23 June 2023
Growth of space alliances and leadership through sustainability - Space News Roundup
(Image: Adobe)
Nations are defining their roles in new space in different ways. The US and Russia move forwards with their fine heritage in tow, both with lunar exploration plans on the horizon. China is a rapidly growing space power and finds its leadership in forming international partnerships on their brand new space staton (CSS) and also via their International Lunar Research Station project (ILRS). This week we have also seen the strengthening of these superpower “space blocs” as the US also seeks new partners within their space framework, the Artemis Accords.
However, while these titans of space can provide leadership through their weight of technology, innovation and policy-making, others are defining their roles through the need for sustainability in New Space. Space has the ability to protect our planet and it seems clear that the leaders of New Space may be those who choose to protect it.
New alliances and commercial influence
Alliances in space are growing each week. This isn’t necessarily only the establishment of new international partnerships, but the the essential relationship that is developing between governments and the commercial sector. In the US, NASA’s policy for the future seems to be that of passing on the responsibility of some technological innovations (such as launch tech) onto the commercial sector. This could then allow NASA to again focus on what they set out to do; scientific research.
The agency fleshed-out this policy this week as it outlined a number of new agreements with commercial companies. On June 15th NASA announced they had chosen seven companies to work with as part of their Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities-2 (CCSC-2) initiative, which include projects from Blue Origin to provide a crewed spacecraft, and also SpaceX who will explore the possibility of using their massive Starship as an orbital space station.
Additionally and in another show of support to the growing commercial sector, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) this week announced that they would be reducing the amount of airspace it closes for launches at Cape Canaveral, in response to the impact growing launch numbers in the area. Private sector companies are taking an increasingly prominent and influential role in New Space.
Commercial sector heavyweights may also be influencing the scope of international relations in space. This week Elon Musk met Indian prime minister Modi, who was on a state visit to the US. Musk commented that he intends to take Tesla to India “as soon as possible”, but in addition, the Indian government said it had invited Musk to explore investment in the space sector.
It’s yet to be known what influence Musk may have had on the visiting Indian delegation, but as of Thursday it was reported that India are signing the US-led Artemis Accords. With the addition of a major space power, this will provide the US with a significant boost in its vision for a legal and regulatory framework for outer space, coming at a time when relations with Russia and China are still challenging, to say the least. On Thursday it was also revealed that Ecuador have chosen to sign the Accords.
China have also been seeing a run of fortune regarding their own plan for the long-term future of space exploration, the ILRS project. Russia are the most notable partner on the project, but Pakistan have also now given their intention to join. Malaysia and Venezuela are also reportedly keen to join.
Both factions are an open and collaborative attempt to provide leadership and build peaceful and cooperative frameworks for our future in outer space, and there are some signs that nations could potentially be part of both groups. The UAE and France, for example, have plans to work with China and also remain part of the Accords. However, it remains unclear just what it will take to bring the US, China and Russia to work together in harmony.
With India joining the Accords, the addition of a major space power may persuade adversaries of the US that there are ways forwards and neutral cooperation in space can prevail. However, as long as the US maintains it’s restrictive position towards China, it seems hard to see how that might become an eventuality.
ESA's Copernicus Project (Image: ESA)
Leadership in sustainable space
Different leadership models offered up by the world’s leading space superpowers are in-part an attempt to create leadership through policy-making and regulation. Maintaining the pace of law-making with innovation is of course vital and is something we have previously discussed at length. However, there is another area where newer space nations and the commercial sector are providing new leadership; sustainability.
By this we are addressing several areas. First, sustainability to protect the space environment and address problems such as space debris. Second, sustainability in design and technology in order to increase access to space, through technology such as reusable rockets. Lastly, using space as a means to improve the sustainability of human activity and to protect our planet. Ultimately, space may hold the answers to the problems of humankind and this is where new leadership and awareness may be found.
The UK is one nation who are making moves in this area, in technologies such as debris removal and research into space-based solar power. Speaking at the Secure World Foundation’s Space Sustainability Summit on June 13th, Julie Black, UK Space Agency director of missions and capability for discovery and sustainability, said that “We’re going to stop making it worse. And we’re going to start making it better.”
