We are cutting through the orbital debris for you. In other words, we’re keeping an eye on space news on the web so you don’t have to.
Here is our round-up of the most important, and interesting, space news stories of December (space orders can be found in another post):
Anomalies and failures
The break-up of Intelsat 33e caused concerns and then DMSP-5D2 F14 created even more debris
Ingenuity Mars copter crashed because its optical navigation system was unable to lock onto any meaningful surface features as it flew over a predominantly sandy region, an investigation found
Increased drag due to Gannon solar/geomagnetic storm in May forced 5,000 satellites to make manoeuvres
Human space
A Chinese spacewalk made world records while Cosmonauts conducted a VKD-63 spacewalk from ISS
Vast Space signed a deal with SpaceX for two private astronaut missions to the ISS
Delays to their return to Earth continued for stranded NASA astronauts on ISS
Axiom plans to attach a Payload Power Thermal Module (PPTM) to the ISS before any habitat modules in a change of plans
In an usually early move, President-elect Donald Trump selected billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman as the next NASA Administrator. For context, the last Trump administration took seven months after inauguration to nominate Jim Bridenstine, while Biden took a couple of months to put forward Bill Nelson
Space Science
ESA Gaia and Integral missions will come to an end by April 2025
ISRO launched the Proba-3 mission to create an artificial eclipse
Space Technology
Vega E development received the go-ahead signal as ESA and Avio signed contracts for the Vega C launch of the Forum mission
Two O3B mPower satellites were finally sent into orbit with electrical faults fixed
International Space
After Thailand, Panama and Austria, Artemis Accords reached 52 signatories with Liechtenstein as its latest partner, while China’s ILRS moon base secured the Omani space firm as a signatory
China forced a leadership change at its CNSA space agency
ESA and EU formally signed up to IRIS2 comsat constellation project
Military Space
Viasat won a US military communications contract
Space situational awareness (SSA) has China worried as it goes after a spacecraft-based solution
Companies/Money:
Innovative Solutions in Space (ISISPACE), Maverick Space Systems and SEOPS announced plans for GEO rideshare missions together
Rivada Space Networks lost spectrum rights
Direct-to-Cell trend continued as AST SpaceMobile agreed deal with Vodafone
Airbus Defence and Space said it will cut 2,000 jobs
SpaceX valued at US$350 billion
Space firms‘ stock market prices bounced upwards despite still burning cash
Promin Aerospace moved from Ukraine to Maine and has nanosat launcher plans
Orbex jumped ship from Sutherland spaceport to the more popular Saxavord site
SAR sat operator Synspective made its IPO on the Tokyo stock exchange
Comsats and radar sats join forces: ICEYE and Space42 formalised a joint manufacturing venture
Fundraising:
Satellite maker Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology – the satellite maker developing China’s Qianfan (Thousand Sails) LEO megaconstellation – secured over 1 billion yuan (around US$137 million)
Another Chinese company, Landspace, received 900 million yuan (around US$123 million) to develop and produce reusable rockets
Sources include Cision, BBC, CNBC, msn.com, NASA, Orbitaltoday, Payload, phys.org, Politico, scmp.com and SpaceNews with links provided to each story.
