Industry News
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News
- NASA Awards Multiple Construction Contracts NASA · 28 Jan 2022 NASA has awarded 12 construction contracts for work to be performed predominantly at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, and at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
- Delays set up SpaceX for two launches in two days from Cape Canaveral Spaceflight Now · 28 Jan 2022 SpaceX has delayed the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket and an Italian radar satellite for three straight days, and is now aiming to send the mission aloft Sunday evening from Cape Canaveral. The next launch on SpaceX’s sched...
- NASA to continue buying Earth-observation datasets SpaceNews · 28 Jan 2022 NASA intends to continue buying data gathered by commercial Earth-observation satellites.
- Another launch tower built for the SLS rocket has “encountered some challenges” Ars Technica · 28 Jan 2022 NASA has issued a "second letter of concern" to Bechtel.
- China presents space plans and priorities in new white paper SpaceNews · 28 Jan 2022 China has released a white paper outlining the centrality of space to the country’s “overall national strategy” as well as major plans for the years ahead.
- NASA safety panel watching human spaceflight reorganization SpaceNews · 28 Jan 2022 NASA’s safety advisers say they’re closely watching a planned reorganization of the agency’s human spaceflight directorate to ensure it doesn’t adversely affect safety.
- Rocket Report: NASA boosts commercial launch, another Chinese Falcon 9? Ars Technica · 28 Jan 2022 Also, we enjoy more renderings of Chinese rockets that look like a Falcon 9.
- Leshin to be next director of JPL SpaceNews · 28 Jan 2022 A planetary scientist and university president will be the next person, and first woman, to run NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- SpaceX targeting 52 Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy launches in 2022 Teslarati · 28 Jan 2022 Shortly before SpaceX was scheduled to launch an Italian Earth observation satellite, a member of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) revealed...
- DoD weapons testers to assess cybersecurity of GPS satellites, ground system and user equipment SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 DoD's office of operational test and evaluation will assess "the survivability of the entire GPS enterprise in a contested space environment"
- NASA Statement on New Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Appointment NASA · 27 Jan 2022 The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the appointment of Dr. Laurie Leshin as director of the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.
- China’s Shijian-21 towed dead satellite to a high graveyard orbit SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 China’s Shijian-21 space debris mitigation satellite has docked with a defunct Chinese satellite to drastically alter its geostationary orbit, demonstrating capabilities only previously exhibited by the United States.
- SpaceX cargo ship returns to Earth with spacesuit and science specimens Spaceflight Now · 27 Jan 2022 A SpaceX cargo ship splashed down under parachutes in the Gulf of Mexico this week, returning from the International Space Station after a 34-day mission with a spacesuit used for spacewalks, and research specimens for d...
- ABL Space Systems test accident to delay first launch by three months SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 ABL Space Systems says a test incident that destroyed the upper stage of its RS1 rocket last week will delay that vehicle’s first flight by three months as it identifies and corrects the failure’s root cause.
- SpaceX gives converted Falcon Heavy side booster new life Spaceflight Now · 27 Jan 2022 A converted SpaceX side booster that flew on two Falcon Heavy missions in 2019 will launch again Thursday as the first stage of a single-stick Falcon 9 rocket set to lift off from Cape Canaveral with an Italian radar ima...
- D-Orbit valued at $1.28 billion in SPAC deal SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 D-Orbit announced plans Jan. 27 to go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company in a deal that values the Italian in-space transportation and logistics firm at $1.28 billion.
- Microsoft helps JPL with Deep Space Network scheduling SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 Microsoft is working with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to speed up the process for scheduling communications with distant spacecraft through NASA's Deep Space Network.
- Israel becomes 15th nation to join Artemis Accords SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 Israel has joined the U.S.-led Artemis Accords for space exploration, hoping to use the agreement as a means of enhancing its space cooperation in the fields of research, science and innovation.
- NASA selects a dozen companies for smallsat launch services SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 NASA awarded contracts Jan. 26 to a dozen companies, ranging from industry stalwarts to startups yet to launch their first rocket, to provide low-cost launches of agency smallsats.
- SpaceX reveals Starship “marine recovery” plans in new job postings Teslarati · 27 Jan 2022 In a series of new job postings, SpaceX has hinted at an unexpected desire to develop “marine recovery systems for the Starship...
- Reaching the tipping point for 3D printing satellites SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 The number of 3D-printed parts on board satellites is growing amid advances in additive manufacturing. But how close is the industry to 3D printing entire satellites?
