Launch

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a $105 million (86.2 million euro) service contract with Swiss startup ClearSpace to remove orbital debris. The contract, announced Dec. 1, finalizes the ClearSpace-1 mission, which is set to remove space debris in orbit in 2025.  The ClearSpace-1 mission, will involve developing a robot-like spacecraft with four arms...

Lockheed Martin revealed Wednesday that the fifth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (SBIRS GEO-5) satellite is complete and ready for launch in 2021, as determined by the U.S. Space Force. SBIRS GEO-5 is the first military space satellite built on Lockheed Martin’s LM 2100 combat bus. The SBIRS GEO-6 satellite is also being...

Arianespace launched an Earth Observation (EO) satellite for the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 1. An Arianespace Soyuz rocket took off from the Spaceport in French Guiana at 10:33 p.m. local time. The FalconEye 2 satellite was deployed to Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) 58 minutes after liftoff. Total payload mass was 1,340 kg. The launch was...

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force plan to end Launch Services Agreement (LSA) funding for Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin by the end of this year, the Air Force said on Nov. 30. “The government sent letters in October to notify Northrop Grumman Space Systems and Blue Origin of the intent to end the LSAs,” the...

SpaceX plans to expand its Starlink beta tests in a notable way in early 2021, the company announced with its latest launch of Starlink satellites on Nov. 24.  A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites took off at 9:13 p.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and...

Relativity Space has closed a $500 million Series D round, the company announced Monday. This capital will accelerate Relativity’s long-term plans for a multi-planetary future beyond the first launch of its 3D printed rocket in 2021, Tim Ellis told Via Satellite.  “The new funding round comes at a time when we’re looking to accelerate our...

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, a joint U.S.-European satellite built to monitor global oceans is in good health after its Nov. 21 launch, NASA said in a post-launch news release. The satellite was launched by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Saturday, Nov. 21...

Voyager Space Holdings announced Thursday that it plans to acquire The Launch Company, which develops standardized hardware and works to support launches through automation. A financial component to the deal was not disclosed, and the deal is subject to customary closing conditions.  The Launch Company is based in Anchorage, Alaska, and is working to build...

Rocket Lab executed its “Return to Sender” mission on Thursday evening, launching 30 satellites and hitting the milestone of its first-ever post-launch Electron first stage recovery.  The Electron launch vehicle took off from Launch Complex 1 on Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand at 2:20 UTC Nov. 19 (9:20 p.m. ET on Nov. 18). Stage separation...

Astroscale is preparing for the launch of its end-of-life services demonstration, ELSA-d, to launch in March 2021. Astroscale announced Wednesday the mission will launch on a Soyuz rocket operated by GK Launch Services from Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan.  ELSA-d will demonstrate the technical capabilities needed for orbital debris removal. A “servicer” satellite and a “target”...