The latest edition of Euroconsult’s “Government Space Programs” report investigates the impact of fast-growing government space budgets in civilian and defense applications for the next decade and expands its trademark forecast to 2030.

Paris, Washington D.C., Montreal, Yokohama, Sydney, Toulouse, January 6, 2022 (Euroconsult PR) – Leading space consulting and market intelligence firm Euroconsult has released its highly anticipated “Government Space Programs” report for 2021. The highlight of this year’s findings is a continued, even accelerated, volume of governmental investment in the space sector, driven by two major drivers: ambitious space exploration programmes by leading space countries, and rivalries driving the militarization of space.

Leidos enters into strategic partnership to develop advanced collaborative analytics leveraging HawkEye 360’s unique RF intelligence data

Herndon, Va., January 6, 2021 (HawkEye 360 PR) — HawkEye 360 Inc., the world’s leading commercial provider of space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics, today announced it has added Leidos as an investor and strategic partner in a second close of its Series D round. The $5 million investment from Leidos brings the total value of Series D funding to $150 million. As a strategic partner, Leidos will use its expertise in developing advanced analytics to leverage HawkEye 360’s unique RF geospatial intelligence data.

SpaceX launched 49 Starlink satellites into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 on Thursday, marking the start of the 2022 orbital launch campaign. The booster lifted off at 4:49 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX has now launched 1,944 satellites into orbit for its broadband satellite network, with 1,764 currently working. Elon Musk’s company has received approval to launch just under 12,000 Starlink […]

• PLATiNO 1 and 2 are Earth observation satellites that will be launched on a Sun-synchronous orbit.
• Both small satellites are due to be launched between 2022 and 2024.
• PLATiNO is an all-electric multi-purpose small satellite platform developed in Italy, suitable for a wide range of applications (e.g. Optical, SAR, Telecom, etc.)

Évry-Courcouronnes, France, January 6, 2022 (Arianespace PR) — Arianespace has been awarded a launch contract by SITAEL, with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) as the final customer, to orbit PLATiNO 1 & 2 satellites, between 2022 and 2024 on Vega and Vega C. PLATiNO 1 and 2 are Earth observation small satellites operating on Sun-synchronous orbits. PLATiNO 1 will embark a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), operating in the X band, while PLATiNO 2 will carry an optical thermal instrument.

TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 6, 2022 (Paragon SDC PR) — Paragon Space Development Corporation (Paragon) is excited to announce today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Final Frontier Design (FFD), a leading supplier of spacesuits and ancillary components for NASA and other commercial customers. FFD currently has several NASA contracts for spacesuit components and has a Space Act Agreement with NASA for its IVA suit.

• ESA and EUSPA have confirmed that Arianespace will launch eight additional Galileo satellites.
• Arianespace will launch the first two satellites in 2022, leading to the Full Operational Capability of Galileo open service. Then, three successive launches on Ariane 62 in 2023, 2024 and 2025, will finalize the launch of the first generation of Galileo satellites and will increase the constellation resilience.
• These will be the 13^th to 16^th Galileo missions by Arianespace, which has orbited all satellites in the constellation.

Évry-Courcouronnes, France, January 6, 2022 (Arianespace PR) — The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has chosen Arianespace to launch four new Galileo satellites for Europe’s own satellite navigation system. With this order, EUSPA takes over the role of placing launch services contracts for Galileo from ESA, which acted so far in the name and on behalf of the European Commission and will continue to be the technical authority for these launches.

Editor’s Note: Not a bad analysis. He points out the questionable wisdom of launching the largest, most powerful rocket ever built from a base placed in the middle of a wildlife preserve with a number of endangered or threatened species. However, he’s off in terms of some of his criticism. The FAA approval for 12 Falcon 9/Heavy launches annually included the right to test experimental vehicles at the site. Elon […]

James Webb Space TelescopeNASA Mission Update At about 8:48 a.m. EST, a specialized radiator assembly necessary for Webb’s science instruments to reach their required low and stable operating temperatures deployed successfully. The Aft Deployable Instrument Radiator, or ADIR, is a large, rectangular, 4 by 8-foot panel, consisting of high-purity aluminum subpanels covered in painted honeycomb cells to create an ultra-black surface. The ADIR, which swings away from the backside of […]

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (SpaceX PR) — SpaceX is targeting Thursday, January 6 for a Falcon 9 launch of 49 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The instantaneous launch window is at 4:49 p.m. EST, or 21:49 UTC, and a backup opportunity is available on Friday, January 7 at 4:28 p.m. EST. Falcon 9’s first stage booster supporting this […]

NASA Mission Update GREENBELT, Md. (NASA PR) — On Jan. 1, 2022, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope officially passed the one-billion second mark. Hubble was deployed from the Space Shuttle Discovery’s cargo bay on April 25, 1990, making it one-billion seconds (over 31 years) since Hubble began operating. For more than three decades, Hubble has provided us with groundbreaking scientific discoveries and iconic images of space. Hubble’s first one-billion seconds included five astronaut servicing missions to replace […]

PARK CITY, Utah, January 4, 2022 (Uplift Aerospace PR) — Uplift Aerospace has signed a contract with NASA to deploy its Constellation VaultTM on the International Space Station (ISS). The Constellation Vault will be history’s first vault on the International Space Station, deploying in 2022 and expanding to additional space stations through the 2020 decade. The vault will initially serve as an exhibition platform for Earth’s most precious jewelry, artwork, and soft goods, with a selection of pieces sold to the public and other objects curated as space artifacts in public museums.

EDWARDS, Calif. (NASA PR) — This year marks 75 years of flight research at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California and 2021 adds to those achievements. 2021 continued to be challenging while working in a mostly virtual environment, but progress was surely made.

NASA’s next supersonic X-plane, the X-59, is taking shape for upcoming flights; NASA’s first all-electric X-plane, the X-57, completed ground testing to prepare for flights; several Earth science missions were completed around the globe; and many other goals were met to prepare NASA Armstrong for a successful 2022 and beyond.