Tag: Launch
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Astrolab’s FLIP Rover Selected as Primary Payload on Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 Moon Mission
Venturi Astrolab (Astrolab) and Astrobotic announced that Astrobotic’s Griffin lander will deliver an Astrolab rover to the Moon as part of Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1). The rover, currently known as FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform), will be deployed at the Nobile Region of the lunar south pole. The Astrobotic mission, originally carrying the VIPER…
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Sidus Space’s LizzieSat-3 Arrives at Vandenberg for SpaceX Transporter-13 Launch
Sidus Space, an innovative, agile space mission enabler, announced that LizzieSat-3 has arrived at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California to begin spacecraft integration in preparation for its scheduled launch and deployment into low Earth orbit no earlier than the first quarter of 2025 as part of the Transporter-13 rideshare mission with SpaceX. “With LizzieSat-3…
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Europe has the worst imaginable idea to counter SpaceX’s launch dominance
It is not difficult to understand the unease on the European continent about the rise of SpaceX and its controversial founder, Elon Musk. SpaceX has surpassed the European Space Agency and its institutional partners in almost every way when it comes to accessing space and providing secure communications. Last year, for example, SpaceX launched 134…
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Maxar Successfully Deploys Fifth and Sixth WorldView Legion Satellites into Orbit
Maxar Intelligence, a provider of secure, precise geospatial insights, confirmed that its fifth and sixth WorldView Legion satellites are performing well after being launched into mid-inclination orbit from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. With this successful launch, Maxar now has seven satellites on orbit capable of collecting 30 cm-class imagery…
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Rocket Lab Secures Multi-Launch Contract with iQPS for Four Electron Missions
Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, announced it has signed a multi-launch deal with Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company. The multi-launch contract, signed in July 2024, includes three dedicated missions for launch in 2025 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in…
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Momentus Secures U.S. Air Force Contract for In-Space Sensor Demonstration
Momentus Inc., a U.S. commercial space company offering satellite buses, technologies, transportation, and other in-space transportation services, announced that the U.S. Air Force Research Labs AFWERX organization has selected a proposal from Momentus to perform an in-space demonstration flight of a new, low-cost suite of multispectral sensors for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). AFWERX is…
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Arianespace Secures Ariane 6 Launch Deals with European Space Agencies
Arianespace signed two agreements on Ariane 6 with key European institutions at the 17th European Space Conference. The European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA), and EUMETSAT have reaffirmed their support for Ariane 6, Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher. The European Commission and ESA have entrusted Arianespace with the launch of Sentinel-1D in the second half…
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Arianespace to Launch ESA’s Space Telescope PLATO with Ariane 6
Arianespace, at the 17th European Space Conference, have announced that it has been awarded the contract to launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) terrestrial planet hunter PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) satellite. PLATO will board the heavy-lift Ariane 62, for a launch from Europe’s Spaceport, in French Guiana, end of 2026, and will…
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GomSpace Receives 9MSEK Product Order for Advanced Software-Defined Radios
GomSpace announces the sale of the advanced software-defined radios (SDR’s) to a European customer specializing in Signal Intelligence. The deal valued at 9MSEK, marks another significant milestone in the company’s commitment to enabling groundbreaking advancements in space missions. Software-defined radios represent a transformative leap in space communication technology. Unlike traditional radios, which rely on fixed…
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AST SpaceMobile Secures FCC Approval for US Testing with AT&T and Verizon
AST SpaceMobile, the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted the company Special Temporary Authority (STA) authorizing testing service in the United States. This approval enables AST SpaceMobile’s first five commercial…