This Week In Space Industry (13/04/2024)

Greetings Detectives

Welcome to Rocket Roundup, Your favorite space newsletter! Let's embark on this cosmic journey together! In This Issue:

• $1.8T Space Economy

• Japanese astronauts to land on moon as part of new NASA partnership

• Thales Alenia Space Signs $567M for ExoMars 2028

Japanese astronauts to land on moon as part of new NASA partnership

Japan and the United States have signed an agreement for Japan to send astronauts to the moon as part of NASA's Artemis program. The deal includes Japan contributing a pressurized lunar rover called Lunar Cruiser. The rover will support extended missions beyond Artemis landing sites and accommodate two astronauts for up to 30 days. This marks the first time astronauts from a country other than the US will land on the moon, with the Japanese space agency JAXA securing spots on future Artemis lunar missions. While specific flight schedules are yet to be determined, the agreement underscores international collaboration in lunar exploration efforts. (Read More)

Lockheed’s Mid-Size Bus Set to Fly This Year

Lockheed Martin is set to launch its LM 400 medium-sized bus by the end of the year, paving the way for classified missions. The LM 400 aims to validate the bus's capabilities in orbit ahead of potential opportunities where it could be utilized. Despite previous delays, the bus, about the size of a refrigerator, is poised for deployment to demonstrate its potential in the evolving launch market. Additionally, Lockheed's involvement in collaborative efforts like the lunar terrain vehicle project reflects a shift towards shared endeavors in the space industry. (Read More)

The $1.8T Space Economy

The World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company project the space economy to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, driven by increasing global connectivity, mobility, and demand for AI-powered insights. Split into "backbone" and "reach" categories, non-space industries leveraging space tech are expected to outpace core space tech growth, with reach markets projected to hold nearly 60% market share by 2035. PNT technology, particularly GPS-enabled services, is anticipated to be a major growth driver, with industries like supply chain management and transportation leading the way. However, competition from terrestrial alternatives and accessibility challenges could potentially lower growth forecasts to $1.4 trillion by 2035. Despite uncertainties, the space economy is poised to address global challenges and become a trillion-dollar industry, facilitating solutions for climate risk mitigation, disaster response, and humanitarian crises. (Read More)

Iridium Signs Five-Year Contract with L3Harris

Iridium Communications has entered a five-year commercial contract with L3Harris Technologies to provide its Satellite Time and Location (STL) service to support critical infrastructure for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) across the United States. The service ensures timing synchronization for L3Harris' private nationwide network, crucial for National Airspace System operations. This partnership aims to enhance network resilience by reducing dependencies on GPS as a primary timing source. Iridium's acquisition of Satelles, Inc. further strengthens its position in providing secure satellite-based time and location services for critical infrastructure applications. (Read More)

ARK Acquires Rocket Lab Shares

On Monday, Cathie Wood's ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF ($ARKX) acquired 126.3k shares in the $3.73 to $3.84 share price range. As of Friday, Rocket Lab is the 17th largest holding of the fund at 2.25% weight with ~1.4M shares. (Read More)

Thales Alenia Space Signs $567M for ExoMars 2028

Thales Alenia Space secures a €522M ($567M) ESA contract to revive Europe's ExoMars rover mission, aiming to land the Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars in 2030. The program, facing years of delays, has undergone reshaping efforts following partnership terminations. Thales Alenia Space leads a consortium of European industry players in developing the Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Module (EDLM) for the rover's safe arrival. The rover, equipped with a drill for soil sampling, aims to detect signs of past life on the Red Planet, supported by contributions from Airbus Defense & Space, ArianeGroup, OHB, and NASA. (Read More)

Vilnius-based spacetech Blackswan Space raises €760k

Vilnius-based spacetech startup Blackswan Space has raised €760k in a pre-seed funding round led by ScaleWolf, with participation from notable investors including Linas Sargautis and Vladas Lašas. Founded in 2019, Blackswan Space focuses on developing autonomous space technologies in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and commercial partners. Their Mission Design Simulator (MDS) and Vision Based Navigation (VBN) hardware payload aim to enable spacecraft to perform complex maneuvers and autonomous navigation when ground control is not feasible. The funding will be used to expand the engineering team, accelerate product development, and scale commercial activities. (Read More)

• FAA: "No Current Plans to Tax Commercial Space Launches"

• South Korea launched its second recon sat.

• NASA published part one of its space sustainability strategy.

• True Anomaly and Rocket Lab won contracts to build and launch the Space Force's next responsive space mission

• Space Force said China’s space program is moving at a “breathtaking speed.”

• China completed testing of its relay satellite in lunar orbit.

DISCLAIMER: (Rocket Roundup is an independent publication and is not affiliated with any government agency or space organization)