Fleet Space Technologies, an emerging Australian player in the global New Space industry, is collaborating with Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), the University of South Australia, Rice Satcom Pty Ltd., and SmartSat CRC to launch a new program called ASCEND2LEO. This program aims to demonstrate low Earth orbit (LEO) capabilities for the warfighter by leveraging modern commercial space technology provided by commercial satellites of Fleet Space, used by the mining industry and combining it with the latest research to advance space capabilities rapidly. Fleet Space Technologies has unique capabilities in low-power, high-performance edge computing in small spacecraft and terrestrial…
Author: Team Interstellar
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SpaceX, Elon Musk’s ambitious space exploration company, recently attempted the first fully integrated flight test of its super-heavy lift launcher, the Starship, at its Boca Chica, Texas facility. The 5ooo tonne combination of the Starship and Super Heavy booster lifted off at 9:34 AM Eastern time after a brief hold. Still, it failed to separate the two stages and came tumbling down after a botched flip manoeuvre before exploding. This event marked the fourth launch attempt of Starship SN8 after SpaceX cancelled three previous attempts due to technical issues. CEO Elon Musk had warned enthusiasts to temper their expectations for…
The Swiss government has adopted a new federal space policy to address outer space’s rapid developments and increasing importance. The policy recognizes the crucial role of satellite-based applications in communication, navigation, weather forecasting, climate analysis, security, and defence. The policy is based on three main strands: “access and resiliency,” which involves leveraging Switzerland’s membership in international bodies to push national interests and promote sustainability; “competitiveness and relevance,” aimed at boosting the country’s already firm standing in space research and innovation; and “partnership and reliability,” which seeks to strengthen rules-based multilateral governance of space. Switzerland’s participation in various international bodies was…
Hyundai Motor Group has partnered with six Korean research institutes in the aerospace sector to build an early prototype of a lunar exploration mobility rover. The rover would feature a solar charging system, autonomous driving capabilities, thermal management, and radiation shielding. It would carry equipment up to a maximum weight of 70kg. The Group aims to complete the initial development model by the second half of 2024 and launch a model with launch capability in 2027. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation will provide the following: Advanced robotics and autonomous driving technologies. Driving systems. Charging parts as part of a…
Kenya hosted a three-day Technical Advisory Mission (TAM) workshop from the 18th to the 20th of April, 2023, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The event was held at the United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi, to provide capacity-building and legal consultancy services in international space law and establish mechanisms in Kenya for setting national regulatory and policy frameworks attuned to its various space activities. The effort is an important step ahead for Nairobi since the launch of its first satellite, Taifa-1, earlier in April 2023. The workshop saw the participation of various stakeholders from…
Seeds that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) had sent into space last year have successfully returned to Earth, marking a significant milestone in their efforts to develop crops that are more resilient to the effects of climate change. With global temperatures rising and the population increasing, farmers worldwide need help to meet the growing demand for food. Through their Joint FAO-IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, they sent seeds into space to explore cosmic radiation’s effects on accelerating crops’ natural genetic adaptation to changing environmental…
The Inmarsat I-4 F1 satellite, which provides services for East Asia and the Pacific regions, experienced an outage on Sunday, causing concern from farmers and industry groups regarding their backup systems. Inmarsat confirmed the outage resulted in a temporary loss of services from the satellite, but it immediately implemented service recovery procedures. The incident highlights the vulnerability of modern farming and other industries that rely on satellite technology for precision and efficiency. One of the consequences of the outage was that some farmers who used the Inmarsat service lost access to GPS services for precision farming. The downstream services included…
Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, has ordered the launch of a military spy satellite, which could allow the country to enhance its nuclear program and monitor the US and its allies. North Korea expects the satellite to play a crucial role in bolstering its defence capabilities, sovereignty, and legitimate right to self-defence. Kim made these remarks during his visit to the National Space Development Agency (NSDA), where he called for launching the country’s first military reconnaissance satellite within a specified time frame. Officials from the Reconnaissance General Bureau accompanied Kim during the visit. The US and other countries have…
Chinese researchers have conducted an experiment allowing an AI to control a satellite’s camera for a full day. During that time, it took photos of different locations on Earth. The experiment aimed to determine how artificial intelligence might help streamline the Earth’s observation satellites’ workflow and prevent them from aimlessly capturing troves of images that require copious amounts of processing back on Earth. The research team controlled the Qimingxing 1 satellite with a ground-based AI system. The AI autonomously chose areas on the surface to survey and capture images. However, the research team needs clarification on why the AI selected…
On 17th April 2023, under India’s G20 Presidency, a two-day precursor meeting of the G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM) was held in Shillong, Meghalaya. The purpose of this precursor event was to highlight the capabilities of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space and explore avenues of multilateral space cooperation between the G20 countries. The inaugural program of the meeting was attended by Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhury, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office, who sent a recorded video, G20 Sherpa…
