A Look at SpaceX’s Starship Upgrades as it Prepares for Second Flight
Since Starship’s first orbital flight test nearly three months ago, SpaceX has been working around the clock modifying the rocket, rebuilding the launch pad, and defending itself against an environmental lawsuit as the launch giant prepares for its second orbital attempt. Upgrades to Starship SpaceX will be using Booster 9 and Starship 25 for its…
Voyager Teams up with India’s NSIL to Collaborate on Space Tech
Voyager Space, a space tech rollup, announced Friday it had signed an MoU with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial launch division, to explore small sat deployment opportunities and component tech sharing. “This partnership is a unique opportunity as we join forces to drive innovation and advancement in the small satellite launch industry,” said Voyager…
Iran Deploys EO Imagery in Court
An Iranian EO satellite launched last year is switching its focus to land mapping. A spokesperson for the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) said Saturday that the Information Technology Organization of Iran (ITO) has teamed up to explore using the satellite’s images as evidence in court cases on land misuse. Iran’s eye in space: When Iran…
India is Set to Launch Chandrayaan-3 Lunar Lander and Rover on July 14
India rolled its LVM3 rocket to the pad Thursday and announced its Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander mission will take flight July 14. The launch sets the stage for lunar redemption. It will be the country’s second landing attempt after its Chandrayaan-2 vehicle crash-landed on the Moon’s surface nearly four years ago. The mission: Chandrayaan-3 consists of…
Seattle, Denver, Austin Vie to be “Silicon Valley of Space”
Nearly 20 regional space companies gathered at Blue Origin’s headquarters in Kent, WA, on Wednesday for the Washington State Space Summit. Against the backdrop of the state’s booming space economy, which has more than doubled since 2018, NASA chief Bill Nelson flew in to share the stage with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Blue Origin CEO…
Rivada Wins Waiver on First Constellation Deployment Deadline
Rivada Space Networks has been racing against the clock to deploy a secure, laser-linked LEO comms constellation before a deadline imposed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The company was on track to miss the first goalpost, which required 10% of its 576-satellite constellation in orbit and working by September. The ITU has issued a…
Ariane 5 Launches for the Final Time
Ariane 5 bid farewell today as it launched into the night sky for the very last time. The hardest goodbyes: After 25 years, 116 launches, and 82 consecutive flights without a full failure, ESA is retiring its workhorse rocket. Its final flight carried France’s Syracuse 4B satellite, which will provide army comms, and Germany’s Heinrich…
Blue Origin Plans to Build an International Launch Site
Blue Origin is planning to build a launch facility outside the US, the company’s CEO Bob Smith told the Financial Times this week. The search has just begun, and a decision on a location is not imminent. The company is also seeking new partnerships and acquisitions across Europe. Euro trip: Despite not yet having achieved…
Yoon Suk Yeol Calls for KASA Establishment
The world’s newest potential space agency is running into roadblocks when it comes to notching the right approvals to get going. This morning, South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, called for some pep in the step of lawmakers who have been sitting on the establishment bill for several months now. Korea passed a law to…
Deterrence By Observation: A New Era of Geospatial Intelligence
We have arrived at a new era of geospatial intelligence – one defined by greater transparency and more data than ever. Let’s talk about how we got here, and the role Planet has to play. Recently, Planet authored a white paper that explains how and why the commercial space industry has grown so rapidly, and…
Chinese Satellite Achieves High-Speed Space-to-Ground Laser Comms
Chang Guang, a Chinese satellite operator, successfully achieved 10 Gbps satellite-to-ground laser communication via a Jilin-1 satellite, the company announced last week. The downlink speed surpassed a previous record of 1 Gbps via radio frequency connectivity. The first laser demonstration downlink included a satellite picture of Doha, Qatar. Beam me down, Scotty: Laser communication’s higher…
The ROI in Space Sustainability
In 2012, there were just over 1,000 active satellites in orbit. There are now 10,000, ~2,700 of which were deployed in the last 12 months. During the early days of the space economy, satellite operators could overlook spacecraft longevity and collision risk. This is no longer the case. As the space economy matures, space sustainability…
