Welcome to your weekly newsletter from satsearch
In these emails, we share trending stories from the industry, along with insights from our work operating the global marketplace for space. Let's dive in and take a look at some of the developments that caught our eye last week.
Dawn Aerospace to provide propulsion systems for Blue Canyon Technologies’ X-SAT Saturn satellite bus
Dawn Aerospace has been selected by the Blue Canyon Technologies to provide chemical propulsion systems for the X-SAT Saturn satellite bus.
In this collaboration, Dawn Aerospace will supply thrusters, tanks, control electronics, and full-service support in logistics and propellant loading for the Evolved Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) Grande-class satellite. Find out more here.
Dawn Aerospace’s recent business development is expanding the company’s global footprint. According to the company’s announcements, Dawn Aerospace had been contracted to produce more than 100 thrusters for clients across the U.S., Europe, Japan, India, and Indonesia. The company reportedly also has propulsion contracts for a series of constellations, including Pixxel's hyperspectral imaging constellation and the Indonesian Space Agency's (LAPAN) early-tsunami warning constellation.
In April 2022, the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) also awarded Dawn Aerospace a €500k Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase Two grant. The funding will primarily support research on additively manufacturing propellant tanks using non-standard metals for use in ESPA and ESPA Grande-class satellites. For more information click here.
The in-space propulsion sector has always been an interesting bellwether area of the industry around the world. In a similar manner, new constellations targeting specific end-user needs are also illustrative of the winder industry’s growth, such as that described in our next story.
South Korea’s NaraSpace Technology raises USD7.88 million in a series A round
South Korean startup NaraSpace Technology has reportedly raised USD7.88 million in a series A financing round to develop electro-optical remote-sensing nanosatellites.
Since its establishment in 2015, NaraSpace has raised more than USD10 million in funding. The list of investors includes the Korea Development Bank, Hana Ventures, Kolon GLotech, BNK Venture Capital, Posco Capital, and Hi Investment Partners. Find out more here.
NaraSpace plans to launch its first two technology demonstration satellites, Observer-1A and Observer-1B, into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets in 2023. The satellites will reportedly have a spatial resolution of 1.5 meters per pixel.
According to the news source, NaraSpace is also working on a marine observation satellite - which will potentially have a resolution of 388 meters per pixel, and a geospatial imagery analytics platform named Earthpaper that will generate data based on high-resolution images captured by its own satellites and others.
We're seeing such advances in EO imagery and related satellite applications from teams and companies around the world. But innovations in payloads require more advanced and high-performing satellite systems with excellent mission control capabilities - and this is the topic of an upcoming satsearch event with KP Labs:
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LIVE DEMO ON SMALL SATELLITE MISSION CONTROL
On Wednesday the 11th of May we're hosting a live demo on satsearch member KP Labs' flight software reliability and the Oryx OBCS.
Today's small satellites are becoming increasingly powerful, versatile, and high-performing systems capable of carrying out a wide variety of functions and mission applications.
This increase in complexity is placing a greater burden on flight software validation and verification activities. According to different researches, around 20% of CubeSats experience death on arrival (failure from the very first day of the mission) and 33% of failures have unknown source. This highlights the importance of V&V and extended integration testing before launch.
To address these issues, Poland-based KP Labs has developed a modular on-board computer software SDK (software development kit) called Oryx, which is designed to easily test the flight software from very early stages of mission development when there are no physical components present.
In this webinar, Oryx Software Lead Engineer, Marcin Drobik, will discuss the importance of effective flight software for satellites and share advice on how to implement modern protocols and tools into your mission.
Sign up here to secure your spot
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Kacific launches new satellite-based emergency connectivity solution
Kacific Broadband Satellites Group has launched an emergency connectivity solution, CommsBox. The product is designed to provide connectivity for civil defense and aid agencies in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
The system is a mobile satellite communications product that can be deployed in disaster zones when prominently terrestrial communication channels are down. Find out more here.
Kacific Commsbox will be provided to users pre-configured and solar-powered. Government and security agencies, including civil defense, police, military, rescue services, and aid operations, can store the CommsBox units in remote locations ready to be used, or transport them directly into disaster zones as needed.
In South Asia and the Pacific region we’re seeing significant growth in the commercial satellite sector; particularly in the “post-pandemic” era. Companies such as Thaicom, Sky Perfect JSAT, Intellian, etc. have also showcased active developments in their products and services in 2022 for example.
