TREND IN FOCUS: IT’S A NEW MILESTONE FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC!

In June, Virgin Galactic achieved a new milestone by commencing its commercial spaceflight operations. On June 29, 2023, its first commercial spaceflight, “Galactic 01”, took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico carrying members of the Italian Air Force on a research mission. The crew of six included two Italian Air Force officers, an Italian aerospace engineer, a Virgin Galactic instructor, and two pilots. The entire flight lasted about 75 minutes and was a major success for Virgin. This mission launched two years after the company’s first crewed test spaceflight of the VSS Unity. Astronauts in the space plane's cabin experienced a few minutes of weightlessness and caught a glimpse of the Earth's curvature from more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) above sea level. Virgin Galactic plans to launch its second commercial spaceflight, “Galactic 02”, in early August 2023.

Chart 1: Virgin Galactic Completes Inaugural Commercial Spaceflight

Source: Intro-act, Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic aims to make commercial spaceflights a regular service, which is likely to get a positive response, considering that there are 800 potential customers who have already reserved tickets for the spaceflights. This backlog would require a substantial time to be filled up by Virgin Galactic’s regular monthly flights. Virgin Galactic aims to make commercial spaceflight affordable to the general public, knowing that it will take a significantly longer time, maybe a decade, as the latest success is just the first step toward that goal. On the competition front, Virgin Galactic has the potential to take advantage of the fact that its major competitor, Blue Origin, which has already sent 30 paying customers to space, temporarily suspended flights due to an accident. However, Blue plans to restart operations soon.

Galactic 01’s objectives included performing autonomous experiments for the development of innovative and sustainable materials in microgravity conditions, studying microgravity transition effects on the human body, and collecting data through wearable as well as autonomous research payloads and sensors. Amid numerous hurdles during the development over 20 years, the successful launch of commercial spaceflight is definitely a milestone for Virgin Galactic and paves the way for the success of its regular service.

INDUSTRY TRENDS

SPACE EXPLORATION

NASA's new Moon car for Artemis astronauts will be inspired by Mars rovers. NASA's next Moon car will be part vehicle, part robot. The new lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) the agency is planning will be required to transport a crew of two astronauts on the surface of the Moon, but will also function semi-autonomously to conduct experiments on its own. Similar to how the Perseverance or Curiosity rovers operate on Mars, the LTV will collect samples and perform analyses with remote operators calling the shots. Read more (Space.com)

UNOOSA And ESA launch new space solutions database linked to the sustainable development goals. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have launched a new database listing current and past projects from space agencies in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Space Solutions Compendium (SSC) is the result of cooperation between UNOOSA and ESA and aims to provide information about space projects that can support the achievement of the SDGs. Read more (Spaceref)

NASA says SpaceX Starship problems likely to delay Artemis 3 Moon mission to 2026. NASA is worried that SpaceX’s giant new Starship vehicle won’t be ready to carry astronauts to the surface of the Moon in late 2025, as currently planned. In 2021, the agency selected Starship—the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built—to be the first crewed lunar lander for its Artemis program of Moon exploration. Starship will put astronauts down near the ice-rich lunar South Pole on the Artemis 3 mission, in humanity’s first return to the Moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972. Read more (Satellite News Network)

New parachute system could ease some of China’s rocket-debris issues. A new parachute system could reduce the risk posed by Chinese satellite launches from inland spaceports. Earlier this month, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) deployed a parachute system from a spent rocket booster used to help launch a Beidou navigation satellite on May 17. The parachute system is designed to give more control over where the rocket booster lands. The parafoil automatically opens at a set altitude during descent, helping guide the booster back to a predetermined landing area. Read more (Satellite News Network)

SATELLITE LAUNCH SERVICES

Chinese commercial rocket firm launches 26 satellites, sets national record. A Chinese commercial launch firm conducted its second orbital mission, sending a reported record 26 satellites into orbit. The second Lijian-1 solid rocket developed by CAS Space lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert at 12:10 a.m. Eastern Time on June 7. Aboard were the Shiyan-24A and Shiyan-24B experimental satellites. The other payloads were described as technological demonstrations and commercial remote-sensing by Chinese state media reports. Read more (Space News)

Construction on a new spaceport begins in South China's Hainan Province. Construction of a new launch complex for solid rocket launch missions kicked off in Wenchang City, South China's Hainan Province, according to the official Wechat account of China Space News (CSN). It will be the third launch complex built at the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site; the main tower of the first launch complex was completed in May, and the second is still under construction. The new launch complex can help improve the launch capability of China's private carrier rockets and make up for the shortage of commercial space launch resources, according to CSN. Read more (CGTN)

FAA reduces airspace restrictions for Cape Canaveral launches. The Federal Aviation Administration has started to reduce the amount of airspace it closes for launches from Cape Canaveral as part of efforts to limit the impact of growing launch activity on commercial aviation. The FAA recently introduced a revised zone of restricted airspace around and extending offshore for many launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center. The revised zone keeps open airspace to the north of the spaceports that had previously been closed for all launches. Read more (Space News)

SpaceX launches 56 Starlink satellites, lands rocket at sea. SpaceX successfully launched another batch of its Starlink satellites, sending 56 Starlink satellites aloft at 11:35 a.m. ET (1535 GMT) atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with the first stage coming down eight minutes later to make its eighth successful landing on a nearby drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The rocket's second stage then reached nominal orbital insertion nine minutes into flight. Read Article (Space.com)

DATA SERVICES

China’s Changguang Satellite demonstrates space-to-ground laser links. A Chinese satellite manufacturer and constellation operator says it has successfully demonstrated space-to-ground high-speed laser communications that could help China break bottlenecks in getting data from space to the ground. Changguang Satellite Technology (CGST) recently carried out the test with its Jilin-1 MF02A04 remote sensing satellite. The test was conducted in cooperation with the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Changguang Satellite Technology itself an offshoot from the state-owned Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Read more (Space News)

