NASA Mission Update After successful separation from the rocket on Oct. 16, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft deployed both solar arrays. Soon after deployment, NASA received confirmation that one of the solar arrays was fully deployed and latched. Analysis currently shows the second solar array is partially unfurled. The team continues to look at all available engineering data to establish how far it is deployed. That solar array is generating nearly the […]

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (NASA PR) — NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 2:21 a.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 31, for the agency’s Crew-3 launch to the International Space Station to allow additional time for spacecraft processing. The backup launch time and date is 1:10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3. NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander, Tom Marshburn, pilot, and Kayla Barron, mission specialist as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, also a mission specialist, will launch […]

Mark Stucky, whom Virgin Galactic demoted as its director of flight test in May and fired two months later, has joined Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space company, CNN reports.

Stucky said he will join Blue Origin’s “Advanced Development Programs” team, where he said in a statement to CNN that he will “do my best to contribute to [CEO Jeff Bezos’] amazing vision of humans not just having a continuous presence in space but truly becoming a space-faring species.”

TOKYO (JAXA PR) — The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has teamed up with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Boeing Company (Boeing) on joint research to validate the low sonic-boom design of X-59, NASA’s low boom flight demonstrator.

LONDON, 18 October 2021 (ACCESS.SPACE Alliance PR) – ACCESS.SPACE Alliance, which represents the small satellite sector, has published a position paper on the current state of space financing. In the paper, ACCESS.SPACE Alliance states that start-ups and SMEs often lack customers and contracts to support their business and face difficulties in participating in large or long-term space programs at European and national levels. It also remains difficult for space business, especially for start-ups and SMEs which often do not have dedicated resources, to navigate through even the available funding opportunities.

ACCESS.SPACE further points out that the number of space-related companies and the amounts of public and private investments in other regions of the world are often higher than in Europe. However, very few countries have developed comprehensive directories of space-related entities and there is little visibility in terms of the number of companies, employment, investments, growth and ownership and control.

Plans to send +100 smallsats into space in 2022, capture larger share of US market by opening offices in Denver, Colorado and Washington, DC, and hires Chris Hearsey as US CEO

Denver, Colorado (CO), 19 October 2021 (Exolaunch PR) – Exolaunch, a provider of launch, deployment, and in-space transportation services, has expanded its business operations and sales in North America by opening offices in Denver, CO and Washington, DC. To lead its US operations (Exolaunch, Inc. doing business as Exolaunch USA), capture new market opportunities, and continue business growth in the region, Exolaunch USA has hired aerospace executive Chris Hearsey as its chief executive officer. Having doubled sales globally, compared to last year, in 2022 Exolaunch is expecting to further increase its sales and keep its high launch rate by sending +100 smallsats into space for the industry’s leading players.

G2 Venture Partners led this round with participation from BGV, National Grid Partners, and additional strategic partners

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AiDash PR) — AiDash, a leading provider of satellite and AI-powered vegetation management and sustainability solutions, today announced it has secured a $27 million Series B funding round. Led by G2 Venture Partners with participation from BGV, National Grid Partners, and additional strategic partners, this round brings the company’s total funding amount to $33 million. AiDash will use the funds to expand its vegetation management and sustainability products, helping utilities, energy, and other industries with geographically distributed assets transform their operations and maintenance activities.

• Fourth Kleos cluster, ‘Observer Mission’ (KSF3) to be launched, increasing data collection capacity.
  • Adding up to a further 119 million km² collect capacity per day over key areas across multiple payloads & orbits.
• Contract placed with launch services provider Spaceflight to launch Kleos’ fourth satellite cluster mid-2022 on a SpaceX rideshare launch.
• Innovative Solutions in Space engaged to build and support the Observer Mission satellites.
• New satellite cluster funded by successful A$12.6 million raise to grow constellation. 

LUXEMBOURG (Kleos Space PR) — Kleos Space S.A (ASX:KSS, Frankfurt:KS1, Kleos or Company), a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company, has signed new contracts with satellite builder Innovative Solutions in Space B.V. (ISISPACE) and global launch services provider Spaceflight Inc to build and manage the launch its fourth satellite cluster of four satellites, the Observer Mission (KSF3) mid-2022.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. (NASA PR) — NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) is gearing up for launch this fall, no earlier than Nov. 22. The payload arrived in Florida in May, fully integrated into its host spacecraft and ready for its final testing before being lofted into space.

A study led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg indicates that long-duration spaceflight could result in brain damage. The study, published in the JAMA Neurology scientific journal, involved the study of five Russian cosmonauts who lived on the International Space Station (ISS). Blood samples were taken from the cosmonauts 20 days before their departure to the ISS. On average, they then stayed in space for 169 days (approximately five […]

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — NASA will provide coverage as an uncrewed Russian cargo spacecraft arrives to a new port at the International Space Station this week, and as another Russian freighter launches and docks to the orbiting outpost next week.

The Progress 78 spacecraft will undock from the station at 7:42 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 20. While there will be no live coverage of the undocking, NASA TV, the agency’s website, and the NASA app will offer live coverage of the rendezvous and redocking beginning at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21.

ST. LOUIS, Mo.  (NRO PR) –  The annual United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) symposium kicked off Tuesday, Oct. 5 in St. Louis, Mo. The four-day event is the largest annual gathering of GEOINT professionals across the United States. This year’s theme is Discovery and Connections, and will focus on “examining the exponential increase of geospatial data sources, advanced analytic capabilities, new innovative solutions, interoperability, and much more.”

NRO’s director, Dr. Chris Scolese, opened day two of the symposium with a keynote address before the large crowd of government, academia, and commercial partners. Dr. Scolese was introduced by Retired Lieutenant General Mary A. Legere, the former Senior Intelligence Officer for the U.S. Army and the current Managing Director at Accenture Federal Services. Dr. Scolese began his keynote by noting the vibrant and congested arena space has become, adding, “We no longer have the luxury of treating our advantage in space as a given.”