In a bold move, SpaceX planned to bring back Starship’s large first-stage booster, Super Heavy, to its launching platform, by using the “Chopstick” arms of the launch tower. This mission was aimed at making new developments for space travel and the mission was successfully completed. Just seven minutes after the launch, SpaceX’s Super Heavy executed the plan as it hovered near the Mechazilla Launch Tower, where the structure captured it with the mechanical arms. 

Along with the booster catch, SpaceX planned to send a 165-foot-tall upper stage of the Starship to space, bring it back to Earth, and splash it down in the Indian Ocean. After 65 minutes of the launch, the Ship fired three of its six engines to hover over the ocean and explode. Kate Tice, Space X Manager of Quality Systems Engineering said, “We don’t have any intentions of recovering the Starship, that was the best ending we hoped for.”

Image – SpaceX’s Starship Booster

SpaceX Starship Flight 5: A New Era in Space Exploration

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is developing the Starship to help humanity settle on the Moon and Mars. The vehicle is built to be fully and rapidly reusable as successfully attempted by the Starship booster on the fifth flight test. NASA has placed its trust in the vehicle, choosing it as the first crewed lander for its Artemis moon exploration program.

If all the flight tests are successful, Starship will land NASA astronauts on the Artemis 3 for the first time. The Starship is expected to launch for the mission in September 2026. SpaceX is trying to meet the deadlines through its regular development strategy of altering the vehicles and testing them for those alterations. The Starship Flight 5 had some significant improvements compared to its predecessors.

Four tests of the Starship occurred in April and November 2023, and from March to June of this year. The rocket has shown improvement with each flight test. For instance, the first mission lasted only four minutes and Space X triggered the detonation high in the Texas sky when the two stages failed to separate. On the other hand, Flight 4, which was launched on June 6, was successful with the ship achieving orbital velocity. Both Flight 4 and Super Heavy safely returned to Earth, exploding at their designated areas. 

On October 13, Starship Flight 5 made another development by successfully bringing back the booster to the launch tower in Texas. After the Mission’s success, Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder wrote on X, “Big step towards making life multi-planetary was made today.” 

NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission

Just a day after the fifth flight test of Starship, SpaceX’s ET Falcon Heavy launched NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Europa Clipper is one of the largest spacecraft ever designed for a planetary mission by NASA. Scientists predict that there is a salty ocean beneath the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. 

They believe that it has more water than Earth’s oceans combined. NASA’s spacecraft will take five years to reach Europa, and the arrival is expected by 2030.

SpaceX plans to launch another Starship mission as several Starships are in the queue. Last month, the test was conducted with a Flight 6 ship vehicle making it clear that Elon Musk doesn’t want to delay his vision of human settlement on the Moon and Mars.

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NASA’s Mars Sample Return study is one of the most high-priority goals for solar system exploration. The sample of Mars rocks will help scientists trace the existence of any living form on the planet and will build a roadmap for the first-ever human explorers to land on Mars. Rocket Lab will assist NASA by bringing the rock samples collected by the Mars Perseverance rover from the surface of the Red Planet.

Mars Perseverance Rover

Rocket Lab Teams Up with NASA for Mars Sample Return 

The team-up of Rocket Lab with the NASA study contract has revived the proposal of retrieving rock samples from Mars. Due to the unrealistic budget and schedule expectations, NASA started looking for other options to outsource efforts to safeguard its sample returns. In April, the organization asked for proposals from private companies that might offer faster, more cost-effective methods to retrieve the rock samples.

NASA awarded contracts to 10 proposals and funded 90 days of studies into their designs. As the studies have now concluded, Rocket Lab has been selected to continue with its proposal. Considering NASA’s decision to award the contract to expedite the retrieval process, Rocket Lab is expected to complete the mission before the expected date of 2040, with an affordable budget through its vertically integrated technologies.

Peter Beck, CEO and founder of Rocket Lab, stated, “Retrieving samples from Mars is one of the most ambitious and scientifically important endeavors humanity has ever embarked upon.” Beck also said that Rocket Lab has been systematically developing a strategy for affordable planetary science in recent years, positioning itself perfectly to provide a low-cost way to return the sample from Mars.

What is NASA’s Mars Sample Return Proposal?

NASA’s Mars Sample Return Proposal consists of several designs and study proposals to secure the rock samples collected by the Mars Perseverance Rover and bring them to Earth for scientific research. Originally, NASA planned to follow up on the Mars Perseverance Rover mission by early 2030 to retrieve the barrels containing dust, air, and atmospheric particles. The organization had hoped to find traces of any living support on the planet through the study of samples.

While the Perseverance rover navigates the surface of Mars, collecting rock samples, NASA’s sample return proposal in collaboration with the European Space Agency has encountered several challenges. Additionally, NASA’s Mars Sample Return Proposal had an unrealistic budget which spiraled from $7 billion to $11 billion. Following the cost-cutting measures, the timeline of 2030 to bring the samples was extended to 2040 which made NASA look for other options.

Rocket Lab now has a chance to help save the mission after receiving a contract from NASA to streamline the mission architecture and accelerate the timeline for recovering the samples.

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The SpaceX Mars 2026 launch is extremely ambitious but considering the performance of the company’s previous spaceships is it realistic? We’ll have to see.

