Commercial
Vector files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Small launch vehicle company Vector filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Dec. 13 as part of an agreement that could see some of its satellite technology assets sold to Lockheed Martin.
Air Force seeking commercial technologies for cislunar space operations
On the wish list for the next round of SBIR bids are technologies for operations far beyond geosynchronous Earth orbit, near the moon's orbit.
NASA approves Dec. 20 Starliner test flight
NASA gave its approval Dec. 12 to proceed with the launch later this month of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner commercial crew spacecraft on an uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station.
Rocket Lab inaugurates U.S. launch site
The U.S. Air Force will be the first customer for a Rocket Lab Electron launching in 2020 from a new launch site in Virginia, the company announced Dec. 12.
Saturn Satellite Networks to be first customer of Northrop Grumman’s OmegA
Northrop Grumman announced Dec. 12 that Saturn Satellite Networks, a startup satellite manufacturer, will be the customer for the first OmegA launch in 2021.
NASA to buy more commercial Earth observation data
NASA will seek continued access to Earth observation data gathered by commercial satellite constellations after a pilot program proved the value of those observations.
National Reconnaissance Office awards imagery contracts to Capella Space, HawkEye 360
Pete Muend said the NRO wants to understand the capabilities of a variety of commercial vendors.
Maxar finishes $291M property sale • Panasonic Avionics signs Eutelsat capacity contract
Maxar Technologies completed a $291 million property sale in Palo Alto, California.
New Shepard sets reusability mark on latest suborbital spaceflight
Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital vehicle made its first flight in more than seven months Dec. 11 as the company inches closer to flying people to the edge of space.
U.S. Group on Earth Observations calls for coordination, private sector engagement
SAN FRANCISCO – The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released an updated plan for U.S. Earth observation Dec. 9 calling for improved coordination, greater engagement with the private sector and efforts to assess the value of t…
TriSept forges pact with U.K. Space Applications Catapult
TriSept Corp. announced plans Dec. 10 to open an office at the United Kingdom’s Harwell Space Cluster as part of a comprehensive teaming agreement with the Satellite Applications Catapult.
Chinese space launch firm Landspace raises $71 million
Private Chinese launch firm Landspace has raised $71 million in series C round funding for development of a new launcher.
Swiss startup ClearSpace wins ESA contract to deorbit Vega rocket debris
The mission, dubbed ClearSpace-1, is slated to launch in 2025 to capture and deorbit a 100-kilogram Vespa payload adapter an Arianespace Vega left in orbit after deploying ESA’s Proba-V remote-sensing satellite.
Near Space Labs releases high-resolution imagery API
Near Space Labs unveiled an application programming interface Dec. 9 offering access to high-resolution imagery captured by cameras on weather balloons.
Made In Space Europe wins LSA contract to develop inexpensive robotic arm
Made In Space Europe and Luxembourg Space Agency won a European Space Agency contract to develop an inexpensive robotic arm for space applications.
Astroscale pursuing military customers for in-orbit services, debris removal
Ron Lopez, president of Astroscale U.S.: 'The Air Force is talking about safety, congestion and how that affects resilience'