Chart 2: A Long March 2D Hypergolic Rocket Lifts Off from Taiyuan Carrying Eight Jilin-1 Satellites

Source: Intro-act, Space News, CNSA/OurSpace

COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Space Development Agency’s missile warning satellites transmit first images. The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency said it received initial images from its first missile-warning satellites launched April 2 to Low Earth Orbit. “First tracking sats, built by SpaceX, achieved first light: infrared images using wide-field-of-view sensors,” the agency said in a Twitter post on June 14. SDA plans to build a proliferated Low Earth Orbit network of data-transport satellites and a constellation of infrared sensor satellites to provide a defense shield against Russian and Chinese ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Read more (Space News)

NASA embraces AI in space: ChatGPT-like interface to revolutionize astronaut missions. NASA is actively developing a cutting-edge system that will revolutionize space exploration by enabling astronauts to perform maneuvers, conduct experiments, and engage in other activities using a natural-language interface, similar to the capabilities of ChatGPT, according to a report by The Guardian. The envisioned system will not only allow astronauts to communicate their instructions and queries but also enable space vehicles to relay alerts and share intriguing discoveries from the solar system and beyond. Read more (Business Today)

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENTS

Moonlighter, the world’s first hacking test bed in space. Six miniature satellites called CubeSats are set to launch on SpaceX’s 28th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the International Space Station (ISS), where they will be deployed. Among them, the Aerospace Corporation will launch Moonlighter, the world’s first and only “hacking sandbox” in space. A hacking sandbox is a form of cybersecurity technology that allows participants to perform tests that could identify methods for preventing the hacking of satellite systems in space. Through this project, which is sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory and supported by Nanoracks, Aerospace will introduce the nation’s top cyber professionals to Moonlighter and its ability to fill gaps in cyber security testing in space. Read more (Spaceref)

Chart 3: Moonlighter, World’s First Hacking Test Bed in Space

Source: Intro-act, NASA

New laser communications system arrives at NASA for Artemis 2 Moon mission. NASA's Moon spacecraft is getting a next-generation communication system. The Orion capsule undergoing preparations for the crewed Artemis 2 Moon mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida recently received an essential piece of mission hardware. A laser communication module, called the Artemis 2 Optical Communications System (O2O), arrived at KSC for integration with Orion ahead of the round-the-Moon Artemis 2 mission, which is expected to launch near the end of 2024. Read article (Space.com)

SATELLITE AND COMPONENTS

China looks to build new space partnerships with Egypt satellite project. China has delivered a set of satellites to Egypt as part of a program to develop the latter country’s capacity to assemble, integrate, and test satellites. China delivered two satellite prototypes and one flight model to Egypt in March. Final assembly and testing were carried out at the Egyptian Space Agency’s satellite assembly and test center. The flight model will be transported to China for launch in the second half of this year. Read article (Space News)

Chart 4: A Long March 2C Rocket Lifts Off from Jiuquan in March 2023, Carrying the Horus-2 Satellite

Source: Intro-act, Space News, CNSA/Ourspace

SPACETECH NEWS

GOVERNMENT POLICY

World Economic Forum offers new debris mitigation guidelines. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released a new set of guidelines intended to reduce the creation of orbital debris. The document garnered the support of some, but not all, major satellite operators. The Space Industry Debris Mitigation Recommendations document, released by the WEF June 13, outlines recommendations to avoid collisions that can create debris by limiting the lifetime of satellites in orbit after they have completed their missions, and improving coordination among satellite operators. Read more (Space News)

NASA welcomes Ecuador as 26th Artemis accords signatory. During a ceremony at the embassy of Ecuador in Washington that country became the 26th signatory of the Artemis Accords. “Signing the Artemis Accords sends a powerful message to the international community that the Ecuadorian government is committed to pursue cutting-edge efforts in technology and is open to innovation, investment, workforce development to promote sustainable growth, and international collaboration to help solve humanity’s greatest challenges,” said Ivonne Baki, Ecuador's ambassador to the United States. Read more (NASA)

U.S. and India to expand spaceflight cooperation. The governments of the United States and India have agreed to work more closely together in spaceflight, with India signing the Artemis Accords and the two countries planning for an eventual joint mission to the International Space Station. The two countries disclosed those plans on June 22 as part of a broader partnership that was announced during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States. The partnership included India becoming the 27th nation to sign the Artemis Accords. Read more (Space News)

ESA, European companies back “zero debris” agreement. The European Space Agency and three European satellite manufacturers have announced plans to work together to develop “ambitious and meaningful targets” for dealing with orbital debris. At an event during the Paris Air Show June 22, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and executives with Airbus Defence and Space, OHB and Thales Alenia Space said they would jointly develop a “Zero Debris Charter” with the overarching goal of preventing the creation of new debris, particularly in Low Earth Orbit. Details backing that principle will be worked out later this year, according to an ESA statement. Read more (Space News)

New spending caps to create challenges for NASA. NASA and congressional officials are still grappling with the implications of a debt-ceiling agreement that enacts spending caps, but acknowledged it likely means the agency will get less money than it requested for 2024.The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, signed into law by President Biden June 3, suspends the debt ceiling through the end of 2024, allowing the government to continue to borrow money and thus avoiding a fiscal crisis. As part of the agreement to suspend the debt ceiling, the bill caps non-defense discretionary spending at 2023 levels for fiscal year 2024 and increases that cap by 1% for 2025. Read more (Space News)

