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Category: Industry News

MTG-I1 Satellite Marks New Era of Weather Forecasting

Posted on by Oleksandr

The Meteosat Third Generation-Imager 1 (MTG-I1) is scheduled for launch today, 13th December 2022 at 21:30 CET, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

The European Space Agency has confirmed that the Ariane 5 rocket carrying the satellite is “poised patiently on the launch pad while final checks are being carried out”.

“The Meteosat Third Generation satellite system is set to revolutionise weather forecasting in Europe and enable more precise monitoring of our changing atmosphere, land, and oceans”, said Europe’s Meteorological Satellite Agency (EUMETSAT).

ESA Ariane 5 Rocket
ESA Ariane 5 Rocket – Photo: ESA/CNES/Arianespace

MTG will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 36,000km, keeping a constant view over Europe and Africa. For comparison, the International Space Station orbits at an altitude of about 400km.

“The MTG constellation consists of three satellites: two imaging satellites (MTG-I), and one sounding satellite (MTG-S) as the first operational sounding satellite in a geostationary orbit”.

As one of the most complex and innovative meteorological geostationary satellite systems ever built, the two MGT-I satellites will deliver more frequent data by operating in tandem. With one scanning Europe and Africa every 10 minutes (versus 15 minutes currently), and the other providing rapid scanning service (RSS), scanning Europe every 2.5 minutes. This will make weather forecasts even more reliable as high-resolution imagery becomes available more quickly.

Offering 20 years of operational services, this new generation of satellites will have a wide range of uses, helping to protect lives, property, and infrastructure, as well as bringing economic benefits to Europe and Africa. MTG is also the first geostationary weather satellite with the capability to detect lightning data across a broad area over Europe, Africa, and the surrounding waters.

The hyperspectral Infrared Sounder (IRS), Lightning Imager (LI), and Ultraviolet-Visible Near-Infrared (UVN) Spectrometer are world firsts in this orbit.

“The observations that we’ll receive from these satellites will be critical for many applications, including accurate forecasts of severe weather”, said Dr. Tony McNally, Head of Earth System Assimilation at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

McNally is eagerly anticipating the data that will come from a brand-new instrument to the Meteosat series of satellites, the Lightning Imager.

“The four cameras on board will collect continuous, near-real-time data about intracloud, cloud-to-cloud, and cloud-to-ground lightning flashes. This information can be used to identify highly unstable and dynamic regions of the atmosphere – again critical for accurate weather forecasts.”

“Meteosat satellites have been the main source of meteorological data for Europe and Africa since 1977”, says EUMETSAT. If successful, the data from these satellites is one of ESA and EUMETSAT’s key contributions to the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Observing System.

Today’s launch marks an exciting new era for meteorology. We can’t wait to see the real-life benefits this innovative satellite brings.

US Space Force Orders 3 GPS Satellites in $744M Contract

Posted on by Oleksandr

On Nov. 29, the United States Space Force (USSF) announced a $744 million contract with Lockheed Martin.

Signed by the US Air Force, yesterday’s order requested three more GPS 3F satellites – space vehicles 18, 19 and 20.

This marks the fourth contact option exercised under a potential $7.2 billion contract. The first was an order for two GPS 3F (space vehicles 11 and 12) in Sept. 2018, valued at $1.3 billion. The second, in Oct. 2022, was a $511 million contract for two satellites (space vehicles 13 and 14). The third was for space vehicles 15, 16 and 17, valued at $737 million.

Out of the 10 GPS 3 models the USSF has purchased, five have been launched so far.

GPS 3F is the latest version of the US satellites designed to provide global positioning, navigation, and timing support to US military and civilian customers. They’re the most powerful GPS satellites ever built for the USSF. The system is equipped with an improved nuclear detection detonation payload, anti-jamming capabilities, a laser retroreflector array, and search and rescue technologies.

Lockheed were previously commissioned to produce 10 GPS 3 satellites in 2008, but have now progressed production to the GPS 3F version.

These new GPS satellites will bring the US’s current constellation of 31 spacecraft into 2022, replacing systems dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s.

