Rocket Lab has announced that it will try to recover its Electron rocket’s first stage using a parachute system during its next mission that is slated for launch in mid-November.
Read More »TriSept Gets Army Cubesat Launch Integration Support Contract
The U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command has awarded TriSept a contract to provide integration support for the Gunsmoke-J small satellite technology demonstration mission that is set to lift off aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle in early 2021, SatNews reported Wednesday.
Read More »Raytheon Technologies Studies Quantum Radars for Space Domain Awareness
Raytheon Technologies’ intelligence and space business segment is conducting research on quantum radars that could help detect, identify and track satellites and other manmade objects in Earth’s orbit to improve space domain awareness.
Read More »Lockheed, University of Colorado Boulder to Launch Smallsats for NASA ‘Janus’ Asteroid Mission
Lockheed Martin has partnered with the University of Colorado Boulder to launch twin spacecraft that will rendezvous with binary asteroids for a NASA mission in 2022.
Read More »OneWeb Satellites’ Debra Facktor on Smallsat Production Plans, UK Gov’t Acquisition
Debra Facktor, a board member at an Airbus and OneWeb joint venture, has said the JV is working on a new batch of satellites to support long-term efforts to expand its clientele, SpaceNews reported Sunday.
Read More »L3Harris, Planet Execs Talk Progress, Challenges in Smallsat Dev’t
Two executives from Planet and L3Harris Technologies have cited electronic components and thermal management systems as key factors to the improvement of small-satellite technologies in the market, SpaceNews reported Thursday.
Read More »Rocket Lab Modifies Payload Capacity for Electron Vehicle, Satellite Bus; Peter Beck Quoted
Rocket Lab has updated its Electron launch vehicle that now enables it to carry up to 660 pounds of payload to low orbits and 441 pounds to sun-synchronous orbits or 310.1 miles.
Read More »NRO Taps Rocket Lab for Back-to-Back Smallsat Missions in 2021; Peter Beck Quoted
The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded Rocket Lab a contract to send small satellites to orbit as part of two back-to-back missions in spring 2021.
Read More »Rocket Lab’s Electron Vehicle to Launch NASA, NRO Satellites in June
Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle is slated to send satellite payloads from NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office and the Australian government to orbit as part of the “Don’t Stop Me Now” mission in early June.
Read More »SmallSat Alliance Seeks Gov’t Investment in Rapid Tech Dev’t, Hybrid Space Architecture
An industry group of small-satellite technology firms is calling on the U.S. government to allocate funding for space-based national security programs to thwart adversaries while driving operational use for space products.
Read More »General Atomics Business Opens Satellite Factory in Colorado; Scott Forney, Nick Bucci Quoted
General Atomics’ electromagnetic systems business has expanded its presence in Colorado with a new facility focused on spacecraft manufacturing, integration and testing.
Read More »Rocket Lab Gets NASA Certification for Launch Vehicle; Peter Beck Quoted
Rocket Lab has received Category 1 certification from NASA for its Electron launch vehicle. The certification was awarded after Rocket Lab’s Electron vehicle delivered 13 NASA CubeSats to orbit in December 2018 as part of the ELaNa-19 mission and following the completion of a review of the company’s rocket production processes and facilities in 2019, the company said Tuesday.
Read More »Rocket Lab to Launch NASA, NRO, Australian Payloads; Peter Beck Quoted
Rocket Lab will help two U.S. federal agencies and an Australian academia-based team launch and deploy small satellite payloads.
Read More »Rocket Lab Unveils Lunar, Low-Earth Orbit Mission Plans; Peter Beck Quoted
Rocket Lab intends to conduct payload delivery missions and help expand operational range for small satellite systems.
Read More »SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Carries Ball Aerospace-Built Smallsat for NASA’s Green Monopropellant Demo Mission
Ball Aerospace has deployed a small satellite for launching aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy vehicle as part of NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission to demonstrate AF-M315E, a low-toxic “green” monopropellant developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory.
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