Space domain awareness provisions in draft NDAA proposal. The House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subcommittee is proposing legislation that would require DoD to share threat intelligence with commercial satellite operators. This is one of several proposals in the subcommittee’s draft bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. The subcommittee released their proposal June 12 and scheduled a markup of the bill June 13. The U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command are directed to develop a plan to expand existing threat-sharing arrangements with commercial space operators that are under contract with the Department of Defense. Read more (Space News)

House FAA bill would give agency new space traffic management role. A bill introduced in the House to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration includes a provision directing the agency to get involved in space traffic management, potentially duplicating ongoing work at the Commerce Department. One section, 600 pages into a 773-page bill, is intended to address risks from orbital debris reentering and passing through airspace. The bill refers to such objects as “covered airborne debris,” which is defined in the legislation as human-made objects once in orbit that have reentered uncontrollably and pose “a potential risk to the safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce.” Read more (Space News)

CAPITAL MARKETS

Google leads $36 million funding round for Pixxel. Hyperspectral imaging startup Pixxel raised $36 million in a Series B funding round led by Google. Pixxel announced the Series B round June 1, which included Google as well as existing investors Radical Ventures, Lightspeed, Blume Ventures, growx, Sparta and Athera. The company, which did not disclose the valuation of the round, has now raised $71 million. Pixxel, with offices in the United States and India, is working on a constellation of hyperspectral imaging satellites. It launched its first pathfinder satellites in 2022 and is planning a constellation of 24 satellites it expects to deploy by 2025. Read more (Space News)

Chart 5: Pixxel’s Hyperspectral Imagery

Source: Intro-act, Space News, Pixxel

Fortify raises $12.5 million for digital composite manufacturing. Boston-based startup Fortify raised $12.5 million from investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures and Raytheon Technologies’ RTX Ventures. It was the first time the two companies invested in the same startup funding round. With the additional funding, Fortify plans to accelerate development of its Digital Composite Manufacturing platform, which prints composite materials designed down to the nanoscale for high performance, according to Karlo Delos Reyes, Fortify co-founder and chief customer officer. Read more (Space News)

Nelco invests in router maker to improve Indian satcoms network. Indian satellite communications provider Nelco has invested some $121,000 in a network equipment startup based in Mumbai, India, to bolster its services amid a growing competitive threat from international players. Nelco said in a stock exchange filing that it had bought an initial stake of just over 9% in Piscis Networks, a two-year-old manufacturer of routers designed to make communications infrastructure more efficient. Piscis specializes in network management technology called SD-WAN —software-defined networking in a wide area network, which would help improve the performance, security, and reliability of its communications services. Read more (Space News)

Zero-Error Systems raises $7.5 million. Zero-Error Systems, a Singapore startup developing radiation-hardened integrated circuits, raised $7.5 million in a Series A investment round supported by Airbus Ventures. ZES, a spinoff of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, was founded in 2019. The company’s radiation-hardened chips flew for the first time on three satellites launched in 2021 by Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology. ZES named two of the investors that contributed to its Series A round: Airbus Ventures and the Dart Family Office, based in Singapore. Read more (Space News)

Tomorrow.io raises $87 million for weather satellite constellation. Weather and climate security platform Tomorrow.io has raised an $87 million Series E. The Israeli-founded startup, which announced that it launched its second satellite, R-2, on the SpaceX Transporter-8, said it plans to use the funding to complete a constellation of more than 20 total satellites over the next two years. Tomorrow.io launched its first radar satellite, R-1, in April, as it aims to further improve its weather intelligence in the current climate crisis. The company provides predictive and actionable insights to such customers as Uber, Delta, National Grid, and more. Read more (CTech)

Lunar characterization device gets early funding. An innovative flashlight to allow scientists to see the dark areas of the Moon and better understand their composition has been selected to participate in NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. The EmberCore Flashlight: Long Distance Lunar Characterization with Intense Passive X- and Gamma-ray Source Phase 1 project is a 9-month concept feasibility study that will evaluate source parameters and possible mission architectures. If successful, the proposal team may progress to Phase 2 and eventual maturation of the concept. Read more (Spaceref)

Chart 6: The EmberCore Flashlight

Source: Intro-act, Space News, Spaceref

Vyoma raises $9 million for debris-monitoring satellites. German startup Vyoma has raised 8.5 million euros ($9.3 million) to develop satellites for monitoring space debris. The funding round included participation from Safran, a prominent French aerospace company, as well as early-stage investors Happiness Capital, Atlantic Labs, and Faber Ventures. Vyoma plans to launch a constellation of 12 satellites next year, focusing on tracking objects larger than 30 centimeters in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The company aims to announce the manufacturer for its initial two microsatellites soon, with a launch scheduled for the end of 2024. Read more (Elendilspace)

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) awards $16 million for space technology development program AO 7. CSA recently released the list of 27 organizations that received funding under the Space Technology Development Program (STDP) AO 7. Of the organizations selected, 25 are SMEs. In total, the agency chose 29 technology projects. Read more (SpaceQ)

Bengaluru-based space tech startup Digantara raises $10 million in funding led by Peak XV Partners. Bengaluru-based space tech startup Digantara announced on June 20 that it has raised $10 million in a Series A1 round led by Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India). This investment highlights the growing value of India's space tech firms, even in the midst of the so-called “funding winter.” This is also Peak XV Partners' first funding announcement after their recent rebrand. Read more (Moneycontrol)

Apex raises $16 million for spacecraft factory. Apex, a startup with plans to mass-manufacture satellite buses, has raised $16 million to fund development of its first large-scale factory. The Series A round was led by venture firms Andreessen Horowitz and Shield Capital. The company has raised more than $27 million to date, including a seed round it announced in October 2022. The funds will be used for what the company calls Factory One, a 4,600-square-meter production facility in Los Angeles that will be used to ramp up production of its Aries satellite bus. Read more (Space News)