The UK is working with Clearspace (Switzerland) and Astroscale (Japan) to deorbit a piece of UK space debris by 2026. Furthermore, in 2028 the UK also plans to send a satellite to service and/or refuel a spacecraft. These are all technologies that will not only be vital to repair and maintain Earth orbit for the future, but also ensure robust and sustainable growing orbital infrastructure.
Japan’s Astroscale have also this week announced the opening of a French division. Astroscale France SAS signed a contract with Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), which includes a study for debris removal of French debris, to be defined by 2024.
This latest agreement may also indicate a determination from other European nations to take lead through sustainability. Within the same week France’s Look Up Space secured a €14 million funding round, the second largest in European space tech. The funding will help the company develop its “SORASYS” space surveillance radar demonstrator and its “SYNAPSE” multi-source data fusion and processing platform by the end of 2024, according to an article from techfundingnews.com. Look Up Space are aiming to enable European tech sovereignty in monitoring and tracking centimetre-sized pieces of space debris.
In Germany, space startup Vyoma have also raised €9 million towards the development of their debris-monitoring satellites. They plan to start launching their constellation of 12 satellites next year. We are seeing strong moves in Europe to support the need for technology that will repair and maintain Earth orbit, which will be vital in a time when space is becoming more congested than ever.
One of the key reasons behind the drive for space sustainability is to ensure that satellite technology can continue to grow and support life on Earth. At this very moment, we rely on satellites to help us in our battle against climate change, understand the struggles of population growth and expand communications across the globe.
Just this week, nine New Space satellite data suppliers have joined the Europe’s Copernicus Programme, which ESA Staes to be the “…the biggest environmental programme in the world, providing terabytes of free and open satellite data and information services to hundreds of thousands of users every day.” The Earth observation programme helps us better understand the challenges such as “…diminishing polar ice, sea-level rise, drought, and more.” (ESA, 2023).
Also, on Tuesday, SpaceX announced that they have begun beaming data from their second-generation Starlink constellation, building on its ability to provide broadband access anywhere on the planet. Starlink services had reportedly started to become stretched and is a real indication of how satellites will play a central role in providing global access to communications in future.
Earth observation and communications are playing a key role at the moment, but we must also consider technologies that are being developed for our future, such as space-based solar power (SBSP) and in-space manufacturing.
Ultimately, space is and will be able to provide solutions for many of Earth’s problems. It is therefore vital that this growing orbital infrastructure is sustainably developed and maintained. We my find that those who can pioneer these technologies today will become the leaders of tomorrow.
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This Week
*News articles posted here are not property of ANASDA GmbH and belong to their respected owners. Postings here are external links only.
Our future in space
(Image: Adobe)
23 June 2023
Growth of space alliances and leadership through sustainability - Space News Roundup
Nations are defining their roles in new space in different ways. The US and Russia move forwards with their fine heritage in tow, both with lunar exploration plans on the horizon. China is a rapidly growing space power and finds its leadership in forming international partnerships on their brand new space staton (CSS) and also via their International Lunar Research Station project (ILRS). This week we have also seen the strengthening of these superpower “space blocs” as the US also seeks new partners within their space framework, the Artemis Accords.
However, while these titans of space can provide leadership through their weight of technology, innovation and policy-making, others are defining their roles through the need for sustainability in New Space. Space has the ability to protect our planet and it seems clear that the leaders of New Space may be those who choose to protect it.
New alliances and commercial influence
Alliances in space are growing each week. This isn’t necessarily only the establishment of new international partnerships, but the the essential relationship that is developing between governments and the commercial sector. In the US, NASA’s policy for the future seems to be that of passing on the responsibility of some technological innovations (such as launch tech) onto the commercial sector. This could then allow NASA to again focus on what they set out to do; scientific research.
The agency fleshed-out this policy this week as it outlined a number of new agreements with commercial companies. On June 15th NASA announced they had chosen seven companies to work with as part of their Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities-2 (CCSC-2) initiative, which include projects from Blue Origin to provide a crewed spacecraft, and also SpaceX who will explore the possibility of using their massive Starship as an orbital space station.
