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https://lnkd.in/gktbuEqR Refueling capability is insurance against a bad day. Nice summary by our friends at Payload of the impacts this one launch anomaly had on the space industry. It reminded me that having a refueling capability does more than give economic and strategic advantages. Refueling protects you against a bad day. Launch delays, insertion issues, and spacecraft production delays to name a few can all be mitigated if the objects on orbit have the capability to take more fuel. My experience flying tanker missions for the Navy reminded me that having any gas in the air gave the Air Wing Commander infinitely more options than having all their gas on board the carrier. Space, in my view, is no different. The technology is here. The time is now. Make satellites refuellable.

This is probably the next frontier in human space endeavors - threat response from armed satellites and from surface to space missiles. Seems like step 1 of 2000 towards a Star Wars type retaliation around a planet. We will have to wait and see if this will sustain or pan out. Not sure how much risk is involved in insuring commercial satellites if such threat response becomes frequent in the future. #space #satellites #starwars #insurance

Terran Orbital Corporation awarded a $15.2 million contract from the US Space Force Terran Orbital Corporation announced it was awarded a $15.2 million contract to supply Ambassador Class satellite platforms complete with solar arrays and support equipment to the Air Force Research Laboratory AFRL. The contract, managed through Axient Corporation, will integrate payloads onto these ESPA-Grande size space vehicle platforms to support specific United States Space Force missions.  Delivery is planned in the 4th quarter of 2024. “These platforms are based on Terran Orbital’s commercial off-the-shelf Ambassador platform, similar to those provided for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites being delivered by Lockheed Martin,” said Marc Bell, Terran Orbital’s Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer. “Demonstrating Terran Orbital’s commitment to Responsive Space, these space vehicles will be delivered off Terran Orbital’s production line in less than twelve months,” Bell added. #TerranOrbital #SpaceForce #AFRL #Axient #Award #Satellite #Space https://lnkd.in/e_NREykg

The Defense Innovation Unit selected The Spaceport Company to demonstrate the ability to use a sea-based launch platform to quickly send cargo or satellites to orbit. The company, headquartered in Woodbridge, Virginia, builds floating launch pads that could allow commercial companies or the Defense Department to fly payloads offshore. The concept is particularly relevant amid unprecedented launch rates, which are increasingly causing congestion at U.S. ranges. “A sea-based launch platform is a strategically significant capability that increases equatorial launch access while enabling responsive launch coordination and avoiding high-traffic airspace,” DIU said in a May 28 statement announcing the deal. The award is part of a DIU effort called Novel Responsive Space Delivery, which aims to prototype commercial solutions that support responsive and precise space launch capabilities. That could include using a rocket to send cargo from one point on Earth to another, between two satellites in orbit, or from one location in space to another. “Responsive and reliable logistics and sustainment lines of communication are essential to the Warfighter,” Austin Baker, Deputy Portfolio Director for DIU’s space portfolio, said in the statement. “By prototyping commercial solutions for the delivery of cargo and other supplies to, through and from space, we will equip the Joint Force with new methods for sustainment that directly address this need and provide a unique competitive advantage.” #DIU #Space #Launch The Spaceport Company won a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit to further development of its sea-based launch pad. (The Spaceport Company) 

The US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is ramping up surveillance capabilities with a new constellation of small, proliferated satellites developed alongside SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. 🚀🛰️ Launched through multiple SpaceX Falcon 9 missions, these satellites form the backbone of a dynamic intelligence network intended to increase surveillance frequency and responsiveness. This setup enables the NRO to revisit critical regions more often, ensuring timely intelligence delivery—a shift away from the traditional approach of larger, singular satellites. The program represents the NRO’s largest satellite deployment to date, with further launches planned through 2028. According to NRO officials, this expanded satellite fleet, aimed at quadrupling the U.S.'s space-based assets, underscores the agency’s commitment to rapid intelligence collection. The system’s smaller satellites are tailored to track ground movements in near-real time, enhancing national security through frequent, agile data collection. With this program, the NRO aims to provide the U.S. with a more resilient and responsive surveillance network, meeting the need for both speed and volume in intelligence gathering. #space #satellites #surveillance #engineering https://lnkd.in/eubq8iUW