Image: SpaceX

SpaceX’s Mars Mission Takes Shape—A Multiplanetary Future Remains the Goal

“The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens,” CEO Elon Musk revealed on his platform, breaking down his vision for the future. In the post, he explained that SpaceX’s initial uncrewed Mars missions could provide clarity on how effectively the ships land safely on Mars, intact and unharmed. This half of the Starship’s journey to Mars would ideally begin by 2026. Following this phase, within 4 years, crewed ships could be prepared to make the same journey. 

The success of the crewed missions will allow flight rates to “grow exponentially,” keeping us on track to be Musk’s plans of a “self-sustaining city in about 20 years.” Further elaborating on the timeline, he also stated that 4 years was the best-case scenario but a 6-year timeline could also be expected. 

All of this information was revealed in response to another post by the SpaceX CEO, explaining the company was the first to create a fully reusable rocket stage and made it economically viable. 

“It currently costs about a billion dollars per ton of useful payload to the surface of Mars. That needs to be improved to $100k/ton to build a self-sustaining city there, so the technology needs to be 10,000 times better. Extremely difficult, but not impossible.”

Colonizing space has been a central concept for space explorers for years now, and a home base on Mars is now the most viable strategy for this outer space expansion. 

The Space X website clearly spells out why it believes Mars should be our target for establishing a multi-planetary civilization. Mars has been touted as one of Earth’s closest habitable regions, and the presence of decent sunlight makes life sustainable for us. “It is a little cold,” the website admits, “but we can warm it up.” 

Further elaborating on the purpose of the SpaceX Mars mission, it states that the planet’s atmosphere can be compressed to grow plants that are essential for our survival. “Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around.”

Is the SpaceX 2026 Launch Timeline Realistic?

Sending the Starship to Mars by 2026 sounds like an extremely challenging mission for the company, but SpaceX hasn’t reached these deadlines without the merit of previous success. According to Reuters, the company’s plans to build a reusable satellite launcher and moon lander have seen considerable progress with the Starship, completing a full test mission around the globe on the rocket’s fourth try. Space X, in collaboration with Intuitive Machines and NASA, was also able to land a ship on the moon back in February. 

“In the past four years, SpaceX has launched thirteen human spaceflight missions, safely flying 50 crewmembers to and from Earth’s orbit and creating new opportunities for humanity to live, work, and explore what is possible in space. Dragon’s 46 missions overall to orbit have delivered critical supplies, scientific research, and astronauts to the International Space Station, while also opening the door for commercial astronauts to explore Earth’s orbit.”

—SpaceX

Elon Musk’s Mars city plans aside, SpaceX has been making slow but certain advances in space. On September 10, the company is expected to launch its Polaris Dawn mission with a Dragon spacecraft for a low-Earth multi-day orbit. The mission objectives include a goal to reach the highest Earth orbit flow since the Apollo program and participate in the first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA) by commercial astronauts wearing SpaceX-developed EVA suits. The crew is expected to support a few research studies and experiments on their journey. 

Despite these successes, we don’t yet see how SpaceX will be able to successfully support a landing on Mars so soon. Even if SpaceX’s uncrewed Mars mission is successful, the time it would take to bring the ship back, study the data, send another test flight out, and bring it back would suggest a much longer timeline than the 4 years expected for a crewed mission. Still, SpaceX has a talented group of employees who have achieved a lot in the last few years, so it may not be impossible for Starship to land on Mars by 2026, even if the timeline is a tad bit unrealistic.

The post SpaceX’s Mars Mission Hopes for Crewed Flights in 4 Years appeared first on Technowize.

Image: Pexels

Charting the Course: Roscosmos’ Roadmap for ROSS

The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has meticulously laid out a comprehensive roadmap for the construction and operation of ROSS. This detailed plan, approved by Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov, outlines a phased approach to establishing the new space station.

Phase 1: Launching the Foundational Module (2027)

The first phase of the ROSS project is scheduled to commence in 2027 with the launch of a crucial research and power module. This module will serve as the foundational element of the station, providing the necessary infrastructure for subsequent expansions.

Phase 2: Assembling the Core Components (2028-2030)

Following the successful deployment of the initial module, Roscosmos aims to rapidly expand the station’s capabilities. By 2030, the agency plans to have four main modules docked and operational, creating a robust and versatile orbital platform.

Phase 3: Enhancing Specialization (2030-2033)

In the final phase, Roscosmos envisions the integration of two additional “special-purpose” modules by 2033. These modules will be tailored to specific research or operational requirements, further enhancing the station’s capabilities and solidifying Russia’s presence in space.

Crewing the ROSS: A Flexible Approach

One of the notable features of the ROSS is its flexibility in terms of crew requirements. While the station will initially host only two cosmonauts upon their arrival in 2028, it is designed to operate autonomously without a permanent crew if necessary.

This capability not only offers operational flexibility but also underscores Russia’s commitment to advancing robotic and automated systems in space exploration. By demonstrating the ability to maintain a functional orbital outpost without continuous human presence, Russia aims to push the boundaries of space technology and pave the way for future unmanned missions.

A Collaborative Endeavor: Seeking International Partnerships

Recognizing the importance of international cooperation in space exploration, Roscosmos has extended an invitation to potential partners. The agency has expressed its willingness to collaborate with African countries and the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) in the development of the ROSS.

By fostering such partnerships, Russia aims to leverage the collective expertise and resources of the international space community, thereby enhancing the station’s capabilities and broadening its scientific and technological horizons.

Funding and Cost Considerations

While the ROSS project represents a significant undertaking, Roscosmos has taken measures to ensure its financial viability. According to state-run media outlet TASS, the estimated cost of the station is approximately $6.6 billion – a relatively modest figure compared to the staggering $100 billion-plus investment required for the construction of the ISS.

