FFI’s newest satellite for improving tactical communication in the Arctic will be launched into orbit via Exolaunch aboard the SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-4 mission NET April 2022

Kjeller, Norway/Berlin, Germany, March 10, 2022 (Exolaunch PR) – Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), the prime institution responsible for defence-related research in Norway, has awarded a contract to Exolaunch, a global provider of launch, in-space logistics and deployment services for small satellites, to launch its ARCSAT satellite aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9.

The teams of Exolaunch and GomSpace, the ARCSAT’s satellite manufacturer, have just completed a successful integration of the ARCSAT satellite into its deployer at Exolaunch’s headquarters in Berlin prior to shipment for the launch campaign at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite is scheduled for launch to a sun-synchronous orbit with Falcon 9 NET April 2022 as part of SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program.

PARIS (ESA PR) — ESA has signed a contract with GomSpace to build the Scout CubeMAP mission. Embracing the concept of New Space, CubeMAP is a trio of nanosatellites to help quantify atmospheric processes in the upper atmosphere and how they impact our climate. The constellation will measure water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide and aerosols – all of which play a key role in the greenhouse effect and climate change.

The European consortium led by UNSEENLABS and EUROCONSULT has won a concept study for the European Commission aiming to leverage disruptive ideas for an innovative European broadband constellation.

PARIS WASHINGTON D.C., MONTREAL, YOKOHAMA, SYDNEY, December 9^th 2021 (New Symphonie PR) – New Symphonie, the recently established consortium of 22 European companies, has won the European Commission call for tenders entitled “New Space solutions for long-term availability of reliable, secure, cost-effective space-based connectivity”.

Selected for its exceptional innovation and familiarity with leading-edge technologies, the consortium led by UNSEENLABS and EUROCONSULT will be awarded a six month study contract for a total amount of 1.4m euros. Through the study, the consortium members will investigate and recommend to the European Commission the most optimal infrastructure for secure connectivity markets. The study aims at defining the secure connectivity requirements that could be addressed by a European multi-orbit satellite system to be conceptually designed with innovative technologies for an attractive business plan.  

NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands (ESA PR) — A specially upgraded radio-frequency chamber in ESA’s technical heart is testing what is set to become the smallest radar system to be flown in space, hosted aboard a breadbox-sized spacecraft.

AALBORG, Denmark (GomSpace PR) — GomSpace enters into an agreement with SpaceAble, to enhance the sustainability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The contract is worth 21MSEK [US $3.27 million] and the project will begin in 2021 with expected delivery in late 2023.

The mission is designed to enhance the sustainability of LEO. By tracking the inherent risk of space weather thanks to SpaceAble’s technology and GomSpace´s platform, we are working at a larger level on providing the market with a comprehensive solution—which includes both inspector satellites and critical space data—to strengthen the resilience of new constellations.

UPPSALA, Sweden (GomSpace PR) — GomSpace and J.P. Morgan have successfully utilized the GOMX-4 satellites for an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) and tested tokenized value transfer in space. The IOD from GomSpace enabled J.P. Morgan to test the world’s first bank-led tokenized value transfer in space, executed via smart contracts on a blockchain network established between satellites orbiting the earth.

BERLIN (Exolaunch PR) — Exolaunch, the leading rideshare launch and deployment services provider for the NewSpace industry, announced a successful launch of 30 commercial, space agency, and university satellites for its customers from Europe and the U.S. on the first dedicated rideshare mission of SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program. The mission, named “Zeitgeist,” lifted off on January 24 at 15:00 UTC on Falcon 9 “Transporter-1,” completing one of the largest and most diverse rideshare missions for Exolaunch.

Zeitgeist kicked-off the first of several rideshares Exolaunch will manifest on Falcon 9 as part of a multi-launch agreement with SpaceX. On this mission, Exolaunch provided deployment, mission management and integration services to the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Dresden Technical University, ICEYE, NanoAvionics and other commercial companies for IoT, Earth observation and scientific applications.

UPPSALA, Sweden (GomSpace PR) — GomSpace has signed the second FACSAT-2 contract to support advanced science and technology activities to enhance the satellite capabilities of the Colombian Airforce. The contract and collaboration consist of a three-party agreement between CODALTEC / Colombian Air Force (“FAC”) and GomSpace to continue the FACSAT-2 satellite mission and associated intensive virtual technology transfer program. The contract is worth 3.91 MSEK [US $472,800] and will be delivered during the second half of 2021.

The FACSAT-2 project comprises design, manufacture, test, and operation of an advanced 6U remote sensing spacecraft. The program will build on the successful collaboration established and local capability built during the FACSAT-1 program under which a Colombian 3U satellite was launched in 2018 and is today in continued operation by FAC.

ELCHE, Spain (EMXYS PR) — EMXYS and the Royal Observatory of Belgium have been selected by the European Space Agency to provide a gravimeter for the Juventas spacecraft that will land on asteroid Dimorphos as part of the European Space Agency’s planetary defence programme.

LUXEMBOURG (Luxembourg Space Agency PR) — On 20 October GomSpace’s subsidiary in Luxembourg and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a development contract valued at EUR 1.350.000 for the continued development of GomSpace’s satellite operations platform called HOOP by GomSpace Luxembourg SARL.

The development of the Hands-Off Operations Platform (HOOP) to enable autonomous satellite operations for single satellites and constellations was initiated in 2018 (https://gomspace.com/news/gomspace-luxembourg-receives-development-cont.aspx) under a first development contract resulting in the development of the minimum viable product. HOOP is today fully flight proven and operationally deployed in customer projects.