Chart 7: Aries Satellite by Apex

Source: Intro-act, Space News, Space News, Apex

NASA awards millions in STEM research grants. NASA announced the recipients of its annual STEM grants, providing nearly $4 million in total funding, to support scientific and technical research that aligns with the agency’s strategic research and technology development priorities. By providing resources to STEM research, NASA aims to“create a stronger and more vibrant scientific community to drive innovation and push the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration.” Read more (Spaceref)

Agile Space Industries raises $13 million to expand AM production. Lockheed Martin Ventures participated in Agile Space Industries’ latest $13 million seed round. Agile, which did not disclose the valuation of the round, has now raised in excess of $18 million. Agile Space Industries is delivering on the vision of bringing a new generation of in-space chemical propulsion products and technologies to the space industry. The company recently announced the qualification of its first product, the A110 thruster, and is now building dozens of flight units that will be used by multiple customers to land on the Moon. Read more (Voxel Matters)

Airmo raises 5.2 million euros for climate-monitoring constellation. Airmo, a German startup planning to obtain space-based measurements of greenhouse gas emissions, has raised 5.2 million euros ($5.7 million) in pre-seed funding, including investment and a European Space Agency contract. With the funding announced June 27, Airmo will launch the first of 12 satellites equipped with spectrometers and small light detection and ranging (lidar) instruments to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane. Read more (Space News)

Ramon.Space raises $26M from Foxconn subsidiary, other investors. Space computing company Ramon.Space has raised $26 million from Ingrasys, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, Abu Dhabi-based Strategic Development Fund, and existing investors Grove Ventures, Deep Insight, and UMC Capital. Ramon.Space announced the new funding on June 28 and said that the new resources will help commercialize its computing platform for space products, reach new markets, and expand its global presence. Read more (Via Satellite)

UKSA funding 9 innovative tech projects. The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has announced funding for a series of projects to boost UK-based space technology innovations. These projects include harnessing solar power for reusable spacecraft and new propulsion systems in an effort to advance the UK’s space economy. Funding will come from the UKSA’s Enabling Technologies Programme (ETP), which is designed to support groundbreaking British companies that are working to enhance spaceflight capabilities. Read more (Orbital Today)

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS AND PARTNERSHIPS

L3Harris to develop US Space Force Hypersonic Missile Warning Sensor. The US Space Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies a $29 million contract to design a sensor payload for a satellite-based missile warning and tracking system operating in Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO). L3Harris will design the payload for Epoch 1 of the Resilient Missile Warning and Missile Tracking (MW/MT) MEO effort. SSC stated that on successful completion of sensor deisign, SSC (Space Systems Command) will have the option to purchase up to three total payloads and satellites. Read more (The Defense Post)

Chart 8: Rendering of Missile-Warning Space Sensor

Source: Intro-act, Space News, L3 Harris Technologies

Northrop Grumman gets $80 million Air Force contract for satcom experiments. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Northrop Grumman a contract worth $80.3 million to conduct communications experiments using multiple commercial space internet services. Under a program called Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI), AFRL is working with defense contractors and commercial satcom providers to determine how to integrate commercial space Internet services with military platforms and weapon systems. Read more (Space News)

Space Force assigns 12 national security missions to SpaceX and ULA. The U.S. Space Force launch procurement office announced an additional 12 missions assigned to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance under the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract. The 12 missions are projected to start launching in 2025. SpaceX was assigned five Space Development Agency (SDA) launches to Low Earth Orbit and a U.S. Space Force classified mission, USSF-31. SDA is building a large constellation of communications and missile-tracking sensor satellites that will be deployed in batches. Read more (Space News)

Air Force orders a Viasat-3 terminal to demonstrate space relay service. The Air Force Research Laboratory has ordered a Viasat-3 space terminal that will be used to demonstrate communications services for Low Earth Orbit spacecraft. Viasat will deliver a space-qualified Ka-band terminal that will be launched to orbit on a LEO satellite and serve as a data communications relay to the ViaSat-3 network. AFRL will use the terminal for high data rate LEO-to-GEO communications. Viasat received a $10 million task order from AFRL for the terminal. Read more (Medium)

Startup iRocket wins Space Force contract to demonstrate rocket engine. Innovative Rocket Technologies, known as iRocket, won a U.S. Space Force contract to demonstrate a reusable rocket engine for small launch vehicles. The $1.8 million agreement with the U.S. Space Systems Command is a Tactical Funding Increase, or TACFI, where the government and private investors split the cost 50/50. The New York-based startup, founded in 2018, develops rocket engines and plans to build a small launch vehicle. Read more (Space News)

Luxembourg approves program to give NATO O3b mPower access. Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES) said that Luxembourg has approved a program to carve out capacity from its O3b mPower Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) broadband network for the country and NATO allies. Luxembourg’s government is acquiring 195 million euros ($211 million) worth of O3b mPower capacity under the 10-year MEO Global Services (MGS) program, targeting defense, security, and disaster recovery missions. The U.S. Space Force has allocated $59 million in its proposed 2024 budget to buy services from O3b mPower, which is slated to provide initial services this year following the launch of two more satellites. Read more (Space News)

Chart 9: O3b mPower Satellites

Source: Intro-act, Space News, SES

NASA, US Air Force unveil new X-plane — the X-66A — to test wild wing design for fuel-efficient flight. The United States Air Force has designated the plane, designed in conjunction with Boeing through NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project as the X-66A. The X-66A is also the first X-plane designed specifically to help the U.S. achieve the net-zero goal for aviation greenhouse gas emissions, set out in the White House’s U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan, released in 2021. NASA said in a press release that the X-66A could inform a new generation of sustainable single-aisle aircraft, planes that currently operate as the backbone of passenger-based air travel. Read more (Satellite News Network)

