Commercial Space

SpaceX has delivered Starlink terminals to Ukraine, worked to bypass jamming of the devices and is contemplating future space projects in the country.

Russia’s invasion has reawakened Western democracies and shown the limits of brute force.

OneWeb board members voted on March 3 to suspend launches of its broadband satellite constellation from the Russian-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Boeing has confirmed that recent composite cryogenic tank tests that pave the way for future liquid-hydrogen-fueled aircraft used a reusable tank shell originally built as flight hardware for DARPA’s former Experimental Spaceplane Program.

The 15-nation partnership faces its strongest challenge amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Use of Russia’s largest commercial space contract may be halted, with Russian State Space Corp. Roscosmos requesting legally binding guarantees from the OneWeb satellite operator and the French Arianespace launch provider that the constellation, deployed by Russian Soyuz 2 rockets, will not be used for military purposes.

Rocket Lab has confirmed plans to locate manufacturing facilities and launch operations for its new medium-lift reusable Neutron rocket on a 28-acre site on Wallops Island in Virginia.

Northrop’s Mission Robotic Vehicle to install life-extension pod on Australian Optus satellite.

Local authorities in the Shetland Islands have given a green light for the construction of the SaxaVord Spaceport.

AE Industrial Partners, a U.S. private equity firm active in aerospace and defense, said Feb. 24 that it had struck deal to buy a “significant” stake in embattled rocket startup Firefly Aerospace from investment group Noosphere Venture Partners.

Rocket Lab will provide 17 spacecraft buses for a new low Earth orbit satellite constellation owned and operated by Globalstar.

Rocket Lab plans to begin operations from a second launchpad in New Zealand as early Feb. 28, the company said Feb. 23.

Looking down is looking up: Satellite-based Earth observation sees growing revenue, investor, technology and startup prospects.

Northrop Grumman is taking the next step in its space servicing business, SpaceLogistics, with the sale of its first Mission Extension Pod and a launch agreement with SpaceX for a Mission Robotic Vehicle.

Astroscale has resumed its ELSA-d mission to demonstrate active debris removal in low Earth orbit.

Space tourist company Virgin Galactic, whose stock price has been on a proverbial roller coaster in recent months, said Feb. 18 that Chamath Palihapitiya is no longer chairman of the board or even a member.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Blue Origin plans to introduce a second New Shepard capsule and booster for passenger flights from West Texas this year, CEO Bob Smith said.

Max Polyakov, a Ukrainian co-founder of launch company Firefly Aerospace, said he handed off his majority stake in the startup to co-founder and CEO Tom Markusik under pressure from U.S. officials.

SpaceLink, of McLean, Virginia, has selected Houston-based commercial space station developer Axiom Space to demonstrate an end-to-end optical communications relay service for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, which manages the U.S. National Laboratory elements of the International Space Station.

Orbital Sidekick has validated an upgrade to its existing hyperspectral satellite sensors and is announcing an investment by national security startup seed funder In-Q-Tel.

The kickoff mission, slated for late 2022, includes first-ever civilian spacewalk.

After a successful launch and deployment came a satellite-killing solar storm.

Virgin Galactic on Feb. 16 will reopen ticket sales to the general public for rides to space, the company said.

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur who financed and commanded Inspiration4, SpaceX’s first private charter, plans a new venture with SpaceX for up to three more missions, culminating with the first crewed flight of the company’s Starship transport.