Nonprofit Opens Space Law and Ethics Institute
For All Moonkind, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the moon landing sites, has launched the Institute on Space Law and Ethics to develop guidelines for responsible behavior in space. The nitty-gritty: The institute will include a leadership board that will meet monthly as well as a group of fellows who will work on the project…
NASA Opens Moon to Mars Program Office
NASA opened the doors to its Moon to Mars Program Office last week and tapped Amit Kshatriya to take the helm. The office will oversee and coordinate NASA’s crewed lunar and Mars missions. “The Moon to Mars Program Office will help prepare NASA to carry out our bold missions to the Moon and land the…
Transitioning space propulsion to a nitrous-based industry standard
The future success of the space industry’s supply chain depends on standardizing all aspects of a space mission, from human safety to the oxidizer used with fuel. This collective piece dives into how nitrous oxide is the optimal choice featuring input from: Tactically responsive space A few weeks ago, for the first time, the US…
Astra Announces Q4 and FY2022 Losses
Astra reported significant financial setbacks in FY22, but brought in $9.4M in revenue. The launch company’s engine sales drove income as Rocket 4 nears launch test readiness. Astra’s Q4, by the numbers: Times of trouble: It’s been a tough year for Astra. Last week, the company outlined a plan to prevent Nasdaq from delisting its…
SDA Tranche 0 Launch Delayed
The Space Development Agency is all about moving fast, but getting its first batch of satellites off the ground aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 will have to wait a little longer after Thursday’s launch was unexpectedly scrubbed three seconds before liftoff. SDA announced Friday morning that the expected launch attempt at 10:29 am ET Friday…
Exclusive: Starfish Nets $3M from the DIU
Starfish Space, the Seattle-based startup building vehicles to support a future on-orbit servicing economy, has snagged a $3M contract from National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC), a technology development arm of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The funds will help Starfish push its Nautilus electrostatic adhesive docking and capture mechanism through the next phases of development.…
Planet Reports Record Q4 and FY2023 Earnings
Planet ($PL) saw $191.3M in full year revenue, a 46% jump from last year, the company revealed Wednesday. This comes in at the top end of its previous projection of $188M to $192M. Planet’s Q4, by the numbers: The company expects revenue to grow 35% this year, in the range of $248M to $268M. An…
Dawn Aerospace’s Spaceplane Aims for April Test Flight
Dawn Aerospace’s rocket-powered Mk-II Aurora suborbital vehicle is expected to make its maiden flight in April after getting regulatory approval from New Zealand to fly last week. Mk-II Aurora spaceplane: Dawn Aerospace has already completed 48 test flights using traditional jet engines. The upcoming launch marks the first time a remotely piloted, rocket-powered vehicle has…
Return to FY22 Funding Would Be ‘Catastrophic’: Top Space Force Official
It would be “catastrophic” if the Space Force had to operate under fiscal 2022 funding levels, the military’s top space official told lawmakers on Tuesday. Under a spending plan backed by a wing of the Republican party, dollars for research and development, launch, modernization, recruitment, missile defense, and domain awareness could all be at risk…
Lockheed Martin Launches Lunar Infrastructure-as-a-Service Subsidiary
Lockheed Martin is establishing Crescent Space Services, a lunar infrastructure subsidiary focused on communication between the Earth and Moon, the contractor announced Tuesday. “We’ve seen the Artemis program and how it has been able to really get the attention of the world,” Crescent CEO Joe Landon told Payload. “We sat down and said how can…
OneWeb Launch Shows ISRO’s Budding Commercial Opportunities
An Indian Launch Vehicle Mark-3 rocket launched and deployed 36 OneWeb satellites on Sunday, marking the Indian Space Research Organisation’s second commercial launch for the UK firm. ISRO’s fleet of rockets is first and foremost to give India independence from foreign launchers. But it will also offer new commercial opportunities, as shown by the OneWeb…
Isar Closes €155M Series C Funding Round
German launch startup Isar Aerospace has closed a €155M ($167.3M) Series C funding round. The company has now raised over €300M ($323.9M) and is fully funded up to and beyond its first flight. With this latest round of funding, Isar cements its position as the most well-funded European launch startup. The next most successful is…
