Commercial
Commercial crew providers prepare for fall test flights
Boeing and SpaceX said Aug. 19 that they expect to carry out critical test flights of their commercial crew systems this fall, with SpaceX still hopeful of launching astronauts to the International Space Station this year.
Viasat taps Blue Canyon Technologies to build Link 16 satellite
Viasat selected Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) to design and manufacture a cubesat for a U.S. Air Force test of a military communications terminal in low Earth orbit.
Chinese commercial rocket Smart Dragon-1 reaches orbit with first launch
A Chinese rocket company launched its first rocket Saturday, successfully sending three commercial satellites into orbit and boosting domestic light-lift competition.
Rocket Lab Electron launches four smallsats
Rocket Lab launched four small satellites Aug. 19 on a mission that also brings the company one step closer to reusing the first stage of its Electron rockets.
NASA issues call for proposals for Gateway logistics
NASA formally issued a call for proposals to provide cargo transportation services for its lunar Gateway Aug. 16, offering up to $7 billion in contracts to support operations of the human-tended facility.
APT Satellite nets $21 million from Apstar-6 insurance claim, next satellite delayed
APT Satellite says it has received $21 million in insurance payments for the partial failure of the Apstar-6 communications satellite in May 2018.
Virgin Galactic declares Spaceport America ready for SpaceShipTwo
As Virgin Galactic prepares to finish the test program for its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle, the company says the New Mexico spaceport it will operate from is ready.
Sierra Nevada Corp. selects ULA Vulcan for Dream Chaser missions
Sierra Nevada Corp. announced Aug. 14 that it will use United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan launch vehicle for sending Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station starting in late 2021.
NBN gets praise for Sky Muster data plans • OHB revenues on the rise • U.S. pay-TV subs in decline
Australian farmers are celebrating the start of less restrictive satellite internet from the country’s twin Sky Muster broadband satellites.
NASA to seek independent review of ISS National Laboratory
NASA will perform an independent review of the non-profit organization that runs the portion of the International Space Station designated a national laboratory while also calling for a “strategic pause” in that organization’s work.
Spire Global announces partnership with insurance analytics firm Concirrus
Spire Global announced an agreement Aug. 13 to share data and develop new products alongside Concirrus, a London-based insurance analytics company.
Lacuna Space aims to ride IoT wave with a 32-cubesat constellation
Whether Lacuna Space will rise to the front is still to be determined. But Spurrett believes the company’s emphasis on offering the lowest price service will make it a winner.
Mecano ID, with help from CNES, making its first smallsat deployer
The deployer, still under development, is Mecano ID’s first smallsat product, Didier Zely, manager of Mecano ID’s deployment systems product line, said by email.
Chinese Linkspace reaches 300 meters with launch and landing test
Chinese private firm Linkspace has performed its most ambitious launch and landing test so far amid a flurry of activity in the commercial launch vehicle sector.
NASA planning to keep BEAM module on ISS for the long haul
An experimental module added to the International Space Station three years ago to test expandable module technologies has been cleared to remain on the station through the late 2020s.
Fundamental changes ahead as ground systems prepare for constellations, 5G
The ground systems business has changed dramatically in recent years thanks to a massive increase in data volume, advanced technology and fresh competition. More change is coming as constellations in low Earth orbit multiply and individual satellites collect and transmit more data than ever before.
