SPACEX LAUNCHES 22 STARLINK SATELLITES ON FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM CALIFORNIA - SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base Friday afternoon. It came as the U.S. Space Force’s Assured Access to Space (AATS) continues work to ensure resiliency from its two primary spaceports that’s seeing far more orbital launches than it has historically experienced. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket on the Starlink 11-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) happened at 1:55 p.m. PST (4:55 p.m. EST, 2155 UTC). This was the 87th Starlink launch so far this year.   More
(Source: SoaceFlight Now - Dec 15)

SPACE FORCE TO TEST MODULAR SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY IN UPCOMING MISSION - The U.S. Space Force plans to use a “plug and play” satellite interface developed by The Aerospace Corporation for an upcoming mission under its Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program. The program seeks to validate technologies and tactics to shorten the timeline for launching payloads, such as surveillance sensors, into orbit.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Dec 13)

SPACEX LAUNCH OF NASA'S NEW 3D-SKY-MAPPING SATELLITE SET FOR FEBRUARY 2025 - An ambitious NASA mission to map the sky in 3D using a space-based observatory now has a target launch date of late February 2025. NASA's compact car-sized observatory, called Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (or just SPHEREx for short), will map the millions of stars and galaxies visible from our planet in every direction, "like scanning the inside of a globe," according to an agency statement. The satellite will launch into a polar orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.   More
(Source: Space.com - Dec 12)

GEOMAGNETIC STORMS CAUSE “MASS MIGRATIONS” OF SATELLITES - A pair of major geomagnetic storms this year led to unprecedented “mass migrations” of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit that create new concerns about space traffic coordination. The phenomenon was first seen in May during a major solar event called the Gannon storm. That event is best remembered for creating auroral displays in the northern hemisphere at latitudes much further south than normal.   More
(Source: SpaceNews - Dec 12)

INTELSAT 33E DEMISE EXPOSES VULNERABILITIES IN THE SPACE DOMAIN - Intelsat 33e’s break-up in geostationary orbit (GEO) highlights an emerging threat for the contested space domain, an executive at U.S.-based space-tracking company ExoAnalytic Solutions said Dec. 10 during the Spacepower Conference here. Clint Clark, ExoAnalytic Solutions chief growth officer and vice president of first impressions, said the company has identified a cloud of more than 700 pieces of debris following the Oct. 19 incident.    More
(Source: SpaceNews - Dec 11)

LOCKHEED MARTIN TO LAUNCH 5G DEMONSTRATION ON FIREFLY ROCKET - Lockheed Martin announced plans to launch its Tactical Satellite (TacSat) aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket in 2025, marking the second mission in a multi-launch agreement between the aerospace giant and the upstart rocket company. The mission, funded internally by Lockheed Martin, aims to showcase cutting-edge technologies targeting the defense market.    More
(Source: SpaceNews - Dec 10)

SENTINEL 1C RADAR SATELLITE BEGINS OPERATIONS TO ENHANCE EARTH OBSERVATION - A major addition to Europe's Earth observation capabilities, the Sentinel 1C satellite, has been successfully launched into orbit. Supported by the UK and launched aboard a VEGA-C rocket from French Guiana at 21:20 GMT on Thursday, December 5, Sentinel 1C will orbit 700 km above Earth to deliver critical imaging for environmental and disaster monitoring.   More
(Source: Space Daily - Dec 9)

EUROPE’S MOST ADVANCED WEATHER SATELLITE IS NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL - The first of EUMETSAT’s Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellites is now fully operational. MTG-Imager 1 also receives a new name – Meteosat-12 – to mark the occasion. The two main instruments on board Meteosat-12, the Flexible Combined Imager (FCI) and the Lightning Imager (LI), play a crucial role in enabling meteorological services to help protect lives and livelihoods by providing high-resolution, accurate data for predicting severe weather events.   More
(Source: Eurasia Review - Dec 9)

SPACEX LAUNCHES 23 STARLINK SATELLITES ON FALCON 9 ROCKET FROM CAPE CANAVERAL - SpaceX launched its latest Falcon 9 shortly after midnight on Sunday, adding 23 more Starlink satellites to its growing mega-constellation. The midnight hour launch features 13 satellites which have Direct to Cell capabilities. Liftoff of the Starlink 12-5 mission from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 12:12 a.m. EST (0512 UTC).   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Dec 8)

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