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Northrop, Ball Subject Space Force Missile Tracking Payload Candidate to Environmental Tests

A Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace-built missile warning sensor payload candidate for the U.S. Space Force has passed three rounds of space environment testing that simulated conditions in geosynchronous Earth orbit. The Next Generation Persistent Infrared GEO Engineering Development Unit payload underwent ambient functional evaluation, thermal vacuum chamber and acoustic testing and other experiments to […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 16, 2021, 11:52 am
in News, Space News

Maxar Eyes May-June Launch of New Earth Imaging Satellites

Maxar Technologies is planning to hold a launch between May 15 and June 13 for the first two of its six WorldView Legion imaging satellites onboard a SpaceX rocket. The upcoming WorldView Legion satellite constellation is meant to provide geospatial intelligence with a 30 cm-class resolution in both polar and mid-inclination orbits, the Westminster, Colorado-based […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 16, 2021, 11:51 am
in News, Space News

Steve Isakowitz on Aerospace Corp.’s Commercial Space Futures Organization

The Aerospace Corp. has formed a Commercial Space Futures organization to help connect space startups to the government, SpaceNews reported Tuesday. Steve Isakowitz, president and CEO of the Aerospace Corp., said the new organization will focus on “making sure that those entities [that are offering technologies to the government] will, in fact, succeed” and addressing […] More

by Jane Edwards December 15, 2021, 11:45 am
in News, Space News

NASA Picks Axiom Space for 2nd Private Astronaut Mission to ISS

Axiom Space has been selected by NASA to perform the second private manned mission to the International Space Station. Axiom Mission 2 is expected to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida between fall 2022 and late spring 2023 to support private astronauts’ in-orbit activities in coordination with ground flight controllers and crew members […] More

by Jane Edwards December 14, 2021, 11:45 am
in News, Space News

NASA Launches Ball Aerospace-Built Observatory to Measure X-ray Polarization

NASA launched a Ball Aerospace-built space observatory Thursday for the agency’s joint mission with its Italian counterpart to study X-rays from supermassive black holes, supernova remnants and other high-energy objects in the universe. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer spacecraft lifted Thursday aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and will use three telescopes with sensitive detectors to […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 10, 2021, 11:53 am
in Government Technology, News, Space News

Tom Keane: Microsoft Forms Geospatial Partnerships, Unveils Capabilities for Azure Space

Tom Keane, corporate vice president for Azure global at Microsoft, said the company has launched new Azure Space offerings and formed partnerships with Airbus, ST Engineering iDirect, Blackshark.ai, ESRI and Orbital Insight to deliver more cloud and space capabilities to customers worldwide. Keane wrote in a blog post published Thursday that one of new capabilities […] More

by Jane Edwards December 10, 2021, 11:51 am
in News, Space News

SES Government Unit Helps Army Update, Test Ground Satellite Terminal

An SES subsidiary has worked with Lite Coms to help the U.S. Army update and test a legacy ground terminal with medium Earth orbit satellite communications technology. SES Government Solutions said Tuesday the partnership worked on the Lite Sat 2.2A terminal in support of the military service’s Phoenix modernization effort as the branch is looking […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 9, 2021, 11:59 am
in News, Space News

NASA’s Space Laser Comm Payload Uses BlueHalo Platform; Jonathan Moneymaker Quoted

BlueHalo provided the stable platform assemblies that support a NASA payload currently in orbit for the space agency’s two-way, infrared-based communications experimentation in geosynchronous orbit. The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration payload that includes BlueHalo’s technology is designed to help NASA assess the impact of atmospheric events on laser communications, the company said Wednesday. LCRD launched […] More

by Nichols Martin December 9, 2021, 11:55 am
in News, Space News

BAE Systems to Qualify 12 Nanometer Integrated Circuit Design for DOD

The Department of Defense has tapped BAE Systems to design a 12 nanometer integrated circuit technology intended to provide orbiting satellites with computing capabilities. The company said Monday the computing technology will be qualified and will follow Qualified Manufacturer’s Listing Class V and Q standards as well as various industry certifications for key parts. The […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 7, 2021, 11:39 am
in News, Space News

NASA Sets Tuesday Launch for Space Test Program 3 Mission Following Fuel Storage Issue

NASA has rescheduled the launch of the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program 3 mission for Tuesday due to repair work on a faulty ground storage system at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Scrubbing the Monday liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket was intended to enable officials to verify fuel integrity […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 6, 2021, 11:43 am
in Contract Awards, News, Space News

Hyperspace Accelerator Challenge Winners to Work on Meeting Space Force Tech Needs

A business accelerator as part of the U.S. Space Force’s SpaceWERX initiative has chosen from its 2021 cohort six winning pitches that are aimed at supporting U.S. efforts in space. Three startups and three university teams won a combined $100,000 in prize money to speed up their efforts in securing potential opportunities for space technology […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 6, 2021, 11:42 am
in News, Space News

SDA OKs L3Harris Design for Tranche 0 Missile-Tracking Satellite; Ed Zoiss Quoted

L3Harris Technologies has received the approval of the Space Development Agency for its final design of the Tracking Layer Tranche 0 missile-tracking satellite. The company said Thursday it can now proceed with the development, integration test and acceptance phase of its $193 million Tranche 0 work for the agency ahead of a planned satellite launch […] More

by Angeline Leishman December 3, 2021, 11:30 am