Copernical Team
ReOrbit completes oversubscribed seed funding round
ReOrbit, a Helsinki-based leading provider of software-enabled satellites, has completed an oversubscribed Seed funding round for US $7.4M, led by Inventure VC, along with participation from 10x Founders, existing investor Icebreaker.vc, Expansion, and Yes VC.
ReOrbit enables real-time dataflow in space and provides Earth Observation and SatCom operators with flight software, satellite pla China solicits names for manned lunar exploration vehicles
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Thursday began to solicit names for the new vehicles of future manned lunar exploration missions. The public is invited to suggest names for the new generation of manned spacecraft and the manned lunar lander, said the CMSA.
According to an earlier report, China plans to land its taikonauts on the moon before 2030 to carry out scientific exploration. Intuitive Machines announces $20M equity investment
Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR) has entered into a definitive securities purchase agreement with a certain institutional investor for the issuance and sale of stock and warrants in exchange for a $20 million equity investment. The agreement is expected to close on September 5, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.
Intuitive Machines intends to use the net proceeds for gene A bigger, better space-ripple detector
The search for space-shaking ripples in the universe just got a big boost. An MIT-led effort to build a bigger, better gravitational-wave detector will receive $9 million dollars over the next three years from the National Science Foundation. The funding infusion will support the design phase for Cosmic Explorer - a next-generation gravitational-wave observatory that is expected to pick up rippl Satellites detect where locust infestations begin
Locusts can destroy grain crops and pastures, threatening people's livelihoods. In an international project, researchers from the German Aerospace Center have now developed methods to help detect locust outbreaks as early as possible and take action against them. Earth observation images acquired by satellites play a central role in this. These images enable the early detection of environmental Trial by fire for the Ariane 6 upper stage
Validation testing continues for ESA's all-new Ariane 6 launch vehicle, with firing of its two upper stage engines to simulate the way they will have to operate together during a flight.
The test of the full upper stage—including the new Vinci engine and a smaller Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)—took place on a purpose-built test bench at German Aerospace Center DLR's engine test center in Lampoldshausen, Germany.
Ariane 6 media briefing – September 2023
Video:
01:00:57
Watch the replay of the media briefing and the question-and-answer session outlining the progress achieved and the upcoming steps in the Ariane 6 development test campaign. Updates are given on tests conducted at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, and at the German Aerospace Center DLR’s technical centre in Lampoldshausen, Germany.
The briefing was held on 4 September 2023 from ESA’s Headquarters in Paris, France. Participants included:
Josef Aschbacher, Director General, ESA
Martin Sion, CEO, ArianeGroup
Philippe Baptiste, Chairman and CEO, CNES
Stéphane Israël, CEO, Arianespace
Toni Tolker-Nielsen, Director of Space Transportation, ESA
Carine Leveau, Director of Space Transportation, CNES
Stefan Schlechtriem, Director of Lampoldshausen,
ESA Open Day at ESTEC 2023: Registration now open
Take your chance to meet astronauts, view spacecraft and peer behind the scenes of Europe’s space adventure at our ESA Open Day at ESTEC in the Netherlands on Sunday 8 October. Registration is now open.
Next major X-ray mission set to launch
*Update: The new launch date for XRISM is 08:42 JST / 00:42 BST / 01:42 CEST on 7 September 2023*
The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) is ready to launch on 7 September 2023 to observe the most energetic objects and events in the cosmos. In doing so, it will unveil the evolution of the Universe and the structure of spacetime.
XRISM is a collaboration between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA, with significant participation from ESA. The launch will be streamed live in Japanese and English on JAXA’s YouTube channel.
Ariane 6 joint update report, 4 September 2023
The Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force consists of top management at ESA, the overall Ariane 6 procuring entity and launch system architect, launch base prime contractor and French space agency CNES, launcher system prime contractor ArianeGroup and launch service provider Arianespace. This group reports regularly on progress being made towards inaugural flight of the new Ariane 6 launcher.
The next update is expected in October.