Alongside countries such as Australia, China, India, Japan, and Singapore, South Korea has also started investing in the space and satellite sector, after US-led missile restrictions were lifted in 2021.
Intellian, a South Korean satellite communications company, has started extending its business footprint across the globe. The company recently opened a new office in London; which will serve as its strategic point for investments in Europe and the UK, as well as to enhance L-band product development and customer experience globally. Read more here.
The impact of removing defense-related restrictions highlights the ongoing interconnected nature of the military and space in some areas. This feature of the industry is perhaps most pronounced in the work of organizations such as Space Force in the USA.
US Space Force has selected NIC4 to develop a satellite communication service provider registry prototype
The subsidiary of Network Innovations, NIC4, has been awarded a satellite communication (SATCOM) service provider registry (SPR) prototype contract by the U.S. Space Force. The SPR is a key component for modern planning and provisioning of satellite terminals for mission operations.
The SPR prototype represents the company's fourth major award under the enterprise management and control (EM&C) program.
This software development project is to be delivered to the US Space Force (USSF), Space Systems Command (SSC), through the Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) as an Other Transactional Authority (OTA) Agreement Award. Find out more here.
The purpose of the SPR prototype is to provide a structured, authoritative catalog of commercial and military SATCOM services that can be allocated to fulfill Department of Defense (DoD) SATCOM mission requirements. It is an essential part of the EM&C planning element that will combine knowledge of missions, services, terminals and threats for optimal planning and provisioning of DOD terminals for mission operations. The SPR prototype will also capture descriptions and parameterization of space and ground segment infrastructure.
The implementation will be developed and delivered as a set of scalable microservices within a stackable, secure, cloud-built architecture. It will be mainly hosted on a government-provided platform-as-a-service that includes cyber security and automated testing as an integral part of the software development and deployment process.
Satellite communications services for defense applications are always an interesting, and sometimes controversial, aspect of the industry, and there is a lot of development in this area. Our next story is another example of this.
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In collaboration with the Space Investor
The Space Investor is a curated weekly newsletter focused on investing in space. We are your source for space investment news, research and analysis across public and private markets.
Delivered on Friday afternoons, our readers include top space VCs, companies and organizations - including Space Capital, Seraphim Space, Blue Origin, Planet, Nanoracks and NASA.
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Cobham Satcom and UltiSat to provide enhanced SATCOM capabilities for defense organizations
Under this agreement, UltiSat will offer Cobham Satcom tracking systems to the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as a part of enhanced SATCOM capabilities. UltiSat will serve as a technology integration partner, providing equipment sales, installation, field services, lifecycle management and optional connectivity services for Cobham products. Find out more here.
This agreement also aims to enable both companies to expand their market reach and provides the Department of Defense (DoD) and NATO allies with ease of access to a range of advanced satellite tracking systems provided by Cobham Satcom.
Satellite applications for defense and security purposes are gradually gaining momentum. Considering the current climate of international affairs, it is highly likely that the defense sector will continue to consume a greater volume of satellite resources. Some recent examples are the announcement of defense satellite procurement and programs from several European and Asian nations.
SES, a well-known satellite operator, announced today that its non-geostationary medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellite network will now be part of the GovSatCom-grade satellite communications platform that it has developed with co-funding by European Space Agency (ESA). GovSatCom-level services are primarily designed to enhance the satellite capabilities for security agencies.
Recently, SES was also awarded a framework contract by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) that provides SATCOM services in Ku-, Ka- and military-Ka band, and in the ground segment for Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) connectivity across multiple coastal regions of the European Union. For more information on SES and GovSatCom, click here.
Other recent updates in the space and satellite markets:
- Septentrio has launched two new GNSS products for marine applications: the AsteRx-U3 Marine and AsteRx-m3 Fg. Find out more about the products.
- Kongsberg and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) are to launch new satellite capacity for maritime surveillance of the high north. Find out more here.
- Innoface has signed an agreement with the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautical Science and Technology to launch SISNAV, an inertial navigation system. Read more about the agreement here.
- Azercosmos exported satellite telecommunications and optical satellite services to 31 countries worldwide in the first quarter of 2022. Find out more here.
- COMNET and SES extend network services across Central America via SES-17 satellite. Find out more here.
- New European satellite ground station inaugurated in Valais, Switzerland. Find out more here.
- Sidus Space and Dhruva Space have signed an MoU to commercialize new and innovative space technologies and services. Find out more here.
- Raytheon Technologies invests in rocket propulsion company Firehawk. Find out more here.