This cost-effective approach demonstrates Russia’s commitment to maximizing the potential of its space program while maintaining fiscal responsibility. By leveraging advanced technologies and streamlining processes, Roscosmos aims to deliver a cutting-edge orbital facility without imposing an excessive financial burden.

Strategic Orbital Positioning

The ROSS will occupy a unique orbital position, offering distinct advantages over the ISS. With an orbital inclination of 97 degrees, compared to the ISS’s 51.6 degrees, the ROSS will provide enhanced coverage of Russian territories and improved compatibility with the country’s ground control network.

This strategic positioning not only facilitates more efficient communication and data transfer but also aligns with Russia’s national interests, enabling comprehensive monitoring and observation capabilities over its vast landmass.

Technological Advancements and Capabilities

While details about the specific technological capabilities of the ROSS are still emerging, the station is expected to incorporate cutting-edge systems and instruments. Roscosmos has a proven track record in space technology, and the ROSS will undoubtedly benefit from the agency’s extensive experience and expertise.

Some of the potential areas of focus for the ROSS may include:

• Advanced Earth observation and remote sensing systems
• Cutting-edge scientific research facilities
• Robotic and autonomous systems for maintenance and operations
• Innovative life support and environmental control systems
• Specialized modules for microgravity experiments and manufacturing processes

By leveraging the latest advancements in space technology, the ROSS aims to provide a versatile platform for scientific discovery, technological innovation, and human exploration beyond Earth’s boundaries.

Preparing for the Post-ISS Era

The development of the ROSS coincides with the anticipated decommissioning of the ISS by 2030. As the ISS nears the end of its operational lifespan, space agencies around the world are actively preparing for the next phase of human space exploration.

In the United States, several commercial space stations are under development, including Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef, Voyager’s Starlab, and Axiom’s ISS modules. These projects have received significant funding from NASA, reflecting the agency’s commitment to fostering a robust commercial space industry.

Russia’s decision to pursue its own orbital outpost, the ROSS, underscores the nation’s determination to maintain a strong presence in space and continue its legacy of space exploration. By establishing a dedicated orbital facility, Russia aims to secure its position as a leading space-faring nation and contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge and technological innovation.

Potential Challenges and Uncertainties

While the ROSS project represents an ambitious and promising endeavor, it is not without its challenges and uncertainties. Russia’s ongoing involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, coupled with potential economic sanctions and geopolitical tensions, may impact the nation’s ability to allocate resources and maintain international collaborations.

Additionally, the success of the ROSS hinges on the performance of Russia’s next-generation Angara A5 rocket, which is scheduled to launch the station’s modules. Any delays or setbacks in the development and testing of this crucial launch vehicle could potentially disrupt the project’s timeline.

Furthermore, Russia’s partnership with China on the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) moon base project may introduce competing priorities and resource allocation challenges, potentially affecting the ROSS’s development and deployment.

Despite these potential obstacles, Roscosmos remains committed to the ROSS project, underscoring Russia’s unwavering determination to maintain a robust presence in the realm of space exploration.

The Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) represents a bold and ambitious step forward for Russia’s space program. By establishing this cutting-edge orbital outpost, Russia aims to secure its position as a leading space-faring nation and contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge and technological innovation.

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The dearMoon crew’s reactions to the incident are painful to see, providing a stark contrast to their initial joyful announcements about the mission. Now we’re left with an emotional mix of acceptance of the outcome and anger at having been provided a monumental opportunity only to have it yanked away without being asked. 

Image: Yusaku Maezawa

The dearMoon Mission is Canceled Six Years After Inception

Maezawa’s SpaceX mission was first formalized in 2018 when the billionaire purchased all the seats on a SpaceX rocket that was set to take civilians to the moon. The plan was for the spaceship to spend a week traveling to the moon and back, giving space tourism a shot and expanding the perspectives of the crew on board. The lunar orbital mission was set to happen on SpaceX’s Starship and the flight plan had been announced as well —one of the only features that was determined in advance.

Lasting about a week, the journey will come as close as 125 miles to the Moon’s surface before completing lunar transit and returning back to Earth. pic.twitter.com/1P4HSHxaNU

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 18, 2018

In 2021, Yusaku Maezawa announced his plan to take eight creatives to the moon with him, selecting from among 1 million applicants from 249 countries. The final team was announced in 2022, with two backup crew members enlisted in case a spot opened up on the project for one reason or another. Since then, the crew was supposed to work on training and preparations for the journey, although we have no details on what that involved and how it has been proceeding since.

The Maezawa SpaceX mission was an in-progress, conceptual one, with the rocket still under construction, and no fixed date was set for when the trip would take place. An approximate launch timeline was provided for the end of 2023, and the hope was that we’d get more updates as we moved closer to the end Unfortunately, we’re halfway through 2024 and there are still no concrete updates on where the dearMoon mission stands. 

I can’t plan my future in this situation, and I feel terrible making the crew members wait longer, hence the difficult decision to cancel at this point in time.
I apologize to those who were excited for this project to happen.

— Yusaku Maezawa (MZ) (@yousuckMZ) June 1, 2024

Under such circumstances, the cancellation of the SpaceX moon trip appears almost inevitable. The reason we say “almost” is that while we understand why the billionaire canceled the SpaceX trip, the decision feels rushed when there was no fixed timeline set to begin with nor any urgency to make it happen. From the dearMoon crew’s reactions, it’s clear some of them also believe that the decision was taken too quickly.

