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        AerospaceLab, a Belgian provider of satellites and satellite solutions, has announced the opening of its first manufacturing facility in the US.
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        The company's 3,300 sqm facility in California is expected to have a production capacity of two satellites a week in a single shift. AerospaceLab reported that it selected the location in California because it was near the US Space Force Bases, Space Force Space Systems Command offices, and other prime contractors.
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        AerospaceLab will build a satellite for Xona at its US factory, which is set to be its first satellite deployed for a commercial customer. The company will begin preparations for the assembly, integration, and testing work for Xona by the end of September 2024.
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    <a href="https://spacenews.com/aerospacelab-opens-doors-to-first-us-satellite-manufacturing-facility/">
      Space News
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Next-gen Satellites

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

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 <p>AerospaceLab, a Belgium-based satellite solutions provider, is set to open its first manufacturing facility in the US. The 3,300 sqm site in California will have the capacity to produce up to two satellites weekly in a single shift. The company revealed that proximity to US Space Force Bases, Space Force Space Systems Command offices, and other prime contractors led to the choice of location.</p>
 <p>The company has its first major task lined up already as it will build a satellite for Xona at the new factory, marking its first deployment for a commercial client. The assembly, integration, and testing work for the Xona satellite project are slated to commence by the end of September 2024.</p>
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AerospaceLab unveils first US manufacturing facility

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 <p>ABL Space Systems, a launch services provider, has laid off an undisclosed number of employees at the end of August 2024.</p>
 <p>The company announced that it downsized its staff due to consecutive rocket failures. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15602"> January 2023 </a> , its RS1 rocket failed on its maiden flight, followed by a failed launch in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31891"> July 2024 </a> , when its second RS1 rocket was damaged in a pre-flight static fire test.</p>
 <p>ABL Space Systems raised over USD 40 million in funding in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/517551"> January 2024, </a> bringing its total funding to USD 470 million since 2017, and will focus on its next rocket production and flight with a small team and moderate financing.</p>
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ABL Space Systems downsizes workforce due to rocket failures

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 <p>The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) plans to spend 700 million USD on AI capabilities over the next five years, focused on data labeling services in satellite imagery and other geospatial data. The agency's duties include the collection, analysis, and distribution of geospatial intelligence, sourced from satellite and aerial imagery, and used in support of national security and military operations, as well as disaster response efforts.</p>
 <p>The data labeling program will aim to annotate raw images and videos to make them easier for machine learning models to interpret. For instance, labeling specific objects such as buildings, roads, and vegetation. This labeling of datasets in geospatial intelligence will enable machine learning models to better interpret spatial data and identify various factors including land use types, environmental changes, and different types of infrastructures.</p>
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National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to launch USD 700 million program for using AI in satellite imagery

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 <p>Space technology firm Loft Orbital and Abu Dhabi-based Marlan Space have launched a joint venture named "Orbitworks." This aims to be the first private space infrastructure company in the Middle East, focused on creating commercial low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations. The company is backed by an initial investment of over USD 100 million and plans to develop up to 50 500 kg satellites each year. The first satellite platform assembly, integration, and testing are scheduled for early 2025.</p>
 <p>Orbitworks intends to use Loft Orbital's expertise and technology for different telecommunications, Earth observation, and scientific research missions. The venture also foresees collaboration with local component manufacturers and AI companies in the UAE as a method for deploying AI applications to orbit.</p>
 
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Loft Orbital and Marlan Space partner to create Middle East's first satellite production company

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 <p> SpaceWERX, an arm of the US Space Force (USSF), awarded Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contracts to nine space technology firms, which include American Lithium Energy, Apex Spacecraft Manufacturing, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/1930163"> Impulse Space </a>, Inversion Space, K2 Space, Outpost Space, Portal Space Systems, Turion Space, and Wildstar. </p>

<p>The STRATFI scheme is aimed at integrating dual-use commercial technologies into practical capabilities for the US Air Force and the USSF.</p>

<p>These companies have collectively received government funding amounting to USD 301 million, comprising USD 146 million from the Small Business Innovation Research funds and an extra USD 155 million from other government funds. In addition, they managed to secure USD 217 million through private matching funds.</p>
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SpaceWERX awards contracts to nine space technology companies

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

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 <p>NASA has chosen three firms, Arrow Science and Technology, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/1930163"> Impulse Space </a> , and Momentus Space, for its Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract.</p>
 <p>The VADR contract tasks these companies with launching small satellite missions in a cost-effective way, along with providing rideshare or orbital transfer missions.</p>
 <p>Arrow Science and Technology, a Native American enterprise, specialises in dispatching satellites using other launch vehicles and orbital transfer vehicles. Impulse Space is involved in the in-space transportation of payloads using orbital transfer vehicles. Momentus Space offers in-space infrastructure services, transportation, hosted payloads, and in-orbit services.</p>
 
