By Jeff Foust
In this today's edition: Northrop wins a military communications satellite contract, House appropriators keep TraCSS on track, SpaceX targets June 12 for its IPO, and more.
If someone forwarded you this edition, sign up to receive it directly in your inbox every weekday. Have thoughts or feedback? You can hit reply to let me know directly.
|
|
|
|
|
SPONSORED |
 |
| From lightweight fiber optic cables and RF assemblies to high-voltage wire and cable, Amphenol CIT delivers interconnect solutions engineered for the harsh demands of space applications. Our advanced cable assemblies and connectors are designed to perform in extreme temperatures, high vibration, mechanical shock, and challenging installation environments while maintaining exceptional reliability and signal integrity. With proven aerospace expertise and innovative technologies, we help support mission success from launch through orbit. Whether your application requires lightweight performance, EMI immunity, or ruggedized durability, Amphenol CIT is ready to support your next-generation space platform.
Discover space-ready connectivity solutions at Amphenol CIT Space Solutions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories
Northrop Grumman won a nearly $400 million contract for a prototype military communications satellite. The $398 million contract from Space systems Command, announced Friday, supports the program known as Enhanced Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Prototype, or Enhanced PTS-P, part of a broader effort to develop more resilient satellite communications systems capable of operating under electronic warfare and cyber attack conditions. The Enhanced PTS-P effort is focused on validating anti-jam and cyber-resilient technologies that could support future procurements of protected military satellite communications. Northrop Grumman designed the spacecraft using its ESPAStar-HP satellite bus, a platform designed for national security and commercial missions. [SpaceNews]
York Space Systems defended its financial outlook amid investor concerns about the future of its biggest customer. In an earnings call last week, York CEO Dirk Wallinger sought to reassure investors that changes underway at the Pentagon and the Space Force do not undermine the long-term need for proliferated military satellite networks. York's rapid expansion has been driven almost entirely by contracts tied to SDA's Transport Layer constellation, but the Pentagon is transitioning Transport Layer into a broader architecture known as the Space Data Network while ending SDA's status as a semi-autonomous acquisition organization. While that has prompted speculation SpaceX could dominate this new architecture through its MILNET work, Wallinger argued that Congress will insist on competition, providing opportunities for York to win future contracts. [SpaceNews]
A House spending bill would fund continued work on the TraCSS space traffic coordination system. The commerce, justice and science spending bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee last week included $50 million for the Office of Space Commerce, which is leading work on TraCSS. The administration's proposal sought only $11 million for the office, saying it would effectively halt work on the system. The bill's report called on the office to continue development of TraCSS. The administration sought to cancel TraCSS in its 2026 budget proposal, but Congress provided funding to allow the office to continue work on the system. [SpaceNews]
The three major wireless operators in the United States said they will join forces on direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon announced last week they had agreed in principle to pool spectrum resources to improve D2D services, including standardizing their approach to help rural mobile network operators reduce coverage gaps. The companies provided few details about how that partnership would work. The announcement split satellite operators: AST SpaceMobile, which is working with AT&T and Verizon, said it welcomes the partnership, while SpaceX, working with T-Mobile, said it was skeptical, noting potential antitrust concerns. [SpaceNews]
Chinese launch startup Zenk Space has raised $26 million ahead of its first launch attempt. The funding will provide solid financial backing for the Zhihang-1 (ZH-1) inaugural mission and ensure all pre-launch activities proceed smoothly, the company said. A separate report stated the launch is scheduled for June. ZH-1 is designed to place 4,000 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbit using kerosene-liquid oxygen engines from state-owned CASC's Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology. The company is studying reuse options for the rocket, including recovering the engine bay from the first stage rather than the entire booster. [SpaceNews]
Commercial satellite weather company Tomorrow.io added $35 million to its latest funding round. The company said Monday that the additional capital came from existing investor Pitango and Harel Insurance, an investment partner of the Israeli venture capital fund. The new funds bring its Series F round, announced in February, to $210 million. The investment will support development of a new generation of satellites, called DeepSky, as well as accelerate development of an AI platform for analyzing data from those satellites. [SpaceNews]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other News
SpaceX launched a new cargo mission to the International Space Station on Friday. A Falcon 9 lifted off at 6:05 p.m. Eastern from Cape Canaveral after weather delayed two launch attempts earlier in the week. The rocket placed into orbit the CRS-34 Dragon spacecraft, which docked with the ISS early Sunday. The Dragon carried nearly 3,000 kilograms of cargo for the station, including equipment, supplies and science payloads. Among the science payloads was CLARREO Pathfinder, an Earth science instrument that survived several cancellation attempts in the first Trump administration. [SpaceNews]
China launched more satellites for a broadband constellation Sunday. A Long March 8 lifted off from the Wenchang spaceport at 10:42 a.m. Eastern, placing a group of satellites into orbit for Spacesail, a broadband constellation. The report did not disclose how many satellites were on board but previous launches carried 18. [Xinhua]
A joint European-Chinese space science mission is set to launch tonight. A Vega C is scheduled to lift off at 11:52 p.m Eastern from French Guiana carrying the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission, jointly developed by the European Space Agency and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The 2,200-kilogram satellite aims to improve understanding of Earth's magnetosphere and how it interacts with solar wind, solar storms and space weather. SMILE will operate in a highly inclined, elliptical orbit. SMILE marks the first time Europe and China have jointly designed, implemented, launched and operated a mission, but there are currently no concrete plans for future collaboration on space science. [SpaceNews]
NASA released a final request for proposals for a Mars telecommunications mission. NASA issued the RFP for the Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN) last Thursday, with proposals due to NASA June 15. MTN is funded by $700 million from last year's budget reconciliation act, which directed NASA to develop a Mars telecom orbiter but restricted bidders to companies that had previously proposed such a spacecraft as part of commercial Mars Sample Return studies. NASA, at one point in the drafting of the RFP, appeared to open up the competition to all companies, but in the final RFP it requires bidders to demonstrate they meet the restrictions included in the budget reconciliation act. [SpaceNews]
SpaceX is expected to go public by the middle of next month. The company is targeting June 12 for its IPO on the Nasdaq exchange, seeking to raise up to $80 billion and valuing the company at around $2 trillion. The company is now expected to publish its prospectus, which will provide detailed financial information about the company, this week, likely Wednesday. [Wall Street Journal]
A new wing of Space Camp funded by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is now open. Isaacman attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday for the the Inspiration4 Skills Training Complex at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Isaacman provided a $10 million donation in 2022 for the complex, named after the private astronaut mission he led in 2021. He said he likely would not have become a pilot and private astronaut, let alone NASA administrator, had he not attended Space Camp as a 12-year-old. He donated an additional $15 million last year for a new mission center complex and dormitories there. [Huntsville Times]
|
|
|
|
FROM SPACENEWS |
 |
Last chance to join the conversation: Missile defense has long relied on disparate systems to detect and track potential targets. Now, with the advent of the Golden Dome initiative and technological advances, software is playing a larger role as it aims to act as the glue for these programs and lead to unified decision-making and improved data-sharing. Join SpaceNews and Wind River today at 1 p.m. ET for a virtual event on software integration and strategic missile defense. Register now. |
|
|
|
|
|
The Week Ahead
Monday:
Monday-Friday:
Tuesday:
Singapore: The Space Industry Forum by GSOA and Novaspace discusses the Asia-Pacific space industry.
Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.: Scheduled launch of a Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites at 10:11 p.m. Eastern.
Tuesday-Thursday:
Wednesday:
Wednesday-Thursday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Monday, May 25:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment