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Recent #Space news in the semiconductor industry

electronicsweekly
9 months ago

USA-Norwegian Technology Safeguards Agreement boosts Andøya Spaceport

➀ A Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) has been signed between the USA and Norway, allowing for the export of US space hardware to Andøya Spaceport in Norway.

➁ This agreement marks a significant step towards making Andøya one of the most attractive locations for satellite launches globally.

➂ The spaceport, which officially opened in November 2023, is capable of supporting the launch of small satellites up to 1.5 tons.

Space
electronicsweekly
9 months ago

Surrey Satellite Technology opens new Optical Cleanroom

➀ Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) has opened a new optical cleanroom at its headquarters in Guildford, UK.;

➁ The cleanroom will support the company's capabilities in optical imaging and will house the Optical Payloads Team for Earth observation satellite missions.;

➂ The UK Space Agency provided £250,000 in funding for the initiative, and the cleanroom will enable the team to design and assemble high-performance optical imagers for Earth observation missions.

Earth ObservationSpace
electronicsweekly
10 months ago

A spring-out sensor boom for cube sats

➀ Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have integrated flexible electronics into a self-deploying boom for cube sats. The boom is made of a three-ply carbon fiber and epoxy composite, and is expected to launch in 2025. ➁ The team aimed to add function to weight-constrained cube sats while ensuring they can withstand the harsh environment of space. ➂ The research has resulted in a pool of data for future designs and improvements.
Spaceelectronicsresearchsatellite
electronicsweekly
10 months ago

DSIT funds RPO space sustainability Regulatory Sandbox Project

➀ The UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is funding a space sustainability project worth £690,000 to test innovative rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) missions. The project aims to identify bottlenecks and areas of uncertainty around licensing novel space activities, such as in-orbit refuelling, repair services, and active debris removal.➁ The UK could capture an estimated 25% share of the ISAM market by 2031, valued at £2.7 billion.➃ DSIT believes that an advanced RPO capability will underpin all future UK ISAM missions, with funding being received by Astroscale UK, D-Orbit, and ClearSpace.
Space
electronicsweekly
11 months ago

Orbex moves launch operations to SaxaVord Spaceport

➀ Orbex has decided to switch its launch operations to SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, Scotland, rather than building its own spaceport in Sutherland. This decision will allow the company to focus more funding on the development of a new medium-sized launch vehicle, Proxima. ➁ The move is expected to strengthen Orbex's position in the European space industry and support the growth of SaxaVord Spaceport. ➂ Orbex is also planning to increase its manufacturing capability in Forres, Inverness, to meet demand for its smaller vehicle, Prime.
ScotlandSpacespace industry
electronicsweekly
11 months ago

National Physical Laboratory, CGI join Space South Central

➀ The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and CGI have joined the Advisory Board of Space South Central, aiming to drive innovation and enhance satellite and space technologies. ➁ Space South Central's members contribute nearly 20% of the UK Space businesses' GDP. ➂ The UK Space sector employs 52,000 skilled professionals and achieves labor productivity 2.3 times the national average.
CGICollaborationSpaceinnovation
hothardware
11 months ago

Watch NASA’s Rocket Engine Fireplace Holiday Video, It’s Just Plain Awesome

➀ NASA released a cozy 8-hour 4K fireplace video to celebrate the holiday season, featuring the heat of the SLS rocket's engines and the sounds of a crackling fire. The video is a loop of archival footage of the RS-25 engines that launched the Artemis I rocket. ➁ The Orion spacecraft reached a speed of 24,581 mph during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. ➂ The video includes the sound of rocket engines and the crackling of wood fire, creating a warm and festive atmosphere.
NASASpaceYoutube
hothardware
11 months ago

Sombrero Galaxy Ditches Its Hat For A Cosmic Bullseye In Stunning Webb Image

➀ The Sombrero galaxy, known as Messier 104 (M104), is revealed in a new image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, showing a smooth inner disk and an intricate outer ring. ➁ The image reveals the distribution of dust, which is an essential building block for astronomical objects in the universe. ➂ The Sombrero galaxy is not known for star formation, producing less than one solar mass of stars per year, and its central supermassive black hole is classified as a low luminosity active galactic nucleus.
GalaxySpaceTelescope
electronicsweekly
12 months ago

The Exploration Company raises $160m Series B for space cargo

➀ The Exploration Company (TEC) secures $160 million Series B funding for Nyx, a reusable spacecraft designed for space cargo transportation. ➁ Investors include Plural, Balderton Capital, NGP Capital, and Bessemer, with TEC describing it as the largest space Series B in Europe to date. ➂ The company aims to launch Nyx from any heavy launcher worldwide and is based in Planegg, Bavaria, with plans to grow the space transportation market.
SpaceVenture Capital