Additionally and in another show of support to the growing commercial sector, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) this week announced that they would be reducing the amount of airspace it closes for launches at Cape Canaveral, in response to the impact growing launch numbers in the area. Private sector companies are taking an increasingly prominent and influential role in New Space.
Commercial sector heavyweights may also be influencing the scope of international relations in space. This week Elon Musk met Indian prime minister Modi, who was on a state visit to the US. Musk commented that he intends to take Tesla to India “as soon as possible”, but in addition, the Indian government said it had invited Musk to explore investment in the space sector.
It’s yet to be known what influence Musk may have had on the visiting Indian delegation, but as of Thursday it was reported that India are signing the US-led Artemis Accords. With the addition of a major space power, this will provide the US with a significant boost in its vision for a legal and regulatory framework for outer space, coming at a time when relations with Russia and China are still challenging, to say the least. On Thursday it was also revealed that Ecuador have chosen to sign the Accords.
China have also been seeing a run of fortune regarding their own plan for the long-term future of space exploration, the ILRS project. Russia are the most notable partner on the project, but Pakistan have also now given their intention to join. Malaysia and Venezuela are also reportedly keen to join.
Both factions are an open and collaborative attempt to provide leadership and build peaceful and cooperative frameworks for our future in outer space, and there are some signs that nations could potentially be part of both groups. The UAE and France, for example, have plans to work with China and also remain part of the Accords. However, it remains unclear just what it will take to bring the US, China and Russia to work together in harmony.
With India joining the Accords, the addition of a major space power may persuade adversaries of the US that there are ways forwards and neutral cooperation in space can prevail. However, as long as the US maintains it’s restrictive position towards China, it seems hard to see how that might become an eventuality.
ESA's Copernicus Programme (Image: ESA)
Leadership in sustainable space
Different leadership models offered up by the world’s leading space superpowers are in-part an attempt to create leadership through policy-making and regulation. Maintaining the pace of law-making with innovation is of course vital and is something we have previously discussed at length. However, there is another area where newer space nations and the commercial sector are providing new leadership; sustainability.
By this we are addressing several areas. First, sustainability to protect the space environment and address problems such as space debris. Second, sustainability in design and technology in order to increase access to space, through technology such as reusable rockets. Lastly, using space as a means to improve the sustainability of human activity and to protect our planet. Ultimately, space may hold the answers to the problems of humankind and this is where new leadership and awareness may be found.
The UK is one nation who are making moves in this area, in technologies such as debris removal and research into space-based solar power. Speaking at the Secure World Foundation’s Space Sustainability Summit on June 13th, Julie Black, UK Space Agency director of missions and capability for discovery and sustainability, said that “We’re going to stop making it worse. And we’re going to start making it better.”
The UK is working with Clearspace (Switzerland) and Astroscale (Japan) to deorbit a piece of UK space debris by 2026. Furthermore, in 2028 the UK also plans to send a satellite to service and/or refuel a spacecraft. These are all technologies that will not only be vital to repair and maintain Earth orbit for the future, but also ensure robust and sustainable growing orbital infrastructure.
Japan’s Astroscale have also this week announced the opening of a French division. Astroscale France SAS signed a contract with Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), which includes a study for debris removal of French debris, to be defined by 2024.
This latest agreement may also indicate a determination from other European nations to take lead through sustainability. Within the same week France’s Look Up Space secured a €14 million funding round, the second largest in European space tech. The funding will help the company develop its “SORASYS” space surveillance radar demonstrator and its “SYNAPSE” multi-source data fusion and processing platform by the end of 2024, according to an article from techfundingnews.com. Look Up Space are aiming to enable European tech sovereignty in monitoring and tracking centimetre-sized pieces of space debris.
In Germany, space startup Vyoma have also raised €9 million towards the development of their debris-monitoring satellites. They plan to start launching their constellation of 12 satellites next year. We are seeing strong moves in Europe to support the need for technology that will repair and maintain Earth orbit, which will be vital in a time when space is becoming more congested than ever.
