Prometheus has the sacred fire... Nearly three years after its creation, the start-up headed at full speed by Olivier Piepsz is making a name for itself in the closed circle of Earth observation players. It signed with Hemeria, one of its shareholders who won the call for tenders, a contract for the supply of the first satellite (about 50 kg) for its constellation Japetus, then 20 other satellites after commissioning orbit of the first. The first satellite should be delivered by Hemeria at the end of 2025.
EnduroSat @EnduroSatToday in the presence of @ThierryBreton Commissioner for Internal Market of the European Union, and Dr. @AschbacherJosef , ESA DG, EnduroSat`s Balkan Constellation was selected by @esa and the EU for the Copernicus Contributing missions #spaceiscloserthanyouthink #CopernicusEU
The Balkan Constellation is another step for EnduroSat’s mission of making space data universally accessible. Balkan-01 is a 16U NanoSat, equipped with a cutting-edge multispectral camera. The onboard processing of deep neural networks will enable new use cases for imagery analytics. The first satellite is scheduled for launch in Q2 2024.The Balkan Constellation’s 120 NanoSats will provide the Balkans and the EU with unprecedented visit time, real-time cloud-based monitoring service, and AI-powered detection. The provided space data will accelerate access to maritime surveillance, humanitarian, and ecological support, as well as environmental monitoring.
The new targeted launch date for Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit and SYRACUSE 4B is July 4. Following the replacement of the three pyrotechnical transmission lines identified as doubtful on the Ariane 5 launcher as well as a comprehensive review of all pyrotechnical lines, Arianespace decided to resume the launch campaign for VA261. Initially scheduled for June 16, the new targeted launch date for VA261 is July 4, 2023, as soon as possible within the following launch window: Between 05:30 p.m. and 07:05 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, Between 06:30 p.m. and 08:05 p.m. Kourou time, Between 09:30 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. Universal time (UTC), Between 11:30 p.m. and 01:05 a.m., July 5, Paris time, Between 06:30 a.m. and 08:05 a.m., July 5, Tokyo time. The Ariane 5 launch vehicle and its passengers Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit and SYRACUSE 4B are in stable and safe conditions.
Peter B. de Selding @pbdes.@esa @Arianespace @ArianeGroup : Assuming OK inaugural flight, 2d mission to occur several months later; ramp to 9-10/year by 2025 w/ upgraded version for @Amazon #Kuiper by then. Vehicle starts at 40% less costly than Ariane 5, but goal remains 50%. https://bit.ly/3O02Kgh
Peter B. de Selding @pbdesTest firing anomaly likely pushes Vega-C return to fight into 2024; @esa says costs of nearly 3-year delay in Ariane 6 rocket will be paid by industry. @ArianeGroup @OHB_SE @CNES @Avio_Group .Quotehttps://www.spaceintelreport.com/vega-c-rockets-test-firing-likely-pushes-return-to-flight-into-2024-esa-says-industry-must-finance-cost-of-ariane-6-delays/Vega-C rocket's test firing likely pushes return to flight into 2024; ESA says industry must...LA PLATA, Maryland — Europe’s new Vega-C medium-lift rocket, grounded since December after it failed on…
https://www.spaceintelreport.com/vega-c-rockets-test-firing-likely-pushes-return-to-flight-into-2024-esa-says-industry-must-finance-cost-of-ariane-6-delays/Vega-C rocket's test firing likely pushes return to flight into 2024; ESA says industry must...LA PLATA, Maryland — Europe’s new Vega-C medium-lift rocket, grounded since December after it failed on…
Peter B. de Selding @pbdesThey don't have to like it: @esa launching science mission w/ @SpaceX this weekend, then Earth obs mission in 2024, followed by 4 @defis_eu #Galileo sats pending security review. https://bit.ly/3CUm5ZE
ESA and SpaceX: Euclid science satellite is next, then Earth observation and navigation satellites in 2024written by Peter B. de Selding June 29, 2023LA PLATA, Maryland — The European Space Agency (ESA), as expected, is moving more of its launches to SpaceX given delays in European government-financed rockets and the fact that in today’s medium- and heavy-lift launcher market, just about all roads lead to the SpaceX Falcon 9 — for ESA along with commercial customers.The most recent transfer is of the ESA-Japan EarthCare solar-radiation satellite. Likely to come is the launch of four Galileo positioning, navigation and timing satellites, ESA officials said June . . .
