Rocket Lab selected to launch debris inspection satellite for Astroscale
Rocket Lab has secured another launch contract in September, this time with commercial space debris removal pioneer Astroscale. This contract is for the ADRAS-J 1 mission that Astroscale is developing for the Japanese space agency, JAXA. The mission is the first phase...
Tomorrow.io orders first two weather radar satellites from Astro Digital
Tomorrow.io an American "weather intelligence and climate security" company has ordered two small satellites from manufacturer Astro Digital. The satellites will be radar-equipped and are to be based on the Astro Digital Corvus-XL platform. Due to launch in late-2022...
BAE Systems has reached down and purchased UK newspace company In-Space Missions
In a surprise announcement UK newspace company In-Space Missions has been acquired by multinational defence and aerospace giant BAE Systems. Transaction was announced on 14 September and according to the In-Space Missions press release, is enacted "with immediate...
China launches Tianzhou-3 freighter to a recently vacated CSS
A Tianzhou cargo freighter launched by China has docked with its space station on the same day. The mission lifted-off at 0710 GMT, propelled into orbit by a Long March 7 (CZ-7) rocket. The autonomous freighter, called Tianzhou-3, then conducted an automatic docking...
ABL receives contract to launch Lockheed Martin developed NASA cryo-tech demo mission
ABL Space Systems, a prospective American launch provider, is set to launch a NASA science mission in 2023. The company announced the contract which will make use of its RS-1 launch vehicle on 16 September. ABL is anticipating the maiden launch of its rocket before...
SpaceX awarded contracts to launch two GEO comms satellites in 2023
SpaceX has received contracts to launch two communication satellites to GEO during 2023. Both missions are set to use the mainstay Falcon 9 rocket. The first arrived on 8 September and was signed by Yahsat, UAE. This contract covers the launch of its upcoming...
Hapith 1 sub-orbital launch attempt ends in failure
A sub-orbital launch attempt of the Hapith 1 (HP1) rocket at 0639 GMT on 16 September, 2021, has ended in failure. During ignition the vehicle suffered an internal fault causing it to catch alight. Country Fire Service crews were immediately on the scene where they...
Spire to buy satellite-AIS competitor exactEarth
American company Spire Global fresh off the back of its SPAC merger in mid-August has entered into an agreement to purchase Canada-based exactEarth. Both companies provide a space-based, Sat-AIS (Satellite Automatic Identification System) product to the maritime and...
SpaceX receives contract to fly GOES U weather satellite on Falcon Heavy
SpaceX was awarded the launch contract for the GOES U weather satellite by NASA on 10 September. A Falcon Heavy rocket will be provided by SpaceX for this launch, planned for April 2024. GOES U is the fourth and last in the current series of GOES (Geostationary...
First private crewed orbital mission Inspiration4 a success for SpaceX (Updated)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted-off from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carrying a four person crew in one of its own Crew Dragon capsules. Lift-off for the mission known as "Inspiration4" was at 0002 GMT, 16 September, and saw the Resilience capsule placed into a...