Image: Choi Seung Hyun (TOP from BIGBANG), one of the crew members impacted by the SpaceX moon trip’s cancellation

Meet the dearMoon Crew

A mission to orbit the moon is a marvel by itself, but the inclusion of the eight-member crew was what made the project so special. The aim was to gather a collection of creative professionals who would bring different perspectives to the journey and take something back to their individual fields on their return. The team included:

• DJ and producer Steve Aoki
• Rapper and actor Choi Seung Hyun aka TOP (member of BIGBANG)
• Multidisciplinary creative Yemi A.D
• Photographic artist Rihannon Adam
• “Everyday Astronaut” YouTuber Tim Dodd
• Nature advocate and photographer Karim Iliya
• Documentary filmmaker Brendan Hall
• Actor Dev D. Joshi

The backup crew included snowboarder Kaitlyn Farrington and entrepreneur and professional dancer, Miyu. The dearMoon crew reactions and statements are what hit the hardest following this news.

The dearMoon Crew Reaction to the SpaceX Moon Trip Cancellation

The dearMoon mission was canceled by Maezawa, who had invested his money into the project and selected the crew that was to accompany him into space. As the one who had purchased the seats, he held the power to decide what happened with the mission and whether anyone else could go on the journey or not. Now we don’t know all the details that went into making the decision and just how far behind SpaceX is on the project, so it’s unfair to criticize the decision that was made—sometimes it is better to cut your losses early rather than drag things out because of the sunk cost fallacy. Apart from the lack of reliable progress he also indicated that the uncertainty about the mission was making it difficult for him to plan his future, which implied he had other investments that are being held up by this project. These reasons are fair enough for him to back out but his decision affects more than just himself.

I regret to share this unfortunate news. While the #dearMoon mission has come to an end, my commitment to space-exploration projects and supporting young, disadvantaged individuals in achieving their own Moonshots remains unwavering.

In addition to my work with Moonshot Platform… https://t.co/FCO6bvXsuT pic.twitter.com/NLfYa0kels

— Yemi A.D. (@YemiAlchemist) June 4, 2024

I understand the financial implications for MZ, that this was costly. It was a generous dream. But the reality is that is all that it was. To take it away so unceremoniously and with so little care to us – that undermines the stated mission values that we trusted in.

— Rhiannon Adam (@blackbirdsfly) June 4, 2024

From the reaction of the crew, it’s clear that they were most excited about this first-of-its-kind project. Some of them admitted they would have been willing to wait no matter how long the project took to come to life. The dearMoon crew’s reactions are immersed in disappointment at the sudden end of an innocent dream. They were closer to traveling to space than the rest of us may ever be, which is a monumental detail by itself. 

“Our crew, from the many conversations we’ve had together, were ready to wait as long as it took for this flight to happen. It was hard to stay patient and keep our lives on hold but we were tough. As many of us know, shifting timelines are the inherent nature of spaceflight. Every day the space industry is achieving a milestone that at one time was thought to be impossible. Through these years, our crew has stayed well informed of Starship’s development through publicly available information and discourse and were well aware that we would potentially be investing many years into this mission. The cancellation of this mission was sudden, brief, and unexpected.”

—Filmmaker and member of the dearMoon crew, Brendan Hall

Image: SpaceX suits

Should the dearMoon mission have been canceled?

The SpaceX moon trip cancellation has generated a lot of conversation and most of it leans towards dismay at the sudden cancellation of the trip. X/Twitter users contend that the timelines of Maezawa’s SpaceX mission were open-ended and ambitious from the start and he should have had more flexible expectations for when it would be complete. Space missions take time and when the project was decided, SpaceX had no ships ready that could have handled the flight, so years of work on development were to be expected. Some have even blamed Elon Musk for the outcome, but his involvement in the decision remains unclear.

Sucks that DearMoon was seemingly cancelled with no input from the other crew on whether they would wait for Starship to be certified for crew, it’s pretty obvious this mission wasn’t launching until 2028 or into the 2030’s.

— 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝒾𝓈 (@HeySlattz) June 1, 2024

It’s a shame that dearMoon can’t be put on hold rather than outright cancelled. There’s nothing wrong with deferring a mission until it’s technically viable, affordable and in line with other launch priorities. This is especially true for crewed missions because of safety.

— Ross Bishop (@RossBishop77) June 1, 2024

This is incredibly sad news. dearMoon was going to be one of the most historic missions ever.

It does seem weird that @yousuckMZ cancelled the mission, instead of waiting seeing as Starship is a developing vehicle and delays would obviously happen. However, to cancel the mission… https://t.co/ktg9XklncT

— Felix Space Time (@Space_Time3) June 1, 2024

Rushing these kinds of projects is never a good idea and it’s better SpaceX takes it time to create a rocket that can actually complete the journey and return the crew home. The abrupt end to Titanic’s maiden voyage and the subsequent collapse of the submarine that was designed to allow tourists to explore the wreckage is exactly why these projects need to be perfect before they are ever opened to the public, and such quality takes time—years and years of it. 

News that the dearMoon mission was canceled came just days before SpaceX completed its test flight of the Starship rocket for the first time this week. The booster splashed down successfully and the Starship survived reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere, splashing down in the Indian Ocean. Notably, the ship did not have a crew onboard and according to CNBC, “SpaceX expects to fly hundreds of Starship missions before the rocket launches with any crew.” Maezawa’s SpaceX mission is years—perhaps at least a decade—away from completion, so for now, the dearMoon mission has been canceled. In the years to come, there will be others that succeed where this plan failed.