CesiumAstro to develop satellite communications terminal for US Air Force’s remotely piloted aircraft. CesiumAstro, a provider of active phased array communications technology for space and airborne systems, has announced that it has been awarded a contract led by AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), through the Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) program. CesiumAstro will build, integrate, and demonstrate its satellite communications (SATCOM) terminal aboard an MQ-9A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). The $3.6M award directly supports the Department of Defense’s need for enhanced, higher throughput connectivity aboard airborne vehicles. Read more (everything RF)

Seven US Companies collaborate with NASA to advance space capabilities. NASA will partner with seven U.S. companies to meet future commercial and government needs, ultimately benefiting human spaceflight and the U.S. commercial Low Earth Orbit economy. Through unfunded Space Act Agreements, the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities-2 initiative (CCSC-2) is designed to advance commercial space-related efforts through NASA contributions of technical expertise, assessments, lessons learned, technologies, and data. Structured sharing of NASA expertise demands minimal government resources but fosters development of capabilities that can be crucial to development of a robust LEO economy. Read more (NASA)

Space Force extends Palantir’s data-as-a-service contracts. The Space Force awarded data analytics company Palantir $110.3 million in contract extensions for the company’s cloud-based data services. The Space Systems Command announced June 15 it has added one more year to Palantir’s existing contracts for data-as-a-service. Under a project called Warp Core, the Space Force since 2021 has used the company’s cloud platform and analytics services to aggregate large amounts of data from disparate sources. Under these data-as-a-service contracts, the Space Force is transitioning legacy data stovepipes into the Warp Core data analytics platform. Read more (Space News)

SES wins $134 million DoD contract for X-band satellite communications. SES Space & Defense announced June 28 that it won a five-year contract worth up to $134 million to provide X-band satellite communications services to the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract is a “global X-band blanket purchase agreement,” the first major defense deal awarded to SES’ U.S. subsidiary since it acquired DRS Global Enterprise Solutions last year. SES, headquartered in Luxembourg, operates a commercial fleet of more than 70 geosynchronous and medium Earth orbit satellites. Read more (Space News)

Chart 10: Rendering of the GovSat-1 Satellite

Source: Intro-act, Space News, SES

Kuva Space awarded $5.47 million commercial contract to be sole provider of hyperspectral data services for the Copernicus program. Kuva Space has today been awarded a five-year commercial contract worth €5M ($5.47 million) to be the world’s sole provider of hyperspectral data services for the European Commission’s Copernicus Contributing Missions (CCM) program. Kuva Space’s hyperspectral data services will facilitate the development of new and accurate commercial services for current Copernicus users and beyond, helping them make financially smarter and environmentally responsible decisions related to global issues like food security, carbon capture, and safety and security. Read more (Kuva Space)

NASA awards contract for Earth radar data operations, management. NASA has awarded a contract to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, for the continued development and operation of the Synthetic Aperture Radar Distributed Active Archive Center for NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System. The total value of this cost-no-fee completion contract is approximately $70 million. The period of performance is for five years beginning July 1. Read more (NASA)

D-Orbit wins Italian contracts to fly mini space lab and test optical intersatellite links. D-Orbit has been awarded contracts through Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan to deliver a small orbiting laboratory and test optical intersatellite links. The contracts, worth 6 million euros ($6.54 million), were announced on June 22 and are part of Italy's efforts to advance its space capabilities. D-Orbit will verify the performance of optical intersatellite links for an Earth Observation constellation called IRIDE (International Report for Innovative Defense of Earth). The IRIDE constellation operates in Low Earth Orbit and comprises imaging payloads designed to monitor Italy's critical infrastructure, air quality, and meteorological conditions. Read more (The Launch Pad News)

Air Force awards Raytheon $625 million contract for nuclear-hardened satcom terminals. The U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center awarded Raytheon Technologies a $625 million contract to produce nuclear-hardened satellite communications terminals. The 11-year contract, announced June 28, is for production of FAB-T terminals used to connect strategic bombers and reconnaissance aircraft with classified military communications satellites. This was a sole-source contract to Raytheon. The company since 2014 has been the Air Force’s primary contractor for FAB-T, short for Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals. Read more (Space News)

PRIVATE CONTRACTS AND PARTNERSHIPS

US and UK join forces to apply nuclear fusion propulsion to future Mars travel. British nuclear fusion company Pulsar Fusion has partnered with Princeton Satellite Systems to pioneer a revolutionary approach to space travel. Their collaboration will focus on designing a hyper-fast space rocket utilizing AI technology, with the goal of reaching Saturn’s moons within a remarkable two-year timeframe. The US and UK partnership represents a significant advancement in space travel technology, with the potential to transform human space exploration and open up new possibilities for interplanetary missions. Read more (Orbital Today)

Astrobotic and Westinghouse team to power outer space collaboration. At the 2023 Keystone Space Conference last week, Westinghouse Electric Company and Astrobotic announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programs for NASA and the Department of Defense. The partnership will focus on the development of space nuclear technology and delivery systems. The joint effort will also include strengthening the space nuclear supply chain and workforce in the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia region. Last year, Westinghouse received support from Astrobotic in capturing a $5 million NASA/DOE contract to provide an initial design concept for a fission lunar surface power system. Read more (Spaceref)

Ramon.Space and Foxconn partner to launch revolutionary high volume space computing products. Ramon.Space, the leader in space-resilient computing infrastructure, and Ingrasys, a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group and the world’s largest manufacturer of server and storage platforms, announced a strategic agreement to deliver high-volume space computing products. Ingrasys will manufacture Ramon.Space computing products globally, establishing the production line of the industry’s first high-volume space computing products. This collaboration represents a major milestone in the rapidly expanding space economy and marks the first time Ingrasys has ventured into the space industry. Read more (Ramon.Space)

