PARIS (ESA PR) — ESA has given industry the go-ahead to build Space Rider space and ground segments.

Launched on a Vega-C rocket, this spacecraft will serve as an uncrewed robotic laboratory in low Earth orbit, returning to Earth with its payloads and being reused on future missions.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, 9 December 2020 (Dawn Aerospace PR) – In a world-first, the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted Dawn  Aerospace an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate to fly a suborbital spaceplane from a conventional airport.

Kent, Wash. (Blue Origin PR) — The National Team submitted its Option A proposal this week to land the first woman and next man on the Moon in partnership with NASA. Blue Origin leads the Human Landing System (HLS) National Team, which includes Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper. Together, these partners guided Apollo, established routine orbit cargo transfer, developed today’s only crewed lunar spaceship, and pioneered planetary precision landing […]

WHITE SANDS, NM (NASA PR) — NASA and Boeing have completed Starliner’s last parachute balloon drop test ending a reliability campaign that will help strengthen the spacecraft’s landing system ahead of crewed flights to and from the International Space Station.

RAPID – Real-time AI processes for Intelligent Detection to help manage high data volumes generated on space-based Earth Observation platforms aimed at tackling climate change

Chelmsford, UK, December 8, 2020 – Teledyne e2v’s Space Imaging team, a part of the Teledyne Imaging Group, has secured funding from the UK Space Agency’s National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) that will demonstrate and help support intelligent image processing platforms. The funding is in response to the 2020/2021 NSIP theme for “Earth Observation to Tackle Climate Change” and will be jointly delivered with Craft Prospect, based in Glasgow.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Dec. 7, 2020 – Two Millennium Space Systems-built small satellites were successfully launched into low-Earth orbit last month – and the company’s engineers, as well as the world’s amateur satellite tracking community, now are watching them as they race back to Earth.

HUDDERSFIELD, UK (University of Huddersfield PR) — Manned space missions in spacecraft made of aluminium that is light yet resistant to radiation could be a step nearer following research involving a world-leading facility at the University of Huddersfield.

The MIAMI-2 – Microscopes and Ion Accelerators for Materials Investigations – facility has helped Dr Matheus Tunes investigate a new alloy that will harden aluminium without increasing its weight significantly.

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Virgin Orbit PR) — Virgin Orbit, the California-based responsive space launch company, announced today that Jim Simpson has joined its executive team as the company’s Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). With the company rapidly approaching its second launch demonstration and nearing the start of commercial service, Jim’s addition will help the team keep a laser focus on meeting its commercial and government customers’ needs in the dynamic, global market for responsive launch. 

Jim’s celebrated career in space gives him experience in both the launch and the satellite industries, working with governments, start-ups, and everything in between. He recently wrapped up his tenure as the CEO of Saturn Satellite Networks, where he led the evolution of the geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) field by changing the economics for both emerging developing nations and established organizations in the sector. He has also served as CEO of ABS (formerly Asia Broadcast Satellite), and served as the head of strategy for Aerojet Rocketdyne and Boeing Network and Space Systems. 

U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett tweeted: Brig Gen (ret) Chuck Yeager (@GenChuckYeager) was a barrier-breaking aviation legend who left an outsized impact on the @USAirForce & @SpaceForceDoD. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and those he inspired. The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on the passing of Gen. Chuck Yeager: “Today’s passing of Gen. Chuck Yeager is a tremendous loss to our nation. Gen. […]

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has selected 19 proposals from 17 U.S. small businesses for a total of more than $14 million in follow-on funding through the agency’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. The awards will help advance NASA priorities such as the Artemis program and other initiatives in aeronautics, human exploration and operations, science, and space technology. 

NASA’s STTR program is open to small businesses partnering with U.S. research institutions to develop an innovation or technology. The partnering component distinguishes STTR from its sister program, NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR). 

BRAMPTON, Ont. (MDA PR) — MDA announced today that it has been awarded a contract from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to develop Canadarm3, the third generation Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based robotic system destined for “Gateway”, a lunar-orbiting international space station. The contract involves the award of Phase A of the Canadarm3 program, with options for the follow-on phases.

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has identified the agency’s science priorities for the Artemis III mission, which will launch the first woman and next man to the Moon in 2024. The priorities and a candidate set of activities are included in a new report.