This Week In Space Industry (24/02/2024)

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Welcome to Rocket Roundup, Your favorite space newsletter! This week's in-depth exploration takes us into the dynamic realm of space startups. Our spotlight feature is on The Exploration Company - Pioneering Affordable and Accessible Space Exploration with Modular Orbital Vehicles, Read it here.

Let's embark on this cosmic journey together! In This Issue:

• Intuitive Machines achieved a major space milestone

• Varda Space's long-stranded space manufacturing capsule finally came back to Earth

• Vast to Bid on Private Astronaut Missions to the ISS

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Intuitive Machines Achieves Historic Lunar Landing

Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines has made history by successfully landing its lunar lander, Nova-C, named Odysseus, on the Moon's south pole. This achievement marks the first time a privately developed spacecraft has successfully landed on the Moon. The landing was initially delayed by two hours to address issues with laser rangefinders, but the team successfully used NASA's laser and Doppler lidar sensors for guidance. The mission, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, carried six NASA payloads and six non-NASA payloads. (Read More)

Varda capsule lands in Utah

Varda Space Industries' capsule, part of the W-Series 1 mission, landed successfully in the Utah desert on February 21, 2024. The capsule, named Winnebago-1, spent over eight months in space as part of an experimental mission to grow pharmaceuticals on orbit. It carried crystals of the drug ritonavir, used to treat HIV/AIDS. The capsule will be sent back to Varda's facilities in Los Angeles for analysis, and the ritonavir samples will be shipped to Improved Pharma for further analysis. This marks the first time a commercial company has landed a spacecraft on U.S. soil. (Read More)

NGA's $290M Luno Program Boosts Commercial Satellite Data Use

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is increasing its use of commercial satellite imagery and analytics through the launch of the "Luno" program. This program aims to leverage commercial satellite data to enhance NGA's global monitoring capabilities. It expands on the Economic Indicator Monitoring (EIM) program launched in 2021, with Luno having an estimated budget of $290 million. The program will focus on monitoring economic activity, environmental factors, and military capabilities globally. NGA intends to demonstrate a strong commitment to commercial Earth observation services with the Luno program. (Read More)

Vast to Bid on Private Astronaut Missions to the ISS

Commercial space station developer Vast Space has announced plans to bid on two upcoming NASA private astronaut missions (PAMs) to the International Space Station (ISS). The company intends to compete with Axiom Space for the fifth and sixth PAMs, expressing its belief that participating in PAMs will enhance its capabilities as a space station builder and improve its partnership with NASA. Axiom Space has been the sole company chosen by NASA for most PAM opportunities, conducting missions that have helped prepare for its commercial space station, with modules set to be installed on the ISS starting in 2026. (Read More)

Gilmour Space Raises AU$55M Series D Round

Queensland-based Gilmour Space Technologies has raised $55 million in a Series D funding round led by Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), along with Blackbird, Main Sequence, HostPlus, and HESTA. The funds will support the manufacturing, testing, and launch of rockets and satellites, including the maiden orbital launch of the Eris Orbital Launch Vehicle later this year. Gilmour aims to become a full-stack launch services provider, contributing to Australia's sovereign space and defense capabilities. The Eris rocket is expected to launch in the coming months, pending approvals from the Australian Space Agency.(Read More)

Northwood Space Raises $6.3M Seed Round

Bridgit Mendler, former Disney Channel star, is launching Northwood Space, a startup focusing on mass-producing satellite ground stations. Northwood aims to create a "data highway between Earth and space," facilitating the transfer of satellite data to and from Earth. The startup has secured approximately $6 million in initial funding from investors such as Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Also Capital. Northwood's goal is to provide fast production and deployment of ground stations, delivering them within days to satellite operators. The company plans to conduct its first test connecting to a spacecraft in orbit later this year.(Read More)

Hadran Raises $117M Series B Round

Chris Power, CEO of industrial automation startup Hadrian, seeks to revitalize the declining U.S. industrial base by leveraging software and automation. Hadrian focuses on automating high-precision CNC machining, targeting labor-intensive steps in the manufacturing process. The company aims to automate 80-90% of the process using software, leaving the rest to human expertise. Hadrian raised $117 million in a Series B round, with participation from RTX Ventures, Founders Fund, a16z, and others. The funds will be used to double the automation and software team, improve automation processes, and meet growing customer demand.(Read More)

Nuview Acquires Astraea

Nuview, a geospatial technology startup, has acquired analytics platform Astraea to accelerate its Earth observation plans. Nuview aims to map the world using lidar technology deployed on a constellation of 20 commercial satellites. The lidar system, developed by Nuview, is expected to have a lower size and weight, making it suitable for large-scale remote sensing. The acquisition of Astraea is expected to help Nuview provide intelligence on satellite, aerial, and drone data more rapidly. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.(Read More)

Connected Announces $2M Pre-Seed Round

Connected, a Portuguese startup, has raised approximately $2 million to fund the demonstration of its hosted payload connectivity network. The company aims to leverage space aboard commercial small satellites to create a narrowband connectivity network. Connected plans to demonstrate the feasibility of its network by flying a payload on a commercial small satellite, which will connect Internet of Things (IoT) devices operating under standard 5G narrowband network protocols. The payload will be integrated with larger satellites, taking advantage of the available margin in mechanical and power demands during their design phase. (Read More)

Chinese Rocket Engine Startup, Space Circling, Secures $13.9 Million in Funding

Chinese launch company Space Circling, also known as Shaanxi Tianhui Aerospace Technology, has raised more than 100 million yuan ($13.9 million) in a Series A funding round. The funding, announced in December 2023, will support the development and construction of the company's innovative rocket engines for commercial space activities. Space Circling has been working on the Honglong-1 and Qiaolong-1 kerosene-liquid oxygen rocket engines, with plans to mass-produce the Qiaolong-1 by the end of the year. The company aims to leverage its engines for the development of its own reusable launchers, including the Huilong-1 and Huilong-2 models.(Read More)

Reaction Engines Secures £40 Million Funding Round Led by Strategic Development Fund

Reaction Engines has successfully closed a funding round of £40 million ($47.7 million), marking the company's largest equity funding to date. The funding round was led by the Strategic Development Fund (SDF), the investment arm of the UAE’s Tawazun Council. Existing investors of Reaction Engines also participated in the round. The capital will be used to accelerate the development and commercialization of the company's thermal management technologies, applicable to advanced propulsion systems and sustainable technology solutions. Reaction Engines plans to use the funding to further invest in its UK operations, where it currently employs 240 people.(Read More)

• Japan launches debris removal spacecraft to tackle space junk

• Airbus took $650M of satellite-related charges in 2023

• Spire Global Awarded €8.4M by the European Maritime Safety Agency for Provision of SAT-AIS Data Services

• Voyager Space secured a deal with Millennium to manufacture 13 µSTAR-250 Star Trackers.

• Software problem blamed for Firefly Alpha mishap

• SpaceX wants to launch Starship at least nine times this year.

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