One of the key reasons behind the drive for space sustainability is to ensure that satellite technology can continue to grow and support life on Earth. At this very moment, we rely on satellites to help us in our battle against climate change, understand the struggles of population growth and expand communications across the globe.
Just this week, nine New Space satellite data suppliers have joined the Europe’s Copernicus Programme, which ESA Staes to be the “…the biggest environmental programme in the world, providing terabytes of free and open satellite data and information services to hundreds of thousands of users every day.” The Earth observation programme helps us better understand the challenges such as “…diminishing polar ice, sea-level rise, drought, and more.” (ESA, 2023).
Also, on Tuesday, SpaceX announced that they have begun beaming data from their second-generation Starlink constellation, building on its ability to provide broadband access anywhere on the planet. Starlink services had reportedly started to become stretched and is a real indication of how satellites will play a central role in providing global access to communications in future.
Earth observation and communications are playing a key role at the moment, but we must also consider technologies that are being developed for our future, such as space-based solar power (SBSP) and in-space manufacturing.
Ultimately, space is and will be able to provide solutions for many of Earth’s problems. It is therefore vital that this growing orbital infrastructure is sustainably developed and maintained. We my find that those who can pioneer these technologies today will become the leaders of tomorrow.
Share this article
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*News articles posted here are not property of ANASDA GmbH and belong to their respected owners. Postings here are external links only.
23 June 2023
Growth of space alliances and leadership through sustainability - Space News Roundup
(Image: Adobe)
Nations are defining their roles in new space in different ways. The US and Russia move forwards with their fine heritage in tow, both with lunar exploration plans on the horizon. China is a rapidly growing space power and finds its leadership in forming international partnerships on their brand new space staton (CSS) and also via their International Lunar Research Station project (ILRS). This week we have also seen the strengthening of these superpower “space blocs” as the US also seeks new partners within their space framework, the Artemis Accords.
However, while these titans of space can provide leadership through their weight of technology, innovation and policy-making, others are defining their roles through the need for sustainability in New Space. Space has the ability to protect our planet and it seems clear that the leaders of New Space may be those who choose to protect it.
New alliances and commercial influence
Alliances in space are growing each week. This isn’t necessarily only the establishment of new international partnerships, but the the essential relationship that is developing between governments and the commercial sector. In the US, NASA’s policy for the future seems to be that of passing on the responsibility of some technological innovations (such as launch tech) onto the commercial sector. This could then allow NASA to again focus on what they set out to do; scientific research.
The agency fleshed-out this policy this week as it outlined a number of new agreements with commercial companies. On June 15th NASA announced they had chosen seven companies to work with as part of their Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities-2 (CCSC-2) initiative, which include projects from Blue Origin to provide a crewed spacecraft, and also SpaceX who will explore the possibility of using their massive Starship as an orbital space station.
Additionally and in another show of support to the growing commercial sector, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) this week announced that they would be reducing the amount of airspace it closes for launches at Cape Canaveral, in response to the impact growing launch numbers in the area. Private sector companies are taking an increasingly prominent and influential role in New Space.
Commercial sector heavyweights may also be influencing the scope of international relations in space. This week Elon Musk met Indian prime minister Modi, who was on a state visit to the US. Musk commented that he intends to take Tesla to India “as soon as possible”, but in addition, the Indian government said it had invited Musk to explore investment in the space sector.
It’s yet to be known what influence Musk may have had on the visiting Indian delegation, but as of Thursday it was reported that India are signing the US-led Artemis Accords. With the addition of a major space power, this will provide the US with a significant boost in its vision for a legal and regulatory framework for outer space, coming at a time when relations with Russia and China are still challenging, to say the least. On Thursday it was also revealed that Ecuador have chosen to sign the Accords.
China have also been seeing a run of fortune regarding their own plan for the long-term future of space exploration, the ILRS project. Russia are the most notable partner on the project, but Pakistan have also now given their intention to join. Malaysia and Venezuela are also reportedly keen to join.