The post Dear Diary, the dearMoon Mission Just Canceled on Me appeared first on Technowize.

Of the many reasons why we pursue an improved understanding of the galaxy at large is our fascination with the unknown and the possibility of life off-planet. The yearly list of blockbuster hits and sci-fi releases is enough to tell us that we use our imagination to fill in the gaps of what we don’t know about the outside world but if science, research, and further exploration are able to fill in the gaps, who are we to complain? Apart from our fascination with space, a large number of our technological advances have been spurred on by protecting ourselves from everything that is out there and improving our quality of life back home. These changes are greatly a result of our satellite launches and surveillance technology that allows us to review conditions from a more distanced perspective. 

Space telescopes and satellites have multiple uses, with asteroid warnings being one of them. A 130-foot asteroid, XN11, was seen hurtling towards Earth back in December 2023, but the potentially hazardous mass was thankfully one that skirted by without crashing into us. NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) is one such system in place for early warnings about such occurrences. In cases where collision is imminent, there is often little that can be done realistically to stop such objects, but the National Planetary Defense Strategy guide is one of the many examples of the planning being done in preparation for such eventualities where NEOs or Near-Earth Objects move too close to the planet.

Space tech goes beyond just defending ourselves from space as well. NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, with the use of extensive satellite data, recently revealed that 2023 was the hottest year on record. Exploring the phenomenon, Universe Today expanded on the events that we witnessed last year as a sign, or perhaps a result, of these rising temperatures. From recording breaking heatwaves to uncontrollable forest fires, we witnessed it all last year and this quantifiable evidence provided by satellite tech made it hard to deny the facts.

Reading through our repeated references to NASA, it might potentially feel like government-based organizations are the only ones furthering our progress with space but that’s far from the truth. While governments do in fact have a role to play in designing and launching such technology themselves, there is also considerable room for them to extend their resources towards funding and supporting such endeavors by private players. From developing 3D technology to simplify and reduce the cost of production of space tech, to crafting innovative uses for already available machinery, there are many companies that have been contributing to space research relentlessly in their own ways. The growing industry of space tourism aside, there are many potential applications of our research and understanding of space.

Kuva Space—Turning Space Exploration Into A Planetary Phenomenon

Crossing borders and surpassing the limits of what a single company can do with such technology, Kuva Space is an example of a business that puts its purpose first. With an aim to “leave a lasting legacy for generations to come,” Kuva Space has made major investments in launching microsatellite constellations and getting real-time hyperspectral insights on the status of various global metrics from food security to climate change. Not only does the company provide insight into global yield forecasts but their work on situational awareness can alter how we perceive threats to our environment and respond to them in a more timely sense.

Malathy Eskola, Director of Marketing and Communications at Kuva Space, was able to provide us with critical insight into the realm of space technology and how the roles of the government and private forces overlap today. 

“We definitely need more private forces joining the space race. In the past two years, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in the US has awarded more than 20 commercial contracts, including some subscription-based ones, to various private space companies. Private companies’ dynamism, creativity, efficiency, and agility will be crucial drivers for innovation in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

You need to approach these from where the ideas are and have frameworks to support the companies developing and commercializing them.” 

Technowize: Could you elaborate a little bit more on this perspective and the kind of frameworks that would be most helpful right now?

Collaborations between government agencies such as NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and private companies can combine resources, expertise, and funding to accelerate new services and technology development, streamline processes, and reduce costs.

With the cost of launch and miniaturization of satellites, New Space companies’ innovations are fueling the information gap more cost-effectively. Kuva Space is a good example of such innovation. We are on a mission to build the world’s most extensive hyperspectral satellite constellation that will deliver a diverse set of ready-to-use near real-time insights on food security, carbon sequestration verification, environmental monitoring, and safety and security applications at the cost of approximately one scientific mission with a monthly daily revisit. 

Low Earth Orbit partnerships between governmental and commercial space companies in the US augment the information and capability they lack, with the US model typically being commercial partnerships rather than grants, which is the typical form of collaboration in the EU. The hybrid space architecture concept in the US interconnects commercial and public satellite capabilities to optimize space assets and operations to deliver information with less latency and cost. A similar shift to adopting the hybrid model is taking place in the EU, as evidenced by the integration of nine EU startups into the network of Copernicus Contributing Missions, which will provide additional capabilities to EU-owned Sentinel satellites. Kuva Space was the only selected New Space startup to provide hyperspectral imagery. 

Collaborating with public organizations in the early application development and commercialization phase can help nascent technologies, like hyperspectral, gain a faster adoption rate. Once the product-market fit is established, scaling it to broader commercial markets becomes more fluent.

Technowize: From our understanding, most research into space technology takes place from a competitive standpoint of “our country first.” Do you think this is the way forward?

The existential issue that our planet is currently facing is not limited to any particular geographical area. To save our planet, we need to come together and work collectively. Programs like Copernicus, a centralized EU program, have contributed to our understanding of Earth globally. As we move forward, increasing regional and global public-private partnerships are necessary. We can tackle the urgent climate crisis by democratizing information obtained from space.

Technowize: When we talk about space research, most of us only think about space exploration and how far we can go, but Kuva Space is doing something entirely innovative, looking back home to understand the resources we have here. What leads the innovation at the company?

We have a strong history at Kuva Space of building nanosatellites with innovative payloads for clients such as the European Space Agency, and we are proud to say that we have achieved a 100 percent mission success rate. 

