IMAGEViasat cutting global workforce by 10% after Inmarsat acquisitionViasat said Nov. 2 it is laying off 800 employees representing around 10% of its workforce as the satellite operator streamlines its business after buying Inmarsat.
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IMAGEPOLARIS Spaceplanes Perform First Flight of MIRA DemonstratorBremen-based startup POLARIS Spaceplanes has completed the first flight of its MIRA demonstrator. The flight lasted for 2.5 minutes and covered a total distance of approximately nine kilometres. MIRA is a 4.3-metre demonstrator that features a fiber-reinforced shell and a 5.2-square-metre wing area. The demonstrator is powered by four kerosene-fed jet engines and one of […] The post POLARIS Spaceplanes Perform First Flight of MIRA Demonstrator appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEIsar Aerospace Completes 260-Second Hot Fire TestGerman launch startup Isar Aerospace has announced significant progress with the development of its Aquila rocket engine. The company has confirmed that flight versions of the engine are currently being manufactured. Isar is developing Spectrum, a 28-metre tall two stage launch vehicle that is designed to carry up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. […] The post Isar Aerospace Completes 260-Second Hot Fire Test appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEAvio Just Needs Some Space from ArianespaceItalian rocket builders Avio have asked the European Space Agency to allow it to split from Arianespace and independently market its Vega launch vehicles. The request was first reported by La Tribune. The request, which is backed by the Italian government, will be on the agenda at the ESA Space Summit in Seville, Spain, on […] The post Avio Just Needs Some Space from Arianespace appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEGerman Offshore Spaceport to Host First Launch in Early 2024The German Offshore Spaceport Alliance (GOSA) has told European Spaceflight that it is targeting between April and May for its first launch campaign. GOSA was formed in December 2020 as a joint effort between Tractebel DOC Offshore, MediaMobil, OHB, and Harren Shipping Services. The spaceport will utilize the 170-metre Combi Dock I ship and will […] The post German Offshore Spaceport to Host First Launch in Early 2024 appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEPOLARIS Spaceplanes Begins Testing MIRA DemonstratorBremen-based startup POLARIS Spaceplanes announced that it had completed the first roll tests of its MIRA demonstrator. MIRA is a 4.3-metre demonstrator that features a fiber-reinforced shell, four kerosene-fed turbine engines, and one aerospike rocket engine. The 210-kilogram vehicle is a subscale prototype of the company’s AURORA vehicle, which will be capable of delivering 1,000 […] The post POLARIS Spaceplanes Begins Testing MIRA Demonstrator appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEVirgin Galactic to perform suborbital research flight in NovemberVirgin Galactic will conclude its schedule of suborbital spaceflights this year with a mission in early November whose crew will include a longtime advocate of suborbital research.
IMAGEArmy exploring new options to tap commercial satellite networksThe Army wants seamless access to satellites in various orbits, so if one network goes down, others instantly take over.
IMAGEIreland Commit €3.3M More to ESA for 2024In its recently announced budget for 2024, Ireland has increased its contribution to ESA for the year by €3.3 million. “Ireland’s commitment to the European Space Agency and Ireland’s space-active industry is steadfast,” Minister of State for Business, Employment, and Retail Neale Richmond said. “Additional funding of €3.3m is an investment that delivers a clear […] The post Ireland Commit €3.3M More to ESA for 2024 appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGENASA launches Psyche mission to metal worldA NASA spacecraft is finally on its way to a metallic main belt asteroid after a successful Falcon Heavy launch Oct. 13.
IMAGENew contract unlikely to significantly reduce SLS costsNASA’s plans to buy future launches of the Space Launch System as a service are unlikely to achieve hoped-for cost savings, the agency’s inspector general concluded, recommending NASA keep its options open for alternative launch vehicles.
IMAGEViasat has enough throughput on ViaSat-3 Americas to avoid replacementViasat has ruled out ordering a ViaSat-3 Americas replacement as it expects to recover a fraction of the satellite’s 1 terabit per second capacity, the operator said Oct. 12 around three months after disclosing its antenna issue.
IMAGECNES Selects HEMERIA to Produce 90 Research BalloonsCNES has renewed its contract with aerospace and defense company HEMERIA to produce stratospheric balloons for the French space agency’s scientific campaigns. Signed on 11 October, the agreement will see HEMERIA produce 50 open stratospheric balloons, including the main balloons and associated auxiliary balloons, and 40 pressurized stratospheric balloons. The agreement will span four years. […] The post CNES Selects HEMERIA to Produce 90 Research Balloons appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEPLD Space Successfully Debuts Suborbital Miura 1 RocketSpanish launch startup PLD Space has successfully launched the maiden flight of its suborbital Miura 1 rocket. The launch was conducted at 00:19 UTC on 7 October from the El Arenosillo Test Centre in Huelva, Spain. The flight lasted for a total of 306 seconds, with the vehicle reaching a maximum altitude of 46 kilometres. […] The post PLD Space Successfully Debuts Suborbital Miura 1 Rocket appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGELuna-25 Crash Caused By Computer GlitchRussia's attempt to land its first lunar mission in nearly half a century ended in disappointment as the Luna-25 spacecraft crashed on the moon's surface in August. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has now attributed the mission failure to faulty commands in the onboard computer during a critical maneuver.
IMAGESlingshot Aerospace harnessing AI to track suspicious satellitesSlingshot Aerospace unveiled data that shows Russia’s new spy satellite Luch-2 is conducting operations akin to those of its predecessor Luch-1
IMAGEPLD Space Prepare for Third Attempt at Maiden Miura 1 FlightSpanish launch startup PLD Space has announced that it has kicked off a launch campaign to perform the maiden flight of its suborbital Miura 1 rocket. The company’s first attempt to launch the maiden flight of Miura 1 on 31 May was abandoned due to high winds. The second on 17 June was automatically aborted […] The post PLD Space Prepare for Third Attempt at Maiden Miura 1 Flight appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEGermany Advocates Competitive Launch Procurement ProcessGermany has announced its intention to pursue a competitive procurement process when purchasing launch services. The country also intends to use its position within the European Space Agency to advocate that the agency does the same. This “paradigm shift in the development and procurement of launch services in Europe” was outlined in the country’s new […] The post Germany Advocates Competitive Launch Procurement Process appeared first on European Spaceflight.
IMAGEFCC Issues First Space Debris FineThe Federal Communications Commission issued a fine today for violating space debris requirements. The DISH satellite television company must admit liability and pay $150,000 for not properly disposing of its […]
IMAGEFCC fines Dish Network for botched satellite de-orbitThe Federal Communications Commission has fined Dish Network $150,000 for failing to properly remove a satellite from geostationary orbit, the U.S. regulator said Oct. 2 in its first space debris enforcement action.