Viasat Selects Blue Canyon Technologies to Build MILSATCOM Smallsat for USAF Test Mission

Viasat has selected Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) to design and manufacture a cubesat for a U.S. Air Force test of a military communications terminal in LEO.

BCT announced plans on August 19 to build a 12-unit cubesat bus equipped with Viasat’s Link 16 terminal to be launched in 2020. U.S. military and NATO allies rely on Link 16, an encrypted radio frequency, to relay information in a line-of-sight from aircraft, ships and ground vehicles. If Link 16 terminals work on smallsats, they could relay military communications beyond a vehicle’s line-of-sight.

BCT, a rapidly growing satellite manufacturer in Boulder, Colorado, is building more than 60 spacecraft for government, commercial and academic customers. For the Link 16 mission, BCT will supply one of the firm’s XB1 spacecraft buses that comes equipped with subsystems including power, propulsion, flight control software, radio frequency communications, attitude control, and guidance, navigation and control.

BCT is currently building more than 60 spacecraft for government, commercial and academic missions. The company has doubled in size over the past 12 months and plans to open its new 80,000-square-foot headquarters and production facility in 2020.

In May, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles directorate awarded Viasat a $10 million contract to test whether a Link 16 terminal on a small satellite could serve as a communications network relay, in a program called XVI. BCT declined to comment on the value of its Link 16 contract with Viasat.

George Stafford, BCT CEO and President, said the company is honored to participate in this important pilot project. To date, Link 16 technology has only been capable of line-of-sight communications. By demonstrating that Link 16 can operate in a space environment on small satellites, the U.S. military can gain beyond-line-of-sight tactical advantages on the battlefield and ultimately keep our troops safer.

Ken Peterman, Viasat Government Systems President, added that Viasat is thrilled to have Blue Canyon Technologies supporting the XVI program. This Link 16-capable LEO spacecraft will address the Department of Defense’s urgent need for a fast-to-market, cost-effective, space-based Link 16 solution to maintain the technological edge needed in contested environments.

For all involved in the satellite and space industry and the various market segments that add value to these dynamic environments, the 2020 SmallSat Symposium is truly worth your consideration for attendance.

The 2020 SmallSat Symposium starts on February 3, 2020, with workshops, then the Conference runs February 4 to 6 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The SmallSat Symposium is hosted by Satnews Publishers which, since 1983, has been a provider of a satellite news, media and events. This information packed forum was created to enable you and your company to secure a larger portion of market share as well as to take part in the next stages of your company’s or organization’s growth.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

The SmallSat Symposium will focus on new technologies and the business environment that is shaping the implementation of smallsat constellations, smallsat launchers, the challenges facing the smallsat developer and actors as well as the enormous benefits of these advanced technologies that will benefit our world.

This event assembles more than 100 diverse speakers, all of whom possess deep industry experience. Additionally, numerous opportunities exist to mingle and network with peers while enjoying exceptional, complimentary meals and refreshment breakfast.

Learn more at this direct link…

Proposals Selected by NASA for Smallsat Technologies Demos to Study Interplanetary Space

NASA has selected two proposals to demonstrate small satellite technologies to improve science observations in deep space, which could help NASA develop better models to predict space weather events that can affect astronauts and spacecraft.

NASA has selected two proposals to demonstrate technologies to improve science observations in deep space. The proposals could help NASA develop better models to predict space weather events that can affect astronauts and spacecraft, such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

In this image, taken by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on Feb. 27, 2000, a CME is seen erupting from the Sun, which is hidden by the disk in the middle, so the fainter material around it can be seen.

Image is courtesy of ESA/NASA/SOHO.

Both proposals, funded at $400,000 for nine month mission concept studies, were selected based on potential technology and science value and the feasibility of development plans. They support NASA’s heliophysics program, which seeks to better understand the nature of space throughout the solar system and how it changes in response to the constant outpouring of energy and particles from the Sun and how it interacts with planetary atmospheres.

At the conclusion of the nine-month study period, one proposal will be selected to launch as a secondary payload with NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) spacecraft in October 2024. Taking advantage of NASA’s cost-saving rideshare initiative, it will be accompanied by two other science missions — a NASA science mission of opportunity and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) space weather forecasting mission.

Peg Luce, Deputy Director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, said this is the first time that NASA’s heliophysics program has funded this kind of technology demonstration. Providing the opportunity to mature and test technologies in deep space is a crucial step towards incorporating new techniques into future missions.

Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, added that by focusing on smallsats and capitalizing on the cost savings of sharing a launch, NASA can test and advance cutting-edge technologies at a reasonable price. The agency is leading the charge in using this innovative solution to test new mission paradigms and technologies.

The proposals for the technology demonstrations are:

Science-Enabling Technologies for Heliophysics (SETH)
SETH would demonstrate two technologies. The first is an optical communications technology for small satellites and CubeSats that is less complex than current systems and could enable a hundredfold increase in deep space data rates, while reducing the burden on NASA’s Deep Space Network. Such technology could help support future small satellite constellations that require high data rate communications systems.

The second technology demonstration aboard SETH detects solar energetic neutral atoms – fast-moving atoms flowing from the Sun that do not have a charge – as well as an array of waves and other particles that erupt from our Sun. Called the HELio Energetic Neutral Atom (HELENA) detector, the instrument provides observations that could enable advanced warnings of potential space radiation threats to astronauts.

The principal investigator for SETH is Antti Pulkkinen at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Solar Cruiser
The Solar Cruiser investigation also demonstrates two technologies. A nearly 18,000-square-foot solar sail would demonstrate the ability to use solar radiation as a propulsion system. Such a system could provide views of the Sun not easily accessible with current technology.

The coronagraph instrument would enable simultaneous measurements of the Sun’s magnetic field structure and velocity of coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. These giant explosions of solar material are ejected into space and can set off space weather storms that, at their worst, interfere with utility grids on Earth. Improving data-gathering technology in this area is particularly useful for advance warning systems for at-risk infrastructure on Earth.

The principal investigator for Solar Cruiser is Les Johnson at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

All funding for these missions comes from the Heliophysics Solar Terrestrial Probes program, which is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

RocketLab is Ready for Friday as the Kiwis Launch Four Satellites

If all proceeds as planned a Rocket Lab Electron booster will launch four satellites into orbit Friday, August 16, at 8:57 a.m. EDT (1257 GMT) from Rocket Lab’s launch site on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, where the local time at liftoff will be 12:57 a.m. on Saturday. The event will be available live online.

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket stands at Launch Complex 1 on Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand during a countdown dress rehearsal ahead of the “Look Ma, No Hands” mission. Credit: Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Becksaid in a Twitter update, referring to the company’s Launch Complex 1 that this will be another beautiful night launch at LC-1! Should be visible for miles as it ascends to orbit against the night sky.

Mission Overview:

Rocket Lab’s eighth mission will lift-off in August from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, carrying a total of four satellites aboard an Electron launch vehicle.

The mission is manifested with satellites destined to begin a new constellation for UNSEENLABS, as well as more rideshare payloads for Spaceflight, consisting of a spacecraft for BlackSky and the United States Air Force Space Command.

The mission is manifested with a CubeSat that will form the cornerstone of a new maritime surveillance constellation for French company UNSEENLABS. The constellation aims to deliver precise, reliable, and secure maritime data, enabling organizations to monitor their own vessels and observe those that present risks, such as pirates and illegal vessels.

Mission management and rideshare aggregator, Spaceflight, also manifested three satellites on its second rideshare mission with Rocket Lab. Among the rideshare payloads is BlackSky’s Global-4 Earth-imaging satellite. The satellite will join BlackSky Global-3, which was launched to low Earth orbit on an Electron vehicle in June 2019. BlackSky’s constellation delivers rapid-revisit satellite imagery to assist with monitoring economic activity such as crop development and herd migration, or surveying damage following natural disasters.

The final spacecraft manifested on the mission are two experimental satellites for the United States Air Force Space Command, designed to test new technologies including propulsion, power, communications, and drag capabilities for potential applications on future spacecraft.

Spire Global to Collaborate with Concirrus for Maritime Insurance Analytics

Spire Global and insurance analytics provider, Concirrus, now have a new data collaboration for their clients.

Spire Global’s reputation for valuable data is due to the company’s large constellation of fully owned and operated satellites that offer data and analytics for parts of the world where collecting data is notoriously difficult. The company recently created Spire Maritime, which closed out 2018 with 160 percent year-over-year revenue growth. The new effort is pushing the Satellite AIS maritime segment forward with unique innovations in product creation.

John Lusk, GM, Spire Maritime, said this multi-billion-dollar market faces higher risks every day, whereby huge inefficiencies continue to prevent business improvements. This partnership with Concirrus will enable the company to create a platform where data is the prime enabler for improved maritime insurance performance.