In 2021, we embarked on a new mission – “improving life on Earth.” The Reaktor Hello World launch in 2018, our first nanosatellite mission that carried the world’s smallest infrared hyperspectral imager into space, was a crucial moment for us, where we demonstrated how to fit a scientific-grade hyperspectral imager into a nanosatellite that weighs less than 2.4 kg (5.29 lbs) and produce usable data. 

With the world facing significant challenges, monitoring the planet daily and having readily analyzed data to detect, identify, and predict changes is crucial. Decision-makers in public and commercial domains require access to new near real-time insights to make sound decisions, leading us toward a sustainable future.

Technowize: The SUNSTORM mission must have been a big moment for the company. What are the kinds of learnings from such programs that should prompt further investments from international governmental agencies and are there collaborations with such institutions that have happened since?

SUNSTROM was a proud moment for us. In just 16 months, we designed and built the CubeSat platform and the mission’s satellite operation and ground station services. For Kuva Space, the mission sets a new precedent in how CubeSats transition from high-risk proof-of-concept missions to fully operational, high-availability monitoring campaigns with usable scientific data. With promising results from the SUNSTORM mission, new XFM versions are underway for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) next SWFO space weather satellite, scheduled for launch in 2025. We look forward to seeing this liftoff.

Collaboration between various stakeholders to advance space technology is needed. Relying on a centralized framework alone might slow innovation or be too costly. The dynamics of commercial-public partnerships provide a unique opportunity to test out and unlock new services that can accelerate our understanding of the Earth and space. By making space more accessible, we advance the prosperity of humans.

Technowize: We’ve heard some reports of satellite overcrowding and space congestion in low-Earth orbit. Do you believe this is a real concern and are there things we can be doing about it? 

Yes, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is becoming increasingly crowded, and new legislation is being put in place to require satellite decommissioning after a certain period of operation. Several space companies are working to address the growing problem of space debris, but scalable solutions are needed. Funding must be directed towards programs and initiatives that can make a difference.

Kuva Space aims to launch a 100-satellite constellation by the year 2030. Our satellites weigh less than 30 kg (66 lbs) and have a planned operational lifetime of 5 years. At the end of their lifespan, they will descend to Earth and burn up, leaving no debris behind. We are designing our satellites with sustainability in mind, and our first satellite, Reaktor Hello World, was the first satellite to successfully re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up, demonstrating our commitment to responsible and safe space operations.

Technowize: AI innovation has been taking the world by storm but again, we mainly understand it from the perspective of tech companies and generative AI chatbots. What are some ways the company is adopting AI analytics?

Kuva Space has developed an end-to-end technology platform that includes three key technologies: proprietary space technology, patented hyperspectral imaging, and advanced AI. 

AI plays a crucial role in our technology platform. It is involved in all aspects of our operations, from satellite operation and data acquisition design to raw data processing to providing ready-to-use data insights. Our in-house AI platform offers a unique competitive advantage, enabling us to capture high-quality data, efficiently downlink data, and produce industry-specific insights within 1-2 hours of data acquisition. 

Our advanced and robust AI enables a new business model, an affordable subscription-based model insights service. We can process large volumes of spaceborne data to serve global market segments, including finance and insurance, carbon and environment, and safety and security. So, insights such as crop health analysis, yield forecast, harmful algal bloom alerts, blue carbon sequestration verification, and biodiversity monitoring can be offered as a service, not a one-off report or analysis.

For example, the aquaculture carbon credit market is an essential nature-based solution to combat climate change. Kuva Space is developing AI-based models of above- and underwater monitoring of aquaculture vegetation through pilots in Europe and Africa to measure carbon sequestration accurately from, among others, kelp forests and farms. Kuva Space is well-positioned to help blue carbon project owners and credit buyers work with credible and trustworthy blue carbon credits by massively increasing transparency into blue carbon sequestration verification.

To ensure the reliability of our AI and services, we are deploying explainable AI to understand the output of our AI models, avoiding the risk associated with “black box” solutions.

Technowize: Are there any specific trends and predictions you have for space tech over the next five years?

New space companies will shift from providing (raw) data to delivering up-to-date industry-specific insights and applications. This shift is driven by a growing need to distill insights in a timely manner to steer societal, economic, and environmental decisions based on trusted scientific data. The goal is to manage food security, supply chain integrity, and ecological markers effectively. 

As a result, incumbent satellite operators will reconsider their place in the value chain, and analytics providers will have to re-evaluate their value proposition. Selling data and providing analysis using only free data sets will become less profitable. 

As we move to a more insights-driven Earth Observation (EO) model, organizations that have not directly leveraged EO analytical products before will begin to embrace spaceborne solutions to improve productivity, become more sustainable, or build consumer and public trust in actions to combat climate change. The uptake of these solutions will depend on factors such as timeliness, affordability, and actionability, meaning the value the insights bring.

The post Kuva Space Works to Redefine What We Can Do With Space Tech appeared first on Technowize.

A glimpse from the SpaceX Launch Video for Starship’s Second Flight Test

Elon Musk is now targeting the upcoming Friday, 17 November, for the next Starship launch, now that all field tests and federal approvals are complete. The Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FAA and USFWS) had been looking into the ground damage and environmental impact of the launch on the biodiversity around Starbase, but have signed off on the Starship launch following their assessments. In addition, there are also reports of a SpaceX IPO for its Starlink satellite segment in 2024, but there is no confirmed news of it just yet.

Second Starship Launch: Here’s What We Know

“You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.”