- Space Force’s troubled space-tracking system is officially shut down SpaceNews · 27 Jan 2022 The Space Force announced Jan. 26 it has closed down the last remaining piece of the troubled Joint Mission System (JMS).
- Europe ready to unveil sovereign broadband constellation plan SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 The European Commission will unveil the architecture for its proposed satellite broadband constellation “in a few weeks,” the European Union commissioner in charge of space policy said Jan. 25.
- Astroscale pauses debris-removal demo following anomaly SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Astroscale said Jan. 26 it has paused an attempt to autonomously capture an in-orbit satellite for the first time after detecting “anomalous spacecraft conditions.”
- US Air Force spends $60 million on supersonic commercial airliner Ars Technica · 26 Jan 2022 "Overture would offer the valuable advantage of time."
- 12 Companies to Provide Venture Class Launch Services for NASA NASA · 26 Jan 2022 NASA has selected 12 companies to provide launch services for the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) missions, providing new opportunities for science and technology payloads and fosteri...
- White House official: Norms needed for ‘satellite to satellite interaction’ SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Audrey Schaffer, director of space policy at the National Security Council, said an emerging concern is whether there should be a set of rules for satellites that dock with other satellites.
- Star Trek tribute mission to fly on ULA’s Vulcan inaugural launch SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Celestis, a company that provides space memorial services, will launch a Star Trek tribute mission on the first flight of United Launch Alliance’s new rocket Vulcan Centaur, ULA announced Jan. 26.
- NASA's MRO Finds Water Flowed on Mars Longer Than Previously Thought NASA · 26 Jan 2022 Caltech researchers used the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to determine that surface water left salt minerals behind as recently as 2 billion years ago.
- Vega-C stages in launch preparation as Avio, Arianespace progress toward rocket’s debut NASASpaceflight · 26 Jan 2022 Components for the first Vega-C (Vega Consolidation) rocket are entering launch preparations at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. This month, the first flightworthy P120C solid rocket motor was activated and move...
- NASA to name astronauts this year for first Artemis moon mission Spaceflight Now · 26 Jan 2022 NASA will announce later this year the four astronauts who will slingshot around the far side of the moon on the Artemis lunar program’s first crew mission, currently scheduled for launch in 2024, the head of the agency’...
- GEO satellite operators seek multi-orbit strategies SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Beyond the technical challenges of combining GEO satellites with constellations is figuring out how to work with those constellations — and if those constellations want to work with them.
- Satellogic completes SPAC merger SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Earth observation company Satellogic will start trading as a public company Jan. 26 after completing a delayed merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
- SpaceX navy deploys for back-to-back Italian radar satellite, Starlink launches Teslarati · 26 Jan 2022 Continuing what appears to be SpaceX’s preferred pace of activity in 2022, several ships in the company’s navy have deployed to support...
- Blue Origin to acquire Honeybee Robotics SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Blue Origin is buying Honeybee Robotics, a company that develops robotic systems for space and other extreme environments.
- Xplore to fly sensors on OrbAstro nanosatellites SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 Xplore announced a contract Jan. 25 to purchase Orbital Astronautics Ltd. satellites for a variety of Earth-observation and astronomical missions.
- SpaceX ready to launch Italian radar remote sensing satellite Spaceflight Now · 26 Jan 2022 SpaceX plans to launch an Italian Earth observation satellite with radar vision Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral on a twilight flight that could dazzle spectators with the ascent and descent of the reusable Falcon 9...
- China launches L-SAR 01A as new methane rocket nears first launch from Jiuquan NASASpaceflight · 26 Jan 2022 China successfully launched the Gongjian Ludi Tance-1 01A (L-SAR 01A) satellite into a quasi sun-synchronous orbit of 607 kilometers. The 3.2 metric ton satellite was launched at 23:44 UTC on Tuesday, January 25 on a Cha...
- Russian cosmonaut secures U.S. visa after initial denial SpaceNews · 26 Jan 2022 A Russian cosmonaut has received a visa to come to the United States for routine space station training after initially having his application rejected, an incident that’s raised questions about how increased tensions ov...
- AFWERX to fund development of laser terminal that connects military aircraft with satellites SpaceNews · 25 Jan 2022 Space Micro, a defense and NASA contractor recently acquired by Voyager Space, won a contract to design a laser communications terminal to connect military aircraft with geostationary satellites in orbit.