Graham Libaert, Director of Alliances at Concirrus, noted that not all data is created equal and the company performs rigorous validation and due diligence on sources before deciding to integrate them into the firm’s core machine learning models. Concirrus is excited to be working with the Spire Maritime team to provide the firm’s customers with the best, most competitive information possible for pricing, underwriting, and risk management.

Note: Concirrus recently announced a partnership agreement with Meteomatics and a long-term withstanding relationship with IHS Markit.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

Solicitations for the U.S.A.F.’s Orbital Services Program (OSP)-4 Released by SMC

The U.S. Air Force’s Rocket Systems Launch Program Office, part of the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise, released a solicitation for the Orbital Services Program-4 Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract today.

OSP-4 is a follow-on to the OSP-3 contract that is set to expire in November. OSP-4 will allow for the rapid acquisition of launch services to meet mission requirements enabling launch within 12-24 months from task order award on a competitive basis. It is designed to accommodate payloads greater than 400 lbs. The Air Force projects to procure about 20 missions over the nine year period.

Proposals are due by Aug. 29, 2019. The Air Force intends to award an IDIQ contract to multiple awardees by the end of the year with an opportunity to on-ramp new providers in future years.

Colonel Rob Bongiovi, director of SMC’s Launch Enterprise, said the OSP-4 contract will build on SMC’s Rocket Systems Launch Program’s legacy of success dating back to the early 1960’s by supporting Department of Defense and U.S. government agencies’ small launch efforts for the next nine years. In today’s contested space domain, contracts must be flexible and responsive to meet the challenges facing the warfighter. The program balances technology, mission risk, and schedule while leveraging rapidly evolving market forces to cultivate a resilient and affordable launch capability for U.S. government needs.i.

Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Rose, Chief of the Small Launch and Targets Division at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, added that the OSP-3 contract was very successful and served the Launch Enterprise well with five awarded missions. For example, partnerships with NOAA, NASA and academia launched 24 satellites using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. This mission demonstrated innovations, like reusability, from new entrants that could drive down the cost and enhance reliability of National Security Space launch. And later this year Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems will launch a National Reconnaissance Office payload using a Minotaur launch vehicle. OSP-4 will be equally successful as a showcase for industry innovation and a gateway to even more affordable space launch, because more risks can be taken, more quickly, to produce high rewards for the Launch Enterprise.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

The International Astronautical Federation and GK Launch Services Offer a Free Ride for a 1U Cubesat

The International Astronautical Federation — IAF — in cooperation with GK Launch Services are pleased to announce an exclusive competition for a free launch of 1U cubesat on the First Commercial Mission of GK Launch Services.

All IAF member organizations are invited to participate in the competition and profit from this unique opportunity to win a launch operated by GK Launch Services, planned for the second quarter of 2020. Please note that this competition aims with priority at reaching out to Space University teams from emerging countries.

The launcher will be Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat. The new generation of Soyuz launchers features high reliability, multi-functionality and eco-friendliness and will be launched from Baikonur.

GK Launch Services CEO, Alexander Serkin, said the company is happy to provide a launch opportunity for a 1U cubesat on the firm’s first commercial mission. It is important to GK to support scientific projects, especially those made by students.

At this direct infolink are the mechanical loads that secondary payloads (small SC) experience during Soyuz-2/Fregat ground operations and launch.

Applications must be submitted to award@iafastro.org by 31 August 2019 and must include:

Description of bidding organisation and background experience with respect to CubeSats (if available)
Description of proposed CubeSat mission
Description of available facilities (e.g., integration and test facilities, ground station)
Funding and readiness status

A joint IAF – GK Launch Services Selection Board will review the applications and select the winner, who will be announced at the IAC 2019 in Washington D.C. that is taking place from October 21 to 25, 2019.

Founded in April 2017, GK Launch Services — a joint venture of GLAVKOSMOS JSC, and subsidiary of ROSCOSMOS State Space and International Space Company KOSMOTRAS, LLC. — is the operator of Soyuz-2 commercial launches from the Russian space ports.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

Kleos Space to Address Market Demand with Orbit Change

Kleos Space S.A. (ASX: KSS, Frankfurt: KS1) has changed launch providers for the firm’s Scouting Mission1 satellites which will now launch into a 37 degree inclination.

