Welcome to Biz Briefs! In today’s edition, Maxar Technologies is splitting into two companies, Ceres-1 became the second small-satellite launcher to fail this week, Ariane 6 suffered a setback during testing, Astroscale won a satellite servicing contract, Varda Space lacks a license to bring its capsule back to Earth, and much more.

Welcome to Biz Briefs. In this edition, Maxar is going private, a consortium of aerospace heavyweights will bid for Europe’s Starlink rival, Seraphim Space selects nine companies for its next business accelerator, ESA funds a study for a reusable heavy-lift launcher, Lockheed and Raytheon teams win defense contracts, AeroVironment receives a Mars helicopter contract, CesiumAstro to provide Raytheon with antennas, NASA awarded contracts for a weather satellite, and Thales Alenia Space conducted a cybersecurity demonstration with an active satellite.

In today’s biz briefs, L3Harris gets a big contract, Maxar shareholders vote to go private, Ursa Major and Orbit Fab raise fresh funds, Rocket Lab will re-fly an engine, and ESA wants your ideas for how to use lunar resources.

Maxar Technologies will become a private company through a merger with private equity firm Advent International after not receiving any other acquisition proposals during a 60-day “go shop” period.

Blue Origin Wins NASA Launch Contract

Blue Origin has won a $20 million contract to launch NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission to Mars in late 2024 aboard the company’s as-yet not flown New Glenn rocket.

WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA announced Friday the Psyche asteroid mission, the agency’s first mission designed to study a metal-rich asteroid, will not make its planned 2022 launch attempt.

Due to the late delivery of the spacecraft’s flight software and testing equipment, NASA does not have sufficient time to complete the testing needed ahead of its remaining launch period this year, which ends on Oct. 11. The mission team needs more time to ensure that the software will function properly in flight.

HOUSTON (Intuitive Machines PR) – The Department of Energy and NASA awarded IX, a joint venture between Intuitive Machines and X-energy, a contract to conduct a one-year study to mature the design of a Fission Surface Power (FSP) solution that will deliver at least 40 kWe power flight system to the Moon by 2028.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (Maxar Technologies PR) — Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) (“Maxar” or the “Company”), a provider of comprehensive space solutions and secure, precise, geospatial intelligence, today announced the pricing of the previously announced offering of its $500 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2027 (the “notes”). The notes were offered and sold in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The notes will have an interest rate of 7.75% per annum and will be issued at a price equal to 100% of their face value.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (Maxar Technologies PR) –Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) (“Maxar” or the “Company”), a provider of comprehensive space solutions and secure, precise, geospatial intelligence, today announced the commencement of a private offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of its senior secured notes due 2027 (the “notes”). The notes will be senior, first-priority secured obligations of the Company initially guaranteed on a senior, first-priority secured basis by the Company’s subsidiaries that are guarantors under its existing syndicated credit facility. In connection with the issuance of the notes, the Company intends to amend and restate that certain credit agreement under its existing syndicated credit facility, among the Company, Royal Bank of Canada and the lenders from time to time party thereto (the “Amendment and Restatement”). The proposed offering is subject to market and other conditions.

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (Maxar Technologies PR) — Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) (“Maxar” or the “Company”), a provider of comprehensive space solutions and secure, precise, geospatial intelligence, today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. All dollar amounts in this press release are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.

Key points from the quarter include:

• Consolidated revenues of $405 million
• Net loss of $7 million
• Diluted net loss per share of $0.10
• Adjusted EBITDA¹ of $84 million
• Operating cash flows of $48 million

1. This is a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to section “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in this earnings release.