Peter B. de Selding @pbdesTest firing anomaly likely pushes Vega-C return to fight into 2024; @esa says costs of nearly 3-year delay in Ariane 6 rocket will be paid by industry. @ArianeGroup @OHB_SE @CNES @Avio_Group
Vega-C rocket’s test firing anomaly likely pushes return to flight into 2024; ESA says industry must finance cost of Ariane 6 delayswritten by Peter B. de Selding June 29, 2023LA PLATA, Maryland — Europe’s new Vega-C medium-lift rocket, grounded since December after it failed on its second mission, is unlikely to return to flight this year following an issue with a test firing of its newly designed second-stage engine.Vega-C prime contractor Avio SpA said the test firing of the Zefiro-40 motor, designed to last for 97 seconds, lost pressure after 40 seconds for reasons not yet known.
Jeff Foust @jeff_foustESA Director General Josef Aschbacher says the relationship with SpaceX was "very professional." Launching EarthCARE on a Falcon 9 in the 2nd quarter of 2024; Hera in Oct. 2024.
Arianespace @ArianespaceSubject to favorable weather conditions, the earliest possible launch date for VA261 flight is July 5, 2023:📌 Between 7:00 p.m. and 8:05 p.m. Kourou, French Guiana time,📌 Between 10:00 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. Universal time (UTC).
Avio @Avio_GroupAnother success for Vega C, selected to launch the Kompsat-6 satellite on behalf of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The versatility of our launcher is once again confirmed. Read and download the press release: 📥 https://bit.ly/44gFxw0 #AVIO #spaceiscloser #space
Colleferro,31 May 2023 – Vega C has been selected to launch the Earth Observation satellite Kompsat-6 (Korean Multi-Purpose Satellite) for the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The launch is scheduled for no earlier than December 2024 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana
OQ TECHNOLOGY - Connecting 24 Billion Devices @OQTEC🚨 🎉 BREAKING NEWS! We have been awarded a € 1.1 Million contract by @esa to build and launch 3 advanced nanosatellites featuring multiple payloads providing space-based #5G #NBIoT services, intersatellite links, and others. Read full press release:https://www.oqtec.com/news/oq-technology-has-been-successfully-awarded-a-eur-1-1-million-contract-to
ERMIS-1 and ERMIS-2 Cubesats built by OQ Hellas will host the payloads of OQ Technology Luxembourg to demonstrate 5G internet-of-things non-terrestrial network (5G-IoT-NTN) connectivity and additionally incorporate Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) to enhance its coverage. ...ERMIS-3 co-built by OQ Hellas with NKUA will host payloads from the other members of the consortium to demonstrate optical communications link and hyperspectral Earth Observation data to support precision agriculture.
The original version of the Vega, which does not use the Zefiro 40, is scheduled to resume launches in September, but most launches on the Vega manifest are of the more powerful Vega C. European startups such as Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg are working on small launch vehicles whose first flights could take place before the end of the year....At the same briefing, ESA officials said they were also in discussions with SpaceX for the launch of up to four Galileo satellites on Falcon 9 vehicles. “We are moving ahead with negotiations to conclude hopefully soon with SpaceX,” said Javier Benedicto, ESA’s director of navigation. That is contingent on concluding the negotiations with SpaceX as well as securing approvals from the European Union and its security agreement with SpaceX.
<snip>I think there are several European institutional payloads that can no longer wait on European launch industry to get their act together. And several payloads are to valuable to launch on the unproven (Vega (C) = unreliable) European launch options.<snip>Launches I think better outsourced are:All three remaining Gallileo Gen 1 launches (that's 3 launches).The Sentinel 1C (+4x CO3D)EUMETSAT payloads MetOP-SG A1 & B1 (Ariane 6 too unproven) and possibly also MTG-S1If Vega C and/ or other European launch options aren't available before H2 2024: Sentinel 2C & 3C.In my opinion these contracts should be awarded before the end of this year. <snip>
The ground segment will be responsible for controlling the two new second-generation satellite platforms, which are currently in the design and production phase. A total of 12 satellites are expected to be launched over the next three years. The new ground control system is scheduled to come into operation in 2025, coinciding with the launch of the first satellite of this second generation.The new contract signed between GMV and ESA is worth over €200 million. This includes the contracting of core G2G activities, for a value of around €155 million. These activities will be carried out over a period of 42 months, from mid-2023 until the end of 2026, with options for extension until 2028.
The G2 satellites will gradually join the existing constellation, but will be much larger than existing satellites. Using electric propulsion for the first time, and hosting an enhanced navigation antenna, their fully digital payloads are being designed to be easily reconfigured in orbit, enabling them to actively respond to the evolving needs of users with novel signals and services.New on-board technologies include electric propulsion to propel the satellites from the orbit in which they will be launched to the final operational orbits, allowing two satellites to be launched at once despite their increased mass. Inter-satellite links between the satellites will let them routinely cross-check their performance and reduce their dependency on the availability of ground installations. The satellites will also feature a more powerful navigation antenna, more precise onboard atomic clocks, as well as advanced jamming and spoofing protection mechanisms to safeguard Galileo signals.