NASA to add fourth pair of roll-out arrays to ISS. After completing an upgrade to the International Space Station’s power system in June, NASA is moving ahead with plans to add two more solar arrays to the ISS. Boeing and Redwire announced June 28 that they signed a contract for a fourth pair of ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays, or IROSA, for the station. Redwire developed the array technology, known as ROSA, which uses solar arrays that are launched in a rolled-up form factor and then extend once in space. Read more (Space News)

Chart 11: Ramon.Space Products – NuPod, NuStream, and NuBox

Source: Intro-act, Space News

Safran, Terran Orbital to explore joint production of satellite propulsion systems. Safran Electronics & Defense and Terran Orbital (NYSE: LLAP) announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Agreement to study and validate the prerequisites for production of a new generation of electric propulsion systems for satellites in the United States, based on Safran’s PPSX00 plasma thruster. Safran Electronics & Defense, via Safran Spacecraft Propulsion, and Terran Orbital will undertake an in-depth analysis to determine the technical, industrial, and economic prerequisites for a new U.S.-based production line for electric propulsion systems. The location under consideration is a Terran Orbital facility in Irvine, California, which produces microsatellites. Read more (Safran Group)

Cooperation agreement between MDA and Thoth to enable deep space radar surveillance and space domain awareness. MDA and Thoth Technology have entered into a strategic cooperation agreement that would enable deep space radar surveillance and space domain awareness from what they state would be “Canada’s first ground-based radar capable of monitoring Resident Space Objects in geosynchronous orbit.” In their press release, MDA stated that “MDA commercial data services will be integrated with Thoth’s ground-based radar technology to provide unprecedented levels of sovereign monitoring in deep space over Canada, providing both detection and characterization of space objects.” Read more (SpaceQ)

COMPANY NEWS AND EARNINGS

Northrop’s Grumman’s missile warning satellite relay terminal design passes preliminary assessment. Northrop Grumman was one month ahead of its deadline for completing the preliminary design review of a relay ground station to support the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution system. PDR completion for Relay Ground Station-Asia marks a milestone in Northrop’s timeline for modernizing legacy and next-generation missile warning systems for the U.S. Space Force. Northrop aims to complete the RGS-A for deployment to Guam by late 2025 under a $99.6 million contract with the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific.

A new mission will grab dead satellites and push them into the atmosphere to burn up. Astroscale is tackling the problem of space debris with one of the more conventional techniques¾linking up with an existing satellite to deorbit a dead one Recently, they released a promotional video for their new project¾the ELSA-M, which stands for End of Life Services by Astroscale¾Multiple, is designed to couple with an existing satellite, force it into a lower orbit, and reenter it more quickly. It will be the first satellite to boost itself up to another orbit for a second rendezvous and deorbit a second satellite as well. It’s unclear how many of these projects a single ELSA-M satellite can take on, but the “multiple” in its name implies more than one. Read more. Watch Video (Universe Today)

Chart 12: Astroscale’s New Project

Source: Intro-act, Universe Today

OneWeb targets maritime market with expanded satellite coverage. OneWeb launched a free trial offer for maritime customers June 6 after bringing its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband network online over a larger swath of the Northern Hemisphere. Its network is now fully operational down to 35 degrees latitude, encompassing much of Europe and the upper United States, after being confined to the 50th parallel and above since late 2021 as it built out the constellation. While OneWeb now has enough satellites for global services with 634 spacecraft in LEO, including a technology demonstrator for a second-generation system, it expects to finalize the ground stations needed for worldwide coverage by the end of this year. Read more (Space News)

SpinLaunch looks to electrify satellite launches. The world is currently in a transition from cars with gasoline-powered internal combustion engines to vehicles powered by electricity and batteries. A company named SpinLaunch is pursuing a somewhat similar strategy when it comes launching satellites into orbit, though it has developed an unusual technique for doing so. Instead of a launch vehicle that uses chemical propellants, SpinLaunch is developing an electric-powered system that uses a rotating arm in a large vacuum chamber to accelerate a payload vehicle faster and faster until it is released through a tube and heads toward space. Read more (Spaceref)

City Labs unveils new tritium-based technology to power future NASA missions. City Labs, a leading Miami, Florida-based manufacturer of tritium power sources, has announced the successful completion of a two-year effort that has culminated in the delivery of a next-generation tritium-based space power source to researchers at NASA. The delivery of this prototype not only highlights NASA’s keen interest in micropower sources but also acknowledges their confidence in CityLabs. Read more (Spaceref)

Chart 13: Tritium Based Power Source

Source: Intro-act, Spaceref, City Labs

Rocket Lab's modified Electron rocket HASTE achieves first suborbital launch. Rocket Lab's new suborbital launch vehicle—Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE)—successfully completed a test flight on June 17. HASTE, which was launched for a confidential customer, is a suborbital vehicle that is derived from Rocket Lab's Electron rocket. The Electron is already the world's most frequently launched commercial small launch vehicle, according to Rocket Lab. Read more (Space.com)

Cailabs and Astrolight to demonstrate Space-to-Earth optical communications. Cailabs, a French deep-tech company which designs, manufactures, and sells photonic solutions; and Astrolight, a Lithuanian company providing satellite-to-ground laser communications, announced on the 28th of June that they have entered into an agreement to launch a satellite mission hosting Astrolight’s space-to-Earth laser communication terminal ATLAS-1. The mutual objective of the mission is to establish laser communication downlinks and demonstrate pointing, acquisition and tracking capabilities at a gigabit per second data rates between ATLAS-1¾manufactured by Astrolight¾and Cailab optical ground station (OGS). Read more (Spacewatch Global)

Beyond Gravity wins an order to produce the payload fairings for ArianeGroup’s new Ariane 6 rocket. The new European launcher replaces Ariane 5, which was successfully launched over 100 times and has been in service since 1996. The Ariane 6 payload fairings, up to 20 meters high and 1800 kilograms in weight, are manufactured by Beyond Gravity at its Emmen site in Switzerland in a state-of-the-art, half-automated process. Beyond Gravity helps shape the next generation of European launch vehicles. Read more (Spaceref)