—Elon Musk, SpaceX

Elon Musk has been very open with his plans for SpaceX and their constant work on getting mankind more comfortably settled in space. According to the website, the second flight test from a fully integrated Starship launch has been scheduled for 17 November, with a two-hour launch window that will begin at 7 am CT from their launchpad in South Texas. The second Starship launch will be live-streamed on the SpaceX page on Twitter/X. 

The first Starship launch failure had led to considerable property damage to the SpaceX launchpad and the surrounding area. The Starship had taken off successfully but failed to separate following multiple engine failures. SpaceX had to take a tough call and allow the spacecraft to self-destruct. That is when the FAA stepped in and recommended 63 corrective measures to prevent future failings, according to Bloomberg. 

What to Look Forward to With the Starship Launch

The water deluge system set to make a formal appearance with the second Starship launch is one of the major upgrades SpaceX has added to its orbital launch mount systems, to protect against the heat generated by the Starship launch and protect the base.

“The second flight test will debut a hot-stage separation system and a new electronic Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system for Super Heavy Raptor engines, in addition to reinforcements to the pad foundation and a water-cooled steel flame deflector, among many other enhancements.”

—SpaceX

To be clear, the Starship launch test is not a Moon/Mars mission just yet but is the next stage in Elon Musk’s plan to make space travel more accessible and also get the Starlink satellites out to space more easily. The second Starship launch test holds a similar aim to its predecessor—for the Super Heavy, the first-stage booster, to test takeoff and then land in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper-stage Starship will attempt to complete its coast phase and reach orbital velocity before making a water landing in the Pacific Ocean.

While ambitious, SpaceX has been making great strides with its missions. The organization proudly holds up its 282 total launches, 245 landings, and 217 reflights as evidence of its achievements so far, and these are admittedly monumental feats. Bloomberg received word from undisclosed sources of a possible SpaceX IPO, or a Starlink IPO to be more precise, but Musk stated that the news was “False.” The thriving company doesn’t appear to have a significant need to turn public just yet, so for now, our eyes remain on the upcoming Starship launch and how the craft performs this time.

The post A Scheduled Second Chance: Starship Launch Set For Friday appeared first on Technowize.

Indonesia’s satellite launch by Elon Musk’s SpaceX will ramp up internet usage for two-thirds of the Southeast-Asian country’s 280 million population and enhance Indonesia’s internet connectivity for its underdeveloped eastern islands.

After a 15-minute delay due to strong winds, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket topped with SATRIA-1’s telecommunications satellite was deployed into orbit from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6.21 PM EDT.

T-1 day for SATRIA-1’s launch. (Image Courtesy – SpaceX)

The 4.5-tonne Satellite of the Republic of Indonesia (SATRIA-1) will be made functional for the Indonesian government by the Southeast Asian company PSN. 

Indonesia SpaceX Satellite Launch: Proliferating Indonesia’s Internet Connectivity

The PSN SATRIA-1 was built by Thales Alenia Space, as contracted in 2020 and will ensconce the orbital slot above Indonesia’s eastern region of Papua. The public-private partnership between Indonesia satellite provider PT Satelit Nusantara Tiga and the Indonesian government paved the way for this project. 

SpaceX’s Indonesia communications satellite launch will accelerate access to the internet for villagers residing in remote areas that cannot be reached by fiber optics, by the next decade, according to a statement by senior Indonesian minister Mahfud MD. 

The $550 million spacecraft fosters a throughput capacity of 150 gigabytes per second, which is three times the capacity of the nine telecommunications satellites currently in use in Indonesia. SATRIA-1 is envisioned to boost internet connectivity inclusively to Indonesia’s 50,000 public service points, including free access to schools, health facilities, and regional government offices. 

SpaceX’s Communication Satellite Launch

The Indonesia-SpaceX satellite launch had a 178-minute window. Even when high winds at the opening of this window delayed the first launch attempt, SpaceX had plenty of buffer time to launch Indonesia’s communications satellite.

After going airborne from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the Falcon 9 rocket steered on an Eastern trajectory over the Atlantic Ocean. Just 8.5 minutes after the liftoff, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket separated from the 2nd stage and oriented itself for re-entry into the atmosphere. After the entry burn, the rocket returned to the offshore site with a flawless touchdown on SpaceX’s drone ship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’. The vertical touchdown of Falcon 9’s first stage booster was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast. 

Falcon 9’s successful touchdown after liftoff. (Image Courtesy – SpaceX)

Meanwhile, Falcon 9’s upper stage continued its journey into carrying SATRIA-1 to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, where it was ultimately deployed under 37 minutes after liftoff. After separating from Falcon 9’s second stage, SATRIA will use its thrusters to raise itself to be positioned at 146°E.

This was Falcon 9’s 39th launch of the year, being the fifth one of this month. The booster’s touchdown marked its 12th launch and landing, previously having maneuvered four Dragon missions to the International Space Station for NASA. 

It has also safely launched 4 Starlink batches, most recently on May 14, 2023, 2 space station resupply missions, 3 communication satellites and even 8 humans.

The post Indonesia’s Internet Connectivity Will Be Bolstered by SpaceX’s Satellite Launch appeared first on Technowize.

Even on Technowize, in our special feature in early-November, we highlighted that the NASA Advisory Council was trying to facilitate the SpaceX Starship test launch. Mark Kirasich, a very senior NASA official, who has been overseeing the project, was quoted saying — “We track four major Starship flights. The first one here is coming up in December, part of early December.” 

