Interplanetary Chamber of Commerce Inc. 501(c)6

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Intuitive Machines-2 Lunar Landing (Official NASA Broadcast) https://lnkd.in/dhMEDBeT Watch Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander, Athena, touch down on the Moon. Athena will land at Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole, delivering NASA science and technology to the Moon’s surface. Landing is slated for no earlier than 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 UTC). The NASA tech aboard the lander will demonstrate resource utilization on the Moon by measuring the possible presence of volatiles or gases from lunar soil and give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. This is Intuitive Machines’ second Moon landing as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. To learn more about CLPS, visit https://lnkd.in/dJT6yu5z. Credit: NASA I-COC - COO, Derek Friend

🚀 The ICoC is Heading to SATELLITE 2025! 🌍 The Interplanetary Chamber of Commerce (ICoC) is excited to have some of our leadership team attending SATELLITE 2025 in Washington, D.C., where industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers will gather to shape the future of satellite technology and the commercial space economy. Several of our members will be attending, including: 🔹 Melagen Labs 🔹 Cislunar International 🔹 CisLunar Industries 🔹 Intella 🔹 Many more! 📅 Conference: March 10-13, 2025 📅 Exhibition: March 11-13, 2025 📍 Venue: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC This event is a key opportunity to discuss industry trends, strengthen collaborations, and explore new opportunities in space commerce. If you're attending and would like to connect with the ICoC, send us a message! See you at #SATELLITE2025! 🚀 #ICoC #SatShow #SpaceEconomy #SatelliteTechnology #CommercialSpace #Networking

🚀 Congratulations to Firefly on Their Historic Lunar Landing! 🌕 The Interplanetary Chamber of Commerce (ICoC) proudly congratulates Firefly Aerospace on their successful landing on the Moon! This monumental achievement is a testament to the power of commercial space companies working together to drive innovation and expand humanity’s presence beyond Earth. Firefly’s success proves what we at the ICoC have always believed—the future of space belongs to collaboration. By uniting private industry, fostering partnerships, and sharing expertise, commercial companies are building a thriving space economy that will shape the next era of exploration and development. At the ICoC, our mission is to support and advocate for the businesses, entrepreneurs, and visionaries making this future possible. Firefly’s landing is not just a milestone for one company—it’s a win for the entire commercial space sector. Congratulations again, Firefly! The best is yet to come. 🚀 #ICoC #FireflyAerospace #LunarLanding #CommercialSpace #SpaceEconomy #Collaboration #Innovation #MoonMission

🚀 Join Us for the Interplanetary Chamber of Commerce General Meeting! 🌍 📅 Date: Monday, February 24th ⏰ Time: 3:30 PM EST 📍 Open to the Public | Virtual Meeting The Interplanetary Chamber of Commerce (ICoC) invites you to its upcoming General Meeting. At this event, members and industry professionals will share insights, explore new opportunities, and connect with leaders in the space economy. ✨ Featured Speaker: Jeff Volosin – Capitol Technology University Jeff works with the Space Career Academy, helping shape the next generation of space professionals. He will be sharing insights into workforce development and opportunities for businesses to engage with emerging talent in the space industry. 🔹 All members are welcome to speak about their company! This is a great chance to introduce your business, discuss new projects, and network with other industry leaders. 🌟 Whether you’re a startup, established company, investor, or just passionate about the space economy, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss. 💬 Want to speak at the meeting? Drop a comment below or message us for details! #ICoC #SpaceEconomy #CommercialSpace #BusinessNetworking #SpaceCareers #Aerospace #NewSpace #Networking

🌍 South Africa’s Digital Transformation: A Leap into the Future 🚀 South Africa is undergoing a major digital shift, with businesses and institutions embracing cloud computing, cybersecurity, IoT, Industry 4.0, AI, and advanced data analytics to modernize operations and drive innovation. This investment in cutting-edge technology is enhancing efficiency, boosting competitiveness, and reshaping industries across the country. From manufacturing to finance, businesses are leveraging these tools to stay ahead in an increasingly digital world. As South Africa continues to advance its digital infrastructure, the potential for growth, economic development, and global competitiveness is stronger than ever. 📖 Read the full article to learn more about how technology is shaping South Africa’s future! #DigitalTransformation #SouthAfrica #AI #Industry40 #Innovation #CloudComputing #Cybersecurity #SmartBusiness