The 37 degree orbital inclination gives the Kleos’ Scouting Mission1 cluster of four satellites improved data collection by a factor of between 2 and 4.5 times over crucial shipping target regions, such as The Strait of Hormuz, South China Sea, and off the North Australia coast, South U.S. coast and East and West African coasts, when compared with the originally planned Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

Following the recent postponement of the launch of Kleos’ Scouting Mission satellites, Kleos investigated other available launch options with launch and mission management provider Spaceflight Inc. that would meet immediate market demand and potentially increase the value of the data collected. Since the original choice of SSO was made over a year ago, the threat level in the equatorial regions has increased and Kleos has made significant progress in engaging the market and securing defence and security customers who have an interest in these regions, where increased coverage provides better data and improved mission critical information for customers.

Keeping within the Q4 2019 launch window, Kleos will now launch under a rideshare contract with Spaceflight Inc. on the PSLV into a 37 degree inclination orbit. The scouting satellites are ready to fly.

The Kleos team has analyzed and confirmed compatibility with the satellites flying in a 37 degree inclination. Unlike most Earth Observation (EO) missions that fly in an SSO to allow for the sun to illuminate their targets for imagery, Kleos technology means its satellites can observe RF transmissions at any time of day because they are not dependent on sunlight.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is a highly reliable, expendable, medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The original SSO is nearly a polar orbit that maintains its relationship with the sun which is useful for power generation and for missions that rely on illumination of the target. SSO gave full global coverage, with good revisit times of the polar areas.

PSLV C49 is in a 37 degree inclination, which is where the satellites orbit traverses between 37 degrees North latitude and 37 degrees South latitude. The coverage is broadly bounded by Lisbon, Spain, in the North and Melbourne, Australia, in the South and delivers far improved revisit times around the equatorial regions at the expense of coverage in the far North and South.

The graphics below show…

(Top) The potential of data collection by the Scouting satellites in their new orbit the from the key regions of interest with excellent revisit rates when compared with SSO

(Lower) Global maritime illegal activity/piracy hotspots highlighted in The State of Maritime Piracy 2018 report from One Earth Future.

Kleos’ CEO Andy Bowyer said that the change in inclination opportunity allows Kleos to deliver more frequent and higher value coverage for a broad spectrum of users — through defense, security and commercial operations in their key areas of interest when compared to Sun Synchronous Orbit. When a ship goes dark to vanish from global tracking systems, Kleos satellites can locate them through their RF transmissions. In the last month alone, at least 20 ships have switched off their transponders in the Strait of Hormuz to avoid detection. The firm’s customers eagerly await this data.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

ICEYE Releases Spotlight Smallsat SAR Imagery

ICEYE has achieved better-than 1 meter resolution imagery from an under-100 kg. (220 pounds) SAR satellite.

Top image: ICEYE radar satellite imagery that has been acquired and processed at 0.5-meter ground sample distance, featuring a port container terminal near Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Bottom image: The same location in visible band optical data from EU Copernicus Sentinel-2 global dataset for reference of the target area at similar time. Sentinel-2 is a multi-spectral imaging mission intended for global mapping, not high-resolution imaging, but is used here as a visual reference.

The new Spotlight imaging capability builds on ICEYE’s history-making, first small SAR satellite launch in January of 2018. Since that date, the company has continued to launch more satellites,the latest in July 2019 with two new units. With new satellites continuing to be launched during 2019, ICEYE continues to pursue and optimize its imaging capabilities further for customers in the commercial and government segments.

ICEYE’s newly developed Spotlight imaging mode enables under 1 meter radar imaging from the company’s satellites. With Spotlight imaging, the satellite focuses its energy on a smaller area for a longer time, resulting in more data received from the same location. This, in turn, can be processed into more detailed imagery.

Very high-resolution radar satellite images are uniquely helpful for distinguishing small objects as well as for accurately classifying larger objects such as vessels. These added capabilities of ICEYE’s SAR satellites are especially valuable in resolving challenges in sectors such as emergency response, finance, civil government, and maritime security.

Rafal Modrzewski, the CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, stated that offering satellite imagery day and night, regardless of cloud cover, and at these very high resolutions, makes small SAR the new standard for reliable and timely imaging. The imagery the company has just released shows that the previously perceived limits of small satellite SAR continue to be solved by the firm’s extremely talented teams at ICEYE.

