Author: starpathwp-production
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China Roundup: Commercial launch providers drive forward reusability with more VTVL tests
Private Chinese launch providers continue to march at pace toward reusability, with two companies performing test high-altitude hops of their Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL) prototype vehicles. Landspace achieved a 10 km altitude flight in late August with its ZhuQue-3 hopper prototype. This week, Deep Blue Aerospace flew its Xingyung-1 reusable test vehicle for…
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Lockheed Martin to Develop Lightning Mapper for NOAA GeoXO Satellites
NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to design and build the next-generation GeoXO Lightning Mapper (LMX) instruments for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) GeoXO satellites. The baseline contract announced Sept. 18 is valued at approximately $297 million for two instruments with options for two additional instruments. LMX is a single-channel, near-infrared optical instrument…
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BlackSky Signs 7-Figure Deal With HEO to Collect Imagery of Objects in Space
BlackSky was awarded a seven-figure contract by HEO, an Australian startup specializing in non-Earth imaging (NEI) and analytics. BlackSky will provide imagery of objects in space for space domain awareness, versus images of Earth. BlackSky announced the contract on Thursday. The company said this deal lets BlackSky leverage unused capacity on its satellites in situations…
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Financiers Question Growth Rates and Exits for Space Investments
PARIS — The satellite industry continues to attract investors excited by the potential returns, but financiers are scrutinizing the business plans, growth rates, and exit plans for investments in the sector. Investors are being more cautious toward space-based investments right now, Chirag Kapadia, executive director, UBS, said during an investor panel at World Space Business…
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Space Flight Laboratory Honored with 2024 Alouette Award for BRITE-Constellation Mission
Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) is one of five organizations honored as team recipients of the 2024 Alouette Award for the BRITE-Constellation space astronomy mission. SFL, now a four-time Alouette winner, designed and developed the six BRITE nanosatellites launched in 2013 and 2014. The Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (CASI) bestows the Alouette Award annually to…
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Ursa Major and U.S. Navy Collaborate on $25M Investment for New Solid Rocket Motor Prototype
Ursa Major, the United States’ privately funded rocket propulsion company, will receive funding from the Department of Defense (DoD) as one of the inaugural recipients of investments from the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) to strengthen critical supply chain technologies needed for national security. The $12.5 million investment represents a partnership between OSC and the…
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NASA Picks Intuitive Machines for Lunar Communications Contract
NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a contract to support the agency’s lunar relay systems as part of the Near Space Network. As part of this contract, Intuitive Machines plans to deploy a lunar satellite constellation to provide communication and navigation services for NASA’s Artemis activities on the Moon. NASA announced the award for “Subcategory 2.2 Geostationary…
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Eutelsat Signs With Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Multiple H3 Launches
Eutelsat Group signed a new launch agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for multiple launches on the H3 rocket, the companies announced Wednesday, during World Space Business Week in Paris. According to the Sept. 18 announcement, the launches will start in 2027. Eutelsat did not specify what satellites it plans for MHI to launch. This marks…
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Luxury Cruise Line Regent Seven Seas Completes Starlink Installation
Luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas has finished installing Starlink internet across its fleet of six ships. The cruise line provides unlimited Wi-Fi to guests for no additional charge. Regent Seven Seas is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which announced plans to roll out Starlink across its brands in April of 2023. The…