How familiar are you with the Aero/Space VC space? 💰 🚀 If you’re a startup you’ll be looking to get one of these names on your cap table: Space Capital: A New York-based seed-stage VC firm investing in space technologies that power the world's largest industries.They've invested in 77 companies in the aerospace sector, focusing on GPS, geospatial intelligence, and satellite communications technologies. Airbus Ventures: An autonomous venture arm of Airbus SE, investing in deep tech including space, autonomous mobility, and electrification. Last Fall they launched a $155 million fund (Fund-Y) specifically focused on deep tech and space investments. Seraphim Space: Seraphim Space is a London-based group focused on SpaceTech, climate change, and sustainability, managing over $300 million in assets. They've supported more than 120 SpaceTech companies across 27 countries, including companies like AST Spacemonile, D-Orbit, ICEYE and Spire Global. Space VC: A Texas-based firm founded by Jonathan Lacoste, specializing in early-stage investments in space technology, defense, and frontier tech companies. With average check sizes of $500K - $1M, the firm aims to support visionary entrepreneurs from “day zero”. Lacoste has a track record of entrepreneurial success from a remarkably young age. He co-founded Jebbit, a consumer data platform, at just 19 years old, making him one of the youngest entrepreneurs to secure VC funding. SpaceFund: An early-stage VC fund dedicated to supporting promising entrepreneurs in the space industry. They created the SpaceFund Reality (SFR) rating, designed to provide a quick assessment of players in various sub-sectors of the space industry. Type One Ventures: A San Francisco-based firm investing in Seed and Series A startups building technology for a “Type I Civilization”, with a $50 million fund for Space and Deep Technology investments. They've made notable investments in companies like Gravitics, which is developing space stations and habitats. Soma Capital: A global VC firm founded by Aneel Ranadive, investing in brilliant entrepreneurs who use technology to improve humanity on the largest scales possible. Shield Capital: A San Francisco-based VC firm investing in frontier technologies such as cybersecurity, AI, space, and autonomy. Who are some other big VCs shaping the Aero/Space startup landscape? Give them a shout below 👇 - - - Follow us for more insights and news on everything Aero/Space startups #aerospace #tech #startup #fundraising #spacetech

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞?! 😳 𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐀’𝐬 ‘𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤’ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝟖-𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫! Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore’s Extended ISS Stay – What Does This Mean for Space Exploration? Unplanned Extension Due to Starliner thruster issues, a planned 8-day test flight turned into ~8 months on the ISS, adding ~230 extra days in orbit. That’s a big leap from a quick trip to a full-on long-duration mission! Increased Radiation On average, astronauts on the ISS receive 0.3–0.5 mSv of cosmic radiation per day—far more than on Earth. Over these extra months, this could total 90–100 mSv, equivalent to 1,000+ chest X-rays. Prolonged exposure raises long-term risks like cancer and cataracts. Vision Changes Suni Williams mentioned noticing shifts in her eyesight, a known issue tied to fluid shifts and pressure changes in microgravity. Extended weightlessness also speeds up bone density loss and muscle atrophy—challenges NASA constantly studies to keep crews healthy. Higher Cataract Risk Astronauts on longer missions face an increased chance (estimated 10–15% for heavily exposed flyers) of developing cataracts sooner. While treatable, it’s one more reminder that every day in space adds up. Even though President Trump asked Elon to bring back the astronauts, Elon isn’t doing a rescue mission—NASA has a plan for their return! Wild situation, but a huge learning opportunity for spaceflight. #ISS #SpaceExploration #RadiationResearch #HumanSpaceflight #AstronautLife

🚀 Reflecting on a Productive Week kicking off the conference season at SpaceCom 2025! 🌌 What an incredible opportunity to connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas, and further the conversation on building a sustainable space economy! One of the obvious highlights was delivering a TINA Talk, where I had the chance to share how collaboration is vital to a thriving and sustainable space economy. Thank you everyone for coming to listen! The engagement and discussions that followed reinforced the importance of working together—across companies, sectors, and nations—to ensure the long-term success of commercial space ventures. For those that missed it, unfortunately it was not recorded, but I'd be happy to recreate it for anyone. Conferences like SpaceCom are invaluable and such fun experiences, not just for reconnecting with friends in the industry, but also for making new connections that help drive meaningful progress. The continued growth of the Interplanetary Chamber of Commerce Inc. 501(c)6 (ICoC) is a direct result of opportunities like these, where we can share our vision and engage with those who are shaping the future of space commerce. If we didn’t get a chance to connect, let’s keep the conversation going! Feel free to reach out—I’d love to discuss how we can work together to advance the commercial space sector. And while I am horrible about taking selfies with people (for those that did take pictures of us, thank you for tagging me in them!) I had an incredibly fun time reconnecting with all of you! Until next time, everyone! 🚀 #SpaceCom2025 #ICoC #SpaceEconomy #Collaboration #SustainableSpace #Networking #SpaceCommerce 📡🚀🌒Sam Peterson Ramon Blanco Maceiras Kelli Kedis Ogborn Madison C. Feehan Manuel Pimenta Salvatore Grignano Dan Murray Duane Freer Negar Feher Jen Scholten Cameron Penny Izzy House, M.S. Evan Lerner Jai Dialani

A $500 Million Commitment to Africa—And It’s Just the Beginning Driving Africa’s Digital Future. - February 03 2025 For over 15 years, West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) has been at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation, establishing itself as a key enabler of connectivity and innovation across the continent. Speaking with Capacity, Chris Wood, WIOCC Group CEO, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure, addressing challenges like subsea cable outages, and shaping the continent’s digital future. Founded in 2008 to serve Africa’s wholesale connectivity market, WIOCC has invested over $500 million in subsea, terrestrial, and data center infrastructure. “We are a fibre-pair owner on the Equiano and 2Africa cable systems and a major operator on all other major subsea networks serving Africa,” Wood explains. Beyond subsea connectivity, WIOCC has strategically expanded its terrestrial infrastructure, operating six core and over 30 edge data centers across South Africa, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In partnership with WIOCC, Laser Light supports a $129 million initiative to enhance Africa’s network resilience, integrating subsea cables (WACS, EASSy, SMW5, 2Africa, ACE, Confluence 1 (U.S.), and Inligo (APAC) with a converged satellite network for low-latency, redundant connectivity. Laser Light Group contracts WIOCC for terrestrial and subsea capacity, while WIOCC leverages Laser Light’s global network and services to extend its reach beyond Africa.