Author: Kendall Russell

Although Japan develops some of the most cutting-edge space technology in the world, it’s fair to say the country’s commercial space sector has been largely restrained. Much like the United States has historically relied on established partners like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, a small clique of major players has long dominated Japan’s commercial sector, including...

The mathematics driving the resurgence of reusable rockets is more nuanced than it may seem. As it turns out, the economic considerations behind making reusability a core element of your business can be as complex as the rocket science itself. In February, SpaceX pulled off one of the most impressive feats in modern rocket science...

When it comes to the space environment, the crux of the U.S. Armed Forces’ strategy will be improved collaboration with both commercial and international partners. As the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) nears the final weeks of its wideband Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) study, one element of the government’s shifting priorities has become abundantly clear....

As part of its 2018 federal budget, the government of Canada has committed to providing $100 million for the country’s Strategic Innovation Fund. This investment will largely focus on supporting upcoming Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite projects. Telesat, which is just months away from its first customer demonstrations with its own constellation, will also receive...

Phase Four, a provider of electric Radio Frequency (RF) thrusters for in-space propulsion, announced the results of third party performance testing by The Aerospace Corporation. The testing found Phase Four’s second generation of RF thrusters achieved their best performance to date, demonstrating performance on par with today’s Hall Effect Thrusters (HETs) and a 3,000 percent efficiency...

Arianespace has signed an agreement with Spaceflight Industries for the launch of several small payloads. This will be the inaugural mission for Spaceflight customer spacecraft on an Arianespace vehicle. The initial batch of spacecraft is slated for launch aboard Vega in early 2019 from Europe’s spaceport at the Guiana Space Center. The contract with Seattle-based...

Sputnik Telecommunications Entertainment Company (STECCOM), a Russian satellite communications operator and developer of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)-based communication systems, will elevate the passenger and crew In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) experience across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region and Europe using SES satellite capacity. SES Networks’ mobility solution will enable the service provider to customize...

HawkEye 360 has selected Norway’s Kongsberg Satellite Service (KSAT) to provide ground station services for its pathfinder mission. HawkEye 360 plans to use its commercial satellite constellations to identify and geolocate a broad set of Radio Frequency (RF) signals, and is developing a suite of analytic products to process those signals and help provide insights...

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), Goonhilly Earth Station (GES) and Astrobotic have announced an agreement to collaborate on delivering a roadmap of innovations that support organizations carrying out operations on and around the Moon. The agreement formalizes a long-term close working relationship between the three organizations with the aim of deploying in-space communication relay services....

News broke last week that government investigators have confirmed SpaceX was not at fault for the failure of the top-secret Zuma mission in January. Instead, officials are pointing the finger squarely at manufacturer Northrop Grumman, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. The revelation comes less than two weeks after NASA further delayed the launch of...