruise stage and its comprehensive elements, including the solar arrays, structure, propulsion and thermal properties.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., February 15, 2022 (Northrop Grumman PR) – Northrop Grumman will launch a variety of critical research and supplies on its upcoming 17th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch, which take place at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, is scheduled for no earlier than February 19 at 12:40 p.m. ET.

The ISS National Laboratory is sponsoring more than 15 research and technology development payloads as part of this mission. These payloads, which represent diverse fields of study, intend to bring value to our nation through space-based research and enable a robust and sustainable market in low Earth orbit. Below highlights some of the ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations launching on Northrop Grumman CRS-17.

Launches iconic new consumer brand designed to support commercial business

LAS CRUCES, N.M., February 15, 2022 (Virgin Galactic PR) – Virgin Galactic (NYSE: SPCE) (the “Company” or “Virgin Galactic”), an aerospace and space travel company, announced today that ticket sales will open to the general public starting on February 16, providing the opportunity to purchase one of the initial spaceflight reservations and secure membership in the unique community of Future Astronauts.