Satellite News

The U.S. Space Force exercised its second contract option valued at approximately $737 million for the procurement of three additional GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) space vehicles (SVs) from Lockheed Martin. This contract option is for GPS IIIF space vehicles 15, 16 and 17 (SV15-17).

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Russia’s defence ministry has admitted to destroying one of its satellites during a missile test, confirming accusations levied earlier by the United States. “The Russian defence ministry successfully conducted a test, as a result of which the Russian spacecraft Tselina-D (aka Kosmos 1408) was destroyed,” the military said in a statement.

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Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”) revealed a universal docking device the company hopes will become standard fitment on all future low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Astroscale calls on operators to prepare their spacecraft with a Docking Plate to prepare for future removal and to help safeguard the space environment.

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Orbit Fab, the Gas Stations in Space company, and Dawn Aerospace, a space-transportation company, announced a collaboration to make on-orbit refuelling available to satellites utilising nitrous oxide and propylene (N2O and C3H6).

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A research team led by Professor Saburo Matunaga of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), developed a 50 kg class technology demonstration microsatellite called HIBARI (“skylark”) that was recently launched aboard an Epsilon 5.

At the fourth Paris Peace Forum, Arianespace became one of the first companies to sign the Net Zero Space charter, designed to reduce space debris by 2030 and foster more sustainable use of space for humanity. This agreement is the result of an international effort by many players in the space sector, including Eutelsat, Planet, Astroscale and the French space agency, CNES.

At the fourth Paris Peace Forum, Arianespace became one of the first companies to sign the Net Zero Space charter, designed to reduce space debris by 2030 and foster more sustainable use of space for humanity. This agreement is the result of an international effort by many players in the space sector, including Eutelsat, Planet, Astroscale and the French space agency, CNES.

MDA Ltd. announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to undertake a Phase A initial design study for a Canadian Lunar Rover mission to the Moon.