These contracts mark an exciting era for the space sector. With each new satellite, the USSF will modernise their GPS constellation to improve accuracy and capability, taking us into the next age of GPS.

NASA’s Orion Breaks Apollo 13 Record

Posted on by Oleksandr

On Saturday, November 26, at 8:40 a.m. EST, NASA revealed that the Orion spacecraft has now travelled the farthest distance from Earth in over 50 years.

This surpasses Apollo 13’s ‘Odyssey’ record in 1970, at 248,655 miles (400,171 km) from Earth.  

Having entered high-altitude orbit around the Moon, and currently cruising at 1,750 miles per hour, today (Nov. 28), Orion will reach its maximum distance from Earth at approximately 272,514.9 miles. 

NASA’s Orion spacecraft, powered by an ESA European Service Module, was successfully launched to the Moon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 16 November 2022.  

As the first major spaceflight of the Artemis program, this mission is testing the Orion spacecraft’s capabilities; the systems, and procedures that would be used for crewed flights.  

 “Following a successful launch on NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, Artemis I is testing the Orion spacecraft on a rigorous mission in the extreme environment of deep space around the Moon”, NASA said. This multistage plan to assess its durability will result in sending astronauts to the moon and beyond in future missions. 

After entering a distant retrograde orbit on Friday, Nov. 25, the US Space Agency stated, “it will take Orion nearly a week to complete half an orbit around the Moon, where it will exit the orbit for the return journey home.” 

If successful, it will allow the Artemis programme to eventually send astronauts on Artemis II in 2024. 

 Although this test flight is uncrewed, it is carrying three suited mannequins, and the European Space Agency’s newest astronaut – Shaun the Sheep, travelling further than any human has before!  

Image: NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard

Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

European Space Agency Secure €16.9 Billion Budget

Posted on by Oleksandr

Josef Aschbacher, the European Space Agency’s Director General, announced a new €16.9 billion budget for the ESA’s activities over the next three years. This is a 17% increase from 2019.

The announcement was made on the second day of the ESA’S Ministerial Council in Paris, alongside French Minister Bruno Le Maire.

Aschbacher’s initial request was for €18 billion, to remedy the Agency’s problems detaching from Russia’s dependency and developing a sovereign launching system. The conference also highlighted the ESA and EU’s commitment to using satellite navigation to bridge the gap between agencies and the private sector.

Contributing members included Germany (€3.5 billion), France (€3.2 billion) and Italy (€3 billion).

In a surprising turn of events, all countries except Italy, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden lowered their contribution. Italy’s was raised the most, from 15.7% in 2019 to 18.2% this year. New members including Slovakia (€12 million), Latvia (€3 million) and Lithuania (€5 million) bridged the remaining gap in the budget.

One of the biggest boosts in activities was noted in human and robotic exploration (+37% compared to CM19). This confirms the ESA’s mission to continue increasing its presence on the Moon and contributing to the ISS. The Scientific Programme, the ESA’s mandatory solar system project, increased 13% alongside this, with navigation up by almost 5 times. On the flip side, technology dropped by 6.8%.

Looking back over recent progress and onto future projects, we’re excited to see how the ESA will spread this budget to enable exciting new ventures.

NGA DevCorps and Army Cadets Land Navigation Mission

Posted on by Oleksandr

NGA DevCorps took a class in land navigation from Army ROTC cadets earlier this month.

The programme was created by DevCorps Branch Chief Rodney “RJ” Mosquito and conducted by Army ROTC cadets, in coordination with Missouri Army National Guard.

The day started in the classroom, where cadets taught DevCorps members about map reading, using land navigation tools, and pace counting by determining the average step count over 100 metres.

During the lesson, cadets explained that the true nature of land features cannot always be captured on the topographical maps used for land navigation.

Army Lt. Col. Ray Kuderka, professor of military science for the Gateway Battalion, relayed the story of a Joint Special Operations Command mission in Afghanistan. A high-stakes mission had been planned using the most cutting-edge technologies and best maps available, but had to be aborted because of a harsh landscape that hadn’t been detected.

“This story clearly illustrates why geospatial intel products from DevCorps, and NGA must be timely, relevant and accurate,” said Mosquito.

When school was out, the group piled into three Blackhawks and flew over to complete a mission in Weldon Springs, Missouri. In teams, they put what they had learned into practice as they shot azimuths to their navigation points.

Through the exercise, Mosquito said he was “trying to discover a way for software developers to gain the perspective of our Warfighters by walking a mile in their shoes.”

With his own military experience in mind, Mosquito understood the value of teaching DevCorps software developers to navigate land using a map and compass.

In summary of the day, Mosquito added, “this event continues to demonstrate how the NGA workforce can effectively [work with] local, state, and academic institutions, in order to promote teamwork and knowledge transfer in the furtherance of our geospatial mission.”

It’s so encouraging to see three letter government agencies like NGA investing in young people, the future of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). Not only did this exercise introduce their team to a fresh perspective on land navigation, but the lesson was delivered by skilled young people. With programmes like this in place to inspire the next generation, the GEOINT sector can expand, advance and progress.

EVONA are passionate about cultivating the future of STEM industries. We were thrilled to announce Janna Chapman as the winner of the EVONA Scholarship for Diversity in STEM, in partnership with the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF). Janna is a talented and driven young person who wants to use GEOINT to address pressing environmental issues. We’re happy to be supporting Janna through her master’s in geospatial science.

It’s great to see our values aligning with an increasing number of agencies like NGA. We hope to see more influential organisations following in their footsteps to ensure a vibrant future for the sector.

British Paralympian Named ESA’s First Disabled Astronaut

Posted on by Oleksandr

John McFall, from Frimley in Surrey, has been selected by the ESA to become the first ever disabled astronaut.  

He will be joining their space training programme, working with engineers and designers in a feasibility study to determine necessary redesigns and adaptations for the mission.

The 41-year-old lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident aged 19, but this didn’t stop him. He went on to compete for Great Britain in the Paralympic Games, and is now making history once again.  

McFall says he hopes to inspire others and highlight that “science is for everyone… and potentially space is for everyone.” 

Over 22,000 people applied to the ESA’s life-changing programme. This is 2.5 times the interest level received in their last competitive process in 2008. 

The ESA revealed its “Class of 2022” today, which includes another six full-time astronauts – among these was British astronomer Rosemary Coogan. Coogan has two master’s degrees from the University of Durham, and a doctorate in astronomy from the University of Sussex. 

UK science minister George Freeman called today a brilliant day for “British science and British values”. He added that he is proud the UK “will be the first country to put a para-astronaut in space and show that space is indeed the new frontier. […] It’s where we destroy the barriers that are holding back this planet and mankind.” 

The ESA intentionally selected candidates with physical difficulties for this project. The agency hopes this will help to build a more sustainable future for disabled people in space.  

This is an enormous milestone in the space sector’s history. While space may have once been for the few, this is becoming ever further from the truth. Concentrated efforts like these are going to blow the sector wide open for a whole new demographic of space lovers, taking them to places many thought they’d never reach.  

We’re wishing McFall and the rest of ESA’s Class of 2022 the best of luck on this adventure of a lifetime. 

 

Image credit: Jacklee

Humans Will Live on the Moon Within a Decade, Says NASA

Posted on by Oleksandr

In a recent program, NASA officials revealed that humans could well be living and working on the surface of the Moon within the next decade.

This revelation followed the long-awaited launch of NASA’s Artemis 1 spacecraft on Wednesday. The launch was postponed twice in September following Hurricane Ian and a liquid hydrogen leak.

Onboard Artemis was the Orion spacecraft, a key component in the mission to get astronauts back on the Moon. Orion is designed to take humans farther than ever before, serving as the exploration vehicle for deep space. The spacecraft provides emergency abort capabilities, can sustain the crew during space travel, and even provides safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.

On Monday, Orian flew 81 miles above the Moon’s surface at 5,102 mph. Experts are verifying whether the spacecraft will work as planned, allowing them to make adjustments before the Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch circa 2024. If all goes smoothly, Orion, along with a SpaceX vehicle, will land astronauts on the Moon’s surface.