Sierra Space describes long-term plans for Dream Chaser and inflatable modules. As Sierra Space continues to prepare for the first flight of its Dream Chaser vehicle, it is outlining long-term ambitions for both that vehicle and space station modules. Company executives expressed that the vehicle is going through final integration and testing work at the Colorado factory. It is scheduled to ship later this summer to NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio for thermal vacuum testing. Read more (Space News)

Chart 14: Dream Chaser Spaceplane with its Shooting Star Module Attached

Source: Intro-act, Spaceref, City Labs

Mynaric selected by Raytheon Technologies to supply optical communications terminals for SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer program. Mynaric (NASDAQ: MYNA), a leading provider of industrialized, cost-effective and scalable laser communications products, announced that it has been selected by Raytheon Technologies to supply optical communications terminals for the Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 1 Tracking Layer program. Mynaric will supply 21 CONDOR Mk3 terminals to Raytheon for the program with the product deliveries expected in 2024. Read more (Mynaric)

Chart 15: Rendering of Missile-Tracking Satellites in Low Earth Orbit

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Source: Intro-act, Space News, Raytheon Technologies

SPACETECH FUNDING ACTIVITY

Chart 16: Recent Funding Activity in the SpaceTech Sector (June 2023)

Company	Latest Fund Raise ($ Mn)	Round	Use of Funds	Investors
Fortify	12.5	Strategic Investment	Development of its Digital Composite Manufacturing platform, which prints composite materials designed down to the nanoscale for high performance	Lockheed Martin Ventures, Raytheon Technologies’ RTX Ventures, Accel, Cota Capital, Neotribe, Prelude, Mainspring, Ocean Azul.
Pixxel	36	Series B	Development of constellation as well as an analytics platform called Aurora that the company says will use artificial intelligence technologies to produce useful information products to customers.	Google, Radical Ventures, Lightspeed, Blume Ventures, growx, Sparta, Athera
Piscis Networks	0.121	Strategic Investment	Bolster its services amid a growing competitive threat from international players.	NELCO
Zero Error Systems	7.5	Series A	Growing business presence in the U.S. and Europe	Airbus Ventures, Dart Family Office
Tomorrow.io	87	Series E	To complete a constellation of more than 20 total satellites over the next two years.	Activate Capital, RTX Ventures, Seraphim Space and Chemonics, SquarePeg Capital, Canaan, ClearVision, JetBlue Ventures, Pitango
Vyoma	9	Seed Round	To develop space debris-monitoring satellites.	Safran, Happiness Capital, Atlantic Labs, Faber Ventures
Digantara	10	Series A1	Development of space-mission assurance platform (Space-MAP); Deployment of the first phase of its space-based surveillance satellite constellation	Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India), Kalaari Capital
Apex	16	Series A	Development of its first large-scale factory, Factory One, a 4,600-square-meter production facility in Los Angeles for ramping up production of its Aries satellite bus	Andreessen Horowitz, Shield Capital
Agile Space	13	Seed Round	Expand production and development of propulsion systems.	Caruso Ventures, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Greater Colorado Venture Fund, CORI Innovation Fund and Greenline Ventures
AIRMO	5.7	Pre-seed funding, including investment	Launch the first of 12 satellites equipped with spectrometers and small light detection and ranging (lidar) instruments	Findus Venture led Airmo’s investment round. Participants included Ananda Impact Ventures, Pi-Labs, E2MC, Antler and prominent European angel investors.
Ramon.Space	26	Strategic Investment	Expand production of computing technology designed to withstand the extreme temperatures, radiation, data transfer delays, and the size and power constraints of spaceflight	Foxconn Technology Group, Grove Ventures, Deep Insight, UMC Capital

Source: Intro-act, Multiple Web Source

SPACETECH GOVERNMENT CONTRACT AWARDS

Chart 17: Government Contracts and Grants (June 2023)

Awardee Company	Awarding Agency	Country	Contract Value (in $ mln)	Project / Program
Northrop Grumman	U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory	US	80.3	DEUCSI
L3 Harris	U.S. Space Force	US	29	Produce low Earth orbit missile-tracking satellites
Space X & United Launch Alliance	U.S. Space Force	US	Undisclosed	12 missions under National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract.
Viasat	U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory	US	10	Space-qualified Ka-band terminal
CesiumAstro	U.S. Air Force	US	3.6	Phased array antenna for remotely piloted drones
Palantir	U.S. Space Force	US	110.3	Warp Core - Cloud platform and analytics services to aggregate large amounts of data from disparate sources
Kuva Space	European Commission	Europe	5.47	Copernicus Contributing Mission program.
SES Space and Defense	U.S. Department of Defense	US	134	X-band satellite communications services
Innovative Rocket Technologies	U.S. Space Force	US	1.8	TACFI - Demonstrate a reusable rocket engine for small launch vehicles.
Raytheon Technologies	U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center	US	625	Production of nuclear-hardened satellite communications terminals

Source: Intro-act, Multiple Web Sources

SPACETECH LAUNCH CALENDAR – UPCOMING AND RECENT

Chart 18: Space Launches Across the Globe (as of July 10, 2023)

Date	Company	Rocket	Mission	Launch Site
July 9/10	SpaceX	Falcon 9	Starlink 6-5	SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Jul-14	Rocket Lab	Electron	Baby Come Back	Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
July 23/24	SpaceX	Falcon Heavy	Jupiter 3/EchoStar 24	LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Source: Intro-act, Spaceflight Now