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NASA selects Arrow Science and Technology, Impulse Space, and Momentus Space for small-sat missions

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 <p>Amazon has put forward an investment of USD 19.5 million for the expansion of its satellite processing facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. This enlargement aims to minimize delays in the deployment of Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation.</p>
 <p>The expansion plans consist of an additional 3900 sq m support facility within the site, which assists in speeding up the launch cadency. This is in continuation to the 9300 sq m satellite processing facility, which Amazon declared in 2023, located at Kennedy's runway-equipped Launch and Landing Facility.</p>
 <p>Amazon has received consent from aerospace finance and development authority, Space Florida, to reimburse up to USD 3.2 million worth construction costs. It has been reported that the completion of the secondary facility's construction is slated for 2025.</p>
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Amazon invests funding to expand Kennedy Space Center for satellite deployments

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 <p>Dragonfly Aerospace, based in South Africa, has revealed its Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and ITAR-Free space components that achieved a Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9). This includes a variety of standalone components.</p>
 <p>The standalone elements are the Electrical Power System Low Power (EPS-LP) used for spacecraft power control, the 28–300v Lithium-ion battery module, the RW-1Nms Reaction Wheel for imaging satellites, and the High-Data-Rate X-Band Transmitter (HDRTx) used for low-Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft.</p>
 <p>Moreover, Dragonfly Aerospace has also presented a satellite avionics suite that contains an OBC-Q7S onboard computer designed for LEO microsatellites and a 512 GB Solid-State Mass Memory (SSMM) for LEO spacecraft.</p>
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Dragonfly Aerospace launches Commercial Off-The-Shelf and ITAR-Free space components

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 <p>The UK Space Command has launched Tyche, its first military satellite, as part of SpaceX's Transporter-11 rideshare mission. The satellite will enhance the UK's Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.</p>
 <p>The UK Ministry of Defence owns Tyche, which was designed and constructed domestically following a contract of ~USD 29 million awarded to Surrey Satellites Technology Limited by Defence Equipment &amp; Support.</p>
 <p>Tyche, weighing 150 kg, will be operational in low-Earth orbit for the next five years. Throughout this period, it will provide images and videos from space to facilitate the UK Armed Forces. Its functions will comprise monitoring natural calamities, creating mapping data, observing environmental conditions, and assessing the effects of climate change.</p>
 
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UK Space Command launches first military satellite

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 <p>UK space tech company Open Cosmos has launched a 6U CubeSat, Phisat-2, in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) via SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The ESA selected Open Cosmos as the primary contractor for the mission. The Phisat-2 satellite aims to highlight the advantages of integrating AI with Earth observation through a multispectral camera linked with a computer enabled by the NanoSat MO Framework (NMF).</p>
 <p>The dimensions of Phisat-2 are 22 x 10 x 33cm and it is equipped with a multispectral instrument designed to capture images of Earth across seven distinct bands, in addition to a panchromatic band. The CubeSat will leverage AI and machine learning to deliver key data for maritime surveillance, environmental defence, cloud recognition, disaster management response, and other applications.</p>
 <p>The satellite was launched with four operating applications including Consultants to Government and Industry's (CGI) Sat2Map, Cloud Detection by KP Lab, Vessel Detection by CEiiA, and Deep Image Compression by GEO-K. Open Cosmos has plans to introduce two additional apps, including the 'Anomalies in Marine Ecosystems' app from IRT Saint Exupéry Technical Research, and the 'PhiFire AI' app from Thales Alenia Space.</p>
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All Updates

AerospaceLab unveils first US manufacturing facility

ABL Space Systems downsizes workforce due to rocket failures

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to launch USD 700 million program for using AI in satellite imagery

Loft Orbital and Marlan Space partner to create Middle East's first satellite production company

SpaceWERX awards contracts to nine space technology companies

NASA selects Arrow Science and Technology, Impulse Space, and Momentus Space for small-sat missions

Amazon invests funding to expand Kennedy Space Center for satellite deployments

Dragonfly Aerospace launches Commercial Off-The-Shelf and ITAR-Free space components

UK Space Command launches first military satellite

Open Cosmos and European Space Agency launch AI-powered CubeSat

Next-gen Satellites

AerospaceLab unveils first US manufacturing facility

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