Good day and welcome again to Max Q! We’re hitting the bottom working at TC HQ, and it appears the house trade is, too — there was plenty of information, which implies lots to get to on this concern! Learn on for extra.
On this concern:
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A catch-up with Impulse Area
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SpaceX kicks off 2023 launch with Transporter-6
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Information from Momentus, the Indian Area Analysis Group and extra
In-space transportation startup Impulse Area will head to orbit aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission later this 12 months, because it seeks to show out its orbital maneuvering and servicing know-how for the primary time.
Whereas there’s at all times main strain earlier than an inaugural demonstration, there’ll doubtless be extra eyes on Impulse’s mission than normal. That’s not least as a result of the startup is headed by Tom Mueller, SpaceX’s former head of propulsion, a formidable engineer who led the event of the Merlin engine that powers the Falcon 9 rocket — the very rocket Impulse will use to succeed in house.
Impulse will first ship its first orbital service automobile to house to check its propulsion, payload supply and internet hosting, software program, communications and maneuvering capabilities. That spacecraft, referred to as Mira, will hitch a experience on SpaceX’s Transporter-9 rideshare mission within the fourth quarter of this 12 months, the corporate introduced right this moment.
Picture Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Pictures
SpaceX launched greater than 100 payloads to orbit on a Falcon 9 final Tuesday, the sixth mission of its small-sat rideshare program. However whereas the rocket firm is now an outdated hand at launches — SpaceX simply accomplished a document 12 months with 61 launches in 2022 alone — for a handful of house startups, Transporter-6 marked a milestone.
These startups embody Launcher, which is conducting its first house tug mission; Magdrive, which is offering an inaugural in-orbit tech demonstration; and Epic Aerospace, which additionally launched an area tug for the primary time. Transporter-6 additionally carried satellites for Planet Labs and Spire World, in addition to different payloads for scientific, analysis and industrial clients.
Picture Credit: Launcher/John Kraus(opens in a brand new window)
Extra information from TC and past
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Blue Origin might have left up a job description for a secret house tug challenge for slightly too lengthy… Ars Technica bought wind. (Ars Technica)
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Intuitive Machines will fly a rover for Japan-based robotics firm Dymon on its second mission to the moon. The Yaoki rover will head to the lunar south pole on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander someday within the latter half of this 12 months. (Intuitive Machines)
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Iridium is teaming up with Qualcomm to convey satellite tv for pc connectivity to a number of new smartphones working Android this 12 months. (The Washington Publish)
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ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1 lunar lander efficiently executed its second orbital management maneuver, conserving it on observe to succeed in the moon someday this spring. (ispace)
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John Deere is finalizing a satellite tv for pc accomplice, because the agriculture equipment firm seems to be to create its geospatial information product for farmers. (CNBC)
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Microsoft and the Indian Area Analysis Group have signed an MOU to offer Indian house startups free entry to the know-how behemoth’s cloud instruments. (TechCrunch)
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NorthStar Earth and Area closed a $35 million Sequence C for its space-based house situational consciousness constellation. The spherical was led by Cartesian. (NorthStar)
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SpaceX is elevating $750 million at a $137 billion valuation, with Andreessen Horowitz doubtless main the spherical, in line with emails. (CNBC)
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Virgin Orbit is taking a look at a launch date as quickly as January 9 for its inaugural mission from the UK (and the U.Okay.’s first house flight, ever). (SpaceNews)
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Voyager Area landed a brand new accomplice for its personal house station, Starlab: Airbus Protection and Area. Airbus “will present technical design assist and experience” for the house station, which Voyager says will launch in 2028. (Voyager)
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