- MDA has announced the first commercial sale of its Canadarm3 technology to Axiom Space. Find out more here.
- PathFinder Digital releases Modem Agnostic Antenna Control (MAAC) software upgrade for legacy TracStar/TracLRI ACUs. Find out more here.
- EOS Data Analytics has established an agreement with GEOSAT for developing and delivering EO products in Ukraine and other regions of the world. Find out more here.
- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) and GHGSat have announced the successful completion of laboratory testing on the GHGSat-C3, C4, and C5 microsatellites at SFL’s facility in Toronto. Find out more here.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is holding a series of meetings with the potential government, academic and industry partners to discuss the agency’s plan to evaluate emerging satellite and ground architecture technologies. Find out more here.
- 3 Screen Solutions (3SS) and Skyworth Digital have announced that Austria’s national broadcast network operator ORS has launched next-generation digital satellite and terrestrial STBs for simpliTV services. Find out more here.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Bengaluru and Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP), Dharamshala for co-operation in the areas of space situational awareness (SSA), astronomy, and astrophysics. Find out more here.
- Phantom Space has reportedly ordered more than 200 rocket engines from Ursa Major for its two low-cost launch vehicles with plans to launch the Daytona rocket in 2023. Find out more about the mission here.
- AST SpaceMobile announced it has entered into a common stock purchase agreement with B. Riley Principal Capital. The agreement governs a Committed Equity Facility that provides AST SpaceMobile with the right, without obligation, to sell and issue up to $75 million of its Class A Common Stock over a period of 24 months to B. Riley at AST SpaceMobile’s sole discretion, subject to certain limitations and conditions. Find out more here.
- Inmarsat enables digitalisation, decarbonisation and crew welfare for global shipping with ‘Fleet Xpress Enhanced.’ Find out more here.
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A NEW IOD MISSION OPPORTUNITY
Our member NPC Spacemind is currently offering cost-effective in-orbit demonstration (IOD) availability on two upcoming CubeSat launches.
The company is to fly the CubeSats in October 2022 and is offering payload capacity to third parties - an ideal opportunity for growing teams and companies to test new innovations and achieve that all-important flight heritage.
Capacity can be purchased in its entirety (2U per satellite) or as fractions of a unit (e.g. 0.25U, 0.5U, 1U etc.) and the payload should be compliant with the CubeSat Design Specification (CDS) standard.
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Member news
Stories from organizations participating in the satsearch membership program.
KP Labs has received a contract to deliver a Lion DPU Breadboard Model for a Swiss-based company, ClearSpace. Find out more here.
Al Tadros has been named Redwire Space’s new Chief Technology Officer. For more information click here.
Job opportunities in the space industry
A list of job vacancies from companies participating in the satsearch membership program:
Our news
A few updates from satsearch:
Are you attending the 4S Symposium next week?
I'll be there (that's Hywel by the way), as will Narayan Prasad, and we'd love to meet with as many of you as possible - if you have the time of course!
Just send us a quick reply to this email with your preferred meeting time or booth number and we'll try and fix something up. :)
How to reduce power consumption in space electronics – with Texas Instruments
New on the satsearch blog this week - we published a guide to reducing power consumption in space electronics – with satsearch member Texas Instruments
We discuss 4 ways to optimize power consumption for a data acquisition system, without compromising signal performance goals such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), linearity, bandwidth, or stability.
Take a look at the article here.
Join us for the Texas Instruments TechMatch Live Space business pitch event
Space startups across Europe today have access to a variety of opportunities to pitch their unique offers to major industry stakeholders.
In June, Texas Instruments is holding just such an event, and we are delighted to have been invited to help judge the entries, alongside Airbus Defence and Space, ESA BIC Bavaria, and ESA BIC Northern Germany.
The Texas Instruments TechMatch Live Space event is a one-day business pitching contest and networking session, where innovative space startups can meet industry representatives and discuss their offers.
To find out more, and sign up for the event, please view this page.
Share your thoughts on the space industry
As the landscape for space procurement is changing rapidly, satsearch is undertaking a study to canvas the status quo and provide insights into the general experiences of space engineers to the global community.
We would like to invite you to share your thoughts and experiences on procurement in today's commercial space industry in this short survey (should take no more than 5 minutes to complete). Click here to access.
Changelog
Here's our overview of recent updates to the global marketplace for space on satsearch.com:
Member updates:
Other updates were made to the portfolios and supplier hubs of:
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