Plus: Vast signs agreements for European astronauts
By Jeff Foust
In today's edition: Voyager to acquire lunar lander developer Astrobotic, Northrop and Apex team up on space-based interceptors, Vast signs agreements for flying French and British astronauts and more.
If someone forwarded you this edition, sign up to receive it in your inbox every weekday. Have thoughts or feedback? You can hit reply to let me know.
|
|
|
|
SPONSORED |
 |
Intuitive Machines Expands Integrated Space-to-Ground Network with Goonhilly Acquisition: Supporting long‑term lunar operations requires a resilient, secure space network that keeps missions connected in real time with ultra‑low‑latency access to communications, navigation, timing, and mission data. Intuitive Machines is building that network. Learn more from Co‑founder and CEO Steve Altemus about how the Company’s planned acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT is expanding it. |
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories
In-space mobility company Impulse Space has raised $500 million. The company announced Tuesday it closed a Series D round led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC, bringing the total raised by the company to more than $1 billion. Impulse plans to use the funding to hire more staff to scale up production of its Mira maneuverable spacecraft and Helios high-energy kick stage. The company sees strong demand from commercial and government customers, including development of a lunar lander for NASA. [SpaceNews]
Voyager Technologies is acquiring lunar lander developer Astrobotic for as much as $300 million. The companies announced early Tuesday an agreement where Voyager will acquire Astrobotic for $162 million in cash and stock and assumption of $9 million in debt, with up to $129 million in future earnout payments contingent on reaching performance milestones. Astrobotic is best known for developing lunar landers. Its Griffin lunar lander is being prepared for launch later this year. Voyager said the acquisition fits into its strategic lunar initiative announced earlier this year, with Astrobotic's Pittsburgh headquarters serving as the new center of that effort. Astrobotic is also working on other technologies, from reusable suborbital vehicles to lunar power systems, and Voyager indicated those efforts would continue after the acquisition. [SpaceNews]
NASA has backed off plans to develop a "core module" for the International Space Station to support commercial space station development. NASA proposed the concept in March, arguing that such a module, owned by the government and installed on the ISS to host commercial modules, could serve as a bridge to commercial space stations given a lack of commercial demand the agency currently perceived for commercial stations. Companies developing those stations pushed back against the proposal, stating they saw sufficient demand from NASA and other space agencies, along with growing commercial interest in microgravity research, to support multiple stations. NASA said Monday it will stick with industry's preferred approach to support development of commercial stations, with a draft RFP for the next phase of NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations program to be released later this month. [SpaceNews]
Northrop Grumman announced Monday it will work with spacecraft manufacturer Apex on Golden Dome space-based interceptors. Northrop is one of 12 firms selected by the U.S. Space Force to develop concepts for space-based interceptors, one of the most ambitious elements of the Golden Dome missile defense system, while Apex has developed a production line to produce a variety of satellite buses in volume. This partnership comes after Raytheon said it would work with Rocket Lab on interceptors while Anduril Industries has assembled a team that includes several commercial space companies. The partnerships are meant to address a concern about the ability to affordably mass produce interceptors. [SpaceNews]
Vast will fly two French astronauts on private missions to the ISS and Vast's own station. The company said Monday it reached an agreement with the French government in which French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, a veteran of two long-duration ISS missions, will command Vast's private astronaut mission to the ISS in 2027. Arnaud Prost, selected as a French reserve astronaut in ESA's 2022 astronaut class, will be on the first crewed mission to Vast's Haven-1 station in 2027. Vast also announced it will establish its European headquarters in Paris. [SpaceNews]
Vast is also working with the U.K. Space Agency to fly an astronaut with a physical disability. The agency announced Tuesday an agreement to support the U.S.-based company in securing sponsorships to fund a 14-day mission to Haven-1. The mission would fly John McFall, an ESA reserve astronaut who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident. An ESA study last year medically cleared McFall to fly in space. The agreement could also make McFall the first British citizen to go on an orbital spaceflight since Tim Peake went to the ISS in 2015, although U.K. citizens have flown suborbitally since Peake's mission. [SpaceNews]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other News
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman suggested Blue Origin may not be able to resume New Glenn launches at its damaged Florida launch site until 2028, even as the company expects to resume launches this year. Speaking at an event Monday, Isaacman said the agency is working with Blue Origin to assess how long it will take to repair Launch Complex 36, which suffered serious damage when a New Glenn rocket exploded during a static-fire test last Thursday. His comments, as reported, indicated it was "within the realm" of possibilities that launches may not resume there until 2028. However, late Monday Isaacman said his comments were misinterpreted and that the 2028 date referred to lunar missions, not resumption of New Glenn launches in general. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said on social media late Monday night that many elements of the pad escaped damage. "We will fly again before the end of this year," he said. [CNBC | X @NASAAdmin | X @davill]
Spanish launch vehicle developer PLD Space is increasing spending on its French Guiana launch site. The company said Monday it will spend 35 million euros ($41 million) in building a launch complex at the Guiana Space Center for its Miura 5 small launch vehicle. The company previously projected spending as little as 10 million euros on the pad, and the company didn't discuss what caused the increased spending. PLD Space expects to have the pad ready for a first Miura 5 launch as soon as the end of the year. [European Spaceflight]
The bankruptcy of British small launch vehicle company Orbex means the end of plans to develop a spaceport in northern Scotland. Administrators are finalizing an agreement to sell the assets of Orbex, which announced earlier this year it would go bankrupt after failing to secure additional investment. As part of the sale, a companion company, Sutherland Spaceport Limited, will be liquidated. It was responsible for developing a launch site at Sutherland in northern Scotland originally envisioned to host Orbex launches, although the company put spaceport development plans on hold in late 2024 to launch instead from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Isles. [The National (Scotland)]
Researchers are calling for increased attention to and better protection against pollution of the upper atmosphere from satellite reentries. At last month's European Geosciences Union conference, scientists raised questions about the atmospheric impacts of spacecraft launches and re-entries, along with research and policy priorities to promote environmental sustainability for space. Scientists are concerned the growing number of reentering satellites from megaconstellations will introduce exotic materials that could disrupt atmospheric chemistry. The subject is also expected to be explored again at a National Academies gathering in July. [SpaceNews]
Pro-Iranian hackers breached the Instagram account of the Space Force's top enlisted member. The hackers took over the account of Space Force Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna on Sunday, posting propaganda about the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Bentivegna said the service was working to "regain access and resolve the issue" with his account but the service did not indicate how his account was compromised or for how long. [CNN]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uber-Serious
|
"This was a daytime bolide that produced a meteorite fall right in the middle of Cape Cod Bay. This fall into water is technically called a 'fishy squisher' in uber-serious scientific terms."
|
– From a NASA statement about a meteor noticed throughout New England Saturday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment