Aerospace and Defense Review : News

DirectTV, which was acquired by AT&T in 2015, is hurrying to relocate Spaceway-1 to a disposal orbit 300 kilometres above the geosynchronous arc, away from major large communications satellites, while it can still operate Spaceway-1 relying solely on power directly generated by its solar panels, bypassing the battery Satellite manufacturer Boeing stated that the battery failure that put DirecTV’s Spaceway-1 satellite at risk of exploding has meagre chances of happening on other satellites. Spaceway-1 was the first of three virtually identical Spaceway satellites built by Boeing and launched between 2005 and 2007. Both Spaceway-1 and 2 are owned by AT&T subsidiary DirectTV, which were launched to provide direct broadcast TV services over the Americas. DirectTV spinoff Hughes Network Systems owns Spaceway-3 and uses it to provide internet connectivity to customers in North America. “The battery malfunction occurred in the course of beyond-contract-life operation after a collection of events that have a very low likelihood of occurring on other satellites,” said Boeing spokesman Richard Esposito. “To further lessen operators’ risk, Boeing will be providing affected customers with a minor update to operating procedures that will allow them to avoid a similar malfunction going forward.” The company, however, refuses to reveal what caused the battery malfunction . DirectTV, which was acquired by AT&T in 2015, is hurrying to relocate Spaceway-1 to a disposal orbit 300 kilometres above the geosynchronous arc, away from major large communications satellites, while it can still operate Spaceway-1 relying solely on power directly generated by its solar panels, bypassing the battery. The company, in a statement, told the U.S. Federal Communications Commission using batteries becomes essential when the satellite starts experiencing eclipses in its geostationary orbit in late February, putting the spacecraft at risk of catastrophic battery failure, if it’s not relocated and decommissioned by then. According to AT&T spokesperson Jim Kimberly, the loss of Spaceway-1, which had operated for three years past its designed lifetime, will not affect the customers. "This satellite is a backup, and we do not anticipate any impacts on consumer service as we retire it," he said. "We are replacing it with another satellite in our fleet." Spaceway-1 was initially used to broadcast television channels, but the company decided to dedicate the satellite to provide backup capacity over Alaska in its latter years. Kimberly declined to say if DirecTV is using Spaceway-2 as the replacement. ...Read more

Astra is assembling a 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility that will be able to produce hundreds of rockets per year. These rockets would ideally cost only USD 1 million per launch, although CEO Chris Kemp thinks differently. San Francisco-based space startup Astra, which openly operated as Stealth Space Company, has been working on developing small, cheap rockets that are designed for facilitating daily spaceflights and delivering satellites into low-Earth orbit for three years. Currently, Astra is assembling a 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility that will be able to produce hundreds of rockets per year. These rockets would ideally cost only USD 1 million per launch, although CEO Chris Kemp thinks differently. "Our strategy is to always focus on the bottom line," said Kemp. "Nothing is sacred. We're able to profitably deliver payloads at $2.5 million per launch, and our intent is to continue to lower that price and increase the performance of our system." Astra's rockets offer a payload capacity of 450 pounds per cargo, keeping it out of the large category, which can launch up to tons and cost between USD 60 to 300 million. With launches available on a daily basis, the company targets companies that produce small satellites like Planet Labs, Spire Global, and Swarm Technologies. Check Out This :  Top Salesforce Services Companies The company is backed by Innovation Endeavors, Airbus Ventures, Canaan Partners, and Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff. Recently, Astra raised more than USD 100 million from these investors and is also a finalist of the Darpa Launch Challenge, wherein Astra can win USD 12 million if it can deploy satellites of Darpa's choosing from two different locations and weeks apart from each other. "Many of our objectives on those launches were achieved, and I guarantee we couldn't have built our orbital rocket in three years if the team hadn't benefited from that experience," said Kemp. The Darpa Challenge aims to demonstrate responsive and flexible space launch capabilities from the burgeoning industry of small launch providers. The company's mission can be compared to Los Angeles-based Relativity Space, which 3D prints rockets and has a slightly higher payload capacity of 2000 pounds. Relativity takes 60 days to build a rocket and costs about USD 10 million. See Also:  Top Space Technology Companies ...Read more

The advancements in space technology and space applications have transformed our outlook on the universe. However, the question for its sustainability arises due to the number of factors influencing the space environment. Space science and space technology are of vital importance in elevating our knowledge of the universe. It has contributed to the advancement of meteorological forecasting, climate change, environmental monitoring, administer natural resources, satellite navigation , and early warning systems that support disaster control, which has saved many lives. The progression in this field will continue to help in the enhancement and discovery of the outer space environment. With the advancements in space technology and the advantages it brings, it is also necessary to keep in mind the adverse effects that come with it, such as satellite debris. The need for preservation, protection, and sustainability of the outer space environment is an important concern that needs to be effectually addressed. Check Out This :  Environmental Business Review A team was created by the World Economic Forum (WEF) to create a rating to rate how well satellites follow and observe space sustainability guidelines, called "Space Sustainability Rating." This rating will evaluate the satellites according to their capability to guarantee the long-term sustainability of space. It is meant to generate a feeling of responsibility among the satellite operators , not through law or economics, but through social and peer pressure. The rating system will include a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures depending on the satellite's design to avoid the risk of impact and the discarding of the satellite at the end of its life, to the economic survival of the satellite operator, in case the satellite outlasts the company that launched it. The ultimate rating will be a single number between zero and one; however the balancing of various factors will remain as a major challenge in front of the team. They planned to use a sensitivity test to figure out how the alteration in each factor influences the overall score. The initial version of this rating system will be ready late this year or early 2021. See Also:  Top Aerospace Tech Solution Companies ...Read more