• Kleos’ four Polar Vigilance Mission (KSF1) satellites have successfully been launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida aboard the Spaceflight SXRS-5/SpaceX Transporter-2 Mission and are in orbit.
• Kleos is now establishing contact with the satellites to commence commissioning.
• Launched into a 525km Sun Synchronous Orbit, the Polar Vigilance satellites increase Kleos’ coverage to the North and South of its Scouting Mission.
• Data from the Scouting Mission satellites is being delivered to customers.
• Development of Kleos’ third satellite cluster, the Polar Patrol Mission (KSF2) cluster, on track to launch in late 2021 onboard another SpaceX Falcon 9.

LUXEMBOURG (Kleos Space PR) — Kleos Space S.A (ASX: KSS, Frankfurt: KS1), a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company, successfully launched its second satellite cluster, the Polar Vigilance Mission (KSF1), on 30 June 2021 (UTC) aboard the Spaceflight SXRS-5/SpaceX Transporter-2 Mission.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., June 30, 2021 (Exolaunch PR) – Exolaunch, the launch, deployment and integration services provider for the New Space industry, announced a successful launch of 29 satellites totaling one metric ton for its customers from the United States, South America and Europe on a dedicated rideshare mission of SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program. The mission, named ‘Fingerspitzengefühl’, lifted off on June 30 at 19:31 UTC on Falcon 9 ‘Transporter-2’, completing one of the largest and most diverse rideshare missions for Exolaunch. With this launch, Exolaunch has flown 170 small satellites on multiple launch vehicles.

KENT, Wa. (Blue Origin PR) — Fulfilling a lifelong mission to become an astronaut, Wally Funk will fly to space on New Shepard’s first human flight on July 20 as an honored guest. She will join Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, and the auction winner on the flight.  

SpaceX launched 88 satellites on Wednesday as part of its Transporter-2 rideshare mission. The Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. On board this launch were 85 commercial and government spacecraft (including CubeSats, microsats, and orbital transfer vehicles) and 3 Starlink broadband satellites. While there were fewer spacecraft on board compared to the Transporter-1 mission that had a record 143 satellites, this mission launched more […]

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Virgin Orbit successfully launched seven small satellite into Earth orbit off the coast of California on Wednesday, completing the company’s second successful mission and raising the number of spacecraft Richard Branson’s launch company has orbited to 17.

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 30, 2021 (Relativity Space PR) – Relativity Space, the first company to 3D print an entire rocket and build the largest metal 3D printers in the world, today announced a major expansion of its operations in Long Beach with the signing of a new, 1M sq. ft. headquarters factory at Goodman Commerce Center, Long Beach.  

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has named Vanessa Wyche director of the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and Janet Petro director of Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Wyche has served as the acting director of Johnson since May 3 and Petro has served as the acting director of Kennedy since May 17.

“Both Vanessa and Janet are exceptional leaders who will help propel NASA forward as we venture farther out into the cosmos than ever before,” said Nelson. “It’s an incredible time at NASA, and with Vanessa and Janet leading the Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers, NASA will embark on a new era of space exploration – starting with the Artemis I launch to the Moon later this year.”

“I’m humbled and honored to be chosen to lead the more than 10,000 employees at Johnson Space Center, who work each day to enhance scientific and technological knowledge via space exploration to benefit all of humankind,” Wyche said. “As the home to America’s astronaut corps, International Space Station mission operations, the Orion and Gateway programs, and a host of future space developments, Johnson is a world leader in human space exploration and is playing a key role in the next giant leaps in American excellence in space. I look forward to working with everyone as we push forward to the Moon and inspire a new generation of explorers to reach for the stars.”

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 29, 2021 (Virgin Orbit PR) — Virgin Orbit, the California-based responsive launch company, announced today it has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will expand its relationship with SatRevolution, the low-cost small satellite manufacturer and space services company based in Wrocław, Poland. The new agreement, which comes as two SatRevolution satellites are in the final countdown for launch on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne system, lays the groundwork for the launch of hundreds of additional satellites as well as the joint development of integrated mission services, and other potential areas of collaboration.  

DENVER, June 29, 2021 (Voyager Space PR) — Voyager Space Holdings, Inc. (Voyager), a global leader in space exploration, today announced the appointment of Tom Ayres as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel.

Tom Ayres most recently served as the 20th General Counsel of the U.S. Air Force. During his tenure, Ayres led his team to draft and implement the legislation creating the Space Force, simultaneously becoming the first General Counsel for the U.S. Space Force.

“The interplay between the public and private sectors plays a critical role in today’s space ecosystem,” said Dylan Taylor, CEO and chairman of Voyager. “As a demonstrated leader with a decorated record at the Department of Defense, Tom is a tremendous addition to Voyager. We are grateful to have him join the team and eager to leverage his unique skill set to further Voyager’s mission.”

BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazahkstan (Roscosmos PR) — In accordance with the flight program to the International Space Station, on June 29, 2021, at 23:27:20 UTC, the Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle successfully lifted off from the launcher No. 6 of Site 31 (Vostok) of the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the Progress MS-17 cargo ship. 8 minutes 49 seconds after the liftoff, the spacecraft separated normally from the third stage of the carrier, the solar panels and antennas deployed afterwards.

• Bharti Global (Bharti) exercises Call Option under existing shareholders’ agreement to invest an additional $500m
• OneWeb secures funding on anniversary of HMG/Bharti bid
• Company financially secure, with no debt issuance

LONDON, 29 July (OneWeb PR) — OneWeb, the global Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, has secured further fund-raising on the anniversary of the successful bid by UK Government and Bharti Global (Bharti) to purchase OneWeb from US Chapter 11 to bring its total funding to $2.4 billion. OneWeb has completed its transformation with the exercise of a Call Option by Bharti to invest an additional $500m into the company.

BRISBANE, Australia, June 30, 2021 (Gilmour Space Technology PR) – Australia’s leading launch services company, Gilmour Space Technologies (https://www.gspacetech.com), has secured $61 million (approximately $47 million USD) from global investors in what is the largest private equity investment raised by a space company in Australia.   

The Series C round, which includes US-based Fine Structure Ventures, Australian venture capital firms Blackbird and Main Sequence, and Australian superannuation funds HESTA, Hostplus, and NGS Super, brings the company’s total funds raised to date to $87 million.   

“We are excited to be making our first investment in Australia with Gilmour Space Technologies,” said Brett Rome, lead investor and Managing Partner at Fine Structure Ventures, a venture capital fund affiliated with FMR LLC, the parent company of Fidelity Investments.