Week in images: 05-09 June 2023
Week in images: 05-09 June 2023
Discover our week through the lens
China’s first stackable satellite reaches orbit on solid rocket launch
A light-lift solid rocket sent an experimental “plate-like” stackable satellite into orbit late Thursday as the country looks to build its answer to Starlink.
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.
NOAA is tracking smoke moving from the East Coast over the Atlantic
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s is closely tracking smoke from the Canadian wildfires moving June 9 from the Northeastern United States over the Atlantic Ocean.
First satnav receiver designed to operate in lunar orbit delivered to satellite maker
The first satnav receiver designed to operate in lunar orbit has been delivered to satellite maker Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd in the UK for integration aboard the Lunar Pathfinder spacecraft.
The complete Navigation payload seen here includes a four helix antenna (left, in the glass box) developed by MDA in Canada, plus the NaviMoon satnav receiver from Swiss company SpacePNT, and the low noise amplifier developed by EECL in the UK, who also undertook the manufacturing and the environmental test campaign for both the satnav receiver and amplifier.
The payload is designed to boost and process faint terrestrial Global Navigation Satellite Signal (GNSS) signals from more than 400 000 km away, harnessing advanced processing and navigation algorithms to fix the spacecraft's position, velocity and timing in lunar orbit in real time.
It is complemented by a lunar Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) (right), developed by NASA under agreement with ESA, composed of 48 mirrored retro-reflectors that will enable centimeter-scale laser ranging of the spacecraft as it orbits the moon, to authenticate the satnav receiver position fixes during the experiment.
Due to be launched in late 2025, SSTL's Lunar Pathfinder mission will serve as a telecommunications relay satellite for future missions to the moon, to serve assets on both the nearside and farside, orbiting in an 'elliptical lunar frozen orbit' for prolonged coverage over the South Pole—a particular focus for future exploration.
U.S. Space Force in talks with allies about how to jointly protect space assets
U.S. Space Force deputy chief of space operations Lt.
House Republicans introduce bill to create an independent NOAA
A bill introduced June 9 by a group of Republican House members would turn the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration into an independent agency, but keep its commercial space responsibilities in the Commerce Department.
Ursa Major confirms layoffs: ‘Necessary workforce reductions’
Rocket propulsion startup Ursa Major confirmed on June 9 that it has laid off workers as it reorganizes the company.
Iridium calls on US to follow Canada’s Ligado rejection
Iridium Communications is redoubling efforts to reverse U.S. regulatory approval for Ligado’s terrestrial wireless plans after Canada rejected the network following GPS interference concerns.
BIM Implementation and BIM Apps
Building Information Management (BIM) is a highly collaborative approach to managing construction projects, offering an overwhelming number of benefits to companies that implement it. The main focus of BIM is a collaboration between different departments and project participants, which leads to less miscommunication, fewer reworks, and higher performance across the board.
BIM as a methodo 