“The mission continues to proceed as we had planned, and the ground systems, our operations teams, and the Orion spacecraft continue to exceed expectations, and we continue to learn along the way about this new, deep-space spacecraft,” said Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager, in a briefing on Monday at Johnson Space Center.

Howard Hu, head of the Orion programme, told the BBC, “It’s the first step we’re taking to long-term deep-space exploration, for not just the United States but for the world. I think this is a historic day for NASA, but it’s also a historic day for all the people who love human space flight and deep-space exploration.”

“Certainly in this decade, we’re going to have people living [on the Moon],” Hu commented. “The durations, you know, depending on how long we’ll be on the surface. They’ll be living, they’ll have habitats and they’ll have rovers on the ground. … So, not only are we able to work in delivering people to the Moon, getting people down to the surface of the Moon, they still have to have the infrastructure.”

Hu later commented that a big reason for NASA trying to get back on the Moon is to determine whether there is water at its south pole. If present, water could be converted into fuel for spacecraft travelling to Mars.

This exciting insight into humanity’s future in space marks a huge milestone for not only the space sector, but for the entire world.

The last manned mission to the Moon was Apollo 17 in December 1972. Five decades on, we’re actually seeing the implementation of systems that will allow us to stay up there long-term. With the industry advancing so rapidly and making such huge strides, we can’t wait to see where the next decade takes us.  

Apple Launches iPhone Emergency SOS Via Satellite

Posted on by Oleksandr

Apple has launched a new space-powered emergency service for iPhone users.

Even in remote areas without phone service, users can contact the emergency services by connecting to nearby satellites.

When an emergency call fails, users will have the option to send an ‘Emergency Text via Satellite’. Their phone will then display on-screen prompts and questions like “what’s your emergency?”, to which they can select responses such as “car or vehicle issue” or “sickness or injury”. After this will follow more in-depth questions about their situation, getting them the help they need ASAP. If you’ve set up your medical ID in your iPhone’s health settings, this information will also be available to the emergency services.

To connect to a nearby satellite, your phone will tell you to point it at the sky and guide you towards the closest satellite. You will need a clear view of the sky, free of trees and other obstructions – without this, it could take upwards of 15 seconds to a minute for the text to go through. Due to the speed at which satellites travel, you’ll need to move your phone to stay connected throughout the conversation.

If the emergency services cannot be contacted via text from a location, the message will be redirected to a relay center where Apple-trained specialists will make the call for you.

“Some of the most popular places to travel are off the beaten path and simply lack cellular coverage. With Emergency SOS via satellite, the iPhone 14 lineup provides an indispensable tool that can get users the help they need while they are off the grid,” commented Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing. “Our teams worked tirelessly to tackle a new set of technical challenges to bring this service to life, in addition to building a reliable on-the-ground infrastructure. Emergency SOS via satellite is a breakthrough service available only on the iPhone 14 lineup, and a new innovation that we hope will provide our customers some peace of mind.”

The service is already available for iPhone 14 users in the US and Canada, soon to be extended to the UK, France, Germany and Ireland in December 2022.

Apple has invested $450 million in the vital infrastructure supporting the service, available for the latest iPhone 14 model. A large portion of the funding goes to Globalstar, a Louisiana-based global satellite service.

Emergencies can happen anywhere, any time, with or without phone service. Powered by satellites networks and ground stations, this cutting-edge service is a perfect example of ways the space sector is making the world safer place. Apple’s innovative system will undoubtedly save multiple lives in the coming months and years. Will other companies follow in their footsteps to provide their own version of this service? Watch this space to find out. 

Australia Bans Anti-Satellite Weapons Tests

Posted on by Oleksandr

Australia is the latest to join the US-led initiative, pledging not to conduct Direct-Ascent Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile testing.

The initiative was launched by the Biden administration on April 18th, naming the US as the first space-faring nation to ban ASAT weapons testing.

The country has pledged “not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent [ASAT] missile testing, and that [it] seeks to establish this as a new international norm for responsible behavior in space.”

In the plight to promote the safe and peaceful use of space, Australia’s support follows that of the UK, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and South Korea. More are expected to join the alliance as the US continues to rally support of the ban.

