US Urges Open Comms With Beijing in Orbit
When the US talks to China, China never talks back, according to a senior DoD official. Lt. Gen. John Shaw, the second in command at US Space Command, said there are “a couple” Chinese email addresses registered with the government’s space-track.org site, which alerts operators about potential collisions in orbit, giving them an opportunity to…
Tomorrow.io Closes $87M Series E for Weather Satellites
Tomorrow.io, a weather intelligence and climate security platform, announced an $87M Series E funding round led by Activate Capital. The investment will be used to accelerate the deployment of its 20-bird constellation over the next 18-24 months. “We believe Tomorrow.io’s vertically integrated approach and satellite constellation will accelerate a paradigm shift in how millions around…
World Economic Forum Releases New Space Debris Guidelines
The World Economic Forum and ESA joined forces to draft a new set of orbital debris mitigation recommendations, which were released Tuesday. The four-page guideline already has support from more than two dozen industry players, including Airbus, Planet, Astroscale, and SES. “Space is critical for our modern way of life,” the document says. “We therefore…
Deloitte Releases SpaceTech Report
Deloitte released its SpaceTech report this morning, which reviews the most active and quickly-growing segments within the space industry. The report is intended for readers who are leaders in their own industries but remain in the dark about the progress that’s been made in space over the last decade. “In previous decades, a thoughtfully developed…
Summit for Space Sustainability: Day 1 Highlights
Space sustainability enthusiasts who gathered in New York this week for the fifth iteration of the Secure World Foundation’s Summit for Space Sustainability were faced with a dizzying stat: more than 2,700 spacecraft have been launched since the organization’s last meeting a year ago. The first day of the conference was all about the need…
Transporter-8 Launches a Full Manifest
Last night, SpaceX launched its eighth Transporter rideshare mission aboard a Falcon 9, deploying 39 spacecraft that hosted 72 payloads from a slew of startups and established companies into orbit. Transporter launch days always spur a lot of enthusiasm for spaceflight, as many crafts from smaller companies that rely on the lower price tag board…
GOP Push for NOAA’s Independence
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…
Roscosmos Reveals Details on the Russian Orbital Station Cosmonaut Program
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…
Firefly Aerospace Buys Spaceflight Inc.
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…
Hydrosat acquires IrriWatch
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…
Miller, Carbajal Give Sneak Peek of Legislative Plans
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 Wins DIU Contract
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…