The Space Development Agency’s plan to field hundreds of missile warning and communication satellites in the coming years is still in the early days of execution, but one lesson defense firms are drawing from the effort is the importance of fostering a reliable supply chain. L3Harris is one of those companies. The Melbourne, Fla.-based firm is on contract to deliver 38 satellites as part of the first three tranches of SDA’s missile tracking constellation, four of which launched in February. The company faced supply chain challenges in developing the first four spacecraft, most notably their satellite buses, which were provided by Moog Inc. L3Harris in late March filed a complaint in federal court claiming the bus supplier’s late deliveries damaged its credibility with SDA and “placed future L3Harris business at significant risk.” A Moog spokesman told C4ISRNET the company plans to “vigorously defend against the allegations, and in due time, will respond in court.” Meanwhile, L3Harris selected Maxar to build the satellite bus for its Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 satellites. Kelle Wendling, president of L3Harris’ space systems sector, recently sat down with C4ISRNET to discuss the challenges of developing a diverse yet mature supply chain for small satellites and provided insight into how the company has adapted its strategy over the last few years. #SDA #Satellites #SupplyChain An artist's depiction of L3Harris' tracking layer satellite, which will be part of a Space Development Agency constellation that will track and target hypersonic missiles from space. (L3Harris)

📈 True Anomaly has secured a $1.6 million Direct-to-Phase II contract from SpaceWERX... This initiative focuses on Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS), aiming to tackle critical challenges for the Department of the Air Force. Key Highlights: 🔹Focus Areas: Rapid payload integration, responsive propulsion systems, advanced geosynchronous orbit technologies. 🔹Mission: Support the VICTUS HAZE mission and enhance flexibility for future operations. 🔹CEO Insight: Emphasizes maneuverability and flexibility of the Jackal AOV for diverse orbital missions. This contract follows a $30M U.S. Space Force contract, reinforcing True Anomaly's pivotal role in space defense. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/esh5K8hk #SpaceSecurity #SpaceForce #TrueAnomaly #Innovation #SpaceWERX

The U.S. Space Force has kicked off the $2 billion Resilient Global Positioning System (R-GPS) to build a backup satellite network for GPS, a critical infrastructure worth over $1.4 trillion to the economy. With potential GPS outages costing $1B per day, R-GPS aims to ensure continuous positioning, navigation, and timing services vital for both military operations and everyday activities. The Space Force has awarded contracts to four companies, including Astranis, which is expanding into positioning services with its new Nexus product line of PNT (Position, Navigation, and Timing) satellites. Astranis, known for its broadband satellites, is eyeing a multi-billion-dollar opportunity as it moves to medium Earth orbit for R-GPS. With initial funding and a rapid development timeline, the Space Force aims to deploy R-GPS satellites by 2028, ensuring the resilience of one of the world’s most essential utilities. Source: https://buff.ly/4i4Jpra Visit us: VisionaryScience.net #VisionaryScience #Innovation #SpaceForce #RGPS #GPS #SatelliteTechnology #Astranis #PNT #DefenseInnovation #SpaceTech #CommercialSpace

On April 7, 2024, India celebrated a major milestone for the private space industry. SpaceX Falcon 9 during the Bandwagon-1 Mission, launched from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida (USA), successfully launched and deployed the Made-in-India Earth-Imaging military satellite TSAT-1A at 23:16 UTC by TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) for Earth Observation (EO). The TSAT-1A, weighing 50 kg, has been meticulously crafted, assembled, and tested at the Tata Vemgal Facility, Karnataka. Positioned in low-earth orbit, this satellite boasts remarkable capabilities, including sub-metre-resolution and rapid data transfer properties, facilitating highly detailed image production. These features render it immensely valuable for defence and strategic applications. TASL, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, stands as a key contender in aerospace and defence solutions in collaboration with the leader in sub-metre-resolution EO data collection, Satellogic Inc. The collaboration signed in November 2023 encompasses a focus on the development and integration of an advanced earth observation satellite, underscoring India’s growing prowess in space technology. Authored by Jaypal Kalra for the Covering ISRO. #isro #tata #tsat #space #aerospace #spacex #elonmusk #elon #falcon9 #rocket #military #satellite #earth #science