SPACETECH EVENTS CALENDAR

Chart 19: SpaceTech Industry Events Calendar

S. No.	Event Name	Place	Date
1	Indonesia in View	Jakarta	Aug 31, 2023
2	Satellite & Space Missions	Toronto, Canada	Sept 11-12, 2023
3	APSCC 2023 Satellite Conference & Exhibition	Kuala Lumpur	Oct 10-12, 2023
4	Thailand in View	Bangkok	Oct 10, 2023
5	The Economist Space Summit	The Economist Space Summit	Oct 11-12, 2023
6	Global MilSatCom 2023	London	Nov 7-9, 2023
7	Space Tech Expo Europe	Bremen, Germany	14-16 Nov, 2023

Source: Intro-act, Satellite Evolution Group

SPACETECH ETFs

ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (ARKX)

Closing Price (07/10/23)	$13.82	1 Week NAV Change	-2.69%	NAV Change (YTD)	19.8%
AUM (as of 07/10/23)	$292 Mn	Fund Inception	3/30/2021	Expense Ratio	0.70%

ARKX is an actively managed Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that seeks long-term growth of capital by investing under normal circumstances primarily (at least 80% of its assets) in domestic and foreign equity securities of companies that are engaged in the Fund’s investment theme of Space Exploration and Innovation. The advisor defines “Space Exploration” as leading, enabling, or benefitting from technologically enabled products and/or services that occur beyond the surface of the Earth, including 1) Orbital Aerospace Companies: companies that launch, make, service, or operate platforms in orbital space, including satellites and launch vehicles; 2) Suborbital Aerospace Companies: companies that launch, make, service, or operate platforms in suborbital space; 3) Enabling Technologies Companies: companies that develop technologies used by Space Exploration-related companies for successful value-add aerospace operations, including AI, robotics, 3D printing, materials, and energy storage; and 4) Aerospace Beneficiary Companies: companies whose operations stand to benefit from aerospace activities, including agriculture, Internet access, GPS, construction, imaging, drones, air taxis, and electric aviation vehicles.”

Monthly Market Performance (Month Ending 06/30/2023)

One Month	Three Months	Six Months	YTD	One Year	Inception
11.52%	8.57%	22.68%	23.08%	13.18%	-25.12%

Quarterly Market Performance (Quarter Ending 06/30/2023)

One Month	Three Months	Six Months	YTD	One Year	Inception
11.52%	8.57%	2.48%	22.68%	13.18%	-25.12%

Top 10 Holdings (Updated as of 07/10/23)

Ticker	Company	% of Funds	Market Value
TRMB	TRIMBLE INC	8.08%	$23,010,826.47
IRDM	IRIDIUM COMMUNICATIONS INC	7.70%	$21,932,516.32
KTOS	KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY	7.27%	$20,687,425.92
AVAV	AEROVIRONMENT INC	6.67%	$18,999,115.20
PRNT	THE 3D PRINTING ETF	5.41%	$15,396,307.10
LHX	L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES INC	4.73%	$13,451,006.00
6301	KOMATSU LTD	4.34%	$12,359,206.14
JOBY	JOBY AVIATION INC	4.13%	$11,754,825.48
TER	TERADYNE INC	3.79%	$10,776,495.60
PATH	UIPATH INC - CLASS A	3.72%	$10,595,517.58

For more information on ARKX visit: https://ark-funds.com/funds/arkx/

SPACETECH ETFs

Procure Space ETF (UFO)

Closing Price (07/10/23)	$ 19.09	1 Week NAV Change	-0.98%	NAV Change (YTD)	-1.95%
AUM (as of 07/10/23)	$ 47.53 Mn	Fund Inception	4/11/2019	Expense Ratio	0.75%

The Procure Space ETF (UFO) is comprised of a portfolio of companies involved in space-related industries. UFO is an exchange traded fund (ETF) seeking investment results that correspond generally to the performance, before fund fees and expenses, of the S-Network Space Index (SPACE) developed by S-Network Global Indexes. Although there is no legal definition of “space,” a commonly accepted definition is that the edge of space begins at the Kármán Line, which is 100 kilometers (62 miles) above the Earth’s surface.

Monthly Market Performance (Month Ending 06/30/2023)

One Month	Three Months	Six Months	YTD	One Year	Inception
2.79%	0.31%	-1.8%	-1.69%	-4.01%	-23.85%

Quarterly Market Performance (Quarter Ending 06/30/2023)

One Month	Three Months	Six Months	YTD	One Year	Inception
2.79%	0.31%	-1.8%	-1.69%	-4.01%	-23.85%

Top 10 Holdings (Updated as of 07/10/23)

Stock Ticker	Security Name	% of Fund	Market Value
SIRI	SIRIUS XM HOLDINGS INC	5.63%	$26,73,275.20
RKLB	ROCKET LAB USA INC	5.33%	$25,29,508.50
TRMB	TRIMBLE INC	5.05%	$23,93,814.11
ETL FP	EUTELSAT COMMUNICA	4.92%	$23,34,410.67
SESG FP	SES SA	4.90%	$23,25,484.24
GRMN	GARMIN LTD	4.88%	$23,17,276.89
DISH	DISH NETWORK CORPORATION	4.81%	$22,83,794.24
SATS	ECHOSTAR CORP	4.72%	$22,37,778.50
IRDM	IRIDIUM COMMUNICATIONS INC	4.56%	$21,62,846.40
VSAT	VIASAT INC	4.51%	$21,38,102.24

For more information on UFO visit: https://procureetfs.com/ufo/

SPACETECH ETFs

Chart 20: ARKX vs. S&P 500

Source: Intro-act, Yahoo! Finance

Chart 21: UFO vs. S&P 500

Source: Intro-act, Yahoo! Finance

LEADERS AND LAGGARDS – SPACETECH SEGMENTS

Chart 22: M/M Returns by SpaceTech Segments