Vyoma awarded ESA data procurement contract for space-based data on small space debris

Munich-based Vyoma, a company providing Space Domain Awareness (SDA) capabilities, has been selected as the winner of the ESA tender on ”Data Procurement for Space-Based Statistical Data on Small Space Debris Phase 1”, funded via ESA‘s Space Safety Programme (S2P).

ESA’s Meteoroid And Space debris Terrestrial Environment Reference (MASTER) model provides a description of the space environment around Earth, supporting satellite designers, operators and others with risk assessments. 

Currently, there exists a significant temporal and spatial knowledge gap for observations of space debris with sizes smaller than the detection limit of ground-based sensors.

Vyoma's Flamingo-1 satellite is ideally positioned to generate the image data ESA is seeking. Flying “in-situ” at an altitude of 510 km, Flamingo-1's instrument can monitor large volumes of space at once. This sensor detects objects at long and short distances and captures small and fast objects reliably, improving data for the MASTER model.

“Space situational awareness data generated from space-based observers like Flamingo-1 play an essential role in safeguarding current and planned satellites and contributes to a sustainable use of space around Earth”, Dr Tim Flohrer, Head of ESA’s Space Debris Office told That's Technology,

“We are very pleased to welcome ESA as an important key customer, and we are looking forward to supporting ESA in its mission to help satellite operators keep their assets safe”, added Dr. Stefan Frey, CEO of Vyoma.

Vyoma leverages space-based and ground-based data to empower automated satellite operations and deliver space intelligence to the industry. Founded in August 2020, Vyoma offers services that enable efficient and scalable satellite operations in congested orbits around Earth, drastically reducing mission costs for its customers.

https://www.vyoma.space

50th SES spacecraft in orbit after successful ILS proton launch

SES S.A. has announced that the SES-4 satellite roared into space on board an ILS Proton Breeze M booster. After a 9-hour, 12-minute mission, the Breeze M upper stage of the Proton rocket successfully released the SES-4 satellite directly into geostationary transfer orbit.

SES-4 is a 20-kilowatt satellite manufactured on the flight-proven Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform with 52 C-band and 72 Ku-band transponders. It has C-band beams serving the eastern hemisphere of Europe and Africa, full coverage of the Americas, and a global beam to support mobile and maritime customers. Four high-power, regional Ku-band beams provide service to Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, as well as North and South America with extensive channel switching capability between C- and Ku-band transponders for enhanced connectivity.

SES-4 is the 50th satellite in the global SES fleet and also the largest, most powerful SES satellite to date. It will replace the NSS-7 satellite at 338 degrees East longitude and provide replacement as well as incremental capacity at this well established SES orbital slot over the Atlantic Ocean.

Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, said: "SES is delighted to see the 50th satellite in its fleet successfully launched after two unfortunate Proton-related launch delays. We thank the launch teams of Space Systems/Loral, ILS, Khrunichev and SES for their dedicated work. Their relentless efforts ensured ultimately a total success. After thorough in-orbit testing, SES and its customers can now look forward to SES-4 providing new, state-of-the-art satellite capacity across three continents."

"With the successful launch of SES-4, we marked several more milestones with our long-time customer SES, including the 20th SES satellite launched on ILS Proton and the 50th satellite in the SES fleet. It is also our 70th ILS Proton launch since the first launch with SES' ASTRA 1F satellite in 1996. It is an honour for ILS and Khrunichev to be entrusted with launching the powerful SES-4 satellite and all of the past and upcoming ILS Proton missions for SES," said ILS President, Frank McKenna.

John Celli, President of Space Systems/Loral, stated: "I would like to congratulate SES, ILS and Khrunichev on this successful launch and to recognize the teams from all of our companies who have worked so hard to assure a perfect launch. Space Systems/Loral is very pleased to help support SES' fleet expansion and its ability to provide communications services across the world."

FACTFILE:
The next SES launch is scheduled for Q2, 2012, when an ILS Proton booster will orbit the SES-5 spacecraft, also manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

SES carries world-leading satellite operations with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites (SES satellite footprint maps can be viewed on the SES website). The company provides satellite communications services to content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide, as well as providing media & broadcaster satellites.

SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.

SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information visit: www.ses.com.

NASA Moves Closer to Planetary Landing Demo Capability on Earth with Draper’s GENIE

NASA could test its payloads on Earth under realistic flight conditions before sending them into space by using a technology flown by Draper Laboratory last month.

Using the GENIE (Guidance Embedded Navigator Integration Environment) System, Draper recently fully controlled the Xombie suborbital rocket built by Masten Space Systems during a closed loop tethered flight at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. This successful first step brings the NASA Dryden Flight Opportunities Program closer to a new testbed capability that could be used to validate future planetary technology payloads.

Aircraft available to test NASA instruments today are unable to fly at the desired trajectories for planetary landings, and computer simulations are used to generate that data. However, a GENIE controlled flight vehicle could mimic a spacecraft’s final approach to the Moon and Mars here on Earth. Emerging and advancing future space technologies will then have the opportunity to fly their payloads terrestrially to raise their overall Technology Readiness Level and show that they are ready for use in space.

A video of the demonstration can be found on YouTube at: http://goo.gl/EhnDJ.

Draper plans to conduct a free-flying demonstration with GENIE and the Masten rocket later this winter.

The GENIE precision landing GN&C system was developed jointly between Draper and the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) under the Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) and Morpheus lander programs.

FACTFILE:
Draper Laboratory is a not-for-profit, engineering research and development organization dedicated to solving critical national problems in national security, space systems, biomedical systems, and energy. Core capabilities include guidance, navigation and control; miniature low power systems; highly reliable complex systems; information and decision systems; autonomous systems; biomedical and chemical systems; and secure networks and communications.
www.draper.com