Small Satellite Conference
FCC streamlined smallsat licensing regulations published
New FCC regulations will go into effect next week intended to make it easier for small satellites to get licenses for commercial operations.
Rocket Lab ready to attempt Electron booster recovery
Rocket Lab says it’s on track to test recovering an Electron booster later this year as it also improves the payload performance of the small launch vehicle.
Veteran manufacturers question pricing strategy of newcomers
Manufacturers agreed the cost of cubesats and small satellites of all sizes will decline as constellation developers and operators begin placing larger orders.
Manufacturers worry about smallsats getting too hot, literally
As small satellites become more powerful, manufacturers say they need better ways to manage excess heat generated by their electronics systems.
Pandemic delays launch of NASA astrophysics smallsat mission
The launch of a NASA astronomy smallsat mission next year will be postponed by several months after the pandemic delayed assembly of key elements of the spacecraft.
Smallsat reliability increasing
The percentage of small satellites that successfully complete their missions has improved in recent years even as the number of such satellites has dramatically increased.
NanoAvionics triples revenue and expands product line
Revenues for Lithuanian Nanosatellite manufacturer NanoAvionics tripled in the last 12 months as the company signed contracts with startups and industry veterans.
U.S. military space architecture to bring in commercial systems, small satellites
Col. Russell Teehan said commercially developed technologies will be part of the future capabilities of the U.S. Space Force.
ExoTerra quadruples production capacity to meet government, commercial demand
ExoTerra Resources, a Colorado firm focused on propulsion and in-situ resource utilization, is preparing to quadruple production capacity to meet government and commercial demand.
GK Launch Services offering lunar smallsat rideshare opportunity
The Russian company that markets commercial Soyuz launches says it is offering capacity on a launch of a Russian lunar mission next year for smallsat secondary payloads.
Benchmark to provide propulsion for Spaceflight’s Sherpa-NG
Satellite propulsion startup Benchmark Space Systems announced an agreement Aug. 4 to provide non-toxic chemical propulsion for rideshare provider Spaceflight Inc.’s next-generation orbital transfer vehicle, Sherpa-NG.
Lockheed Martin teams with USC and Momentus on cubesat program
USC students will build the satellites and integrate them with Lockheed Martin’s SmartSat mission payload.
NOAA issues solicitation for commercial radio occultation data
For the first time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is soliciting proposals for commercial radio occultation satellite data to feed operational weather forecast models.
DoD space agency’s programs don’t have to be perfect but have to be fast
Tournear says the Space Development Agency wants to create a market so the industry can plan investments.
Rocket Lab increases Electron payload capacity
Rocket Lab announced Aug. 4 it has increased the payload capacity of its Electron launch vehicle thanks to improvements in the batteries used in the rocket.
General Atomics to design Space Force weather satellite prototype
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems announced an agreement Aug. 4 to design a prototype for the U.S. Space Force Electro-Optical Infrared Weather System.
