Commercial
Maxar studies Legion spacecraft for NOAA weather mission
Under a new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration six-month study contract, Maxar Technologies will explore the application of its WorldView Legion constellation to weather observation from low Earth orbit.
BlackSky launching two satellites on June Starlink mission
After the SpaceX rideshare, BlackSky has another four satellites booked to launch on India’s new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle this year, though delays with that program have made a launch date unclear, Merski said.
Virgin Orbit moving ahead with U.K. launch plans
Virgin Orbit and the British government are continuing efforts to begin flights of the company’s air-launch system from an English airport by early 2022 despite challenges on both sides of the Atlantic.
Chinese private launch firms advance with methane engines, launch preparations and new funding
A number of Chinese private launch firms for the burgeoning commercial space sector have reported progress in efforts to develop a range of launch vehicles.
Space Force thinking about NASA-style partnerships with private companies
Felt said NASA’s commercial crew program is “super exciting” and one that the Space Force can learn from.
Astronomers warn about effects of other satellite megaconstellations
Astronomers who have spent the last year worried about the effect that SpaceX’s Starlink satellites will have on their observations say they are increasingly concerned about the impact from other proposed megaconstellations.
Asia-Pacific satellite operators still assessing pandemic’s market impacts
Three months after the coronavirus pandemic brought large swaths of the global economy to a near halt, Asia-Pacific satellite operators say they are still trying to identify a new normal.
Momentus signs contract with OrbAstro for SpaceX rideshare flight
Silicon Valley startup Momentus announced a contract June 4 with OrbAstro, a small United Kingdom company developing hardware and software to enable satellites to operate in flocks or constellations.
Raytheon wins NOAA study contract for geostationary imager
Raytheon won a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration contract for a design study of Real Time Imager, an instrument to obtain high-resolution Earth observation imagery from geostationary orbit.
SpaceX launches eighth Starlink mission, first VisorSat satellite
SpaceX launched a batch of 60 Starlink broadband satellites June 3, including one with a deployable sunshield meant to test out a new way to reduce the brightness of future satellites.
Astroscale moving into GEO satellite servicing market
Astroscale is acquiring the rights to Effective Space Solutions' satellite servicing vehicle known as Space Drone.
Venture capital is pulling back but Voyager is ‘in for the long run’
Matthew Kuta, president and COO of Voyager Space Holdings, says the crisis has laid bare a fundamental mismatch between venture investors focused on making quick profits and what space companies need to be successful, which is a long-term commitment.
Crew Dragon docks with ISS
A Crew Dragon spacecraft docked with the International Space Station May 31, less than a day after making history as the first human orbital spaceflight from the United States in nearly nine years.
Crew Dragon in orbit after historic launch
The first crewed orbital launch from the United States in nearly nine years took place May 30, placing a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with two NASA astronauts on board into orbit, bound for the International Space Station.
CPI completes acquisition of General Dynamics’ satellite antenna business
For the merger to go forward CPI must sell off its subsidiary ASC Signal Division.
Intelsat asks bankruptcy court to clear roadblock for Spaceflight launch business sale
Intelsat is asking its bankruptcy court for authorization to modify a $50 million loan to Spaceflight Industries’ Earth-observation business BlackSky that could become a snag in Spaceflight’s sale of its launch rideshare business.