“The global community must work together to build a common understanding on rules and norms that can guide how states behave in outer space,” Australia’s minister for foreign affairs Penny Wong commented in a statement. “This commitment to responsible behaviour, helps build a meaningful framework that contributes to the security, safety and sustainability of outer space.”

Wong later commented in a joint statement with the country’s deputy prime minister Richard Marles and industry and science minister Ed Husic that “the use of these missiles to destroy space objects is reckless, irresponsible and poses threats to space assets of all nations.” They’re calling on “all nations” to join the initiative as a “transparency and confidence-building measure.”

The programme’s launch followed the firing of a Russian PL19 Nudol interceptor missile in November 2021. It destroyed the defunct 2000kg Soviet-era COSMOS 1408 satellite, creating 1,500 pieces of space debris. The space junk made headlines earlier this year when it nearly collided with a Starlink satellite. It has already caused significant damage to the International Space Station and other vital satellites in the past. This debris remains in orbit, threatening both human spaceflight and robotics missions, as well as our GPS, weather forecasting and telecommunications systems.

One day before the initiative was announced, Russian diplomat Konstantain Vorontsov called the West’s commercial satellite use, “an extremely dangerous trend that … has become apparent during the latest developments in Ukraine.” He later noted previous UN meeting declarations that Russia could target private space networks that aid military operations against them. This raised further concern around ASAT testing, as these missiles are designed to destroy an opposition’s vital satellites in war or crisis situations.

The space sector is growing rapidly. With launch activity skyrocketing alongside increased accessibility, now is the time for new and more sustainable ways of thinking. This pledged commitment to stability and peace marks another huge stride towards the fair and safe use of outer space.

The World’s First Kitemark for Sustainable Space Exploration

Posted on by Oleksandr

Lloyd’s has collaborated with the Lloyd’s Market Association (LMA), the UK government, and industry experts, to create this world-first kitemark to drive sustainability in space.

The kitemark is a produce and service quality trademark backed by the British Standards Institution. It is used to identify products where safety and assurance is vital, such as smoke alarms, flood defences and protective helmets. A kitemark certification means that a product or service has been tested independently and repeatedly by experts.

“The Space Sustainability Kitemark is an industry first, and will provide reassurance to both businesses and the end user that they are supporting innovation that is fit for the future,” said Lloyd’s Chief Executive Officer John Neal.

Lloyd’s has always played a crucial role in space exploration since insuring the first ever commercial satellite in 1965.

The kitemark – the Earth & Space Sustainability Initiative – focusses on the issue of space debris. The estimated 9,000 metric tons of junk in space threatens human spaceflight and robotic missions, as well as our weather forecasting, GPS and telecommunications systems.

The Earth & Space Sustainability Initiative and kitemark was first announced at the start of the United Nation’s Space Week earlier this year. The board of directors includes big names in the space and satellite sector, government, academia, and the insurance industry. Maurizio Vanotti, OneWeb Vice President of Global Markets, recently announced that he will represent OneWeb/his organisation on the board.

The UK Government has also announced a package of new measures to back the initiative. According to their website, the new measures will demonstrate the UK’s commitment, ambition and drive to improve the UK’s sustainable use of space.

“The huge increase in commercial satellite launches will see tens of thousands of small satellites launched in the next 10 years,” said Science Minister George Freeman at the Space Sustainability Summit in London. “To harness space for sustainability, we need an agreed framework of standards for measuring and managing debris, improving satellite repair and retrieval and kite-marking genuinely sustainable supply chains […] This plan will ensure a safe and sustainable commercial space sector which rewards responsible satellite programs by lowering the costs of launch licenses and insurance for sustainable satellites and space missions.”

Freeman also confirmed that the UK will conduct a regulatory review to encourage sustainable business practices, investment and growth. This will enable cutting-edge technological advancements like In-Orbit Service and Manufacturing (IOSM) and Active Debris removal (ADR), as well as sustainable development, to become the standard for future space operations.

This increase in government-backed space initiatives stand as testament to the industry’s value and growth. Backed by industry leaders and government officials, this programme marks an enormous leap towards a more sustainable space sector. With next-generation technologies and outside-the-box thinking, we can ensure that space will thrive and continue to benefit humanity into the future.