But now, after a loooong delay, it almost appears to be a reality soon, as the SpaceX Starship launch is slated to happen today itself! However, going by the ‘embarrassing’ history, even the Hawthorne-headquartered company’s CEO Elon Musk sounded cautious, “I guess I’d like to just set expectations low.”

Let’s dig deeper into the story and unravel all you need to know about the first-ever SpaceX Starship test flight. 

All eyes will be on how SpaceX’s blue-eyed boy, Starship fares, after all these years of hype with billions of dollars being injected in the process. [Image Credit: SpaceX]

SpaceX Starship Launch: Fly Baby, Fly!

What connects Tintin and Elon Musk? The answer is — Destination Moon! Musk who again made the headlines for wrong reasons lately, with the Twitter logo change, has some contractual bindings. For the uninitiated, the $2.89 billion deal between SpaceX and NASA forces the former to successfully demonstrate that Starship can actually land humans on the Moon by late 2025. 

Starship is a wonder kid, which happens to be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever, being capable of carrying up to 150 metric tons fully reusable and 250 metric tons expendable. For years, SpaceX in collaboration with NASA, has been designing it as a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to ‘Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond’. 

But as Musk is pretty close to creating history with the first-ever SpaceX Starship launch, he has shown doubt which reflects his extra-cautiousness, this time. The Tesla boss said, “If we get far enough away from launch pad before something goes wrong, then I think I would consider that to be a success. Just don’t blow up the pad.”

He further added that a postponement is not a distant possibility — “There’s a good chance that it gets postponed since we’re going to be pretty careful about this launch.” 

However, the Federal Aviation Administration, entrusted with licensing commercial rocket launches, has voiced in favor of Musk, “After a comprehensive license evaluation process, the FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, payload, airspace integration and financial responsibility requirements.” 

Standing tall at 120m (400ft), the Starship is anticipated to have almost double the thrust of any rocket in human history. If everything goes well, it’s likely to fly from South Texas at around 9AM ET. The SpaceX Starship launch stream can be viewed live on the company’s official YouTube channel. 

Hence, the SpaceX Starship launch could be a hit or miss. And Musk being Musk, has said in his impeccable style, “People (came) from all around the world to see what will either be a great rocket launch or the best fireworks display they’ve ever seen.” 

All eyes will be on how SpaceX’s blue-eyed boy, Starship fares, after all these years of hype with billions of dollars being injected in the process. We will surely keep you posted with exclusive updates. Meanwhile, stay tuned with us for more top stories from the tech world. 

The post SpaceX Starship Launch: History in the Making? appeared first on Technowize.

For the uninitiated, SpaceX remains the largest provider of satellite-based high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in the world. It also enjoys a solid backing from NASA thanks to a multi-billion deal, which was inked years back. In this regard, we must note that this very deal forces it to race against time to meet up the 2025-deadline set by NASA to showcase that it can actually take human beings to the Moon. 

The last year went quite eventful for SpaceX, as we saw the SpaceX Starship Launch and the SpaceX Dragon Launch, in quick successions. This year too, it had a bright start in the form of the new SpaceX launch. However, there’s a lot in store for Elon Musk’s dream space startup, when it comes to 2023. 

To the utter exhilaration of the space enthusiasts, a series of exciting events, which are going to play a pivotal role in shaping up the venture’s future pathway and hold huge significance in terms of advancements in space science, unfolded in style in the span of just a few days.

Let’s delve deeper with the story to unravel each one of them with minute detail. Here we go!

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station Liftoff, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, will finally take place on Monday, February 27, at 1:45 a.m. EST, after a delay. [Image Credit: NASA]

Latest SpaceX News: Too Much Happening! 

Here are the major SpaceX updates from the last few days, which you surely can’t afford to miss. Let’s go through them one by one and have a close look at their major takeaways. 

NASA, SpaceX Announce Update to Crew-6 Mission

In a media teleconference on Tuesday, February 21, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA provided a major SpaceX update, which informed the world that NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station Liftoff, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, will finally take place on Monday, February 27, at 1:45 a.m. EST, after a delay. 

SpaceX Will Attempt 1st Starship Orbital Flight in March

Followed by SpaceX’s static-fire test of nearly all the engines in its Starship booster earlier this month, the vehicle’s first orbital launch attempt will most likely happen in March, as quoted by a company official. 

Athonet and SpaceX Enable Antarctica Exploration

Private cellular network technology leader Athonet has joined hands with SpaceX to announce the setup of a private cellular network at Union Glacier, Antarctica for critical voice and data communications.

Sidus Space Secures Additional Launches with SpaceX

Sidus Space, Inc. , a Space-as-a-Service company focused on mission critical hardware manufacturing combined with commercial satellite design, manufacture, launch, and data collection, announced that it has signed an agreement with SpaceX to launch on Transporter missions manifested for 2024 and 2025.

SpaceX Close to Securing FAA License for Starship Launch Debut

At the 2023 Space Mobility Conference, SpaceX Senior Director of National Security Space Solutions Gary Henry stated that the company is confident of getting the license for the first orbital launch of its next-generation Starship rocket from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the “very near future.”

SpaceX Adjusts Starlink Monthly Pricing for Residential Customers Based on Service Capacity

Come April 24, the prices for Starlink Internet Service will rise $10 per month, to $120, for users in limited capacity areas, whereas, prices will drop $20 a month, to $90, in case of those in excess capacity areas.

Stay tuned with us, as we will get back to you soon with more exclusive updates on SpaceX along with other top stories from the world of tech. 

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