The chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee introduced a bill on Friday that would establish NOAA as a standalone agency akin to NASA. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act of 2023, led by Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), would also require the agency to submit a reorganization plan to boost efficiency and […]
Russia will select the first cohort of Russian Orbital Station (ROS) cosmonauts by next year, officials announced last week. Development of the training program for the selected cosmonauts is expected to be completed by 2025. Russian Orbital Station 101: With the ISS set to deorbit by the end of the decade, Russia has proposed building […]
Launch startup Firefly Aerospace announced yesterday that it has acquired Spaceflight Inc., a space services and transportation company, to build its on-orbit service offerings. Firefly did not disclose the terms of the deal. Firefly: The Texas-based rocket startup, which focuses on the small to medium-lift market, achieved orbit for the first time in October with […]
Climate tech company Hydrosat announced this morning that it has completed the acquisition of IrriWatch, a Netherlands-based irrigation management software company. The deal has been in the works for over a year. The acquirer: Hydrosat uses satellite thermal infrared imagery and data analytics to measure water scarcity and the effects of climate change. The company […]
Lawmakers previewed two legislative proposals in the works during a panel discussion at Payload’s Space Capitol event in DC on Tuesday night. NDAA preview: Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) will introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to help federal launch ranges keep up with the rapidly growing launch cadence in Florida and California. […]
The Spaceport Company, a startup aiming to supply mobile, floating launch pads for responsive launch, won a $1.5M contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) through its National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) program, the company announced Monday. Under the contract, The Spaceport Company will develop a resilient sea platform that can be deployed in rough […]
Russia’s lunar race has a new start date. After years of delays, Russia’s Luna-25 probe is slated to launch to the Moon aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket on Aug. 11, according to Russian state news site TASS and local tour operator RocketTrip. The uncrewed mission will be the first Russian lunar trip in 45+ years. […]
The United Nations gave an update on a new group studying guidelines for the sustainable use of space in a conference room paper released June 2 at the 66th session of the UN’s Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), which will conclude Friday in Vienna. What it is: The COPUOS Scientific and […]
OneWeb is looking to cement its place in the IFC (in-flight connectivity) market through a new distribution partnership with Hughes that will add LEO broadband connectivity to its in-flight WiFi offerings. The partnership: Under the agreement, Hughes, which already offers IFC services to airlines, will utilize OneWeb’s constellation to offer LEO-specific connectivity. Airlines will be […]
Galvanick, an industrial cybersecurity startup, raised a $10M seed round to expand its team and continue developing its debut product. The seed investors include MaC Venture Capital, Founders Fund, Village Global, Countdown Capital, Hanover Technology Investment Management, Shrug Capital, and 8090 Industries. Protect the machines: Galvanick was founded in 2021 and is led by Josh […]
20 years after launch, ESA’s Mars Express orbiter is still notching new achievements. On Friday, the spacecraft broadcast the first ever livestream from Mars. Previous space missions—including Neil Armstrong’s step seen ’round the world during Apollo, and last year’s DART mission to bump an asteroid off its course—have provided the public with live imagery from […]
NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has teamed up with Starburst Aerospace, Mission Innovation X at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT MIx), and MassChallenge for its next program, which will send alliance resources to innovators in a several fields, including hypersonics, energy and propulsion, and space. Why the partners? Starburst, MIT MIx, […]