Pekka Laurila, CSO and co-founder of ICEYE, added that the company continues to provide commercial SAR data to its customers while developing new and improved capabilities. ICEYE is continually working with customers to help turn these unique capabilities into the industry-specific solutions that they need.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

Smallsat Satellite Tracking Service Debuts from LeoLabs

LeoLabs has unveiled LeoTrack, one of the first commercial satellite tracking service tailored to the needs of today’s smallsat operators.

LeoTrack, delivered as a web-based subscription, promises satellite operators a full range of monitoring capabilities, including precision tracking of satellites, orbital state vectors, predictive radar availability, scheduled passes, and real-time orbit visualization for constellations as well as individual satellites.

LeoTrack builds on LeoLabs’ multi-year history of providing satellite and space debris tracking services for leading constellation operators in LEO. Supporting missions ranging from advance earth observation to IoT connectivity, LeoLabs already serves such diverse commercial providers such as Maxar, BlackSky, Planet and Swarm Technologies. LeoTrack now extends that same value proposition to the entire smallsat community.

Commenting on the announcement, Dan Ceperley, CEO of LeoLabs said that a new generation of space operators need more data to support responsible operations and informed decision making in an increasingly congested LEO setting As the leading commercial provider of LEO monitoring and SSA services, it’s a natural fit for the company to serve these emerging new players. Operators need a reliable service that delivers high-quality orbital data and the ability to demonstrate visually how their operations are managed. This is precisely what LeoTrack delivers. The service is simply subscribed to and LeoLabs does the provisioning. The key is simplicity and quality the firm believes LeoTrack exemplifies the emerging model for satellite constellation management.

Sara Spangelo, CEO of Swarm Technologies added that at Swarm, the firm relies the LeoTrack service to get accurate position information for all of the company’s 1/4-U satellites. Having access to this data is key for the company at initial deployment and throughout the lifetime of the satellites. Swarm Technologies use it for operational purposes, to share with other space operators and for the general public on the firm’s website.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

Learn more at this direct link…

LeoLabs Unveils Commercial Satellite Tracking Service for Smallsat and Cubesat Operators

LeoLabs, a commercial provider of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mapping and Space Situational Awareness (SSA) services has announced LeoTrack, one of the first commercial satellite tracking service tailored to the needs of today’s smallsat and CubeSat operators.

Credits: Swarm Technologies

Commenting on the announcement, Dan Ceperley, CEO of LeoLabs said: “A new generation of space operators need more data to support responsible operations and informed decision making in an increasingly congested LEO setting.”

“As the leading commercial provider of LEO monitoring and SSA services, it’s a natural fit for us to serve these emerging new players.”

“Operators need a reliable service that delivers high-quality orbital data and the ability to demonstrate visually how their operations are managed,” added Ceperley.

“This is precisely what LeoTrack delivers. You simply subscribe to the service, and LeoLabs does the provisioning. The key is simplicity and quality, and we believe LeoTrack exemplifies the emerging model for satellite constellation management.”

Sara Spangelo, CEO of Swarm Technologies added: “At Swarm, we rely on the LeoTrack service to get accurate position information for all of our 1/4-U satellites.”

“Having access to this data is key for us at initial deployment and throughout the lifetime of the satellites. We use it for operational purposes, to share with other space operators and for the general public on our website.”

From Satelliteprome.com

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For all involved in the satellite and space industry and the various market segments that enhance these dynamic environments, the 2020 SmallSat Symposium is invaluable.

The 2020 SmallSat Symposium begins on February 3, 2020, with workshops on the first day. Then the Conference continues from February 4 to 6 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The SmallSat Symposium is hosted by Satnews Publishers which, since 1983, has been a provider of satellite news, media and events. This information packed forum enables you and your company to secure a larger portion of market share as well as to take a step into the next stage of your company’s, or organization’s, growth.

The personal connections at the SmallSat Symposium enable attendees to network with established organizations, subject-matter experts as well as ‘New Space’ entrants.

The SmallSat Symposium will focus on the daily changes in new technologies and the business environment that is shaping the implementation of SmallSat constellations, SmallSat launchers, the challenges facing the SmallSat developer and actors as well as the enormous benefits of these advanced technologies that will benefit our world.

This event attracts more than 100 diverse speakers, all of whom possess deep industry experience. Additionally, numerous opportunities exist to mingle and network with peers while enjoying exceptional, complimentary meals and refreshment breakfast.

Learn more at this direct link…