Microsoft is scheduled to roll out on July 17 a chat-based workspace designed to help government cloud users communicate, collaborate, manage tools and access files. Chantal De Menezes, a senior product marketing manager at Microsoft, wrote in a blog entry posted June 28 that US Government Cloud Community customers will have access to the Microsoft Teams hub by the end of August. The […] More

The European Space Agency has selected five companies to study the feasibility of using a commercial microlauncher to deploy small satellites into orbit. ArianeGroup, MT-Aerospace, ELV, Deimos and PLD Space will conduct research on their proposed concepts, ESA said Thursday. France-based ArianeGroup, a joint venture of Airbus and Safran, proposed to develop the three-stage Quick Access to Space vehicle […] More

Vector Space Systems has secured $1.25 million in a seed funding round headed by Space Angels Network to support Vector’s development of commercial launch vehicles for low-Earth orbit microsatellites. Space Angels Network offers an online investment platform designed to help accredited investors finance aerospace companies through managed funds, Vector said Friday. Vector co-founder and CEO Jim Cantrell said the […] More

Microsemi has supported a NASA mission that completed the successful orbit insertion of the Juno spacecraft sent to Jupiter to begin the data collection phase of its mission following a five-year journey. The company said Tuesday its RTSX-SU and RTAX-S field programmable gate array product lines were used in various applications during the launch of the Juno spacecraft […] More

The U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems and Integrated Device Technology have collaborated to develop a space-grade microchip that works to support high-speed, high-volume data transfers during space operations. IDT said Wednesday its 240 Gbps CPS-1848 RapidIO switch serves as the foundation for BAE Systems Inc.’s RADNET1848-PS technology. Ian McDonald, director of space products and processing at BAE Systems Inc., noted that the microchip supports efforts […] More

Microsoft is working with NASA on Project Sidekick to provide virtual training and assistance to the crew of the International Space Station through the company’s HoloLens technology. The space agency said June 26 the project aims to leverage commercial technology for the ISS crew’s empowerment and efficiency. Sam Scimemi, director of the ISS program at NASA, noted the project […] More

Varda Space Industries has raised $90 million in a series B funding led by Caffeinated Capital and will use the capital to build its infrastructure that supports pharmaceutical manufacturing in space. The company said Friday the investment follows the launch and reentry of its W-1 hypersonic reentry capsule to demonstrate the production of pharmaceuticals and other materials in microgravity.

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Neeraj Gupta, former senior vice president and general manager for space destinations at Sierra Space, has joined Voyager Space to serve as chief strategy officer. He will be responsible for driving Voyager Space's strategy development and execution aimed at pursuing market expansion, technology innovation and sustainable growth, the Denver, Colorado-based aviation and aerospace company said Monday.

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Finnish hyperspectral imaging company Kuva Space has entered the U.S. government market by establishing a new business arm headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, to provide Earth observation data and services to federal customers. Jerry Welsh, former CEO of the U.S. arm of satellite technology provider ICEYE, has been appointed to the board of directors of Kuva Space U.S. and will oversee the company's expansion efforts in the U.S. public sector, Kuva Space said Wednesday.

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Defense technology company Reticulate Micro has unveiled a new business segment focused on delivering multiorbit satellite communications management technology systems to government and commercial customers. David Horton, a U.S. Air Force and industry veteran, has been appointed president of the newly formed segment Reticulate Space in a string of leadership moves, the company said Tuesday.

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The Defense Innovation Unit has begun seeking proposals from industry sources capable of developing a hybrid architecture designed to integrate government and commercial networks to enable space-based communication capabilities. DIU said the second iteration of the Hybrid Space Architecture project will focus on four areas of interest: persistent sensing, resilient data transport, high-performance edge computing and data fusion.

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BAE Systems' FAST Labs was tapped by the Office of Naval Research to create Gallium Nitride-based monolithic microwave integrated circuit and module electronics as part of the Common-architecture Amplifier for Low-cost, Efficient, SWaP-Constrained Environments or COALESCE program.

Learn about other research and development efforts of the Department of Defense by joining the Potomac Officers Club's 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 31. Register here!

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