The European Space Agency (ESA) has approved preliminary work for the Ramses mission to the asteroid Apophis, maintaining its development timeline despite incomplete funding. ESA’s space safety program, which includes planetary defense, gave the green light on July 16 for the Ramses mission to proceed, ensuring it stays on track to visit Apophis before its close approach to Earth in April 2029. Ramses, or Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety, will utilize the same spacecraft bus as ESA’s Hera mission, set to launch in October to visit the asteroid Didymos. Ramses will carry two cubesats for additional studies of Apophis.…
Author: Ethan Fisher
Officina Stellare has been awarded a new contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to supply a comprehensive optical ground station (OGS) designed for laser communication applications. The contract spans 24 months and is valued at approximately €3.5 million, with Officina Stellare’s portion amounting to around €2.4 million. The project, named C3PO, entails two main phases: the initial phase involves the design and development of subsystems, valued at €1.5 million, while the subsequent phase focuses on prototyping and validating the OGS, estimated at €2 million. The industrialized OGS under development will be deployed at the European Space Operations Center (ESOC)…
A consortium backed by the European Union revealed on Thursday its efforts to develop state-of-the-art sensors aimed at enhancing satellite navigation capabilities and extending drone operational ranges. The INPHOMIR project, supported by a 5 million euro ($5.38 million) investment from Horizon Europe, seeks to introduce two innovative ultra-low-power sensors—a specialized lidar sensor and an optical gyroscope. These advancements are intended to address challenges faced by satellite navigation systems in adverse conditions such as low visibility and environmental interference. Project coordinator Daniele Palaferri emphasized the potential impact of these advancements, stating, “The advanced sensing technologies we are developing will hopefully enhance…
NASA’s ambitious Artemis 3 mission, aimed at achieving a crewed lunar landing in September 2026, faces a substantial risk of delay, according to an analysis from the agency’s own assessment reviewed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The assessment, conducted during a Key Decision Point C confirmation review for the Human Landing System (HLS) Initial Capability project, indicates that there is a nearly one-in-three chance the mission’s SpaceX-built Starship lunar lander could be delayed by at least a year and a half. This delay projection sets a schedule baseline of February 2028 at a 70% joint confidence level, meaning there…
The U.S.-based Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) announced on Monday that India will participate as a partner country in its upcoming human spaceflight programme, aimed at sending six citizen astronauts from nations with limited or no space exploration history into space. Partnering with Blue Origin, SERA’s programme will enable selected citizens to embark on an 11-minute journey aboard New Shepard, Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital rocket, following rigorous training at the launch site in West Texas. “We want to make space accessible for everyone and are happy to offer this unique opportunity to an Indian citizen who wants to experience…
Viasat announced June 27 it received an order for eight satellite communications terminals for Spain’s military’s maritime patrol aircraft. The contract, for an undisclosed amount, is for Viasat’s multi-band terminals, which will be integrated into Spain’s fleet of C295 maritime surveillance aircraft. The California-based satellite operator will supply GAT-5530s, short for Global Aero Terminal 5530, a hybrid Ka- and Ku-band aviation satcom terminal designed to communicate with constellations in different orbits and frequencies. The terminals on the C295 tactical airlifter will connect to commercial satellites as well as Spain’s next-generation military constellation, SpainSat NG, currently under development. SpainSat NG is…
MDA Space, a Canadian aerospace firm, has clinched a substantial $1 billion Canadian ($730 million) contract from the Canadian Space Agency for advancing the Canadarm3 robotic arm system destined for the lunar Gateway project. The contract, announced on June 27, encompasses Phase C for final system design and Phase D for assembly and testing, spanning until March 2030. Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space, expressed enthusiasm stating, “We are entering an exciting period where Canadarm3 will take shape and come to life on our production floor.” The Canadarm3, an evolution of its predecessors used on the shuttle and International Space…
SpaceX is gearing up for another Starlink satellite launch, adding 20 satellites to its low Earth orbit constellation, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities. The mission, named Starlink 8-8, is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:58 a.m. PDT (8:58 a.m. EDT, 1258 UTC). This launch follows closely on the heels of SpaceX’s recent activities, including the launch of 22 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the fourth flight of its Starship rocket from southern Texas. The Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated B1061, will be making its 21st flight, tying B1062…
Seraphim Space Investment Trust (SSIT) announced a 1.4% increase in the total value of early-stage space investments in its publicly traded trust, reaching 201 million pounds ($257 million). This growth occurred despite a setback from Astroscale’s discounted initial public offering (IPO). Astroscale, a Japanese debris removal venture, went public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on June 5, selling shares at approximately 40% less than during a private financing round late last year. SSIT noted this discount resulted in a reduction of the valuation of its interest in Astroscale by nearly four million pounds. However, this venture’s less-than-5% stake still represents…
NASA and Boeing have rescheduled the launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for June 5 following United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) resolution of a computer problem that led to the scrubbing of the previous launch attempt. Late on June 2, NASA announced that mission managers had given their approval for the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission to proceed on June 5 at 10:52 a.m. Eastern Time, with a backup opportunity on June 6 at 10:29 a.m. Eastern Time. The previous launch attempt for CFT on June 1 was halted just 3 minutes and 50 seconds before liftoff. ULA identified a slowdown…