Both factions are an open and collaborative attempt to provide leadership and build peaceful and cooperative frameworks for our future in outer space, and there are some signs that nations could potentially be part of both groups. The UAE and France, for example, have plans to work with China and also remain part of the Accords. However, it remains unclear just what it will take to bring the US, China and Russia to work together in harmony.
With India joining the Accords, the addition of a major space power may persuade adversaries of the US that there are ways forwards and neutral cooperation in space can prevail. However, as long as the US maintains it’s restrictive position towards China, it seems hard to see how that might become an eventuality.
Europe's Copernicus programme (Image: ESA)
Leadership in sustainable space
Different leadership models offered up by the world’s leading space superpowers are in-part an attempt to create leadership through policy-making and regulation. Maintaining the pace of law-making with innovation is of course vital and is something we have previously discussed at length. However, there is another area where newer space nations and the commercial sector are providing new leadership; sustainability.
By this we are addressing several areas. First, sustainability to protect the space environment and address problems such as space debris. Second, sustainability in design and technology in order to increase access to space, through technology such as reusable rockets. Lastly, using space as a means to improve the sustainability of human activity and to protect our planet. Ultimately, space may hold the answers to the problems of humankind and this is where new leadership and awareness may be found.
The UK is one nation who are making moves in this area, in technologies such as debris removal and research into space-based solar power. Speaking at the Secure World Foundation’s Space Sustainability Summit on June 13th, Julie Black, UK Space Agency director of missions and capability for discovery and sustainability, said that “We’re going to stop making it worse. And we’re going to start making it better.”
The UK is working with Clearspace (Switzerland) and Astroscale (Japan) to deorbit a piece of UK space debris by 2026. Furthermore, in 2028 the UK also plans to send a satellite to service and/or refuel a spacecraft. These are all technologies that will not only be vital to repair and maintain Earth orbit for the future, but also ensure robust and sustainable growing orbital infrastructure.
Japan’s Astroscale have also this week announced the opening of a French division. Astroscale France SAS signed a contract with Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), which includes a study for debris removal of French debris, to be defined by 2024.
This latest agreement may also indicate a determination from other European nations to take lead through sustainability. Within the same week France’s Look Up Space secured a €14 million funding round, the second largest in European space tech. The funding will help the company develop its “SORASYS” space surveillance radar demonstrator and its “SYNAPSE” multi-source data fusion and processing platform by the end of 2024, according to an article from techfundingnews.com. Look Up Space are aiming to enable European tech sovereignty in monitoring and tracking centimetre-sized pieces of space debris.
In Germany, space startup Vyoma have also raised €9 million towards the development of their debris-monitoring satellites. They plan to start launching their constellation of 12 satellites next year. We are seeing strong moves in Europe to support the need for technology that will repair and maintain Earth orbit, which will be vital in a time when space is becoming more congested than ever.
One of the key reasons behind the drive for space sustainability is to ensure that satellite technology can continue to grow and support life on Earth. At this very moment, we rely on satellites to help us in our battle against climate change, understand the struggles of population growth and expand communications across the globe.
Just this week, nine New Space satellite data suppliers have joined the Europe’s Copernicus Programme, which ESA Staes to be the “…the biggest environmental programme in the world, providing terabytes of free and open satellite data and information services to hundreds of thousands of users every day.” The Earth observation programme helps us better understand the challenges such as “…diminishing polar ice, sea-level rise, drought, and more.” (ESA, 2023).
Also, on Tuesday, SpaceX announced that they have begun beaming data from their second-generation Starlink constellation, building on its ability to provide broadband access anywhere on the planet. Starlink services had reportedly started to become stretched and is a real indication of how satellites will play a central role in providing global access to communications in future.
Earth observation and communications are playing a key role at the moment, but we must also consider technologies that are being developed for our future, such as space-based solar power (SBSP) and in-space manufacturing.
Ultimately, space is and will be able to provide solutions for many of Earth’s problems. It is therefore vital that this growing orbital infrastructure is sustainably developed and maintained. We my find that those who can pioneer these technologies today will become the leaders of tomorrow.
Share this article
External Links
This Week
*News articles posted here are not property of ANASDA GmbH and belong to their respected owners. Postings here are external links only.